Monopolizing Skills to the 666th Floor - Chapter 79
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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 079
79. Labyrinth Underground 90th Floor
Pi Hyeok Jin was a predator.
He realized this fact when he was attending elementary school.
When he broke a classmate’s nose bone and received no punishment whatsoever.
When he looked at his friends who cowered before him after that incident.
He understood.
That having power meant others couldn’t treat you carelessly.
That the world was on the side of the strong.
This principle held true even when he entered middle school and high school.
The more violent he became, the more his classmates shrank back.
They had neither the strength nor the courage to fight back.
That’s why they were easy to use as errand boys.
Especially someone like Lee Tae Seong.
‘He was such a pushover back then…’
Now he was completely different.
His provocative words and confidence, and those cold eyes he showed during the torture.
‘It’s almost like he’s become a different person…’
Even now that he was gone, thinking about that situation gave him chills.
The pain from being tortured lingered like an afterimage.
Though in reality, he was clean without a single scar.
‘He definitely broke my arm and stabbed me all over…’
Yet he was perfectly fine as if nothing had happened.
It felt almost like a dream.
‘To think he has such a fraudulent recovery skill…’
A recovery skill that healed perfectly without leaving any scars?
It was something that would turn the medical community upside down.
But that wasn’t the only surprising thing.
‘His telekinesis skill was completely fraudulent too.’
He couldn’t move his body even a fraction.
He couldn’t even speak, only letting out groans of pain.
‘At minimum SS-rank, maybe even more powerful than that.’
To be sponsored with two such skills.
‘Just what kind of Transcendent Spirit is it?’
Whatever it was, that bastard had hit the jackpot.
With such fraudulent skills, conquering would be easy too.
From now on, it would be an era where only outstanding Apostles received proper treatment.
“Ugh.”
As he got up from his seat, he had the illusion that he could still feel the pain.
Even though he wasn’t injured anywhere, he moved his arms and legs awkwardly.
‘Damn errand boy bastard, to think he received better skills than me.’
If only he had good skills too, he wouldn’t have been treated like this.
He could have made that guy kneel at his feet.
With such petty feelings, he carefully opened the door.
‘He’s definitely gone, right? He’s not hiding somewhere, is he?’
Thinking of that guy’s eyes still gave him chills.
Honestly… he was scared.
That expression when he was cutting him up with those emotionless, cold eyes…
‘I thought I was going to die, for real.’
It was terrifying.
When his friend Kang Woo Jin disappeared without leaving even ashes, he even wet himself a little.
He had resigned himself to dying horribly soon too.
‘But he let me live?’
He just let him go, telling him to live virtuously from now on.
It was an unexpected, incomprehensible development.
‘Whatever the case, it’s fortunate, damn it…’
At least he had managed to keep his life.
Now with the thought that he should live diligently, he left the delivery service office.
He should get on his motorcycle and run away first.
‘As far as possible. Somewhere that bastard can’t find me.’
Absolutely, never again, did he want to meet such a monster.
Vrooooom!
Pi Hyeok Jin, who had been a local resident, started his motorcycle while trembling.
Unaware that the Magical Parasite in his head was watching.
[Damn regressor.]
[Huh? What did you just say, Kairos?]
[…Nothing.]
Harmonion tilted his head.
He was sure Kairos had just cursed the regressor…
‘Or not?’
He wasn’t certain.
It was muttered so quietly that he couldn’t hear it clearly.
More importantly, wasn’t he someone worth cursing?
Maybe if it were Orcus here.
[Ugh… Damn! The regressor made another request.]
[For what?]
[The Eternal Room. Looks like he’s trying to demand something from us again.]
[…]
[…]
At those words, all Three Gods’ faces hardened as if by agreement.
Having already been extorted for Terra once.
They were anxious about being extorted again.
[What should we do? Just ignore it?]
[No. Let’s tell him to come in for now. If we refuse for no reason, he might hold it against us later, right?]
[Ah! That’s true too.]
[Got it, then…]
Shortly after, Orcus opened the room with his Divine Authority, and Lee Tae Seong entered.
“Hello, Three Gods.”
[Yes, Tae Seong. What business brings you here today?]
Kairos’s tone was slightly sharp.
But Lee Tae Seong looked completely unbothered.
“Today’s business is with Orcus.”
[Huh? Me?]
“Yes. You gave me the Chains of the Underworld before, right?”
[Yeah, so?]
“I’d like to exchange it for a different item.”
Exchange the item?
“Of course, I haven’t used it yet, so the exchange conditions are met.”
[Well, I can exchange it for you… but for what?]
Lee Tae Seong smiled and named the item.
It was the same SSS-grade, but Orcus was surprised.
He didn’t expect him to know about that item.
[But… why do you need that?]
“I have a use for it. A very useful one.”
The grinning regressor’s face somehow looked menacing.
Before entering the Sinkhole, I sent Joshua a text message.
[Lee Tae Seong: An E-Grade Magic Stone came out. Would you like to take it and test it?]
The reply came back quickly.
[Joshua: Oh! Sounds good. I’ll come get it right away!]
Even though it must be difficult to go back and forth from the United States, he readily agreed to come.
He’s probably thinking about Korean food again.
‘Joshua goes crazy for pork belly.’
Well then, should I quickly clear this before Joshua arrives?
‘Before that… I need to check the rewards first.’
I took out the rewards I had postponed from my Inventory.
First, the Random Lucky Pouch.
[Using Random Lucky Pouch (E).]
[40,000 Credits obtained. Congratulations!]
‘Credits, nice.’
Last time it was 20,000 Credits, but being E-grade definitely gives better rewards.
Should I try the Weapon Selection Ticket now?
[Using Weapon Selection Ticket (E).]
[Please choose one of the following weapons.]
└ 1. Enhanced Steel Longsword
└ 2. Sharp Dagger
└ 3. Balanced Spear
‘Which would be better?’
Honestly, these were weapons I didn’t need.
What use would E-rank weapons be when I had S-rank weapons?
‘I should choose a weapon that suits Joshua.’
I selected option 1, the steel longsword.
To give to Joshua when he comes.
He said he’d come from the other side of Earth to get a sample, so I should at least give him a gift.
Finally, I used the Random Skill Book.
[Using Random Skill Book(E).]
[You obtained the skill ‘Swift Steps(E)’. Congratulations!]
A decent skill came out.
▷Swift Steps(E)
―Effect: Movement speed increases by 10%.
Just looking at the description, some might be disappointed that it only increases movement speed…
‘But 10% isn’t a small number.’
In track and field where shortening even 1 second could achieve a world record, this was a skill that couldn’t be ignored.
I could feel the difference immediately when I moved around briefly.
‘That’s enough checking rewards, now let’s go.’
After hiding my appearance with Balance Gap, I entered the Sinkhole.
[You have entered Labyrinth Underground 90th Floor.]
I entered safely without drawing the Safety Officer’s attention.
The mission?
《Type: Collection》
《Condition: Within 5 hours time limit》
《Mission: Collect 5 Crystal Herbs.》
[You cannot exit until you clear the mission.]
Like the 10th Floor, this was a herb collection mission.
Collection was possible without hunting, but I set out to find monsters.
‘I need to set a record.’
Wandering around looking for Crystal Herbs would take too long.
Like Flame Flowers, they were scattered one by one in various places.
‘But there’s a way to find them all at once.’
They didn’t grow on monsters’ backs like the Fire Turtle I caught before.
However, they were in places that were generally hard to find.
Namely, underwater.
‘Not many people would go underwater to search for them.’
That’s probably why the information wasn’t known even years after Regression.
‘I don’t know the exact location. But…’
If I searched every pond in the area, it wouldn’t be hard to find them.
They looked like ordinary grass, but underwater they shone brightly like crystals – that was Crystal Herb.
There weren’t that many ponds either.
‘Let’s start by going in there.’
I folded my wings and dove vertically into a medium-sized pond.
Splash!
Even with Regression, knowing the exact location of ponds was impossible.
However.
‘Found it.’
Luckily, I was able to immediately find a pond where Crystal Herbs were gathered.
‘Exactly five roots.’
The problem was the monster guarding the Crystal Herbs – Crystal Naga.
‘I need to deal with that guy to take them.’
Fighting a monster underwater where movement is restricted?
Not an easy task.
Both strength and agility would be halved due to underwater resistance.
But it’s not like there was no method at all.
‘If I just lure it out of the water, there’s no problem.’
As I approached the creature to lure it out.
“Shiihaaaaak―”
It only threatens but doesn’t leave its position.
Its will to protect the Crystal Herb seems firm.
‘Then I’ll have to make it come out.’
First, I surfaced above the water.
Flap!
I spread my Wings.
Stopping at an appropriate height, I focused on the water below.
Then I felt the Crystal Naga’s mana.
‘The key is to sense its mana and pinpoint its exact location.’
Only then can I accurately target and pull it out.
With the King’s Authority Skill.
“Absolute Command, 『Summon』”
I used the Summon function, one of the three commands.
Swoooosh!
Something burst out from underwater.
The being suddenly summoned was the Crystal Naga.
As soon as the panicked creature emerged above the surface.
Thwack!
I struck its head with my transformed Axe.
It went down in one hit.
‘With this, the obstacle is gone.’
Splash!
I went back into the water and pulled out all the Crystal Herbs.
[Crystal Herb Collection 5/5]
[You have cleared Labyrinth Underground 90th Floor!]
[‘Random Orb Fragment 1/4’ is awarded as the 90th Floor normal clear reward.]
[42,900 Credits (+9,900) are awarded.]
[Booster applied floors: 5/10 floors]
‘Oh! Random Orb Fragment.’
With this, all the fragments are collected.
I should be able to draw one Random Orb.
[‘Slightly Weak Essence of Resistance’ is awarded as the 90th Floor first clear reward.]
The first clear gave me stats.
[90th Floor clear time: 21 minutes 11 seconds]
[You have cleared in the shortest time!]
[An Achievement is unlocked as the record clear reward.]
Of course I set a record.
[Achievement ‘Breath of Water (E)’ has been unlocked.]
[If a new record is set within 10 days, you must return the Achievement.]
[If no new record holder appears, you will permanently acquire the Achievement effect.]
▶Breath of Water (E)
―Acquisition path: Labyrinth Underground 90th Floor
―Effect: You can breathe underwater.
―Time remaining until permanent acquisition: 9 days 23 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds
I also obtained a fairly decent Achievement effect.
[Would you like to proceed to the Next Floor? Y/N]
I pressed Y without hesitation.
‘Going straight there.’
To the 93rd Floor, the floor with the Hidden Piece.
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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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