Acquiring Talent in a Dungeon - Chapter 30

Chapter 30 – Day 7, 7th Floor Key

If someone was watching us, then the view would be quite frustrating. The three of us hadn’t moved for hours. Yoon Ji-hee was reading the introduction to Tellan while I was flipping through another book I had about Tellan. As expected, the words were different but I could march some characters. I learned how to read the letters one by one.

“I’m bored.” Yang Su-jin complained. She had put together the tools she collected from the fourth floor and the potions she gained so far, and was immersed in experimentation. The academic atmosphere was good. In fact, although there was nothing material to be gained from the seventh floor, time itself was a valuable resource.

Even if it was dangerous outside, it wasn’t the least bit dangerous inside this building. In other words, we could stay in here until the limit. Of course, that limit was coming a little bit closer. As the sun finally rose, I looked at the two women.

It was the end of the day when we came down here. The night was quite long. Our tired eyes looked up at the light. Our food also showed signs of running out.

We felt hungry during the night and had one more meal. As a result, there were two energy bars and one triangle kimbap left. In addition, there were two 500mL bottles of water. I pulled out a piece of paper from my inventory.

[Return Ticket: 5th floor.]

[For explorers, this scroll containing the power of ■■■ is best for spatial movement. The function will be activated when torn by hand. The explorer is forcefully moved to a facility on the 5th floor and will stay there for 12 hours.]

I didn’t have just one. On the 6th floor, I had captured four tickets from Kim Ha-jong and Kwak Yu-han along with the coins that they dropped. “Uh, you are using that now?”

“Yes.” I nodded and ordered. “Keep on eye on your backs. If you’re hungry, then eat the remaining food.”

I tore the ticket.

[You are moving to the 5th floor.]

The space in front of my eyes changed quickly, and then I was standing on the fifth floor. This… The movement was instant, so it was possible to use the ticket for avoidance. In a crisis situation, I would disappear immediately if I tore the ticket.  However, in an environment like the sixth floor where the stairs were collapsing, it was just an act of suicide.

“Hey! Where did you come from?” People were shouting towards me.

The people on the fifth floor were divided into groups of five or six. Looking at the numbers, there was a minimum of 10 groups. It was difficult to see them as those heading down to the sixth floor.

“Zenda is this way!’

“Talia? Are you from Talia?”

“Rikare!”

Aha. They were city names. Even though my city was wide, it wasn’t big enough to hold all the people in the dungeon. I slowly walked towards the group that said ‘Talia.’

“No, you should quickly answer when I call! It is really frustrating.” I waved my hand to the middle-aged man who seemed impatient and look at the faces of those he gathered. There were some familiar faces. Two of them.

”We meet again.” Both of their expressions were different, but Yoon Sang-min and Yoon Sang-ah were looking this way with gleaming eyes. "If both of you came at once, it seems like you still have tickets left.”

“That is none of your business.” Yoon Sang-ah was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I’m well aware of what you did to Sung-tae oppa.”

“I'm glad.”

As we exchanged greetings, the frustrated middle-aged man made a confused expression. “That… You know each other?”

Before Yoon Sang-ah could answer, I laughed and lowered my hand. “Nope. I have nothing to do with those people over there at all. I just act according to how I am treated. Ajusshi”

“…”

“Crazy bastard.” I heard Yoon Sang-ah mutter.

The quiet Yoon Sang-min opened his mouth. “It isn’t just those gathered here, but the ones below us. We are on the same seventh floor, yet we ended up meeting for the first time on this fifth floor.”

Was that so? Yes,the atmosphere made it seem like a tacit relationship had already been formed. Except for the impatient ones, the rest were still watching the situation. Were they leading with money? Or…

“My sister and I have found the answer.”

“The answer?”

“It’s the way to clear the seventh floor. There’s a building in the center of the city. There’s a door inside on the floor.”

“Oppa! If you say that…” Yoon Sang-min restrained his sister from intervening.

“I checked using the light of my cell phone. There’s a device in the building that’s charged by ‘light’. The roof of the building can be opened manually. Use the sunlight gathered during the daytime to open the door.”

“I’ll be eaten by locusts after I open the door.”

“It seems so. But it isn’t just the energy of the sun that can activate it.” Yoon Sang-min pulled something out from his inventory. It seemed to be a translucent battery that was 20 times bigger than normal ones. The insides were shining with a yellow fluorescent colour.

“This, I got it from the city guards.”

“… Did you kill it?”

“Yes. Fortunately, I have one person with a ‘technique’ that matches the guards. Originally, there were two batteries but I already put one in the generator. It said 1/10. After night has come a few times, I can open the door.”

A door that opened with light.  Similarly, the light energy that moved the guards could also open the door. It was a plausible idea. Perhaps it would actually work.

“Of course, the reason I say this is that I don’t think it is impossible for you.”

“That is tremendous confidence.”

“There is a basis for the confidence.” Yoon Sang-min pointed to the gathered people.

“Sung-tae told me of your talents. It wasn’t a nice surprise, but he said he won’t be beaten by the same method twice.”

“Thank you.”

“But I want to let you know. Those guards aren’t things that can be caught with the power of a human. If you don’t have anyone with the key technique, then it will be pretty damaging.”

It reminded me of the speech contest I watched in elementary school. The power in Yoon Sang-min’s voice became even stronger. His hands gestured like he was immersed in what he was saying.

“In that state, ‘we’ will be waiting at the door for you to come. Everyone here has decided to become companions. We will wait in front of the door for as long as possible. As you know, the seventh floor is quite a useful development time.”

In the end, if I didn’t want to die, then I should quietly join his side? Yoon Sang-min finished with a laugh. Yoon Sang-ah, who was listening next to me, applauded.

“And?”

“And?” Yoon Sang-min repeated my words stupidly. I knew it. I stealthily stepped back.

“If that is the end of it…”

“… Don’t you understand?” Yoon Sang-ah raised her voice like she was frustrated.  “Checkmate. Checkmate!”

“Maybe it is… Why don’t you ask your brother? See if he gained any experience in Persuasion.”

“What?”

“He tried to deliver an intense speech, but I wasn’t convinced at all.” Not just Yoon Sang-ah, but Yoon Sang-min’s face also twitched.

Aigoo… They accidentally showed the curses they were feeling in their hearts. Even if this was the dungeon, if they got into the habit of cursing then it would be hard to break in reality. They tried to say something nice. It was nonsense.

“Frankly speaking, I was trying to…”

I pointed at Yoon Sang-min. “Hey, don’t open your mouth. It would be more helpful if you keep it shut.” When looking at martial arts novels, the characters were able to see what was in the depths of a person’s heart. Honestly, this wasn’t wrong even in reality.

However, none of these guys were worth having a witty conversations with. “Frankly, I thought your younger sister was terrible, but she seems decent just by waiting quietly in the back. Actually, I’ve been having some fun so I guess I’ll eat it all.” I brought a hand to my mouth and made a rude gesture.

“Let’s try to cut down on that perfect image. It makes my mouth itch.”

[The level of a talent has risen.]

[Taunt. Lv 4. 14/800]

[Eloquence has exceeded the limit.]

[Eloquence: 11]

I hadn’t intended to do this. Yoon Sang-min’s expression was completely distorted. Indeed, there were a few people with pretend faces in reality. But if they were scratched even a little bit, their true expressions would be revealed. Their true substance was usually sloppy.

“In fact, didn’t you send four people after me in the middle of the night?”

“This b*stard is totally crazy!”

Rather, Yoon Sang-ah’s mental state seemed better.  “Hey! What is so good about you!? You’re just someone who buzzes around and shakes your tail when sucking up to someone…”

I literally turned around. As the stone statue said on the fifth floor, this place was decorated with many facilities. There were tables for meals and beds for sleeping. Of course, I didn’t intend to sleep leisurely. I headed to a corner of the wall. There was a human sized stone statue with a sign.

[■■■’s Stone Statue]

Was it the one from the fifth floor? I wanted to check.

[Welcome. Explorer.]

I was able to tell after hearing it talk. It was the same ‘type,’ but a different personality. “I want to see the goods that you’re selling.” It was literally a resting place, so there wasn’t a lot in the store.

A meal for one person cost five silver. One 500mL bottle of water was one silver. Clothes or a blanket were sold for 10~30 silver. “… Is this the same price or money as the original world?”

[You are very sharp.]

This stone statue was more brusque than the previous one. However, their expressions when amused were the same.

[Certainly, the value of silver coins were different in those human societies. That market price has little meaning here.]

“It is a nominal currency.” I looked through the list that the stone statue showed me. There were only two items that weren’t so-called necessities.

[Tellan Introduction:  New Edition – 15 gold coins (= 300 silver)]

[Ticket: Return to 5th Floor – 10 gold coins (= 200 silver)]

[Improved Leather Travel Bags – 5 gold coins]

I was able to buy the introduction to Tellan for a few silver coins from the hidden store on the fourth floor. Of course, there was a difference between the ‘old’ and ‘new’ editions, but there were few changes in the language of the book itself. “Has anyone purchased this book yet?”

[I can’t tell you…]

I see.

[…Just.]

The stone statue showed some signs of playfulness.

[There is nobody who had purchased it so far.]

“… Can you tell me that?”

[Won’t it be okay? Anyway, autonomy is allowed to some extent. Besides, there was no other human in this room who asked me this.]

Even so, usually this wouldn’t be done for no reason…

[Nope. It is my personal interest.]

It asserted. Then it spoke in a coy voice.

[Incidentally, I have already sold 10 of the return tickets. Six of them were purchased by explorers in the same city as you. Yes. Like Kim Hee-chul, there are those who worried about buying the book. Maybe they had no money left.]

“…” I pointed to two of the improved leather bags. “These two. I will spend the rest of the money on food and water.”

[Your purchase has been completed.]

I turned to leave. I might be able to get more information but… It was worrisome. My back always felt cold from the gazes of those other brats on the fifth floor.

[I know why Iphos felt regret. Since the sixth floor, you have come into the area that I’m responsible for.]

“I’ll see you later.”

[I am looking forward to it. Ah, you can leave early by taking advantage of that scaffold over there.]

The stone statue said from behind me.

[Hopefully you will have a good stay in the city.]

Yoon Sang-min and the others were heading towards the scaffold.

“…” Based on their expressions, it seemed like they were preparing to say something.

"Listen carefully.” I would show them what real persuasion was. I placed both hands in my pocket, then completely removed the smile from my face and spoke sincerely. “If you want to live, then give me all of your items and stay in your current position. That would be safer than becoming my meal.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

[Induce Fear Lv 1. 88/100]

Who was this guy? One person came up to me.

I said, “I’m telling you the truth. This b*stard. Don’t get in my way. Okay?” 

“You will regret…”

“Thank you for the information.” Without looking back, I climbed onto the scaffold. My vision changed and the seventh floor appeared.

“Eh? You’re already here?” Yang Su-jin, who welcomed me, was a bloody mess. Eyes. Nose and mouth. Blood was pouring out from every hole in her body.

“What is this?”

“I tasted just one drop of the mixture. This is really a huge effect.” I sighed as Yang Su-jin gave me a thumbs up. I threw one leather bag at her.

“Next time, bring a change of clothes.” Then I checked on my ‘key.’ The condition was perfect.

Now was the time for the flower to bloom.