Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: The Previous Pioneer's Gift Box
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The Previous Pioneer's Gift Box.
I'd received it from the Lord as a reward for the Harpy Queen, but no matter what I tried, it wouldn't open.
Even my trusty Bio-aemon, who seemed to know everything and could solve any problem, had no idea what to do with it.
I took both the crystal fragment and the gift box out of my inventory.
When I took them out, the light wasn't as bright as I'd expected.
But as I brought the two items close together, a blindingly intense golden light erupted.
“Sir?”
“Hyeon-ung?”
“Mister? Is something wrong?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Go on with your shopping.”
The golden light was so intense that my companions, who had been excitedly picking out clothes, and even the staff all turned to look at me, but it vanished in an instant.
The crystal didn't seem to have changed much, but the gift box, which had been black, was now tinged with a white light.
Wondering if I could break it open now, I tried, and unlike before, it tore open easily like a cardboard box.
Inside the box was a single letter.
[To my dear successor.
Greetings. I am a summoner who goes by the name of Kalos Heinrich.
You, who are reading this, are probably not my friend Almondeu, to whom I gave this letter, but the next Pioneer.
How do I know?
Because I made it so it cannot be opened unless one possesses the strength to break through the 80th floor.
Ah, of course, there's the possibility that Almondeu might destroy the Crystal Tablet and open this with a fragment, but I don't think he's the type to do that.
On the off chance that you, Almondeu, are reading this, then my heartfelt congratulations.
I've imbued this with the power of my trait, the Scissors of Severing Fate, so you should be able to break free from the chains of destiny imposed by those angel bastards.
You won't be able to return to your original world, but I hope you can escape your status as a minion of the angels and live a free life, at least here…...]
The chains of destiny imposed by those angel bastards...
Could he be talking about the position of Lord?
I should keep reading for now.
Conveniently, there was a section in the middle of the letter that said, "If you are not Almondeu, read from here."
[...If you are the Pioneer and not Almondeu, read from here.
The fact that you received this letter from Almondeu must mean you've helped him a great deal.
It might be presumptuous of me, but as a reward for helping him, I'd like to give you some information about the upper floors of the labyrinth.
I, too, am only on the 80th floor, but one of my traits allows me to briefly summon my future self from ten years from now......]
He can summon his future self?
That's a completely ridiculous, overpowered ability.
[...It might sound surprising, but it's not as amazing as it seems.
Since you're a Pioneer, you must have some pretty good traits yourself, right?
I can't share memories with him, and I can only see a tiny fraction of the messages my future self gives me.
However, for a future Pioneer like you, whose face and name I do not know, I can provide more information.
From this point on, my future self will be writing.
I won't check it myself, and while there will still be some restrictions, I sincerely hope this helps you.
Floors 81 through 89 might actually be easier than the previous ones.
If you haven't xxx xxxx, it will be even easier.
But if you xxx xxxxx, the difficulty will rise considerably.
I thought this place was hell, but the real hell begins on the 90th floor.
From here on, you cannot proceed to the next floor without defeating the floor boss.
And because the floor boss is xx, I struggled a lot...
Still, I pushed forward.
For your information, from this point on, it becomes impossible to leave the labyrinth.
To be more precise, you can only exit the labyrinth after clearing a floor.
As you might have guessed by now, from the 95th floor, xxx xx will appear.
Honestly, this part isn't easy either, but the real challenge is the 98th floor.
I've been stuck on the 98th floor for three years now.
The floor boss of the 98th floor, xxx xx, is no different from a god.
It's incomparable to the lesser gods you encountered on floors 60-70.
It makes me wonder if I'll ever be able to pass this place before I die...
There isn't much time left, so if I could add one piece of advice, your stats and equipment...]
The letter ended abruptly, as if the effect of the previous Pioneer's trait had run out.
I appreciate the sentiment of thinking about a successor he's never met, but there wasn't much valuable information.
There were too many parts marked with 'x', likely due to some penalty.
And I'd already heard the warning about the 81st floor from Misha.
Still, it's not like I didn't learn anything new.
From the 90th floor, you can't advance without defeating the floor boss.
You can't go outside unless you clear a floor.
The previous Pioneer made it to the 98th floor.
As I mulled this over and was about to put the letter and the crystal fragment away, I noticed something.
[Crystal Tablet Fragment (Mythic)
A fragment created by gathering the weathered dust of a Crystal Tablet that holds a mysterious power.
Though its capacity is smaller than the Crystal Tablet, it can be used as a medium for a blood contract in the same way.
-Blood Contract.
If you move beyond a certain radius from the Crystal Tablet for about a week, the curse of Blanky, the God of Blood, will be activated.
-The contract slot of the Crystal Tablet Fragment is currently vacant. A blood contract can be formed. (1 person)]
The last sentence written on the Crystal Tablet Fragment's description had disappeared.
Originally, it said that the contract of the 35th Summoner, Oh Hyeon-ung, was embedded in it...
Come to think of it, the golden light had flashed not only from the box but from the crystal fragment as well.
Judging by the letter's contents, it seemed the blood contract itself had been erased.
The letter mentioned that when the Lord destroyed the Crystal Tablet and used the fragment to release the contract, something called the Scissors of Fate would activate and sever the chains of destiny imposed by the angels.
I was completely free.
Of course, I'd been free ever since the Lord gave me the fragment, but there's a huge difference between being bound by a contract and having no contract at all.
If I wanted to, I could leave Kramis at any time and live freely.
Of course, I had no intention of making that choice.
I could only summon three companions outside.
Freedom is meaningless if I can't be with all my companions.
But what if Goldie brought back an Orb of Wishes S just one or two more times?
I could live happily without having to force my way to the 100th floor.
“Goldie.”
“Kkyuing?”
“You know I’ve been good to you, right? I’m counting on you this time, too.”
“Kkyuing!”
I stroked Goldie's head as he puffed out his chest as if to say 'leave it to me,' just as my companions approached.
“Hyeon-ung, I'm sorry. Have we kept you waiting too long?”
“Not at all. Did you find everything you wanted?”
“Yes.”
“But are you sure it’s okay to buy this much?”
“Of course. I told you not to worry about the money.”
I followed the employee to pay, and the total came out to less than 50 gold.
I think it was close to 70 gold when I bought clothes for the other three...
Compared to them, this group doesn't seem to have much interest in clothes.
“Do you happen to do deliveries?”
“Of course. Where should we send it?”
“To Kabisa, under the name Oh Hyeon-ung. Ah, wait, give me that hat over there, too.”
I pointed to a wide-brimmed straw hat next to the counter.
“I’ll throw that in for free.”
“And do you have any clothes for playing in the water?”
“Ah, it seems you’re planning a trip to the beach. Of course, we have those.”
The owner replied with a smile.
“Hyeon-ung, are you buying something else?”
“I was thinking we could go to the sea once the rain stops.”
“The sea?”
“Is there a sea in Kramis?”
Rina and Hanna tilted their heads in confusion.
“No, I heard there's one about a day's journey south. Unlike the places we've seen in the labyrinth, they say there are no monsters.”
“I love it!”
“Me too. I’d love to go anywhere with you, Hyeon-ung.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Um, excuse me, sir, but as far as I know, summoners aren't allowed outside of Kramis...”
“I have permission from the Lord.”
When I showed him the silver plaque, the owner of Repellia's face brightened up again.
“Then there shouldn't be a problem.”
“One set of clothes that would suit each of them... no, you can pick them out yourselves.”
****
My eyes fluttered open to the pressure on my stomach and a rough shaking.
Goldie and Nix were bouncing on my belly, while Rina and Alpen were grabbing my arms and shaking me from either side.
“...What's with you all?”
It had rained yesterday, too, but less than the day before, so we'd gone to the reservoir and a dessert shop.
Everyone was tired and went to bed early, so I stopped by the Golden Lion Guild to organize some items.
Seol-hwa said she'd made some savory pancakes, so I had some rice wine with them and came back late, which earned me an earful.
But still, waking me up this early in the morning as payback is a bit much...
“Hyeon-ung, the rain has stopped!”
“Mister, the weather is clear today!”
I looked out the window. It was still dark, but just as Rina said, the rain that had been pouring down relentlessly for two days had finally stopped.
“Hyeon-ung, we’re going to the sea today, right?”
Ever since we bought the clothes the day before yesterday, they'd been chanting 'sea, sea, sea'...
They were just like elementary schoolers on the day of a field trip.
They seemed to have high expectations, and I was a little worried about what I'd do if they were disappointed when we got there.
“Alright, let's go. First, can someone get me a cup of water?”
My throat was so dry, probably from drinking too much.
Alpen quickly ran and fetched some water.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
Having companions certainly makes things like this convenient.
Downing the water, I finally felt alive again.
“Now I need to go wash up, pack my things, and get ready.”
“We’re already done.”
“Huh?”
They're already finished preparing?
“We just need to eat breakfast.”
The sun isn't even up yet...
They really are like elementary schoolers on a field trip.
“Mister, can’t we just ask for something like sandwiches for breakfast and eat on the way?”
Good grief.
I doubt even the staff at the Kabisa restaurant have come to work yet...
“No, we need to have a proper breakfast.”
It seems our Hanna is someone who will never skip breakfast.
I infused the crystal ball with mana to ask, and thankfully, they said food orders were available even at this hour. I ordered room service and went into the bathroom.
When I came out after washing up, three large bundles of luggage were lined up in a corner of the room.
“These are our clothes. Please keep them for us, Hyeon-ung.”
“Are you all evacuating somewhere? We’re just going for the day.”
“Didn’t you say it takes about a day to get there? So that’s one day there, one day back, and one day to play. That’s three days.”
“That’s if we were riding regular horses.”
Because I have my own mount.
I lightened their load, stored the luggage in my inventory, and after eating breakfast, we left Kabisa.
When we reached the city gate, the soldiers blocked our path, but they let us through immediately after I showed them the free passage permit I received from the Lord.
“Hyeon-ung, that red horse is big, but I don’t think all four of us can ride it. How are we going to split up?”
“I don’t know how to ride a horse...”
So there's something Rina can't do.
“Then I’ll ride with Rina.”
“No way! Why would I ride with you, Alpen! I’m going to ride with Mister!”
Good grief, we're already off to a rocky start.
“Don’t worry. We’ll all be riding the same thing.”
“Huh?”
I grinned at my confused companions and shouted.
“Kirin.”
A giant Kirin emerged in a flash of purple light.
“Contractor, it’s been too long since you last summoned...”
It stopped its complaint mid-sentence and suddenly approached Hanna.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“Ahem, I was unaware that the contractor was accompanied by such a beautiful lady. I am the Divine Beast of the Center, the Kirin.”
“Wow, Hyeon-ung, the animal is talking!”
“Hyeon-ung, I’ve never seen an animal like this before! It’s not a deer, but it’s not a horse either.”
Both Hanna and Alpen seemed fascinated.
It stood tall and spoke, and I had no idea what was going on.
“Mister, are we riding this thing?”
“‘This thing’? My lady, I am a Kirin. You little brat.”
“Brat? Hey, who are you calling a brat!”
Rina tried to kick the Kirin, but it dodged lightly.
“A brat with a nasty kicking habit. My beautiful lady, would you care to gallop across these vast plains with me?”
It spoke as it slowly approached Hanna.
“H-Hyeon-ung, I think this thing is a little weird.”
Sigh. It seems this one, like Goldie, can't help itself around pretty girls.
Goldie, the original Hanna-admirer, seemed displeased with the Kirin eyeing Hanna and shot out from her arms.
“Kkyuing!”
It shrieked as if telling it to back off, but the Kirin just scoffed and pushed it away with its horn.
“As if some mongrel dragon could stop me!”
“Kkyuiiing...”
“Goldie!”
I immediately went to check on Goldie, ready to scold the Kirin, but someone else was faster.
“My lady, do not be burdened. Simply climb comfortably onto my back... Ack!”
“Ppoyo!”
Peck- peck- peck-
Nix immediately started pecking its horn with its beak, teaching it a lesson.
“The... The Divine Beast of the Sun God? No, Contractor, you brought such a monster with... Ack! Contractor, what are you just watching for? Hurry up and stop it! My horn is going to break...”
It seemed even the Kirin was no match for Nix.
“Kkyuing! Kkyuing!”
Goldie cheered it on as if telling it to do more, and Nix pecked away with great enthusiasm.
“C-Contractor, please, this divine beast...”
The Kirin called out to me desperately, but I looked away.
Bad habits need to be nipped in the bud.