Conquering the Labyrinth with a Trash-Tier Trait - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 29
[Klinsman’s Voice Filter Earring (Advanced)]
—Allows you to hear the designated person’s voice even in noise (100m, on/off toggle).
—Lifespan varies depending on the Magic Stone inserted (currently equipped with lowest-grade Magic Stone. 50 hours of activation time).
This was the basic information the system provided.
—An Artifact consumable created by Klinsman, the eccentric of the Magic Tower.
—A mass-produced Advanced-grade Artifact made with low unit costs through Mana consumption and bulk production.
This was the additional information my Trait revealed.
“Him again?”
A fresh curiosity stirred in me about the Magic Tower’s legendary inventor—but synthesis had to come first.
“Please…….”
Let it hit big.
With that thought, I dumped twenty earrings into the Goblin Basket first.
Flash.
[Klinsman’s Voice Filter Earring (Supreme)]
—Makes the designated person’s voice constantly whisper directly into your ear (1km, on/off toggle).
—Lifespan varies depending on the Magic Stone inserted (currently equipped with mid-grade Magic Stone. 1,000 hours of activation time).
—When activated, absorbs surrounding noise and creates a silent state (Sonic Absorption—Advanced).
“Huh…….”
As expected, an additional option appeared, but it felt oddly vague.
‘If I use it for ambushes… no, wait. If the noise suddenly disappears, wouldn’t enemies think something’s wrong?’
An option that left me wondering what it was really for.
But I couldn’t stop now.
No choice.
“Let’s go!”
Please, anything but that option again.
Praying desperately, I dumped out the earrings.
Flash.
[Klinsman’s Voice Filter Earring (Rare)]
—Makes the designated person’s voice constantly whisper directly into your ear. Absorbs excessive noise (10km, on/off toggle).
—Lifespan varies depending on the Magic Stone inserted (currently equipped with mid-grade Magic Stone. 20,000 hours of activation time).
—When activated, absorbs surrounding noise and creates a silent state (Sound Drain—Supreme).
—Stored sounds can be released when needed (Decibel Noise—Supreme) (Cooldown: 1 hour).
“Nice!”
Prayer meta actually works!
* Sound Drain (Supreme)
—Absorbs all surrounding sounds.
(Limit: Noise at approximately 20 Damage level)
(Radius 50m—Cooldown 1 hour)
* Decibel Noise (Supreme)
—Releases sound waves to disorient enemies in the vicinity.
(Confusion Magic 20)
(Radius 50m—Cooldown 1 hour)
‘An area-wide debuff magic?’
The conditions were different, but exactly the kind of option I needed now that I’d committed to solo dungeon runs.
I could use Sound Drain first, then deploy Decibel Noise afterward.
Or I could release Decibel Noise first, then use Sound Drain to silence everything that followed.
One Artifact had given me access to two magics that could chain together.
‘Though the Magic Stone does seem to burn through Mana pretty fast.’
That was just a matter of synthesizing more earrings to build up reserves.
Perfect.
“This is way too good!”
I found myself clutching the earring and rolling across the room without thinking.
Thump. Thump.
“Ko Cheol-woo! What’s going on?”
“Oh, it’s nothing! Just preparing to enter the Labyrinth Dungeon tomorrow!”
“……Keep it down a bit.”
“Yes! I’m sorry!”
Even as I apologized, I couldn’t help but smile.
* * *
By the time I obtained the earring—or rather, even before that—my stats had long surpassed the Novice level.
With the addition of the sound-based earring on top of everything else, encountering obstacles while clearing floors six through nine would have been genuinely strange.
Though I’ll admit it took considerable time grinding through countless tedious tasks.
Especially on the ninth floor, where I spent a full month gathering medicinal herbs I never thought I’d need, but I managed it without any real setbacks.
“You brat! I thought you were dead! Why are you so late!?”
“Ha. Sorry, I just had a rough time. Got stuck with a strange quest.”
I didn’t acquire any particularly rare items in the process, but the long grind toward a Perfect Clear and the junk loot I created through Butchering, synthesized via the Goblin Basket, did yield a tidy profit.
However.
“Did you evolve your skills?”
“No. This one here… I can’t find any hint of evolution yet.”
My spear technique and movement art, both already at the advanced maximum, still hadn’t revealed a path forward.
“It’ll happen someday. Don’t rush. You’re already over-spec’d as it is.”
“I understand.”
Since nothing dangerous had occurred, there was no reason to spend Level-up Points on evolution.
“Right. That’s more than enough already. You’re doing well. Truly.”
The truth was, even without leveling up or achieving skill evolution in my spear technique and movement art, my growth hadn’t stalled.
If anything, I’d been advancing at a rapid pace.
[Name: Ko Cheol-woo]
[Race: Human]
[Level: 16]
[Stats]
Strength: 14 (+2.9)
Endurance: 18 (+5.8)
Agility: 14 (+8.7)
Mana: 29
Physical Resistance: 3
Magical Resistance: 4
[Mana Skills]
Resonance Spear (Advanced-Lv.10), Valgar Spirit Cultivation Method 1st Stage (Advanced-Lv.10), Bolante Movement Technique 2nd Stage (Advanced-Lv.10), Butchering (Rare-Lv.1). Piercing Strike (Supreme-Max)
[Level-up Points: 22]
[Ability Slot (Full)]
Multiple Spirit Command.
[Traits]
-Additional Information Confirmed.
Floor-clearing rewards had granted me an additional point to Endurance and three to Agility.
As the Valgar Spirit Cultivation Method rose to Lv.10, my stat bonuses increased as well.
Through that process alone, my Mana had climbed three points naturally.
All in the span of just three months.
“Now let’s get some proper rest, then attempt the tenth floor. Time to get a Class.”
“Of course.”
Thinking about it made the time I’d spent feel oddly compressed.
“And think about what to do with the money we’ve saved up.”
“…Yes. I do have some ideas about that already.”
“Ideas? You should buy a spear. Shouldn’t you?”
“…Well, yes, that’s true.”
“Why the lukewarm response? With that money, you could even afford that Super Rare Grade weapon I mentioned before. Is it still not enough?”
“No, that’s not it…”
Jerik wasn’t wrong.
From clearing floors six through nine using Butchering and synthesis, I’d accumulated over two thousand gold.
After setting aside what I’d spent on repairs and reinforcing equipment, the rest remained intact.
In fact, I’d been diligently hoarding it specifically to buy that Super Rare Grade Spear I’d had my eye on.
The Valgar Spirit Cultivation Method was proving so effective that my Mana would soon hit thirty, meaning I’d finally be able to use Super Rare Grade items.
But.
“…Someone already bought it.”
“What!?”
“One of the Royal Palace’s Summoners picked it up, or so I heard. I don’t have the details.”
I couldn’t believe it.
“Damn it all!?”
Jerik was even more irritated than I was.
“Can we ask Ruda to track down something similar?”
“Well, I asked about it when I was selling off junk items earlier, but apparently it’s going to be difficult.”
Super Rare Grade weapons are typically used by adventurers in the 40s—both level and floor.
At that point, they’re considered the lower threshold for becoming genuine elite forces of the Kingdom.
That’s why the Royal Palace goes to great lengths to outfit their people.
Especially the summoners.
“The thing is, our Kingdom doesn’t produce many spears.”
“Damn Royal Palace lot. Chasing after appearances. As if there’s a more efficient weapon than the spear…….”
Jerik was only half right.
It’s true that spears are easy for beginners to wield and powerful, but in the Labyrinth Dungeon where environments vary wildly, they can sometimes become dead weight.
In cramped caves or maze-like passages, for instance.
I’ve struggled with that myself in caves before.
But setting that aside.
“That long spear is honestly serviceable up through the teens, but compared to your level, it’s become far too weak now.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Floor 10. The final floor of the Novice tier where the most crucial first Class is decided—it felt insufficient to enter unprepared.
I had to aim for a Perfect Clear.
‘Like floor 5, I could end up failing an unexpected quest I never saw coming.’
I had to account for the worst-case scenario.
Or rather, I could’ve called it a confirmed future rather than a worst case.
-If you complete the First Path the way you’ve been doing, its achievement will show you the next path, my boy.
Bartus’s words from floor 5 were still fresh in my mind.
Following his advice, I had completed a Perfect Clear on every single floor up through floor 9.
So naturally, I should expect a quest completely different from all the known information.
‘The heart of an adventurer’s skills is cultivation.’
Valgar Spirit Cultivation Method, Stage 1 (Advanced—Lv.10).
So I needed to find the next path.
‘If something unexpected happens, I’ll use Level-up Points.’
But it seemed best to try everything I could first.
Which meant I absolutely had to change weapons.
‘Preferably to Super Rare Grade.’
The highest tier of weapon my mana could handle.
‘I wish the spear had fit in the Goblin Basket.’
The desire to live by eating up the world makes idle thoughts creep in again and again.
“Do you happen to have any other connections…….”
“Oh, that’s right. If you wait a bit longer, the Auction House opens. Why not try entering the Dungeon Auction? It’s being held in Bartus this time.”
“……What?”
Dungeon Auction. My ears perked up at those words.
It’s been over four months since I sold that Special Training Ability Stone.
“You haven’t done that yet?”
“They say it happens once a year, right? It’s still a month away, but why don’t you wait until then? They usually have quite a few Super Rare Grade weapons, don’t they?”
“……Really?”
It was a tempting prospect.
“This works out.”
“Works out?”
“Yes. I’ve been wanting to actually train and evolve my spear technique and movement technique now.”
“Didn’t you say something like that before?”
“No, not this time. This time it’s for real!”
The feeling was certain, but if it didn’t work out this time either, I was prepared to spend Level-up Points to evolve it before entering floor 10.
Who knows what might happen on floor 10.
“……Well, fine then. If that’s the case, that’s a relief. So I’ll register you for the Auction House?”
“Yes. Thank you so much!”
As I answered while collecting my thoughts, Jerik nodded, then suddenly glanced around cautiously and drew closer, speaking in a low voice.
“Ah. And—there’s still no sign of that strange fellow following you around?”
He was referring to the Kim Hyun-sik incident.
“No. Fortunately, there hasn’t been anything so far…….”
I had been cautious even when entering floor 6, but since then there hadn’t been any suspicious movements.
Yet every time I came back from the Labyrinth, Jerik asked me this.
“……Hmm. The Royal Palace lot wouldn’t give up that easily, you’d think.”
“Maybe they decided there wasn’t much to it after all?”
“You? A Novice making more money than most intermediate adventurers? I doubt it.”
I gave a bitter smile at those words.
After all, I’d heard similar things from Ruda as well.
-I’ve done my best to conceal matters concerning you, but there’s still pressure coming from above.
-For now, since we’re maintaining a good relationship, there’s no sign of increased pressure, so you needn’t worry immediately……. But as for the future, I can’t say.
“……Well, I’ll do my best to be careful.”
They say the protruding stone gets struck down.
Even if that blow comes someday, I want to delay it as long as possible.
“In that regard, the Auction House should ideally be under your name too…….”
“Of course. Come now. Can a Novice even enter the Mid-tier Auction House?”
“……Ah.”
I hadn’t considered my own station.
“There are, um, rankings for that?”
“Yes. Lower-tier for below 30 floors, Mid-tier for the 30 to 60 floor range, Upper-tier for 60 floors and above. Simple enough?”
“I see.”
“Now that you’ve decided, stop worrying about it and focus on your training. Who knows? If you devote yourself sincerely to practice, the heavens might reward such earnestness even if you can’t achieve skill evolution—blessing you with a magnificent Artifact.”
Jerik said it in jest, but from that moment on, I threw myself into training with genuine resolve.
And before a single month had passed.
As if the heavens themselves were moved, both the Resonance Spear and the Bolante Movement Technique achieved evolution.
Merely three months after reaching the highest level.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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