Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Tsssss!
The black energy spreading from Sang-hyeok's right hand covered the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
The dark-red stains that had spread across the silver surface began to darken from the edges.
Fssss.
The stains soon turned to black smoke and scattered between his fingers.
[Current corruption: 1%]
[Current corruption: 0%]
Once all the stains were gone, the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> regained its clear blue glow.
Even in the meantime, the corridor's mist kept surging toward Sang-hyeok's wrist.
But whenever the mist drawn to the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> seeped into the ring, the dark-red energy within it touched <Erasure> and vanished.
Only the pure mana that remained accumulated inside the silver ring.
[Mana required for growth accumulates in the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.]
[Current Growth Progress: 0.02%]
Sang-hyeok's prediction had been right.
'I'll keep going like this to the end.'
Sang-hyeok wrapped his right hand around his left wrist and moved forward.
Sssss.
With every step he took, the dark-red mist surged toward him.
But the corrupted mana in the mist scattered into black smoke the moment it touched <Erasure>.
[Current corruption: 1%]
[Current corruption: 0%]
When the corruption returned to zero, the blue light inside the ring deepened a little more.
Sang-hyeok picked up speed.
The mist that had only covered his ankles at first rose past his knees and up to his waist the deeper he went into the corridor.
The dark-red stains spreading across the walls and floor also continuously leaked murky energy.
「You have entered the inner corridor.」
「The concentration of corrupted mana is rising.」
Whoooosh!
The mist ahead surged violently, then rushed at Sang-hyeok all at once.
In an instant, dark-red light filled his entire field of vision.
[Current corruption: 3%]
[Current corruption: 5%]
The corruption shot up far faster than before.
Sang-hyeok didn't stop, drawing even more mana into his right hand.
'<Erasure>.'
Fwoosh!
The black energy flickering beneath his palm spread fiercely and enveloped the entire <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
The dark-red stains covering the silver surface turned to black smoke and scattered without pause.
[Current corruption: 3%]
[Current corruption: 1%]
[Current corruption: 0%]
Once the corruption dropped back to zero percent, only the pure mana in the mist remained in the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
[Current Growth Progress: 2.7%]
The blue light at his wrist deepened further.
At the same time, the mana he had just spent strengthening <Erasure> also returned quickly.
Sang-hyeok examined the black energy gathered in his right hand.
Even while continuously maintaining the Authority, the rate at which his mana decreased was noticeably slower.
The <Spirit Vein Bracelet> was absorbing the corridor's pure mana and steadily refilling what he had lost.
Having confirmed the recovery speed as well, Sang-hyeok kept the black energy active and went deeper into the mist.
Sssss!
Then, the mist filling the path ahead writhed and began to take on human shapes.
Faceless dark-red forms spread their arms to block the way, murky mana streaming off their bodies like mist.
[Corridor Corrupted Entity]
[Lv.6]
The corrupted entity at the very front lunged at Sang-hyeok.
Its dark-red arm stretched out like a whip, aiming for his face.
Sang-hyeok lowered his upper body and dodged the arm without taking his right hand off his wrist.
He drove into the creature's guard and pressed his left arm against its chest, bringing the <Erasure> wrapped around the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> into contact with the corrupted entity's body.
Tsssss!
The creature's dark-red body crumbled into black smoke from the point where <Erasure> touched it.
Fssss.
The corrupted entity scattered completely in an instant.
The pure mana remaining inside its body was immediately absorbed into the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
[Current Growth Progress: 3.8%]
The other corrupted entities rushed in all at once.
Sang-hyeok instead drove into the middle of them.
When dark-red arms flew at him, he twisted his body to avoid them.
He shoved aside the ones blocking his path with his left arm and pushed straight through.
Tssk!
Fssss!
The corrupted entities touched by <Erasure> scattered into black smoke one after another.
All the pure mana left in their bodies piled up in the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
[Current Growth Progress: 12.6%]
The more corrupted entities he destroyed, the faster the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> grew.
The corridor immediately detected the change.
「The corridor's corrupted entities are being eliminated rapidly.」
「Releasing additional corrupted mana.」
Ruuuumble!
Along with the final notification, the entire corridor shook violently.
The dark-red stains on the walls and floor swelled all at once and spewed thick mist.
Whoooosh!
The dark-red mist pouring in from all directions surged forward like a violent current.
The mist coiled around Sang-hyeok's ankles, then rose past his waist and chest, reaching above his head in an instant.
[Current corruption: 8%]
[Current corruption: 14%]
[Current corruption: 21%]
In an instant, he couldn't see an inch ahead.
Still, Sang-hyeok didn't stop.
He wrapped his right hand around his left wrist even more firmly.
'I'll erase it all.'
VMMMM!
The black energy gathered in his right hand surged up and enveloped the entire <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
Once again, the dark-red stains covering the silver ring quickly darkened and scattered as smoke.
[Current corruption: 17%]
[Current corruption: 9%]
[Current corruption: 3%]
[Current corruption: 0%]
Once all the corruption was gone, the pure mana mixed into the mist poured into the ring all at once.
FLASH!
The blue light spreading from the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> brightly illuminated the thick mist.
The path ahead, which had been hidden by the mist, came back into view.
[Current Growth Progress: 31.4%]
Sang-hyeok ran straight down the revealed path.
The corridor kept spewing dark-red mist, but every trace of corruption that seeped into the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> was erased by <Erasure>.
The remaining pure mana accumulated intact inside the silver ring.
[Current Growth Progress: 63.2%]
The higher the growth progress climbed, the brighter the blue light at his wrist became.
The <Spirit Vein Bracelet>'s power to draw in mana also grew stronger.
Before long, even the mist at the far end of the corridor was being pulled toward Sang-hyeok's wrist in a long stream.
The mist the corridor spewed out could no longer corrupt the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
Instead, once <Erasure> removed the corruption, the mist only accelerated the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>'s growth.
「Rechecking the equipped artifact's corruption level.」
[Current corruption: 0%]
Even after the zero percent figure appeared, no further notification followed for a while.
Sang-hyeok paid no mind to the system's silence and kept running.
Before long, a massive wall of mist blocking the end of the corridor came into view.
Beyond the thick mist, the outline of a stone gate glimmered faintly.
[Distance remaining to corridor terminus: 30m]
It was the moment Sang-hyeok sped up toward the stone gate.
Ruuuumble!
The dark-red mist flowing from the walls and floor was sucked into the wall of mist before the stone gate all at once.
The wall of mist swelled in an instant and filled the entire corridor.
Whoooosh!
The next moment, the swollen wall of mist collapsed like a giant wave and poured toward Sang-hyeok.
The dark-red mist swallowed Sang-hyeok, and in an instant he couldn't see an inch ahead.
The <Spirit Vein Bracelet> relentlessly drew in even the mana within the mist covering Sang-hyeok.
So much corruption seeped in at once that <Erasure> couldn't erase it fast enough.
[Current corruption: 19%]
[Current corruption: 37%]
[Current corruption: 58%]
More than half of the silver ring was covered in dark-red stains.
Sang-hyeok pressed his right hand over the spreading stains and gripped the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> even harder.
The stone gate was hidden by the thick mist and couldn't be seen.
Still, he clearly remembered the direction he had last confirmed.
Sang-hyeok took a step toward it.
'This much can't stop me.'
He drew up every bit of remaining mana.
'<Erasure>.'
Fwoooosh!
The black energy wrapped around the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> surged up and enveloped Sang-hyeok's entire body.
The mist that had filled the surroundings rapidly cleared from wherever it touched <Erasure>'s energy.
The newly surging corrupted mana also scattered into black smoke before it could reach Sang-hyeok.
After blocking the incoming corrupted mana, Sang-hyeok pressed his palm against the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> and focused <Erasure> even more.
Then the dark-red stains that had already seeped into the silver ring also vanished at a rapid pace.
[Current corruption: 41%]
[Current corruption: 18%]
[Current corruption: 0%]
Once the last stain disappeared, the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> emitted a clear blue light again.
Meanwhile, the pure mana absorbed from the surrounding mist kept accumulating inside the ring.
[Current Growth Progress: 91.3%]
As the growth progress rose sharply, the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>'s power to draw in surrounding mana grew even stronger.
The mist remaining in the corridor surged toward Sang-hyeok's wrist from all directions.
The incoming mist first touched the <Erasure> wrapped around his body.
Each time, the corrupted mana in the mist vanished as black smoke, and only the pure mana was absorbed into the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
The more mist was drawn in, the faster Sang-hyeok's vision cleared.
At last, the path to the stone gate beyond came into view.
Sang-hyeok ran down the opened path with his right hand wrapped around the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>.
Twenty meters.
Ten meters.
Before he knew it, the stone gate was right in front of him.
The moment Sang-hyeok took his final step, even the mist remaining at the rear of the corridor was pulled toward his wrist in a long stream.
FLASH!
Even the corrupted mana mixed into the last of the mist touched <Erasure> and scattered as black smoke.
[Current corruption: 0%]
[Current Growth Progress: 100%]
The <Spirit Vein Bracelet>'s blue light deepened further.
Sang-hyeok released his right hand from around the ring and placed it against the stone gate.
Thoom!
The firmly shut stone gate opened to both sides.
As Sang-hyeok crossed the threshold, a new notification appeared.
「You have reached the end of the corridor.」
「Checking the equipped artifact's condition.」
[Target Artifact: <Spirit Vein Bracelet>]
[Current corruption: 0%]
[Current Growth Progress: 100%]
[Condition for Stage 1 Growth Met]
Once the values were confirmed, the clear assessment followed.
「All corruption remaining on the artifact has been removed.」
「All pure mana in the corridor has been absorbed.」
「You have achieved the hidden complete conquest conditions.」
「You have achieved a complete conquest of the hidden trial <Corrupted Spirit Vein Corridor>.」
[Conquest Rating: SSS]
The moment the clear assessment ended, the <Spirit Vein Bracelet> at his wrist trembled violently.
「All mana required for growth has been filled.」
「The <Spirit Vein Bracelet> grows by one stage.」
[Name: <Spirit Vein Bracelet> → <Spirit Vein Bracelet: Budding>]
[Growth stage: Stage 0 → Stage 1]
[Surrounding mana absorption increases.]
[Mana recovery speed increases.]
VMMMM!
Blue light swirled fiercely around the silver ring.
A moment later, when the light subsided, a single blue pattern had been engraved on the inside of the ring.
The faint mana scattered around him now gathered toward Sang-hyeok's wrist faster than before.
Only then did Sang-hyeok withdraw the <Erasure> that had been wrapped around his body.
His mana was nearly depleted from erasing the corridor's last mist.
But within a few breaths, the mana he had spent returned noticeably.
The recovery speed was clearly faster than before the growth.
At this rate, he would be able to recover a considerable amount of mana just by catching his breath briefly during battle.
As soon as he confirmed the recovery speed, an additional reward notification appeared.
「Complete conquest bonus reward is being granted.」
FLASH!
A single dark-red crystal appeared above Sang-hyeok's open right hand.
[Item Information]
[Name] <Corrupted Spirit Vein Crystal>
[Grade] Rare
[Category] Crafting material
[Effect]
- A crystal of condensed corrupted mana.
Sang-hyeok examined the crystal briefly, then placed it in his inventory.
On top of developing the <Spirit Vein Bracelet>'s mana recovery ability, he had also obtained new research material to bring to Ilseong.
「All hidden trial settlements are complete.」
「Returning to the 5th-floor selection room.」
FLASH!
Blue light enveloped Sang-hyeok's body.
The open stone gate and the long corridor sank into the light and vanished from sight.
* * *
When the light cleared, Sang-hyeok was standing before the three doors again.
[First Trial: Defeat]
[Second Trial: Defense]
[Third Trial: Survival]
「Hidden trial complete.」
「Please select the 5th-floor standard trial.」
The hidden trial was over, but the 5th-floor clear still remained.
The three doors waited for Sang-hyeok in the same state as before he had left.
Sang-hyeok's gaze stopped on the first door.
At his wrist, the <Spirit Vein Bracelet: Budding>, now grown by one stage, glowed with a clear blue light.
He had already confirmed the recovery speed.
Now it was time to see whether that power worked properly in actual combat.
Of the three trials, Defeat would let him check it fastest.
'Defeat.'
Sang-hyeok approached the first door and placed his hand on it.
「You have selected the first trial <Defeat>.」
The moment he made his selection, the door opened and red light poured out.
FLASH!
The red light flooded his vision, then quickly cleared.
Sang-hyeok stood in the center of a circular arena paved with black stone.
Ruuuumble!
Twelve iron gates lining the high walls rose simultaneously.
From within the gates, soldiers armed with silver armor and large shields walked out one by one.
[Ironclad Guardian]
[Lv.5]
[Trial objective: Defeat all Ironclad Guardians.]
[Time limit: 10 minutes]
The twelve Ironclad Guardians formed two rows of six.
When the front row pressed their shields together, a silver barrier spread out, and the back row thrust long spears through the gaps between the shields.
Sang-hyeok looked down at the <Spirit Vein Bracelet: Budding> on his wrist.
The mana that had been nearly depleted when the hidden trial ended had already recovered to more than half.
'That's enough.'
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Ironclad Guardians advanced behind their shield wall.
Sang-hyeok also raised black energy in his right hand and ran straight at them.
The moment the distance closed to three steps, Sang-hyeok thrust his palm toward the shield wall.
'<Erasure>.'
Tsssss!
The instant his palm touched, a black hole opened in the center of the silver barrier.
The black energy spread left and right along the interlocked shields and swept through the entire front row.
Fssss!
Shields and armor turned to black sand all at once.
The six Ironclad Guardians in the front row collapsed without even getting a proper swing in.
The wide-spread <Erasure> had drained his mana significantly.
Immediately, the blue pattern on the <Spirit Vein Bracelet: Budding> brightened.
The mana scattered throughout the arena surged toward his wrist and quickly refilled what had been lost.
The remaining guardians spread out to both sides and thrust their spears simultaneously.
Sang-hyeok pivoted on his right foot.
Even with the sudden change of direction, he didn't lose his balance.
It was thanks to the <Collapse Walker’s Boots> doing their job.
Sang-hyeok drove straight into the gap between the spearheads.
'<Erasure>.'
Sang-hyeok swept his right hand across.
Whoosh!
<Erasure> spread out in a fan, swallowing the spears and armor all at once.
Five Ironclad Guardians turned to black sand and spilled onto the floor.
The last guardian threw away its shield and drew the greatsword from its back.
As it brought the greatsword down with both hands, Sang-hyeok reached his right hand toward the falling blade.
Fssss!
The greatsword scattered into black sand before it even touched his hand.
Sang-hyeok stepped in and pressed his palm against the creature's chest.
Tssssk!
The last guardian's body crumbled into black sand from the chest outward.
[Ironclad Guardians defeated: 12/12]
[Time elapsed: 01:47]
「5th-floor standard trial complete.」
[Conquest Rating: SSS]
「Your level has increased.」
[Lv.5 → Lv.6]
As his level rose, his mana filled back up completely.
After confirming the changes in his body, Sang-hyeok looked down at the <Spirit Vein Bracelet: Budding>.
It had done its job as well as expected in its first real battle.
'I'll be counting on you from now on, too.'
Sang-hyeok grinned and lightly tapped the silver ring with his finger.
Vmmmm.
The blue pattern inside the ring brightened once, as if in answer.
By the time the blue light settled, the settlement for the entire 5th-floor clear began.
The record of the hidden trial he had completed earlier appeared first.
「The first complete conquest record for the 5th-floor hidden trial has been confirmed.」
「A new record will be registered in the 5th-floor Hall of Fame.」
[Trial: <Corrupted Spirit Vein Corridor>]
[Classification: Hidden Trial]
[Achieved Record: First Complete Conquest]
[Conquest Rating: SSS]
[Achiever’s Public Name: Undisclosed]
[Affiliated Nation: South Korea]
「The Hall of Fame record reward will be applied to the affiliated nation.」
[South Korea Achievement Points +500]
Once again, Sang-hyeok did not reveal his name.
Only the fact that he belonged to the Republic of Korea remained clearly in the Hall of Fame.
Sang-hyeok's gaze moved down to the national achievement reward displayed below.
With the 500 points added this time, the Republic of Korea's projected point deficit would shrink by that much.
There was still a large shortfall to fill.
Still, he had taken another step toward his goal of ensuring not a single rift opened in Korea this quarter.
A faint smile spread across Sang-hyeok's lips as he looked at the changed numbers.