Chapter 8: First Level (3)

[Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: Isn't the shopkeeper too stubborn? Why does he always make a comment when selling something?] [Lee Taeyeon [Solo]: You too? If he's a shopkeeper, why doesn't he just sell stuff like one? I really want to stab him with a knife, but I can't because I'll be the one hurt. Ah, I'm so annoyed.]

“Why are you doing this for me?”

Taesan had to ask. Lee Taeyeon had no reason to lie to him, so she must have been really poorly treated by the dwarf. But the current behavior of the dwarf was hard to believe.

“What’s the matter if I’m kind? Can’t I care a little?”

The dwarf was grumbling while organizing the items one by one.

“Think of it as a simple investment.”

“Investment?”

“Quiet. Now, choose. These are the items you can afford right now.”

He laid out nearly ten items on the floor. Taesan was still suspicious of the dwarf, but since he didn’t answer, he decided to go shopping.

Most of the items were potions. Taesan picked up a red potion.

[Health Recovery Potion] [Recovers 50% of health] [200G]

Health recovery potions were very hard to obtain anywhere but at the shop. They were also limited in number in the shop, so they were essential items to buy.

However, Taesan put the health recovery potion back down.

‘I won’t need it in the early stages anyway.’

There were also many other potions.

A fury potion that temporarily increased attack power.

A quickness potion that temporarily increased all speeds.

A teleportation potion that allowed you to move to the location where it was thrown.

All of them were useful. They were indispensable potions for clearing the labyrinth.



But they were not the things to use right now.

He had heard that potions were very hard to obtain in Solo Mode. If he had to use them at these lower levels, that would be a disaster, so there was no need to buy them now.

In other words, it was a kind of trap.

There were more important items that he needed to buy right now. Taesan picked up a small bow.

[Cheap Bow] [Accuracy + 20%] [It seems quite difficult to use.] [200G] [Cheap Arrow] [Attack Power + 1] [The arrow is properly shaped.] [10G]

One ranged weapon was absolutely necessary. If he had a bow, he could avoid a lot of headaches. With his current gold, he could buy one bow and four arrows.

“How much for the leather?”

“For this quality, around 70 gold?”

“Then I’ll sell it.”

He immediately purchases seven more arrows for seventy gold. The dwarf was watching him with a satisfied face. Taesan was baffled by his excessively friendly face.

‘What’s going on?’

“You know that health doesn’t really recover in the labyrinth?”

“I know.”

In the labyrinth, the natural recovery rate was horrendously slow. Even if a whole day passed, only 10 health points would recover. Mana recovery was somewhat better, but it was still slow.

There were three solutions. One was to drink a recovery potion. You could also kill monsters and absorb their health to recover.

Or you could use the Fountain of Life, something that existed in the labyrinth.

“There’s a Fountain of Life on the first floor. If you don’t leave the first floor, you can use it an infinite amount of times. Let me tell you its location. There’s a crazy old man there, but you should have no problem.”

It’s different. Definitely.

The dwarf also guided Lee Taeyeon to the Fountain of Life.



But she had to listen to all sorts of contemptuous words. He told her to starve and die there, but now he was being incredibly kind.

“Let me map the location for you.”

He was even marking it on the map.

“Do you know how to use a Map Ball?”

“I know.”

Taesan checked the map. His path was marked on the black map, and a bright light was placed in the darkness.

That was the location of the Fountain of Life. Taesan looked at the dwarf quietly.

“What? Do you need something else?”

“...No, nothing.”

Taesan then said his farewell.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Yeah. See you later.”

There were three Big Rats in a corridor where there was barely any space to move. They had also encircled him. Even for Taesan, this could be dangerous, but his expression did not change.

[...]

He did not waver. He had seen countless people die due to sudden unexpected variables, despite having the capability to overcome them. Taesan had no intention of becoming one of them.

[All judgments passed!] [You have withstood through excellent mental strength!] [All stats have increased.] [You have obtained an unwavering mind.] [Proficiency of Composure has increased by 1%.]

His leveling efficiency had given him full readiness. The width of the corridor was roughly the size of an apartment staircase. There was room to turn his body.

[Proficiency of Field of Vision has increased by 3%.]

Due to the successful judgment check, all of his stats had increased by 1. With his current stats, he would win a battle of reaction speeds against a Big Rat.

The odds were overwhelmingly in his favor.

[Proficiency of Insight has increased by 1%.]

He raised his shield. This time, he does not leave his ankles exposed. He quietly stared at the Big Rat in front of him.

“Squeak. Squeak.”

“Squeaaak.”

The Big Rats happily squealed. They had encircled a big human with their brethren. They could tell they had the upper hand, even with their weak intelligence.

And that thought led them to let their guard down.

Whooosh!

Taesan took the first step. He rushed toward the Big Rat in front of him.

“Squeak!”

The Big Rat in front of him was startled and ran away. Startled by the sudden charge, it ran a good distance away. It would take some time to approach again, as a substantial distance was created.

“Squeak, squeak!”

The Big Rats that were quietly sneering behind him were surprised and charged. At that moment, Taesan quickly turned his body as if he had anticipated this.

“Squeak!”

The Big Rats abruptly stopped at the sight of the shield pointing at them. But the body that had been accelerating couldn’t stop so easily. Taesan’s shield crushed a Big Rat.

“Squeaaak!”

[You have triumphed over the Big Rat.] [Your level has increased.]

Taesan dismissed the system window that popped up. He quickly rushed towards the remaining Big Rat.

“Squeak, squeak!”

But this time, it didn’t succumb so easily. It quickly put some distance between them.

The Big Rat that had escaped earlier then charged back belatedly. Thinking that Taesan’s turned back was an opportunity, it bared its teeth.

Swish.

And then Taesan stopped chasing the Big Rat and turned his body. The charging Big Rat tried to halt in surprise, but it was too late.

Thud.

“Squeaaak!”

[You have triumphed over the Big Rat.]

He had taken down two Big Rats in the blink of an eye. It was a one-sided victory. Taesan pointed his shield toward the remaining Big Rat.

“Come on.”

“Squeak, squeak.”

[The Big Rat is overwhelmed by you.] [The Big Rat's thinking slows.]

Fueled by rage, the Big Rat charged. In this situation, even its quick speed was quite easy to predict. Taesan waited for the right time and struck with his shield.

Thud.

“Squeaaak!”

[You have attacked.] [The Big Rat is in a weakened state. Damage will be significantly increased.] [8 damage to the Big Rat.] [9 damage to the Big Rat.] [You have triumphed over the Big Rat.]

‘Nice.’

Taesan grinned widely. He had already faced several Big Rats. He knew all about their habits - if he charged, they would run far away. If he turned his back, without any hesitation, they would aim for his heel. Fundamentally they only had a hit-and-run attack pattern.

The value of information in this place was not to be underestimated. Taesan reopened the window he had previously closed.

[Your level has increased.] [You are in top condition.] [As a reward for leveling up, your Health has increased by 10.] [As a reward for leveling up, your Agility permanently increases by 3.] [Your permanent Agility increase has been activated. Agility permanently increased by 3.] [You emerged victorious without faltering in a desperate situation. Your Intelligence increased by 1.] [Cold Judgment skill proficiency has increased by 5%.] [Field of Vision skill proficiency has increased by 3%.] [Discernment skill proficiency has increased by 2%.]

“Leveling up nicely.”

His Agility had already surpassed 20. Considering that even increasing skill proficiency by 1% was quite a struggle, this was unbelievably rapid progress.

In addition, there were also many gold coins, leathers, and bones. He could make a good amount of money if he sold these at the shop.

Taesan walked down the passage with a smile. This time, no monsters appeared.

A square room. Inside there was a small spring without a single fish living in it.

[You have discovered the Fountain of Life for the first time.]