Monopolizing Skills to the 666th Floor - Chapter 1
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Skill Devouring to the 666th Floor Episode 001
1. Screw Sacrifice
Looking back, it was truly a pathetic life.
Being bullied during school or getting money extorted by thugs—I could let that slide.
I was weak back then.
Getting chewed out at the factory—I could let that slide too.
I didn’t know anything back then.
Being ignored by friends too.
Foolishly giving away items to colleagues, making sacrifices.
I could endure and overlook it all.
But….
‘After finally making it to the final floor, dying this pathetically is a bit much, isn’t it?’
Currently, there’s a black spear piercing through my chest.
It’s the Spear of Death thrown by Amon, the God of Destruction.
‘They said I’d be strong enough to kill him… As expected, taking him on with a tank’s body was too much.’
I trusted the Three Gods’ words and reached the 666th Floor, the deepest floor of the Labyrinth.
But when I actually fought him, I was nothing.
A complete dog’s death.
The colleagues I gave items to have all gone to the afterlife.
The protection skills the Three Gods gave me also became useless.
‘Damn it. Why did the Three Gods hand out these crappy sacrifice skills? You need party members to protect anyone!’
I came this far following the Three Gods’ instructions.
I was fooled by their sweet words about sponsoring good skills and even switched to being a tank.
I did everything they asked.
Because I wanted to prevent Earth’s destruction.
But this is the result.
Following the orders of clueless gods was wrong from the start.
‘Raising other people and giving away items was pointless. They all died before even reaching the 666th Floor.’
If I’d known this would happen, I should have stayed as a dealer instead of becoming a tank.
Watching those dealers attack was so frustrating.
‘At least I cut off one arm.’
Not that I’m particularly happy about it.
That bastard Amon regenerated his arm instantly.
‘Fuck, I chose the wrong path from the beginning. I shouldn’t have listened to the Three Gods….’
The massive demonic figure looks down at me.
[A mere human reaching the deepest floor and cutting off my arm. How amusing. It was quite entertaining for a brief diversion.]
Amusing?
A brief diversion?
All my colleagues are dead and I suffered for 18 years to get here, and that’s all the evaluation I get?
Crack.
I clenched my teeth and straightened my bent knees.
[Oh. Even with a hole in your chest, you still have the strength to stand.]
“I’ve got enough strength left to take your head.”
[Indeed, did you become this strong by receiving the Three Gods’ sponsorship? But you haven’t reached the realm of a demigod. The result would have been different if you’d received my sponsorship.]
“Shut up and stick out your neck. I’ll cut it clean for you.”
[A human without the strength to stand has good guts. I acknowledge that.]
Amon raised his finger.
Dozens of black spears appeared around me.
‘Damn it. I don’t even have the mana to dodge.’
I’m about to become a skewer.
[The entertainment is over, human.]
Soon dozens of spears pierced through my entire body.
The moment my consciousness grew faint.
[The core awakens through an unknown power.]
[1% until core completion….]
I vaguely saw a message.
[In the end, it failed.]
I opened my eyes to a voice that rang through my mind.
[See, I told you. We should have chosen a different human.]
[Would the result have been different? Defeating the God of Destruction with a human body was impossible from the start.]
The God of Time, the God of the Underworld, the God of Balance.
Three gods are chattering in front of me.
[Ah, you’re awake?]
“Why am I here? Wasn’t my soul supposed to be taken when I died to that bastard?”
[Just before your death, I used Orcus’s power to spirit your soul away.]
At Kairos, the god of time’s words, I looked at Orcus.
‘Was that core or whatever message that popped up this guy’s doing?’
[Be grateful, human. Thanks to me, you were at least able to save your soul.]
The god of the underworld called Orcus acts like he did me a favor.
Yeah, I’m so grateful I could cry.
[If you had died from Amon’s Spear of Death, your soul would have been trapped and tormented forever.]
Harmonion, the god of balance, chimes in from the side.
‘Damn it. Those Three Gods bastards.’
The Three Gods made me strong and helped me reach the Deepest Floor of the Labyrinth, but I have no good feelings toward them.
This is the result of them pushing me from behind with wrong orders, forcing sacrifice and concessions.
‘They just chose me as a tool, nothing more.’
Originally, gods don’t care about human lives at all.
They only think of us as chess pieces.
‘I just hope they don’t use me again…’
Unfortunately, it seems I’m destined to keep working like a slave.
If they intended to let me go, would they have bothered saving me in the first place?
[Since it’s come to this, we’ll have to try the final method.]
[Kairos. Are you really going to use that method?]
[It seems that’s our only option.]
Look at that. They’re scheming something again.
[Tae Seong. Let me ask you one thing.]
“What is it?”
[If you recovered your strength and fought again, could you defeat Amon?]
I shook my head.
“Are you kidding? I barely managed to cut off one arm. Aren’t you expecting too much after only giving me Sacrifice Skills?”
[Then, what if you regressed with your current knowledge? Would there be a possibility?]
Regression?
You mean turning back time while retaining memories?
“That was… possible?”
[If we Three Gods combine our power, we can turn back time.]
“Then why didn’t you do it earlier? Why did you leave me alone until I suffered like hell?”
[As I said, it’s the final method. We planned to implement it if you failed.]
[If you hadn’t reached Amon, you wouldn’t have had a chance at a new life, human. Be grateful.]
So… if I had been a human with no potential, they would have just disposed of me?
Now they see potential, so they want to use me one more time.
As if reading my displeased expression, Orcus, the god of the underworld, starts ranting again.
[Hey. Do you know how difficult it is to spirit away a soul for time regression? You should know this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, tsk!]
[Regression goes against balance, but since Amon already broke the world’s balance first, we have no choice for now.]
[Tae Seong. Can you do it?]
They’re asking me to repeat 18 years of hellish suffering again.
The same result will come anyway… wait, maybe it could be different?
“…If I regress, could I become stronger than I am now?”
[Of course. The power of information is stronger than you think. Although we won’t remember you, you just need to become strong enough to catch our attention.]
[Human. Can you do it? This time you must properly gather companions and form a perfect raid party.]
[Since you’re repeating the same time, you’ll meet us again. There won’t be any setbacks in your growth, so don’t worry. You can do it, right?]
After much consideration, I nodded.
“Fine, I’ll give it a try. It’s not like there’s any other option.”
[Good answer, Tae Seong. Then, we’ll proceed with the time regression procedure.]
[Ah shit, having to pour all our strength into regressing one human.]
[Stop complaining and let’s begin.]
Light began flowing from the bodies of the Three Gods as they spoke.
The green aura of the god of time.
The gray aura of the god of the underworld.
The yellow aura of the god of balance.
The three auras merged into one.
[Tae Seong. Please take care of Amon.]
“Don’t worry. This time I’ll form a perfect raid party and take care of him.”
[That’s reassuring to hear.]
[If you sacrifice yourself a little, you can save the world.]
[Don’t worry even if we can’t remember. We’re on your side.]
The merged light enveloped me.
[Please gather stronger companions than before and complete the task.]
When my darkened vision returned, I was in a different place.
‘This place… an alley?’
It’s dark, but I remember.
This is the alley where the Labyrinth appeared.
‘I really came back?’
I straightened my knees, stood up, and moved my hands and feet.
They moved perfectly according to my will.
‘I have a body too. I’ve returned to before the Labyrinth appeared.’
I don’t know the exact time.
But I’m certain that I’ve regressed.
I can tell because I can’t feel any of the mana I had accumulated all this time.
‘Hehehe, I really came back to the past?’
Those stupid Three Gods bastards.
The smile won’t leave my lips.
‘What? Gather stronger companions than before and complete the task?’
Why should I do that?
Why should I take the lead and sacrifice myself for others?
‘This time I won’t just believe the Three Gods’ words and give everything to others. I mean it.’
I’ve lived my whole life watching others’ reactions.
I was bullied and beaten up.
But even then, I never properly spoke up.
Because I was used to it.
Because staying quiet was more comfortable than fighting back.
‘What a pathetic life that was.’
Now things will be different.
I won’t just move according to the Three Gods’ commands.
‘I’ll take what I need and discard what I don’t.’
I’ve been used as the Three Gods’ chess piece all this time, but now it’s my turn to use them.
Because I’m the master of my own life.
‘I won’t live like a pushover anymore. Screw sacrifice. Whether it’s rewards or items, I’ll monopolize everything.’
Just as I’m making this resolution, I hear shouting from beside me.
“Hey, you bastard! Who told you to get up? Get on your knees right now!”
I turn my head to see a tattooed man approaching with thuggish movements.
He looks like a total delinquent…
‘Wait. These guys are… the ones who extorted money from me that day!’
Right. I remember one of my arms got fractured back then.
Seeing their faces, I’m certain.
I’ve returned to that day.
“This bastard’s grinning like an idiot? You need another beating to come to your sen… Gyaaah!”
I caught the wrist flying toward my cheek and twisted it.
A bit harder.
Crack!
“Aaaaah! Uaaaaaaah!”
“That, that bastard!”
The thugs charge at me shouting about loyalty.
I welcomed them warmly with my fists.
Thwack! Smack!
“Guh!”
“Kuek!”
It didn’t even take 5 seconds to take down all three of them.
“Hey. I’m going to ask you one question. Answer me properly.”
Vigorous nodding.
“What’s today’s date?”
“J… January 30th…”
“What year?”
“2037….”
Ah.
So it really is that day?
The regression point is spot on.
“What time is it right now?”
“11:58….”
Midnight is coming soon.
“Then it’ll start soon.”
“What will….”
I silently stepped back.
Then watched from a distance.
With my arms crossed.
“It’s about time….”
“What… huh?”
Rumble rumble rumble.
The ground shakes.
Just when I thought it might be an earthquake.
Flash!
The world turned red.
Super Blue Blood Moon.
Today, when the moon, larger than usual, is stained blood red.
‘Disaster begins across the entire world.’
In that moment.
Crash!
“Ugh, uaaaaaahhh―”
The ground where the thugs stood completely collapsed, burying them all.
It was the moment when a sinkhole called the Labyrinth was born.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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