Monopolizing Skills to the 666th Floor - Chapter 20

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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 020

20. Withered Branch

Survival-type missions are very simple.

You just need to endure monster attacks for 1 hour.

Whether you run away or hide.

That’s why most people would hope for fewer monsters to appear.

“Quite a lot are swarming over.”

I was different.

I genuinely rejoiced as I went to greet the black mud lumps.

I could see more than ten of them.

“I’ll feed you plenty again this time.”

Saying that, I looked at the tree branch I held like a weapon.

A lustrous sheen flowed across what should have been a withered surface.

“Uwooooh…”

Toward the Dark Muds approaching with gaping mouths.

Stab! Stab!

I pierced them with the tree branch.

Each time I did.

Slurrrrrp!

The tree branch sucked them in like a vacuum cleaner.

Before I knew it, I had devoured all ten.

It seemed to shine even more than before.

‘I’ve fed this thing easily 100 monsters by now… Just how much more do I need to feed it before it evolves?’

The Withered Branch had already evolved once.

Into the Lustrous Branch.

[Lustrous Branch (A)]

―Category: Consumable

―Effect: Restores the durability of equipment items.

―Usage Restriction: Apostles who have cleared the 1st Floor or higher

―Description: The first evolution version of the Withered Branch. When used, it fully restores the durability of all equipment items.

All equipment has durability.

When durability reaches 0, the item naturally gets destroyed.

‘But there aren’t many ways to repair durability.’

The Dimensional Shop does have disposable Repair Kits.

However, the price is absolutely vicious.

‘A single use costs a whopping 300,000 credits.’

That’s why this item is valuable.

For just 6,000 credits, it has the same performance as something worth 300,000 credits.

‘I would have liked to buy multiple branches, but…’

I didn’t have enough credits, so I could only buy one.

But I wasn’t too disappointed about it.

As far as I knew, evolution didn’t end with just once.

‘The description of the Lustrous Branch also says it. That it’s the first evolution version.’

That means there’s also a second one.

Sure enough, I could still absorb liquid-type monsters with the branch.

The hypothesis of a second evolution was becoming certain.

I didn’t know what it would evolve into though.

‘I’ll find out if I keep feeding it.’

The tree branch sparkled each time it absorbed Dark Mud.

However, I didn’t know how many I needed to feed it for the second evolution.

I had never experimented that far before.

Even before my regression, I didn’t have the opportunity to test it due to the scarcity of liquid-type monsters.

“Gwooooh…”

Slurrrrrp!

“Nwooooh…”

Slurrrrrp!

The Dark Muds disappeared as soon as they touched the magic wand.

It was definitely more convenient than hunting them.

‘How much more do I need to feed it?’

I fed it every single one that came, but no evolution message appeared.

It just kept sparkling brightly.

An hour passed like that.

[The time limit has passed and the mission has ended.]

[You have survived for 1 hour.]

[You have cleared Labyrinth Underground 26th Floor!]

[As a reward for clearing the 26th Floor normally, you receive ‘Very Weak Essence of Durability’.]

I obtained an essence as the normal clear reward.

And…

[You are a user who has utilized the Dimensional Shop.]

[Credits will be added to your normal clear reward.]

[1,000 credits have been awarded.]

The new normal clear reward this time, credits.

They’re given after using the Dimensional Shop.

This isn’t the end.

[You are the first to clear Labyrinth Underground 26th Floor!]

[As a reward for first clearing the 26th Floor, you receive ‘Extremely Weak Strength Elixir’.]

[The acquired item has been stored in your inventory.]

An elixir came out as the first clear reward.

[Extremely Weak Strength Elixir (F)]

―Classification: Consumable

―Effect: Strength +3 for 30 minutes

―Usage Restriction: Apostles who have conquered at least the 1st Floor

―Description: An elixir that temporarily enhances the body. Can only be used by Apostles who have conquered at least one floor of the Labyrinth. Multiple applications do not stack.

While elixirs permanently increase stats, elixirs temporarily boost them.

Of course, the trick of buying multiple elixirs to inflate your strength doesn’t work.

Since they don’t stack.

These kinds of elixirs are also sold in the Dimensional Shop.

For a whopping 6,000 credits.

‘It would be nice if I could sell items. Then I could buy one more Tree Branch, right?’

Unfortunately, the Dimensional Shop only allows purchases and has no selling function.

But something else is more disappointing than that.

‘Damn. Even after feeding it this much, it still can’t evolve.’

It’s not time to give up yet.

Since liquid-type monsters appear again on the 29th Floor.

[Would you like to descend to the next floor? Y/N]

[Selecting N will allow you to return to Earth.]

‘I’m going right now. To the next floor.’

My finger pressed the Y button.

“Phew.”

Joshua came out after struggling to complete the 15th Floor.

He opened his inventory to check his items.

“They said they appear starting from the 15th Floor… It was true.”

F-Grade Magic Stones.

Items that would help his father’s alternative energy business.

He had collected five through the 15th Floor mission.

And with great difficulty at that.

“Amon collected over 100 of these, right?”

He probably collected even more while conquering Floor 25 and beyond.

He had said he could distinguish monsters that possessed magic stones.

“How exactly does he distinguish them? No matter how I look, I can’t tell.”

Does he have some related skill?

He’d like to ask when they meet again.

Though he probably wouldn’t tell him.

“Let me check the strategy for the 16th Floor.”

He accessed Transcendence Net to review the strategy guide.

Now when he connects to Transcendence Net, he first switches to the South Korea board.

“The view count is incredible.”

The Floors 10-19 strategy post had already hit 1 million views.

The Floors 2-9 strategy post exceeded 1.5 million.

“The 16th Floor is a mission to collect 7 F-Grade Magic Stones.”

He checked which monsters to be careful of.

He’d rest a bit first before moving on to the 16th Floor.

Just then.

[Someone has conquered Labyrinth Underground 28th Floor!]

[Labyrinth Underground 29th Floor is now open.]

[10 days have been added to the Earth’s destruction countdown.]

[Time remaining until destruction: 305 days 23 hours 41 minutes 12 seconds]

Amon’s conquest message rang out.

Looking at the strategy post, comments were being posted in real-time.

└Praise Lord Amon!

└Lord Amon has once again given us life. Thank you!

└Damn, it’s Amon again?

└Great Amon.

└It’s only been a few days and he’s already on the 28th floor?

└While others are crawling around, he’s sprinting at full speed alone.

└Amazing, really.

The praise for Amon wasn’t much different on the American forums either.

【Amon. Is he a god?】

【He’s already survived over 300 days? Wow.】

【Is there anyone who’s conquered floors as fast as Amon?】

【I bet you can count on one hand the people who’ve cleared the 10th floor right now?】

【I don’t know who he is, but Amon is a benefactor to the entire world.】

Seeing the posts coming up in real-time, a smile formed on Joshua’s lips.

Only he knew Amon’s true identity.

‘Even I feel proud watching this.’

Could this be the feeling of Amon’s followers?

At this rate, maybe I should establish a religion or something.

‘Enough silly thoughts, let’s focus on conquering floors.’

Joshua entered the Sinkhole again to head to the 16th floor.

[You have entered Labyrinth Underground 29th Floor.]

《Type: Survival》

《Condition: Within 1 hour time limit》

《Mission: Survive against monsters.》

[You cannot exit until the mission is conquered.]

It was the same 1 hour, but things changed with each floor.

The types and difficulty of monsters.

‘This is the last time liquid-type monsters will appear.’

Strictly speaking, they appear after the 240th Floor, but only a few.

If I was going to feed them to the Tree Branch, this was my last chance.

‘I don’t know if it’ll evolve, but let’s try feeding it.’

The monster that appeared this time was Dark Mud Fingers.

A finger-shaped mud monster that attacks by stretching its fingers like whips.

As expected, physical attacks don’t work, making it a difficult opponent.

However.

Swoosh!

“I have the Tree Branch.”

I faced the finger monster holding the Tree Branch instead of a weapon.

Swooosh!

The fingers stretching out long.

But not a chance.

When I block with the Tree Branch like this.

Slurrrrrp!

I can absorb everything including the main body.

‘One monster instantly killed.’

Instantly absorbed the second one.

I continued absorbing them.

All the approaching liquid-type monsters were no match for me.

More precisely, no match for the Tree Branch.

“Graaaah!”

“Aaaaargh!”

The mud monsters disappearing as they became nutrients.

The more this happened, the brighter the Tree Branch’s light became.

Yet there was no substantial change.

[Time remaining until mission end: 38 minutes 56 seconds]

…

[Time remaining until mission end: 24 minutes 24 seconds]

…

[Time remaining until mission end: 10 minutes 35 seconds]

…

Even when only 10 minutes remained.

‘Wow… I’ve fed it at least 400 monsters.’

The Tree Branch still showed no change.

At this point, it might be more comfortable to give up.

“But I should feed it all the ones that come until the end.”

When they’re coming to become prey on their own, how could I just stand still?

Even with little time left, I absorbed everything into the branch until the very end.

Almost with a feeling of giving up.

But it seemed it was still too early to give up.

Faaaash!

Because right when I fed it the 500th monster, a change occurred.

[Item ‘Lustrous Branch’ evolves into ‘Transformation Branch’.]

[Transformation Branch (S)]

―Classification: Weapon

―Durability: Infinite

―Effect: Weapon Transformation, Liquid Monster Absorption

―Usage Restriction: Lee Tae Seong (Bound)

―Description: The final evolution of the Withered Branch that can transform into any weapon. A unique weapon that only one person can possess. It seems like it could also be used as material.

Did I see that correctly?

My eyes widened in surprise.

The description was that unbelievable.

‘It can transform into anything?’

Weapon Transformation.

There is one item like this, but it’s an SSS-grade item.

For something obtainable at this point in time, this could be called the best.

‘I could use this well for a while, then later use it as material to make ‘that thing’?’

Since it says it can be used as material, it’s possible.

‘Let me try it out as a test…’

I took the branch out of my inventory.

Perhaps because it transformed to fit the user, it felt perfectly comfortable in my hand.

When I pictured a weapon in my mind, the branch immediately began flowing and changing.

“Oh.”

It transformed into a long spear.

It had luster and durability incomparable to the worn-out spear.

‘Since the durability is infinite.’

The spear blade was also very sharp.

It looked like wood, but its sharpness was no less than steel blades.

I continued transforming the weapon in my hand.

‘The response speed isn’t bad either.’

Spear to sword, sword to dagger, dagger to bow.

It changed exactly as I thought.

And quickly too.

‘Various tactics will be possible.’

Above all, there’s the advantage of being able to cut down liquid monsters in one hit.

The problem is that they don’t appear much starting from the 29th floor.

‘It’ll be useful after the 240th Floor.’

Of course, it’s quite good even now.

I’m satisfied.

‘I won’t need the worn-out spear anymore.’

It’d be a waste to throw it away, so should I sell it?

Or give it to someone as a gift.

[You have cleared Labyrinth Underground 29th Floor for the first time!]

[As a reward for first clearing the 29th floor, ‘Very Weak Essence of Mana’ is granted.]

After receiving the stat reward, I returned to Earth.

Dawn while others were sleeping.

The first thing I did after returning was go home and shower.

“Ah, refreshing.”

Showering after conquering the Labyrinth is like showering after exercise.

It not only changes your mood but makes you feel like you’re resting.

‘I should contact Joshua. I’ve gathered quite a lot of magic stones.’

I also decided to call him to test the compatibility between Parasite and Skill Copy.

It’s lunchtime over there, so it should be fine to contact him now.

But he’s not answering even when I call.

‘Is he in the Labyrinth? I should send a text.’

After sending a text asking to meet, I went outside to satisfy my hunger.

I should eat some jjajang ramen at the convenience store.

Slurp!

Just as I entered the store and was eating deliciously.

[The Three Gods of All Things urge conversation.]

[Through the authority of Orcus, god of the Underworld, you may temporarily use the ‘Eternal Room’.]

[Will you enter the Eternal Room? Y/N]

A message came from the persistent Three Gods.

‘How tenacious.’

After eating everything down to the last bit.

Click.

I pressed Y.

‘Let’s see what this conversation brings.’

If things go well, there might be something to gain.

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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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