Berka's Legacy (Part 1)

The next day.

Before heading to the dungeon as usual, I stepped out into the bustling streets of Labyrinth City.

Thanks to Leah's goodwill toward me, I didn't have to worry about the Guard Corps causing trouble.

"……."

The atmosphere in the city was still chaotic.

With rumors spreading that a Guard Corps knight had been killed, it was no wonder everyone felt on edge.

From what Leah had told me, it didn't seem like anyone had actually died... but rumors had a way of snowballing.

Labyrinth City had always been protected by knights from both kingdoms since its founding.

The knights stationed here were typically capable of fighting on floors 5 or 6 of the Labyrinth.

Comparable to senior knights in a standard order.

Most Guard Corps members were former dungeon explorers.

There were a few mages among them, but knights made up the bulk.

The Guard Corps required experience delving into the dungeon's depths, which started at floor 5, so they were a fairly elite group in the city with solid combat prowess.

In terms of overall strength... the average might favor the kingdom knights slightly.

But considering how the Guard Corps elders could battle the stone statues on floor 7... their peak power was probably higher.

Though now they were too old, blinded ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠by greed, and had abandoned their training.

If those elders were in their prime... even I might have struggled to beat them in a fight.

"Rumors of one of those elders being murdered."

I scanned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the quiet streets of the city.

Labyrinth City's sense of peace came from a safety that felt almost anachronistic for a medieval world.

With people capable of handling at least floor 5 patrolling constantly, petty thugs couldn't easily flee.

And even a powerhouse who could take down a knight wouldn't stand a chance against a Labyrinth Lord.

That security was what made the city's exorbitant prices and the dungeon's dangers bearable.

But rumors of a guard—an elite elder, no less—being killed struck at the heart of that security.

To fix this, they needed to quash the rumors fast, true or not.

"Aren't they worried?"

The patrols were just increasing in number day by day, with no sign they'd factored this in.

They'd even asked other guilds for help... At this rate, the anxiety would only grow until the culprit was caught.

Lost in those thoughts, I arrived at the lunch shop before I knew it.

I bought two packed lunches as usual and headed for the dungeon.

"……."

The guards and knights at the dungeon entrance had dwindled to half their usual numbers from yesterday.

Probably pulling people to chase after Ghir, the one who'd supposedly stabbed an elder and fled.

I passed the knights and guards without a word and stepped through the gate.

Wooong—

The crowd resting at the exit to floor 1 had thinned out considerably too.

I slipped away from prying eyes and activated my Designated Return Scroll.

As the scroll took effect, the world rippled briefly before I arrived at the hidden labyrinth on floor 4 in an instant.

From what I'd heard passing through before, the floor 4 boss hadn't appeared.

Which meant it had spawned in the hidden labyrinth again this time.

And sure enough, proving my hunch—

- Grrooo...

- Grrrooo...

The floor 4 undead filled the corridor ahead of me.

Their hollow gazes stared blankly into space.

But the moment they spotted me, they shoved at each other, slowly shambling my way.

That's when—

The special effect I'd gained from restoring the shattered Dragon Heart to 50%—Hierarchy Order.

As the front line of undead stepped into its range—

- Uh, uhhh...!

- Uuuh, uuuaaah...

Fear slowly crept over their vacant expressions.

They flailed as if trying to flee from me.

But the endless horde pushing from behind forced them forward against their will.

The second line suffered the same fate, shoved ahead by the undead behind them.

One by one, they staggered into the effect's range.

"…Where do you think you're going?"

The undead that had been pushing forward now shoved each other backward in panic.

As I took a single step toward them, they retreated a sluggish half-step.

Even undead, who'd already faced death, could be gripped by fear.

That was verification enough for the special effect...

I pulled out my staff and unleashed a cycling current ahead.

Pzzzt—!

Five orbs of electricity tore through the front, turning the corridor-filling undead to ash in seconds.

I strode through the cleared path toward the dungeon's heart.

At the corridor's end, a vast chamber opened up, light spilling out from within.

As I entered the boss room—

Wooong—

Sudden black energy enveloped me.

I considered resisting but let it happen.

Whoosh—

A powerful pull yanked my body through the air toward the boss room's center.

I braced just before hitting the floor, legs digging in to steady myself.

Straight ahead—

A hulking figure over 3 meters tall, reduced to bones.

A skull glowing with red light.

The floor 4 boss: Corpse Lord Golta.

The black mage who'd dragged me in raised its left hand.

Then—

Fwoosh—

Dark crimson flames ignited in its palm.

3rd Hierarchy black magic: Corruption Flame.

As it thrust its hand toward me, the flames enveloped my body.

- Kuhuhu...

Thinking its attack had landed, Corpse Lord Golta chuckled.

I raised my staff.

Aimed at Golta and channeled mana.

Ziiing—

A Splitting Ray burst from the staff's tip, piercing straight through Golta's skull.

Then—

- Uuuaaah...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Corpse Lord Golta crumbled to dust before it could even turn into a Bloodstone, life extinguished.

It had three phases, each granting invulnerability and resummons.

But dealing damage exceeding its max HP in one hit skipped them all like this.

At my current level, even a boss went down in one go.

Though the level gap meant minimal EXP gain.

The Corrupted Flame Stone from the finisher let me use Golta's black magic.

A shame I couldn't wield it myself, but it would fetch a good price.

Of course... it still wasn't that satisfying.

"Well, the main prize is elsewhere."

The boss's corpse had vanished, leaving the room empty.

I moved to the center of the boss room.

Among the various runes etched into the floor, one spot stood out as oddly different.

I placed my hand there and channeled mana.

Rumble—

The mechanism activated, and the floor panel descended.

This was the secret passage hiding the treasure chest.

With a thunk, it stopped.

At the far end of the hidden space loomed a massive treasure chest.

As I approached the mechanism, the floor panel rose back up.

I laid my hand on the chest and flung it open with force.

"It dropped!"

I'd finally completed the Berka's Legacy set.

But...

"Hierarchy Ritual?"

The set effect had changed to something I didn't recognize.

Berka's Legacy set was supposed to enhance magic up to 3rd Hierarchy when completed.

I'd used it often for alt characters.

Yet now, inexplicably, it was Berka's Incomplete Hierarchy Ritual.

I checked the details.

"……Huh?"

I read the description again. And again.

So this meant...

"It breaks into 5th Hierarchy?"

Insane…!