Hafran’s Ruined World (2) “Do I just need to take all of those roots?”
[You can just cut them off and take them. They're big, but you have your Inventory, so it shouldn't be a problem.]
Taesan took his stance. At the same time, the forest began to move with a loud noise.
Kwoooong!
The ground collapsed and roots shot up. The surrounding trees thrashed about, lashing out at Taesan. Taesan kicked off the ground.
He trampled over the roots, leaped into the air, and landed on the Root of Chaos.
Drrrrrt!
The Root of Chaos swayed back and forth, its branches beginning to bend into arcs. Like a slingshot pulled to its limit, they whipped through the air with a piercing sound.
Jjajajak!
Taesan kicked off again, creating distance. The sound of the air being torn apart by the collision with the branches spread to the edge of the forest. It was strong.
Powerful enough to leave a bruise the moment it hit. Taesan landed some distance away.
[You have activated No Breath Attack.]
Kugugugung!
The other trees didn't stay still either. Each moved its branches and roots, trying to bind Taesan.
[You have activated Repulsion.]
A skill that spread an invisible force all around.
Repulsion.
However, the roots only flinched for a moment before continuing their charge toward Taesan without losing momentum. Realizing Repulsion wasn't very effective, Taesan changed his method. He raised his sword and focused his entire mind.
[You have activated Mental Acceleration.]
The world's time slowed down. He kicked away a root aiming for his left foot. He dodged a branch trying to pierce his head, moving his hand.
The roots and branches rushing to grab his arms were chopped into pieces and fell away. The ground had collapsed, making his footing unstable, but Taesan had Forced Action.
It was a skill that allowed him to move to some extent in situations that hindered his actions, and it was quite effective in a situation like this where his footing was gone. He parried, and parried, and parried.
As if it couldn't stand it any longer, a whole tree came at him, trying to crush him, but he swung his sword wildly and chopped it to pieces. Amidst the battle, Taesan was calmly observing everything around him.
‘The gray energy... is there none?’
Whether he hadn't found it yet or it was simply invisible, it was nowhere to be seen, unlike at the cliff.
‘Perhaps it's hidden inside the tree.’
In any case, his goal was to cut down the Root of Chaos. After shaking off all the attacks aimed at him, Taesan ran toward it. The branches of the Root of Chaos were pulled taut again, then they exploded forth.
Jjeoeoong!
The tingling sound of tearing air struck Taesan. He frowned and retreated. That was a knockback judgment, not an attack judgment, so Attack Nullification didn't activate, making it very tricky to approach.
Then, he would change his method. Make the opponent launch a physical attack. Taesan changed his target and turned to the surrounding trees.
The trees tried to push Taesan back with their roots and branches, but such minor attacks couldn't stop him. In an instant, the trees began to be chopped to pieces.
Jjeoeoong!
The Root of Chaos struck the air to drive him away, but since it wasn't a direct hit and there was some distance, Taesan could withstand it well enough. In an instant, the trees were cut down. It was a small forest, so the trees disappeared noticeably.
‘How will it react?’
It wouldn't just be moving according to orders. Seeing how the cliff suddenly intensified its attacks when Taesan got closer, it was highly likely it had its own will. And Taesan's prediction was correct.
After that, the Root of Chaos continued to pull its branches and strike the empty air, but Taesan cut down the trees without any trouble. After striking the air a few more times, the Root of Chaos began to move with a loud noise.
The branches of the Root of Chaos gathered into one, forming a giant thorn, and stabbed straight at Taesan. Taesan quickly turned his body and blocked with his sword, but he couldn't withstand the force and was pushed back. Realizing its attack was effective, the Root of Chaos continued to gather its branches and attack.
That was what Taesan had been waiting for.
Kuuuuk.
The moment the gathered branches shot out again, Taesan kicked off the ground. He ran toward the shooting branches.
[Your Absolute Nullification of the First Attack has been activated.]
The branches returned to their state before being shot. The Root of Chaos was flustered, so much so that even Taesan could tell. It quickly recovered and shot again, but the same result repeated.
[Your Absolute Nullification of the Second Attack has been activated.]
Taesan drew his sword. The Root of Chaos was split in half and fell.
[Your Soul Rank Ascension has been activated. The Proficiency of ??? has increased by 1%.]
“So it was inside after all.”
As the Root of Chaos fell, the movements of the trees also stopped. Taesan put the roots of the Root of Chaos into his Inventory.
“It's not that difficult.”
[I told you. At your level, it wouldn't be very difficult. More importantly, I think it would be better to go back quickly.]
“Seems so.”
Taesan looked up at the sky. From the star's perspective, a being like Taesan would be incredibly small and weak. So it probably didn't pay much attention.
You could tell just by looking at the sandstorm or the cliff. They had targeted Taesan who had naturally appeared, but there was no deep killing intent there. But now was different.
In this ashen space, a clear killing intent was directed at Taesan.
Kugugugugung...
A huge sound echoed from the world itself. An overwhelming sensation began to engulf Taesan. He could tell for sure.
If he stayed here any longer, he would die here.
“Let's meet again next time.”
Taesan waved his hand. He threw his body into the cracked space. Just like when he came in, after a short while, he was able to return to the familiar Labyrinth.
“You're back?”
Hafran greeted Taesan. Taesan opened his Inventory.
[Sub Quest Complete] ♦[Root of Chaos] [A thing from a ruined world. Alone, it is nothing. It seems it will grow if planted in a suitable environment.]
Taesan handed the Root of Chaos to Hafran. Hafran received it with a nostalgic look in his eyes.
“It just looks like an ordinary root to me.”
“It would to you. You are not an inhabitant of that world. But to me, it's different. ...It's been a very long time since I've been able to make something this enjoyable.”
Hafran said, looking at the root with shimmering eyes.
“So, what do you want?”
“Conversely, what can you make?”
“I can make something for any part you can wear.”
He was saying to just name anything. Taesan fell into thought. He didn't know what quality it would be, but it would surely be very good equipment.
If so, he would wear it for quite a long time. That meant if he got some other equipment later, there was a chance he might not be able to use it at all. It wasn't a loss, but it felt like one.
‘I had a similar experience in the previous world.’
Like picking a piece of equipment from a quest in a game, only for a better piece for the same slot to drop in the very next dungeon. Having had such experiences quite often, he felt an instinctive aversion. After contemplating, Taesan came to a conclusion.
“Is it possible to combine it with a weapon I already have?”
“It is possible.”
Taesan asked in surprise.
“Really?”
“Of course, it's possible. If I can't even do that, I can't call myself a blacksmith.”
Hafran said calmly. Since Taesan had asked without much expectation, he felt like he was gaining something. Then, there was only one option.
“Is it alright?”
[I don't mind. It is yours. You can do as you please.]
He got the ghost's permission. Taesan took out his sword.
“Then combine it with this.”
[Carbert’s Relic: Ancestral Blood-Infused Sword] [A relic from a world that has now fallen to ruin. It has taken the lives of countless Royals.]
[Attack Power +2] [Attack Power +10 when facing an enemy of noble lineage] The Sword of Carbert.
It was the sword the ghost had given him as a quest clear reward. He had no plans to change it for a while, so he intended to use it on this sword. After receiving the sword, Hafran gave the ghost a strange look.
“Is this all right?”
[It's fine. Do as you please.]
“If you say so...”
Hafran nodded his head.
“I'll do it.”
“Do I have to leave the weapon with you?”
“There's no need. I'll make it here using the root and combine it later. You can keep it.”
“How long will it take?”
“Roughly... it will take about two days.”
Two days.
A long time if you thought it long, a short time if you thought it short.
“Then I'll come back in two days.”
“Take your time.”
Hafran saw him off, touching the root with a joyful face.
[What are you going to do?]
“Since I have time, I'll go down as far as I can.”
Two days was more than enough time to go down to the 20th Floor. Taesan went down to the 17th Floor. The 17th Floor was the Dullahan.
He remembered Lee Tae-yeon saying she had almost died here to the headless knight.
‘Come to think of it.’
Recalling his memories, there wasn't a single floor where she said she hadn't almost died. She had said there was a risk of dying on every floor. Tracing back his faint memories, he descended the floor.
The Dullahan was certainly a strong monster, but as always, it was meaningless. He cleared through to the Secret Rooms without issue and took care of the Boss Room. The rewards were an earring, armor, and a shield.
The shield was equipment he didn't use, so it was meaningless, but the earring and armor were quite useful.
[Earring of Blood Mist] [Agility +10] [Defense Power +5] [An earring abandoned in a blood-colored mist. No one knows who its owner was.]
He took off the Earring of a Wretched One, the earring that gave 10 Mana. With his high Intelligence and high magic Proficiency, he was no longer running out of Mana, so it wasn't very valuable.
[Leather Armor Soaked in Lava Dew] [Defense Power +2] [Slightly increases the chance of succeeding in a Burn judgment.]
[Armor soaked in the dew that forms beneath lava. It has resistance to flames.]
Likewise, it was better than the armor he was currently wearing, so he switched to it. After finishing the 17th Floor, he headed to the 18th. He met the Dwarf, sold his unneeded equipment, and went down.
“Farewell.”
The Dwarf said calmly. Even though he knew Taesan had met the blacksmith, he said nothing. It seemed they weren't on good terms.
The 18th Floor was similar to the 3rd Floor. Several Skeleton Mages and Skeleton Knights were in one place. Naturally, they had no effect on Taesan, and he dealt with them as he descended.
What he got was a magic staff, a shield, and a ring.
[Super Ring] [Attack Power +5] [Defense Power +5] [Strength +5] [Super-Ring] “What is this?”
[...Well?]
The description was baffling, but the effect itself was good. He took off the ring that gave 5 Mana and put it on.
The Experience that hadn't been rising due to his high Level finally went up after clearing so many floors, and he reached Level 42. [Kang Taesan] [Level: 42] [Shield: 183/183] [Health: 2160/2160] [Mana: 475/475] [Strength: 677] [Intelligence: 459] [Agility: 597] [Attack Power +79] [Defense Power +93] [The target is in Optimal Condition.]
The Purple Ring increased Strength, Intelligence, and Agility by 3%. Thanks to that, his Strength rose by 20, Intelligence by 13, and Agility by 17. It was a satisfying increase.
19th Floor.
From here, Soul Rank Ascension began to activate, albeit very slightly. It meant his Level was slowly catching up to a comparable level. The monster on the 19th Floor was a Lich.
It was a monster that used various kinds of magic, making it a bit tricky, but he quickly crushed it with his superior stats and descended. Unfortunately, perhaps because it was a normal monster or perhaps because the magic of the dead was something else entirely, he couldn't acquire any magic. And finally, he discovered an Altar of a God.
[You have discovered the Altar of Lucifer.]
Leveling up through battle