[Lee Tae-yeon [Alone]: Taesan. How did you say to fight the Big Rat again?]
[Kang Taesan [Alone]: I said to watch the movement of its muscles, predict, and then stab.]
[Lee Tae-yeon [Alone]: Isn't that just telling me to react after seeing it?]
[Kang Taesan [Alone]: No. I said to predict, didn't I?]
[Lee Tae-yeon [Alone]: ...... How am I supposed to see the muscles of a damn rat?]
"Squeak!"
The Big Rat shrieked menacingly. Taesan just watched the Big Rat. He couldn't just react.
But the Big Rat was a living creature that breathed and used its muscles to move. Anyone could see the way its body moved when it was about to try something. In an instant, the Big Rat's legs tensed.
Its chest, which had been rising and falling, swelled up.
Now.
Taesan drove his sword down.
Clang!
"Squeak!"
The Big Rat, which had been about to charge, reflexively backed away. It was the concept of prediction. Every living creature showed a sign before it attacked.
If one observed closely, it wasn't that difficult to block it beforehand. It was just like how professional boxers don't dodge by watching the fist, but move in advance by watching the shoulder's movement. The difference was that the opponent was a rodent, not a human, but the theory was the same.
Then, from here on out. Taesan extended the arm that wasn't holding the sword. The Big Rat hesitated, then prepared to charge again.
But it was blocked again by Taesan's attack.
"Squeak, squeak!"
[The Big Rat is intimidated by you.]
[Its thought process has slowed.]
A flicker of agitation that even Taesan could recognize appeared in its small red eyes. In the Big Rat's mind, its ankle was now a place it could never attack again. If so, it would aim for the next easiest place to attack.
An arm was held out, looking incredibly easy to bite. The decision was quick. The Big Rat dashed forward.
It threw its body and bit down on the forearm.
"Squeak?"
Panic filled the Big Rat's eyes. The sensation of the bite was strange. It felt like it had bitten something hard, not flesh.
It tried to flee, but it was too late; the Big Rat's body was suspended in mid-air. Its swift movements were sealed.
"You're dead."
Taesan slammed the forearm that the Big Rat was biting straight into the ground.
Thud!
"Squeak!"
The Big Rat, crushed under the forearm, screamed. It struggled to escape, but the basic difference in strength was too great. Taesan didn't miss the chance and stabbed his sword into its chest.
An unpleasant sensation traveled up his hand.
[Your attack.]
[The Big Rat is in a neutralized state. It will take more damage.]
[4 damage to the Big Rat.]
[5 damage to the Big Rat.]
"Squeee..."
The life faded from its red eyes.
"Hoo!"
As the Big Rat's movements stopped, Taesan finally relaxed his muscles.
"Quite difficult."
A rat that a human's reflexes couldn't keep up with was just the first Monster. But Taesan handled it calmly. He was victorious.
Now it was time to receive his reward.
[You have triumphed against the Big Rat.]
[You have received a large amount of experience.]
[5 Health has been restored.]
[You have acquired 43 Gold.]
[You have acquired the Big Rat's Hide.]
[You have acquired the Big Rat's Meat.]
Up to this point, Taesan was indifferent. He had no intention of making a fuss over basic rewards.
[You have single-handedly defeated a difficult enemy.]
[Agility has permanently increased by 1.] "Hoh."
Taesan smiled with satisfaction. In the Labyrinth, a Stat was an unchanging value. An increase was always a good thing.
But the System Window didn't end there.
[Your Soul Rank Ascension has been activated. Agility permanently increases by 1.] [You have acquired the basic Skill [Swordsmanship].]
[You achieved victory in battle based on your wide field of vision. You have acquired the special Passive Skill [Clear Vision].]
[You achieved victory in battle by seeing through your opponent's weakness. You have acquired the special Passive Skill [Insight].]
[Despite it being your first battle, you faced your opponent without wavering. You have acquired the special Passive Skill [Composure].]
"Huh?"
Taesan was flustered. From here on, it was beyond his expectations. But the System Window kept scrolling up.
[You are the first to achieve victory against a Monster.]
[You have acquired 100 Gold.]
[You have acquired the Title [The Brave].]
"They're giving me all this for killing a single Common Mob?"
In Easy Mode, you wouldn't get even half these rewards for killing a boss mob. Taesan said it with a wry face, but considering the nature of this Labyrinth, it was only natural. The Labyrinth didn't just look at the result of victory.
It placed far more importance on the process, how perfectly victory was achieved, and what methods were used to produce the result. Taesan's battle was close to a perfect score. Furthermore, he was a solo Player.
The Labyrinth was simply giving him a fitting reward. But Taesan, unaware of this, was both pleased and bewildered. Still, a reward was a reward.
"Skill Window."
[Basic Skill: Swordsmanship] [Proficiency: 1%] [It seems you can swing a sword.]
It was the most basic skill. And for Taesan, who used to bulldoze his way through with skills, it was one he'd never had a use for, right up to the end. Taesan indifferently moved on and checked the next skill.
[Special Passive Skill: Clear Vision] [Proficiency: 5%] [You can obtain a wide field of vision. It is still within the human visual range.]
Clear Vision.
It was a decent skill. Human vision tends to be blurry outside the point of focus, but with Clear Vision, one could see countless places at once. This was quite a big advantage.
One's field of vision tends to narrow in battle. That made it difficult to respond when variables occurred, but with this skill, that would happen much less often. It was also a skill he had only acquired after passing the 20th Floor in Easy Mode.
And the next skill.
[Special Passive Skill: Composure] [Proficiency: 12%] [An unshakable mind. As long as a being beyond comprehension does not appear, you will not be flustered. You gain a bonus to Judgment.]
Composure was also a very useful skill, as it could resist all sorts of Judgments.
[Special Passive Skill: Insight] [Proficiency: 5%] [You can grasp many things. For now, it seems you can only see through a creature's weaknesses.]
"I got this already."
Insight.
A very simple explanation, but it was a skill Taesan had used until the very end. When proficiency reaches 100%, a skill evolves. After Insight evolves a few times, at its end lies the skill to see through everything in the surroundings.
It becomes Perfect Reconnaissance. Taesan had only obtained Insight around the 40th Floor. Even that was fast.
The Hard Players barely managed to acquire Insight around the 50th Floor. And he had obtained such things on the mere First Floor.
"This damn unfair society."
He knew there would be a difference, but he didn't know it would be this much. After clicking his tongue for a moment, he checked the skill again.
[Soul Skill: Soul Rank Ascension] [Proficiency 100%] [The soul has seen a world one step higher. A higher-dimensional soul steals the opponent's power with every victory.]
"What is this?"
It certainly wasn't a skill he'd gotten in this life. Taesan searched his memory for a moment and recalled.
"...... Back when I was fighting the S-Class."
When he had chipped away 1.25 million, pure. At the very end, a System Window had popped up. He tried to recall the System Window he had dismissed in irritation due to extreme fatigue.
'It definitely popped up like this.'
[You have entered the State of Mindless Immersion. Body and mind become one.]
[A miraculous power is engraved upon your soul. You have acquired the Soul Skill [Soul Rank Ascension].]
[You are outside the Labyrinth, so you could not acquire the Skill. [Soul Rank Ascension] has been sealed.]
Right.
It was sealed. Because skills could only be obtained inside the Labyrinth. And now that he had entered the Labyrinth, it was unsealed.
'A skill that's maintained even after turning back time?' Perhaps because it was a Soul Skill, it was engraved on the soul itself. After pondering for a moment, Taesan shook his head.
"No point in thinking too deeply about it."
It wasn't a problem he could find an answer to right away anyway. He had gotten a good skill. That was enough.
Stealing something every time he killed an opponent. It meant he could become infinitely stronger depending on the conditions. It would be hard to find a better skill even if he tried.
With a satisfied look, Taesan closed the Skill Window.
"The Title is... nothing special."
[Title: The Brave] [You have proven that it was courage, not recklessness.]
[NPCs feel favorable towards you.]
Another favorability Title. Taesan closed the Title window without a word. The Shopkeeper had told him to come back alive, and he had survived.
Then he would probably open the shop. There was one thing he had to buy. Carrying the hide and meat, Taesan went back toward the Shopkeeper.
Seeing the returned Taesan, the Dwarf dropped his pipe.
"... You survived?"
"Were you hoping I'd die?"
"No, that's not it."
The Dwarf, hastily picking up his pipe, looked at Taesan with a strange gaze.
"Don't tell me you came back without even meeting a Monster?"
"I met one."
"Ah... then you must have run away. It's hard to run from those rat bastards, but you somehow managed it."
The moment you turned your back, a Big Rat would chase you all the way to the safe zone. But since their basic damage wasn't very high, there was a chance of survival if you fled quickly. The Dwarf thought Taesan had made such a decision.
The Dwarf, studying his face, twitched an eyebrow.
"There's no Fear?"
"Pardon?"
"No, it's nothing."
Taesan hadn't broken in a desperate situation. This was just enough to make him worthy of being a trading partner. Taesan opened his Inventory and said.
"I killed it."
The Dwarf dropped his pipe again.
"... You killed it?"
Taesan took out the Big Rat's hide and meat from his Inventory.
"If this is a shop, you buy things too, right? How much can you give me for this?"
"Mister?"
The dazed Dwarf opened his mouth.
"You really killed it?"
"Would it be fake, then?"
"... How?"
The Dwarf was visibly shaken. Taesan looked at him as if he was surprised by the most trivial thing.
"If I killed it, I killed it. What are you so surprised about?"
"You..."
The Dwarf was at a loss for words. Barely collecting himself, he stammered and reached out a hand.
"L-let me see."
Taesan calmly handed over the hide and meat.
[Big Rat's Meat] [Quality: 96%] [It is the meat of a Big Rat. It can be eaten, if you must.]
[Big Rat's Hide] [Quality: 95%] [It is the hide of a Big Rat. It seems it would be reasonably warm.]
The Dwarf's pupils dilated. It was real. And of the highest quality at that.
It meant it was killed cleanly and perfectly.
"How..."
The Big Rat was strong. Even his proud soldiers couldn't catch them easily due to their speed. It was not a Monster someone who had just entered the Labyrinth for the first time could kill.
But the Item didn't lie. The Dwarf looked at Taesan with disbelieving eyes, then belatedly came to his senses.
"... Right. You've met my condition, so I'll open the shop."
His role was the Shopkeeper. If the other party passed the condition, it was time for him to perform his role.
"What do you need?"
"What do you sell?"
"I sell everything, so just name it."
In that case, what to buy was already decided.
"A Tower Shield. Do you have one?"
"A Tower Shield? The big one?"
"Yes. The kind you hold with two hands."
"Why do you want to buy it?"
"I'm going to smash them with it. Completely."
"... That's the right answer."
The Dwarf let out a breath of admiration. He looked at Taesan with an amazed gaze for a moment, then reached his hand into the empty air.
"Golden Gate."
Crack.
The Dwarf, rummaging through the split-open space, pulled out a Tower Shield. It was large enough to cover a person's body and looked quite sturdy.
"How's this?"
Taesan took the shield and checked it.
[Heavy Tower Shield] [Attack Power +1] [Defense Power +5] [It seems sturdy enough to block many attacks.]
Taesan was surprised. It wasn't just decent. Equipment of this level could only be obtained on the 7th Floor in Easy Mode.
"How much is it?"
"500 Gold."
It was a fair price. Taesan glanced at his Gold.
243 Gold.
He was short by half. 'I guess I'll have to come back later.' With the Stat increase, killing Big Rats had become much easier.
He just needed to kill about seven more. The Dwarf grabbed Taesan as he was putting down the shield to leave.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't have enough Gold."
"Don't worry about that. I'll give it to you for free."
Taesan, who was heading toward the Labyrinth, paused.
"For free?"
"That's right."
As if to prove it wasn't an empty promise, the Dwarf threw the shield.
[You have acquired the Heavy Tower Shield.]
'Giving it for free?' It was an un-Shopkeeper-like action. The Dwarf didn't stop there.
"You have about 250 Gold right now, right? There should be some things you can buy with that. Wait a sec."
The Dwarf kept pulling things out of the space. Taesan was flustered.
'What?'
Lee Tae-yeon had said that Dwarf was always prickly and had never once laid out his wares for her to see. She had said he acted extremely reluctant when giving her anything, as if he were giving something that was beyond her station. But right now, the Dwarf was showering him with items like a complete pushover.