Chapter 79: 14th Floor. Great Sea (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 79: 14th Floor. Great Sea (8)
"…Ha."
Back on Earth, Kang Jun-hyeok let out a hollow laugh.
Aloanian Hasat.
A believer of the Great Sea God and a top-tier player who had survived until the very end. She was one of his comrades from his past life.
To think I’d meet her in a place like this.
The Tower was a fragment of a severed past. While it wasn't entirely strange to encounter a familiar face, the reunion left him feeling strangely cheerful.
[You looked like you recognized her.]
"It was a one-sided acquaintance."
[She must be someone famous, then.]
"Famous is an understatement."
To the Merfolk, she was nothing short of a hero. Even in the past, before she had ever entered the Tower, she would have been capable of handling a Kraken on her own.
He had initially thought the difficulty of this floor was excessively high, but it seemed the intended path was for her to deal with the Kraken.
I miss those days.
With a small smile, Kang Jun-hyeok began checking his rewards.
First, his Spearmanship proficiency had risen to D-rank. He had also acquired a passive skill called Mental Immunity.
[Passive Skill: Mental Immunity]
Rank: Lowest-Grade
Proficiency: D
Effect: Immunity to mental attacks and damage. You have gained resistance to most forms of mental interference and psychological influence.
It was a skill that functioned exactly as described: a defense against mental attacks. Beyond direct combat, it also helped resolve issues like trauma and mental illness—a must-have for any serious player.
However, from Kang Jun-hyeok’s perspective, it wasn't particularly revolutionary. Mental attacks didn't work on him anyway. The Master of All Weapons muttered, clearly finding the situation bizarre.
[Even if it was just a juvenile, a Kraken’s mental dominance is difficult to withstand with raw willpower alone. Only those who have attained enlightenment or reached a high state of mental discipline can defend against it. Yet you were completely unaffected. You don't exactly look like the 'enlightened' type.]
"I just have a lot of experience."
[That single sentence doesn't explain much. Fine. It’s not like you’re only strange in one or two ways.]
Kang Jun-hyeok smirked. While the skill didn't mean much now, it would become invaluable once he raised its proficiency. He moved on to check the clear rewards.
[Merfolk's Orb]
Description: A relic and artifact passed down through generations of Merfolk. It allows the user to breathe underwater and move freely without water resistance.
Note: It is extremely rare; it is highly unusual for a non-Merfolk to obtain one.
Kang Jun-hyeok looked satisfied as he examined the orb.
As the description suggested, the Merfolk's Orb was incredibly difficult to acquire. It was a treasure one could only obtain after building deep rapport and forming a bond close to kinship with the tribe. Even in his past life, it had taken Kang Jun-hyeok a long time to get his hands on one.
And yet, he had obtained it on the 14th floor. His progress was moving at an overwhelming pace. Since there would be many more sea-related floors in the future, this would prove quite useful.
[Kraken's Tentacle Mass]
Type: Shoes
Rank: Mid-Rank
Stats: Strength +1, Speed +3, Defense +6
Equipment Ability: Using the Kraken’s tentacles, you can walk freely on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces.
Description: Shoes crafted from the severed tentacles of a Kraken. Though the main body is dead, the power of its bizarre physique remains.
"Oho."
Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes gleamed. Seeing was believing. After putting on the shoes, he immediately placed a foot on the wall of his studio apartment.
Thud.
Defying gravity, his body began to walk up the wall. Once he reached the ceiling, he relaxed his legs, and his body dropped back down to the floor.
"Not bad."
With these shoes, he could now utilize the entirety of a three-dimensional space. Even if his footing was unstable, he could use the shoes' power to maintain his posture. It was an incredibly practical piece of equipment.
[Tears of Alfram]
Rank: Mid-Rank
Description: The tears of Alfram, the guardian of the Great Sea. These tears, condensed over hundreds of years, are like jewels and possess their own inherent mystery.
The other Perfect Clear reward, the Tears of Alfram, was a crafting material.
Material items were useless on their own, but their value could vary wildly depending on how they were utilized. He couldn't use it right now, but an opportunity would surely present itself soon. Satisfied, Kang Jun-hyeok placed the tears into his Inventory.
[Title: Monster Slayer]
Description: A title given to one who has slain a Monster Class entity.
Effect: Increases Attack and Defense by 5 each when facing a Monster.
Monster Slayer. It provided a significant boost to combat stats. Since it was a title he had earned in his past life, it wasn't new to him, but it was undeniably powerful.
The additional effect from the Perfect Clear title was a +3 increase to Speed while underwater. Considering it was a situational buff, the value was quite high.
"Good."
He finished checking all the rewards. Now, it was time to relay the details of the floor.
Kang Jun-hyeok spoke. "Shop."
Vrrr.
Space split open, revealing a rift that looked like the deep cosmos. Pixie, the fairy with a cigar clamped between her teeth, appeared with a peculiar smile.
[You’re back? And faster than I expected. What kind of trick did you use this time?]
"Showing you directly is easier than a hundred words."
Kang Jun-hyeok calmly held out his hand. As Pixie playfully took it, his memories flowed into her.
[Mmmmmm.]
She let out a low groan and stepped back. Slowly, a look of shock began to spread across her face.
[You madman. You reached the Merfolk Village without using a Downfall?]
"What’s a Downfall?"
[The Merfolk Village is located in the deep sea. Adults might be fine, but it’s quite a struggle for the children to reach the surface. There are dangerous sections along the way, too. To solve that, they set up things called Downfalls near the village.]
A Downfall was a type of transportation device created using ocean currents. It activated every seven days, allowing one to travel between the surface and the deep sea in an instant.
[You probably could have found one if you’d observed the surface for a few days.]
"So there was something like that," Kang Jun-hyeok muttered. Even with his past connection to the Merfolk, this was news to him.
Back then, I wasn't in a position to worry about such minor details.
When the world was on the brink of destruction, a mere mode of transportation wasn't exactly a priority. Pixie whispered, her face still full of wonder.
[To dive into the deep sea with your bare body without even knowing where the bottom was… You’re insane. No, wait. Is your intuition just that good?]
Either way, Pixie was impressed. But that wasn't all.
[And how do you already know how to befriend the Merfolk?]
Merfolk were creatures that lived in the deep sea. Aside from basic information, almost nothing was known about them. Yet, Kang Jun-hyeok had acted with a perfect understanding of how to build trust and gain favor with them. As a result, he had even succeeded in obtaining the Merfolk's Orb.
Having read his memories, Pixie could tell: Kang Jun-hyeok had calculated and planned everything from the very beginning.
But even that was child's play compared to what he did next.
[Even if it was a juvenile, you faced a Kraken alone… and won? And a Perfect Clear at that?]
The Kraken was a legendary monster. They were extremely rare, and even Pixie didn't possess much information on them. Yet Kang Jun-hyeok knew everything about the creature—how to react to it and how to dismantle its patterns.
His movements were as if he had fought a Kraken dozens of times before. Pixie asked with a look of disbelief.
[You. Have you fought a Kraken before?]
"What do you think?"
Kang Jun-hyeok gave a thin smile. Pixie groaned.
[Everything about you is incomprehensible. In the end, you achieved a Perfect Clear without any help.]
The Perfect Clear conditions for the 14th floor were strict. If you were too slow, the Merfolk Village would be destroyed by the Kraken; if you tried to react too quickly, the Fishmen would be slaughtered. It was a floor that required extremely careful judgment and movement.
Kang Jun-hyeok had resolved such a floor through pure individual ability.
It was admirable. It was marvelous. Even she, with her vast stores of knowledge, could not understand it. Her face flushed with excitement.
[You really are entertaining. Here, your reward.]
[500 Starlight.]
Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes brightened. Because he had exceeded Pixie’s expectations, the 14th floor had yielded a significant amount of Starlight. His total Starlight now stood at 820.
"Hmm."
This presented a dilemma. From a purely intuitive standpoint, the most valuable item at the moment was the active skill, Pixie's Wings.
[Active Skill: Pixie's Wings]
Rank: Mid-Rank
Proficiency: F
Cooldown: 60 minutes
Effect: Gain Pixie's Wings for 1 minute, allowing you to fly freely.
Cost: 1,000 Starlight
The ability to fly freely for one minute—its value was beyond words. It was a special skill that could solve countless problems. Rationally speaking, it would be correct to buy Pixie's Wings after clearing the next floor. Pixie watched him with curious eyes, wondering what he would choose.
After a moment of deliberation, Kang Jun-hyeok spoke.
"I’ll buy Pixie's Treasure Intuition."
[…Huh? Really?]
Pixie’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected answer.
[Active Skill: Pixie's Treasure Intuition]
Rank: Low-Rank
Proficiency: F
Cooldown: 60 minutes
Effect: Allows you to sense the location of valuable treasures within a certain range.
Cost: 500 Starlight
The effect was quite vague. Detecting treasures within a certain range—it was hard to judge its value at a glance. But Kang Jun-hyeok nodded firmly.
"I'm buying it."
The reason was simple: he could use it on the very next floor. No—in his judgment, it was an essential skill. Pixie snapped her fingers, looking intrigued.
[An unexpected choice. Hmmm. You really are fun. Take it.]
[You have acquired the Active Skill: Pixie's Treasure Intuition.]
[Aren't you going to spend your Gold?]
"Not right now."
[Then that’s it for today. The next floor is the 15th… Ah, that guy’s domain?]
Pixie laughed as if things were about to get interesting.
[This is going to be fun too. I’ll be looking forward to it.]
"I won't disappoint."
Pixie left with a giggle. Kang Jun-hyeok lay down on his bed.
The next floor was the 15th. It was a floor of great significance in clearing the Tower. He needed to prepare himself as much as possible, both mentally and physically. Kang Jun-hyeok quietly closed his eyes. As he meditated, a thought crossed his mind.
Come to think of it, is it about time?
The moment that thought occurred, a system window appeared immediately.
[Universe Announcement.]
[Hello, everyone. I am the Administrator of the Tower.]
Kang Jun-hyeok smirked at the system window appearing before his eyes.
"Speak of the devil."
[Hello, Players! How have you all been? I am glad to see that most of you are climbing the Tower more enthusiastically than before. Though it is a pity that some have still given up and refuse to climb… how tragic.]
[Enough small talk. I shall get straight to the point.]
The system window delivered its sentence playfully, yet cruelly.
[One week from now, the Second Test will be held!]