The Hidden Piece (2)
The massive stone door opened with a deep, resounding boom.
The scent of ancient dust tickled my nose. Then came the chill in the air. Since this was the same passage where arrows had rained down like a storm, I peered inside with my whole body tensed, unsure what fresh nightmare might be waiting.
Contrary to what I’d expected, the chamber was eerily quiet.
It was a huge stone room, completely sealed on all sides. Right in the center sat a single structure.
“Whoa, that’s bright.”
An altar that glowed with its own light, as if illuminating the gloomy chamber. Atop it rested a single gauntlet that screamed not ordinary at first glance.
Deep black metal engraved with crimson patterns. Even from a distance I could feel the magic power rolling off it in waves. I didn’t need an appraisal skill to know—this was the real deal. Jackpot!
“Heh, as expected of a hidden…!”
I licked my lips repeatedly as I stepped up to the altar. What kind of item was it? How much could I get if I sold it on the black market? Or, if I wore it myself, how much stronger would I become? My brain was already spinning happy little fantasies.
Even while daydreaming, I kept glancing around, ready for any surprise. But no guardian monster jumped out, and I couldn’t see any traps.
‘…Alright then.’
Without hesitation I reached out and snatched the gauntlet.
“Thanks for the meal… huh?”
My hand froze mid-grip. The gauntlet didn’t move an inch.
Flustered, I reset my stance, braced my core, and yanked again.
“Uuuugh…!”
Veins bulged along my arms. I clenched my teeth so hard they felt like they might shatter, but the gauntlet refused to budge. It was as if it had never been meant to be lifted at all.
“What the hell is this thing?”
I stared down at the altar in utter disbelief. Was my strength really that pathetic? Just to be sure, I spun my mana core and pulled up every ounce of power I had.
“Hup… hoo… This time for sure…!”
I grabbed the gauntlet with both hands and heaved with everything I had, even strength I hadn’t used since I was a baby. My arms, legs, and every muscle screamed in protest, but the result was the same. It didn’t move.
No matter how much mana I poured in, the gauntlet stayed rooted like a mountain.
…Damn it. This is pissing me off.
“Haa… haa…”
I stepped back, breathing hard. Looking at my flushed, aching palms, I could only let out a hollow laugh. There was a literal treasure right in front of me…!
No matter how hard I pulled, it wouldn’t move. What was I supposed to do? Why wouldn’t it come off? Was it actually a Legendary-grade item?
“Or maybe there’s some qualification requirement?”
If that was the case, I didn’t have to keep struggling alone. I could just ask.
After all, I had an all-purpose cheat key that remembered every piece of knowledge and every fortuitous encounter.
Smiling, I glanced into the air to summon the gallery.
Nothing happened.
“…Huh?”
It was exactly as it seemed. The gallery window refused to appear. No matter how hard I focused and mentally screamed for it, the system window stayed dark.
A cold shiver ran down my spine.
“Is interference from other systems impossible in this space?”
It might be because of the special nature of a hidden piece, or perhaps the hidden room itself. A concealed space might sever all outside connections. It could have been designed so that only the person who reached it could overcome the trial using their own power and claim the reward. A perfectly isolated chamber.
Which meant I had to solve this with nothing but my own brain and strength.
“Hmmm…”
I stroked my chin, staring holes through the gauntlet on the altar. It wasn’t glued down. There was no mana barrier repelling me. It was just stubbornly, ridiculously heavy.
“…Or maybe I’m not the chosen one.”
In games and novels, legendary weapons often chose their masters themselves. The classic gimmick—like Excalibur only answering to those worthy—was famous. This could be the same.
The moment that thought hit me, one word flashed through my mind.
“…Thor’s hammer? Mjolnir?”
The legendary weapon that only the noble-hearted could lift. The story went that to anyone unworthy it would feel infinitely heavy, making it impossible to raise. Mjolnir’s gimmick was one of the most well-known of all.
“Qualification… gimmick… infinite weight… weight?”
Weight Control.
A silver-grade utility skill that let the user freely increase or decrease the weight of their own body or any object they touched by consuming mana.
Suddenly it clicked. What if this was the answer?
If it wasn’t about worthiness or selection, then…
“…No way.”
I looked back and forth between the gauntlet and empty air, eyes full of doubt. Had the system really anticipated this exact situation and given me that skill? Had it predicted I would enter this room?
The tower’s designer probably wasn’t that benevolent, but the puzzle pieces fit together so perfectly that I had to try.
“…Nah. That’s reaching.”
In the first place, I had chosen between two cards. Unless both contained the exact same skill, it didn’t make sense. And how could anyone have known I would even find this place?
Whether the tower’s designer even existed was questionable, and the whole “planned” theory was ridiculous.
“Fine. I’ll try it even if I end up looking stupid.”
I walked back to the altar and placed my hand on the gauntlet. Then I quietly spoke the activation phrase for the shiny new skill I’d just obtained.
“Weight Control.”
A small amount of mana flowed from my core, through my fingertips, and into the gauntlet. The moment I willed it to become lighter, I felt its oppressive aura ease—just a tiny bit.
“…Here we go.”
Carefully, I applied force and pulled upward with everything I had.
Clatter.
“Eh?”
The gauntlet that had refused to move even a millimeter was now shifting. It was faint, but I definitely felt it scrape the floor.
My heart began to pound like crazy.
“…For real?”
The corners of my mouth curled up on their own. I poured in a little more mana and thought: lighter.
Blue sparks danced at my fingertips as I boosted the skill’s efficiency. When I pulled again, the gauntlet actually lifted about a centimeter off the altar before dropping with a heavy thud.
Thump.
It was reacting.
But the fact that it still bounced back like an arrogant bastard lit a fire under me.
‘…You little shit.’
I really didn’t like that attitude.
“Alright, let’s see whether my mana runs out first or you give in first.”
I gritted my teeth and raised my core’s output another level, flooding the gauntlet with power. The ring naturally began to resonate. It rattled a bit more and moved slightly better than before, but it still fought to sink back down under gravity.
“Aish, come on!!”
How dare it test the chosen one?
It was utterly infuriating. In the end I pushed my mana core to its absolute limit, releasing every restraint, and poured everything I had into the gauntlet.
Crackle—!
Blue lightning coiled around the gauntlet with a roar. An enormous amount of mana drained away, making me dizzy, but I kept pouring it on without stopping.
The moment the crushing pressure from the gauntlet vanished—
‘Now…!!!’
I squeezed out every last drop of strength and yanked the gauntlet upward with savage force.
In that instant—
Whoosh—
“Huh?”
I’d expected it to still be heavy, but my prediction was completely wrong. It was so light that I couldn’t handle my own recoil and toppled backward.
“Waaaaah?!”
The world spun. I flailed my arms pathetically in mid-air, not even given time to scream before the back of my head slammed into the floor.
CRASH!!!
“Owwww! Damn it, that’s insane! Ack!! Aghyak!”
It felt like my skull had split open. The pain was so intense my spine momentarily went numb. I clutched my head, rolling across the floor and screaming at the top of my lungs. Chosen one or not, I couldn’t hold it in.
“Shit, that hurts so freaking bad!!”
The pain was so bad I was yanking at my own hair and cursing the system and the gauntlet with every swear word I knew. Right at that moment—
The one who possesses qualification shall obtain power.
Hear the ancient oath left by the God of Thunder. This gauntlet is a holy relic containing the authority of the heavens. Let any who dare covet it without worthiness look upon themselves.
To the qualified, the power of lightning shall dwell in their hands, shaking all creation. But if one without qualification should covet and grasp it, infinite weight shall crush their body and soul. Their bones shall shatter, their spirit shall sink, and they shall descend forever into the bottomless abyss.
Thus I ask: Are you prepared to bear it?
“…What?”
I rubbed my throbbing head and read the message with a blank face. Qualification? What the hell kind of qualification?
I was laughing in disbelief when I finally noticed the sensation in my right hand. I looked down. The gauntlet that had been glowing arrogantly on the altar was now firmly in my grasp.
“…Gulp.”
I swallowed once. The vast magical power still tickled my fingertips. As if in a trance, I stood up, brushed off my backside, and slowly slid the gauntlet onto my right arm.
Clack. Clatter.
It wrapped around me smoothly, as if it had been made for me from the beginning. The way it adjusted its size and clung perfectly felt incredibly satisfying.
Then a new message window appeared before my eyes.
◈ A holy relic containing the authority of the God of Thunder
◈ Only those with qualification may wield it
My breath caught in my throat. I read the words on the system window over and over, but the name never changed.
Mythic grade.
I looked back and forth between the gauntlet and its description, muttering in a trembling voice.
“No way… why is this actually real?”
That was exactly what “Iwhyjin” meant.