Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Labyrinth

The black board brightened in an instant.

The entire lobby floor was contained on the black board.

Crowding hunters are gray light.

Merchants are green light.

Gates are purple light.

The labyrinth is black light.

The surprising thing wasn't only that.

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

[Detection and sensation are shared]

Sharing of Detection and sensation.

I was puzzled for a moment, but immediately understood the meaning.

Hwaak!

A bizarre feeling as if the black board was engraved on the whole body.

I understood immediately.

Detection is knowing.

Sensation is feeling.

Information learned through the Detection skill was immediately shared with bodily sensation.

“...This is crazy.”

A kind of bonus given only when reaching the maximum level.

A thrilling feeling from the whole body.

It feels like ordinary hunters would have difficulty reaching it.

In fact, I don't know exactly how difficult it is.

I looked up related information in the community.

[Search: Skill maximum level]

I dug through the posts.

A fact learned while looking at the community over the past few days.

Two titles are attached in front of useful posts.

[Verified][Information]

There was a plausible post.

──────────────────

[Verified][Information][Where is the skill maximum level?]

As everyone knows, to learn a completely different series of skills, existing skills must be completely mastered.

Taking a mage as an example?

Flame - [Burn][Explode][Expand][Purify][Melt]

It means you can only move to another series after mastering these five items.

The most famous example?

Fireball is the [Burn] item.

Flame Burst is the [Explode] item.

Something like that.

You have to make a total of five items to LV20 like this to learn other attribute magic.

By the way, the time it takes to master one magic?

Based on a hunter of average talent, 50 years.

Even based on only hunting for life without doing anything else.

Meaning you have to go around for 50 years without eating or shitting, planting Fireballs on goblins to reach LV20.

Then isn't it impossible?

Yes, it's impossible for you.

But there are always irregulars in the world.

In fact, in hunter powerhouse countries, there are even geniuses who have surpassed two series to three series.

The most famous is America's Michael.

Famous for creating absurd explosive power by mixing the extreme series of flame and ice.

Look up related videos yourself.

But in fact, there exists even more extreme difficulty.

These magics or physical skills are fine if you just use them.

Raising the ones classified as [Common skills] is truly extreme difficulty.

Why?

Because there's no talent involved.

Meaning whether talented or not, you just have to pour in time.

No, if you just pour in time, it's still okay.

There are even more vicious skills.

For example, the [Detection] skill?

You have to dive into new places every day and cross the line of death several times for skill experience to accumulate.

So it's shitty.

Conclusion.

1. Don't even have interest in skill maximum level.

2. You can't do it anyway.

──────────────────

Perfect information and a clear conclusion.

It wasn't verified for nothing.

Anyway, with this, it became certain to some extent.

The skill maximum level that I stamp without any issue.

Was nearly impossible for other hunters.

‘Truly an amazing ability.’

Added to the vegetative patient buff, and of all times, Lee Heeja hitting her head and dying when I awakened.

As a reaction to the path of survival being completely blocked because of that.

It seemed the absurd bonus of 1,000,000 times experience points was applied.

Looking at it that way, life is truly strange.

I was forcibly prolonged for 8 years without even being able to die, for the benefit of bastards who should be beaten to death.

Then one day, this kind of luck suddenly comes.

But even so.

There is no guarantee anywhere that the end of luck is a happy ending.

The current reality of moving while staggering with Mana Thread, without even sensation in the body.

There's still a long way to go.

Thinking that, I moved my steps toward the labyrinth.

#

The labyrinth is controlled by the state.

Entry and exit are strictly managed, and 10% of points are forcibly deducted upon exit.

The reason was simple.

Because if not, the country will perish.

10 years ago, black towers that suddenly soared in countries around the world.

A message that floated before the eyes of all humans.

[If the point quota is not filled, 10% of the citizens of the relevant country will die]

[The allocated points are renewed every 1 month]

People laughed.

But the moment 10% of their own citizens died of heart attacks, the laughter disappeared.

Only fear remained.

Powerful countries immediately began full-scale support for hunters.

Weak countries worsened more and more.

Currently, serious countries have 60% of the population dead, it was said.

“Hello. I'm Lee Heeyeon, a staff member of the Hunter Association. Could you tell me your affiliation and name, or the alias you will use?”

Fortunately, Korea was not to that extent.

But it was even further from entering the ranks of powerful countries.

According to experts' analysis, about the bottom of middle-ranking countries.

Society itself developed, but the situation of not being able to rise due to small population.

“No affiliation. Not real name, alias will be Transcendence.”

Transcendence.

I just decided the alias as the trait.

The short-haired woman said with a smile.

“Please make eye contact for a moment.”

When eyes met, a cool blue light scanned Lee Heeyeon's pupils.

She looked at the empty air for a moment and muttered something small.

Lee Heeyeon nodded with a kind expression.

“Mr. Transcendence, successfully entered into the national database. This is your first entry into the labyrinth, by any chance, up to which floor of the tower have you climbed?”

I've often seen it on TV.

No need to say it necessarily.

As I kept my mouth shut, Lee Heeyeon took a step back.

“I asked only because of safety issues, no other intentions. Then, I hope you have a safe hunt, Awakener Transcendence.”

The state just receives the points of exiting hunters, and that's it.

If they try to control awakeners beyond that line, the results were not good.

Even China, the epitome of control.

Stopped interpersonal control due to serious brain drain to Russia and the US.

Points are thoroughly and surely collected, but they do not intervene at all in information about individual hunters.

Of course, well.

There would be some background checks.

“Good work.”

I entered the labyrinth.

After walking a bit, a total of 6 forks appeared.

From 5 of them, a cool aura that made the skin crawl was felt.

Even with the level 20 Detection skill, information was not read.

Can't go there.

Dangerous hunting grounds for high-grade hunters.

Even a dangerous place where attacks toward each other are allowed.

Some labyrinths are said to be connected on a pan-national level.

It wasn't a place for me to go.

I headed to the leftmost.

After walking to some extent, the passage ended and a wide open area enveloped in darkness unfolded.

Visibility was about 500m.

Beyond that was filled with darkness.

Visibility is proportional to individual physical ability.

At least thanks to the reasonably high level of 40, I can see this much.

So in the early stages of awakening, it's standard not to even approach the labyrinth.

What kind of combat is it when you can't even see properly in front.

But to me, such restrictions became meaningless.

Originally, just brightening the vision with flame would have been enough.

Now there's not even a need for that.

A map of about 1km radius drawn in my mind.

Life forms existing within it are clearly felt.

Can also be confirmed with eyes.

Monsters are red.

Hunters are gray.

Occasionally unique colors like orange or green also stood out.

“...Truly broken.”

While moving steps moderately, I threw a Fireball into the darkness.

Flames piercing the darkness and receding.

The appearance of a goblin with a pierced chest briefly flashed.

Fssss.

I feel the goblin turning to powder and scattering.

[You have acquired points]

[Held points: 2]

Ordinary goblin points are 2.

Thinking of obtaining 11 points from the same goblin on the 1st floor of the tower, the efficiency is much lower.

But hunters eventually seek the labyrinth.

They become unable to be satisfied with the tower that opens once every 3 days.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

This time I created two Fireballs.

Two fist-sized fireballs launched with will alone instead of throwing.

They brightened the darkness while drawing slight parabolas with each other.

“Keek!”

“Kreeeeek!”

Two goblins in different places disappeared.

When thrown, they couldn't even scream.

This time they screamed and died.

Because the projection speed slowed.

Is it because the human body and mind are connected.

Definitely, moving the body together multiplies the power of magic.

In fact, high-grade mages are said to form seals or something.

I might have to do that later too.

“Kieeeek!!!”

Like that, I steadily defeated goblins.

Normally, a hunter who cleared the 2nd floor of the tower entering the labyrinth would be called crazy.

But there was not the slightest difficulty.

Rather, the goblins dying without even discovering me are pitiful.

After safety was guaranteed, I also tested Mana Thread.

I gripped the clubs the goblins were holding with Mana Thread and swung them.

“Keek!”

Fast and accurate, but the impact isn't heavy.

I accurately struck the face, but it was just that they fell in surprise.

The goblin that quickly got up and rubbed its face looks around.

Seeing the club floating in the air, it looks bewildered.

‘It's funny though.’

After testing several times, the usage method comes to mind.

It looks ineffective because what's held is a club, but actually it's not.

Pierce vital points with sharp equipment.

Or slam down heavy ones utilizing centrifugal force.

Sufficient effects can be created.

Fssssss!

I defeated the dumbfounded goblin.

Mana that immediately filled the empty space.

I checked the points.

[Held points: 48]

Points increased a lot.

Already 24 goblins caught just in number.

Also walked quite a bit.

“...You're a mage, right? How about going together?”

I also met several hunters.

Most looked like they were ignoring me seeing my appearance of going around bare-bodied holding one wooden doll.

But the people who approached after seeing my Fireball were friendly.

It exactly matches the common sense I knew.

Magic series awakeners are rare.

Especially mages confident enough in skill to go alone are even more so.

“I'm fine.”

I opened my mouth and flinched in surprise.

Not because of the opposing hunter, but because of my voice.

Having forgotten how to speak for 8 years, it's awkward like hearing someone else's voice.

The other party glanced at me who no longer spoke and moved away.

I continued hunting and advanced as is.

Like that for a while.

A blue gate flickers before my eyes.

It's the exit.

[Held points: 172]

Hunted 57 goblins.

A dizziness as if liquid was sloshing in my head rushed in.

This too is a natural phenomenon.

Mana fills infinitely, but human mental strength is finite.

Today this much was enough.

Wooong!

I walked out the exit.

After walking a bit through an unfamiliar passage, short hair was visible.

It's staff member Lee Heeyeon.

“You came out quickly?”

I extended my arm to Lee Heeyeon who was smiling lightly.

Her eyes sparkled for a moment, then a mechanical sound leaked from the terminal on the side.

[17 points are deducted]

The dizziness feels a bit more severe.

I lightly bowed and left the spot.

Vaguely.

It seemed a glint passed through Lee Heeyeon's eyes.

© Dome Hwangcha #1yy6t