Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Floor 4 (1)
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As I stepped outside, the sun was just beginning to rise.
"See you next time."
After bidding farewell to Bren with thanks, I used a return scroll to head back to my lodging.
Creak.
"…Gotta clean this up."
Opening the door revealed my room in complete disarray.
I'd been wandering around with blood dripping from my arm, so maybe it was inevitable.
At least nothing was smashed, so that was a relief.
I slowly started tidying up the interior.
I cleared away the bowl I'd used to light a fire, gathered all the bedding, and took it to the stream to wash.
Then I pulled out the bedding I'd dried last time and spread it neatly over the bed.
"Tired."
My mind was clear, but my body ached.
I flopped onto the bed and opened my status window.
The auction house wouldn't open for about another day.
The scene was utterly different from back when it was a game, which felt unfamiliar, but since I could buy items there, I couldn't ignore it.
I'd dive in the moment it opened.
"Alright then..."
I opened the shop.
There were five legendary 3rd Circle spells in total.
I currently had three unlocked, so I needed two more.
Plus, if I wanted to push one past its limits with a Magic Awakening Rune, that meant three runes altogether.
Better grab everything I can.
『Insufficient Gacha Tickets.』
― Confirm purchase of 1000?
I bought gacha tickets and started pulling from the shop.
『3rd Circle Magic Awakening Rune x3』
I'd gotten the hang of gacha pulls, finishing all three runes in under three hours.
No need to dawdle—I pressed them straight to my heart.
[Awakening new magic!]
[3rd Circle: Impact]
[Rank: Legendary]
―Creates powerful shockwaves that explode outward, greatly repelling targets.
"Hmm."
Impact spells lacked raw destructive power but excelled at shoving enemies far away.
As long as it had a physical form, the air shockwave could repel anything.
Spells without sharp constructs, sloppy orbs, or slow speeds could even be reflected back.
They were especially useful in PvP.
You didn't have time for big casts in PvP.
Against melee-focused classes, you'd circle outside, chipping away at their health.
Then, when they lunged with a desperate thrust and got close by luck, blast them away with Impact.
Their bitter groans were always a treat.
That said... counters were simple.
Since it relied on air shockwaves, piercing the blast direction with something sharp nullified it easily.
Or wear heavy armor to resist being flung by air.
Plenty of counters.
But... mages who let knights close in didn't have many options left.
PvP venues blocked spatial magic, so no Blink.
At best, Impact forced heavy plate on opponents, slowing them.
Even if they were light, bait a thrust, dodge sideways once...
Then hit the knight's flank with Impact to reset the fight.
It was essential for PvP mages.
For me, repelling approaching monsters was plenty useful.
"Alright then."
I dismissed the floating status window and pressed the next rune to my chest.
[Awakening new magic!]
[3rd Circle: Thought Acceleration]
[Rank: Legendary]
―Accelerates the caster's subjective thought processes.
Thought Acceleration drastically cut casting times.
In a game, it didn't slow the world around you.
But now... it might be different.
I concentrated mana around my head.
Then cast Thought Acceleration.
"Oh."
The domain of my thoughts expanded vastly within my mind, and suddenly the surroundings looked... different.
I picked up a cup beside me and tossed it to the floor.
Ting—
"…Ah."
I'd thrown it to catch before it hit, but misjudged the force and flung it too far.
It shattered on impact.
"Time's slowing down."
The cup's arc to the floor.
The sound of it breaking.
Everything moved and sounded about twice as slow as normal.
With my thoughts sped up by Thought Acceleration, the world felt like it was crawling.
If it stayed like this, it'd be broken OP magic.
Sizzle—
Mana overload throbbed in my head.
[Mana remaining in body is critically low!]
―Current mana: 10%
Mana hit rock bottom after just seconds.
I immediately canceled Thought Acceleration.
My expanded thoughts shrank back to my head's size.
Gotta save this for emergencies.
"Alright then."
I picked up the last Magic Awakening Rune.
All 3rd Circle spells were now awakened.
Now, which one to push beyond its limits?
"Let's try this."
I pressed the awakening rune to my chest.
[3rd Circle: Thought Acceleration magic breaks through its limits!]
[3rd Circle: Thought Acceleration+]
[Rank: Legendary+]
―Accelerates the caster's subjective thought processes. Consumes extra mana to expand the area. Slows thought processes of others within the area.
[Your magic steps into new territory. Experience greatly increased.]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
―Level: 40 → 46
"Hmm."
Thought Acceleration had broken through its limits.
The effects looked fine, but it had a fatal flaw.
Expanding the area consumed extra mana.
It already guzzled mana.
This made it worse—totally unusable.
[Cancel awakening of 3rd Circle: Thought Acceleration+ magic?]
―Rune will be refunded on cancel.
[Cancel: 100,000 Cash]
I spent cash to hit cancel.
The floating Magic Awakening Rune returned to my palm.
I pressed it to my chest again.
[3rd Circle: Mana Physique magic breaks through its limits!]
[3rd Circle: Mana Physique+]
[Rank: Legendary+]
―Mana infuses the body, boosting strength, stamina, and agility proportional to remaining mana in body.
Even at zero mana, boosts do not drop below half.
"Nice."
Mana Physique now boosted agility alongside strength and stamina.
Its scaling, once tied to remaining mana, was guaranteed at half even when depleted.
A solid floor.
My combat power was plenty for now.
I'd swap it later.
"Alright then."
Magic awakenings done—time for the dungeon.
Over a week since I last farmed treasure chests; time to restock.
But... low-floor chests. Do I even need them?
"Time to sell maybe."
Treasure chest spots could be sold too.
Easiest: offload to a big guild, no rip-off risk.
Humphrey's face flashed in my mind.
As a high-up in Dawn Guild, he'd pay well.
"…Grab today's first, then decide."
Pondering wasted time too.
I threw on my robe.
Heading out...
Rip—
"......"
The robe burst.
...Body got bigger again.
"Th-that knight... sir?"
"Not a knight."
Before the dungeon, I came for my custom robe from last time.
I'd commissioned it when slotting the soulstone, so yeah, late pickup.
"It was definitely custom-made for you, but..."
It didn't fit.
...Knew this might happen.
Mana Physique jacked my stats, bulking me up again.
I grabbed the shop's largest robe for now and headed out.
Tailor said it was the biggest in the city.
Mana growth would bulk me more—future worry.
"Sigh."
No fixing this.
Might need knight armor soon.
At the dungeon entrance, I plunged right in.
My marked treasure chests: one per floor, floors 1 through 3.
First, floor 1's spot.
Dungeon was a maze; folks got lost constantly, but my status map kept me on track.
But... combat traces lined the path.
"...Someone's been here?"
Goblin fight signs stretched along my marked route.
Still distance to the hidden spot, but... if they searched hard, they'd find it in a week.
"Check it out."
Charging straight announced the spot.
Better sell the location first.
I'd planned to anyway.
But confirm who first.
Shady guild or solo? Might stiff on payment.
Hope they're reasonable.
I followed the combat traces deeper.
Soon enough.
"...? Mr. Rain?"
Humphrey.
A familiar Dawn Guild face stood there.
Jackpot.
I couldn't help grinning.
No rip-off worries.