Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 5th Floor Hidden Labyrinth (2)
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Normal gates emit a green light.
Special places like the hidden labyrinth emit a dark red glow, or sometimes purple.
But a blue gate? This was a first.
"Hmm."
I first pulled out a Designated Return Scroll and tried saving the location.
If it saved, I'd naturally know where it connected to.
But...
...What now.
"Shall we go in?"
If I went in myself, I'd know where it led.
But as I reached out toward the gate, a sudden wave of unease washed over me.
"......"
I pulled my arm back.
Acting carelessly could lead to irreversible consequences.
Or maybe there's another way...
[3rd Circle: Golem Comprehension]
[Grade: Hero]
—A magic tome containing the Brahm family's secret: magic stone golem crafting method.
Golem.
Couldn't I use one to scout the gate's interior first?
At the very least, I could figure out if the other side was dangerous.
"Let's head back for now."
I wanted to craft a golem right away, but I lacked the materials.
I'd go home, synthesize it with 4th Circle magic, then come back.
I retraced my steps to the fork I'd seen earlier.
Taking the opposite path led me to...
Fortunately, a treasure chest sat there normally.
Creak—
As the chest opened, light burst outward.
[Berka's Third Ring]
—Primordial Transcendent - Berka's Third Ring. Magic Power stat +10% when equipped.
[Set 2/3]
—Berka's First Legacy
[None]
—Berka's Third Legacy
"Oh."
A set item to complete the set.
Berka's Third Ring.
An incredibly powerful artifact for mages, boosting stats by percentage.
Rings could be worn on all ten fingers.
However, items with the same effect didn't stack.
I slipped the third ring onto my finger and retraced my steps out.
For now, investigating that mysterious blue gate would have to wait.
I'd head down to town, resupply, then return.
Reaching the secret passage entrance, I activated the hidden mechanism in the wall and exited.
Then I moved to the hidden labyrinth's 5th floor exit.
Humm—
Standing before the red-glowing gate, I pulled out a Designated Return Scroll and saved this location too.
Just in case, I saved several scrolls before using one to exit the dungeon.
From the 1st floor gate, I used a Return Scroll to reach my inn.
"Alright then."
Lying on my bed, I pulled out the magic tome I'd acquired and read it.
With each page turned, new knowledge piled up in my mind.
Then, with a sharp headache...
[3rd Circle: Magic Stone Golem]
[Grade: Hero]
—Craft a living golem using a magic stone. Issue simple commands.
I'd learned Magic Stone Golem magic.
A 3rd Circle Magic Stone Golem ran on mana from the magic stone, making maintenance costs high.
Controlling its massive body required substantial mana—only natural.
Of course, that applied to 3rd Circle casters.
[2nd Circle: Satellite]
[Grade: Legend]
—Float a mana orb in the air that absorbs cast magic.
I prepared the magic to use as a material.
A 2nd Circle spell, the legendary Satellite magic that assisted with long-range casting.
And...
I pulled out the pre-drawn Magic Fusion Rune and used it.
[Magic Fusion Rune used.]
—Your magics fuse.
【3rd Circle: Magic Stone Golem】
【2nd Circle: Satellite】
->
[4th Circle: Mana Core Golem]
[Grade: Hero]
—Craft a living golem using a mana core. Can use magic implanted in the mana core.
By implanting a mana core created via Satellite magic into the golem, it now ran on my mana instead of a magic stone.
Plus, any magic implanted during mana core creation could be used by the golem.
The magic was ready; all that remained were materials...
A bit shameless, but one person came to mind for golem parts.
---
"Ah, it's been a while."
"Long time no see."
The man preparing to open his shop at dawn broke into a wide grin upon seeing me.
Blen.
The curse sorcerer running a fortune-telling side gig, whom I'd helped before.
Of course, fortune-telling was just a side hustle; his main trade was selling herbs and curse catalysts.
"So, what brings you here? Need something?"
"I've taken an interest in golem crafting. Do you have items for it I could buy?"
"Golems, eh? Makes sense... You were into curses too."
Blen nodded as if he understood.
Curse sorcerers were shunned by others, often fighting alone.
So they prepared defensive magic like golems.
"Come with me first. Still early to open shop."
Blen beckoned me inside, and I followed him to the basement.
The underground room of the former labyrinth lord I'd seen last time.
"I have plenty of golem materials... What kind are you making?"
Golem types... Since I'd handle most attacks, durability was all that mattered.
"Make it as tough as possible."
"Tough, huh... Hold on."
Blen rummaged through what looked like a workshop storeroom, then emerged looking sheepish.
"...Sorry. Haven't dungeoned in ages; they're all in poor shape."
"I see."
Disappointing, but unavoidable.
Blen had been a full-time merchant for a while now.
"Ah! Or how about this?"
Suddenly inspired, Blen led me deeper into the basement.
"...This place."
"My master's old workshop. Aged, but surely..."
Blen pulled something from inside the room.
"It's held up well. Want to take a look?"
He lifted something from a wooden box.
Golem materials filled the box.
But the body inside was fairly small for a golem.
Basing one on that would yield about adult male size.
"A golem body my master crafted herself. Different materials from the one you fought last time. Give it a feel?"
I took the body he handed me.
Despite its hefty appearance, it was surprisingly light in my hands.
"Amazing. It's very light."
"You feel it too, eh? Looks knightly, but has delicate bits."
Blen chuckled heartily.
"But the real surprise is next! Infuse it with mana and..."
Humm—
Blen raised his staff and poured mana into the golem body.
I felt it gradually grow heavier.
"...Not heavy for you?"
"Yeah, definitely heavier now."
"...A knight would struggle with that weight. Anyway, use these materials."
Blen shook off his incredulity and handed me the rest.
"...Isn't this the Curse King's? Are you sure I can take it?"
"Don't worry. Master wasn't attached to things like this. She always said to look after juniors. If she's got complaints, she'll tell me herself when she returns!"
Blen laughed good-naturedly.
It was one of his master's few keepsakes, but he nodded knowingly.
"Thank you."
Grateful, I accepted the golem materials and stored them in my inventory.
Then.
"Come anytime if you need more."
I left his shop and returned to my inn.
I laid out the golem materials said to be crafted by Curse King Reia herself.
"Enough for two, maybe."
Though old, the lingering Curse King's mana made them potent.
They could probably withstand a 5th Circle attack once or twice.
Blen said they were test pieces... but this power for tests?
Without delay, I began crafting.
[4th Circle: Mana Core Golem]
[Grade: Hero]
—Craft a living golem using a mana core. Can use magic implanted in the mana core.
First, I formed a round mana core above my hand and resonated it with the golem materials on the floor.
The materials aligned around the core one by one, soon forming a complete golem shape.
"Done."
I issued a light command via my staff.
Rumble—thud—
Small as it was, mana-infused, it was heavy now.
Each step shook the inn room floor.
I deactivated the mana core to stop it.
Thud—
With the core gone, the materials clattered to the floor.
Movement confirmed... Now for...
"Time to check the gate."
The blue-glowing gate in the 5th Floor Hidden Labyrinth.
Time to send the golem inside and check safety.
Packing all the materials, I headed to the 5th Floor Hidden Labyrinth.
Using it, the world rippled, and I arrived instantly at the 5th Floor Hidden Labyrinth exit.
I walked to the boss room, activated the floor pattern mechanism as before.
Rumble—
Through the revealed secret passage to the fork.
Taking the left path...
Humm—
The blue-glowing gate was there.
But... the gate's state had changed.
"Has it shrunk?"
The blue gate was now only half the size from yesterday.
No time to waste, I pulled out the packed golem materials.
Crafting a Mana Core Golem...
Thud—
The golem stood tall before the gate in an instant.
From the former labyrinth lord, a 5th Circle curse sorcerer, Curse King Reia.
A Mana Core Golem raised from her handmade materials.
Tougher than anything else right now.
"Scout it out."
I commanded the Mana Core Golem to enter the gate.
Have it walk inside for 5 minutes, return, and check damage.
Thud—thump—
It strode forward obediently.
It crossed the blue gate and...
[Mana Core Golem durability: 80% remaining.]
[Mana Core Golem durability: 50% remaining.]
[Mana Core Golem durability: 30% remaining.]
[Mana Core Golem durability: 0% remaining.]
[Mana insufficient in mana core.]
[Mana insufficient in mana core.]
[Mana insufficient in mana core.]
[Mana insufficient in mana core.]
[Deactivated.]
"......"
1 second.
That was how long it took for the golem to deactivate.
I almost fucked up.
"■."
A woman cloaked in golden radiance picked up something from the floor.
It was a fragment of a golem she'd crafted long ago.
"■■...."
Gazing at it nostalgically, she tucked it carefully into her bosom.
The mana within belonged to someone from her memories.
"......"
Rising, the woman continued down the endless path.
Too much precious time had passed to stop here.