He gained three skills at once. It was a first for Taesan as well. He began to check the skills.
[Special Passive Skill: Craving for Battle] [Proficiency: 1%] [When facing a difficult or impossible foe, you feel joy. Everything about you is enhanced.]
"Is this a skill just for difficult foes?"
The description said as much. He didn't know the exact numbers, but if it was at least average, it would be very useful. Since difficult or impossible foes appeared quite often here.
[Special Passive Skill: Craving for Victory] [Proficiency: 1%] [When you win against a difficult or impossible foe, you will receive greater rewards.]
"Huh."
A skill that connects to the reward itself? It was a skill Taesan had never seen before. Taesan checked the details.
The effect was an additional reward for winning against a difficult foe. He didn't know what kind of addition it would be, but like Craving for Battle, it seemed quite useful. And now, the last one.
Contempt for the Strong.
[Special Active Skill: Contempt for the Strong] [Mana Cost: 1] [Proficiency: 1%] [When facing a difficult or impossible foe, you can receive a Judgment bonus.]
"Uh..."
Taesan racked his brain to figure out the effect.
"Does this mean I get the difficult foe Judgment bonus one more time?"
If so, it was a very good skill. The increase from a Judgment bonus is quite large. The reason he was able to beat the Lord this time was because the Judgment bonus increased all his stats.
If he could receive it twice, it would be a great help when facing difficult foes. The victory rewards were satisfying enough. Now it was time to check the other rewards.
[Your Level has increased.]
[As a reward for leveling up, your Health has increased by 25.] [As a reward for leveling up, your Strength has permanently increased by 4. Your Agility has permanently increased by 4. Your Mana has permanently increased by 4.] [Your Level has increased.]
[You have reached Optimal Condition.]
[As a reward for leveling up, your Health has increased by 30.] [As a reward for leveling up, your Strength has permanently increased by 5. Your Agility has permanently increased by 6. Your Mana has permanently increased by 5.] He leveled up twice.
No matter how difficult the foe, it was usually just one level up. This change clearly showed what level of monster the Lord was. Recalling it again, it was truly astonishing.
If he had made even a small mistake, he would have died. If the Lord's legs had been fine, Taesan would have fled without even thinking of fighting. He was there to take on a challenge, not to commit suicide.
It was that strong. And then, Soul Rank Ascension.
[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. Strength has permanently increased by 7. Health has permanently increased by 30. Mana has permanently increased by 10.] It was a simple but definite increase.
And Soul Rank Ascension wasn't a skill that only stole stats. Taesan checked the remaining System Windows.
[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. The Proficiency of No Breath Attack has increased by 6%.]
[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. You have obtained the Special Active Skill [Power Strike].]
Taesan's pupils widened.
"It gives skills too? What kind of skill is this?"
The effect was truly beyond imagination. He had thought Soul Rank Ascension was good, but if it could even bring skills, he had to revise his assessment a little.
"It's unparalleled."
A skill that could confidently claim the top spot among all skills. That was Soul Rank Ascension. At this rate, it could be considered a skill of a higher tier than Multiplication.
Considering the hell one had to go through and the dangers one had to overcome to get a skill, this alone made it a Main Skill-class. Taesan whistled as he checked Power Strike.
[Special Active Skill: Power Strike] [Mana Cost: ?]
[Proficiency: 1%] [Your next attack hits harder.]
The Mana cost wasn't even written. The description was simple too. But Power Strike was a good skill that even Hard Mode Players used until the very end.
The effect is simple. Damage is added in proportion to the skills and Mana used. The higher the proficiency, the more Mana is consumed, and the more skills are used, the more the damage increases exponentially.
It was a skill other Players enjoyed using because it could pack a lot into a single blow. However, because Taesan was an Easy Mode Player with low base Attack Power, he had no use for it, so it was a discarded skill.
Unlike Addition, which doubles the Attack Power itself, it was a skill that determined damage upon attack, so there was no way for him to use it. Besides, he had too many skills, so using Power Strike felt like quite a waste of Mana. But now, things were different.
He would be able to use it very effectively. And equipment dropped too. It was a necklace decorated with the teeth of a beast.
[Necklace for the Master] [Attack Power + 3] [Defense Power + 3] [Strength + 3] [Agility + 3] [Intelligence + 3] [A necklace made by Goblins who prayed for three days for their master. It is imbued with spiritual power.]
"Ha."
Taesan smiled with satisfaction. The stats were unbelievable for a necklace. The stats were one thing, but for it to have Attack Power and Defense Power as well.
Among all the equipment he was currently wearing, the necklace had the highest Defense Power. Taesan swapped necklaces. A necklace with 2 Attack Power wasn't bad, but it couldn't compare to the Lord's necklace.
With this, it seemed all the stat increases were done.
"Status Window."
[Kang Taesan] [Level: 12] [Health: 430/430] [Mana: 75/75] [Strength: 63] [Intelligence: 71] [Agility: 58] [Attack Power + 18] [Defense Power + 12] [The target is in Optimal Condition.]
Even at a glance, the overall increase was high. At this rate, he would reach the stats he had when he cleared Easy Mode before the 5th Floor. And it didn't end there.
Taesan obtained a skill he hadn't expected.
[You have rushed towards the enemy at high speed countless times. You have obtained the Special Active Skill [Acceleration].]
[Special Active Skill: Acceleration] [Mana Cost: 5] [Proficiency: 1%] [Accelerate towards the target.]
"I got Acceleration already?"
Accelerate towards the enemy. It was a very simple description. In the Labyrinth, it was often the case that the shorter the description, the stronger the skill.
Acceleration was such a skill. As long as it passed the judgment of rushing toward a target, he could run at double his usual speed. The judgment was also relatively generous, so it could be used in most situations.
When the proficiency reached 100%, he would get Super Acceleration, a skill he also enjoyed using. 'I thought I'd have a hard time getting this.' Using an effect similar to the skill was one of the ways to obtain it.
To get Acceleration, one had to try by creating all sorts of potions, conditions, and situations. Even then, the chances of getting Acceleration were low. He probably got it because he received the judgment for defeating an impossible foe.
It was an unexpected harvest. Taesan finished his check with a satisfied expression. He had grown stronger in an instant.
The risk and return are clear. It was well worth the investment.
"This is the right answer."
[You...] the Ghost said quietly.
Noticing its different tone, Taesan tilted his head.
"What's wrong?"
[It's nothing, nothing.]
The Ghost shook its head vigorously. Then it spoke in a forced, energetic voice.
[So, are we going down now?]
"Before that, I have to go to Rakiratas."
It was strange, but Taesan didn't press. He went up to the 2nd Floor and arrived at the Altar of Rakiratas. A blood-colored mist gathered.
Something transcendent appeared beyond the altar.
[Hk.]
The Ghost flinched for a moment. It hid behind Taesan's back as if to conceal itself. As if uninterested in the Ghost, Rakiratas sent out a System Window.
[You have passed the Trial of Rakiratas. A reward will be given to you according to Rakiratas's evaluation.]
[Rakiratas was greatly pleased with your struggle. Rakiratas wishes to give you a fitting reward.]
Taesan stared blankly at the System Window. Rakiratas must have known about the Goblin Lord hidden on the 3rd Floor. It was highly likely that he gave this trial because he wanted to see the fight between the Lord and Taesan.
A fight for one's life. A bloody battle that brought out strategy, talent, skill, and luck. All of it.
Conflict and death. Rakiratas was clearly proving his domain.
[Rakiratas offers you the Apostle's Contract.]
"I told you I won't accept."
He immediately pressed decline. The Ghost made a fuss.
[You, you. Wait a minute.]
"What?"
[If you do that, Rakiratas will...]
"It doesn't matter, does it?"
The being beyond the space chuckled, seeming rather amused. The Ghost shut its mouth.
[Rakiratas's domain of interference has been reduced.]
[Rakiratas gives you a reward. You have received [Shield]. You have received the Special Passive Skill [Shield Amplification].]
"Shield?"
It seemed to be a reward related to stats. Taesan opened the Status Window to check.
"Hmm?"
[Kang Taesan] [Level: 12] [Shield: 10/10] [Health: 430/430] [Mana: 75/75] A section called Shield was added above Health.
"Ghost?"
[I don't know either. It's a stat I've never seen before.]
It seemed to be a reward only Rakiratas could give. Taesan also checked the skill he received.
[Special Passive Skill: Shield Amplification] [Proficiency: 1%] [You have obtained a shield that blocks damage. The shield's value increases in proportion to your Health.]
After reading the skill, Taesan tapped his chin. A shield that blocks damage. Its value increases in proportion to Health.
'Is it like a second Health bar?' It seemed to be a system where the shield would be depleted first, and once the shield reached 0, his Health would then start to decrease. If Taesan's guess was correct, it was a very good skill.
He didn't know what the proportion would be, but it was the same as having more Health. No, it was better than that. The shield is displayed completely separately.
It's not a Health judgment. This means there are moments when he can take damage without his Health being reduced. 'Would it be possible?'
A certain possibility flashed through his mind. It was still in the realm of speculation, so he set it aside and looked at the altar. The red mist was disappearing as if everything was over.
[Rakiratas looks forward to your next meeting.]
The mist vanishes. Only the altar that serves a god remains in that place.
[Phew!]
The Ghost belatedly let out a breath. It had been tense ever since Rakiratas revealed its presence.
[Damn. I didn't think I'd get scared even while I'm dead.]
"Why are you so scared? It doesn't seem like the type to cause harm."
[If you knew what kind of being that is, you'd think differently too.]
"I wonder."
He had already seen similar things outside. Taesan nonchalantly descended the Labyrinth. He passed the 3rd Floor and arrived at the 4th Floor.
[4th Floor Quest begins.]
[Defeat the 4th Floor's Boss and pass.]
[Reward: Ashen Wrist Guard.]
[Secret Reward: ???]
The 4th Floor's reward was equipment. Ashen Wrist Guard. Considering the rewards given so far, it would probably be quite a useful piece of equipment.
While checking the Secret Reward, Taesan belatedly realized something.
"I haven't used the reward yet."
The 3rd Floor's Secret Reward, ???. He had obtained the reward he couldn't get before by catching the Lord. He had been so busy processing so many rewards that he had completely forgotten.
Taesan belatedly began to check.
[You have used ???.]
[You have obtained a Proficiency Increase Potion.]
"Huh?"
Taesan flinched at the unimaginable potion.
[Proficiency Increase Potion] [Increases the Proficiency of one skill by 5%.]
"It's real."
To think it raises proficiency. It was a description he had never seen before. He was flustered, as it was common knowledge that proficiency could only be gained through endless use and training.
But looking at the reward itself, it was excellent. A whole 5%. Considering that for a highest-grade Skill, one would have to grind for days to raise it by 5%, this was incredibly good.
For now, he would postpone it. It was more beneficial to find a suitable skill to use it on rather than using it right away. Taesan put the potion in his Inventory and headed for the room.
A Dwarf was waiting inside.
"You're here?"
"I am."
The Dwarf, who had been observing Taesan for a moment, had a look of admiration on his face.
"A shield? Rakiratas gives that too? He's really determined to give stuff away."
"Can you see it?"
"Of course, I can see it above your head."
Whether it was an ability that NPCs in the Labyrinth had, or if it was a related skill, it seemed the Dwarf could see Taesan's condition.
"Looks like you beat Hage-Ha too. Did he go happily?"
"He seemed to be satisfied in his own way."
"Is that so? That's a relief, then." the Dwarf said expressionlessly.
"There's nothing harder than meeting a satisfying death in this place. Just like the guy behind you."