Chapter 175
Chapter 175: Toward 5th Tier (1)
They say everything's high risk, high return, huh.
Erik had gone through quite a considerable hardship on the 25th floor. But then, isn't hardship called hardship precisely because it can be overcome? By overcoming it, Erik had come away with an enormous reward. He'd also gained a new realization.
Clear the Labyrinth to conquer the surface.
In the game, the so-called endgame content was using a character strengthened through clearing the Labyrinth to wage territorial wars on the surface. And it turned out to be exactly the same in reality.
All the strongest existed by clearing the Labyrinth.
Just look at the world's supreme powerhouses. Every single one of them had cleared the depths of the Labyrinth, growing stronger by monopolizing all sorts of rewards and Hidden Pieces.
Just like I am right now.
Erik mulled over each of the things he had gained, one by one. Through the Trial Corridor, he had completed his Limit Break, and thanks to that, he had gained [Stats].
After that, he had taken in the Saintess of Lu-Solace and used her to clear the two remaining Floor Masters. Adding in the three the Saintess had already killed beforehand, that made a total of five Floor Masters taken down. And that wasn't all.
“Nishida Ryo, how was it?”
Erik had gained a clue toward a new clearing strategy. It was a groundbreaking method: attacking a Floor Master from the inside of its own body.
“It, it was a horrifying place.”
At Erik's question, Nishida Ryo swallowed hard before describing the scenery inside the Floor Master's body.
“It was full of insect eggs……. And green acidic fluid—. Yikes!”
It must have been quite horrifying, given how much Nishida trembled. But Erik had no interest whatsoever in the scenery inside a Floor Master's body. So he waved his hand and got straight to the point.
“Does the Floor Master's power still work inside its own body?”
Starting from its instant-death aura, all sorts of area skills, to special abilities that dealt damage on proximity. A Floor Master's patterns were diverse and wide-ranging.
What about inside the Floor Master's own body? That was what Erik wanted to know.
“Uh?”
Nishida Ryo mulled it over for a moment, then suddenly raised his head as though he'd realized something.
“Since the blood is acidic, I think you'd take continuous damage……. But I'm certain the patterns had no effect at all inside the body!”
Eureka! Nishida Ryo cried out in triumph. Seeing his slack-jawed face made Erik feel a bit annoyed, but he praised Nishida instead.
“Good work.”
If he had to name the single biggest profit gained from this floor. This clearing strategy was probably it.
So even a difference in scale can be turned to use, depending on how you look at it.
The Floor Masters in reality had grown far too massive. So it was only natural that a method of clearing them from the inside would emerge.
Five Floor Masters' worth of rewards, huh.
Erik gazed out at the 25th floor, now transformed into something resembling hell. Countless insect corpses littered the area everywhere, and the corpses of the Floor Masters who had summoned them lay scattered about like terrain features in their own right.
Their size was as massive as mountains. Each and every one of them was practically a treasure pile with rewards from a 60th-floor-and-above clear buried within.
“Handle any Bind-on-Acquire or Bind-on-Equip items with care.”
Erik and his party began excavation work. The plan was to dig through the mountainous Floor Master carcasses and claim the clearing rewards buried inside. Erik first grabbed the [Selective Trait Orb].
“Du-sik, Jackson, eat one each.”
Both of them, having passed the 20th floor, had become able to consume one more trait orb. Jackson, a Possessor, chose [All Stats Increase].
Crunch.
“Ugh—. This tastes disgusting.”
When a native of this world eats a trait orb, their level of power rises. That was how the item worked for Jang Du-sik.
But…….
“Bro, why's it doing this?”
Shhhhaaaa—.
A massive membrane of some kind formed over Jang Du-sik's body. It was a membrane filled with golden divinity. It looked something like a cocoon, or perhaps an egg.
“Wh-what is that!” The power contained in the membrane surrounding Jang Du-sik was overwhelming. Even the Saintess of Lu-Solace, who'd been trailing along after Erik, was stunned enough to recoil.
But the one at the center of it was Jang Du-sik. And everyone present here was one of Erik's own people. Unlike the shocked Saintess, everyone else was completely unfazed, and the Possessor followers didn't even spare a glance, absorbed as they were in excavating Floor Master rewards.
“Man, why's my head so itchy?”
Even the man himself, Jang Du-sik, remained perfectly unbothered. He simply scratched his head vigorously with his club, without a care in the world.
“Du-sik, how are you feeling?”
“There's a flash and it's itchy, it feels about the same as usual.”
Erik couldn't help but wonder what on earth Jang Du-sik was turning into. A being who could be registered as a guild member without ever being incorporated into the [Faith Management] system. As Erik was mulling over Jang Du-sik in this manner.
“Item collection complete!”
The followers had finished gathering the rewards. Erik grabbed a few Bind-type items and declared their next course of action to the group.
“We're going to go catch some adventurers.”
But that course of action was somewhat strange. Hadn't he originally said they'd do a high-speed clear all the way up to the 30th floor?
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Jang Du-sik blinked. He was puzzled by this abrupt change in objective. Erik proceeded to explain.
“We're going to run into those adventurer bastards on the way there anyway, so we can't just leave them be, can we?”
“Didn't you say they declared neutrality so you wouldn't touch them?”
“As long as I don't kill them, that's fine.”
What exactly had the adventurers been doing? Using their neutrality declaration as an excuse for a free pass all the way up to the Labyrinth's upper floors.
While the Black Mage Group and every other faction fought each other, those adventurer bastards had comfortably slacked off and monopolized the Labyrinth's upper floors all to themselves.
“Come to think of it, they're the most infuriating bunch of all.”
The 30th floor was the one he had to clear to unlock 5th Tier anyway. And it was also the floor best suited for adventurers to gather resources.
“Since you can get the most rewards on the 30th floor, they've definitely set up camp there.”
“B-boss……. What'll you do if they get in the way?”
At Jackson's deeply concerned question, Erik answered.
“Then, from that point on, there's no such thing as neutrality anymore.”
—Ep. 37: Toward 5th Tier
Labyrinth, 30th floor. A vast field had formed centered around the massive fortress where Rudrick's Knight resided. A mine where one could dig for mana stones. Herb fields that produced ingredients for all sorts of recovery potions. Colonies of low-difficulty monsters, easy for leveling up.
“All this vast wealth of resources…….”
Originally, the 30th floor had been the site of the fiercest competition of all. The Empire and the three kingdoms had raced to send armies to control the field, and the adventurers had been treated like goblins caught between trolls. But things are different now.
“No armies, and it's peaceful and safe!”
The adventurers were enjoying an unprecedented golden age.
“I never imagined the Adventurer King declaring neutrality would lead to such a massive advantage like this.”
“That's all thanks to our Possessors!”
Amid the world's great upheaval, the Adventurer's Guild had declared neutrality. It had been thanks to the Possessors' advice.
“Possessor knowledge really does come in handy. That's exactly why us S-rank adventurers are giving you guys a free ride.”
Adventurers now consisted of a mix of Possessors and natives. The mood was warm and friendly.
It was because they viewed each other as fellow people, treating one another as comrades. The two friendly groups began to grow together, mutually benefiting from one another.
Clang—! Clang!
“How do you even know a place like this exists?”
“Because a hundred million people were mining here in the game, so plenty of good little farming spots have become common knowledge, that kind of thing.”
The natives learned about the map's Hidden Pieces, as well as odd bugged terrain features.
Hmmmm—.
“Wh-what, is this aura?”
“Oh, once you pass level 50, it works fine even without skills now!”
The Possessors had begun properly adapting to the bodies they had possessed. With the help of the natives, they were learning to awaken aura or magical power. And so, Possessor-origin adventurers who stood out from the rest began to gain new opportunities.
“Chen Lifu! You'll be joining this round of the Floor Master clear.”
S-rank and above adventurers continued their repeated attempts at clearing the Floor Master. Referencing the Possessors' clearing strategies, they were able to take down Rudrick's Knight faster and more efficiently than before.
They had also discovered the possibility of gaining a variety of rewards by bringing Possessors along on the clear.
“He's from the 2nd-ranked guild in Continental Online, isn't he?”
The very first Possessor selected was Chen Lifu, an executive of the 2nd-ranked guild in Continental Online, [Zhonghua Yitong].
Chen Lifu followed the S-rank adventurers into the fortress where Rudrick's Knight resided.
Rrrrumble—.
The overwhelmingly massive stone archway gate opened, scattering a bizarre grinding noise.
What lay beyond the gate was a vast training ground.
At the far end stood a massive being, plunging its sword vertically into the ground as a form of welcome.
“Uninvited guests have arrived.”
A giant clad in full plate armor, several dozen meters tall, radiated an intimidating presence.
Th-that huge?
Possessor Chen Lifu was gripped with terror.
Rudrick's Knight was already well known for its high difficulty even in the game, but in reality, everything about it—from its size to its presence—looked overwhelmingly more powerful.
“Move into clear formation!”
But watching the S-rank adventurers' orderly, well-coordinated clearing, Chen Lifu soon felt a wave of relief. They dodged the Floor Masters summoned soldiers' focused charge by moving to designated positions, then instantly dispatched the soldiers.
After that, they exchanged blows with Rudrick's Knight, steadily stripping away its armor piece by piece. After quite some time of this.
Clank—.
The Floor Master Rudrick's armor came off, revealing bare flesh. What appeared next was its instant-death aura.
“Everyone, to the walls!!!”
The adventurers instantly clung to the ceiling or walls inside the fortress, fleeing outside the range of the instant-death skill. And the moment the aura died down.
“Chen Lifu, this is the real world. Let me show you the Adventurer King's swordsmanship, especially for you.”
An SS-rank adventurer stepped up beside Chen Lifu. He kindled a brilliant blue aura over his blade, then vanished, leaving only an afterimage behind.
Slash—.
That sword strike severed the neck of Rudrick's Knight.
Boom!
The massive head dropped to the ground, and at that very instant.
—You have killed the 30th Floor Master, Rudrick. Not bad.
The Labyrinth's commentary rang out, and the reward appeared over the Floor Master.
“Chen Lifu, how was that?”
“I-in ten minutes…….”
The clear time had been overwhelmingly short. Just from gaining one groundbreaking clearing strategy, the result had changed this dramatically.
“Thanks to you Possessors, we no longer need to fear the power of instant death.”
Every Floor Master has a way to counter it, after all. And with Possessors alongside them, there was nothing to fear from the floors ahead either.
“Now, look at this. Lucky.”
What appeared over Rudrick was the [Armor of Knight Rudrick], a Floor Master-exclusive item.
It was a highly versatile item that any class could equip.
“This completes my third full set. Chen Lifu, one of these is for you—.”
Just as they were about to divide up the rewards.
—Ten of the Empire, the Saintess of Lu-Solace, and 388 adventurers. Welcome to the 30th floor.
The Labyrinth's voice rang out. Its meaning was clear.
“Th-they killed all of those massive monsters?”
The adventurers gathered at the floor's entrance. Since no one had even imagined anyone would come up here, it took quite a while for everyone to assemble.
“Th-the Empire has truly come all the way here!”
“All adventurers, group up by clan!”
The entrance to the 30th floor. Above the plaza where a massive monument stood, a colossal Paladin radiated a brilliant glow as he rose high into the sky. His presence was immense beyond measure.
“Quite the elaborate welcome, aren't you giving me?”
A heavy, low voice settled over the vast plaza. But there was no reply in return. After exchanging glances with one another for a moment, one person finally stepped forward and approached the massive Paladin. It was Felcom, the SS-rank adventurer who could be considered the adventurers' representative.
“H-how did you even get here?”
Felcom genuinely couldn't believe it.
Starting with that cosmic monster, all the way to the Floor Masters of unconquered floors…….
What the Adventurer's Guild had witnessed in passing were the monsters created by the Black Mage Group. And they were monsters of an incomprehensible scale, ones that even he, an SS-rank adventurer, couldn't even begin to estimate.
Could it be that the Black Mage Group and the Empire have joined forces?
Felcom's mind raced with complicated thoughts. Honestly, the idea that they'd actually killed those things made no sense at all. So it was understandable that he'd entertain the delusional notion that the Empire had colluded with the Black Mage Group.
“We killed them all, so of course we're here, aren't we?”
“Y-you killed all of them?”
Felcom's mind couldn't even begin to imagine how they'd managed to kill those monsters.
Beings that even the Adventurer King's own direct unit would struggle to handle…….
Felcom glanced down at what lay beneath Erik. He saw eleven people. Not even a unit-sized force, just about ten people.
“Even the Saintess of Lu-Solace has sided with the Empire?”
“Since they lost the war, it's only natural the Empire takes the spoils.”
Was the being floating up there in the sky some kind of god? Claiming the symbol of an entire nation and religious order as mere war spoils…….
“Aren't you going to move?”
As Felcom stood there stunned, Erik posed a question to him. It was because the armed adventurers surrounding him felt irritating to Erik.
Better set some discipline here.
Erik's intent was simple. To clear the 30th Floor Master, the adventurer bastards needed to be cleared out of the way. But still, there was no reply.
“I respect your neutrality declaration and recommend you move, and yet there's no answer, huh.”
Erik let his presence surge slightly. A massive pillar of light shot up in the middle of the 30th floor, and an immense, crushing weight settled over the area.
Boom—.
The weaker adventurers began collapsing to their knees on their own.
“This is a hunting ground already claimed by the Empire.”
Amid that situation, Erik continued speaking casually.
“You all used the Empire's hunting ground without authorization, so you'll need to pay the price for that.”
Felcom agonized for quite a while before finally managing to speak.
“W-what on earth are you talking about, all of a sudden?”
Not only had he received a sudden eviction notice, but he'd also just heard the insane demand to pay a usage fee……. It made sense he wouldn't be able to accept it. But Erik's words were entirely sincere.
“It's the Labyrinth's law. I'll give you the chance to either leave everything you've farmed on the 30th floor behind and move up to the next floor, or use an Escape Monument to leave.”
“Th-this is an outrage!”
Befitting an SS-rank adventurer, Felcom pushed back firmly as well.
“Starting from the next Labyrinth expedition, the Adventurer King's own direct unit will be joining too—can you handle that? To begin with, since when has the Labyrinth ever had a rule like this?”
At Felcom's question, Erik pointed to an entirely unexpected person.
“A Possessor. And Chinese, at that. Chen Lifu, what are the rules of the Labyrinth?”
Chen Lifu knew exactly what Erik was referring to.
Upper-floor usage fees…….
Wasn't this the exact same corrupt practice once carried out by the Park&Yoon Guild? The strongest guild in Continental Online. Collecting hunting ground usage fees was standard practice, and you even had to bid for your turn at clearing a Floor Master.
C-could he be referring to Continental Online's own rules?
Chen Lifu trembled under Erik's steady gaze. Then, reluctantly, he gave his answer.
“Su-survival of the fittest. The strong prevail.”
“You know it well.”
Erik smiled brightly and turned to look at the SS-rank adventurer Felcom.
“You don't know it?”
Felcom hesitated. There were options like pushing back firmly, or even fighting back…….
This is the Holy Son Erik, who killed those monsters.
He couldn't afford to act rashly. Hundreds of adventurers' lives rested on his shoulders.
And on top of that…….
Of all people, Erik had to come into the Labyrinth.
A being with a terrible reputation among adventurers. One that had already surpassed even the name of his teacher, Riferoze. Erik's habit of impaling heads on spear shafts had spread far and wide, earning him the nickname the Beheading Erik.
Wh-what do I do?
Fwoop!
As Felcom agonized over it.
Erik flapped his wings and closed the distance in an instant. Before he knew it, Erik was standing right in front of Felcom, looking down at him.
“I possess the power to occupy and control the Labyrinth's 30th floor by force.”
At those words, Felcom lowered his head.
“So, it's only natural that I demand a usage fee. And on top of that, I'll need compensation for you dumping the Black Mages on us under the guise of your neutrality declaration.”
Erik let his presence surge just a bit more. His divine power took on intent, manifesting as a force of sheer weight. That immense power bore down on Felcom.
“Ugh, thank you for allowing us to use the 30th floor.”
He'd submitted. It had been an unavoidable choice. The best option available to beg for his life.
“H-how much is the usage fee?”
“All the resources gained on the 30th floor.”
Just as Felcom was about to breathe a sigh of relief. Erik continued speaking.
“And I'll need the usage fees for the other floors you've cleared up until now, too. Your subspace pouches, all the way to your Possessors' inventories, looked pretty full.”
“H-how could you possibly take all of that—.”
“I'm joking. I'll only take half of what's from the lower floors.”
Erik named his price. It was the price of their lives.
“W-we'll pay for everything.”
The adventurers began piling up the resources they'd gathered in the Labyrinth's plaza. It was because they had witnessed their leading SS-rank adventurer submit. Watching the supplies pile up like a mountain, Erik said.
“From now on, this is how the rules of the Labyrinth are going to change.”
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