Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: [Abyss Miner] To the 3rd Floor
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"Status Window."
My Magic Power had surpassed my Strength in one go.
26.7 just like that.
With this much mana, I could take down your average D-Rank Hunter no problem.
'But this isn't the end.'
The new skill and trait.
I tapped on their descriptions.
"Holy shit."
A laugh escaped me.
This wasn't just sensing mana existed.
Reading flows and predicting attack routes?
This was straight-up legal wallhacks with combat precognition on top.
"Fucking cheat tier."
Recovery boost and reduced consumption.
Plus precise control to boot.
And if I snag that opportunity on the 3rd floor I'm gunning for, the [Spirit Flower]?
'Just imagining it is orgasmic.'
The Spirit Flower forcibly opens your mana circuits.
Already Affinity-tuned with circuits blasted wide open? I'd be a walking mana power plant.
"Alright, let's test this out."
I closed my eyes and focused.
Totally different feel from before when I tried using mana.
The moment my eyes shut, faint threads of light appeared in the darkness.
Mana particles floating in the air like dust motes.
And deep inside me, mana flowing along imaginary circuits.
'Move.'
I willed it, and mana surged through my veins like it was waiting.
So natural.
Like breathing my whole life, mana obeyed my command effortlessly.
Traits are the best.
No complex calculations or training needed—just instinctual knowledge of how to wield this power.
"Hup!"
Thinking of spreading mana through my body, it seeped into every muscle.
Skin tightened, veins bulged like they might burst.
I threw a punch at empty air.
A light jab, boxing terms—like nothing.
But the result wasn't light.
Whoosh-!
A casual poke, yet the sound was vicious enough to crack skulls on impact.
"This is it."
Body enhancement.
The technique hunters and knights use.
Watched that bastard Kyle pull it off in the original comic and was mad jealous—now it's mine.
I cycled mana a few more times.
Focused on arms, then legs, then torso.
A bit shaky at first, but smoothed out quick with reps.
And then the familiar chime.
"Nice."
Registered as a skill.
Rank F.
'Come to think of it, what's the difference between ranked and unranked?'
Skills: [Clubbing (F)], [Mining (F)], [Magic Detection (B)].
Trait: [Steel Body (B)].
These have ranks.
But traits like [Earth's Blessing] and [Magic Affinity] don't.
'Proficiency difference?'
Thinking back, [Clubbing] and [Mining] gave proficiency-up notices with use.
Maybe ranks rise with continued use.
Details'll come with time.
"Alright, business here done."
I slung the hexagonal rod over my shoulder.
1st floor wrapped up.
Slimes massacred, variants crushed, opportunity nabbed.
One thing left.
Head to 3rd floor and pluck that flower.
"Let's go, 2nd floor."
Monsters greeted me right past the 2nd floor entrance.
"Kyaaang! Kyeong!"
A kobold pack.
Seven of 'em.
Old me might've tensed up, but now? Just stray mutts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 passing by.
"Outta the way, you shit-dogs."
Bam-!
I kicked off the ground and shot forward.
Blink of an eye, snout-to-snout with the leader.
Saw its eyes bulge in panic.
"Too slow."
Swept the hexagonal rod horizontally.
Splut-!
Head didn't just burst like a watermelon—upper body vaporized.
Twisted into a spin, solar-plexused the next with a kick.
Crack!
Ribs shattered clean through, body folding Z-shape into the wall.
Instant death.
"Kyak!"
The rest panicked, backing off.
But Magic Detection read their moves.
Left one's fleeing, right's ambushing.
'I see it all, you fucks.'
Plunged the rod dead-center into the ambusher's forehead.
Back-of-head smacked the fleer flat.
Rest? Thrown rod or stomped.
Over in seconds.
"Weak."
Too weak.
Not even worth the mana trash.
Rifled the corpses for valuables and moved on when a glint caught my eye from the kobolds' nook.
"Huh?"
Not red—bluish glow.
Silver ore.
Pricier than iron.
"These bastards were guarding the good stuff."
Stowed the rod, grabbed the pickaxe.
Cool down from the fight, make some cash.
Clang! Clang! Kang!
Thanks to [Mining (F)], a few swings dropped hefty chunks.
"Sweet, sweet."
Loosen up with fights, mine for cash and stats.
This is the true miner's life.
Sacked the silver into my bag and pressed on.
Next, sector 3 passage.
Ssssh!
Acid Worms spitting venom.
But with mana cloaking my body.
[Body Enhancement] and [Steel Body] synergy.
Acid hit and slid off like water droplets—no burn.
"Tickles, you pest fucks."
Strolled up and squished 'em.
Popping sounds were satisfying.
I bulldozed the 2nd floor like a highway.
Less combat, more slaughter.
And finally.
"This the 3rd floor, huh."
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the dark.
Vibrations strong enough to shake dust from the walls.
Stone Golem, obviously.
Rounding the corner, a boulder heap shambling into view.
[Stone Golem]
A giant crudely piled from rock chunks.
At least 3 meters tall.
Bigger and tougher-looking than the 2nd floor Moss Bears.
In the original, early miners struggled even in packs against it.
"Oh ho."
I licked my lips, gripped the rod tighter.
A tough one.
Finally, a proper sandbag to test mana on.
"Come at me, rockhead."
The golem slowly turned its head my way.
Red glow flashed from its eye sockets, fist raised high—then smashed down.
Kwaaang!
Floor cratered.
Powerhouse, sure.
But slow.
Yawn-slow to my eyes.
"That all you got?"
Activated [Body Enhancement] and swung the rod.
"Shatter!"
Leaped up its smashing arm, full swing at the head.
Kwajik-!!!
Head exploded into rock shrapnel everywhere.
Rumble.
Headless body collapsed limply.
One shot.
Clean as hell.
"Lame."
Thought it'd last longer.
Rifled the wreckage, snagged a [Low-Grade Mana Stone].
Good money there.
Behind the blocked path.
Something sparkling.
"Huh?"
Up close: Bluish ore embedded in rock cleft.
Sheen different from iron or silver.
Shimmering with mana.
[Mithril Ore]
"Whoa, fuck! Mithril?"
Jackpot.
'Drops on 3rd floor?'
Rare even deeper down.
"Lucky me."
Pickaxe time.
Mithril made the rock stupid tough, but mana-charged strikes crumbled it.
Clang! Clang!
Magic Power up too?
Mithril's mana-infused, gets absorbed bit by bit while mining.
Cheat ore.
"Now to find that flower."
Looked around.
Problem: directions.
Comic just said "inside a collapsed tunnel rock crevice"—no exact spot.
No GPS here.
"Where the fuck is it?"
3rd floor was bigger than expected.
Maze of tunnels endlessly twisting.
"This way?"
Left at the fork.
Didn't go far before bats swarmed.
[Vampire Bats]
League above 1st floor bats.
Eagle-sized, fangs laced with paralyzing venom.
Ten-plus diving in? Average miner'd be bones.
But I'm no average miner.
"Quit flapping, annoying as fuck."
Splat splat boom!
Grazed by the rod, bats exploded.
"Nice haul."
Mining only bumped Strength before.
Moving and fighting pumps Agility good.
Past the corpse pile, dead end.
But corner had [Bloodstones] embedded.
Vampire bat nests birth these blood-soaked rocks.
Alchemy reagent, I hear.
"Grab this too."
Clang! Clang!
Backtracked, tried another path.
This time, they burst from the floor.
[Steel Moles]
Steel Moles.
Claws iron-hard, burrow through rock.
They erupted underground, aiming for ankles.
"The fuck you think you're touching!"
Thud-!
Stamped in place.
Underground ones stunned out into air.
Baseball-batted the airborne moles.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Three homers.
Wall-embedded moles twitched then stilled.
Clipped their claws too.
Rock-burrowers, so claws fetch good prices—not dirt.
"Easy money."
Strong, and the world's easy.
Monsters I'd risk life dodging days ago? Now walking wallets and proficiency shuttles.
But no path in sight.
"Where the hell is it?"
Griped while combing 3rd floor top to bottom.
Smashed every monster head for stress relief.
Scored mana stones and junk, but irritation boiled.
How long wandering?
Eventually hit the edge, untouched corner.
Collapsed ceiling half-blocking a tunnel.
Rotted supports scattered.
Perfect vibe.
"Collapsed tunnel..."
Felt it.
Here.
Matched the comic background.
Cautiously climbed debris inside.
No glowstones—pitch black.
But [Magic Detection] kept me from total blindness.
Faint mana flows visible.
Pure, clear mana wafting from deeper in.
Dead-end wall inside.
Plain rock face, but bottom had a cleverly hidden crevice.
Narrow enough for one to barely crawl through.
"Found it."
Grin crept up.
The gap protagonist Kyle tripped into by luck.
Mine by skill and intel—no luck needed.
Sweet scent drifted from beyond.
Mana-laced flower aroma.
"Hold still, Spirit Flower."
I'm coming for you, bitch.