Chapter 58: Life's Laboratory
After wrapping up negotiations with the miners, Vulcan didn't head back to the village. Instead, he plunged straight into Spirit Land.
Even though he'd recovered his stamina with potions, his mental fatigue was piling up to the brink. But there was no helping it.
Secret Area Spirit Land discovered.
You are the first discoverer of this place.
First Discovery Bonus: Acquired EXP +30% for 3 days.
First Discovery Bonus: Drop rate +30% for 3 days.
He couldn't miss out on the first discovery bonuses. It was a perk he'd snagged plenty of back in the early days after Gloria Saga launched.
Thanks to them, he'd surged ahead of the pack and uncovered other areas first. Having reaped the benefits more than anyone, passing up the first discovery of Spirit Land was out of the question.
'New areas are still popping up left and right. Gotta hand it to this game—it's something else.'
Even after more than three years since launch, fresh zones kept emerging. And with the devs officially stating there were even more undiscovered ones, latecomers had every reason to hustle.
'Which means... it's not too late for me.'
He was already level 100. Before reincarnating as the Legendary class Incarnation of Tud, he'd been at 183, and leveling got way tougher past 100. The road ahead was long, but his pace now was incomparable to before.
Considering how much harder it was for top rankers—dozens, hundreds of times tougher per level—he could catch up. Especially with his Item Power transcending levels, plus extra stats, abilities, and title effects.
Vulcan steeled his resolve once more. Watching him, Tud clicked his tongue.
—Tough bastard. So that's what you meant by getting your nose clean without lifting a finger.
It wasn't a jab at Vulcan's fighting spirit. Tud was griping about the deal Vulcan had struck with the miners.
Vulcan's offer was simple: Assign quests to users to hunt the stone spirits flooding into the canyon mine, and collect the weird ore they dropped as "toll fees" for the giant staircase. Separate from mine usage fees, of course.
The miners got extra ore, and Vulcan secured a share of the separated Senos ore. Mutual benefit all around.
They'd been puzzled why he'd want "useless" Senos ore, but when he claimed it was for "research," they dropped it and agreed without hesitation.
Senos ore was trash to them anyway. Sure, gathering and handing it over was a hassle, but compared to the value of that free staircase? No biggie. Hell, they might even be thrilled he wasn't charging extra for it.
"And it knocks out the competition too. Heh heh heh heh!"
Users would have to clear the entrance spirits just to use the mine properly. Climbing with ropes wasn't easy for them either.
While they were busy with that, Vulcan planned to sweep up quests and items in Spirit Land.
First-come advantages meant nothing to him with Dragon Eye.
—Sharp as a tack, aren't ya? Getting the most valuable ore shipped to you for free. And while you're at it...
On top of that, Vulcan pushed forward a plan he'd meant to delay till tomorrow: a contract with the miners' guild.
A bulk purchase deal for a cut of their monthly ore output at low prices—but with a clause handing over all "research" Senos ore for free. Jackpot.
'Gotta keep it under wraps.'
If the true value of Senos ore leaked, trouble would brew. But until then, he'd have a near-monopoly supply. Stockpile enough, trickle it onto the auction house, and boom—filthy rich.
"Hee hee hee hee hee!"
—Crazy fucker.
How could he not laugh? Unable to stifle his glee, Vulcan smashed every stone spirit that appeared. Tud shook his head in disgust.
He popped the last of his alchemy chocolate recipes into his mouth.
"What the hell is this place? It was sealed off for a while, but spirits are overflowing."
—What else? A ley line nexus brimming with power. Places like this pop up sometimes. Dragon veins, they call 'em—spots where nature's energy condenses.
Usually, spirits like these spawn naturally, or weird phenomena kick off.
"So that's the dragon vein?"
Nodding at Tud's explanation, Vulcan eyed a distant spot in central Spirit Land: a pillar of red light shooting skyward.
'But red light... that's gotta mean...'
Something felt off. Red pillars tied to main scenario quests. And he hadn't even hit the Earth and Stone God Jatan's temple yet—his second planned stop.
A new main scenario starting point maybe?
'I'll know when I get there.'
He shelved the thought. Answers waited at the source.
The basin-like Spirit Land was a barren rocky plain, so he blitzed toward the center, only smacking down spirits in his path.
Killing them now just yielded weird stones—no EXP till his class quest wrapped, so no point grinding levels yet.
"Dungeon?"
The heart of Spirit Land was empty. Just one big boulder. Nothing else.
But Dragon Eye revealed the red pillar sprouting right from beneath it.
"Gotta smash it, huh."
Shatter the rock, reveal the passage below? Probably.
"Can't do favors for strangers."
Smashing might tip off followers. Best play safe.
"Blessing of Strength."
Sleeves rolled, he shoved the boulder with all his might—no tools needed.
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu-gu—
It barely budged at first, but veins bulging, he poured it on. Slowly, it slid aside.
"Okay. Open-world dungeon it is."
Stairs to the depths. Dungeon entrance.
Instanced ones glow with white gates anyone spots. This? Open to all, simultaneous entry.
Others could follow—but Vulcan welcomed it. He had ways to exploit that.
"Earthworking."
First, Earthworking skill smoothed the boulder's slide marks. He scuffed it messy with his boots to blend.
"Engraving."
Next: Engraving. He clambered atop the rock, chisel and hammer etching words.
[Seek the land where life blooms, at the northern edge.]
Meaningless drivel. But first-timers? They'd swallow it as a hidden quest hint.
'Vague is good. No need for directions.'
That's what he banked on. Spot this, and they'd bolt north—or dig all day chasing nonsense.
Meanwhile, he'd clear the dungeon leisurely, sucking up EXP and drop buffs.
"Alright, final touch..."
Job done, he checked for tails, then descended. He rigged a stone slab over the entrance by chipping the foundation—looked like a gravestone platform to outsiders.
—Real sleazy move.
"Hey, if I'm hogging it, might as well go all in. I'll restore it when I leave."
—And put the boulder back too, right?
"Duh. Can't let 'em have it free."
Hypocritical? Sure. But sue him. Jealous? Reincarnate into a Legendary class yourselves.
Smug, he descended further. The real dungeon began.
Entered Hidden Dungeon: Life's Laboratory.
You are the first to visit this place.
First Entry Bonus: Acquired EXP +30% for 3 days.
First Entry Bonus: Drop rate +30% for 3 days.
"Heh heh heh!"
Started strong with first-entry bonuses stacking atop the Spirit Land ones. Class quest held levels in limbo, but three days grinding here? Massive level jumps on completion.
"Laboratory—magic types?"
Excitement bubbled, but he reined it in. Die after grabbing buffs? Disaster.
Scout monster types, traps first via Dragon Eye, then celebrate.
Lv 122
Lv 121
"120s right at the entrance?"
His face soured. Outside spirits were kids; these were hulking adults. Bodybuilder bulk—but stone, not muscle.
"Not natural spawns, huh?"
—Who knows. Maybe, maybe not. Overcharged with energy, that's for sure.
120s in Kuzar—typically a 100-120 zone heavy on mining over hunting. Most bailed around 115 for better spots in next cities.
With this, Kuzar rivaled third-tier cities as a hunting ground.
"Guess smashing'll tell!"
Lessers would've retreated to level up. Buffs tempting, but death meant item/EXP loss.
Not Vulcan. He charged two stone spirits without hesitation.
Sword thrust at the grotesquely bloated brutes.
Puuk!
Level gap? Irrelevant. Venomous Serpent pierced like boiled potatoes.
"Hup."
Kuung!!
One shattered instantly. The other rammed him—barely budged him.
200-range armor, picked for physical defense. Physics-heavy foes? No real damage.
—What're you doing?
—"Huh?"
Kwaang!!
Another hit. Off-balance, he flew back regardless of strength.
"Ugh?"
The "dead" one. Fully healed, pristine.
"Self-repair?"
Shallow hit? Too thick? Nah.
Dragon Eye caught it: repair site pristine.
—Mini-golems, basically.
"Huh?"
—Look close. What powers 'em.
White glow: mana cores embedded in each.
"Then..."
Kwaang!
Combat shifted. Venomous Serpent whipped thin, but his absurd strength hammered like a maul.
"Hm, cheap knockoffs."
As it mended, a quick stab punctured the core spot.
Two moves confirmed it. Golem-like, but different regen.
'Same as outside. Just denser energy here.'
Dragon Eye tracked flows during repair. Golems draw from core mana till dry. These? Pulled ambient mana—from the dungeon's thick natural energy.
"Seems harmless, but..."
Similar on surface, worlds apart. Golems regen anytime core's full. These? Dungeon-only. Useless outside. Value tanks.
"Laboratory—gotta be more."
—Looks like. Check that one.
These were mutants, not golems. Overdosed on condensed life energy, twisted.
But the lab's creator aimed higher. Proof: new blockers ahead. Research products, not mutants.