Chapter 140: The 2nd Trial (1)
[You have passed the 1st Trial, ‘Cave of Senses’.]
Vision flashed along with the system ssage.
The familiar scenery of the hall stuck in my eyes.
Simultaneously, the pain that filled my whole body drained out like the tide.
The pain gnawing at my nerves subsided, and my depleted stamina filled up in an instant.
It was the basic healing service provided upon finishing a trial and returning to the hall.
“Phew…….”
My body recovered gradually.
If there was one thing that bothered .
'Does it not remove the sll?'
A disgusting stench pierced my nose.
Green sli, indistinguishable between digestive fluid or saliva, was entangled on my clothes and skin.
It had dripped onto my head when I was inside the Jade Silkworm’s stomach.
Anyway, a clear is a clear.
The trap of the 1st Trial was simple yet vicious.
The traps that continued from room 1 to 4 were all fakes.
The truth is revealed at the end.
All the sections I passed through were actually inside the stomach of a giant larva phantasmal beast, the Jade Silkworm.
The creature swallows its prey and creates a maze inside its body.
Inside, it slowly gnaws away at the target's senses, and the mont all senses are cut off, it digests the helpless prey.
The strategy is to reverse-utilize that point.
At the final stage, attacking recklessly at the timing when the creature feels safe and secretes digestive fluid.
[It is not easy to pierce through the hidden truth amidst the fear of disappearing senses]
White Deer’s voice rang inside my head.
[To think you noticed it admirably. It was quite impressive]
‘That’s because I saw the Ga Over window countless tis.’
No matter how perfectly I morized the path, the result was death.
No matter how much I recovered HP or raised defense, I just ended up dying mysteriously at the end while walking inside a black screen.
When the ‘Tower of Transcendence’ content first opened, no one could pass the 1st Trial for a while.
Everyone just repeated the mysterious death equally.
Until soone accidentally found the answer and posted it on the community.
[(Guide) Cleared Tower of Transcendence 1st Floor GZ]
[Just spamd skills ceaselessly in the last room and it cleared. But I broke my keyboard too fuck…….]
A user got so pissed off that he repeatedly slamd his keyboard, but a skill activated.
Through that, he hit the inner wall of the Jade Silkworm and cleared it.
‘Seeing that, everyone cursed the developers as crazy bastards. Throwing rat-dropping-sized clues and playing pranks.’
I was also one of them.
How many curses did I spit out watching my character die while staring at a black screen?
But thanks to that spicy mory, I passed the trial safely now, so the wild goose chase was sowhat useful.
‘Still, it was better when I saw it in the ga.’
Passing through the trap corridor and all…… doing with my body what I used to do with a click was quite a torture.
Just as I was imrsed in mories for a mont, a system window appeared in front of .
[Distributing the reward for clearing the 1st Trial.]
[Physical abilities evolve by one stage.]
[Strength, Stamina, Agility, Dexterity
2]
After a brief delay, new ssages popped up consecutively.
[Acquiring additional stats. (Will
1, Dexterity
1)]
[Acquiring 30,000 SP.]
[Acquiring ‘Random Lesser Relic Exchange Ticket’.]
Stats and SP, and finally a bronze ticket emitting a soft light.
[Ryu Jinwoo]
[Strength: 19, Stamina: 21, Agility: 20, Dexterity: 16, Will: 11, Durability: 11, Magic Power: 0]
As befitting an introductory floor, the 1st floor improves basic physical stats.
For reference, to temporarily raise Strength by 2 by converting Pain, I have to experience the pain of being beaten by dozens of people.
For Agility 2, I have to endure the pain of being shocked by a taser for quite a while.
‘Beyond that…… Phew.’
SP and stats are always precious.
It’s the way small numbers accumulate and raise one's rank step by step.
Plus the relic exchange ticket in my hand.
‘I should use this all at once before leaving.’
Although lesser, it is still a relic.
Even if it’s an item that’s vague for
to use, it will fetch quite a price.
If I utilize MacGuffin’s Blind Auction, I can sell it off for a hefty price without trouble.
I an, I prepared everything before entering the tower.
The settlent of the first trial ended.
What remains is to obtain bigger rewards.
“Is the second trial possible right away?”
[Are you not taking a rest?]
“You healed
as soon as I returned. That’s enough. I’m going right away.”
[Whether it is recklessness or spirit, I do not know]
White Deer recited lowly as if clicking her tongue.
Soon, the ice panel in the center of the hall vibrated with a humming sound.
[If you desire the challenge, I shall not stop you]
Once again, a massive door appeared, and ssages followed in the air.
[Opening the 2nd Trial.]
[2nd Trial, Burnt Offering of Gluttony]
[Goal: Fill the altar's burnt offering. Corpses of summoned beasts are required.]
[※Warning: As the altar fills, stronger trials will approach.]
[Do you wish to challenge? Y/N]
Of course, challenge.
I opened the door without hesitation.
[The 2nd Trial begins.]
This ti, a spacious area welcod .
High ceiling and a large circular room.
In the center, an altar with strange patterns drawn on it stood all alone.
There are no other passages; this zone where I stand is everything.
This was the test site for the second trial.
The mission is simple. Hunt summoned beasts and offer them as sacrifices.
The altar in the center is a kind of absorption device.
Every ti a summoned beast is caught, it gets sucked into there, and the trial clears when the conditions are t.
‘Let’s start for now.’
A phantasmal beast was approaching
while lying flat on the ground.
A large toad about the size of a small dog was puffing up its cheeks.
It was a Poison Toad, a lesser phantasmal beast commonly seen in the lower floors of the tower.
In itself, it is not a very strong entity.
Because it corresponds to a basic trash mob in this tower.
SQUELCH-!
When I drew my sword and drove it into the creature, it trembled and then slumped, its life ending.
Soon, its skin tore, and the sticky green liquid that filled its insides burst out.
I imdiately threw my body to the side.
SIZZLE-!
The liquid spewed by the creature scattered on the surrounding floor, raising acrid smoke.
Dangerous acidic venom filled inside; that is the reason one cannot let their guard down when hunting Poison Toads.
Sothing remained alone in the spot where the venom was rampant.
It was the corpse of the toad, shriveled like a deflated balloon.
‘Disgusting.’
I tapped the Poison Toad’s corpse with the tip of my scabbard.
Along with a texture like tough rubber, a quite heavy weight was transmitted.
‘It’s heavier than I thought. It might be a bit tight.’
All body fluids of a Poison Toad are composed of venom.
And the mont it is hunted by a predator, it bursts the venom it has accumulated and condensed throughout its life all at once.
A strategy to protect itself by turning its own body into a biochemical bomb.
Therefore, when it dies and spews out all the liquid, virtually only the skin remains.
Then, the corpse of the Poison Toad lying on the floor slowly scattered.
It decomposed into powder and rose into the air.
‘It started.’
Like iron filings attracted to a magnet, the pulverized corpse flew all at once toward the altar placed in the center.
It touched the altar and was sucked inside.
Soon, a faint light filled the pattern engraved on the altar.
In other words, there is no need to carry the corpses one by one to offer them.
That structure absorbs the corpses scattered in the room on its own.
So to speak, it’s an automatic burnt offering system.
RUMBLE-!
As the altar emitted light, the entire room shook.
[The 2nd Trial has begun.]
[Complete the Burnt Offering of Gluttony. - 0/100]
“Does catching one guy not count? That’s too much, really.”
No discount, no affection.
I said it aloud on purpose for White Deer to hear.
No, affection aside, shouldn't it fill up by 1 in principle?
“Work processing is a ss.”
As I muttered while shaking my head.
[Focus on the trial instead of acting rashly]
White Deer’s uncomfortable voice rang out.
[Complete the Burnt Offering of Gluttony. - 1/100]
Quietly, 1 filled up.
It seed reasonable objections were accepted to so extent.
Soon, the full-scale wave of summoned beasts opened.
Dark energy swirled in the air, and they revealed themselves from all directions.
CROAK-!
Disgusting Poison Toads crawling on the floor with unpleasant cries.
As soon as the group of Poison Toads discovered , they puffed up under their chins, revealing aggression.
SWISH-!
The one closest leaped up like a spring.
Reflexively, I extended my sword and pierced the creature.
CROAK-!
Along with its death throes, the creature's poison sac burst.
“Ugh.”
I hurriedly threw my body and rolled on the floor.
Dark green liquid poured down like water scooped by a bucket on the spot where I was standing just now.
The stone floor lted with a SIZZLE sound.
‘It’s dangerous if they stick close, as expected.’
The combat power of the Poison Toad itself is nothing special.
But most of these guys possess toxicity or acidity.
Spraying body fluids while dying was virtually no different from a suicide attack.
To close-combatants, they are like rat poison.
One wrong sword swing and getting covered in acidic liquid on the face ans suffering fatal damage.
‘Let’s take it out slowly.’
That’s why I prepared it.
I sheathed my sword and extended my hand into the empty air.
[Low-Cost Randoseru]
Before I knew it, a bag that only children would wear was grasped in my hand.
Familiar commands were given by thought.
‘Daggers, 5.’
As soon as the thought ended, daggers popped out from the side pocket of the randoseru, settled in my hand, and aligned in my bosom.
Clumsy throwing daggers with dull edges.
Cheap items that cost only a few tens of thousands of won even when bought in bulk.
This was enough.
Approaching Poison Toads tightening the encirclent; confronting them, I thinly coated the daggers with Pain.
SWISH-!
The dagger cut through the air cheerfully.
I can’t say I threw it well.
I threw it anyway.
The handle part of the sword tapped the Poison Toad’s skin and bounced off.
Truly a ssy throwing skill.
If Instructor Hojin, who mainly handles daggers, saw this scene, he would have narrowed his brow.
Saying I would need to do a lot of training.
But that won't happen.
[‘Curse’ is activated.]
SIZZLE-!
The reaction ca imdiately.
As the curse activated, the creature burst from the inside.
I already figured it out while destroying scarecrows in the training ground.
That this much is enough for sothing like a Poison Toad.
SWISH-! POP!
I threw one more.
Another Poison Toad next to it also burst just like that upon getting hit by the dagger.
This ti, dark purple liquid scattered everywhere.
A terrible sll arose.
It was fortunate I wasn't close.
I used all 5 daggers in my hand and bosom.
[6/100]
The burnt offering count reached 6.
After sniping one Poison Toad far away and bursting it, the count is 7.
‘Now shall I get ready.’
I stopped throwing and examined the situation.
There was one thing to note.
[※Warning: As the altar fills, stronger trials will approach.]
This warning ssage that popped up before entering the 2nd Trial.
As the altar count fills, stronger trials approach.
Stronger trials, this was literal.
As burnt offerings are made by catching summoned beasts, the summoned beasts that appear beco powerful.
Actually, up to stage 10, there is no big problem.
Until then, only Poison Toads appear continuously.
Then, the mont the count reaches 10, the aspect of the trial changes.
Because as the altar fills, it desires stronger sacrifices.
From Poison Toads to Weasels, from Weasels to Monster Monkeys.
Later, it is a structure where upper-rank summoned beasts like Black Bears appear.
If it were a normal ga walkthrough, one would have to engage in a bloody battle against increasingly stronger summoned beasts.
For a 2nd trial, the difficulty is quite tough.
‘Well, it was content made for veterans to play in the first place.’
But here, there is one walkthrough thod that even the developers didn't anticipate.
An exploit impossible in a ga but rather possible now that it is reality.
WHIZZ-!
I threw a dagger while narrowing the distance moderately and burst one Poison Toad.
Acidic liquid scattered, and a shriveled toad corpse remained alone in the middle.
Before the creature's body scattered into powder and flew to the altar.
DASH!
I ran with full power and snatched the toad corpse.
As soon as the sticky sensation was transmitted to my hand, I shoved it straight into the bag slung on my shoulder.
The mouth of the randoseru opened wide and swallowed the large lump of corpse.
The effective weight of the item [Low-Cost Randoseru] is about 300kg. As long as the size fits the opening, anything could be stored. That’s why I could bring dozens of daggers as they were.
The Poison Toad corpse was naturally no problem either.
Imdiately, a shriveled toad icon was created in the randoseru's inventory window.
It ant the target was being stored well.
I held my breath and looked at the altar.
‘Reaction?’
Nothing happened.
The altar’s light was calm.
The count was still stopped at 7.
It was natural.
Because inside the randoseru is a subspace isolated from reality.
From the perspective of the altar, which sucks in only corpses existing in this room, it can't do anything about a corpse that has already entered another space.
In other words, I hunted the Poison Toad, but the altar’s system failed to notice that fact.
‘Success.’
I smiled in delight.
‘Daggers, 2.’
The randoseru spat out daggers.
Then, I put the newly created Poison Toad corpse into the bag.
Burst, pick up, and put in. I repeated the actions like a machine.
In the process, liquid on the corpse got on my left palm and caused a burn, but it was sowhat okay.
This level of pain is nothing special anymore.
In the anti, the burnt offering count didn't rise by even 1.
The Weasels, which are the very next stage, were nowhere to be seen, and only Poison Toads continued to spawn.
If they had been burnt offered and offered as they were, it would be the point where powerful phantasmal beasts should pop out, but only the weakest Poison Toads were continuously regenerating.
It was the mont a Hell-difficulty trial beca a playground at a kindergartener level.
A level perfectly fitting for this children's bag hanging on my back.
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