8. Fragment of the Imugi's Inner Core(2)
CRACKLE!
In an instant, countless energies gathered inside his body.
'Hrgh!'
Every poison and malevolent thought the Imugi had gathered began to have a negative effect on Lee Jin-hyeok.
[*Warning! You have ingested a large quantity of poison! You have been afflicted with <Status Ailment: Poison>. Your life force decreases gradually.]
[*Warning! Unknown malevolent thoughts attack you! You have been afflicted with <Status Ailment: Curse>. All stats are reduced!]
[By the effect of the skill <Indomitable Star>, you are freed from all status ailments.]
But every negative element the <Fragment of the Imugi's Inner Core> held failed to work on Lee Jin-hyeok.
Instead.
[Your Mana stat permanently rises by 3.]
[Your Mana stat permanently rises by 1.]
[Your Mana stat permanently rises by 2.]
Only his Mana stat kept climbing like this.
[Constellation <Eternal Flame> dislikes your recklessness!]
[Constellation <Fire That Killed the Mother God> understands you.]
The Constellations did not know that poison and status ailments had no effect on Lee Jin-hyeok.
So they could only watch, either on edge or fascinated.
[Constellation <King of Muspell> likes your recklessness.]
[Constellation <Dawn King of Zhonghua> is pleased with your challenging spirit.]
Hoo.
Lee Jin-hyeok, the player who had taken the Constellations' worry and expectation on himself all at once.
After some amount of time had passed, he was able to come fully back to his senses.
'That's killing me.'
He was immune to status ailments, but the pain still came through exactly as it was.
'Keep this up and my mind might not hold out.'
[You have ingested the item <Fragment of the Imugi's Inner Core>!]
[The item <Fragment of the Imugi's Inner Core> settles inside your body.]
[The item <Fragment of the Imugi's Inner Core> is in an incompletely absorbed state. (1/4)]
[You will permanently be under the <Poison> status ailment.]
{Item}
<Fragment of the Imugi's Inner Core>
Grade: Heroic(???)
Category: Miscellaneous Item
▶An object holding the poison and mana an Imugi gathered. It is in a contaminated state due to the demonic energy and malevolent thoughts within.
▶Your Mana stat rises by half your level. (Currently: [Mana +12])
*You will always be under the <Poison> status ailment.
'Always under the <Poison> status ailment, is it.'
Swish.
'Well, to me, with <Indomitable Star>, that's someone else's problem.'
For any other player it would have been a tremendous penalty, but for Lee Jin-hyeok it might as well not exist.
And having his Mana stat increase in proportion to his level was an enormous advantage.
It meant his mana would rise simply by leveling up, with no special mind method or technique.
'The Mana stat matters.'
Mana, the power used by every being bound to the Tower.
The importance of this power could not be overstated no matter how many times one tried.
The source of skills, magic, and every transcendent power.
Even the fact that they had held out at all against <Pure Radiance> came down fundamentally to players using mana.
'In terms of pure physical strength, we couldn't beat an animal, let alone a monster.'
Thump. Thump.
Slosh. Slosh.
Feeling the <Fragment of the Imugi's Inner Core> sloshing around near where his liver sat, Lee Jin-hyeok started walking.
'It would be a shame to call this the end.'
Grin.
'There are three more fragments with the same power.'
His plan from here was simple.
Finish the Floor 2 trial.
Then go to Floor 2 and obtain the remaining three <Fragments of the Imugi's Inner Core>.
'Get all of them.'
Tight grip.
'and I can obtain the Imugi's power.'
And that was not all.
The Imugi's power was also connected to the next Sacred Relic, so it was a power he had to obtain before moving on.
'And I can grant Dang So-wol's request too.'
A villainess for the ages who kidnapped Dang So-wol and countless other orphans with a talent for magic and worked them to the bone.
He could also snatch away the reward the Witch of Downfall, Majuron, was seeking.
***
[A number of Constellations are watching you.]
Skrrrk—!
Gerrrrk!
Lee Jin-hyeok retraced his way back out of the deep underground temple.
What greeted him were the goblin undead, still working away diligently.
"Is the sorting finished?"
Gurk!
"Good. Pick it up and follow me."
Arriving with the goblins in tow, he saw the red fissure slowly forming.
[Time remaining: 2 hours]
"Arrange it like this."
Checking the remaining time, Lee Jin-hyeok gave the goblins instructions.
Weaving rope to rope and tying the bags together, a great many materials could be gathered in one place.
[Constellation <Dawn King of Zhonghua> insists that only one greedy enough to let nothing slip can ever become a king.]
[Constellation <Dawn King of Zhonghua> is satisfied with your avarice.]
'Good.'
Connected to his body like this, they would be treated as his 'possessions.'
He could take the neatly dismantled Imugi shed skin, the undead he had killed so far, and every item that had been lying on the ground with him to Floor 2.
[Time remaining: 0 seconds]
[The <Floor 2 Trial> begins!]
[You have acquired the Main Quest <Undead Race>.]
[From this moment you may cross the starting line and the finish line.]
And so the cleaning time ended and the main quest proceeded again.
CRACKLE—!
Before the red fissure had even fully formed, Lee Jin-hyeok reached out his hand.
[*Reach the finish line within the time limit! Fail, and you will be 'cleaned'!]
[Time remaining: 3 days]
[You have cleared the Main Quest <Undead Race>.]
[From now on you may come and go freely on Tower Floor 2!]
A quest-clear message forming before the guidance message had even finished.
[You have satisfied the objective of a <Star Decree>.]
[You have acquired 50,000 points.]
Thanks to the Star Decree laid down by the Constellations led by <King of Muspell>, he obtained a full 50,000 points.
It was the shortest record not only among the current trial's players, but of all time.
[*There are Constellations showing interest in you!]
[You may choose a Constellation of your liking and keep them as a reliable patron.]
[Presenting the list of Constellations that want you.]
▶<Dawn King of Zhonghua>: Offers the position of 'second Apostle.'
▶<Fire That Killed the Mother God>: Offers the position of 'third Apostle.'
▶<King of Muspell>: Offers the position of 'second Apostle.'
▶<Eternal Flame>: Offers the position of 'first Apostle.'
'One more of them.'
Was the fact that Lee Jin-hyeok used fire and a sword quite striking to it?
Following the first trial, yet another Constellation had come offering the position of Apostle.
A Constellation born in the act of killing the primordial mother goddess of the Star Universe <Takamagahara>.
A spirit that showed overwhelming firepower and force in two powers, fire and the sword.
It was Kagutsuchi.
'Another heavyweight has come in.'
Dozens of other Constellations showed interest in Lee Jin-hyeok, but apart from the four above, none were worth a look.
"I have not yet come to feel like forming a contract."
[Constellation <King of Muspell> warns that you will need its help on Floor 3.]
[Constellation <Eternal Flame> is relieved that you did not go to another Constellation either.]
[Constellation <Dawn King of Zhonghua> is disappointed, asking whether 'second' is not enough for you.]
[Constellation <Fire That Killed the Mother God> is watching you.]
"Let us meet again if the chance arises."
Lee Jin-hyeok smiled.
The more he raised his own value, the more powerful the Constellations that flocked to him, and the more rewards they staked.
It did not matter whether he became a Follower or an Apostle.
They would hand down Star Decrees with all manner of things staked as 'rewards.'
[No contract has been formed with a Constellation.]
[Entering Floor 2, <Dead Run>.]
***
Floor 2, <Dead Run>.
Because the environment here was dangerous, there was a special facility in place.
It was a place where players who had only just passed the Floor 2 trial were summoned in order, at a designated spot.
Its purpose was to keep the undead from attacking players who had only just passed the Floor 2 trial.
"Haaah."
The facility's managers stretched, letting out long yawns.
'Nothing to do for a while, I suppose.'
Managing and guiding players who had just arrived here was what one would call a cushy post.
Players in other posts had to keep killing off the undead that constantly came for this place.
'Well, at least for a day there's no chance another player will come.'
The shortest record for the Floor 2 trial was about twelve hours.
So right at this moment, there was nothing to do here.
"The trial will be starting soon."
"That it will."
"Well, shall we go and amuse ourselves somewhere before they come?"
"Shall we?"
While they were chattering away like that.
DING!
A sharp bell rang out from the clock they had set in advance.
It was the signal that the trial had begun.
But something was strange.
"Uh, uh?"
"L, look over there. Senior."
"Why the fuss? The trial has only just start......"
CRACKLE—!
The trial had plainly just begun.
Not even a few seconds had passed since.
And yet something was strange.
A red fissure rose, and someone began to reveal themselves.
"Huh?"
"You, what on earth......?"
"Wh, what is this?"
At Lee Jin-hyeok, appearing through the fissure, the players here were astonished.
"Didn't the trial just start?"
"Uh, uh......?"
"What is this? Some kind of Tower error?"
"There's no way the Tower makes errors!"
"Then what is it?!"
Was he saying he had cleared it the moment the trial began?
"And what is all this?"
"Waaaaagh?!"
It was not only Lee Jin-hyeok who had revealed himself.
CLATTER-CRASH!
An enormous quantity of bags appeared along with him.
Their bulk was far greater than expected, and the waiting room fell into momentary chaos.
"It's a terror attack! Someone from another floor has attacked us!"
"G, go fetch the captain of the guard! Hurry!"
Even while looking at the Floor 2 residents in their confusion, Lee Jin-hyeok simply stood with his arms folded.
Act rashly here and they would take it for a genuine attack.
Making them recognize that he had no intent to fight came first.
"What in the world is going on here!"
An old knight in white armor came running, leading his attendants.
'Dukon?'
Seeing him, Lee Jin-hyeok was inwardly surprised, but he did not show it.
'To think the lord himself would come.'
It was a familiar face.
The one place on Floor 2 <Dead Run> where the only living creatures were gathered.
He was the man guarding <White Castle>.
"Who are you?"
Had he grasped that Lee Jin-hyeok had no intent to fight?
Dukon looked at him and asked.
"I am simply."
Lee Jin-hyeok raised both hands and slowly approached him.
"an ordinary player."
***
"So you are saying this is...... the scales and venom of that 'Cleaner'? And that all of it is your own property?"
"Yes."
"Ohhh......"
The misunderstanding was cleared up quickly.
<Floor 2 Trial All-Time Rankings>
1st: Lee Jin-hyeok (0.23 seconds)
2nd: Melidus (12 hours 1 minute 21 seconds)
3rd: Cheon Hyang-un (22 hours 45 seconds)
It was thanks to the <Floor 2 Trial All-Time Rankings> interface, which any player on Floor 2 could check.
'In all my life I have never seen anything like this.'
Dukon looked at the man before him as though dumbfounded.
'The High Ranker Melidus, Apostle of <Pure Radiance>. Even he, with an extremely favorable matchup, took more than ten hours......'
By any common sense, it was a situation impossible to accept.
"What do you intend to do with all those goods?"
"I'm going to sell them."
"Sell them?"
"Yes."
Dukon fell into thought.
'I don't know what method he used, but he obtained all those items and still cleared the Floor 2 trial in less than a second.'
Gulp.
'At this level he might have the makings of a High Ranker. No, he will certainly become one. Whether he used some method to deceive the Tower or is simply powerful himself, it means he has ability.'
In which case, he had to leave a very good impression on the man here.
"Thank you for cooperating with the inquiry. I will arrange a place for you to rest as well."
"......."
"There is no need to feel obliged. It is a service we provide to those who place first in the trial."
"Then I will accept it gratefully."
Having come up to Floor 2, Lee Jin-hyeok had unintentionally turned the arrival point into a shambles.
Since it was something that had never happened before, Dukon, the lord of this place, conducted a brief inquiry himself.
Hiding what needed hiding and revealing what needed revealing, it seemed they would even take him to lodgings.
Dukon's kindness after the inquiry did not feel burdensome.
Here in <White Castle>, players who had only just come up to Floor 2 were treated well as a matter of course.
It was not because these people ran charities or because they were angels.
Those who cleared the Floor 2 trial with outstanding results were, in almost every case, likely to become Rankers of the Tower later on.
It was a system designed to leave a good impression on those future Rankers.
'Good.'
Being guided toward his room, Lee Jin-hyeok grinned.
'Now, shall I check the rewards?'
The rewards to be obtained after taking the Floor 2 trial.
It was time to check them.