_ Book 3, Chapter 14-64. 10th Floor, Boss (2) The uses for Points, as explained, were Gold, Stats, and Skill Proficiency. The ratios were as follows.
[Gold is exchanged at a 1:10 ratio.]
[Stats are exchanged at a 5:1 ratio.]
[Skill Proficiency is exchanged at a 10:1 ratio.]
The first number was the Points. He currently had 482p, which would be 4,820 Gold, or 96 Stat points. For Skill points, it was 48%.
The 10:1 ratio was high, but considering the value of Proficiency here, it was well worth the exchange. This return was an opportunity to become definitively stronger.
First, Gold.
The ratio was the best. Getting 10 Gold for 1 Point could be seen as the most profitable option. However, Taesan had no intention of exchanging for Gold.
While Gold was an important currency here, it could be obtained anytime. Compared to Stats and Proficiency, its value was much lower. Stats were the most fundamental value here, arguably more important than Proficiency, but at least not for Taesan.
For Lee Tae-yeon or Kang Jun-hyeok, choosing Stats would be the correct answer. Both would have earned over 50 Points, allowing them to raise their Stats by 10. Considering their current Stats were around 15, they would become stronger in an instant. But Taesan's current Stats were already too high.
The sum of all his Stats was 819. Even if he used all his Points, it would only be a 10% increase. Of course, it was a significant number, but considering how difficult it was to obtain Points, it felt like a waste to exchange them. But Proficiency was different.
It was a value that could only be accumulated through time, experience, and effort. It was safe to say there were virtually no other opportunities to raise it like this. There was a reason he was so surprised by the Proficiency Increase Potion that raised proficiency by 5%.
“Well, then.”
Taesan opened his Skill Window for the first time in a while. A few skills had their descriptions changed due to increased values.
[Special Passive Skill: Vision Expansion] [Proficiency: 62%] [You can obtain a wide field of vision. It has considerably deviated from the human category.]
Vision Expansion had surpassed 60%. It was now comparable to the compound eyes of an insect.
[Special Passive Skill: Composure] [Proficiency: 83%] [An unshakable mind. You will not be flustered even if a being beyond cognition appears. You gain a bonus in Judgment. You will never be shaken even in extreme situations. This being's spirit is Indomitable.]
The phrase, "This being's spirit is Indomitable," was added. For Taesan, who had never failed a Mental Judgment, it was not particularly moving.
[Special Passive Skill: Line of Death] [Proficiency: 84%] [You can sense the moment of death. It activates in most crises. It also takes the form of a premonition.]
Just like with Insight, a premonition was added to Line of Death. A premonition was always a good addition to any skill. Being a semi-Precognition skill, it had no discernible drawbacks.
[Special Passive Skill: Sense Enhancement] [Proficiency: 40%] [Your senses are enhanced. You can feel things like killing intent. You can also sense blind spots. You can sense things that are unseen.]
The sentence, "You can sense things that are unseen," was added. If what Lee Tae-yeon said was true, Ghost-type enemies also appeared in Alone Mode. Sense Enhancement would be a great asset when dealing with them.
These were the four skills with changed descriptions.
“It’s much faster than before.”
Even when he was clearing Easy Mode, he had gone through all sorts of hardships to raise his Proficiency, sometimes spending a whole day just to raise it by 1%. Unlike back then, perhaps because the enemies were of equal or greater strength, the pace was incredibly fast.
“What should I raise?”
He could increase Skill Proficiency by 48%. It was a very sweet moment of choice. He ruled out all the skills he just mentioned.
There were skills that he could max out at 100% Proficiency, but they weren't valuable enough to spend his precious points on. At least, that's what Taesan thought. Proficiency gain varied by skill; some skills were easy to level up, while others were not.
He planned to raise one of the latter. His gaze naturally fell on Airak Martial Arts.
[Highest-grade Skill: Airak Martial Arts] [Proficiency: 8%] [A technique for wielding weapons and the body. Still unskilled, there seems to be a loss in the transfer of power.]
As if to prove the word 'highest-grade' wasn't just for show, it was the slowest-gaining skill Taesan had ever seen. Airak Martial Arts was a technique for moving the body. Despite using it in every battle, it was only at 8%.
“Hmm.”
Taesan stroked his chin. A skill’s description changes the moment its proficiency hits 20%. Did Airak Martial Arts have that kind of value?
It was a skill he didn't know. It might change, or it might not. Even if it did, it might not offer him a significant advantage.
Since it was a very simple skill that allowed Damage to be dealt even when attacking with parts of the body other than a weapon, its proficiency might only be related to Damage. Fortitude was a case in point. Even as its proficiency increased, there were no changes other than the damage nullification time.
Putting off the decision for now, Taesan checked his other skills. Fortitude was also difficult to raise, but as mentioned before, raising it didn't mean much. The damage nullification time was certainly valuable, but he didn't think it was worth spending Points on.
“Shield Amplification?”
[Special Passive Skill: Shield Amplification] [Proficiency: 3%] [You have obtained a Shield that blocks damage. The Shield's value increases in proportion to your Health.]
Raising the proficiency would likely increase the proportional value. Not bad, but something felt lacking. Taesan couldn't make a choice easily.
Pondering, he asked the Ghost.
“Hey.”
[Huh? Huh?]
The Ghost, who seemed to be lost in thought, was startled.
[What?]
“What do you think would happen if I raised the Proficiency of Sword of the Storm Scar?”
[Um… without any conditions?]
“Yeah.”
[…What do you mean?]
Though it seemed not to understand, it answered obediently.
[Putting aside whether that's even possible, it's probably not a good idea, is it?]
“So I have to learn it by moving my body?”
[It's Swordsmanship, after all. The reason you raised its proficiency in the beginning was because I couldn't teach you, so it was unavoidable. Otherwise, you must move your body. No matter how much knowledge enters your head, the body is a separate matter.]
It was a problem he had anticipated, so it wasn't surprising. Taesan continued to check his skills. An Honorable Duel.
Vital Strike.
Craving for Battle. Craving for Victory, and so on. They were all good skills to raise.
But he didn't feel like raising them.
“The problem is having too many options.”
It was, literally, a happy dilemma. Thinking this could go on forever, Taesan turned his gaze to another skill.
[Magic] [Proficiency: 2%] [You can use magic. It seems you can only kindle an ember for now.]
Magic was a skill he had never obtained in his previous life, so he had no idea how it would change.
“Should I check?”
Since there was someone who could give him the answer, there was no need to ponder alone. Taesan returned to the 9th Floor to find Lilith. As soon as he entered the Safe Zone, an explosion rang out.
“Cough! Cough!”
Lilith, covered in white powder, looked miserable.
“I guess this combination isn’t it. …Huh?”
“Hello.”
Taesan gave a short greeting.
“…You’re here?”
Blinking, she looked up at Taesan, then brushed herself off and stood up.
“You’re back sooner than I thought.”
“How much time has passed here?”
“I’ve long forgotten the concept of time… maybe about three or four days?”
The concept of time on Earth and here was the same. It wasn't a high probability, but if the axis was completely twisted, it could have been a problem. Fortunately, it wasn't. “Why are you here?
Do you have something to show me?”
“It’s not that.”
When he asked what would happen if he raised the proficiency of the Magic skill, Lilith tilted her head.
“Why do you ask? It definitely changes, but… you’d have to struggle for years to hit 20%.”
“I have a way to raise it.”
“…You’re going to raise the proficiency?”
Lilith’s face twisted bizarrely.
“How do you raise it? Wait. Was that why you went outside?”
“Something like that.”
The details were different, but it was a hassle to explain, so he just nodded vaguely. A look of admiration appeared on Lilith’s face.
“It's possible to interfere with the Labyrinth’s internal system from the outside? How did you find that? I’ve searched high and low for something similar, but found nothing.”
“Is there nothing of the sort?”
“Proficiency is a law of the Labyrinth. The talentless can become strong here, but in a way, they are bound by the laws of this place. That’s why no one can interfere… What on earth is it? I don’t think even a God could do it.”
She still wore a bewildered expression, as if she couldn't understand.
“So, how much?”
“About 50.” “……50%?”
Taesan nodded.
Lilith closed her mouth. For a moment, a dangerous light flickered in her eyes. Her pupils wavered endlessly before she finally seemed to calm down and let out a breath.
“Phew. That was close.”
She wiped her forehead. Sweat was trickling down, a sign of the immense turmoil in her heart.
“You’d better not tell anyone about that.”
Her voice was incredibly serious, unlike her usual image.
“There are many who would kill you if they knew. This is a place where people would cut off their own fingers for just 1%, so make sure you keep it a secret.”
“Is it that serious?”
“Yes. It’s that hard. I’m only at 20% in Magic myself, barely.”
She grumbled, but it didn't resonate much with Taesan. 50% proficiency was certainly precious, but he had several skills he had already maxed out at 100%.
“So you’re going to use it on Magic?”
“I don’t know what Magic is. I’m just thinking about it for now.”
“So that’s why you came to me.”
Lilith nodded and began her explanation.
“I’ve only reached 20% myself, so I can’t explain in detail, but the more you raise your Magic proficiency, the more versatile you become with magic, and the number of spells you can use increases. Your proficiency is around 2% or 3%, right?”
“About that.”
“Then you’re probably not utilizing the full power of Basic Magic.”
“It gets even stronger than this?”
Even now, it dealt close to 50 Damage. In the case of Frost Arrow, its chill was enough to freeze moisture on contact. Lilith spoke as if it were obvious.
“Basic Magic, you say? The God of Magic himself gave it the name ‘Basic’. There’s no way it’s weak, is there?”
“I suppose.”
“At around 20%, about my level, you’ll be able to draw out its full power. And the moment it hits 20%, the skill’s description changes. The abilities you gain are reduced mana consumption and a significant increase in power.”
Lilith waved her hand. Her body became obscured. It was Invisibility Magic.
“I couldn’t use it for this long before. It would disappear in about 10 seconds. And anyone with good senses could notice it right away. The moment I hit 20%, it changed like this.”
If what she said was true, it was a considerable difference. Taesan couldn't sense her presence now. Even with his evolved Sense Enhancement, he couldn't feel her, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that without a specific method, she was completely undetectable.
‘Is it worth raising?’
“As I said before, a skill’s description changes in 20% increments. 40%, 60%, 80%, 100%. In the Labyrinth, Magic changes in a total of five stages.”
Lilith began to explain. Leveling up through battle