Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Shadow Cloak (5)
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I was leisurely reading a novel while strolling down the passage.
It was a situation that naturally drew a whistle from my lips.
Because.
[This is slothful behavior!]
[Sloth +1!]
[Sloth +1!]
...
Just like when I filmed that popcorn mukbang in the underground tomb dungeon before, sloth points were steadily accumulating.
I deliberately walked slowly, milking as much sloth as possible.
‘I can’t resist bingeing on sloth.’
A trial was a trial, but what needed doing still had to be done.
That aside...
While flipping a page, I drifted into thought for a moment.
The trial for obtaining the [Shadow Cloak] featured a highly unique gimmick.
Both the trial format and the conditions for acquiring the Shadow Cloak were unusual.
If you failed to meet the hidden condition in each room, you’d end up with some bizarre low-grade item instead of the reward.
It was designed so only a perfect clear of every stage yielded the true prize.
‘Intriguing, but why go with such a gimmick?’
I figured the creators just wanted something quirky.
But if this ruin was tied to the Demon of Sloth, it changed everything.
Every trial’s hidden condition boiled down to a single keyword.
‘Minimal effort for maximum efficiency.’
In the end, it was a trial steeped in the aesthetics of sloth.
Lost in those thoughts, I soon reached the end of the passage.
The first trial room.
A perfect square chamber, its walls etched with countless magic circles.
The instant I walked to the center.
- Thud!
The passage door slammed shut behind me, trapping me inside.
At the same moment, a blue light bullet rocketed toward me from one of the wall’s inscribed magic circles.
Yet I kept my eyes glued to the novel.
‘This novel’s seriously gripping.’
I merely tilted my head slightly aside.
Swoosh—!
The light bullet grazed a few strands of hair, barely missing me.
Savoring the odd thrill, I recalled the gimmick of the first trial.
‘Bullet hell game.’
Dodge projectiles raining from every direction and endure to the end, bullet hell style.
There was a hidden condition, though.
Evade all attacks using only ‘minimal movement.’
I had full confidence.
I’d bought items specifically for this trial.
The reason I’d effortlessly dodged that high-speed light bullet moments ago.
[Rune]
[Rune of Agility (Legendary)]
One who walks upon water bestows this blessing upon you.
Description: An ancient rune that grants agility to its possessor.
It was all thanks to this legendary rune.
A straightforward, brute-force effect boosting agility by 10.
[Agility: C+ (37)]
My agility had surged, nearly matching my mana stat.
The result?
A little shift here and there while reading let me sidestep incoming light bullets with ease.
Naturally, dodging blind like this worked only because I’d memorized every pattern perfectly.
Even if some game-deviating variable cropped up, [Sharp Eyes]’ crisis detection would alert me automatically—no sweat.
Blue light bullets poured down like rain.
But.
“Slow.”
Nothing touched me.
[Slothful evasion!]
[Sloth +5!]
[Sloth +5!]
...
Every casual dodge showered me with sloth points instead.
Racking up sloth while nailing the hidden condition...!
Two birds with one stone.
But the trial wasn’t a cakewalk.
The barrage intensified until every magic circle in the room blazed to life.
‘Final pattern.’
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew—
An overwhelming swarm of light bullets, dwarfing anything before.
Memorized patterns or not, dodging this demanded serious movement.
Even [Low-level Reflex] couldn’t parry a deluge from all angles.
Yet I just smirked leisurely and turned to the next chapter.
I’d prepped a skill for exactly this.
‘[Ethereal Form].’
In a flash, my body shifted to a bluish, translucent state.
***
The moment Jeron reached the trial room’s center.
A light bullet hurtled toward him at terrifying speed.
Lily held her breath without thinking.
But Jeron didn’t even glance up from his book—just flicked his head aside.
The light bullet whistled past his ear by a hair’s breadth.
‘...!’
No fluke.
From then on, Jeron kept his gaze locked on the book, evading every attack with the tiniest motions.
Perfectly restrained, elegant poise.
It resembled waltzing through a downpour.
‘He’s dodging without looking...!?’
Lily’s eyes went wide.
Sensing mana flows through his skin?
Or superhuman senses pinpointing positions via energy detection?
Either way, a realm beyond comprehension.
But the trial grew fiercer.
At last, every magic circle flared at maximum output, unleashing a torrent of light bullets.
“Ah...!”
A yelp escaped Lily.
Could Jeron evade it all?
Yet he remained fixated on his book.
Utterly nonchalant, as if oblivious to the peril ahead.
Just as the blue bullet storm closed in.
Jeron’s body turned ghostly.
‘...What?’
KABOOM!
Every attack phased harmlessly through him, smashing into the far wall and fizzling out.
The onslaught ended, and Jeron reverted to normal.
Lily’s eyes bulged.
‘Th-that’s...’
The spell Jeron had cast.
A black magic concept all too familiar.
‘Temporary spirit body phase shift for material non-interference...!’
The advanced black magic theory she’d scribbled on a note last time, answering Jeron’s question during tutoring.
Precisely that.
‘He turned that convoluted theory into live combat magic...!?’
Goosebumps prickled her skin.
“Genius” fell short.
But beyond admiration, a deeper emotion swelled in her chest.
‘...More importantly, Junior Jeron truly valued what I taught him...’
Pride that her knowledge had aided him, even slightly.
Rumble.
The opposite door creaked open.
‘He did it...!’
Lily watched him stride coolly to the next room, heart swelling.
But as the next chamber filled the screen.
Tension gripped her again; she swallowed hard.
Dozens of human-sized statues lined the room.
Each gripping varied weapons, radiating chilling, savage menace.
***
[Skill]
[Ethereal Form (Legendary)]
Possessions, including clothing, also turn ethereal. To avert any indecencies.
Description: (Active) Enter ethereal state for a short duration. (Cooldown: 3 minutes)
My new acquisition, [Ethereal Form].
A blatantly overpowered black magic spell ignoring attacks for a full second.
Perfect for shrugging off unavoidable barrages like that one.
Not invincible, mind you.
Brief uptime, and certain special attacks pierce ethereal state—proceed with caution.
The Saintess’s [Spear of Divinity], for instance, hits harder against ethereals.
Regardless, it let me breeze through the first trial.
Sweet sloth gains, hidden condition perfected.
‘Second trial.’
A vast room yawned ahead, packed with countless small statues at attention.
Each clutched diverse weapons, exuding predatory fury like coiled beasts.
Truth be told, their aura overstated their threat.
Individually, they were mere mob fodder.
The catch?
‘Sheer numbers.’
Quantity over quality in spades.
Most novice players unleashed AoE spells here with glee.
Sweeping dozens of foes in ecstasy before advancing.
A trap, though.
Smashing them all forfeits the Shadow Cloak.
First stage demanded ‘minimal movement’; this one, ‘minimal mana expenditure.’
‘Mana usage must stay under a strict threshold.’
Standard clears involved low-cost spells or luring them to self-destruct via collisions.
For me? A superior bypass, hassle-free.
I’d nabbed the key skill recently—prime time to deploy it.
One step forward, and their eyes ignited red.
“—!”
Dozens surged at me in unison, as if lying in wait.
Snap.
Only then did I close my novel and slowly lifted my gaze.
No spells cast.
Zero mana spent.
I merely locked eyes on the charging horde.
That alone—
‘[Emperor’s Aura].’
Every statue halted mid-charge, weapons frozen mid-swing.