Conquering the Labyrinth with a Trash-Tier Trait - Chapter 52

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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 52
“You’re going to enter the Labyrinth right now? It’s only been three days since you got back?”
“Well, if I stick around much longer, things are only going to get noisier, right?”
As I glanced toward the Martial Arts Hall’s wall while speaking, Jerik let out a wry smile.
He would know well enough about the people lingering outside.
“Yesterday’s incident seems to have spread as rumor, but rumors fade soon enough anyway.”
“I suppose. Though it’s also the truth, isn’t it?”
A man who’d only just obtained his 1st Class had turned down proposals from the Royal Palace, the three major guilds, and the Merchant Guild all at once.
Those people loitering about were there to catch a glimpse of the “madman” from the rumor.
“The 9th District has plenty of ordinary folk who admire adventurers, so they’d find it curious.”
“Yes. That’s why I’m trying to disappear quickly.”
Rumors bred rumors, and if I lingered, it seemed like only stranger stories would grow.
More than that, though.
“There are some people who concern me.”
“People who concern you?”
Since yesterday evening, there had been those skulking about the area.
Not mere sightseers—people with a clear purpose.
‘Their numbers have grown.’
The ones I’d encountered at dawn after experimenting with the innate ability stone implanted in Bul Cheol-woo.
I had a rough idea of their intentions too.
“Are they the cheap sort?”
“Well, I can handle them at my level, so you don’t need to worry about it, sir.”
“…Hmm. Is that so? Still, if something seems like it might become a problem, tell me right away.”
“Ha. I’m a proper adventurer now—I should be able to handle my own problems.”
“Don’t get cocky just because you’re 1st Class. You’re already drawing quite a bit of attention as it is. That ‘Clone’ business, for instance.”
As he spoke those last words, Jerik lowered his voice slightly and cast a discreet glance around.
Even though we were alone in the Martial Arts Hall.
That Clone—Ella—seemed to have been a shock to him as well.
“About that… There’s still no one you suspect, sir?”
“No one.”
Jerik answered immediately, but yesterday I’d seen his eyes flicker at the same question.
It seemed he had some suspicion, but didn’t want to say it aloud.
I didn’t press further.
If he was like that, he’d have his reasons.
“I haven’t seen anything like it since, so you don’t need to worry.”
“…Right. That’s a relief, then. But if you happen to encounter something similar again—”
“I’ll avoid it and be careful. Fifth time, sir.”
“…All right.”
If he had no suspicions, he wouldn’t be saying it like that.
But I wasn’t particularly worried.
When that Clone, Ella, had first appeared, I’d seen the word “Curiosity” vanish from my information window the moment she showed herself.
Of course, given that she’d left behind words pregnant with meaning, I expected we’d meet again someday, but I didn’t think it would be anytime soon.
If the text in the additional information window had been corrupted, she was at least three tiers above me.
And if Jerik was saying it like this—
‘At least 6th Class or higher.’
There was no point in worrying about such a monster right now anyway.
“Ah. There might be some commotion on the way out, but you don’t need to mind it.”
“Are you planning to cause trouble?”
“No. I’m planning to prevent it.”
Jerik gave me a look of disbelief at my words, but I was serious.
* * *
Doran, a mid-tier rogue adventurer of 2nd Class, was by no stretch a man of quality.
Ever since hitting a “wall” at the twentieth floor and abandoning hopes of advancement, he’d lived by taking on whatever work seemed profitable.
He’d certainly handled plenty of unsavory Black Market requests in addition to legitimate ones, which made this current job utterly absurd.
“It was ridiculous enough that the request was just to target a 1st Class, but it turned out they wanted five of us on the job?”
At his bewildered words, Luther—a man whose face bore deep scars from before—let out a snort of laughter.
“Well, what’s it matter? The payment’s decent, and they just said to rough him up a little. You’re not actually gonna turn it down, are you?”
“Only an idiot would.”
“Right?”
At that, the others chuckled and chimed in their agreement.
“The client didn’t even reveal their identity. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
“1st Class or not, they’re Unaffiliated. Sure, there are weird rumors, but…….”
“Weird rumors?”
Doran pressed the question, and Luther let out a quiet laugh.
“Supposedly they landed a surprise blow on a 3rd Class adventurer.”
“What?”
The unease that had been gnawing at Doran only deepened.
“It’s not just hearsay. The Royal Palace and the Armis Guild both apparently made recruitment offers. But it seems he turned them down.”
This came from Jackson, a face Doran recognized from the Black Market—someone who took jobs just as often as Luther did.
“Then he’s not someone to underestimate.”
“1st Class is still 1st Class.”
“Yeah. I mean, landing a surprise hit on a 3rd Class? There’s no one here who couldn’t do that.”
All of them were 2nd Class hitmen with plenty of real combat experience.
Yet Doran felt uneasy all the same.
“But they hired all five of us. And for an easy job, too—just rough him up a little.”
“Probably some rich noble with a bruised ego. Who knows what that bastard did to upset them.”
A few low chuckles rippled through the group.
That was certainly the most common reason for jobs like this.
And then—
“I tailed him yesterday, checked him out. Nothing special. Though he did buy some decent gear.”
Jackson’s remark made everyone’s eyes light up.
“A 1st Class Unaffiliated with good equipment?”
“Must have a knack for making money. Supposedly he bought a spear and armor—Rare grade—at the Labyrinth auction.”
“Rare?”
“Think we could take his gear?”
“Come to think of it, nobody said we couldn’t.”
Luther’s casual remark kindled the greed in the others’ eyes.
Doran’s lingering doubts were swiftly buried under the weight of that same desire.
“All right. What do you need me to do?”
“What else would you want from a Thief class?”
“Swipe that spear of his and bolt toward the Outer Ruins. We’ll follow.”
“Got it.”
Unsavory work.
None of them wanted to be recognized on the Main Street.
“Perfect.”
“Just in case, Luther will keep watch and Jackson will back you up. Should be enough?”
“More than enough.”
Only then did Doran shake off his misgivings and smile.
No one noticed the transparent wind spirit hovering in the corner of a nearby alley, listening to every word.
* * *
‘So it really was her.’
The plan these thugs—hardly deserving the name hitmen—had concocted was simple, and their motive even simpler.
If this was Cha Hye-ryeon’s commission, there was only one thing she’d do afterward.
‘No point in playing along with such an obvious setup.’
The most fun was always turning the tables on whoever started the trouble.
That’s why he’d walked slowly down the Main Street toward the Labyrinth.
Easy prey for them to approach.
Just as expected, before long the men dispersed and began closing in from all directions.
The one with the scar across his face walked straight toward him from the left, then suddenly shouldered him hard.
Thud.
“Ow! Damn, watch where you’re looking?”
This was the bait?
Fine, then.
“Wow. You’re really trying to start something?”
He let out a loud voice for everyone nearby to hear.
“What?”
Crack!
“……!”
He drove a full-power Knee Kick straight up into the man’s groin, lifting him a full thirty centimeters off the ground.
The thug couldn’t even scream—just his eyes rolling back.
And in that instant.
“You bastard!”
The gang approaching from the right widened their eyes and surged forward, drawing a dagger from their waist and slashing it down.
Whether instinct or calculation, they were genuinely fast.
But if you’ve already braced yourself, there’s nothing difficult about it.
“Drawing weapons!?”
Crack.
The moment I shouted, I drew my spear and thrust it forward, and the thief’s hand that had been creeping toward my back swept through empty air.
The one wielding the dagger twisted his body to dodge the spear, but—
Rip.
The World Tree Spear tore open his flank in a long, ragged line, spraying blood in chunks.
With the Shattering Spear Effect, strips of flesh tore away along with his armor.
“Ugh!? Damn it! Everyone move!”
As he staggered back clutching his side, the thief behind him immediately thrust his dagger at my throat, and—
Two more thieves, hanging back to assess their chances, suddenly charged diagonally from either side of me, brandishing long blades.
Simple attacks, but fast.
‘Tch.’
Crack.
Whoosh.
I drew in Wind Transformation and shifted, then surged forward.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
The one directly in front hesitated, dagger still cocked for a delayed swing.
“Missed me!”
Tap.
I taunted him as I wheeled quickly toward his wounded flank and seized his back.
Before he could spin around, his face contorted—
Thud.
“Ugh!?”
I kicked his flank and sent him flying into the thieves attacking from behind.
In the moment the forced allies hesitated, blades in each other’s way—
I smothered the thief who’d been creeping after my spear in Fire Transformation, seized the left one’s ankle with Earth Transformation, and sprayed bloody mist into the right one’s eyes with Water Transformation.
Whoosh, crack, splash.
Whoosh.
Crack.
Thud.
“Ugh!?”
“Argh!?”
Just as I was about to finish the one with the burst flank—
“Hmph!”
His teeth gritted, and then he accelerated to a speed nearly matching my own, dodged the spear, and slashed with his dagger.
‘What!?’
Caught off guard, I withdrew the spear and stepped back—
Boom.
“Ugh!?”
An explosion erupted from his flank, and he collapsed where he stood.
At the same moment, vitality surged through my body and my mana replenished.
‘Huh?’
Before I could process what was happening, my body moved on instinct, thrusting the spear out.
Beyond the fallen one, toward the remaining three, who flinched at this unexpected turn.
Fortunately, the other three weren’t any faster than the one whose flank had burst.
Moreover, they seemed hesitant, watching each other’s movements.
‘A ragtag mob.’
No wonder they were easy to handle.
“Ugh!”
“Tch!”
“Gasp!”
A spear far too large and sharp to call a simple needle—I drove it clean through each of their thighs, one by one.
Meanwhile, the shallow cuts along their necks, arms, and thighs were all the damage they’d managed to inflict on me.
By contrast—
“This is insane……!”
“Kill him!”
“Haaagh!”
As they came at me again, their voices raw with desperation.
Pop-pop-pop-boom!
Sacred Spores erupted outward, shredding their bodies further while replenishing my own strength.
It restored what I’d spent.
With that done, there was no reason left to keep swinging the spear.
“Stop!!”
Cha Hye-ryeon burst forward.
I’d been watching her emerge from her hiding spot over a hundred meters away through Spirit’s Sight.
The funny part was how different her expression looked now compared to when she’d first set up—her whole demeanor shifted the moment she cried out.
Especially the trembling around her eyes as she shouted with such fierce momentum.
“Ko Cheol-woo. What kind of rampage is this in the middle of Main Street?”
Knowing she’d been lurking there, knowing exactly when she’d jump out, I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
‘If she had any brains, she wouldn’t actually think she could spin some warm friendship story between us.’
She was probably trying to saddle me with a debt, then drag me by force into the Royal Palace’s orbit.
Just as Lee Jin-seong had said—utterly juvenile.
“I doubt that was the opening line you’d rehearsed?”
The twitch at the corner of Cha Hye-ryeon’s mouth was only visible to me.
“Stop spouting nonsense!”
“Nonsense? What do you—”
“A man who leaves this kind of carnage in the middle of Main Street. As an adventurer affiliated with the Royal Palace, I’ll hold you accountable for your crimes!”
Before I could even respond to her ridiculous declaration, Cha Hye-ryeon swung her whip.
Crack!
Whoosh!
I dodged the moment she moved, yet by the narrowest margin the whip left a deep, jagged scar across the ground before vanishing.
“Didn’t the Royal Palace ask you to scout me?”
Crack!
Snap!
“Ridiculous! Those who commit crimes receive punishment, nothing more!”
“Ah. So you’re changing your story just like that?”
Whoooosh!
As I evaded the barrage of attacks, something sinister flickered across Cha Hye-ryeon’s eyes.
‘Damn, the air itself feels electric.’
A dangerous move seemed imminent.
But it didn’t matter.
“Keep attacking and I’ll end these people instead.”
I already had my spear pressed against the throats of the fallen attackers.
‘Let’s save this fight for later, you bitch.’
Whether she sensed my intent or not, Cha Hye-ryeon stared at me with cold fury.
“So you really are reckless. Looking to get yourself put on a wanted list?”
“Wanted list? These bastards attacked me first—everyone here saw it. You there, ma’am, you saw it, right? Mustache man, you saw it?”
As I pointed out people in the crowd one by one, they unconsciously nodded in agreement.
And in that instant, Cha Hye-ryeon’s flimsy justification crumbled.
“…So these men were assailants?”
That actress deserved an award.
“Right. So if you interrogate them, you’ll get answers. Why did they do this? Who sent them?”
Her expression still didn’t shift.
‘Placed the request anonymously, then.’
But then.
“These men won’t talk once you squeeze them—not the client, not the broker.”
The moment I emphasized those specific words, her composure finally wavered.
That was when.
“If it’s a Black Market Request, they won’t break easily!”
“The moment they do, the retaliation is worse than any legal punishment!”
Voices erupted from within the crowd.
As if they’d timed it perfectly, delivering information to me like clockwork.
‘Who the hell…?’
Different voices, same purpose.
And so I answered them back the same way.
“If they won’t come quietly, I’ll just have to make it difficult for them.”
“What nonsense is that?”
Cha Hye-ryeon stepped in instead, her expression hardening as she cut him off.
“Well, I happen to have some expertise in Butchering. If I start peeling the skin from their fingertips…….”
He’d meant it only to intimidate the fallen men, but the faces of everyone around him darkened at once.

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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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