Chapter 13 – Labyrinth Libarintos (7)

Kwang!

The dagger and axe collided, filling the air with sparks.

“Grrr….!”

A groan escaped from the mouth of the Minotaur.

It wasn’t because it was being overpowered. If anything, it was the opposite.

It was colliding head-on with a human who should have been swept away.

The moment the human’s dagger came into contact with its axe.

Kaka!

Its opponent shifted his centre of gravity, letting the attack merely flow by.

It was a level of technique that the Minotaur could not understand.

“This… cannot be.”

Park Hana watched in shock.

There had been no doubt in her mind that Jin-hyuk would lose. After all, he was up against a boss monster that had activated an Lv10 skill.

Even all the Black Crow Guild members together wouldn’t be able to stand in front of it.

The first thought in her mind was to run away. She didn’t want to die here after all.

But…

Jin-hyuk wasn’t being pushed back by the monster. Instead, he’s pushing it back.

Bang! Bang!

It was a contradiction where the dagger’s small blade was overpowering a massive piece of iron.

It was a heart-pounding battle where nothing about it could be understood.

‘Humans can move… like that.’

Park Hana clenched her fist.

Furthermore…

‘He is smiling.’

A single mistake could cost his life. Yet, Jin-hyuk was smiling.

And at that moment, Jin-hyuk grabbed the Minotaur by the horn and rotated his body.

As he landed lightly on its head, the disappeared dagger reappeared in his hand.

Crack!

Just as suddenly as it appeared, it violently penetrated through the roof of the Minotaur’s mouth.

“…!”

It couldn’t move its mouth because of the dagger now stuck in it.

“Five minutes are done.”

Jin-hyuk looked down at the Minotaur with a cold gaze. At the same time…

Puak!

The ‘Element of Fire’ that Jin-hyuk manifested was launched directly into the Minotaur’s mouth. Crimson, roiling flesh was now visible at the Minotaur’s throat.

No matter how tough its skin was, the flesh underneath was soft.

Kwakwakwang!

The flames went through its exposed throat and burned the Minotaur’s internal organs.

“Goooooo!”

It let out a terrible, guttural scream.

[The use time of the unique ability ‘Berserker’ has expired.]
[The Guardian of Labyrinth is in a ‘suspended state’ for 24 hours.]
The Minotaur stood still.

‘I’ll finish it neatly right now.’

Jin-hyuk retrieved the dagger from where he had stabbed it through the Minotaur’s mouth. As the risk had been high just moments earlier as the Minotaur was enraged, he managed to get Rift stat points.

[Rift Status Points: 57]
A whopping 57!

In terms of levels, that stat amount was enough to bridge a 19-level gap.

‘There isn’t much left until my goal of 100 points.’

The remaining time was 20 days. This should work out nicely.

So, now all that was left…

Jin-hyuk looked behind him.

Park Hana was trembling there.

Now that he had shown her what he could do, it seemed like she realized that even the entire Black Crow Guild would be of no use here.

Jin-hyuk raised his finger at her.

“What are you doing?”

“Uh?”

“You won’t come?’

“Yes!”

Park Hana got up and rushed towards him

“Haa. Ha… you called?”

“From now on, I will be recruiting interns for the Veteran Company.”

“I-Intern?”

“You mustn’t be very ambitious. Why? Don’t want the job?”

If she said she wasn’t interested, well… it would probably be difficult for her to see sunlight again.

Jin-hyuk slightly raised his dagger and moved it in a curve around the air.

“I-I am interested! Please let me join! I have always wanted to join a company!”

Park Hana nodded vigorously until her hair got all messed up.

Great! This was a good look. An enthusiastic applicant.

“Then, the question. Please tell us what you can do for the company in the future.”

Park Hana’s face turned white at the question.

“I… I…”

“You?”

“Communion! Right! My unique ability is Communion which makes people get close to me. Even enemies can turn into allies.”

The Communion ability.

A good ability, but…

He already took it.

“And?”

“And… I will never betray you.”

Even if you didn’t like it, this was how it would go.

If he places a stigma on her, then she wouldn’t be able to betray him even if she wanted to.

“Is that the end of it? Is there nothing more?”

Step.

Jin-hyuk stepped forward.

While stroking the dagger with his finger.

“No. That… uh…uh… wait… give me some time to think.”

Park Hana took a step back, trying to think of something useful to say.

She had to make an offer which the other person would like.

“I will say it. There are so far no successful internships granted at the Veteran Company…”

Jin-hyuk raised his dagger high in the air and…

“Braham’s Ring!”

Park Hana screamed.

“…”

Jin-hyuk paused.

That Braham’s Ring?

“You have it? From the Black Crow Guild?”

“Not yet, but I will soon get it.”

“This isn’t distrust, but I find that hard to believe.”

Braham’s Ring was one of the best items you could get on the 1st floor. It granted increased movement speed, magic resistance and the ability to suppress magic monsters.

It was a highly valued item because it had three useful options attached.

The problem was that it was almost impossible to get.

The key to the dungeon was available at the starting point on the Korean server. Yet, the dungeon Braham’s Ring was located in was at the starting point of the Chinese server.

This was the very starting location of the tower.

Now there can’t be two nations fighting together just to give up what they already had in their hands, right? Especially when this tower had suddenly popped up.

He couldn’t understand how the guild would have their hands on it.

Park Hana bit her lip.

“My oppa is in China… he said he will deal with the other side. He will get the ring in exchange for ‘Korean Ginseng’.”

‘Korean Ginseng’ was an edible item known to be excellent for recovering stamina and magic.

If that was the case, he didn’t have to go through with this.

Hopefully, Park Hajin had good contacts in China.

“Korean Ginseng is good, but would it be good enough to match Braham’s Ring? Is something else happening that you aren’t telling me?”

“I do not know the details of the contract above that. Ah! I-I mean it! It is because of the viewers…”

[Lv1′ Eye of Truth has been activated.’]
[Park Hana’s words are ‘True’]
It didn’t seem like she was playing any tricks here.

Then this was good.

Perhaps, not only Braham’s Ring but even Korean Ginseng can be obtained.

Jin-hyuk began to think as numerous scenarios played out in his mind. One, in particular, seemed promising.

‘In the end, I have no choice but to turn hostile with those guys again.’

China had as many awakened people as Korea.

In fact, the giant guild ‘People’s Republic’ that was created in Korea was one of the largest guilds in the world.

‘The guild must have already been created and systemized too.’

It would take at least a month to fully get it online.

Unlike the game, there were too many variables in reality. Even if it was small, a month was the minimum.

But they have compressed the process.

Through a peaceful agreement, maybe?

No.

Idealism wouldn’t be enough to get something like that done. It must have been the result of strong leadership and charisma.

And he could guess who was at the top.

‘…. Namgung Chun.’

The child of a warrior family, a genius who was gifted.

A ranker who monopolized all kinds of secrets and elixirs within the [Tower of Trials].

Right, it had to be him.

As he thought that, Park Hana called out to him.

“Excuse me…”

Ah, right, he had to take care of her first.

Park Hana must have felt a bit worried as she waited for him to come to a conclusion.

“Congratulations.”

Jin-hyuk smiled broadly.

“You are accepted into the internship at the Veteran Company! Wow! Claps!”

“…”

At the sudden change in his attitude, her face became puzzled.

“Intern. Clap.”

Jin-hyuk mumbled slowly.

When the boss applauded, the interns should do it too.

“Woahh!”

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Park Hana clapped her hands with excessive sincerity.

It felt like he was forcing the reaction out of her, but it didn’t matter since he was used to doing this as a BJ.

“Kyak…!”

Jin-hyuk cleared his voice and continued.

“Now, our company does not pay our interns. The living expenses are covered by a separate part-time job. Another most important thing. Anytime, anywhere. When I call, you should show up. Be it 3 a.m. in the morning or from Jeju island. Make sure to understand that clearly.”

Of course, dismissal was right around the corner if they came late or did not attend.

Backing out now meant to leave behind your body and soul.

“I understand…”

Park Hana bowed her head and answered back.

And then she said,

“Should we come up with a contract or something?”

“Of course, we should.”

There needed to be proof that she was working for him.

But…

It would be a little different from a normal one.

Woong

Jin-hyuk activated the new skill he had acquired from the fusion.

His index finger was shining blue.

“That is…the contract?”

“Right. Did you think I would write on paper and stamp it?”

That only worked outside the Tower.

Not in here

Didn’t she know that?

Jin-hyuk’s style was something with a bit more certainty. He then placed his glowing finger on Park Hana’s right shoulder.

[Engraving Lv1 Stigma of the Soul on Park Hana!]

Chii!

“Umm…”

Park Hana frowned, but she didn’t scream.

Actually, it didn’t hurt too much. It would hurt a lot if she betrayed him.

Time passed by quickly.

It was a simple routine of raising his Rift stat through battles with the Minotaur, followed by resting.

It was a daily routine similar to running on a treadmill but it didn’t feel boring at all.

‘I am getting strong.’

He could feel himself grow daily.

So there was no room for boredom.

Kwaang!

The Minotaur aimed its fists at Jin-hyuk’s face.

But the fist never made it there. It stopped just a few centimeters away.

There…

Jin-hyuk had grabbed its fist with one hand.

“Why do you seem to be getting weaker?”

It was a bonus taunt.

“Kwaaa! “

The arm of the Minotaur began to swell, but there was no change.

Jin-hyuk’s stats had risen too much, so much so that it could never be narrowed again.

Puak! Puak!

Instead, Jin-hyuk’s fist hit the minotaur’s side.

The body of the Minotaur was being broken by a human.

“Kuak! Kuak!”

It took less than 5 minutes for it to faint.

‘I have done this over 100 times already.’

After a month of fighting it daily, the Minotaur’s face became too familiar.

At first, he didn’t think it would faint, but this was becoming a daily routine.

‘If this was daily work, then wouldn’t it be worth living it for a year and not just a month?’

It was then…

“You worked hard, CEO!”

Park Hana brought over the food made up of moss and mushroom on a plate.

Ah…

Cancel that thought he had a moment ago. He could never get used to the food.

A spicy kimchi stew.

Crispy chicken and cold beer.

Sizzling grilled pork with a side of soju to drink.

Mint chocolate ice cream that looked like toothpaste, which was not for brushing your teeth.

He wanted to eat that.

Madly.

“… let’s go out.”

Jin-hyuk finally signaled that their time here was almost over.

[Rift Stat increased by 0.015 points]
As soon as he dodged an attack.

Jin-hyuk kicked back.

Kwang!

The Minotaur rotated 90 degrees.

He didn’t talk to the Minotaur anymore. The moment he got the stats, the bull got taken down.

And finally…

[Current Rift Stat: 100]

100 stat points.

He had reached the point where the stat points hit the maximum limit.

Gulp.

It felt like something that had piled up inside him was soaring up. At the same time…

“I-I see light over there!”

The end of the labyrinth could be seen.

They had finally arrived at the end of this long journey.