Chapter 110
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: After the Tournament Ends
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After the tournament ended, the priests scolded me, saying I was crazy, and smacked me on the back before I got some treatment. Then I headed back to the mansion first.
"...Ian, are you insane?"
Back at the mansion, I knelt and got an earful from Alensia. Even with the perception-lowering mask on, she had recognized me. Having watched the matches, she was chewing me out for throwing my sword away in the finals.
"Ian. It worked out in the end, but throwing your sword away is basically throwing your lifeline..."
I let her nagging wash over me. She didn't ask about the [Hallucination Magic] I used during the tournament. If she had, I was planning to say Vivian taught it to me.
Oh, right—speaking of Vivian.
[Master. I won the tournament.]
I'd messaged Vivian that I'd won the tournament, but there was no reply. She'd sworn on her mana, so she wouldn't break her promise... but she wasn't ghosting me, was she?
"Sigh... Still, you did well, Ian. I'm proud of you."
After unloading a barrage of nagging, Alensia finally praised me. It was a bit embarrassing... Oh, right.
"Alensia. Do you happen to know much about the guilds?"
"I know the swordsmanship guilds inside out... but for other guilds, just the basics."
"What about the 'Earth Guild'?"
As a veteran adventurer with the Labyrinth Guild, maybe Alensia knew something. That's why I asked—something was bugging me.
"Earth Guild... Their name's been blowing up lately."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. You were taking lessons from Lady Vivian, so you missed the A and B group matches, right? Makes sense you wouldn't know."
Well, technically the lessons ended, but I was practicing [Mana Breathing] and didn't have time to watch...
"The winners of A and B groups were both from Earth Guild."
"...Both of them?"
"Yeah. And one from Earth Guild even made it to the semifinals in C group. Everyone's paying attention. I'd heard rumors, but just that they were low-profile with little outside activity."
Alensia also told me about the winners from A and B. They'd won, but no one expected it during the matches.
Their skills were a notch below the competition. But they pulled off the wins using some unusual methods.
Like 'Excel' from C group, who had terrible technique but a threatening skill.
'...Earthlings?'
Naturally, one thought popped into my head. 'Earth' in Earth Guild meant the planet Earth, and maybe all the guild members were Earthlings...
'Nah, too far-fetched.'
Who'd name an Earthling-only guild straight-up 'Earth'?
While recovering and taking a short break, I watched the D and E group matches.
'Definitely higher level.'
D group had adventurers active on floors 16 to 20, E group 21 to 25, so they were clearly stronger than C group.
Even if I'd joined D, I probably would've done decently.
'With [Sensory Block], I could've made semifinals in D no problem.'
That's what I thought, given how OP [Sensory Block] is in PvP. Of course, no plans to use it in the tournament. Plus, some skills leveled up after it ended.
Sparring with a highly skilled opponent! [Martial Arts] skill has risen to level 4.
You endured continuous impacts. [Physical Resistance] skill has risen to level 5. You can now better withstand shocks to your internal body.
Not in the labyrinth, so only two leveled up. Inside, more would've grown... Oh well.
D group aside... E group.
"...Lena?"
I spotted a familiar fox beastkin using fire magic in E group. Lena was stronger than I thought—competing in E? She wore a mask, but it was obviously her.
'Ah, but she got eliminated.'
Mages are weak in PvP, and her skills seemed a bit short against E's powerhouses. She's probably around floor 21 or 22, not 25.
Last was F group... but sadly, I couldn't watch. The organizers called me for the awards ceremony.
The tournament awards are only for semifinalists and above. Lower placers just get prize money handed over. Semifinalists get special prizes from the Labyrinth Guild, so they hold a separate ceremony.
"Yes. C group winner, Ian... Confirmed."
They called me during F group—turns out award times are irregular to avoid thieves targeting prizes.
Submitted my adventurer card, passed a quick ID check, and a guild staffer handed me a fat coin pouch.
"Here's your winner's prize: 300 gold coins."
"!!!!"
Holy shit. Sex? No—jackpot.
I grinded two weeks for brothel cash and made 15 gold. One tournament: 300 gold!
What to buy? Was gonna hit the brothel, but dumping 300 there ain't efficient... New gear maybe?
"And this is the winner's prize. Prepared by committee member 'Water King,' by the way."
"Ooh..."
I half-listened to the staffer's explanation.
Water King prepared it? Figured his disciple would win? Fine by me, but is that fair?
Staff said open it alone later, so into inventory it went.
"If you want, you could meet Water King..."
"Nah, I'm good."
After pounding his disciple into mush? No thanks.
"...Why isn't he coming?"
Water King ended up twiddling his thumbs in the Labyrinth Guild reception room for ages.
Eventually, he stormed the swordsmanship guild demanding Ian's info, making them weep blood... or so the story goes.
"I wonder what's inside?"
Rushing back to the mansion, I locked my door and pulled out the arm-sized box from the guild.
'Size-wise, its not a skill stone or elixir... maybe an equipment?'
I felt a twinge of disappointment. A new gear's fine, but its likely worth much less than skill stones and elixirs.
Still, I shook it off and opened the box...
"Gloves?"
Inside: a pair of ominous dark-red metal gloves and a note explaining them.
Berserker's Gloves: The more your blood stains the gloves, the redder they turn and the stronger they become.
"Oh?"
I was impressed. Not just plain gear—its a magic tool.
Reading the description, I pictured Leo getting stronger the more he bled. Suits his style...
"Perfect for me too."
I tend to throw my body around trusting [Regeneration]. It might even suit me better than Leo.
His blood loss in fights is minimal; while mine regenerates fast with the skill.
To test, I slashed my arm, donned the gloves, and dripped blood on them.
-Wooong...
"Hm..."
Blood hit the gloves and it turned red and glowed faintly.
This is middle-school edgelord bait, but its too flashy for the labyrinth. Gotta paint'em down.
Let's do a power test...
-Bang!
"Oh."
With a casual air punch: a menacing whoosh is created. I slashed my arm deeper, giving it more blood—soon the gloves deepened its red color, my power surged just like [Limit Break].
-Boom!
With a stronger punch: I created a louder boom, even a small shockwave.
"I like it."
I ate some food from my inventory to heal. [Cooking] at level 5 means less food for [Regeneration] calories.
Calories from cooking count as an effect?
"About 10 minutes for the power up?"
The glove's efffect lasts ~10 min. I didn't test with [Limit Break]—it might be risky afterall. But I'm still curious...
Do a labyrinth run? I kinda wanna check now.
"Argh! That fucking retard Choi Hyun-soo!"
In the Earth Guild's guildmaster office, a woman tore at her hair, ripping into the guildmate who'd shat the bed.
"You didn't even lose while fighting—just took one hit, cried, and surrendered?"
She knew he was pathetic, but that weak? He cleared floor 14, yet he trembles at a scratch!
"Sigh... A and B winners were ours, right?"
"Yes. But no committee meet-and-greet."
"...Whatever. Low odds anyway."
If they got real committee access, they wouldn't send a loser like Choi.
"How's the Demon Lord? Heard he's around the guild zone."
"We checked the cooking guild on those rumors... They won't talk unless you're a demon."
"Haa... 'God's Hammer'?"
"Busy with the dwarf festival."
"Dwarf festival?"
"Yeah. 'Festival of Fire' or something..."
Reports of failed contacts with the 10th and 8th Seats soured the guildmaster's mood. They needed committee insiders, but connections were tough.
"Haa... Fucking hard to meet with the committee humans."
"Some aren't human."
"Shut up... Not what I meant."
She glared at the nitpicker and sighed deeply.
If only they got committee access on demand!
Let's meet soon. When does it work for you?
"Oh."
Labyrinth trip canceled then.