48 Be Careful What You Wish For
[ Mission Subject Status Window(Possessed):
Name: Iris Platina (Damian Tray)
Age: 21 (24)
Level: 3 (FP: 48)
Class: Basic Aura Knight
Title: Failure of The Renowned Knight Family
Strength: 14 [27%] Constitution: 15 [12%] Agility: 17 [32%] Wisdom: 13 (34)
Aura: 39
Free Stat Points: 0
Skills: Aura Nurturing Lv.3, Combat Evasion Lv.2, Shortsword Mastery Lv.3, Swordsmanship Lv.2, Spearmanship Lv.1, Blunt Mastery Lv.1, Shield Arts Lv.1
Passives: Combat Instincts (A+), Resource Devouring Genius (S-)
Abilities: Platinum Aura Nurturing(Swift) [Tier-3] (B) ]
Looking at the multiplied Fate Points was extremely gratifying, but the rest of the Status Window was just as starkly different when compared to the start.
Although such Stat growth was almost impossible to achieve under just two level-ups with no opponents other than Goblins, Damian had somehow made it possible.
'It's much too different.'
Having spent 22 days in Goblin Land and then some, courtesy of infinite respawn, Damian thoroughly comprehended the difference between hands-on experience and remote control.
Playing from behind the screen was definitely more comfortable, but true immersion could never be achieved.
From movements that controls couldn't replicate to mental and physical experiences that were rather enlightening… Although that likely made him crazy, Damian had grown fond of this reality patch.
Even the cumbersome actions that could be usually skipped with a click now had meaning, and enduring all of that also had a greater one symbolized through Iris.
'Will she be okay if I left?'
Not knowing if this was his exit from the mission or just the door to another area, Damian was slightly concerned about the girl he hijacked. After all, she was also a major part of this experience, and the sudden growth of the Wisdom Stat seemed to point to that with clear intentions. While Damian's Wisdom grew by a single point, hers grew by an entire third! It was obvious that this last battle had a deep effect on both sides.
'Who would have thought it would actually happen?'
Despite being a person who lived in a dangerous world where Gates had appeared, Damian could only fantasize about learning sword skills or the like.
Yet, now, his highest skill was none other than Shortsword Mastery, followed by Combat Evasion! Even if these skills were the only things he could take back to Earth, they could practically change his life!
"Iris."
'Then…'
If there was one thing he was slightly disappointed about, it had to be the single lacking Aura point that kept the door to the fourth tier shut. However…
"Shall we go in?"
He was thankful to have reached this point to begin. Even after having cleared everything on his way up to this point, Damian could still see the version of him that had given up.
{Yes!}
"Good. I was going to go in anyway."
{Hey…}
"Hehe. Joking, just joking."
There was no going back, there was no other path, and the only option was to step in. Of course…
[ Save Point has been created. Main Save Point has been replaced. ]
Saving was still vital. This place might be empty, with nothing worth staying for, but it could always become a safe haven depending on what existed beyond the bloody portal.
'...Oh?'
Once Damian stepped inside, everything turned red and then completely black. It was only a few seconds later that his vision was finally back, and what he saw was a bit beyond his expectations.
He didn't land in an outdoor area, nor did he go to a different place. The Labyrinth's very same rocky interior still surrounded him, the area between the walls was just a bit more wide.
'Ah.'
Taking a few more glances at the cave that he appeared in, Damian recognized how similar it was to the one that he landed in at the very beginning. The cracked ceiling, the unsettling emptiness…
'It's a multi-floor Labyrinth.'
There was no way to confirm it, but Damian believed that he ended up on the second floor of the Labyrinth!
Although Labyrinths were usually structures that expanded on a single floor with expanding branches, Damian couldn't deny what he was experiencing no matter how rare multi-floor Labyrinths were.
Was the first floor that moved in a single straight line already a strange encounter? No matter how he looked at it, this had to be the second floor's starting room.
'Guess there is no second-floor tutorial.'
Thankfully, the hateful Goblin that claimed Damian's life more than a few times didn't seem to have a counterpart here, but there were also no hidden items in this room.
'Phew.'
Unbeknownst to Damian, this development almost led Iris to let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't sure if this was right or wrong. However, she didn't want this to end just yet.
Although she was aware that spending more time in the Labyrinth likely equaled suffering for both Damian and her, Iris couldn't help wishing for this selfish desire.
The battle with the Goblin King witnessed a new peak for Damian, but this couldn't possibly be the limit of his climb. Iris wholeheartedly believed that he could go much higher, and she wanted to be there to witness it.
Naturally, a part of her was also looking forward to the heights that her body could achieve…
'Well, if this is anything like the first floor…'
Preparing his heart for yet another grind, Damian took out his shortswords. While he kept the ones dropped by the Guardsmen, he had officially declared the pair left by the Goblin King as his new main weapons!
Though still lacking in reach as usual, these shiny shortswords could slice through Goblin meat without the help of Aura. Just by holding them in his hands, Damian felt a lot more confident.
'Lets-'
Stepping out of the starting room with some excitement, Damian was immediately met with one more surprise, almost washing all the zeal out of him.
"Gren!"
He didn't need to march forward this time around as his first encounter was only a few steps away, and it just happened to be something that Damian had been picturing very recently.
'I didn't mean it in this way.'
It was a den brawling with a healthy group of Hobgoblins!
- 1st chapter of the day! Hope you enjoy it!
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