LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 30
[The power activates.]
[Absorbing the roar of killing intent…]
[Error. Linked traits do not exist.]
What the…?
Is it that I can’t enter a frenzy state because I lack the inherent trait of madness, so the acquisition is canceled?
…
[Confirmed. The traits will transform to suit the user.]
‘Phew. I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to get it.’
[Acquired trait: Accumulated Killing Intent.]
────
[Accumulated Killing Intent (C)] [P]
A strong will to kill something. Sometimes, it becomes a weapon more lethal than a finely honed sword.
Can grow through continuous battles and killings.
─ Killing intent is accumulated upon successful attack and defense.
─ A certain amount of accumulated killing intent can be consumed to enhance a weapon’s slashing power.
─ When killing intent reaches its maximum, the technique ‘Release of Killing Intent’ can be used.
────
Another attack-based trait, huh?
“Aren! Did you wait long?”
“I brought everything as fast as I could.”
The two of them approached me, who was sitting weakly after finishing the farming.
“You’re here? The two of you took out all the remaining ones… You really did a great job.”
Yeriell waved her hands and looked like she was about to cry.
“Ugh. Aren did all the hard work! What’s with this state? You said you weren’t hurt much!”
Lumia wiped the tears that were about to brim in Yeriell’s eyes and said.
“What Aren needs right now is not crying, but healing.”
“Uh-huh.”
Looks like they’ve gotten pretty close while fighting together. It’s nice to see.
“Please allow them to rise from their suffering.”
[The wounds start to heal thanks to the healing effect.]
Thanks to Yeriell’s heal, my condition began to improve rapidly.
────
[Bleeding Dagger] (D)
A knife dropped after killing the named mutated beast, Belokan. Holding it gives a strangely chilling aura.
─ The blade does not easily dull.
─ Weak damage amplification is applied when using additional damage traits.
─ Attack power increases when soaked in blood.
─ Wearing it applies a slight decrease in resistance to cold.
────
I don’t think I’ll have a use for this; I’ll need to find a way to dispose of it when we return to the city.
As for the rest of the farming, well, weapons or armor the guys were wearing.
Among them, I took off the gauntlets and pauldrons, which were relatively intact and worth good value for their size, and stuffed them into my spatial bag.
I was also able to gather quite a few essential items like small potions, flares, torches, and dried food.
“I checked the map, and soon we’ll come across a resting spot. You’re both tired, but let’s hold on just a bit longer.”
The place where we first fell was around the path toward the northern portal.
Following the cursed arrow south, we had encountered human hunters, so if we just walked a little more, we should find a resting spot.
However, what worries me is the possibility of guests being at the resting spot.
It’s a bit tiring to walk to the next one… I can only hope there’s no one there.
…
Step step.
“I think this is the right spot?”
“Yeah. When I first came to this floor, I also entered through a hole that looked like this.”
“Right. It shouldn’t be a trap.”
Fortunately, the first resting spot we discovered was empty.
There was a hole in the wall marked on the map, and going inside revealed a space that could fit one or two parties for resting.
It really was just a desolate area where we could rest, with nothing else inside.
As I found a place to rest, the tiredness I had been holding back rushed over me.
“The darkness is my servant. Move and serve me.”
[Black Puppet]
“It’s like an alarm magic, so Aren, you can sleep first. I’ll take first watch with Yeriell, and I’ll wake you up last.”
“Right! You fought against a human hunter with a C-rank skill, so how exhausted must you be?”
Lumia used magic to summon a servant beast and set the watch order.
“Thanks. Well, I’ll sleep first. When it’s my turn, don’t spare me just because you’re being nice, make sure to wake me up!”
[Chaos says to sleep well.]
No matter how tough the battle was, I had to do what I needed to do.
So exhausted that I didn’t refuse the kindness, I spread out my sleeping bag and fell asleep immediately.
*
And the next day…
We moved along, easily taking out the monsters we encountered while following the curse.
Finally, we found Isaac.
“I found him.”
…Found him, but damn it.
He also brought a party with him, didn’t he?
‘Should I ambush before the distance closes?’
For a moment, I thought about striking first with lightning and killing them all—but…
‘If I do that, how different would I be from the human hunters my master loathes so much?’
Right after fighting with human hunters yesterday, am I going to do the same thing to them now?
“Aren. I know well what kind of destiny you share with Isaac, so I’ll follow whatever judgment you make.”
“I… I can do anything as long as I can be by your side. Should I attack before they notice?”
Seeing my troubled face, Yeriell and Lumia stepped in to support me first.
Hearing those words gave me conviction.
This is a matter that only Isaac and I must see to the end. That conviction.
The reason I told Yeriell that I was the previous one from the start and spoke of my vendetta against Isaac was…
I was asking her to turn a blind eye when I kill him, not asking for her to partake in a murder for my personal reasons, right?
‘Lumia feels the same.’
I don’t want to get her hands unnecessarily dirty using her lack. Just one curse is enough.
“Let’s approach slowly.”
For now, let’s keep moving forward. Soon, all members of the party, including Isaac, noticed us.
Isaac opened his eyes drowsily and raised his voice at me.
“What the heck! I thought you’d definitely come in when the labyrinth opened, but here we are running into each other on the first floor?”
Then, one by one, his party members chimed in.
“Isaac, do you know him?”
“…”
“What’s going on? How do you know that handsome guy?”
“Everyone quiet down! The atmosphere feels off.”
A man with a shield and mace, who seemed to be the leader, calmed the party.
────
[Luis]
[Strength: E] [Agility: F+] [Durability: D]
[Health: E+] [Magic: E] [Luck: E]
[Traits] (Collapse)
Basic Blunt Weapon Technique
Aihammer Shield Technique
Suppression
────
He scanned our party and spoke.
“If it’s just a friendly face, I’d want to say we should part ways, but seeing the look on your faces, that’s clearly not the case.”
He shrugged and added.
“I’ve heard you seem to know Isaac. Do you have something to say?”
As long as he’s a member of that party, I need to persuade everyone but Isaac to stay out of this through conversation.
Or alternatively, I have to create a situation where I can face Isaac one-on-one.
“Honestly, I’m sorry to meet under such unfortunate circumstances.”
I pointed to Isaac and said.
“I have a grudge against that guy, Isaac, in your party, and I must settle it.”
Clank!
“Since we could only settle it with a duel in the city, I’ve been waiting for the day when we could face each other in the labyrinth. Now, we must resolve this until one of us is dead.”
As I said that, Isaac shouted from behind.
“Hey, what grudge? You crazy lunatic, didn’t you lay a beating on me and now you’re trying to frame me?”
He seriously can’t remember anything until the end.
Ignoring him, I turned to Luis.
“Since this isn’t a permanent party, I won’t cause any trouble for the others. Would you let me fight that guy?”
“…Hmm.”
“I’ll compensate for the one less party member due to me.”
Luis shook his head.
“Even if he’s new to the party, I can’t do that.”
Swish!
He drew his sword.
Hummmm. Slash—
[Body Activation]
[Each physical grade increases by one level.]
“If that’s how it must be, then it’s unavoidable.”
As soon as I drew my sword, Luis raised his shield and tightened his grip on his mace.
“Are you saying the entire party will block for him? Have we been underestimated?”
‘Damn it. Do I really have to face five of them?’
A tense situation.
Then…
“Wait—!”
The beautiful female archer raised her arm and shouted.
────
[Haena]
[Strength: E] [Agility: E+] [Durability: F+]
[Health: E-] [Magic: E-] [Luck: D-]
[Traits]
Basic Archery
Explorer’s Basics
Atmosphere Maker
Attribute Granting
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As everyone’s attention was drawn to her, she said.
“Luis! Who decided on ‘all of us’?”
“…Then, do you disagree?”
“I’m against it. You already showed off a few good traits, and it irritates me that you’re acting all high and mighty. I don’t want to fight over some jerk!”
“This, this bitch? Have you said enough?”
“Not enough! Since we’re at it, stop staring at my chest and butt, you perverted creep!”
She crossed her arms, glancing at Isaac with disdain.
“Did you think I didn’t notice where your disgusting gaze was directed?”
With his usual cocky expression gone, Isaac was flustered.
“…I never asked what inn I was staying at or what I did before coming to town, but I never spied on anyone’s body!”
The long-haired priest cleared her throat loudly and interjected.
“No. Haena is right. To be honest, I didn’t say anything, but I too have felt gazes lingering on my chest in my priest’s garb several times.”
[Chaos is amazed that there are lower depths than the bottom line.]
Wow… They called him a lazy bum who grew old playing games.
Isn’t he just like Hans?
In the labyrinth, it’s even more necessary to restrain oneself, isn’t it?
Whether it was the last time or this time, I had been risking my life every time I entered a labyrinth, so I couldn’t comprehend it.
Hearing the priest’s words, Luis, who was grinding his teeth, spoke while still watching me.
“Isaac, is everything that was just said true?”
Seeing his face turning red from anger, it seems he might be the priest’s boyfriend or something.
“No, it’s not true! Damn it, is this a man-hating environment too? What evidence do we have? Why are we cornering someone based on hearsay?!”
At this point, it seems like he has made up his mind, as even the cloak-wearing rogue, who had been quiet from the start, finally spoke.
“Hm, in any case, I’m also against this. Looking at that killing intent, it seems like there’s a good reason to kill him.”
Glance.
“Luis, you or Haena, or Natasha may be targeted, but I don’t want to take risks for some guy I hardly know.”
He glared at me again.
“Look at those sunken eyes. Isn’t it as if he’s found the enemy that killed his mother? And what about that lightning-imbued sword?”
Mother my ass.
“…Well, I did lose something more precious to me than family because of that guy.”
The 2 billion I could have had in my life.
‘And I shouldn’t curse the goddess of chaos…’
Thinking about the lost 2 billion almost made me curse Isaac and then Seres in the next breath.
I was watching carefully as the so-called ‘saint’ was observing, but who knows if she’s reading my mind like Chaos?!
“Damn! Even if we entered the labyrinth as a party, shouldn’t we fight together at times like this?”
Isaac, sensing the situation getting weird, pleaded desperately.
“Say something instead of just watching!”
“I have no particular feelings, but if that’s the case, I also don’t wish to get involved,” the rogue retorted.
As soon as Luis saw me drawing my sword, he raised his shield again.
“I won’t let this slide just because it’s a newcomer, but you better stand back and watch!”
Just then, a woman raised her hand.
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
Haena was watching us, arms crossed, glancing at Isaac with disdain.
“Ha ha! This is just hilarious! What a ridiculous situation!”
She chuckled while tightly gripping a bow.
‘What are you going to do? Shoot or run?’
But unexpectedly, she took off running without looking back.
‘We have to catch him. If he escapes through the portal, it’s all over.’
Think of Keikero’s chain lightning!
‘Lightning!’
Crash!
To quickly hit the fleeing figure, I started running and called down weak lightning in various spots.
“Gah!”
Got him!
“Ahhh! You bastards, I’ll get my revenge for this!”
[Isaac uses ‘Gust’ skill.]
Hit by lightning, he paused for a moment.
Forced to move his slowed-down body, he madly dashed forward, swearing revenge as he switched to a rush attack.
The deadly game of tag had begun.