Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

“Ha Ha Ha Ha”

A single line, swearing that he would never stop, even if he absorbed my magic and burst his stomach.

As soon as l suggested that Grunda add that one line to the aforementioned contract, he grabbed his belly and laughed.

“Hahaha! Bursting belly? Who? Surely not me, Grundal!”

[Chaos raises her fist at the arrogant pig.]

I remained silent, and my companions glared at Grundal without saying a word.

In the cold silence, Grundal’s mocking laughter echoed throughout the empty tower.

“Hmm.”

Grundal laughed loudly, then calmed down and licked his lips.

Slurp.

“Hmm, your mana quantity and flow are impressive, but it’s still just human-level. It’s just a handful, not even enough to fill a stomach!”

He seemed to be more proud of his appetite and stomach than the fact that he had destroyed a small country.

Yes, he was going to die by his own hand. It would be fun to watch.

The greatest ability of my trait was not its enormous mana quantity or its precise control, but its unlimited mana regeneration.

There was no way for Grundal to know about this ability unless I showed it to him directly.

So, Grundal was underestimating me, thinking that I was just an ordinary human.

This was his fatal mistake.

“So, what’s your answer?”

“Okay. Tower, let Grundal and I make a contract!”

Whoosh!

Grundal and I began to negotiate, with him showing off his greedy eyes and me keeping my intentions hidden.

First, the contract was to be carried out only between the two of us, so the remaining companions would be placed in a protected area by the tower.

Second, Grundal would prioritize absorbing the challenger’s mana to satisfy his hunger.

Third, Grundal could not stop absorbing mana, even if he was in danger of overloading, unless the challenger’s mana ran out. Additionally, he was forbidden from harming the challenger during the absorption process.

Fourth, if the challenger’s mana was not enough to satisfy Grundal’s hunger, he would have to use all means necessary to satisfy his hunger.

Finally, if Grundal was still not satisfied after fulfilling all the above items, the challenger would have to voluntarily give up their life and offer their body as food.

Whoosh!

As soon as the contract was formed, my companions and I were separated.

To be precise, they were locked in a protected area created by the tower.

They were safe from harm, but they could not leave or speak.

“Anyway, it would have been the same if another monster had appeared. I’m glad the safety is guaranteed.”

I took a deep breath and signaled to my companions not to worry.

Meanwhile, Grundal, who had been emitting a strong aura, spoke.

“Poor human. Grundal doesn’t want to see blood! Don’t be stubborn and just hand over the high-level items!”

“Stop talking and start absorbing.”

How would he take my mana? Would he need physical contact?

As I was thinking this, a black line appeared in the air and connected my arm to Grundal’s finger.

It seemed that the line was used to transfer mana without any physical restrictions.

[Chaos encourages you to teach that pig a lesson.]

.

.

.

Whoosh!

As soon as the line connecting me to Grundal was pulled taut, I could feel the mana absorption begin.

Ssssssssss!

It felt like I was being bled dry, just like in a blood donation process.

“Oh, oh… This taste…”

I tried to calm my mind, but Grundal’s low murmur made me frown.

Damn it. I couldn’t get used to his disgusting face and voice, no matter how many times I heard them.

“How can a mere human have such exquisite mana? It’s delicious, too delicious!”

‘I don’t know what my mana tastes like, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it while it lasts. Enjoy it before you die.’

Grundal screamed.

“This exquisite mana will run out soon… Grundal is so sad! Human, please hold on a little longer!”

When he was asking for items, he was so calm.

Now he was telling me to hold on and let him absorb my mana.

The mana flowing into Grundal was not that of an ordinary human, but that of a pure-blooded dragon-kin. It was no wonder he was so excited.

Fortunately, I could move my body without affecting the connection, so I massaged my stiff arm and said,

“Now that the contract is made, I’ll tell you something. It’s not me who has to endure, it’s you.”

I clearly remember Grundal’s unpleasant smile when he showed off his yellow teeth.

“You said it was delicious? Well, I’ll feed you until you’re sick of it, and then some more.”

I showed off my teeth as well.

“Human, have you gone crazy? Don’t boast and die, give up your false hopes quickly!”

Yes, you’ll see.

In the blink of an eye, 10 minutes passed, and Grundal couldn’t react fast enough as 30 minutes flew by.

And then, an hour.

Grundal, who was supposed to be a giant, was far from majestic, and his skin, which resembled that of a pig in a sty, began to pale and turn white.

“This can’t be! Something’s wrong! No elf or fairy could produce this much pure mana!”

“What do you mean, something’s wrong? I said I’d feed you until you burst!”

“You’re despicable! You deceived Grundal! You’re not human!!!”

Grundal’s huge body and protruding belly were no different from before, but perhaps he realized that he might die if the absorption continued.

Grundal, who had come closer to me, looked down at me with a distorted face.

“Now I understand! How dare you, a mere young dragon, deceive me with polymorph!?”

‘What’s this now?’

It seemed that Grundal had mistaken me for a dragon due to Chaos’ Blood.

“Your game ends here! I am Grundal, the giant of gluttony, who once devoured the kingdom’s guardian dragon!”

[Grundal uses ‘Strike’.]

“Die, you insolent!”

A powerful attack that utilized his large and heavy body.

Whoosh!

Grundal’s palm, which was about to tear me apart, cut through the air.

If there was no way to invalidate the contract, he would kill the subject… It was a swift and decisive judgment, befitting his crude vocabulary.

But.

-During the absorption process, both parties are forbidden from causing harm to each other.

He had tied his own hands with his excessive arrogance and hasty decision.

Creak. Creak.

“Goooh!!!”

Grundal screamed as he was bound by the tower’s magic, but he couldn’t get any closer to me.

If the contract was violated, the subject would be killed.

The tower’s magic had already bound Grundal, and he was unable to move closer to me.

At that moment, Grundal looked like a pantomime actor, his body contorted and bound by the tower’s magic.

I shook my head at the ridiculous sight.

“You’re so damn two-faced. You said fighting was painful and difficult, but as soon as you saw an opening, you charged right in?”

“Gaaah! You damn lizard!”

[Chaos is appalled that you called a dragon a lizard.]

Thud.

Grundal finally realized that there was no way out, and he sat down on the ground, glaring at me.

Time passed.

One hour. Two hours. Three hours.

By now, my companions, who were worried about me from afar, must have rested.

“Huff. Huff.”

Either Grundal’s absorption had accelerated due to his previous exertion, or he had reached the limit of his accumulated energy in his weakened state.

Either way, Grundal’s body, which had already been large and fat, began to transform.

“Guh, hek. Please, save me…”

The already large and fat body began to swell like a ball, and then like a sphere.

Time was on our side.

It didn’t take long for Grundal to become so bloated that he could barely breathe.

“Guh, hek. Please, save me…”

Squeak. Squeak.

Grundal, who had been lying down, was now expanding in all directions, his tongue hanging out.

…When would he burst?

I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be safe if he got any bigger.

Just then, a horrifying sound emanated from Grundal’s body.

Crack. Crack.

Grundal’s body swelled up, and cracks appeared on the surface of his bloated flesh.

“Kreeeeek!”

Light burst out from the cracks.

Oh no, as far away as possible…

[Dimension Jump]

Whoosh!

.

.

.

Grundal, who had been absorbing my mana, exploded.

No matter how much mana he absorbed, he kept growing, and there was no sign of him bursting.

When the energy accumulated within him reached its limit, he exploded, causing catastrophic damage to the tower.

In that moment, I instinctively used Dimension Jump instead of Lightning Step to escape.

“This is insane.”

I approached the center of the explosion, where Grundal had been, and saw that the floor was cracked, even though it was protected by the tower’s magic.

The ceiling and the torches on the walls were also damaged, most of them extinguished.

It was dark, and I wondered about my companions.

I quickly turned my head and saw that they were still inside the protective barrier that the tower had created.

Crack. Crack.

The protective magic circle that the tower had set up to protect them was cracked like a spiderweb.

However, it hadn’t completely shattered, so it had done its job.

I ran towards them and warned them to stay back, then broke the barrier with my hand.

“It’s over, come out now! Everyone, move back!”

Crash!

As expected, the barrier shattered when I touched it, and the magic turned into mana.

Fortunately, my voice had reached them through the cracks, and they came out of the isolation space and approached me.

Whoosh!

Lumia, who was the first to come out, ran towards me with her arms raised.

Yeriel followed, waving her arms.

Finally, Veronica, who had been looking around at the devastation with a shocked expression, approached me.

I confirmed that all of us, including me, were safe.

Now…

I hurriedly approached the gray light floating in the air where Grundal had exploded.

[Ability activated.]

“…”