Episode 13: Labyrinth of Rivantos (7)

Clash!

Swords and axes.

Two weapons collided with great force.

Sparks flew, creating a dazzling display of fire.

“Grrrrr…!”

A deep groan emanated from the Minotaur’s mouth.

It wasn’t due to exhaustion.

Quite the opposite.

If they directly collided, he could have easily sliced the human and his dagger to pieces.

But at the moment the weapons touched each other:

Crack!

The adversary skillfully shifted his center of gravity and deflected the attack.

Parrying.

And it was exquisitely executed, rotten to perfection.

＊＊＊

“This can’t be happening.”

Park Hana’s mouth gaped wider and wider.

She had no doubt it would be a one-sided affair.

The boss-level monster had unleashed a skill above level 10.

Even if the whole Black Crow Guild had come, they would stand no chance.

That’s why she had only thought of fleeing at the first opportunity.

She couldn’t afford to die here.

But.

Jinhyuk was holding his own against the monster.

In fact, he was the one pushing forward.

Bang! Clash!

The paradox of a small blade overpowering a massive lump of metal.

The speed of the exchange was such that it was difficult to see with the naked eye, and her heart pounded.

“So humans can move like that…”

Park Hana gripped her fists without realizing it.

What’s more.

‘He’s smiling.’

In a situation where a single mistake could cost him his life.

Yet.

Jinhyuk was smiling as if he was having fun.

And at that moment.

Jinhyuk grabbed the Minotaur’s horn and spun his body around in a wide circle.

By the time he landed lightly on his head, the dagger had already disappeared from his hand.

Crunch!

The vertically poised dagger had dug into the roof of the Minotaur’s mouth.

“……!”

It couldn’t close its mouth.

The dagger acted as a brace, lodged firmly in place.

“The five minutes are up.”

Jinhyuk looked down at the Minotaur with a cold gaze.

Simultaneously.

Whoosh!

The materialized ‘Element of Fire’ was directed into the creature’s maw.

The crimson flesh beyond its throat was exposed.

No matter how tough the exterior, the insides were soft and vulnerable.

The flames blazed, burning through the esophagus to the innards.

“Kwoooh!”

A terrible scream echoed.

[Your inherent ability ‘Rage’ has ended its duration.]

[The Guardian of the Labyrinth is ‘stunned’ for 24 hours!]

The Minotaur froze in place, locked in position.

‘That should do it, a clean finish.’

Jinhyuk retrieved the dagger stuck in its mouth.

Activating the Rage was risky.

But it was worth the point he reaped solidly.

[Current Accumulated Stat Gap Points: 57]

A grand total of 57 points!

It was a figure that could close a 19-level gap when converted to levels.

‘Not much left to reach my target of 100 points.’

He had 20 days remaining.

At this pace, it was definitely doable.

Now, the remaining matter was…

Jinhyuk’s gaze flicked to the back.

There stood Park Hana, shivering uncontrollably.

Having clearly shown her might, she must have realized she stood no chance, even if the entire Black Crow Guild arrived.

Jinhyuk beckoned Park Hana with a flick of his finger.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

“Are you not coming?”

“Yes!”

Park Hana, a beat late in regaining her senses, sprinted over.

“Huff. Huff. Did you call… me?”

“I’m going to announce an internship position at Expert Company.”

“An, an internship?”

“You don’t seem too enthusiastic. Why? Not interested?”

If she’s not interested, well… surviving to see sunlight again would be difficult, wouldn’t it?

Jinhyuk twirled his dagger lightly, painting a bloodstained curve with its blade.

“I am! I’m interested! Please let me join! I’ve always wanted to join this company!”

Park Hana nodded her head vigorously, her hair in disarray.

Good. I like the attitude.

An enthusiastic applicant.

“Then, a question. Tell me what you could do for this company moving forward.”

Faced with the sudden question, Park Hana’s face went pale.

“I… I can…”

“I?”

“Affinity! Yes! My unique ability allows me to form bonds with others, to make friends rather than enemies.”

The ability to sympathize.

Certainly not a bad ability.

But he had already acquired it.

“And?”

“And… I will never betray you.”

Whether she likes it or not, it would have to be that way.

After the imprinting, even if she wanted to betray, she’d be unable to do so.

“Is that all? Don’t you have more?”

Jinhyuk took a step forward.

As he fondled the dagger with his fingertips.

“No. That’s… uh… Just a moment, please! I need time to think!”

Park Hana took a step back.

She had to come up with something useful.

Something that would impress the other party.

“I hereby declare the first Expert Company internship… with no successful candidate.”

Jinhyuk raised his dagger high.

That’s when…

“Behram’s Ring!”

Park Hana shouted sharply.

“…?”

Jinhyuk paused.

Behram’s ring? From the Black Crow Guild?

“Not yet, but I’ll acquire it soon.”

“It’s hard to believe, not that I distrust humans.”

Behram’s Ring was one of the best items one could acquire on the first floor.

Increased movement speed, magic resistance, and even the ability to suppress a monster’s magic.

Three useful options made it very appealing.

The problem was that securing that item was nearly impossible.

The key to the dungeon was available from the Korean starting point, whereas the dungeon containing Behram’s Ring was near the Chinese starting point.

At the very beginning when the Tower first appeared.

Unlikely for two competing nations to give up a candy they held, isn’t it?

Except through overwhelming force and theft, that is.

Park Hana bit her lip slightly.

“My brother said he’d… deal with the Chinese… by offering ‘Korean Ginseng’ in exchange for the ring.”

The food item ‘Korean Ginseng’, known for its exceptional health and magic recovery.

Hm, this could change things.

Thought to be connected only to Korea, Park Hana Jin had ties to China as well.

“Korean Ginseng is good, but it’s not something they’d give up Behram’s Ring for. Is there more to the deal?”

“I don’t fully know the contract details. Ah! Truly! I heard it from viewers…”

[Lv1 ‘Eye of Truth’ Activates!]

[Park Hana is telling the ‘truth’.]

It seemed she wasn’t lying or scheming.

Things just got interesting.

Maybe he’d not only get Behram’s Ring but Korean Ginseng as well.

Jinhyuk’s mind swiftly weighed various possibilities.

One thing bothered him.

‘Will this mean I’ll have to be in opposition to them again?’

China, as much as Korea, had many veterans.

In fact, China’s Great Guild ‘Zhonghua’ was one of the world’s largest guilds.

‘I should assume they have already created a guild and established order.’

He’d expected it would take at least a month.

Real life had far more variables than the game, so a month seemed reasonable.

But they accelerated that process to an extreme.

Peaceful consensus?

No, that’s not plausible.

They must have been forced into it by strong leadership and charisma.

And he had a good idea of who was at the pinnacle.

‘…Namgung Chun.’

Born to a martial arts family, a genius educated as a prodigy.

A ranker who had hoarded all sorts of secrets and potions in [Trial of the Tower].

Yes, it had to be him.

That’s when Park Hana interrupted Jinhyuk’s thoughts.

“Um…”

Ah. First things first.

Park Hana was anxiously awaiting her internship result.

“Congratulations.”

Jinhyuk smiled broadly.

“You’ve just been accepted as an intern at Expert Company! Applause!”

“……”

The sudden change of attitude left Park Hana with a dumbfounded expression.

“Intern. Applause.”

Jinhyuk muttered.

An intern should clap when their boss asks for applause.

“Waaaaaaaah!”

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Park Hana clapped fervently, as if applauding a seal act.

While it felt like she was bowing and scraping, it didn’t matter.

She had done so much of it while being a BJ, it was practically routine.

“Cough—!”

Jinhyuk cleared his throat and continued.

“Now, our company doesn’t pay interns a salary. You’ll have to cover your own living expenses with a part-time job or something. And most importantly, whenever I call, no matter the time – 3 AM or if you’re in Jeju Island – you must come running. Not my problem, so remember that.”

Being late or absent without notice, naturally, meant dismissal.

And from here, dismissal meant leaving without your soul.

“……Got it.”

Park Hana lowered her head in resignation and then added,

“Do we need to sign a contract or something?”

“Of course, we do.”

There needed to be evidence of the contract.

But it was a bit different from your average contract.

Whooooom!

Jinhyuk activated a new skill acquired through fusion.

His index finger glowed a brilliant blue.

“Is that a contract…sign?”

“Yes. Were you expecting some paper signature? That’s for outside the Tower.”

Here, things worked differently.

Something more certain and fiery was more Jinhyuk’s style.

He pressed his glowing index finger to Park Hana’s right shoulder.

[Imprinting Park Hana with Lv1 ‘Branding of the Soul’!]

Sizzle!

Park Hana cringed, though she didn’t scream.

It didn’t really hurt.

It would, though, if she tried to betray and the pain would be unimaginable.

＊＊＊

Time passed quickly.

His routine was simple: improving the ‘Gap’ stat through battles with the Minotaur and otherwise resting.

Although it was monotonous like running on a hamster wheel, Jinhyuk never felt bored.

‘I’m getting stronger.’

Every day, without fail, he could feel his growth.

There was no time for boredom or restlessness.

Clash!

The Minotaur’s fist aimed for Jinhyuk’s face, but it never reached its target.

A few centimeters from his face, that’s where Jinhyuk caught it.

“Why do you seem weaker every time?”

Taunting was just an extra.

“Kaaaaaah!”

The Minotaur’s muscles inflated rapidly, but nothing changed.

The gap in stats had not just narrowed but reversed.

Thwack! Thump!

Instead, Jinhyuk’s fist struck true, bending the Minotaur like the shape ‘ケ.’

“Cough! Choke!”

Foaming at the mouth, the Minotaur was knocked unconscious in less than five minutes.

‘I’ve probably done this well over 100 times now.’

A month of constant battling made even the Minotaur’s face seem familiar.

Its unconscious state no longer surprising, it had turned into routine.

‘I could probably live like this for a year, not just a month…’

As he thought this, Park Hana approached with food.

Ah…

He retracted his earlier thoughts.

This food… it never grew on him.

Spicy kimchi stew.

Crispy fried chicken with ice-chilled beer.

Sizzling grilled pork belly with soju.

And the mint chocolate ice cream that felt like brushing your teeth from Baskin-Robbins!

He craved for those things.

Desperately.

“……Let’s go. Outside.”

Jinhyuk gritted his teeth.

The end was near.

＊＊＊

[Your Gap stat has increased by 0.015 points.]

In an instant, Jinhyuk launched a spinning kick following his dodge.

Clash!

The Minotaur’s neck twisted nearly 90 degrees.

He stopped even communicating with the beast.

As soon as it acquired the stat, it fell unconscious.

And finally.

[Current Gap Stat: 100]

100 Stat…

He’d reached the optimal point of return for the time invested.

A rush of something he had been holding back welled up from within him.

At the same time.

“Look, I see the light!”

The end of the labyrinth began to emerge.

He had finally arrived at the conclusion of his long and arduous journey.