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Their limbs might become paralyzed.They could lose their sight—or their sense of taste.If they were unlucky, they might even lose permanent organ function.
The Tower's penalties were severe.
"W-What just happened…"
Park Hana stammered.
Cold sweat rolled down her cheek.
Until now, she had believed every step of her plan had been going perfectly.But clearly, that wasn't the case.
Just how much did he know?
Did this mean he had figured out every card she held?
"You… just what are you?"
"What would you do if you knew?"
"T-that! Because nothing makes sense! It's like—"
Her mind was being read.
'He acts like someone who has experienced everything.'
Park Hana swallowed the rest of her sentence.If she voiced it, her entire worldview would shatter.
And Jin-hyuk?
He had no intention of explaining anything.
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you."
Even if he told her his old username in the Tower.Even if he described everything he had been through, no one would remember.
He was someone who had walked the longest road—the last player in a world long abandoned.
Then…
[Condition met]
[You have successfully copied the unique ability 'Communion (C)'!]
[Saving the copied skill in 'Memory of the World'.]
[CommunionAcquisition Difficulty: CGives affinity toward other living beings—even on first meeting.Effect decreases at low levels.]
The blue status window faded.
'Good. Finally got it.'
Jin-hyuk nodded, satisfied.
A growth-type unique ability.It was only Rank C now, but it had room to grow.
B… A… even beyond.
But that wasn't why he wanted it.
He didn't need Communion to "get along" with people.
'The real reason is special.'
'The reason I reached the Tower's final floor.'
It wasn't just "copying" abilities.
He could fuse the skills he stole—creating entirely new ones.
"I call upon the power of 'Memory of the World.'"
Jin-hyuk muttered softly.
Two abilities were recorded:
'Element of Fire'and'Communion.'
Woong!
Flame sprouted from his left hand.
Woong!
Golden light bloomed in his right.
When Communion fused with a fire-attribute ability, its effects nearly doubled.
'Not bad.'
More than not bad—excellent.
With a fused version, he could soften his presence…or, if needed, create a Stigma.
A brand carved into the soul—forcing absolute obedience from the mentally broken.
Psss!
His hands met.
A bright light burst forth.
[Fusion successful!]
[You have acquired the skill 'Stigma of the Soul (A)'!]
[Stigma of the SoulAcquisition Difficulty: AEngraves a stigma on the target.The stigmatized must obey the caster.Any attempt to harm the caster induces unbearable pain.]
A cursed flame capable of branding the soul.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
His heart thumped.
This exhilaration always hit him when he gained a new skill.
'Right. That's it.'
This joy—this madness—was why he chose the Fusion ability.
Other players had one ability.
He could use all of them.
'This is only the beginning.'
To climb the Tower, he needed hundreds more.
"…Hm?"
Then he felt it.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The familiar vibration of the labyrinth shaking.
"Roar!"
The roar of a beast he knew well.
'Right… you're still here.'
He had grown so used to it he almost forgot.
The Minotaur—the labyrinth's true resident.
"A-again? That monster is coming!"
Park Hana backed away, trembling.
To her, the Minotaur was a walking calamity.
She had to run—now.
But where?
Jin-hyuk was the only one who knew the way out.
Yet instead of helping, he simply smiled into the air.
'Why the hell are you smiling!?'
She wanted to scream, but escaping came first.
"You'll lose if you go fight it! Just tell me where to run!"
Until now, Jin-hyuk had given the party directions before every fight, allowing them to avoid danger.
Why? Unknown.
Maybe he hated interference.
But whatever the reason, she needed it again.
Unfortunately…
"Why do I have to tell you?"
He shrugged casually.
"Because… until now…"
"Until now, I needed something from you. So I protected you."
But not anymore.
He had copied her skill.Her usefulness was gone.
Whether she wandered until she starved or died in a trap…He no longer cared.
"Y-You'll abandon me? Here?"
"Don't act pitiful. It was always 'you die or I die' between us."
Anyone could see they had only been watching for a chance to kill each other first.
Park Hana's face twisted.
"W-Wait! You'll regret this! If my Oppa finds out—!"
"Oppa…"
She hadn't mentioned that until now.
The implied threat of retaliation from the Black Crow Guild, where Park Hajin belonged.
Srng!
Jin-hyuk drew his dagger.
Shhhh…
Magic flowed into the blade, making Park Hana's heart drop.
"You're so funny."
He had avoided fighting head-on until now—but only to raise his Rift stat.
From an outsider's view, it must've looked like he was always running.
But now—
"Watch carefully from there. Tell me—should you fear your stupid guild, or me?"
"What…?"
Her eyes widened, but Jin-hyuk had already moved.
Tak!
In an instant, he appeared above the charging Minotaur.
From above—straight down.
His dagger struck the giant bull's skull.
KWAANG!
"Ack!"
A scream echoed.
The relic's protection didn't block pain.
And a +10 enhanced dagger?
That was more than enough to flip the Minotaur.
'Worth raising Rift this far.'
At first, the Minotaur was terrifying—fast, wide attack range, overwhelming strength.
He could only last 20 minutes against it.
But now?
After ten days of combat, experience, and stat gains—
Everything had changed.
Woong!
Jin-hyuk tilted his head, dodging the ax by a hair.
At the same time…
[Lv1 'Element of Fire' activated.]
Three streaks of flame shot forward.
Pupupung!
Explosions echoed, the air filled with burning flesh.
A clean hit.
"Goooo!"
The Minotaur staggered.
Jin-hyuk's eyes narrowed.
'I should keep pushing.'
He couldn't kill it.
So…
He'd recreate the same situation.
Kakaka!
He slashed the joints of its ankles and knees.
Weak points.
"Kwaaaaa!"
It swung wildly, but Jin-hyuk never met its strength.He retrieved the dagger and moved back.
Woong!
The ax sliced empty air again.
"Don't rush. When muscle grows, the meat turns tough."
Didn't it know fattier beef tasted better?
"Gooooo! Goooo!"
The Minotaur raged.
One hit would kill him—
But finding that one chance was nearly impossible.
Seeing the bull panting with fury, Jin-hyuk smirked.
'Let's provoke it a bit more.'
As expected—
The Minotaur snapped.
[The Guardian of the Labyrinth activates Lv10 'Berserker'.]
[For 5 minutes, attack speed, power, and movement increase by 30%.]
[Intellect temporarily increases.]
[It can now speak.]
Clench! Clench!
Its muscles swelled, veins protruding, eyes glowing crimson.
It grew nearly three times its size.The once-massive ax now looked small in its hands.
"H-How could you beat that…?"
Park Hana collapsed.
This was impossible.He couldn't win.
Tingle.
Jin-hyuk felt intense magic pressure.
Well…
It was a monster meant for the 5th floor and above.
A Level 1 had no business beating it.
Even a hundred Level 1s wouldn't.
The Minotaur roared:
"Human! I will tear you apart and scatter your flesh at the labyrinth's entrance! I will ensure fools like you never invade my realm again!"
Clank!
Magic flared outward, burning the very air.
But…
"Not bad. My magic management feels better than before. Still, wouldn't land attribute be more efficient than fire for you?"
Jin-hyuk was enjoying this pressure.
If it didn't hit him, it didn't matter.
And Jin-hyuk had the skill to avoid everything.
"That isn't confidence, Human. It is arrogance and ignorance."
Arrogance?Ignorance?
Was this bull trying to lecture him like an Australian cattle farmer?
"Well. From my perspective, you are the arrogant one."
"Huh? Why do you think that?"
"Berserker. You can't use it freely, can you?"
The bull froze for a moment.
After Berserker ended, the Minotaur would be unable to move for 24 hours.
That was why it hadn't used it until now.
"…You know more than I expected."
The Minotaur's expression twitched.
But only for a second.
"But what good is that? Do you think you can escape me in five minutes?"
Five minutes was plenty.
Especially when Jin-hyuk wasn't planning to run.
"Who said anything about running?"
Flames surged along his dagger.
The edge shimmered with burning light.
At the end—
Wheik!
Jin-hyuk released his magic.