The Heritage Object
The Master of the Floor.
That heavy, loaded title caught my eye right before I could move on to the next floor.
"What are you, a creep?"
If you have something to say, show your face and say it directly.
Why did they have to be so shady and send messages through the status window?
"Hmm."
Judging by the opinions of the users currently climbing, this situation seemed to be a major anomaly.
The big boss of this undead theme—the Master—was supposedly untouchable.
They said the ultimate goal was simply to avoid its presence and clear the floor safely, but...
"Apocalyptic difficulty, is this your doing again?"
Maybe it ignored the hunters on Normal and Beginner difficulties.
Maybe it was just curious about the idiot who dared to choose Apocalyptic.
Conditions have been met.
Due to your special reward, you have discovered a 'Hidden Piece'.
A Hidden Piece.
I had heard of this before.
Back when I was just a regular citizen before getting dragged into this mess, I heard rumors that a few lucky hunters had found these and become rich enough to rival major conglomerates.
"Am I going to be rich?"
To hell with the Master of the Floor. My attention was now entirely locked onto that phrase.
Once I got rich, the first thing I'd do was get rid of that cramped studio apartment.
Then I'd buy a house with a pool, build some guest rooms, invite a bunch of rich folks, and just live it up.
A training ground would be nice too.
As I indulged in these happy fantasies, another translucent window floated up naturally.
A special quest has been generated due to the 'Hidden Piece'.
A special quest. Entranced, I opened it up.
The Master's Message
You have encountered the Master of the Floor. The 'Master of the Floor' seems to have something to say to you.
Objectives:
☐ Explore the 2nd Floor (Incomplete)
☐ Acquire the Heritage Object (Incomplete)
"No, no. This isn't it."
Disappointment washed over me at the system's lack of tact.
The content was one thing, but wasn't the most important part missing?
Upon clearing the quest, you will receive a reward.
"Now we're talking."
My sinking spirits instantly perked right back up.
I briefly explained the situation to the community.
Of course, I left out the part about the 'Master of the Floor' peeping on me.
It'll only complicate things if I bring that up.
My eyes drifted to the 'Heritage Object' listed in the quest window.
"It should apply."
I immediately began filtering the information flowing through the community.
If information from Normal difficulty didn't apply here, then the help I received during the tutorial wouldn't have made sense.
"It helps a hell of a lot."
YeouijuDragon—that is, Karrmia—was one of the most talented rookies around.
And she's beautiful, too.
When someone like that pays attention to you and cheers you on, failing to step up would make you a total beta.
"Let's do this."
Steeling my resolve, I pressed the button to proceed to the 2nd floor.
Flash.
"Whew."
When I opened my eyes again, a familiar environment welcomed me.
A pale, dead sky and a desolate wasteland.
And in the distance...
Whoosh...
"I haven't seen that before."
It was the sight of crumbling ruins, practically dripping with the aura of death.
I guess the real show starts now.
Recalling the quest details, I cautiously took a step forward.
Half of my focus was on scanning my surroundings, while the other half was dedicated to my skill window, ready to deploy my domain at a moment's notice.
Leaving the chaotic conversation behind, I decided to move my body and look for traces of the heritage myself.
"That's actually better for me."
If it meant dealing with a lot of monsters, that was right up my alley.
Rather than giving myself a headache trying to solve puzzles all over the place, I was far more accustomed to just throwing myself into the action and figuring it out.
As I walked with that thought in mind...
Rustle.
"...?"
I spotted a shadow darting between the skeletal pillars of a ruined building.
Erosion Barrier
Hummm...!
As I waited behind my defensive barrier—
"Kieeeek!"
With a screeching cry, 'something' that had been sizing me up from the ruins lunged forward.
In that split second, I saw it: awl-like claws at the ends of long, spindly arms.
*Thud!*
The moment it entered my domain, its movements slowed to a crawl, as if it were a bullet fired underwater.
"Man... look at that face."
"Kiehk...?!"
Murderous teeth, rotting skin, and eyes filled with malice—half-decayed, showing only hazy pupils.
"The ghouls I know are supposed to be handsome guys and pretty girls."
Recalling the creatures I had seen in some manga, I glared resentfully at the monster that had shattered my childhood fantasies.
Rattle, rattle...!
Seeing it struggle pitifully to break through the domain, I decided to change the domain's properties.
"From now on, you're my combat test dummy."
Shadow Slash
The mana binding the ghoul's body was suddenly infused with a sharp, black edge.
*Slash!*
"...!"
The ghoul's skin immediately began to shred under the onslaught of the Shadow Slash.
I counted the seconds in my head.
By the third second, its entire body was covered in lacerations, dripping black fluid.
By the fifth second, its limbs went limp, and it collapsed onto the ground.
"That took a bit long."
Unlike the goblins, which were shredded the instant they stepped into the domain.
Climbing the floors definitely made the increase in difficulty tangible.
No more easy wins.
I felt the need to adjust my combat style slightly.
Not a one-shot kill, but a war of attrition.
Since they did die eventually, I just needed to take my time and grind them down thoroughly.
As I turned my attention back to the limp corpse...
*Rustle.*
"Just come at me all at once. You're making me nervous for nothing."
Having witnessed their kin's demise, more ghouls began to emerge one by one, visibly enraged.
*Slash!*
"Kieeeek!"
A ghoul lunging for my throat collapsed on the spot, its neck sliced open.
I kept Judgment Strike in reserve to save mana, and instead focused on raising my skill proficiency.
I engaged in combat by alternating solely between Shadow Slash and Erosion Barrier.
The pack of six ghouls that had ambushed me was soon whittled down to just one.
"You guys should really start carrying weapons."
Perhaps because their bodies were natural weapons, it was a pity they didn't drop any weapons I could actually pick up and swing.
"...!"
The sole survivor hesitated for a moment before turning tail and running.
"Look at him go."
Watching it flee to save its own skin was almost pitiful.
But at the same time...
Karrmia: Places where the field monsters are gathered in suspiciously large numbers. That's where the object is.
Based on the information I had gathered from the community, I had deliberately let it go.
Pack behavior.
Since they had a habit of grouping together, fleeing like that meant only one thing—
It was heading straight to where the rest of its pack was.
"Hey, slow down!"
"Kieeeek!"
I chased the creature as it darted through the ruins without once looking back.
"..."
Soon, I was staring at a sickeningly large horde of Lesser Ghouls.
"Look at this social butterfly."
The first ghoul, now safely back in the embrace of its pack, turned to look at me and triumphantly flicked its tongue.
"...!"
My gaze shifted to the center of the dense crowd.
A faint purple glow was leaking out from the middle.
Found it.
It seemed I had located the key item for the hidden quest.
"I'm touched that you guys prepared a welcome object for me."
Facing the Lesser Ghouls who were throwing me such a grand welcoming party...
I decided to return their warm welcome in full.
Predator's Domain (Lv. 3)