Chapter 14
Chapter 14: The Etiquette Enforcer Erik (6)
“What in the world is happening?”
The possessors were terrified as they stared at the labyrinth walls that had turned bright yellow.
Their entire bodies tingled from the feast of pure divinity, and their hair stood on end.
Jang Du-sik thrust his club toward the frightened possessors.
“Shut up and stay put.”
The possessors gulped nervously.
The distant divine power was frightening, but the nearby club was even more terrifying.
“Good grief, just how many hours has it been…”
Jang Du-sik was starting to wonder if he should wake Erik up.
Erik was still sitting in meditation posture, wrapped in brilliant golden light, looking like a divine statue.
Nearly a full day had passed.
During all that time, Erik hadn’t moved even once.
Flash!
Erik’s eyes opened.
Crack, crack, crack!
His massive body rose, and the divinity that had enveloped the surroundings vanished like a ghost.
Except for the golden imprint left on the labyrinth wall in the shape of Erik’s enormous back, it was as if nothing had happened at all.
“Phew.”
“Brother, did you achieve something?”
As Erik let out a sigh, Jang Du-sik approached and asked.
Erik nodded silently.
His lips curled upward in what looked like complete satisfaction.
[Profession-Exclusive Shop]
Erik gazed at the translucent system window floating before his eyes with a pleased smile.
Finally, he could use a proper game system again, couldn’t he?
[Sacred Armor of Alman’s Barbanil: 150,000,000 Gold]
[Sacred Spear Lu-Solaras’s Wedge: 200,000,000 Gold]
‘To think there are sacred relics from the Almanism Church and even Lu-Solaras religious artifacts.’
Erik felt like he might lose his mind from joy.
‘This is insane.’
He could actually purchase sacred relics from other religions!
Despite the outrageous prices of 150 million gold and 200 million gold, he felt no worry whatsoever.
‘If I buy those and resell them…’
How much would that be worth?
It was obvious they could name any price they wanted.
‘That’s not even the end of it.’
[Skills]
[Star Summoning: 100,000,000 Gold]
[Creation: 250,000,000 Gold] . . .
[Resurrection: 10,000,000,000 Gold]
Skills had appeared for Erik as well.
‘Paladin’ was a concept that became stronger through money-wasting. Erik had thought there was something wrong with him when his [Skill Window] disappeared, but that wasn’t the case.
‘This is how it should match the concept.’
The cheapest was 100 million gold and the most expensive reached an insane price of 10 billion gold, but…
Erik was utterly satisfied.
Erik hadn’t had much use for the system.
All it did was let him pay money to gain divine power. His martial prowess had all been gained through training with his master anyway.
For such an Erik, [Skills] were extremely welcome just by their existence alone.
‘Resurrection?’
There were countless abilities whose nature he couldn’t understand, like ‘Star Summoning’ and ‘Creation.’
Yet considering that the most expensive skill was ‘Resurrection,’ it was certainly tremendously powerful.
In a world where gods exist,
where divine power exists,
and where strange forces like aura and magic overflow…
Even so, resurrection of the dead was impossible.
“I need to leave the labyrinth immediately.”
Having finished his thoughts, Erik immediately decided on his destination.
“What… you’re leaving already?”
It was only the first day in the labyrinth – barely a few hours would have passed outside.
Jang Du-sik was dumbfounded.
Time flows differently inside and outside the labyrinth.
One day outside equals about ten days in the labyrinth, and the time ratio becomes even greater as you descend to deeper floors.
This time ratio of the labyrinth is the true nature of high risk, high return.
“The losses would be enormous.”
“Losses?”
Erik didn’t think of it that way at all.
“Du-sik, once we get out of here, we could change the magical tool shop into a sacred relic shop.”
Erik declared confidently.
***
Starting from the 2nd floor, portals appear in the labyrinth that allow you to exit.
Unlike the middle or upper floors, below the 5th floor you can move between floors without conquering the floor boss.
Erik conquered the labyrinth with lightning speed.
The floor boss rewards could be collected later.
“…We, we are…”
“J-just keep more distance so you don’t get burned to death.”
The three possessors followed blankly behind Jang Du-sik.
A scene of massacre unfolded before their eyes.
Boom! Boom! Splat.
The 1st floor of the labyrinth was a goblin cave – though calling it a cave, its scale was overwhelmingly massive.
Following the cave’s path, you would encounter stairs leading to the 2nd floor.
The deeper you went, the larger hobgoblins would appear among the goblins…
Splat! Squish.
Every time Erik swung his fist wrapped in divine power, green blood splattered as goblins burst apart.
Whether hobgoblins or regular goblins made no difference.
“M-Monster Room!”
Because Erik chose the path directly as he strode forward, the party encountered unexpected dangers.
They had already encountered Monster Rooms filled with dozens of goblins ten times.
The Monster Room they encountered this time was packed full of superior hobgoblins.
‘Even in the game, you’d see this maybe once in ten thousand times…’
The superior Monster Room, called a newbie killer, was even more vicious in reality.
Grrrrrrrowl.
Massive hobgoblins over 3 meters tall looked down at Erik.
The possessors were terrified by monsters that could look down at the giant-like Erik.
“Well now, it’s been a while since I’ve seen something look down at brother.”
Jang Du-sik massaged his shoulders with his club and marveled.
To look down at that massive Erik.
Soon their eye levels would match.
Roooooar!!!
As Jang Du-sik expected, Erik unleashed tremendous divinity.
Erik spread both hands toward the dozen or so hobgoblins.
It looked like he was about to clap.
When Erik brought his hands together in prayer position,
Whoosh!
A massive pressure wave occurred, and fierce winds whirled throughout the entire cave.
And a beat later,
CRASH!
An explosive sound echoed.
‘H-his palms came together and…’
‘The atmosphere exploded?’
‘What are we seeing right now?’
The three possessors couldn’t believe the scene before their eyes.
And for good reason.
Crack! Snap!.
All the hobgoblins in the room had been crushed flat like they’d been hit by a compression press.
What happened was simple.
When Erik’s golden palms clapped together, the goblins were flattened along with the space itself.
The crushed hobgoblins immediately emitted golden smoke and burned away.
“Oh.”
Erik let out a brief exclamation.
‘So this is how to use it.’
The special ability of 3rd Tier divine power was ranged attack, and through using it, he had become familiar with its applications.
In a way that could never be tested outside.
It was overwhelming violence possible only in the labyrinth.
“…Aren’t those stairs?”
When the brilliant divinity perfectly erased the hobgoblins’ bodies, stairs were revealed behind them.
‘Whether it’s the system or status window… They’re completely useless.’
Park Chang-ho stared hollowly at Erik’s back in front of the stairs.
Park Chang-ho had thought he might become stronger than the locals by using the ‘system.’
“…I-is that a local?”
Having similar thoughts, Nishida Ryo spoke his thoughts aloud.
“S-s-sorry!”
Next to the possessors was Jang Du-sik. They were conscious of the buzz-cut thug with a club…
“Kek kek, we’re not all like that – brother is just exceptionally outstanding, so know that.”
Even Jang Du-sik showed reactions not much different from the possessors.
Even from Jang Du-sik’s perspective as a local, Erik was an abnormal existence.
Erik, a possessor yet living as a resident of this world.
Suddenly, Erik’s status window that he had shown came to mind.
‘The more tattered that status window thing is, the stronger they might be.’
Looking at the three pathetic possessors beside him, such thoughts arose.
***
Goblins also appear on the 2nd floor of the labyrinth.
However, the field changes to a forest.
A forest, but one placed beneath the labyrinth’s ceiling.
Whooooosh!
A golden wind whirled through the middle of the forest.
Though it took the form of wind, its power was like watching waves from the great sea east of the continent.
“A-Archbishop?”
An adventurer party was in the middle of performing a ‘magic stone collection’ mission in the vast goblin forest.
Magic stones were small crystals embedded near the hearts of goblin corpses…
“What rotten luck.”
Hisssssssss.
Everything was being annihilated by the golden waves.
2nd floor goblins leave magic stones when they die, while hobgoblins leave both magic stones and ears.
The labyrinth’s rewards aren’t just treasure chests.
“That crazy bastard… Why is he burning up all the low-level adventurers’ livelihoods?”
“Did a Paladin Order show up?”
“…Maybe it’s nobles doing a labyrinth tour.”
The adventurer party sat down in despair, watching the massive golden waves sweep through the forest.
The labyrinth would certainly replenish the monsters, but…
“How much are the magic stone losses?”
“We should have cut the ears… all the hobgoblins we killed evaporated too.”
A day’s income had definitely vanished.
Whoosh!
Just then, remnants of divinity blew over.
“Let’s be satisfied with free healing.”
“Ah, my fatigue is completely gone.”
The adventurer party lay sprawled out, enjoying the golden divine power and recovering their stamina.
In the labyrinth that had become rarely safe with all monsters burned away.
“Where else could you get this kind of rest in the labyrinth?”
Since it was tremendous divinity that a lower-floor adventurer party couldn’t do anything about,
they activated their own positive thinking.
That’s when it happened.
Boom! Crash!
The sound of the 2nd floor forest breaking apart echoed.
“Wh-what is it?”
“There’s something that survived that level of divinity?”
The adventurer party immediately prepared for battle.
Though they had relaxed briefly in the divinity, they were still adventurers. Those who risk the labyrinth’s dangers to seek treasure.
Quickly, the adventurer party raised their weapons.
Ching!
Blue aura dwelt in the archer’s drawn bow.
The warrior raised his shield, prepared to hold back monsters.
CRASH!
In the 2nd floor forest of the labyrinth, a massive tree split in half.
Kiiiiing!
A massive man appeared, shining with golden divinity.
He was cutting through the 2nd floor forest with a blade forged from divinity at his fingertips.
“A-a Paladin?”
“What… is that?”
Cutting labyrinth trees?
The adventurer party was terrified watching the massive man advance, chopping down trees like a lumberjack doing logging.
The 2nd floor trees weren’t something you could cut just because you wanted to.
“…Only Sword Master level can cut labyrinth vegetation, right?”
“Phew. At least he’s not an enemy.”
Trees gradually disappeared, and before long, a path opened between the adventurer party and the man.
The man who walked over looked down at the party silently.
He asked:
“Hmm. Bandits?”
Only then did the party members recall what they had been doing.
“D-disarm!”
Everyone quickly put down their weapons and moved to the left side.
Erik walked in the lead.
Behind him followed the three possessors and Jang Du-sik.
‘At minimum Paladin level.’
All members passed by them.
The adventurer party let out sighs of relief.
***
‘Wh-what kind of Paladin is that?’
From the possessors’ perspective, he looked more suited to be called a demon or demon lord.
Even if you kill monsters, there should be some moderation.
“Geez, why did brother only enter the labyrinth now?”
“…You can say that again.”
Abandoning the shocked possessors, Erik and Jang Du-sik chatted.
Before them, they could see a massive stone monument for escaping the labyrinth.
‘It’s not even a free pass…’
Possessor Park Chang-ho looked down at his hands.
The pair of rapiers in his hands felt like toothpicks.
‘They’re supposedly Rare grade…’
Status window stats and skills.
High-grade weapons from the system shop.
They all seemed completely useless.
‘Monster clusters get swept away with one clap…’
Why are possessors even needed?
He felt like his reason for existence was disappearing.
Being possessed was already miserable, but to be considered a useless existence on top of that…
As he was having such eerie thoughts,
“Brother, isn’t something constantly glittering at your waist?”
“Hmm… I’ve been ignoring it, but this looks somewhat dangerous.”
Strange conversation could be heard.
‘What’s dangerous?’
Golden waves were shooting out like lasers from Erik’s uniform waistband.
Finally, Erik’s item burst through the [Inventory] and surged above his belt.
“Isn’t that the pouch Priestess Ruelle gave you?”
Erik had received two pouches from Ruelle.
One was a lunch box, and the other was a pouch his master had told her to deliver.
‘What the hell did she give me?’
Though he had told Ruelle it was just an excuse, that gift left by his master felt truly unpleasant.
That’s why he hadn’t even looked at it and had shoved it into his inventory…
‘A sealing formula?’
Crackle.
The subspace pouch sealed with powerful divinity vibrated, emitting golden lightning.
‘What the hell did he put in there…’
Had his master even applied a seal?
Considering his eccentric master’s personality, there might even be a high-level monster inside.
“Du-sik, set up defensive magic. You three get as far away as possible. A Balrog or something might come out.”
Erik carefully put his hand into the pouch.
He felt a cold sensation at his fingertips.
Slide.
Erik pulled out whatever he had grabbed.
“Huh???”
“Crazy… why is that?”
“…What!”
Simultaneously, all three possessors opened their mouths wide in surprise.
Their eyes looked ready to pop out.
“Wh-what is it? What’s so special about that old sword that they’re acting like that?”
As Jang Du-sik lowered the club he had pointed at Erik and asked,
“…Sacred relic. That crazy master of mine.”
Erik looked at the old iron sword with a considerably troubled expression.
An item description window appeared above the iron sword.
[Sword of Creation – Sacred Relic of the Astia Religious Order]
[Grade: Sacred Relic]
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