- Volume 4, Chapter 277. 13th Floor, Guides of Sin (4) A massive round table. This was the meeting chamber of the Guides of Sin. A single woman sat there.
Her hair was a blazing red. Not as a figure of speech, but literally ablaze. Flames flickered, brightly illuminating the room.
The woman was nonchalantly tapping the table with her finger.
Clank.
The door opened and an incredulous voice rang out.
“What? You're the only one here, old lady?”
A middle-aged man brushed the dust off his clothes and plopped down on a chair. The woman spoke to the man, who wore a frivolous smile.
“You’ve come, young one.”
“Hey, I’m old enough myself. Can’t you at least say I’m young?”
“Compared to me, you are still a young life.”
“Compared to you, old lady, who wouldn’t be?” the man grumbled.
The woman with the flaming hair. Her true identity was a fire spirit. Spirits are beings of nature, existing from the birth of a star until its flames die out.
Compared to such a woman, the man, who had not yet lived a hundred years, was like an unborn child. The man laid his body down on the table.
“Where are the others? Where did all those guys who are always cooped up in here squawking go?”
“I heard they are attempting the 74th Floor.”
“Really?”
The man’s eyes lit up.
“How do you think it’ll go?”
“It seems they will fail again this time.”
Disappointment flashed across the man’s face.
“Well, it’s not exactly new. Are we lacking in strength, or are we lacking the qualification…?”
For a very long time, they had been unable to pass the 74th Floor. The woman spoke softly.
“It could be both. We are lacking something.”
“Tsk.”
The man furrowed his brow.
“Is there nothing from the ones above? I heard that child of the Demon race is still in the third rank, but is something to behold?”
“She has Talent. And skill, and she is objective about herself. But reaching our level is a different matter.”
The Depths was a place that even those who had everything could barely reach after investing decades of their lives. Resting his chin on the table, the man muttered.
“Should we turn our attention elsewhere…”
“To the ones with open eyes, you mean?”
Adventurers who did not belong to the Guides of Sin. They were few, but they certainly existed. The High Council of the Guides of Sin called them ‘the ones with open eyes’.
The woman smiled faintly.
“Ainzhar. Are you thinking of calling him?”
“Don’t even mention that old man, he’s annoying.”
The man scowled deeply. A few days ago, Ainzhar had passed by them. As if it were a good opportunity, he had beaten each of them up and sent them a look of contempt.
‘I had a sliver of hope, but as expected, you are worthless.’
That was what Ainzhar had said to the man.
“Why did he suddenly come down?”
“Who knows. He might have found his purpose.”
The woman said calmly.
“In any case, it’s a distant prospect. We won’t be able to pass the 74th Floor for another few decades like this.”
“Urgh.”
The man let out a groan.
“Should we not have killed the Hero…”
“No.” The woman shook her head in denial.
“Do you think he would have listened to us?”
“That’s not it.”
The man hadn't been serious either, so he replied cleanly. After a moment of thought, the man’s mouth opened as if he had just remembered something.
“Speaking of which, I heard there was trouble in the second rank. Do you know about it?”
“The second rank? I do not know. Nor do I care.”
The second rank was comprised of weak beings, permitted only up to the 20th Floor. There was no reason for the woman, who had surpassed the 70th floor, to be interested.
“An Adventurer came in.”
“A newcomer after a long time, I see.”
“And I heard one of the guys from the second rank died. Looks like a capable one has arrived?”
“Oh?”
A hint of interest appeared in the woman’s eyes.
“An Adventurer in the mid-10s of floors defeated an Adventurer of the second rank?”
“I don’t know the details either, but I suppose so?”
“Not bad.”
“But he refused us.”
Those who do not accept the offer are all killed. That was the law of the Guides of Sin.
“It’s a pity… but it can’t be helped.”
“There are only two of us, should we decide on our own?”
Decisions were made when all members of the High Council were gathered. The woman spoke languidly.
“It’s just an incident in the second rank. It’s not something to gather everyone for.”
“That’s true.”
The man nodded.
“Then let’s put up a bounty for now. Let them in the second rank take care of him.”
Light words.
Those words traveled up and up, reaching the people of the second rank.
“What should we do?”
The Adventurers of the second rank gathered and whispered among themselves. About twenty people discussed with faces full of anxiety and anticipation.
“Kill him?”
“But he’s the one who beat Revebas. Shouldn’t we be careful?”
“Hmph!”
A beast-like man with gray hair, twice the size of the others, snorted.
“That guy was pathetically weak! That’s why he died!”
“Well, well.”
A woman with long black hair retorted sarcastically.
“He was probably stronger than you. In both skill and strength.”
“What?”
The beast-like man’s face contorted.
“How dare a lowly thing say such things?”
“I know you’re arrogant because of your noble birth, but you should at least know your place. You’re barely our equal after becoming a beast, so why do you run your mouth so much?”
The woman chuckled, mocking the man. The relationship between them was by no means good. Especially the woman and the beast-like man, whose relationship was so bad that the others were used to it and were talking amongst themselves.
The beast-like man twisted his lips.
“Come to think of it, you often stuck to that Revebas fellow. It’s quite pathetic to see lowly things clinging to each other.”
“…Are you trying to pick a fight?”
A murderous aura surged. The man did not back down and bared his teeth. A young man, pressing his forehead as if in pain, let out a sigh.
“Stop.”
A small voice rang out. The beast-like man gritted his teeth but slowly relaxed his strength. The woman also scowled but reined in her power.
They were all Adventurers of the second rank and were similar in strength, but exceptionally strong individuals existed everywhere. The good-natured young man was one such person.
“We’re all at the bottom anyway, let’s try to get along.”
The young man gave a bitter smile.
“It seems no one is willing to give way.”
“Of course not!”
The beast-like man bared his teeth.
“The High Council has issued a bounty directly! If we succeed, we can even go to the third rank. Who would give that up!”
They wanted to become stronger. They had accepted the offer out of despair at the Labyrinth's strength, but now that much time had passed, that fear had faded. Moreover, they were all individuals who were called geniuses on the outside.
They were forcibly held back at the second rank by the High Council, but they had no intention of being satisfied with just being at the bottom.
“Then it’s the same as always.”
The young man took out a thirty-six-sided die from his pocket.
“The person with the highest number gets priority. Does everyone agree?”
Twenty heads nodded. One by one, they began to roll the die.
Clatter.
And at the end, the number 36 was revealed.
“You’re first, Aldoata.”
The beast-like man, Aldoata, bared his teeth. While they were deliberating, Taesan was descending the Labyrinth. Not much had changed.
As always, he found Secret Rooms and collected the rewards.
[Abyssal Anglerfish: Earring] [Defense Power +8] [A necklace made by crushing a creature that lives in the deep sea. It has a faint fishy smell.]
“All sorts of Items exist.”
Still, its high Defense Power made it worth switching. He took off the Balta’s Earring he had been wearing and equipped the new one. His Strength dropped by 5, but his Defense Power increased by 8. “I’m starting to want to learn a new Skill.”
Taesan thought, tapping his finger. He had learned numerous Skills so far. Including Magic, it was about 50. Considering Lee Tae-yeon had 50 when she cleared Alone Mode, it was a very large amount.
But there were still many Skills he had yet to obtain. Among them were several Main Skills.
“Multiplication might be too much, but I’d like to get Addition or Essence Strike, or at the very least Absolute Judgment…”
The Ghost muttered as if it were absurd.
[…You want to get more from here?]
“Because it’s possible.”
The conditions for acquiring powerful Skills were also tricky. That was why Taesan had planned to get them after descending to at least the 40th Floor. However, contrary to Taesan’s expectations, the increase in his Stats was incredibly large.
Not only that, but the Items and consumables seen in the Shop were also not easily obtainable.
“It’s impossible for now anyway.”
It required several conditions, and few were met. But he could certainly start preparing from now. Only the Boss remained.
Taesan met the Boss.
[The zombie horde has appeared.]
“Uwaaargh.”
The Boss was not a single entity but a group of a hundred zombies. With such a large number, a direct confrontation was impossible. The designer probably intended for them to be wiped out using Traps or fire.
“Annoying.”
Taesan apathetically charged in. He shook off all the dozens of hands reaching for him and swung his Dual Swords. The zombies’ limbs were severed, scattering here and there.
Thirty minutes later, Taesan succeeded in clearing it.
[You have achieved victory against the zombie horde.]
[Your Level has increased.]
[You have defeated the Boss of the 13th Floor. You have obtained the basic Reward [Ring of Severance].]
[You have identified the Hidden Element of the 13th Floor. You have obtained the Reward [???].]
It was when Taesan was about to check his rewards.
“Hahaha!”
A loud laugh echoed. The ear-splitting sound made Taesan grimace. A burly figure appeared from the stairs leading to the 14th Floor.
“Are you the punk who beat Revebas!”
“And what if I am?”
“Then I’ll have to kill you!”
Aldoata roared with laughter, glaring at Taesan as he stomped on the ground. With a loud bang, Aldoata’s body vanished. As he kicked off the wall to bring his fist down on Taesan, Aldoata thought.
‘No matter how strong, he’s only on the 13th Floor!’
There was a world of difference between that and the 20th Floor. Revebas had been defeated, but he believed it was because Revebas had been extremely careless, not because he was overpowered. Aldoata brought down his clasped hands like a hammer.
Taesan, with an annoyed expression, threw a punch. For a moment, the fist disappeared.
Crack.
Aldoata’s face was crushed as he was sent flying. Looking at Aldoata twitching on the ground, Taesan asked indifferently.
“Who’s this one now?”
[Uh… wait a moment.]
The Ghost searched its memory.
[I think there was a loud one named Aldoata. He wasn’t anything special.]
“From the Guides of Sin? They came sooner than I thought.”
[I thought it would take two days, since you were underestimating them for being from the second rank. Looks like they've got something?]
Barely regaining his senses, Aldoata staggered to his feet. What just happened? Aldoata couldn’t understand.
The moment he thought his opponent’s fist wavered, his memory blanked out.
“You!”
He had been hit by some kind of dirty trick. With a flushed face, Aldoata stood up and flew towards Taesan. Taesan lazily swung his fist again.
Aldoata was crushed and sent flying again.
“Th-this…”
“You’re even dumber than Revebas. And weaker.”
At the pathetic gaze, Aldoata’s face contorted endlessly. A guy who has only reached the 13th Floor is mocking me? Comparing me, of noble birth, to the likes of the lowly Revebas!
“How dare you! A mere lowly thing!”
With his anger, Aldoata’s body swelled up. His clothes tore as hair grew all over his body.
“Hoo?”
Interest flickered in Taesan’s eyes. His build was ridiculously large, but Aldoata, who still had a human form, disappeared and a werewolf appeared.
“A Beastman? Was that kind of transformation possible?”
It was his first time seeing it. For someone who wasn't a Monster to take on a Monster’s form. He looked stronger overall.
“Lowly thing…”
Aldoata gritted his teeth. The werewolf transformation had a considerable risk, so he didn’t use it often, but he knew he couldn’t win without it.
“I admit it. But this is the end!”
Aldoata, now a werewolf, charged. He was faster than before. His claws tore through the air, aiming for Taesan’s head.
Taesan’s fist wavered.
Crack.
Aldoata’s chest was crushed. This time, he didn’t fly away. His chest caved in, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“You got a little faster, but is this all?”
With the descending fist, Aldoata’s consciousness faded. Leveling up through battle