Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 4th Floor Boss
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Black Market Merchant Beth.
A rare honest trader amid the filthy back alleys overflowing with sewage.
She was definitely a powerful NPC, but there'd been no event for forming a party with her.
'There were some changes, though.' Among the massive patches that came with the shift offline was the addition of NPC party functions... but I'd never even considered partying up.
"Before we work together, I need to see what you're capable of. Clear your schedule next week."
As I hesitated, Beth tossed in one more line. It was sudden... but not unwelcome.
"Got it."
With that light reply, we set the party appointment. --- On the ride back to the city in the carriage, she gave me a quick briefing. We'd sync up for a day on the 6th floor in a week. If we meshed well, we'd push to the 7th.
"I'm getting off first. Be there on time."
"Yes."
Once the briefing wrapped, Beth hopped off the carriage right after we left the forest path, citing other business. We arrived in the city after that.
"Please, your name!"
"Rain."
"Yes, Lord Rain! Visit Brill anytime! One gold coin, and I'll take you wherever you need!"
I parted ways with the black market coachman too. One gold coin meant imperial gold, which was equivalent to 100 platinum in black market rates. Pricey. But no helping it. That was the rule: you couldn't enter the black market without a certified coachman. Step foot in without one, and you'd lose your access privileges on the spot.
"Hoo."
It was dawn by the time I returned to the city, so I headed straight to my lodging. I lay on the bed and pulled out the grimoire I'd just bought. 『Berka's Memoir』 —3rd Circle: Inferno [Pages exist that cannot be read due to low circle level.] Berka's memoir. It had to be acquired—the 3rd circle magic contained within. I set the book on the bed and began reading from the first page. 『I am the bastard child of the Glea Family.』 Berka's memoir didn't follow the standard grimoire format, so the opening page calmly recounted her life story. Berka had been active around 300 years ago. Most of the people mentioned here were long dead and gone. The content was stuff I'd already seen in the game anyway. I skimmed quickly through the early parts about her childhood. The memoir then transitioned to the time she first used magic. 『The flame blooming at my fingertips devoured the flames of others. It needed a new name, so I called it Inferno.』 Sizzle— A brief headache flashed through, and something melted into my mind. At the same time.
『3rd Circle: Inferno』
【Rank: Hero】
—Produces an endlessly burning flame. It won't extinguish without mana infusion.
A new spell settled into my head.
Inferno. A 3rd circle fire spell— the first one Berka had ever used in life.
The moment she created a new spell, too.
I cautiously summoned a flame above my hand.
Whoosh!
A palm-sized blaze roared fiercely, its heat rising to my face.
I canceled the spell, and it vanished without a trace, as if it had never been.
Seemed I could dispel it before hitting a target.
"It's reagent material too, though."
Not all magic that led to 4th circle was limited to legend rank.
Even this hero-rank Inferno had higher evolutions.
Of course, that didn't change the need to hunt down more spells.
"Guess I need to hit the Magic Tower before next week."
I wanted as many 4th circle spells unlocked as possible before partying with Beth.
The Tower should have them—
Most continental grimoires flowed there.
Back in the online days, their list refreshed weekly... no idea now.
Among all those grimoires, surely one had the spell I needed.
"Good enough."
I turned in for the night.
Fatigue management was key if I was diving back into the dungeon tomorrow.
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For a while, I stuck to the 5th floor, grinding levels.
After three solid days of effort.
[Level has increased!]
—Current Level: 56 → 57
My level hit 57.
Not just grinding, though.
I'd cleared the respawned treasure chests on the 2nd and 3rd floors too.
Thought about selling the location intel soon, but recent expenses made me hesitate.
I'd sold the 1st floor one right before it got found out... better to hold the rest a bit longer.
With all chests claimed, I headed for the 4th floor boss room.
Today was the day the 4th floor boss spawned.
Boss fights were prime XP events—you didn't skip those.
"Ah. Lord Rain, you've arrived."
A decent crowd had gathered outside the 4th floor boss room, including Dawn Guild's Humphrey.
They weren't blocking the entrance, from the looks.
Peeking inside, plenty of folks were still hawking wares from their wooden shacks.
Reading my glance, Humphrey continued.
"We had no grounds to drive them out. Besides... if the boss really shows, we'll help them evacuate safely."
"I see."
Made sense. Dawn Guild couldn't just throw their weight around.
Not with Azure Dragon Guild matching their scale and power—forcing Dawn to watch their step too.
The boss spawn would turn it into a bloodbath anyway, so yeah, worrisome...
But Dawn's vice-master Lea was down here overseeing, so probably fine.
"What will you do, Lord Rain?"
"I'll help out."
"Ah, in that case... join our side?"
Humphrey pulled a medal from his pocket and handed it over.
"No formal control, but for contingencies."
A medal marking me as Dawn's mercenary.
I'd have passed before... but this boss fight? I was pretty invested.
"Sure."
Just for today.
I pinned the medal to my chest and took position in the boss room.
"...Uh, is something happening?"
As Dawn's heavily armed crew assembled in the 4th floor boss room, people started catching on.
They asked Humphrey or others, but...
Dawn members just stayed silent, so they dropped it.
"Um, knight... sir?"
Some approached me too, but whatever.
I'd sold the info to Dawn—had to keep the secret.
Normal folk did, anyway.
"Your seniors showing up like this has everyone spooked."
Azure Dragon Guild subtly voiced their discomfort to Humphrey.
Legit—the heavy-armored lineup had even the aggressive 4th-floor hawkers acting meek today.
"We don't know why Dawn's doing this, but keep it up and we'll report to our superiors."
No reply frustrated them into sharper words.
Dawn's crew just stood there stoically.
"Five minutes left."
"Got it."
Humphrey barked orders at my update.
Time ticked down to the exact moment.
Rumble—!
Decades unchanged, the 4th floor floor cracked open like an earthquake at the boss room's heart.
Crawling up from within... a 3-meter skeleton in a black cloak.
Behind the skeleton, an undead horde clambered madly from the ground.
"Undead! Undead!"
"It's the boss! Gear up!"
"W-Wait! Help me out!"
The boss and massive undead wave threw the boss room into chaos.
Those without armor prepped for maintenance, those missing weapons or gear—bolted fast.
Shopkeeps had to evac from the undead swarms too.
Endless undead respawns collapsed all the flimsy wooden shacks.
And then.
Hummm—
Corpse Lord Golta gathered black energy in its right hand, ripping surrounding shacks free and into its grasp.
Then—
Whoosh—!
The massive wood pile hurtled toward the crowd.
Sss—
A giant serpent form coiled protectively, blocking the debris.
Dawn vice-master Lea's spell.
"Dawn! To positions!"
Dawn's crew snapped into formation seamlessly, and the boss fight kicked off.
Clearing undead first seemed smart.
I tuned Black Hole to avoid sucking in bystanders, dropping it dead center.
Crunch—
Undead crawling up got yanked straight in.
Those reaching the core exploded on arrival.
Black Hole ran till the first undead wave ended.
Then.
"Move."
At Lea's word, others scattered quick.
Her gesture followed—a massive serpent mouth gaping wide.
Hiss—
Purple mist billowed from its maw, melting the boss's bones on contact.
Damage was overwhelming.
—Krrgh...
Lea's single strike shifted phases, unleashing the second undead legion.
I hit Black Hole again, wiping part of the incoming wave.
Half broke through toward us.
Slash—
Humphrey and Dawn's crew cut them down without miss.
The isolated boss ate a barrage.
—Grrr...
Third phase triggered.
A sinister skeleton knight emerged, radiating menace.
Undead Knight Plu.
Elite monster guarding the boss.
Clutching its jet-black sword, it lunged at Lea with swift moves.
"Eat."
Crunch—
A pristine white serpent engulfed Plu—
—Clatter.
Its bones disassembled, and Undead Knight Plu perished.
Then.
[Corpse Lord Golta defeated.]
—Experience gained.
『Artifact: Berka's First Ring』
—Acquired experience increased by 50%.
[Level has increased!]
[Level has increased!]
—Current Level: 57 → 59
The boss fight ended anticlimactically.
Still, two levels up—satisfying for now.
And...
"Time for the real reward."
Boss spawn proven real—time to collect on that intel fee.
Post-fight, most shacks in the boss room lay in ruins.
Not just that.
Vendor food bought for sales—tainted by undead aura, spoiled.
Maintenance gear left out—trashed too.
Shop owners would foot the bill.
Especially big names like Dawn or Azure Dragon.
"Ah......"
I overheard Azure Dragon's groans amid the passersby... but tough luck.
That's how the world worked.
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