Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

[The ability is activated.]

[Absorbing the trait ‘Roar of Malice’…]

[Error. No associated traits exist.]

Huh?

Could it be that I can’t acquire it because I don’t have the inherent ‘Insane Madness’ trait, and thus can’t transform into the state of frenzy?

…

[Confirmed. The trait is being converted to match the user.]

“Phew, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get it.”

[Acquired the trait ‘Accumulated Malice’.]

────

[Accumulated Malice (C)] [P]

The strong will to kill something. It can become a weapon more powerful than a finely honed sword.

Can grow through consistent combat and killing.

-Malice accumulates on successful attacks and defenses.

-Can strengthen the cutting power of weapons by consuming a certain amount of accumulated malice.

-When malice is at its maximum, the skill ‘Malice Release’ can be used.

─────

This one is also an attack-oriented trait.

“Ahren! You’ve been waiting for a while, right?”

“I’ve gathered everything I could.”

The girls, having finished their looting, approached me as I sat there weakly.

“You’re here? You two took out all the remaining hunters… You really worked hard.”

Yeriel waved her hands and pouted.

“Eek. Ahren did all the hard work! Look at you. You said you weren’t badly injured!”

Lumia wiped the tears that had formed in Yeriel’s eyes and said, “What he need right now is treatment, not whining.”

“Uh-huh.”

They seemed to have become quite close during their fight together. It was nice to see.

“May they rise above their pain.”

[The effect of the heal restores the injured area.]

Thanks to Yeriel’s heal, my condition began to improve rapidly.

─────

[Blood-stained Edge] (D)

A dagger dropped by the named mutated beast-type monster, Belokan. Holding it gives off a chilling aura.

-The blade does not dull easily.

-When using additional damage-type traits, a weak damage amplification is applied.

-Attack power increases when blood is absorbed.

-Wearing it reduces cold resistance slightly.

─────

I probably won’t use this myself, so I’ll have to find a way to dispose of it when I return to the city.

As for the other farming, well, they took the weapons and armor that the monsters were wearing.

Among them, I stripped off the gauntlets and pauldrons that were in good condition and had a decent price-to-volume ratio, and put them in my space bag.

I was also able to gather quite a few essential supplies like small potions, flares, torches, and dried food.

“I checked the map, and a shelter should be coming up soon. I know you’re both tired, but let’s push on a little further.”

The location where we first fell was near the path to the northern portal.

We had encountered the human hunters by following the cursed arrows south, so if we continued walking a little further, we should reach a shelter.

However, I was worried that there might be other people already at the shelter when we arrived.

It would be a bit tiring to walk to the next shelter… I could only hope that there would be no one there.

…

Thud, thud.

“Is this the right place?”

“Yes. When I first came to the first floor, I entered through a similar hole.”

“Right. It’s probably not a trap.”

Fortunately, the first shelter we found was empty.

There was a hole in the wall as indicated on the map, and inside was a space large enough for one or two parties to rest.

It was just a hollow, empty space with nothing in it, just enough to take a break.

As soon as we found a place to rest, the fatigue I had been holding back rushed over me.

“Darkness, my servant. Rise and obey.”

[Black Puppet]

“It’s an alarm spell, so Ahren can rest first. Yeriel and I will take the first watch and wake you up last.”

“That’s right! You fought a human hunter with a C-rank in abilities. You must be exhausted.”

Lumia used her magic to set up a familiar and even decided the order of the watch.

“Thank you. Then I’ll go to sleep first. When it’s my turn, don’t leave me out of consideration and be sure to wake me up.”

[Chaos wishes you a good night’s sleep.]

No matter how hard the battle was, we still had to do what needed to be done.

I was so tired that I didn’t refuse their kindness and immediately laid down in my sleeping bag and fell asleep.

.

.

.

The next day, we moved along the path of the curse, easily defeating the monsters we encountered along the way.

And finally, we found Isaac.

“I found him.”

…I found him, damn it.

He also managed to find a party to enter with.

‘Should I ambush them before they get too close?’

For a moment, I considered dropping a lightning bolt and then rushing in to kill them all…

‘But then, what would be the difference between me and the human hunters that Master hates so much?’

Should I do the same thing as those human hunters after fighting them just yesterday?

“Ahren, I know how you and Isaac are connected by a grudge, so I’ll support whatever decision you make.”

“I… If I can stay by your side, I’ll do whatever it takes. Should I attack before they notice us?”

Seeing my conflicted expression, Yeriel and Lumia were the first to speak up for me.

Hearing their words, I became certain.

This is a problem that only Isaac and I can see through to the end.

In the first place, the reason I told Yeriel about my past and my grudge against Isaac…

Wasn’t it so that she would turn a blind eye when I killed him, not to ask her to be involved in a murder driven by my personal reasons?

‘The same goes for Lumia.’

I didn’t want to make her shed unnecessary blood by taking advantage of her deficiency. The tracking curse was enough.

“Let’s approach them slowly.”

So, we continued to approach them, and eventually, Isaac and the rest of his party noticed us.

Isaac squinted his eyes and raised his voice towards me.

“What’s this? I thought you’d come when the dungeon opened, but we meet on the first floor?”

Each of the party members spoke up.

“Isaac, do you know this person?”

“…”

“Hey, hey. How do you know that handsome guy?”

“Everyone, be quiet! Something’s not right here.”

The leader, a man holding a shield and mace, calmed the party down.

[Louis]

[Strength: E] [Agility: F+] [Endurance: D]
[Stamina: E+] [Magic: E] [Luck: E]

[Acquired Traits] (Collapse)

Basic Blunt Weapon Skills
Aihamer Shield Technique
Suppression

────

He scanned our party and spoke to us.

“If it’s just a friendly face, I’d say let’s go our separate ways, but seeing your faces turn grim as soon as you see us, I don’t think that’s the case.”

He shrugged and added, “I hear you know Isaac, is there something you need to discuss with him?”

Since that guy is part of their party, I need to either convince them to not interfere by talking, or make them leave altogether, so I can face Isaac alone.

“First of all, I apologize for meeting under unpleasant circumstances.”

Pointing at Isaac, I said, “I have a grudge against that man in your party that I must settle.”

Grind.

“In the city, I could only settle for a sparring match, so I’ve been waiting for the day we’d meet in the dungeon. Now, one of us must die to settle this.”

As I said this, Isaac shouted from behind.

“Hey, what the hell are you talking about? You’re slandering me after beating me up in a sparring match!”

He really can’t remember anything, huh.

Ignoring him, I looked at Louis and said, “I don’t intend to harm your party members, so please turn a blind eye to my fight with him.”

“…”

“I’ll compensate you for the loss of one party member.”

Louis shook his head.

“I can’t do that, even if he’s a new addition to the party.”

Clang.

He drew his sword.

Whoosh. Zap!

[Hard Body activated]

[Each physical attribute level increases by one stage.]

“If that’s what you insist on, I can’t stop you.”

As soon as I drew my sword, Louis raised his shield and gripped his mace.

“Are you all going to stand in his way to protect him? Do you think we’re that easy to deal with?”

‘Damn. Do I have to fight all five of them?’

The situation was tense.

Then, a voice rang out.

“Wait a minute!”

A beautiful female archer raised her arm and shouted.

────

[Hanna]

[Strength: E] [Agility: E+] [Endurance: F+]
[Stamina: E-] [Magic: E-] [Luck: D-]

[Acquired Traits]

Basic Archery
Basic Search Skills
Mood Maker
Attribute Infusion

────

As everyone’s attention turned to her, she spoke up.

“Louis! Who gave you the right to speak for all of us?”

“…”

“So, you disagree with me?”

“I’m against it. I was already annoyed by his arrogance and showboating, and I don’t want to fight because of someone like him.”

“You, you bitch! Is that all you have to say?”

“No, it’s not! Now that we’re talking about it, stop staring at my chest and ass, you pervert!”

Hanna crossed her arms and glared at Isaac, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice your lecherous gaze?”

Isaac, usually so cocky, now looked flustered.

“I never stared at your body! I might have asked where you stay in the city or what you did before coming here, but I never looked at your body!”

The long-haired female priest coughed and interjected.

“No, Hanna is right. In fact, I’ve also felt his gaze several times, glancing at my chest through my priest robes.”

[Chaos is disgusted by his behavior.]

Wow… So, you’re just a basement-dwelling hikikomori who’s wasted your life playing games?

What’s the difference between you and Hans?

Shouldn’t you be more careful in the dungeon?

I couldn’t understand why he would risk his life every time he entered the dungeon.

After hearing the priest’s words, Louis clenched his teeth, still keeping his eyes on me, and spoke.

“Isaac, is what we just heard true?”

His face turned red with anger, probably because the priest was his lover.

“No, it’s not! What the hell, is this woman a man-hater? Do you have any proof? Why are you accusing me without any evidence?!”

At this point, the masked thief, who had been silent and stoic from the beginning, finally spoke up.

“Hmm, I also disagree. Seeing his intense demeanor, it seems there’s a good reason for him to want to kill that guy.”

Glance.

“Unless it’s Louis, Hanna, or Natasha being targeted, I don’t want to take the risk for someone I’ve only known for a few days.”

He glanced at me again and said, “Look at those sunken eyes. They’re like those of someone who has found the enemy who killed his mother. And what about that lightning-infused sword?”

Mother’s enemy, my ass.

“…”

“I did lose something more precious than family because of him.”

I was referring to the 2 billion won that could have changed my life.

‘And I can’t curse the Ceres⋯, can I?’

Thinking about the 2 billion won that had slipped through my fingers, I almost cursed Isaac and Ceres.

She’s a goddess, so she might be watching. Even if we don’t talk, who knows if she’s reading our minds?

“Damn it! Even if that’s the case, shouldn’t we fight together since we entered the dungeon as a party?!”

Sensing the strange turn of events, Isaac pleaded in a desperate voice.

“Say something, don’t just stand there!”

“I have no particular feelings about it, but if that’s what the two of you want, I don’t want to get involved either.”

Louis, who had raised his shield as soon as I drew my sword, listened to the priest’s words and closed his eyes tightly before lowering his shield.

“Isaac, I’ve decided to let you go and fight him. I think I’ve fulfilled my duty by standing up for you, even though it was a short time.”

He continued, “I was a bit worried about your light-hearted attitude from the first day. If I had known this would happen, I would have just entered with the usual four-person party.”

Clack!

“Isaac, you’re expelled from the party.”

With an uncomfortable expression, he raised his mace and pointed it at me.

“And you, do whatever you want. I don’t need any compensation, I just want nothing to do with you.”

Isaac, who had been standing with his head down, started to laugh.

“…”

Isaac glared at Hanna with bloodshot eyes.

“You fucking 4-man party assholes. So what, bitch? What if I look at you? Are you going to wear out from being looked at? You may look good on the outside, but you probably stink down there, you whore!”

[Chaos is disgusted by his behavior.]

Hanna smirked.

“Pfft, too bad. Unfortunately, I’m still a virgin, so it doesn’t affect me. Well, I guess I am pretty. Thanks for the compliment!”

“…”

“Damn it. Sylph, cast your buff!”

[Sylph casts ‘Weak Flutter’.]

Whoosh!

I thought he was going to charge at us, but he cast a buff instead.

Thud!

Without turning back, Isaac started to run away.

‘I have to catch him here. If he escapes and takes the portal out, it will all be for nothing.’

Remembering the lightning chain of Cicero.

‘Lightning’

Zzzzap!

To quickly hit the running Isaac, I also ran while dropping weak lightning bolts in multiple places.

“Ugh!”

He got hit!

“Argh! You bastards, I’ll get my revenge on all of you!”

[Isaac casts ‘Gust’.]

After being hit by the lightning, Isaac stopped for a moment, trembling.

Forcing his slowed body to move, Isaac charged at us with a rush skill, determined to get his revenge.

The deadly game of tag had begun.