195. Labyrinth final layer (2)
aria.
The apostle wearing a black robe said to have been sent by the god of darkness had eyes full of excitement.
Originally, it is common sense to recognize challengers belonging to other camps as enemies… … .
“Please do not feel pressured and give me an order.”
Apparently, this woman had no such concept at all, so she was completely defenseless.
To the extent that if I made up my mind right here and swung my sword, I could kill him in a matter of seconds.
“… … .”
I closed my eyes, then opened my mouth.
‘What is the purpose of… … ?’
My head hurts now because of my actions outside of common sense.
Of course, I think I know how things went.
Perhaps the dark god gave this woman an order, like an oracle or something.
The content is presumably a command to assist me.
But still I didn’t understand.
To give up the reward that can be obtained by reaching the deepest part of this giant tree labyrinth just by order of a god?
It’s a mindset that I can’t quite comprehend.
‘Is this really a real favor without any tricks?’
After thinking about it for a while, I heard words from Dam Chun-wu.
—… … At times like this, I realize that you are truly a challenger from the 40th floor and earlier. There is nothing to worry about. It won’t do you any harm.
‘What is that… … .’
―Being an apostle is not a role play. Without fanatical faith in God, it is impossible to be selected as a preliminary apostle, let alone an apostle.
‘… … .’
―Seeing that he has this level of divinity, he must be an official apostle, but at that point he has faith beyond a fanatic.
‘In a word, he’s a fanatic who can die even if the God of Darkness tells him to die.’
-Yes. So there is nothing to worry about. If the god of darkness really asked you to assist him, this apostle will act according to your wishes.
At least it was good news.
Considering the fainting of Catherine Bennett and the rest of the team in the aftermath of the release of <Advent>, I can’t fight leisurely here.
Therefore, it would be better to accept even the undesirable favor.
That’s the right decision.
“I said my name was Aria.”
but… … .
“If you really intend to follow my orders, I will not refuse.”
Shouldn’t there be at least minimal preparations?
“But there are conditions.”
Arya, who was still on her knees, immediately designated a skill and activated it.
「The skill ‘Master/Servant Contract’ is activated.」
“A 4th-level apostle, ‘Aria’, is designated as the subject of the master-servant contract.”
“If you accept the master-servant contract, I will truly trust you.”
It was a master-servant contract skill learned from a preliminary apostle who served the ruling god.
—… … Previously, people talked about morality or something, but is this not even stabbed by conscience?
Just as there is a saying to cross a stone bridge by knocking on it… … .
‘sure. It’s a skill that’s not meant to be used in the first place, but I have to use it like this. And they’re potential enemies anyway.’
It was right to remove the buds that could cause danger later.
-Crazy… … .
Because that’s the road with no regrets.
***
Surprisingly, Aria did not reject the master-servant contract.
chuck.
“… … If that is truly Han Seong-yoon’s will, I will do so.”
Now he even prostrated himself and immediately accepted the master-servant contract.
“A master-servant contract was established with mutual consent.”
「All stats of 4th grade apostle ‘Aria’ increase by +14.」
“A 4th-level apostle, ‘Arya’, can never go against the master-servant relationship.”
Even if it’s a useless ability, it’s an A+ class skill… … .
‘… … You say this increases your stats by 14?’
The Master/Servant contract skill showed a crazy increase in stats.
I fell silent at the significant increase in my abilities.
In the master-servant contract skill description, the ability increase rate of the subordinate designated as a subordinate was set at 10%.
in other words… … .
This apostle named Aria has all types of abilities exceeding 140.
Even if that’s because he entered the labyrinth and his stats must have been lowered.
‘How the hell is this possible… … ?’
Of course, I can hit this level as many times as I can by activating various abilities… … .
Still, the surprise was the surprise.
As I was quietly admiring him, Arya stood up and took off her robe.
“I can’t believe you gave me this kind of grace… … ! Indeed, he is generous enough to remind me of the Dark God… … !”
Only then did the blurry appearance come into view.
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Gray hair, a flushed face as if suffering from a slight fever, and sparkling eyes full of absolute devotion… … .
Certainly, I felt the madness enough to be selected as an apostle of God.
I don’t know what the Dark God heard about me… … .
Basically, it was not difficult to see that he had a lot of goodwill towards me.
I was able to give orders to Arya with some peace of mind.
“… … For now, please restore and protect my comrades.”
Catherine Bennett is suffering from the aftereffects of <Advent>, and the rest of the team is in a situation where even the life and death are unclear… … .
It was only natural to put the protection of his comrades first.
But Arya took one look at Katherine Bennet and then mumbled and looked at me wide.
“… … Sungyoon Han. Sorry, but this prospective apostle cannot be cured. It is beyond my ability.”
It was a reaction as if he didn’t know what to do with his troubles.
“Does out of ability mean that there is no healing ability at all?”
“No, not like that! Even though I don’t have the ability to heal, the God of Darkness gave me… … !”
“Okay, to the point.”
“… … This prospective apostle suffers from the aftereffects of <Advent> and even a fever. This is not an area that can be treated.”
“Fever?”
When I first heard the words, I frowned, and the blade of the Blood Heaven Demon Sword trembled and the words resonated in my head.
―Fever is like the growing pains you suffer from in the process of being injected with divine power.
What is growing pains?
It was absurd.
Previously, on the 11th floor stage, I killed a prospective apostle and acquired divine power.
At that time, I also acquired divinity for the first time, but I had never suffered from a fever.
‘In my case, there was no growing pain even after gaining divine power.’
—… … Pretending to know that a guy who doesn’t even seem to have gone through a normal divinity acquisition path. That’s what you’re special about, and that’s not usually the case.
‘Then is it normally different?’
-yes. Those with low physical abilities cannot withstand the divinity injected from the gods and suffer from high fevers. I’ll have to wait until I get used to the power given to me.
‘… … How long will the fever last?’
―Usually for about a day. However, depending on the level of divinity injected, the duration will be different… … . If it’s a pre-apostle level holy power, you won’t be able to open your eyes for a week.
‘… … If that’s real, things aren’t good.’
In the Holy Ground on the 7th floor, trials are conducted mainly with battles between different factions and the struggle for the Holy Grail Fragments.
Of course, I collected more than one [Grail Fragment], which is the entry condition for the 8th floor, but that’s why it’s a more problematic situation.
‘Since they have more [Grail Fragments] than other camps, they must be easy targets.’
So, it must be expected that other camps will target me to some extent… … .
It was very difficult to walk around with a colleague who had fallen like this.
It was worth it.
Because there might still be deities who can use <Advent> on the 7th floor.
Even if that wasn’t the case, it was very difficult to fight against those protected by the gods.
But it wasn’t that the situation was out of control.
“… … I know roughly what the situation is. Then please protect Catherine instead of me.”
It is because Arya, an apostle sent by the God of Darkness, exists.
“I will follow your orders.”
She took a restrained stance and immediately put Katherine Bennet on her back.
Because of the master-servant relationship, you can’t refuse an order, so you don’t have to worry about betrayal, so it’s like this.
But I couldn’t be completely relieved.
This is also the fault of the team members.
‘Now that the barrier is gone, I don’t know what will happen to Kim Seung-hun and Oh Chun-seok.’
Since they did not possess divinity, there was a high possibility that they would be fatally injured in the aftermath of the divine power.
So I quickly took Arya and moved to the point where I had set up a barrier with my guardian skill.
and… … .
“… … .”
I couldn’t help but frown at the scene that soon appeared.
***
—… … hmm. Your condition is worse than you think. It wouldn’t be strange if he died soon.
Are ominous premonitions always wrong?
Originally, Kim Seung-hun and Oh Chun-seok were spread around the pit covered with barriers, bleeding.
Even with the skin dyed black.
“Sacred poisoning.”
As I approached them, frowning, Arya spoke as if explaining.
“Perhaps the essence of the soul was damaged by exposure to divine power.”
“Essential blow… … ?”
“That’s right. This is often the case. If a person with a low spirituality is exposed to the power of a godhead even a little, they will be hit in essence like this.”
“… … .”
This was a symptom I could tell.
As soon as I received the gaze of the god of proof on the 11th floor, I immediately crossed the line of death… … .
If the Divine Powers <Descend> to the prospective apostles and disappear to the barrier, that’s how it will turn out.
-There is nothing to worry about. This poisoning can be cured with a few months of meditation.
Dam Chun-wu said he would be fine if he rested for a few months… … .
‘It’s impossible to stay stable for months while going down the labyrinth, isn’t it?’
It was no different from being in a very unsuitable state for going down the labyrinth.
I’ll probably die for real if I go on like this.
so.
“I can’t help it… … .”
It was the right time to make the most rational decision.
‘Let’s consume all [HP] and return it to Earth.’
According to the law of the labyrinth-only system, when all [HP] is consumed, you are expelled from the labyrinth.
The law was still being applied steadily.
Thanks to the [Box of Life] obtained while descending the labyrinth, I don’t have to worry too much… … .
Since the team members weren’t like that, they were able to get them out of the labyrinth for sure.
However, the question is whether there will be any problems if it is expelled like that.
“Even if they are expelled from the labyrinth, there won’t be much of a problem.”
After hearing my explanation for that part, Aria immediately said that she didn’t have to worry.
“Anyway, even if you are expelled from the labyrinth, you will only lose a few abilities or skills.”
“Specs down… … .”
For a penalty that comes at the cost of saving a life, it wasn’t so hopeless.
Whether it’s skills or stats, in the end, you can recover as long as you’re alive.
“If you slowly reduce [HP], you will be able to safely get your comrades out of the labyrinth.”
“Is that so.”
Because of the master-servant contract, he couldn’t even lie, so the information itself was clear.
-It’s fortunate in misfortune. To be able to get out of this place to the point of losing a little bit of strength. It’s like a miracle to them.
He also advised that sending Dam Chun-wu out of the labyrinth was the right choice.
―If unqualified people are here, they will only bring irreversible wounds. Return it to its original place.
Without hesitation, I moved right away.
It wasn’t difficult to consume [HP] itself.
By inflicting a stab wound that caused continuous bleeding, the two quickly exhausted all [HP].
It was worth it.
After the barrier disappeared, he must have been exposed to battles between various deities using <Advent>.
Considering that, even if the damage to the soul was excluded, it would have been enough damage.
The bleeding itself wasn’t threatening enough to bring death to the challenger… … .
Even so, it was possible to cause consumption of [HP], a system dedicated to the labyrinth.
「Challenger ‘Seunghun Kim’ consumes all HP and is banished to the original world.」
「Challenger, Chun-Seok Oh, consumes all of her HP and is banished to her original world.」
It was only for a moment that the bitterness lingered on his lips as he watched the team members disappear in the light.
There was no time to deeply feel the regret.
「11 out of 20 deity camps have lost [Grail Fragments].」
A message popped up saying that nearly half of the deity camp had already met the elimination conditions… … .
「Condition satisfied.」
Then, the unforeseen situation began to happen.
“The crusade is starting to accelerate.”
「The remaining time is cut in half and the remaining time passes faster.」
“Some deities with very low spiritual status are temporarily given the powers of ‘deification’ and ‘incarnation’.”
「[Holy Grail] will be given to the deity faction that collects 10 or more [Grail Fragments].”
… … Indeed, should it be called a stage with the concept of a holy war in the Holy Land?
「Since the divinity belonging to the <Transcendence> faction is a very low-ranking entity, the conditions have been met.”
「The <Transcendence> faction’s deity challenger Han Seong-yoon will be given a deity-only privilege.”
really… … .
“The basic divine authority ‘Apotheosis’ will be released from the seal only on the 7th floor stage.”
“It turns out like this… … ?”
It seems to be a bit more balanced now.
