Chapter 95: Talent Collector
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 95: Talent Collector
“It’s okay, calm down, Yernil.”
I moved, careful not to let the trace amounts of liquid gold flowing from my body get on Yernil.
Yernil followed, sniffling.
“I’m the one who put the doll in the lava. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Looking back now, there was a moment even more harrowing than that.
When the blacksmith's hammer grazed my side.
In game terms, it would have been judged a 'glancing blow'.
Normally, the damage from the blacksmith's hammer should have killed me in one hit.
But a glancing blow doesn't deal the full amount of damage. The maximum is half the normal value, and the minimum starts at one. The compromised damage must have fallen somewhere in between, within a range my vitality could withstand.
At least, that's how it works in game terms.
Honestly, I never thought I'd say this in the Labyrinth, but…
‘I was lucky.’
Still, it hurts.
“Owowow…”
That blow from the hammer wasn't a status effect or anything; it just chipped away at my vitality.
So I can't handle it with the Hourglass's Time Trade.
Now that the tension's gone, it hurts so much that all I can do is lie down.
Still, my injuries are minor.
“Caleb, please drink this healing potion for now.”
The Priest handed me a healing potion before moving over to Mr. Back Attack.
“This one is more urgent.”
Mr. Back Attack was gasping for breath. Though he was past the worst of it, the Priest said he needed treatment until all the cursed magic power in his lungs was gone.
“High-concentration oxygen.”
So that's how they treat it.
It feels less like a cure and more like a painkiller. The breathing difficulty will fade over time; this just makes it easier to breathe until then.
And I can guess why the Priest came prepared with such magic.
“It’s because of the volcanic ash, right?”
Until now, we didn't have to worry because we were fighting inside the steel mill, but volcanic ash can cause pneumoconiosis, leading to breathing difficulties.
The cause is a bit different, but it seems Mr. Back Attack's breathing trouble came after he was gilded.
“But how come you’re not… cough! How come you’re not having trouble breathing, man? The gilding wore off you instantly, too.”
Mr. Back Attack asked while receiving the Priest's treatment.
“Perhaps…”
The Priest answered for me.
“I believe it might be a phenomenon of Transcendent Cognition.”
“What’s that?”
It was the first I'd heard of it, too.
To summarize, it's something like this.
If a woman who isn't pregnant firmly believes she is, she can experience a phantom pregnancy.
Even though there's no fetus, she can feel it quicken, her uterus expands, her mammary glands develop, she gets morning sickness, and her period even stops.
Conversely, with pregnancy denial, when a woman refuses to accept that she's pregnant, her intense mental denial controls her body, preventing any quickening or morning sickness, her belly doesn't grow, and she even continues to menstruate.
“Even for ordinary humans, pouring an excessive amount of mental energy into something can affect the body. So what about a wizard with immense potential?”
Wizards are mentally connected to Wizus, the God of Wisdom. Using their Memory Books as a medium, they borrow magic from Wizus with their own mental power. That's what wizards do.
In other words, wizards are already interfering with the physical world to a significant degree using their mental power.
“Some wizards have such a profound level of mental power that they can suppress negative status effects on their bodies through sheer concentration. We call that the ability of Transcendent Cognition.”
For example, if a wizard afflicted with a curse like 'Decay' were to exert their transcendent cognitive ability on their own rotting body, their mental power would call upon the power of Wizus to eradicate the necrotic cells, promote the division of healthy cells, and instantly regenerate and restore the tissue.
“That’s how they can instantly terminate a magical status effect. This is the first time I’ve seen it in person.”
“…”
“It seems Caleb has a talent for Transcendent Cognition.”
Somehow, I feel like I'm becoming a talent collector.
“High-speed casting, chantless casting…”
The Priest said.
“Back when you wore the raincoat, it seemed you also had a knack for psychokinetic teleportation, and now even Transcendent Cognition.”
I just used the Hourglass, but this is getting a little burdensome.
“Caleb may truly be a wizard blessed by the God of Wisdom.”
Does Wizus, the God of Wisdom, really exist somewhere in this world?
The Hourglass was classified as a 'weapon' at the Fountain of Blessings. According to the game's lore, the deity who used the Hourglass was devoured by the Labyrinth, which is why it would appear at the fountain.
Who could that god be?
And one more thing.
What if the skills contained within the Hourglass are, in fact, the very talents of a wizard?
High-speed casting and chantless casting came from the Hourglass itself.
Then I learned the Direction Controller skill, and voilà.
You are a psychokinetic teleporter.
I learned the Time Trader skill, and ta-da.
You are a Transcendent Cognizer.
If I had learned Memory Book Editor, they would have said something about that, too.
What if I learned Mind Controller?
Voilà! You are a Labyrinth Master. I might have heard that.
“Damn, that’s awesome. If you were a pretty girl, man, I’d ask you to control my body too.”
Mr. Back Attack cracked a silly joke.
“Haha. Even a Transcendent Cognizer can’t control another person’s body.”
The Priest replied with a laugh.
As someone who's been controlling Yernil all this time, that comment made me flinch a little.
“Caleb. Once the treatment is done, we’re going to find the exit room and leave right away, correct?”
Aimus changed the subject.
“Yes. Let’s end this expedition here.”
We have no other choice. Because monsters will no longer spawn on the 4th floor.
The Convergence Core is intact, but the brass golem doll and the setting box are gone.
The 4th-floor adventurers have nothing left to hunt here anyway.
“Gasp… Is it because of me that no one can hunt anymore?”
Yernil asked, startled and flustered.
“It’s partly my fault, too.”
I was the one who got rid of the box.
Actually, I had considered retrieving the box from the treasure room, but let's keep that a secret. For Yernil's sake.
“It’s fine. No party has been able to hunt properly on the 4th floor lately anyway.”
The Orc Fighter said.
“In fact, everyone will be pleased. Since you took care of the poachers.”
And to be honest, I'm quite pleased with this situation myself. I get to monopolize something very, very valuable without having to adventure on the 4th floor for long.
What does it mean that we can no longer hunt 4th-floor monsters?
‘It means I can take the Convergence Core now.’
Neko went past the press in the steelmaking room and pulled out the Convergence Core attached to the magic infusion device.
It was a fist-sized gem. It glittered blue, like a sapphire.
“Caleb’s party should take it.”
Neko handed over the Convergence Core.
“Thank you.”
I took the Convergence Core and put it in my bag.
“I have something I’d like to give your team, Neko.”
“To us?”
“Yes. Wait here for a moment.”
I left the steelmaking room and headed toward the blast furnace.
The items that had been swept away with me during the steel mill's structural transformation were still there.
Ice pellets formed where the frost ray met the steam, hardened lava, and half-buried within it...
“It’s a crossbow.”
When I brought the crossbow to Neko, the eyes of all three members of the Constable's party suddenly grew moist.
The crossbow's original owner was the Lizard Constable crossbowman.
The last member of Neko's party.
He had died earlier after being hit by magic acid. His remains were damaged beyond recovery, so it would be difficult to even take them out for a funeral.
In times like these, adventurers take the weapon their fallen comrade used for a long time in place of their body.
“…Thank you.”
Neko wiped her eyes as she took the crossbow and held it to her chest.
Countless magic items pour out of the Labyrinth, yet the price of magic equipment rarely drops.
What's the reason for that?
It's because 'they're also easy to break'.
Why bring this up all of a sudden?
Because most of the equipment Ingelam's party was using was wrecked to the point of being scrap metal.
Among them was a large-scale dustproof bracelet.
The same magic as the one I received from Professor Isilof. If Ingelam's bracelet had been intact, I would have given it to Neko, but since it wasn't...
“Let’s go together.”
After Mr. Back Attack recovered, we moved as one group.
Neko's team's raincoats had long since become textile waste, so they offered no protection from the volcanic ash.
We hunted the remaining monsters on the field together, occasionally running into other adventurers.
“The setting box and the doll in the steel mill have been destroyed. Monsters will no longer be produced on the 4th floor.”
Neko relayed the news to everyone she met.
Before long, we found an exit room and cleared it with ease. Neko's team would go through the exit gate first.
The Orc Fighter said his farewells.
“The most famous orc in the Labyrinth City of Sohen is Krom, the berserker from Blackdog. A great many orcs join Blackdog just because of him.”
But this Orc Fighter was different. He joined the poor and incompetent Public Security Headquarters.
“I believe this is the right thing to do. My name is Urgash. Please remember it. I’ll see you next time, either at the Public Security Headquarters or the Adventurers' Guild.”
The Orc Fighter, Urgash, stepped through the exit gate first.
Next was the Priest's turn.
“Priestess Emma, Paladin Bernard, and even the Bishop have all spoken of you, Caleb.”
His farewell was a bit longer.
“Having adventured with you, I now understand why. And… it wasn’t just you who was outstanding, Caleb. I believe your party will one day reach the Deep Layers. It was truly impressive. If you ever have business at the temple, please stop by. Just ask for Priest Mikhail.”
Priest Mikhail went through the gate.
Finally, Neko stood before the gate.
She first tossed in a magic stone to change the gate's color, then stared at us intently.
Clutching her Lizard teammate's crossbow tightly to her chest.
“…”
For a moment, she said nothing.
“Neko. Aren’t you going through?”
“I am. But before I do, just a moment…”
Neko fiddled with the perked ears on her head.
“All four of you, please visit the Sohen Public Security Headquarters when you have time. I’ll request four medals from my superiors. The prize money might be a little small due to budget issues, but…”
“That’s fine. We’ll see you in town.”
“…Caleb.”
Neko took a step closer to me.
Neko, who had been so tense and focused during our fierce battles, was now much more relaxed. Her face and gaze were much softer.
Her perked ears twitched back and forth.
“Thank you so much.”
Her voice was heavy with refined sincerity.
“At the Blackdog casino, and this time as well… We’ve received so much help from you, Caleb.”
“Make sure you become an inspector.”
This kind of atmosphere felt awkward and burdensome, so I replied half-jokingly.
Neko chuckled.
“If you ever need help from the Public Security Headquarters, just tell me. As long as it’s legal, I’ll cooperate to the best of my ability.”
“Thank you.”
“Well then…”
Neko hesitated for a moment, then suddenly closed the distance between us.
And threw her arms around me.
“…”
To be honest, it was so sudden that I was a little surprised.
Her breath touched the nape of my neck.
Her soft cheek rested below my chin. Her perked ears tickled the tip of my nose.
She rubbed her cheek against mine.
“It’s a custom among feline beastfolk. It’s something we do to express trust and respect for a teacher or leader.”
Her explanation was a slight lie.
That's true in the feline beastfolk's homeland, but outside of it, in other regions like Sohen, its usage is a bit different.
It's usually used as a sign of affection between lovers.
“Please, make sure you come to the Public Security Headquarters.”
Neko quickly darted through the exit gate.
“Huh… Huuhh…?”
And Yernil, as if she were the one who had been embraced, turned beet red and didn't know what to do.
“Wh-what was that? What did she just do? That’s a greeting? How could she…!”
Calm down, Yernil.
“Let’s go find our own exit room now.”
We emerged in Sohen.
It was already late at night.
Before, leaving the Labyrinth used to put my mind at ease and make me feel comfortable.
Not anymore.
Because it's dangerous both inside and out.