Chapter 114
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Rapid Growth
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Labyrinth Floor 15 was a tricky one.
The environment on the 15th floor was a swamp. Naturally, to navigate it, you had no choice but to wade through the muck, and the moment you did, countless snakes and leeches latched onto the adventurer's body, sucking away blood and mana.
Their teeth were strong enough to pierce even my body, enhanced with [Physical Resistance]. Just moving around on the 15th floor was grueling...
"Hmm..."
I observed the snakes and leeches dangling from my arm, trying to gnaw into it.
Just like before, they couldn't pierce my skin. They were stuck merely hanging off the surface.
"Who knew it could be this easy."
After learning just one technique from Vivian—'mana coating'—dealing with the leeches on the 15th floor had become far more manageable. Bites from those things slowed my [Regeneration] skill, making activity here a real hassle...
-Wooong...
I gazed at the portal leading to the 16th floor right in front of me. I'd struggled so much here before, but this time, I'd cleared it with ease.
I'd come down to the labyrinth to test my newly grown strength. Floor 15 posed no challenge at all.
'I can go further.'
Confidence welled up that I could push ahead. With that, I stepped into the portal toward the 16th floor.
The 16th floor was the domain of Forest Trolls.
They looked similar to the trolls on the 10th floor and boasted the same formidable regenerative abilities.
But the trolls here were trickier in a few ways than those on the 10th. First off, they had some poison resistance from feeding on the forest's various plants and animals. Second...
"Gruk?"
"Kuwo?"
They didn't travel alone—they moved in packs.
Upon entering the 16th floor, I spotted trolls wielding massive clubs, grouped in threes.
Before they could spot me, I drew my dagger and stabbed my own arm.
-Puk!
With [Sensory Block] active, there was no pain. I slashed relentlessly at my numbed arm, blood flowing as my blackened gloves slowly turned red, a surge of power rising through my body.
"Kworr?!"
The troll that caught the scent of blood looked around frantically, spotted me as I dropped [Stealth], and charged with drool spilling from its maw.
Alright, time to test one skill first.
-[Sensory Transfer]
"Kwoooar!"
"Wor?"
The lead troll suddenly screamed, dropping its club and inspecting its arm—but of course, its arm was unscathed.
'Compared to the troll's size, my wound is small, but the sensation transfers to the corresponding spot regardless of size?'
As I coldly eyed the troll under [Sensory Transfer], another ignored its kin and swung its club at me.
-Whoosh!
"Kwor!"
The troll gazed regretfully at what it thought was my shattered body under its swing, then set down its club and hurriedly scooped up the scattered "human fragments" to devour.
"[Hallucination Magic] seems to work fine too..."
I ignored the troll now smashing a tree and munching bark, then lightly leaped toward the last one approaching me properly, swinging my fully blood-soaked glove.
-Kwaduduk!
A heavy impact transmitted through my hand, bones crunching as the troll's face caved in. Its regeneration tried to heal the mangled visage, but before it could, I grabbed its arm and yanked with full force.
"Haaap!"
-Pruk. Ujik! Ujijik!
An ominous sound came from the troll's arm as it writhed in agony, bellowing—but I ignored it, veins bulging on my face as I pulled harder.
-Ujik!
With another sinister crack, the troll's arm tore clean off.
Whew, Berserker's Gloves. I knew they were good, but they're even better than I imagined. A few more pieces of gear like this, and I'd be a total munchkin, right?
"...!"
The horrific scream echoed, snapping the remaining troll out of its confusion from the transferred pain. It rushed to save its kin, but I didn't dodge—instead, I took the club barehanded.
-Kwaang!
"...Grur?"
"Hmm... about this much?"
With my enhanced [Physical Resistance] and easier-to-handle mana coating my body, I didn't budge an inch, tanking the blow effortlessly. Satisfied with my defense, I wrenched the club away, infused it with mana, and swung—exploding the troll's head.
"Kwoooar!"
I approached the last troll, its 'fullness' blocked and 'hunger' amplified. Trapped in my hallucination, it endlessly gnawed on innocent trees, unaware of satiety. With pain senses blocked, countless wood shards shredded its insides.
"Kuh... Keuooor..."
Finally, in endless starvation, devouring only trees, its digestive system failed, and it died.
Watching the three trolls perish in different ways, I smiled contentedly.
"Nice."
Activating [Lust Absorption] on Vivian this time had spurred tremendous growth, but the most profoundly felt was in my mana-related abilities.
"Kekekek!"
Labyrinth Floor 17. A group of lizardmen gripped proper spears instead of crude weapons, forming a solid phalanx as five thrust at me simultaneously.
-Kagak!
But every spear failed to pierce my skin, halted dead.
'Mana coating's gotten insanely tough.'
This attack was blocked purely by the mana layer over my skin—no help from [Physical Resistance]. With all my mana skills leveling up at once, monsters on this floor couldn't breach a simple mana shroud.
'Adventurers reaching Floor 20 usually have main skills at Level 5, right?'
Mine, like [Mana Manipulation], sat at Level 6. Hardly fragile enough for 17th-floor trash to dent.
Now, [Mana Manipulation]—learned later than [Swordsmanship]—had even surpassed it in level.
Oh, speaking of swordsmanship...
"Keruk?"
As the lizardmen's spears bounced off, their shaman—buffing the group—let out a startled cry, then chanted a new spell instead.
-Chwaaak!
I didn't wait. I infused my sword with mana and unleashed a slash wave.
Far larger and denser than before, the crescent blade tore through the shaman's hastily raised shield and severed its head.
'Leveling [Mana Manipulation] boosted the slash's power too...'
With the shaman dead, the panicked lizardmen swung wildly. I parried all spears, then snapped their necks one by one, pondering.
These guys' hides get ruined by blades, so fists are better if possible.
"Lately, I've been using my fists a lot?"
In the tournament finals, I'd ditched my sword for punches to finish. Now testing the Berserker's Gloves in the labyrinth, I kept punching—and damn, the hand-feel was satisfying.
Maybe learn some proper hand-to-hand? I got basics from Alensia, but nothing advanced... Martial Guild? Nah, their master's disciple hates my guts after I beat him.
"Whew... done! Let's go."
I butchered the sprawled lizardmen corpses, stood, and headed onward.
After such rapid growth, prioritizing my limits was key... Let's see how far I can go. Floor 20? Wonder what's there—ogres, I think. Can I take one now?
If I snag some ogre hide, it'd make killer leather armor material. Time for an upgrade anyway.
Labyrinth ?? Floor
As always, the being quietly slumbering in its domain opened its eyes.
【Death has fallen asleep.】
It realized that 「Death」, a being like itself, had fallen dormant.
Reviewing the labyrinth's accumulated info during its sleep, it read of the changes... and the cause of 「Death」's slumber.
【Floor 12?】
Not the 30s, not even the 20s—just puny 'Floor 12'. 「Death」 had overreached, lost massive power, and dozed off. Looked like it tried something but failed, booted back by some surface rabble.
【Pathetic.】
The voice's owner mocked 「Death」's folly. The other two would scoff too upon learning.
After much derision, it pondered.
Irritated by 「Death」 failing its goal and weakening into slumber—but still an equal—it chafed at surface scum besting it.
So, it decided on some proxy venting.
Staying within intervention limits without waking fully, it scanned for the floor thickest with life force.
【Floor 20.】
The voice's owner, 「Corruption」, planted one of its 'seeds' on Floor 20.
If asked the signature monster of Labyrinth Floor 20, everyone would say 'Ogre'.
Towering beyond trolls, skin that deflected unenchanted blades, strength to uproot trees wholesale...
These tyrants ruled the 20th, blocking adventurers from forest depths beyond.
"Grung?"
On Floor 20, an ogre birthed by the labyrinth's mana prowled the woods for prey as usual. Sensing abundant life scents, it drooled toward the noise... but suddenly, ominous black energy erupted from the ground, invading the startled ogre's body.
"Kr... uh... Kwoooaaar!"
Resisting the intrusion, the ogre soon roared in excruciating agony from the torment.
As black energy burrowed deeper, the ogre's bulk swelled, muscles bulged, hide toughened, bones twisted.
-Udok. Ududok.
Simultaneously, its shoulders broadened, then its head split in two.
Yet the ogre didn't die. The halves regenerated independently into full heads.
"Grwor?"
When the mutation ended, a 'Twin Head Ogre' stood where the original had been.
The newborn ogre stood dazed, grasping nothing—until voices echoed in its, their, minds.
【Kill all the rabble from outside.】
Dazed by the command, the ogre slowly rose and delved into the forest depths.
Along the way, it spread the black energy through Floor 20, patrolling eternally for those bearing the 'voice''s marked aura.