Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 384: The Sun’s Spring (4)
“Alice, I’ll leave it to you. I trust you to handle whatever the outcome may be, so don’t feel too pressured, okay?”
Understood.
Her contractor had entrusted her with this task.
Success or failure, they said it didn’t matter.
But she couldn’t let that trust falter from the start.
“…”
Alice clenched her fist tightly.
The risks had risen far beyond the original plan…
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
The word *give up* would never leave her lips.
“Good. The rest of you, please wait here. This shouldn’t take too long.”
At Hatoel’s words, Bellus and Ophelia immediately voiced their objections.
“Are you sure this is safe? It could be a trap.”
“I agree. It was their side that changed the plan. We have enough to say if we just turn around and leave.”
“You both wait here until I return. That’s an order from your head.”
“…Understood, my Lord.”
“If you’ve decided, we have no choice but to obey… but please be careful. We can’t bear to lose our head twice.”
Alice followed Hatoel.
Clang!
A side door hidden by golden leaves opened, rather than the main entrance.
It was a measure to keep Alice’s presence hidden from other angels.
“Hmm.”
Alice looked around as she stepped inside.
The sanctuary where the angels dwelled was, in itself, a breathtaking sight.
The holy and grandiose structures guarded by thousands of troops were worthy of the label *the mightiest*.
However, what was most striking…
Was the palpable magic emanating from a small house nestled in an alley.
Tingle, tingle.
A sharp sensation prickled her skin.
There was no need to ask Hatoel to know what it meant.
Gabriel was inside.
“He’s in there, right?”
“Yes. He’s waiting for you. Please go ahead; I’ll check the perimeter and follow.”
“Got it.”
Alice stepped into the house.
Inside the modest room, an archangel was sipping tea with a radiant smile.
“…Not much for hospitality, are you? I thought you’d at least dampen that annoying holy energy while waiting.”
“Apologies. I tried, but some instincts are beyond control. Especially when dealing with the former head of Ataraxia, who once laid waste to our kin.”
“Of course, you would.”
Alice’s cold voice cut through as she pulled a letter from her pocket.
“This is a letter from the contractor. It supposedly contains clues about that book you’ve been so desperate to find.”
“…!”
Gabriel’s expression shifted in an instant.
The warm smile vanished, replaced by eyes glistening with greed and raw instinct.
After searching for centuries, a clue to the coveted treasure was right in front of him, making it impossible for him to remain composed.
“Ah! Keep those filthy hands to yourself. Don’t you have something to give me first?”
Whack!
Alice smacked Gabriel’s outstretched hand away without hesitation.
“…This is the information Player Kang Jinhyuk wanted. It contains memories about the past of Hastin.”
Gabriel placed a blue gem on the table.
*A Memory Stone*.
A special item that could only be used once to replay a memory.
With this, both parties now had the items they desired for the exchange.
[Gabriel activates Lv?? ‘Scales of the Horizon’!]
A golden scale appeared above Gabriel and Alice.
One side held the sealed letter; the other side, the *Memory Stone*.
This sacred scale confirmed the authenticity and weighed the value of both items.
With this skill in use, there was no room for deceit in the exchange.
Both pieces of information held roughly equal value.
‘So the clue to the *Necronomicon* is… only partial.’
Gabriel nodded as if he had expected this.
It would have been more surprising if it had been a complete clue.
Still, this was a significant breakthrough from a stalemate with no leads.
Just then—
“There’s one more thing the contractor asked me to say.”
Alice added, almost as an afterthought.
“What is it?”
“Thanks to Kizakiel’s rampage at the giants’ fortress, we suffered significant damage. He wants compensation for that.”
“What…! Kizakiel was expelled from our side as a fallen angel before that incident. How can we be held responsible?”
“I don’t care. I’m just passing along the contractor’s message. Or what, should we just scrap the whole deal? I don’t think it’s worth explaining who stands to lose more.”
Alice made a show of crumpling the letter as if she were about to tear it.
“W-wait!”
Gabriel was the one who panicked this time.
“And what kind of compensation are you asking for?”
“Nothing much. Just complete restoration of our fortress and support until it becomes a major stronghold.”
“A… major stronghold? Do you think that’s reasonable?”
“It is.”
Of course, it was.
A smirk curved Alice’s lips upward.
*Push hard, as usual. If you stay true to yourself, it’ll work. Eden is desperate.*
Jinhyuk’s advice had given her confidence.
All that was left was to keep applying pressure.
Grit.
Gabriel’s teeth ground audibly.
“…Fine. We’ll add that to the contract.”
The scale tipped abruptly to one side.
It was clearly an unfair contract, but Gabriel had no choice but to accept it.
“Good. That’s settled.”
Alice stood as if there was nothing more to say.
But at that moment—
Buzz! Buzz!
An intense wave of magic surged through the fortress.
The blaring of sirens, like an alarm, shook Eden to its core.
“It seems they’ve noticed an intruder.”
“You…”
“This truly wasn’t intentional. As Hatoel mentioned, we’re also dealing with internal issues.”
Gabriel shrugged.
“But don’t worry too much. It would be just as problematic for us if word got out about our contract with vampires. Hatoel.”
“Yes.”
“Please escort Lady Alice out of Eden safely.”
“Understood. If we hurry, we can still find an unblocked secret passage.”
“Tch! We don’t have a choice.”
Alice prepared to leave quickly.
“Oh, I almost forgot to give you this.”
Gabriel handed her a red apple.
Not just any apple.
It was clearly infused with an extraordinary aura—
The Fruit of Knowledge, or the First Apple.
It had many names, but it was one of the highest-grade special items symbolizing Eden.
“You’re… giving this to me?”
“Use it when you’re alone with someone precious. One bite and that person will belong to you.”
A binding force with absolute judgment.
With this…
Even Jinhyuk would succumb.
“Of course, one won’t be enough, but consider this a trial to test its effects.”
“D-do you think I’d use such a cheap trick? I can win him over with my strength alone!”
“Hm. For someone saying that, your eyes are trembling. And why are you breathing so hard while drooling?”
“When did I ever!”
“Anyway, I look forward to our next meeting, Lady of Ataraxia.”
Gabriel smiled warmly as he bid farewell.
＊＊＊
Boom!
Crash! Crash! Crash!
A black limb smashed rocks apart relentlessly.
“Damn it! What… kind of monstrous… octopus is this!”
Chun Yoosung moved frantically to dodge the attacks.
It was less an octopus and more like a machine gun of limbs.
Even as he moved with all his strength, avoiding its attacks wasn’t easy.
“When are you going to finish setting that trap?”
“Hold on. You came in so confident, and now you’re complaining… I lasted 15 minutes against that thing once.”
“Hah! Only 15 minutes? If you can last 15, then I can do 30.”
“Thirty minutes… against that thing? Impossible.”
Jinhyuk stuttered with an expression of disbelief.
“Just watch. I’ll show you the difference between us.”
Rumble.
[Chun Yoosung activates his unique skill, ‘Song of the Sword’!]
Chun Yoosung poured all his mana into *Ryuhwa*, swinging it forcefully.
Boom!
The demonic energy within the sword clashed directly with the octopus’s limb.
‘Prideful idiots and fools are always the easiest to manipulate.’
Especially prideful idiots. Like him.
Humming, Jinhyuk pulled an Iron Shell Shrimp from the trap.
Unlike the others, this one had a slightly more curved and larger claw.
This was the key to the labyrinth.
Despite already having the key, Jinhyuk kept Chun Yoosung busy for one reason—
The labyrinth wouldn’t have much to eat, but here, they were surrounded by delicacies.
‘Why bother eating trash inside when there’s such great food out here?’
Let’s see…
That shrimp over there, with the black stripe on its back, looks sweet and rich.
And that one, full of oil, hasn’t spawned yet.
While Chun Yoosung risked his life in battle, Jinhyuk selected seven of the tastiest shrimps and stored them in his subspace inventory.
Now…
Jinhyuk turned his gaze to the deepest part of the valley.
The bottom of a pool that looked the most profound.
That’s where the entrance to the labyrinth lay.
“Stop engaging it! Come over here!”
Jinhyuk shouted before diving into the water.
Cold liquid engulfed him, chilling him to the bone.
The icy water felt like it could freeze his mind, but he stayed focused.
Jinhyuk swam downward with practiced ease.
Deeper.
Until he reached the bottom of the valley.
He could see Tawny Owl and Chun Yoosung following closely behind.
And the massive limb of the octopus, too.
They needed to hurry.
If that thing caught them underwater, it would be disastrous.
Blub-blub!
Chun Yoosung’s mouth opened wide as he gestured at the approaching suckers.
Damn it. I know. If I don’t open this door now, we’re doomed.
‘Insert the claw… turn it clockwise 23 degrees…’
Click!
As expected.
He had performed this maneuver enough times to make it second nature.
[The labyrinth ‘Valley of Eternity – Where the Sun Does Not Reach’ has been opened!]
The bottom of the valley split open, and a brilliant light shone through.
At the same time, everyone’s vision turned white.
＊＊＊
“Cough! Cough!”
“Phew… that was close.”
They had barely made it inside the labyrinth.
A moment later and Chun Yoosung would have been octopus food.
But there was no time to rest.
This place was the most treacherous labyrinth on the 23rd floor.
From now on, they had to consider everything here a trap.
‘Even if the difficulty has been raised, as long as I know the basic strategy, we can manage.’
Jinhyuk shook the water from his body.
Then—
“So, you think we were the ones who raised the difficulty…”
Tawny Owl, who had been silent until now, spoke.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s true this isn’t an ordinary labyrinth. But the reason it’s like this isn’t because of us…”
Clang!
Thud!
Monsters clad in bizarre shells began appearing one by one.
“It’s because of that being I mentioned.”
“Damn it. When did this…! Kang Jinhyuk!”
Chun Yoosung shouted in alarm.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
