Chapter 50: 8th Floor. Labyrinth and Key (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: 8th Floor. Labyrinth and Key (3)
[Active Skill: Stealth]
• Rank: Lowest-Grade
• Proficiency: B
• Cooldown: 5 minutes
• Effect: For 10 seconds, erases all sound, presence, and energy emitted by the user. Additionally, erases the user's physical form for 1 second.
The proficiency of his Stealth skill had finally reached B-rank.
The evolution it brought was straightforward but profound. Though it only lasted for a single second, the skill now completely erased his physical form. It was stealth in its truest sense—the total erasure of sound, presence, energy, and even sight.
“B-rank, huh?”
In his past life, it was only after surpassing the 50th Floor that he had managed to obtain a skill with B-rank proficiency. His current pace was nothing short of phenomenal.
While the unique environment of the 8th Floor played a significant role, the fact that Stealth was a lowest-grade skill made it easier to level up. The proficiency boost from his Perfect Player title had undoubtedly accelerated the process as well.
With a light heart, Kang Jun-hyeok continued his search for the final key. Two days later, he successfully secured the fifth one.
[The proficiency of Stealth has increased significantly.]
“Still not at A-rank?”
Kang Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue. It was disappointing, but not unexpected.
If B-rank represented the strengthening of a skill, A-rank was the threshold where the skill’s very quality underwent a metamorphosis. No matter how low-grade the skill was, reaching A-rank on a single floor was a near-impossible feat.
Still, B-rank was more than enough. In fact, it was excessive. Most Players couldn't even dream of raising a skill's proficiency to B. Even those in his past life who specialized in lowest-grade active skills usually saw their progress stall at D or C.
[You have obtained five keys. You may now clear the floor. Would you like to exit?]
“Not a chance.”
He shook his head. He still had one last thing to do here.
* * *
After waiting for his cooldowns to reset, Kang Jun-hyeok lightly tapped his foot. The sound was as faint as a cat’s footfall.
Thump. Thump.
Yet, that tiny vibration was enough to trigger a monstrous roar. Before long, the floor's guardian appeared.
[Groooar!]
The monster grew increasingly sensitive with every key the Player obtained. By the third key, it could hear footsteps; by the fifth, it could detect the sound of heavy breathing from across the labyrinth.
[Gr... Groar?]
However, the monster looked utterly bewildered. It was only natural. Kang Jun-hyeok moved only while Stealth was active. As a result, the beast heard nothing. From its perspective, all five keys had been stolen by a ghost.
[Groooar!]
Its confusion was short-lived. Driven by its duty to protect the floor, the monster lunged forward. It charged like a heavy tank, intending to pulverize Kang Jun-hyeok through sheer momentum.
[Stealth.]
In that instant, Kang Jun-hyeok’s body vanished. Sound, presence, energy, and even his physical form—he was perfectly erased from existence. The charging monster faltered, its target suddenly gone.
Stab!
Kang Jun-hyeok reappeared behind the beast and plunged his dagger into its neck. The monster thrashed violently in agony.
[Groooar!]
Boom!
It threw its massive weight backward, attempting to crush Kang Jun-hyeok against the labyrinth wall. Kang Jun-hyeok sheathed his dagger and drew his Greatsword in a single fluid motion. It was a transition so blindingly fast that an amateur wouldn't have even realized he had switched weapons.
[Block.]
Clang!
The Greatsword collided with the monster’s back. The creature's strength was immense; in a direct collision, even a successful block would usually send a Player flying.
But Kang Jun-hyeok didn't budge. The Block skill, now at E-rank proficiency, allowed him to withstand impacts that should have been impossible to stop. Because he wasn't pushed back, he had the perfect opening to counter.
Kang Jun-hyeok stepped into the monster's space.
[Thrust.]
The heavy blade lunged toward the monster’s torso.
[Groar!]
The monster managed to intercept the strike with its thick, armored arm. A heavy impact followed, and for a moment, it seemed the monster had successfully defended itself.
But that was its fatal mistake.
This was the evolution that came with Thrust reaching D-rank proficiency: if the opponent blocks the initial strike, the skill triggers a second, phantom thrust.
Pshhhk!
The second strike bypassed the monster's guard and pierced deep into its stomach. The Greatsword sank into its gut up to the hilt. The monster let out a harrowing cry of agony.
[Groooar!]
The beast tried to grab him, but Kang Jun-hyeok had already wrenched his Greatsword free and leaped back. He leveled the blade and swung it in a wide, horizontal arc.
[Sword Ki and Sword Wind.]
With a sharp, whistling howl, a grey blade of energy tore through the air.
K-boom!
The monster was sent tumbling pathetically across the ground. As it struggled to its feet, its body was covered in horrific, bleeding gashes. Seeing the sheer destructive power, Kang Jun-hyeok smiled with satisfaction.
“So this is its true strength. Powerful, as expected.”
[Gr... Groar. Groooar!]
The monster charged again, but the outcome was already decided. Kang Jun-hyeok completely overwhelmed it. It was only natural; the only reason the monster had been able to fight him on somewhat equal footing before was that Kang Jun-hyeok had been intentionally withholding his skills to train his proficiency.
Considering the absolute value skills held in the Tower, his dominance was a foregone conclusion. Before long, the guardian collapsed into a heap.
[Level Up.]
• Health +30
• Strength +1
• Speed +2
• Feat Stat +1
• The proficiency of Master of All Weapons has increased.
• The proficiency of Sword Ki and Sword Wind has increased.
• The proficiency of Stealth has...
It was over. He searched the surrounding area for more keys, but found none. Kang Jun-hyeok finally initiated the clear for the 8th Floor.
[8th Floor Quest Cleared.]
• Rewards will be determined based on your performance.
• Calculating achievement rate...
• Calculation complete.
• Achievement Rate: 100%
• Perfect Clear. Congratulations! Additional rewards will be granted.
• You have obtained an Excellent Trap Disarm Tool.
• The effect of the Title: Perfect Player has been enhanced.
• 2,847 Gold has been awarded.
• Perfect Clear Reward: You have obtained the 'Near-Omnipotent Key'.
• Perfect Clear Reward: You have obtained the 'Passive Skill: Ears That Hear Many Things'.
• Players who have Perfect Cleared the 8th Floor: 1.
• You are the only one!
[Universe Announcement.]
• Please offer your congratulations, Citizens of the Universe! A Perfect Player of the 8th Floor has appeared. This is a feat that no one has ever achieved before!
[Feat Stat +3]
Returning to Earth, Kang Jun-hyeok checked his rewards.
[Excellent Trap Disarm Tool]
• Rank: Rare
• Description: A tool capable of disarming various traps. It can handle a wide range of mechanisms and possesses infinite durability.
“'Excellent,' huh?”
The reward most Players received from the 8th Floor was a 'Clumsy Trap Disarm Tool,' which could only handle simple traps and had limited durability. This was an item of a fundamentally different caliber.
Next, he checked the Perfect Clear rewards.
“It’s all items and passives this time,” he muttered.
[Near-Omnipotent Key]
• Description: Can unlock almost any lock. A mage once created this key, but it was deemed so dangerous that he built a labyrinth to seal it away. The mage prayed that no one would ever reach it.
“Oho.”
Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes gleamed. The key’s effect was simple, but its utility was extraordinary. If the description claimed it could unlock "almost any lock," it meant it could bypass anything short of a divine or unique seal. Many floors in the Tower required complex lock-picking or specific keys to progress; with this, those obstacles were effectively neutralized.
The next reward was a skill.
[Passive Skill: Ears That Hear Many Things]
• Rank: Low-Rank
• Proficiency: F
• Effect: Allows the user to hear things beyond the human spectrum. From the mundane to the supernatural.
A Low-Rank passive skill.
Excluding Master of All Weapons, which was a unique case, this was the first time he had acquired a passive skill above the lowest-grade. The difference was night and day. Lowest-grade passives generally kept a Player within the peak of human potential; from Low-Rank upward, one entered the realm of the superhuman.
Kang Jun-hyeok closed his eyes and focused.
Suddenly, the world became loud. He could hear the whistling of the wind outside his window, the muffled domestic sounds of neighbors in nearby houses, and the rhythmic chirping of insects in the grass. Beyond that, he could hear high-pitched frequencies and low vibrations that were normally silent to human ears.
“So this is it.”
His hearing had surpassed human limits, gaining a sensitivity closer to that of a predatory beast. He shook his head slightly; the sudden influx of information was distracting. He focused his mind, filtering the incoming data and compressing the noise until it was manageable.
It would take time to adjust, but the skill’s value was immense. It was an extreme enhancement of his situational awareness.
Furthermore, the Perfect Player title enhancement had sharpened all his senses. His vision, smell, and taste had also improved, though not as drastically as his hearing.
“Good.”
Satisfied, Kang Jun-hyeok nodded. From the proficiency gains to the rare rewards, it was a highly successful run. Extreme floors like the 8th would appear a few more times in the future. If he had the right skills, he could use them to skyrocket his proficiency again. However, since skill acquisition was often random, he had to remain prepared for any scenario.
‘That’s why I need to be as ready as possible.’
Kang Jun-hyeok began to draft his next move.
* * *
After organizing his thoughts, Kang Jun-hyeok turned on the news.
— “What are your thoughts on this 'Test'?”
— “I believe it is a trial given by the Master of the Tower. As the System stated, this won't be the last. They will continue.”
— “Then how should the public respond?”
— “...I don't know. At this point, there is no clear answer.”
“Still talking about that, I see.”
He had spent nearly a week on the 8th Floor, yet the world outside was still reeling from the first Earth Test.
[How utterly foolish. Instead of wasting time on armchair debates, they should be climbing the Tower.]
The Master of All Weapons sneered. Kang Jun-hyeok didn't disagree. When he opened the Community, it was the same story. Those who had received penalties were busy arguing and shifting blame. It was a meaningless waste of time, exactly like his past life.
As he scrolled through the posts indifferently, one headline caught his eye.
[Choi Ji-yeon (5th Floor): By the way, dissolving the Verdant Guild? What on earth is Kim Tae-yeon thinking? She needs to take responsibility!]
“I guess she decided to dissolve the guild after all.”
In his past life, Kim Tae-yeon had never dissolved the guild. She had stayed with her struggling members until the bitter end. But now, she was cutting ties immediately after the first Test.
That wasn't the only change. The top Players he had spoken to before parting ways seemed to have taken his words to heart. There was no news of them forming private, exclusionary factions. Instead, the forums were full of posts about them leading public raids and encouraging others to climb.
Unlike his past life, the world was changing. Not just individuals, but the very structure of their society. To Kang Jun-hyeok, these changes looked promising.
He closed the Community. He needed to rest before tackling the next floor.
[Is it the 9th Floor next? Hmm.]
“What is it?”
[No... It’s nothing. I just realized you’re moving much faster than I anticipated.]
The Master of All Weapons dodged the question, but Kang Jun-hyeok knew exactly what the voice was thinking.
The 9th Floor.
That was the floor where he could finally fulfill the condition set by the Master of All Weapons. Specifically, it was the floor where he would finally obtain Internal Energy.
‘I need to go in fully prepared.’
Kang Jun-hyeok closed his eyes and let the silence take him.