Ascension Through Skills

First Floor (7)

 

TL: handCream

PR: Kasaix

 

 

Tae-san checked the number of skills he had acquired till now.  

 

Swordsmanship. Shield Art. Securing Visibility. Detection. Coolheaded. Soul Raiser. Sensing Death. Slowed Breathing. Poison Resistance.

 

A total of nine. The number of skills an easy player usually acquires until they clear the labyrinth. But Tae-san obtained those in the first floor itself.

 

In the past, he reached this number only when he cleared the 20th floor. Considering that most of those skills were useless, skills like his were more valuable.

 

But Tae-san had no intention of stopping here.

 

There were still more skills he wanted to acquire.

 

***

 

[Kang Jun-hyeok [Solo]]: Brother. Are you sure this is the right way?!]

 

[Kang Tae-San [Solo]]: Higher the Risk, Higher the Return. It’s simple. Can’t understand??]

 

[Kang Jun-hyeok [Solo]]: No. It’s not like that. Ah. Shit … sorry. I just don’t have the confidence to do it.]

 

[Kang Tae-san [Alone]: You have to do it alone. It’s not me, who loses.]

 

[Lee Tae-jun [Solo]]: Jun-hyeok. You’re not the only one here. At first, I also couldn’t understand everything either.]

 

* * *

 

Evolution of skills existed.

 

When a particular skill meets a certain condition, a new skill is created.

 

Tae-san got up and took a deep breath.

 

[Slowed Breathing is activated]

 

Activating the skill, Tae-san started to swing his rusty sword. 

 

If he stayed still without moving he would be endure twice as much. However once he started to move, the story changed. His whole body turned red demanding oxygen. 

 

But Tae-san didn’t stop there.

 

He continued striking his sword dozens of times.

 

Eventually, when the strikes reached a hundred times. 

 

Tae-san got up from his stance and breathed in.  

 

[You have started breathing] 

 

[You have struck countless times in one breath]

 

[Acquired an active skill [Slowed Breathing Attack]] 

 

[You have acquired more than 10 Skills] 

 

[Congratulations!]  

 

[Obtained the title [Skill Player]]

 

“Wow”

 

Tae-san exhaled.

 

Within his attacks, there was a rhythm. Just as he could read the nature of the Big Rats’ rhythm and kill them. The rhythm of humans could also be perceived. 

 

The [Slowed Breathing Attack] was a skill that would allow him to change his rhythm at will.

 

Now, while attacking, if he doesn’t breathe for 10 seconds, inconvenient movements will disappear. Making enough room to create many variables.

 

This was the skill Tae-san used the most until he got out of the labyrinth. 

 

“Title Window” 

 

[Title: Skill player] 

[You’ve earned 10 skills. Title is added to your status window] 

 

It was just a title, having it didn’t make any difference. 

 

“Status window.” 

 

[Kang Tae-san] 

[Level: 31] 

[Health: 120/120]

[Mana: 12/12] 

[Strength: 10]

[Intelligence: 12] 

[Agility: 21] 

[Attack +1] 

[Defense +7] 

[The User is tired.] 

 

He was definitely fast. Lee Tae-yeon said that when she cleared the first floor, her agility had reached 12. Compared to her, he was at an overwhelming speed. 

 

In terms of agility, even in the Hard Mode, one could only reach this level by clearing the fifth floor. Tae-san stroked his chin happily. 

 

“Should I try making at least one?” 

 

Now that he had acquired a lot of skills, a Hard Mode player who had reached the third level would be weaker than the current Tae-san. Also considering that he will get exponentially stronger depending on the floors he cleared, he was very fast.

 

But he had no main skills. 

 

A Skill that was worth more than his current ten skills combined. A Skill that can be used to close down the gap in his status. The players termed those skills as the Main Skills.

 

Simply put, for example, it is the addition of all current offensive skills. 

 

Multiplying to square up his current attack power. 

 

Complete grasp of all the hidden elements and situations around the player. 

 

Nullification of the attack that eliminated the enemy as the result.

 

Forced duel that prevented anyone except for the target from interfering.

 

Simple time-stop that stopped his surroundings and everyone around him. 

 

These mentioned above were all a kind of main skill. 

 

A Skill that can exert overwhelming power to the opponent with the same level. Before he had dozens of main skills.

 

And right now, Tae-san wanted to make such a skill. 

 

He drank the fountain water. It relieved him of all his fatigue and then he went out.

 

* * * 

 

Perhaps because of their very strict acquisition conditions and their capabilities, main skills were quite tricky to acquire. 

 

Considering that an average player couldn’t even evolve a single skill, evolving main skills were practically impossible.

 

However, there was a skill that could be made on the first floor. Rather, it was a skill that would become difficult to obtain, if not now. 

 

Tae-san stood still in the aisle and waited. It wasn’t long before he heard a squeak.

 

[Big rat has appeared] 

 

The Big Rat was staring at Tae-san. Tae-san immediately took his stance and raised his shield. Big Rat instinctively ran towards his open ankle.  

 

[4 damage was dealt to you]

 

 “Squeak! Squeak!”

 

Big Rat retreated quickly. But Tae-san didn’t make a move. 

 

Big Rat, who was observing him, rushed back in, and Tae-san noticed it. 

 

He could read everything. Agility not only developed his reflexes and speed, but also his overall cognitive abilities. Now that his agility was 21, he could picture where and when the Big Rat could attack him. 

 

But still he didn’t take any action. 

 

[3 damage was dealt to you] 

 

“Squeak!” 

 

The Big Rat thought that he couldn’t react and cried happily. This time, he didn’t even bother with retreating and attacked Tae-san’s foot. 

 

The Damage Window popped up. 

 

If it rains, you’ll get wet. It was that simple. Getting attacked by the Big Rat was decreasing his Health.  

 

But still he didn’t make a move. 

 

Tae-san opened the status window to check his health.

 

[Health: 23/120]

 

 “I need to take in a few more hits.”

 

As he wasn’t moving, the Big Rat kept on attacking him. 

 

[4 damage was dealt to you]

 

Remaining Health: 19

 

[3 damage was dealt to you] 

 

 

 

[4 damage was dealt to you]

 

 

 

[3 damage was dealt to you]

 

[You are dying] 

 

 

 

[4 damage was dealt to you] 

[4 damage was dealt to you] 

[You are on the verge of death] 

[Master of Death has increased by 3%] 

[Coolheaded has increased by 2%] 

 

It was only when Tae-san was at the point of dying after getting hit repeatedly that he slammed down his shield. 

 

Thunkkk!! 

 

“Squeak! Squeak!” 

 

Big Rat, who once again, wanted to bite onto his ankle, hurriedly escaped. And Tae-san stayed still like a solid wall.

 

“Kki-ik!” 

 

The Big Rat didn’t like how the dying man was resisting. So without any hesitation, he rushed in and aimed at the gap. The monster started to dig under the shield and sank his teeth into Tae-san’s ankle. 

 

Kwooong!

 

“Squeak!”

 

However, the Heavy Tower Shield moved, cutting off the Big Rat’s attack. The Big Rat freaked out and retreated. 

 

[You are on the verge of death] 

 

[Master of Death has increased by 2%] 

 

[Coolheaded increased by 2%] 

 

[You have completely blocked the opponent’s attack.]

 

[Obtained a passive skill [Block]]

 

Block. A perfect skill to resist any damage up until a certain point. 

 

But it wasn’t the skill he wanted right now. Tae-san cleared the window and focused on the Big Rat again. 

 

“Squeak! Squeak!” 

 

The Big Rat hesitated but still jumped in, aiming for the gap in his shield. 

 

Kwooong! 

 

But the heavy shield just like before moved forward to block the Big Rat. So without any other choice, the monster backed off.

 

[You are on the verge of death] 

[Master of Death is increased by 1%] 

[Coolheaded is increased by 2%]

 

There was a skill called Endurance. 

 

A Skill that could nullify a fatal damage leading to death once while also stopping other sources of damages for a limited time. 

 

Nullification was a fairly strong effect. 

 

The skill could eliminate the opponent’s attack that cannot be resisted enough for a counter attack. The skill could not only eliminate attacks but also break through the traps that could pose a threat to the player’s life.  

 

It was a skill that could benefit the current Tae-san and also was worthy enough to be one of his main skills. 

 

Thud! 

 

[You are on the verge of death] 

[Master of Death is increased by 2%] 

[Coolheaded is increased by 2%] 

 

But back then, there was no one who got it except Tae-san. And those who were curious enough asked him after clearing the labyrinth. 

 

‘How did you get such a skill?’

 

‘It’s not that difficult’, that was how he had replied.

 

[You are on the verge of death]

[Master of Death is increased by 2%]

[Coolheaded is increased by 1%]

 

There were fixed ways to acquire skills. The easiest way is to get it from someone. Also known as Black Skills.

 

However, the only skills that could be handed over were the basic skills. But this method could not give skills that were actually helpful for clearing the labyrinth.  

 

And the second method was through achievements. The labyrinth always rewarded players who deserved them. If a player achieved a certain goal that others couldn’t the system would reward you with an appropriate skill.

 

[You are on the verge of death] 

[Master of Death has increased by 2%] 

[Coolheaded has increased by 2%]