Chapter 14 · 12 min

Chapter 14

Appraisal

The fact that secret spaces exist in the labyrinth is known to anyone.

But cases of actually being discovered were almost none.

The reason is simple.

Because they're hidden too perfectly.

“...”

Even the copper-colored key held in the hand is like that.

It was an item that would have been hanging at the waist of one of the 4000 kobolds.

If the guys' corpses weren't completely incinerated.

If I hadn't discovered the reflected light of the key.

It might have been stuck on the canyon floor forever.

I checked the board.

Neither the key nor the secret space is visible.

Even with the maximum level Detection skill, it can't be found.

“Hmm.”

Still, shall I look once.

I walked into the small passage dug below the canyon.

800 strands of Mana Thread extended from the palm thoroughly scanned the wall.

Is it because of the level up.

The sensation itself was different from the Mana Thread used in the Chuncheon detached house.

A feeling much more vivid than touching the skin.

Just by walking, I can feel everything passing by.

The cave was clean.

The flame that swept the canyon cleanly melted even the inside of the cave.

Thanks to that, exploring with Mana Thread was convenient.

Step, step.

There was nothing particular.

Just an ordinary cave.

Except for being narrow, nothing particular-

Huh?

I stopped my steps.

I turned my head and looked at the corner of the ceiling.

One strand of Mana Thread wriggling in the empty air.

The fellow lightly presses the ceiling.

Sook!

Mana Thread pierced through the ceiling and went in.

Without any resistance.

As if.

Like a keyhole.

“Bingo.”

I held the key with Mana Thread and turned it.

Mana Thread more precise than the hand soon matched the direction.

Click!

The ceiling opened.

Tssssss···.

I wrapped my body with Mana Thread and lifted it.

Since I've done it so much in reality, it's familiar.

I stuck my head above the ceiling and checked the surroundings.

Nothing much.

The moment I thought that, the board changed.

The board where the canyon and cave existed disappeared, and a completely new board floated up.

On the board, there was a color I was seeing for the first time.

A golden dot.

It's even emitting radiance.

Swish.

I extended Mana Thread and groped the wall.

When I tapped, a sound rang.

This, the back is empty.

Holding the pickaxe with Mana Thread and lightly striking the wall for a while.

The earthen wall collapsed with a crash.

There seemed to be no risk factors, but I shouldn't let my guard down.

I headed beyond the collapsed earthen wall while wrapping my whole body with Mana Thread.

Immediately checked the inside.

I flinched my shoulders.

“...”

A pure white skeleton leaning obliquely against the wall.

Looking at the form, it was definitely a human's.

Along with the flow of time, everything declined, but there was something that shone particularly brightly.

Behind the skeleton's back.

A soft brown robe is subtly emitting light.

As if telling to take itself.

I carefully extended Mana Thread and untied the robe bound around the neck.

When I took out the robe, the skeleton turned to powder with a rustle and disappeared.

I let out a sigh of relief.

I wondered if there might be a dangerous matter, but such a matter···.

Swaaek!

Detection skill that activated in an instant.

Something is flying toward the back of my head.

A chilling edge was felt at the end.

As soon as the danger was recognized, Mana Thread reacted.

Dozens of Mana Threads that flew in from different directions blocked the trajectory of the projectile.

But, it pierced.

Pabububuk!

Even while bursting, the sensation of Mana Thread handed over perfect information.

A sharp arrow.

The arrowhead was special.

Sticky mana was felt at the end.

Is it a penetration series.

Whether too much information pushed in in real time, the mental string in my head tightened.

Instead of throwing my body to dodge, I rather focused on Mana Thread.

The plan is simple and straightforward.

Kill the power of the flying arrow as much as possible with Mana Thread, and block the rest with the bracelet's defense.

Much more reliable than the body I've never particularly used, the 110,000 points.

Kwaddddk!

Dozens of Mana Threads wrapped around each other and raised the strength.

Soon they roughly slammed toward the arrow.

Kwaang!

Some missed, but some struck the arrow.

The arrowhead with mana burst the flying Mana Threads one by one, but the body and feathers couldn't.

The strengthened Mana Thread bent the body of the arrow and broke the feathers.

The arrow that shook greatly.

Once it lost balance, it rapidly lost propulsion.

Even so, it didn't stop and flew to the end, and struck my back with a loose feeling.

Tung!

The mithril bracelet lightly hummed.

The protective barrier that blocked the arrow.

There was no damage.

"...Huu."

Fortunate.

The body that stiffened from tension drooped like a rag soaked in water.

“...”

I turned my body and checked the arrow that dropped to the floor.

The bluish energy condensed on the arrowhead is disappearing.

Except for the arrowhead, everything had turned into rags.

It was dangerous.

Quite so.

If there was even a small mistake, I might have suffered a fatal injury.

Even so, hopeful points clearly existed.

‘...Unexpected.’

I heard it's more common than thought.

Awakeners who are leisurely usually, but freeze when a urgent situation comes.

But it didn't apply to me.

The fleeting moment an arrow flew from a blind spot.

I accurately recognized the danger with the Detection skill.

Instead of hastily dodging the body, focused on the operation of Mana Thread.

Bundled Mana Thread to strengthen the power, and accurately struck the flying arrow.

Even the plan to cover the remaining danger with the bracelet hit accurately.

In my thought, this was closer to instinct than learning.

“A kind of survival instinct···is it.”

Or it might be survival desire.

A desperate survival desire that the life barely recovered can't be lost to one arrow.

I can't accurately distinguish whether it's instinct or desire.

There's no need to distinguish either.

I was just lightly surprised at a new aspect of myself that I didn't know until now.

I calmly looked around, but there was no more danger.

I held the robe with Mana Thread and came down.

Only after stepping both feet on the ground did the disappeared tension.

My legs gave out and I sat down on the floor.

Only after a long time from then did I come to my senses and placed my hand on the robe.

[Ro□ of the female □□□□]

“...”

Proper information doesn't float up.

To the point it's difficult to even guess the name.

I took out Nyros's ring from the inventory and wore it.

I placed my hand on the robe again.

[Appraisal (LV1) skill activates]

[Appraising the item]

[The item's level is too high]

[Proper appraisal is impossible]

[Traveler Nizen's Robe]

Fortunately, the name floated at least.

But it's not the message I was waiting for.

Shall I wait a bit more.

[You have used the Appraisal (LV1) skill]

[[Transcendence (EX) ability manifests]

[Experience points gained increase by 1,000,000 times]

[The skill level of Appraisal (LV1) increases]

[The skill level of Appraisal (LV2) increases]

[The skill level of Appraisal (LV3) increases]

···

[Appraisal (LV20) skill has reached the maximum level]

Done.

As expected, the Transcendence trait manifested.

With this, it became almost certain.

Like raising the Detection skill level with the cursed wooden doll.

Like raising the Appraisal skill level through the cursed Nyros's ring.

I'll be able to learn skills included in items from now on too.

And that.

To the maximum level in one go.

[Traveler Nizen's Robe]

-A functional robe that improves the convenience of the traveler.

-Provides inventory convenience (same materials can be stored in one slot regardless of grade).

-Provides subspace (5m×5m×5m).

-Survival assistance (resistance to climate, hunger life crises).

-Damage prevention, automatic purification, appearance replication function.

The performance of the robe was unique.

An item focused on survival and convenience rather than combat.

The place that caught the eye the most was of course the subspace.

The usage method wasn't difficult.

“...Amazing.”

As soon as the hand brushes the robe, the subspace activates.

Even if the right hand just brushes the side, the desired item immediately pops out.

After practicing a few times, the usage method came to mind.

‘Use inventory for bulky things, and store things that are frequently used or need speed in the subspace.’

The inventory convenience improvement function also looked useful.

As a result of testing with resources gathered while slowly wandering the upper part of the canyon.

If the same type, it was stored in the same inventory slot.

The lowest grade spirit grass and low grade spirit grass stored together, something like that.

The efficiency of the inventory itself improved tremendously.

Moreover, along with survival assistance, damage prevention.

Even appearance replication is possible.

I replicated it to the same appearance as the jersey I was wearing.

A feeling much lighter and more comfortable than the existing jersey.

Whether thanks to the survival assistance function, the dryness and stuffiness unique to the wasteland also disappeared in an instant.

“...This should be about enough.”

Originally I planned to go around one more canyon, but I changed my mind.

Whether because of the crisis in the secret space, the string in my head feels a bit tightened.

Since I've already achieved what I aimed for, there's no reason to be greedy at all.

I was just curious.

What would the price of the Breath of Hatred filled with 4000 souls be.

Step. Step.

I confirmed the direction with the compass, and walked toward the north.

Not long after, dots floated on the board.

Black dots meaning dead monsters.

Gray dots indicating hunters.

But something was a bit strange.

The gray dots that were three turned into two.

What is it.

Did they fight and split?

Or by any chance, murder···?

Soon I shook my head.

This place doesn't allow fighting between hunters.

Murder was an absurd matter.

“Hmm.”

By the way, whether because one decreased, the speed slowed a lot.

The mage who didn't twitch a finger when heading to the canyon.

Now is busily launching Fireballs.

Even the appearance of panting and drinking potions as if power is lacking was felt intact.

I have no thought of stepping forward.

Like when heading to the canyon, I slowly followed behind the hunters.

But a while later, the worry deepened.

‘The speed has become too slow.’

In a situation with only one vanguard, the mage's support is also not refreshing.

The two people who look excessively tired.

It was certain that something happened in the canyon.

In the end, I moved steps toward the two hunters who almost stopped.

“...Hello.”

The middle-aged mage sitting on the floor with a tired sign.

Seeing me, color rose on his face.

The vanguard who was rummaging through kobold corpses approached me and bowed his head while requesting.

“Could you open the way together a bit?”

What should I say at times like this.

After pondering for a moment, I answered.

“I'll open the way. The two of you look tired, so you can follow behind me.”

The mage and vanguard met eyes for a moment.

Puzzlement dwelling in the pupils.

Instead of bringing out many words, I summoned Fireballs.

Whoosh!!

Five Fireballs that floated buoyantly in the empty air.

Moving here and there according to my will as if alive.

The mage's eye tails trembled.

"N-not bad looking."

Leaving the surprised eyes of the two behind, I headed forward.

Walking out without hesitation, I launched Fireballs as soon as red dots floated on the board.

In the darkness that isn't properly visible.

Kobolds grouped in fives or sixes couldn't even resist and turned to powder and disappeared.

“Wow···.”

The middle-aged mage blankly let out an exclamation.

From some moment, he even stopped drinking potions.

He noticed that he wasn't needed.

The youth who stood in the vanguard said nothing.

Is he a taciturn personality.

Still, a sign of being thankful was felt.

In an instant, I arrived at Nehemis's Life Water.

Everyone with a tired sign.

Comfortably sat perched under the tree.

The two people who let out a deep sigh and plopped down.

Sitting next to them, I carefully asked.

“What happened?”

Both expressions darkened.

The answer came from the mage side.

“We successfully swept the canyon kobolds, but some variant was hiding in the cave. One dealer got hit by the guy's ambush.”

There was no additional explanation, but the situation was immediately grasped.

The archer who was planting arrows in the kobolds' chests.

He lost his life to the ambush of the variant monster.

“It was a powerful guy. If we were a bit wrong, we would have died too.”

“...Let's go now.”

The vanguard quietly muttered and got up from his seat.

Were they close.

The voice was dark.

I also immediately stood up and led again.

Anyway, mana was overflowing, and the mental strength to launch Fireballs was still sufficient.

I launched Fireballs and steadily opened the way.

When I dealt with about 40 kobolds, the mage said as if absurd.

“Aren't you lacking mana?”

With a reluctant expression, he examined my outfit.

“The equipment doesn't look that good, but it's really amazing.”

···I didn't particularly answer.

Honestly, I don't know what to say either.

There was no need to say either.

After that, I just walked silently.

Only the Fireballs flying through the darkness occasionally flashed.

Not long after, the open area ended and a passage appeared.

The mage approached and deeply bowed his head.

“Really thank you. Now that I see, you weren't an ordinary mage. Even if it's basic magic, I've never seen a person who launches this much and is still fine.”

The mage handed over a business card.

Like Yu Seo-ha last time, when a connection is formed, handing over a business card seemed to be the culture of this occupation.

“Good work.”

“...What good work. You handled everything. By the way, with this level of ability, getting a position in a decent company would be possible?”

I didn't particularly answer.

The mage who lightly checked my reaction approached his companion and conversed.

It seemed like he was saying farewell.

I pondered for a moment.

Should I greet even that vanguard?

Not particularly.

He's not even a formal party member.

I turned around and headed to the lobby.

That was when it happened.

“W-wait a moment please!”

The young man who stood in the vanguard ran to me.

The face was gloomy like the first time, but still polite.

While extending a business card to me, he bowed his head.

“Today···thank you so much for helping.”

“Don't mention it.”

I thought it was up to there.

But the man brought out one more word.

“The dead hunter···was my younger sister.”

I lost words for a moment.

I didn't think of it.

The expression and actions that were gloomy the whole time were understood only then.

His sister died.

···How must he have felt.

“I express my condolences.”

I recalled the parents I sent off.

It would have been good if I could at least express condolences.

They would surely have been happy then.

“It's because I was lacking.”

With those words as the last, the man left.

Looking at the gloomy back, I thought.

Yes.

The tower was this kind of place.

A dangerous place where it's not strange no matter when or who dies.

I'm no exception either.

If it wasn't for the Detection skill that transcends the track, I would have died too.

A place no one would find.

Inside the secret place of the kobolds in the labyrinth.

“Thank you for the hunter's hard work.”

Today too, staff member Lee Heeyeon was there.

Her eyes flashed blue.

[420 points have been deducted]

“Good work.”

I lightly bowed my head and headed to the lobby.

Thinking of checking if there's anything to buy, and returning home···.

“...W-wait a moment.”

Then a hesitating voice came from behind my back.

When I turned my head, staff member Lee Heeyeon was looking at me.

“Just a moment···could we have a conversation···?”

The pupils lightly trembled.

“Please.”