Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

The jackpot was hit.

A single treasure chest, hidden among deadly traps, was revealed after we overcame the crisis.

We opened the ornate chest with excitement, and it contained valuable rewards.

A pouch filled with gold coins.

A potion bottle that glowed red, similar to the Winter’s Breath I drank at the Altar of Transcendence.

An ancient amulet covered in indecipherable runes.

A rolled-up, worn-out parchment and a thick book that was difficult to read.

“Wow… What are all these?”

“Indeed, the difficulty has increased, and so the reward was increased.”

Yeriel and Veronica were amazed, and Lumia continued.

“This floor was only passable because Ahren was here. If any of us had opened the chest… it would have been terrible.”

“Haha, you’re giving me too much credit. Just a moment, let me check each item.”

I put the pouch of gold coins in my bag and decided to settle the payment later.

First, I examined the red, glowing potion bottle.

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[Berserker’s Potion]

A crystallization of an ancient primitive tribe’s secret technique.

When consumed, the drinker loses their sanity and temporarily gains the power of an ancient tribal god.

• When consumed, the drinker enters a state of ‘Berserk’, losing their sanity and attacking both friends and foes.
•
• When consumed, the drinker receives the power of ‘Vashios’.
•
The duration of the Berserk state and the power of the ancient god is not predetermined.

________________________________________

The potion has no rating.

This means that it is a valuable but dangerous item, deeply connected to a Transcendent or a god.

The fact that the duration is not predetermined suggests that it lasts until the god takes back their power.

‘Berserk’ is a state of mind that is blocked by Chaos.

So, I’ll keep this for myself, as it can only be used by me. I’m sure it will come in handy later.

Next, I examined the amulet.

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[Shaman’s Amulet of Protection] (D)

An amulet crafted by a skilled shaman of an ancient primitive tribe.

When worn, it protects the wearer from curses and reflects them back to the caster.

-When worn, it protects the wearer from curses and reflects them back to the caster. The effectiveness of the amulet decreases depending on the strength of the curse and the caster’s level.

-The amulet is destroyed after reflecting three curses.

________________________________________

This amulet seemed quite useful.

Veronica is immune to curses due to her Halo, so she doesn’t need it. I’ll have to decide who to give it to.

I also checked the parchment and the book.

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[Fear of the Forest] (C)

A consumable item that serves as an entry ticket to a gate called ‘Kiliac’s Forest’, where the powerful named monster Kiliac and various other monsters reside.

• When the map is torn in half, a portal is created that allows up to five people to enter.
•
• Once inside, it is impossible to leave until the named monster Kiliac is defeated.
•
________________________________________

I hit the jackpot!

I had heard from Sena that there are separate gates that require specific items to enter, and it’s not possible to enter them just by knowing the information.

The gate requires a party with an average ability and trait rating above C, which is a drawback.

Entering a gate without proper preparation is like asking to be killed.

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[On Wildness] (C)

A book that can only be read by beastkin.

Author unknown. The book contains insights into the senses and wildness of beasts.

Requires high intelligence.

• Upon reading the book and understanding its hidden meaning, the growth trait ‘Manifestation of Wildness’ is acquired.
•
• If someone acquires the trait, the above item becomes inactive.
•
________________________________________

The last item was a book dedicated to Lumia.

It was a valuable item that could grant a growth trait.

Honestly, this book seemed more valuable than the gate.

‘This is complicated. The potion can only be used by me, the amulet can be used by Yeriel, and the book is for Lumia. That leaves Veronica without a reward.’

I don’t know what to do. I’ll give the book and the amulet to the others when we return to the city.

I quickly explained the options of the items from the treasure chest.

“Lumia! Congratulations!”

“Th, thank you.”

“Ahren did all the work, so there’s no reason to feel bad. Don’t worry about it.”

Yeriel congratulated Lumia with a blank expression, and Veronica agreed that she didn’t deserve a reward since she didn’t do anything to get it.

As the issue of the treasure chest’s rewards was resolved, something happened.

Whoosh!

Three images appeared, as usual.

Left. Question mark.

If the same image didn’t appear twice, it seemed that we wouldn’t have to worry about another unlucky event.

A human-shaped image appeared, representing a person bound to the tower.

It was a normal-looking human face, and I remembered that I had joked about it being a person.

‘Good. If the last staircase is for monsters or a duel, I’ll go up the central staircase.’

Right… Demon!

The image of a demon, representing the monster layer, appeared.

“I think we should go up the central staircase this time. Any objections?”

Veronica shook her head in disagreement.

“The monster layer and the random layer… The answer is already clear. Let’s just hope that no one in the party causes any trouble.”

I agreed. I didn’t want a potion-giving middle-aged woman. I just wanted to move on.

While I was thinking this, Yeriel was excited about the possibility of meeting someone else in the tower, and Lumia remained expressionless.

“It’s a bit exciting to meet someone else in the tower, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Anyone would be better than fighting monsters.”

That’s true.

It’s better to face a person than to guard a crystal pillar or fight monsters.

“Let’s go. Are you all ready?”

“Yes, let’s go!”

“I’m fine. How about you, Arlen?”

“Of course, I’m fine.”

I wasn’t tired at all. I had only dodged a few attacks and used Brainwave Sword once.

The weight of my bag didn’t change due to the spatial magic, but I felt a sense of security after putting the rewards from the chest into it.

.

.

.

“Khaaaak!”

Slash!

Blood spurted from his chest, which had been deeply cut.

“Forgive this old man, Tower…”

The old man, who looked to be in his eighties, died.

Since we entered the tower, something felt off.

A senile old man, pretending to be a beggar, sat in the center and asked for food. When I brought him preserved food, he pulled out a hidden dagger and stabbed me.

What was this? A brainwashed fanatic?

I had to be careful even with the people in the tower.

“I’ve had a similar experience, so I understand how you feel. Just think of it as a 50-50 chance and move on.”

Veronica’s words reminded me that she had also experienced something similar.

At least this time, it wasn’t someone else’s bad luck affecting me, but just a normal part of the tower’s mechanics.

Still, I felt annoyed.

Whoosh!

The floor was cleared, and the old man’s body disappeared like a mirage.

Three staircases appeared, and I felt mana fluctuations from each of them.

Soon, black mana formed different images…

“Hmm.”

“Damn it! Isn’t this tower going too far?”

“This is a bit much, isn’t it?”

“…”

I correct myself.

The images were not different, but the left, right, and central staircases all showed the same image.

Two crossed swords. A duel.

A one-on-one battle with a strong enemy stood in my way.

Damn it.

‘This is just ridiculous.’

I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

What’s with this? It’s not like I won the jackpot or anything.

I sighed in exasperation at the tower’s malicious intent, which seemed to be testing our luck like a slot machine.

“Huff. It’s fine. It’s fine.”

I wiped my face and said, “It’s not possible to avoid dangerous staircases all the way to the 10th floor.”

I’m not that lucky.

‘It’s better this way. I’ll break every monster and random layer that comes my way.’

“…”

Lumia came to me and gently stroked my arm.

“You’ve been working hard alone. Are you okay?”

“I don’t feel anything special now that it’s finally here. I’ll fight while you rest and regain your strength.” I stroked her soft cat ears.

“Huff.”

“Thank you for worrying about me. The tower has decided our path, so there’s no need to worry. Let’s go.”

I’m confident that the tower will continue to throw challenges at us, whether it’s monsters or something else.

We can’t rest here, and there’s no guarantee that a healing layer will appear.

“Come on, you all look tired. I do too. But what can we do? We can’t just be sad when we’re stuck in the tower.”

I said and walked ahead.

It didn’t matter which staircase we chose, as they all led to the same duel.

“We’re almost halfway there. Let’s just focus on reaching the 10th floor and returning.”

How strong will the enemy be?

‘It doesn’t matter. I can handle anything.’

If I were to assess my current level objectively…

Hmm… I think I can easily defeat a mid-layer adventurer like Victor, who I met a few months ago.

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[Victor]

[Strength: C-] [Agility: D-] [Endurance: D] [Mana: D-] [Luck: D-]

[Possessed Traits] (Collapse)

Intermediate Swordsmanship Barbaric Roar Rock Smashing Strong Body – Varduk

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Victor’s status window, which I saw when we defeated the layer boss, showed a well-rounded hexagonal ability with a slight bias towards strength.

He had an average C-rank and only four traits, yet he managed to break through the tower and meet the guild’s other conditions to become a mid-layer adventurer.

He didn’t even have a unique item at the time.

This means that if I compare myself to Victor, I’m far superior in terms of abilities and traits.

There’s no way I won’t be able to reach the top of the tower.

‘Of course. What’s the worst that could happen? Maybe a Named Monster will appear.’

There’s a limit to bad luck.

I didn’t see a clear system message indicating that I was unlucky, so I’m confident that the enemy’s strength will be within my expectations.

I felt a bit guilty for using Victor as a comparison to boost my confidence, but it helped me take a confident step towards the next staircase.

Whoosh!

We arrived at the 5th floor, the duel layer.

‘What’s this now?’

In front of us was a giant with a huge body, covered in fat.

He was so big that he could touch the ceiling of the tower if he stood up. His appearance was like a pig that had been enlarged.

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[Hungry Giant Grundal]

In the distant past, Grundal was a disaster that brought a small country on the outskirts to the brink of destruction.

His mind was filled with nothing but hunger.

Delicious food, expensive jewelry, exquisite weapons crafted by master artisans, and the essence of living beings and their inherent energy… even the power of the gods.

He was hungry and wanted to devour everything to satisfy his insatiable appetite.

Currently, he is in a weakened state due to the restrictions of the dungeon.

[Possessed Traits] (Locked)

Hungry

Endless Accumulation

Fatty Armor Strike

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Damn it. Another monster that absorbs or devours things?

It seemed like the first button was wrongly pressed when we defeated the layer boss, Ephusio.

From the variant goblin Grilops to the giant Cresdowzer, and now the hungry giant Grundal.

“Ugh. I’m hungry. I’m so hungry!”

Grundal, who was sitting and yawning, noticed us as we climbed the stairs.

“Challengers have arrived! Grundal is happy!”

Yuck. He’s using his name in the third person.

I couldn’t stand the disgusting sight, but my companions didn’t say anything, so I didn’t either.

Regardless, Grundal spoke to us.

His voice echoed loudly, even though he wasn’t shouting.

“Fighting is painful and difficult! Grundal doesn’t like pain. I’ll let you pass if you give me food to satisfy my hunger!”

As he said this, he lay down and patted his belly.

Crackle! Crackle!

Noise emanated from Grundal’s entire body as he lay down.

“I understand! Just stop!”

“Who are you talking to? What was that just now?”

“The tower sent its will. If you don’t follow the rules, it will destroy you… Grundal is scared.”

Ugh. I can’t stand him using his name in the third person.

“Grundal doesn’t like fighting, but he has to stop challengers according to the tower’s rules. But…”

But?

I frowned, and Grundal, who was standing, made a suggestion.

“On the other hand, you want to surpass Grundal and move on to the next floor. So, let’s make a deal!”

“A deal?”

“Give me whatever you have, whether it’s your armor, the items in your bag, or your life force. I just want to satisfy my hunger!”

I thought about it and asked again.

“Are you saying that if I satisfy your hunger, you’ll let us pass? How can you enforce the tower’s rules?”

“I just have to stop the challengers. So…”

Hehe.

Grundal showed me his yellow teeth and laughed.

“Let’s add a line to the contract. Even if you are about to die from overeating, You won’t stop absorbing!”