“Roaaar!”
The Balrog covered its body. With its massive hands, it attempted to seize Taesan.
Taesan took a short breath and swung his sword.
The smooth movement of the sword’s tip passed the trajectory of the Balrog’s arms.
He struck the Balrog’s chest, which was now exposed.
Crack.
“Roaaar!”
The Balrog was slammed to the ground. It immediately got up and glared at Taesan. Taesan whistled.
“It’s quite tough.”
A surge of magic energy accumulated around the Balrog.
[The Sealed Balrog has activated a magic energy eruption.]
Magic energy swept around the monster like a storm. Taesan made some space between them and considered the situation.
‘Is it similar to the demon clan?’
The concept of magic energy was the same, but something was different. Compared to the magic energy that Jagan used, it was darker and deeper.
[You have activated Flow.]
As the explosive magic energy came into contact with Taesan, it distorted erratically and was deflected.
[You have activated Slow.]
“Roaaar!”
The Balrog’s movement slowed down. Taesan, holding his sword, charged in.
Fighting the Balrog was a very good opportunity for him. Once he descended deeper, he would encounter the Balrog again, so this served as a rehearsal.
Taesan did not quickly dispose of the Balrog but tried various attack methods.
Watching this, Hafran couldn’t help but feel awe.
“……Is this even possible?”
Taesan’s stats were similar to the Balrog’s. However, he was utterly dominating with skill, technique, and sense.
“Even if it’s lost its intelligence and is enraged, dominating a Balrog…”
[Didn't I say? He can do it.]
“No, but this is strange. What on earth…”
It wasn’t a great achievement if you objectively looked at Taesan as a 30th-floor adventurer. The Balrog had been sealed for a long time, and all of its intelligence and skills had not just decayed but disappeared.
Even an ordinary adventurer on the 30th floor could easily defeat the current Balrog. An enemy that attacked indiscriminately without intelligence was very easy for them.
But that was the case when they were 30th-floor adventurers.
“……The stats are similar? How? No matter how strong, it’s impossible to approach the gap in stats.”
Hafran, who was muttering this to himself, had only questions in his eyes.
Skills could be obtained with exceptional talent or effort. Proficiency was also the same.
But the story was different with stats.
These were values that could only be obtained by leveling up and confronting enemies. No matter how strong they were, there were absolutely no cases of gaining stats beyond their floor.
Although there were skills that specifically increased stats, they were very few, and their numbers were not large.
Yet, Taesan, who was on the 16th floor, had stats similar to a Balrog from the 30th floor.
[That's also surprising to me.]
If the person allowed it, you could see their system window. Since he was already a dead ghost, Taesan didn’t have any particular guard against sharing it.
[Where did he get those skills?]
All of Taesan’s skills were non-standard, but the stat-boosting skills were particularly special among them.
A skill that increased stats. On top of that, a skill that also granted other skills. It was indeed an impossible skill.
The ghost thought to himself.
‘…Is that a skill permitted to mortals?’
Rather, it felt something more high-dimensional.
Something alien. At least, it wasn’t a skill that could be obtained with the assistance of the labyrinth.
[Anyway, he's someone we haven't seen before. Moreover, you'll see. He'll be exactly the help you need.]
Taesan wasn’t simply winning against the Balrog but was trying numerous strategies and skills.
Even Hafran, who was seeing it for the first time, could tell. Taesan’s discerning eye was indeed extraordinary.
[With him, it might be possible to fulfill your hope of settling down here.]
Upon hearing these indifferent words, Hafran’s eyes widened.
Meanwhile, the Balrog was collapsing after exerting all its strength.
[Kang Taesan has won against the sealed Balrog.]
“Okay. I’ll allow it.”
As soon as Hafran, who had been blankly watching Taesan defeat the Balrog, approached, he said those words.
“So how do we do it?”
Taesan sheathed his sword and asked.
“My world. It’s about going to that ruined place.”
“Can we go to a ruined place?”
“My world perished in a slightly unique way. There’s a gem that can take us there.”
Hafran opened a portal and took out a dark-colored gem.
Beyond the rippling energy of the gem, a world was visible.
“I’m going to send you there with this. Once you’re there, just bring back the materials. It’s a ruined world, but there are still things left.”
Hafran looked at his workshop. It was a simple workshop with an anvil, a hammer, and a forge.
“It’s not bad here either, but there’s little I can make. It’s all just ordinary things.”
Taesan knew about that. The advantage of a blacksmith was the ability to make equipment for any desired part, not making superior equipment.
Even Lee Taeyeon only used the blacksmith until the mid-phase of her descent. She didn’t visit him much once she entered the depths.
“But if I have materials from my ruined world, which only a resident like me can handle, I can make stronger things.”
Passion burned in Hafran’s eyes. Taesan tilted his head.
“Is it possible at my level?”
“I don’t intend to send you to difficult places from the start. If you can capture a Balrog, it’s a perfectly feasible location. Do you have the courage?”
Taesan nodded.
“That’s all you need. Let’s start lightly.”
Hafran calmly opened his mouth.
“Go to my ruined world. Bring back the wild roots from the gray forest there.”
[Sub Quest Start] [Hafran has a request for you. Enter his ruined world and bring back wild roots from the gray forest. If successful, there will be a reward.] [Reward: Equipment made from the wild roots.]
“I’ll give you the map for the location. Once you arrive at the forest, you’ll understand how to get the wild roots.”
He had no intention of refusing the quest, so Taesan nodded.
As soon as he accepted the quest, Hafran mumbled something while holding the gem.
Keeing.
The space opened.
An ashy world showed itself.
“Go in.”
Before Taesan stepped in, he asked.
“It seems like you’re very selective about who you give quests to.”
“That’s right. Aside from the Hero and you, I haven’t given it to anyone. There were those who wanted it, but I refused them all.”
Hafran said sternly,
“I’m sending someone to my world because there’s something I want there. It is in the deepest part of my village. What I regret most about leaving my world is not taking that with me.”
A deep regret was seen in Hafran’s eyes.
“I don’t want to rake the soil of my world for a weakling who can’t even reach that place.”
It was an implicit acknowledgment for Taesan. Hafran stepped back.
“That’s all I have to tell you. Remember one thing.”
Hafran spoke to Taesan, who entered the passage the gem opened.
“The world will try to kill you.”
Suddenly, everything went dark. Taesan’s body began to move through the black space.
“What is this?”
[Space Transfer. Traveling as far as the stars take quite a bit of time. Just wait a bit, and you'll arrive.]
The ashy world on the other side was getting closer.
The ruined world. This was his first visit. Honestly, he was curious.
The ghost of the hero also said that his world was destroyed. Probably the same applied to the shopkeeper.
In a way, Earth was also a world on the brink of destruction. Their fate could also be the future of Earth.
Taesan was curious about how their destruction differed from Earth’s.
The ashy world was getting even closer.
Soon, Taesan’s body arrived in that world.
His first impression was that it was uncomfortable and sticky.
The first sensation was the inability to breathe. The moment he tried to breathe, a foreign substance similar to poison tried to enter his body.
[You have activated Breathless.]
He reflexively activated the skill. Taesan squeezed his hand into the void.
He felt nothing. If there was air, the movement of his hand would create something like wind, but literally, no phenomena occurred.
Taesan looked down at the ground. The withered, twisted land slowly turned into sand, trying to swallow Taesan. He rolled his foot to escape, but the new ground was no different.
The earth itself was trying to consume Taesan.
He looked up at the sky. There were no clouds. Over the hollow expanse, a grey hue was painted.
That grey hue had a palpable hostility, evident even to a child.
Taesan realized.
The star itself was trying to kill the living.
He exhaled. The weakly existing air inside him was escaping.
And he inhaled again. Something like poison invaded his throat and lungs.
‘… There’s a little bit of oxygen.’
A small amount of oxygen was included in this alien atmosphere. He took small breaths, exhaling and inhaling, gathering his breath.
[You take 2 damage.]
He could minimize the damage and breathe. If he didn’t have Breathless, it would have been impossible.
He was attacked just by breathing. A hollow laugh escaped him.
“Is there something I can save in a place like this?”
He had thought that the world was simply devastated, but it was not. The world itself held hostility and was trying to kill him.
[Because it's a place like this, there are also things that can be saved.]
Taesan exhaled and inhaled. During all this, the ground was shifting and trying to swallow Taesan.
Taesan spread out the map. The gray forest and Taesan’s current location were marked.
The distance was not far, but it wasn’t close either.
Taesan started moving.
[It's best if violent movements aren't visible. If you show more movements than necessary, this place will watch you. Even if you move slowly, you will eventually show movement… but at least you won't be crushed into a mountain.]
“That’s a harsh statement.”
Following the ghost’s advice, Taesan advanced at a normal walking pace. As he continued to breathe little by little, he was able to acquire a skill.
[You have endured in a terrible environment. You've gained the special passive skill [Poison Resistance].] [Breathless' proficiency has increased by 1%.] [Disease Resistance's proficiency has increased by 1%.]
As he moved a little further, another system window appeared.
[Block's proficiency has increased by 1%.]
Just by walking, his proficiency increased, and he gained new skills.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
However, it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t endure it, as Hafran said. His health was being slowly chipped away, but it was very minuscule. It was the speed at which his shield might wear out before he arrived.
Taesan kept going.
As time passed, the poison became more potent. The damage that came in every time he breathed was increasing.
Creak.
Rough marks appeared on his skin. The areas in contact with the air were slowly trying to wrinkle.
His skin peeled off, revealing the flesh beneath.
[You take 4 damage.]
Taesan grimaced and pressed on his skin.
[It's getting stronger in trying to expel foreign substances.]
“Hmm.”
While it was still bearable now, it would become increasingly difficult as time passed.
Hafran said he could return anytime if he wanted to. In that case, the quest would be considered a failure, but at least there was no risk of death.
Taesan, having made a decision, swung his hand.
Beep.
[You take 5 damage.]
His fingernail tore the end of his skin. Taesan continued to move his hand, creating wounds in various parts of his body.
[Eh… I sort of have an idea, but why are you doing this?]
“Resistance and tolerance are better gained when injured.”
Watching Taesan, who had stopped and was standing still, the ghost chuckled.
[I know that, but it's rare to see someone who actually does it. I wasn't surprised because I'm used to it now.]
Creak.
The wound that Taesan had made was torn open. Blood flowed out, and an unpleasant pain engulfed Taesan.
Taesan maintained his silence quietly and waited.
After a while, he was able to acquire a skill.
[You have acquired the special passive skill [Decay Resistance].] [You have acquired the special passive skill [Heatstroke Resistance].]
“So, two.”
[Special Passive Skill: Decay Resistance] [Proficiency: 1%] [Resistance to decay. It doesn't seem to mean much yet.] [Special Passive Skill: Heatstroke Resistance] [Proficiency: 1%] [Resistance to tearing wounds. It doesn't seem to mean much yet.]
Although the descriptions suggested they didn’t mean much, a skill was still a skill. After acquiring them, the pressure he felt earlier had lessened.
As he moved forward, he discovered a massive desert.
