Level Up with Skills - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

TL: handCream

Solo-mode player  

[Easy mode]

[This is the easiest difficulty level. There is enough to eat here, and the shelters that exist in the middle of the labyrinth will be a blessing to you. Even an ordinary and weak person can clear it someday if he works hard.]

With the mode he chose, it was going to be very easy. Just as the explanation goes, if one was determined, even a talentless could have cleared it.

Of course, those who died were still dead. But the clear rate was about 70%.

[Normal mode]

[This is the normal difficulty level. There won’t be enough food here, and there’s going to be significantly fewer shelters in the middle of the labyrinth than in the Easy Mode.]

[Ordinary people have difficulty surviving here, but they can clear it if they do their best and have a spirit even while working in despair.]

From here, the survival rate drops sharply. The average clear rate in normal mode is about 30%.

[Hard mode]

[This level is to test one’s limit. The food here is scarce, and there are very few shelters in the middle of the labyrinth. Monsters will be willing to give their lives to kill you, and if you do not ensure maximum safety, you will die horribly.]

The clear rate is only 1%. Those who survived came out with a boasted power incomparable to Easy and Normal．

So far up to this mode, all players can cooperate. Joining the forces they can attack the boss and clear the labyrinth together．

And the last one.

[Solo Mode]

[You’ll have to play alone. You can’t meet anyone from your world. The only thing you can see here are monsters, those who are hostile to you, and NPCs]

[Luck, talented, wisdom and resourcefulness. You cannot survive in this place where everything is tested. If your life is precious, don’t ever choose this difficulty]

That was one brutal explanation. But the funny thing is that even after seeing such an explanation, about 10,000 people chose the Solo mode.

Among them, Lee Tae-yeon was the sole survivor.

A labyrinth whose clear rate is unknown.

Tae-san chose Easy Mode last time because he was weak, and didn’t know his worth.

But now he does.

Tae-san looked up at the cracks in the sky. Beyond that, there must be that Apostle who killed him.

If he had been in perfect condition, would he have won? From Taesan’s point of view, it was a possibility. If he brought out all the means and methods, he might have won.

But was it the end?

It’s only been the fourth wave. In the end, the monster that appeared in the sky was stronger than the apostle. He knew the strongest one is yet to appear.

In the end, he would have lost. But what if he chooses the mode where he can make the most and become the strongest. And that wasn’t the Easy mode.

Tae-san smiled brightly.

“Just wait.”

[Select Solo Mode]

[Wishing you good luck]

His vision blurred as his body shifted. Tae-san closed his eyes and waited.

Soon uncertainty within him disappeared. When he opened his eyes, he saw a village.

House with inbuilt chimneys. A well right in the middle of the village. A world set in the Middle Ages was in front of him.

“Ha…”

Tae-san reacted with both nostalgia and tiredness.

After a long time, he returned.

 

* * *

“It looks the same.”

The appearance of the village was no different from that of the Easy Mode.

The important thing was not the town, but the labyrinth.

There’s nothing to see.

Tae-san who intended to run into the labyrinth immediately after the confirmation opened his mouth

“Community.”

[Community Post]

[Kang Jun-hyuk ‘Solo’:?? Every one, who’s this?]

Community. The only way to communicate with people of different difficulty levels. It helped the pioneers release some information.

‘Is there already a post?’

He immediately logged in and turned on his community. But the fact that there was already a post meant that as soon as he entered here, he got a shout-out, leaving a message.

He doesn’t know who it is, but he’s adaptable. So, Tae-san wrote a comment.

[Kang Tae-san ‘Solo’: Fighting]

The community didn’t mean much right now, but it can be used later.

 

“Status window.”

[Kang Tae-san]

[Level : 1]

[Health: 100/100]

[Mana: 10/10]

[Strength: 10]

[Intellect: 10]

[Agility : 10]

[Attack +0]

[Defense +0]

[Subject is in the best condition]

A familiar window appears. Looking at the terrible stats, he laughed.

All players entering the labyrinth starts with the same stat.

However, the difference grows with each difficulty level. When one breaks through the labyrinth and raises their level, the gap widens, till it can’t be narrowed down.

Simply put, the strength affects it all.

Hard mode player’s with more than a thousand stats had the power to break down a mountain and cut through the sea.

Previously, he was blocked by limitations in the easy mode, but now it’s different.

Now he was in the Solo Mode. He will become stronger much faster than anyone else.

He was done checking. Tae-san headed towards the labyrinth.

While walking down the street, he thought of Lee Tae-yeon’s words．

“There was someone who guards the entrance to the labyrinth.”

The man was also present in the Easy Mode. He was an old man with a long white beard, and he was an NPC who answered only what he was asked.

But this time was different. Tae-san recalled the explanation of Solo Mode.

[You’ll have to play alone. You can’t meet anyone from your world. The only thing you can see here are monsters, those who are hostile to you, and NPCs]

NPC.

There must be a reason why it was written so specifically.

When he arrived in front of the labyrinth, the man was sleeping against the wall of the cave. As he approached the mountain, the man quietly opened his eyes.

“What? You’re already here? I thought you would take about a month.”

A black-haired man stands up yawning. He had sharp eyes.

‘Ho!’

Tae-san was slightly impressed.

When the man stood up, it felt like the world itself stood up. Something enormous was compact in that small body.

Overwhelmed or intimidated was what Tae-san felt.

“This…”

This man was stronger than Lee Tae-yeon. Even if he fights the man in the past, his victory wouldn’t be guaranteed.

‘Was he the gatekeeper?’

“Congratulation. I’m the gatekeeper of the labyrinth and the guardian of this place. The one who will guide you.”

Emphasizing, the man asked.

“What’s your name?”

“Kang Tae-san”

“Tae-san. Hmm, not a bad name. I’m called the Broken Man. “

“Broken Man?”

“One who tried and failed the challenge and became the gatekeeper. Doesn’t it seem plausible?”

“Of course.”

Tae-san slightly nodded. Though on the outside, he was calmly talking, inside, he was quite surprised.

‘So, it’s real.’

Lee Tae-yeon often told him how difficult this level was. At first, he wasn’t very interested, but he listened anyway since he was given alcohol.

But he still remembered those memorable words.

[How was the easy mode NPCs?]

[They are just NPC. How different could they be?]

NPCs in the game give fixed answers and repeat actions without intelligence. The NPCs weren’t different in Easy, Normal and Hard mode.

However, Lee Tae-yeon thought differently.

[NPCs of Solo mode were a bit different from the others. They were like human beings.]

[Humans!]

[Yes. One with proper intelligence and could move freely. I think that’s one of the differences between the other modes and the Alone mode.]

Not machines but the intellectual NPCs. That was Solo Mode.

So, what’s the reason for having such NPCs in this mode only?

Tae-san easily figured out the reason.

‘Perhaps only this mode could allow such things.’

Broken Man raised his eyebrows as Tae-san calmly organized his thoughts.．

‘Why is this child so calm?’

Since he’d lived in a peaceful world, he shouldn’t be able to accept the reality that was thrown into him, out of nowhere. Therefore Broken Man thought Tae-san would go crazy after seeing him.

So he was ready to beat Tae-san up and later explain to him. But he wasn’t agitated and instead kept looking at the old man with a silent gaze.

 

“…Would you like to listen to my explanation?”

“Sure.”

Tae-san replied. Most of the information he knew was gathered from the Easy Mode. So it’d be better for him to listen.

“You must have roughly heard it from outside, right?” Your world is destroyed by the invaders. This is your chance from the benevolent Transcendental.”

Broken Man grumbled.

“He’s a terrible merciful being. You’d be happier to perish.”

“Is that so?”

Tae-san was convinced that Broken Man was just like him. That he came from a world that was destroyed like his.

Broken Man continued.

“This is a labyrinth. Some people call this a tower but you can name it whatever you want. It’s a total of hundred floors, and the deeper you go, the more difficult it becomes. And major event occurs every 10th floor. You’ll figure out what you can eat in the labyrinth, and find the required details. And that’s the end.”

“Is that it?”

It was rather a crude explanation. Broken Man moaned.

“Then, what’s on the first floor and what’s on the second floor, can you explain everything? There’s a guy selling things inside, should I listen to him.”

He looked annoyed. Tae-san recalled what Lee Tae-yeon said.

‘The gatekeeper had a dirty personality, so whenever he complained, he’d beat people up. I thought I’d be dead before entering the labyrinth.’

Tae-san remembered the advice of the pioneer and kept his mouth shut. Broken Man reached out towards the space.

“Still, you’ll have to do the basics.”

Wow! The space around him split.

“Here, take it.”

Broken Man took the torn armour and sword out of the space.

“Command verification”

“Verification”

The same system window as before blocked the view.

[Torn armour]

[Defense +1]

[I think I’ll stop small scratches]

[Rusty sword]

[Offence +1]

[It’s going to break soon!]

“It’s copper.”

It was the same equipment he was provided in the Easy Mode.

“Why, don’t you like it?”

“No.”

Finally, he could now enter the labyrinth. He’ll enjoy this time around.

Broken Man was strangely looking at Tae-san.

 

“What? Something’s wrong?”

“No, never mind.”

Thinking for a while, Broken Man decided.

“Take 01 as well.”

Broken Man gave him a wrist guard.

[Old wrist guard]

[Defense +1]

[It has been used for a long time and has lost its original value. Looks like  it will block the teeth of a beast.]

Tae-san was momentarily perplexed but silently accepted.

“What is it?”

Lee Tae-yeon received only two things, a rusty sword and a cloth armour. There was no wrist guard.

But Broken Man didn’t explain.

“And shout inventory.”

“Inventory.”

A window appears in the view.

The black windows were separated one by one and divided into a total of 20 squares.

“You can put one in between. Items can be stacked up to 20. Either carry them yourself or sell them when they’re full. And… ”

“Status window.”

The window floated in front of Tae-san.

“Oh, you know!”

“Basic knowledge.”

Tae-san confirmed the accustomed status window.

[Kang Tae-san]

[Level: 1]

[Health: 100/100]

[Mana: 10/10]

[Strength: 10]

[Intellect : 10]

[Agility: 10]

[Offence +1]

[Defense +2]

[Item is in the best condition.]

Tae-san, smiled satisfactorily while looking at the stats. The difference in defence of 1 means quite a lot in the beginning. It was an unexpected harvest.

“Check for yourself what will be added later. You can also directly check the effect of each stat. You can check your skills as well.”

Broken Man nodded with his chin.

“Then go in now.”

“Yes.”

Tae-san didn’t wait any longer and quickly entered the cave.

“Thank you.”

“Fighting!”

Broken Man waved his hands and saw off Tae-san. He lowered his hand only when Tae-san’s figure had sunk into the darkness and disappeared from view.

“Will he be able to survive?”

That place is hell.

Broken Man has seen countless people so far, some born warriors and some skilled wizards. Some were so-called geniuses, but none of them conquered this place.

But when Broken Man saw Tae-san, he knew that man had something different from the rest.

Something more fundamental, not just talent or skill.

the ability to survive.

“I wished I could’ve survived.”

But now he was the gatekeeper of this labyrinth. He cannot interfere with what happens in this place. Unless Tae-san returns, they will never meet each other.

Broken Man stopped his running thoughts and returned to his position, guarding this place.

* * *

Tae-san walked into the cave.

There was no problem in looking at the view as if the sky was lit without a torch.

Soon after the cave came to an end and he saw a clear brick passage.

This was the labyrinth.

Tae-san pulled out the status window and checked the introduction to this place.

[There are rumours that anyone who conquers the labyrinth, one the great old wizard created, will have their one wish come true.]

[This is where you are trapped.]

[Home of terrible beings with no life while the living ones die. Everything here exists to suppress you.]

[Eternal glory awaits you who will break through the deep and dark abyss.]

As expected.

But much better explanation.

Tae-san stepped into the brick passage with a happy face.

[This is the entrance to the labyrinth]

[Beings once were stabbed to death roams here, powerlessly.]

As he confirmed the content, another window appeared.

[The main quest begins]

[Secrets and hidden places lie ahead.]

[Rewards will be given based on the secrets you find.]

[First-floor quest begins]

[Defeat the boss on the first floor and pass through.]

[Reward: Random stat increase potion]

[Secret reward: ????]