NOVEL NEXT Chapter 52
‘Wow, what is all this?’
A mysterious orb sparkling with a brilliant blue light.
A ring with intricate engravings, overlapping geometric shapes that looks ominous.
An old, tattered scroll inscribed with a geometric magic circle.
Three luxurious potions that seem to hold something colorful, like an aurora known as the northern lights.
Inside the treasure chest… were items that were surprisingly noteworthy compared to the time and effort spent to get here.
“Swallow the orb. Doing so will grant you power.”
Upon hearing that, I immediately focused on the orb.
A little while later, a message window appeared.
────
[Frozen Crystal]
An essence infused with the energy of a transcendent being that once ruled the vast Frozen Land.
If successfully absorbed, you can acquire a characteristic.
─The difference in the characteristic you acquire depends on your absorption progress.
────
The item description was quite straightforward.
By the way, there’s no rank.
Perhaps because it’s an item prepared by a transcendent, unlike the characteristics related to the gods I possess, I’m not sure.
I carefully picked up the orb and spoke to Chaos.
‘Is it… okay to eat this?’
[Chaos says that while it probably won’t endanger your life, forcefully confining and absorbing a transcendent’s energy will definitely be painful.]
Right. As long as I don’t die, it’s fine. Surely, the transcendent wouldn’t play tricks to the degree that Chaos wouldn’t know after looking at the system window.
And if they did, then to get out of here and ascend to the 3rd Floor, I had no choice but to do as advised.
“Yeriell, I need to absorb this now. If I start experiencing severe pain, you absolutely must not use Heal, okay? Can you endure it?”
“Hmm… I don’t know what that orb is, but since Aren is so adamant, I’ll trust you. But be careful, okay?”
Alright. I’m ready.
Gulp.
No more hesitation, that would be a luxury. After reminding Yeriell, I quickly placed it in my mouth and swallowed.
It was small, and fearing I’d cause a problem by chewing, I immediately swallowed it whole.
Except for a chilling sensation that went down my throat, it felt like nothing was obstructing it at all.
I realized what it meant for something to melt away.
“Grrr…”
Here it comes! The reaction is here!
Soon, I began to feel a massive energy stirring within me.
It wasn’t a magical energy that circulated continuously from the heart; instead, it felt like a freezing force rushing through every blood vessel in my body.
Cold. It felt like it was trying to freeze me instantly, suffocatingly heavy, clinging to my lungs.
“Gah, huff.”
Whoosh─
Before I knew it, the temperature around me started to drop along with my stiffened body.
Just like breathing in the polar regions, my breath turned white as I exhaled.
A warning bell rang in my mind.
‘I need to control the energy. If I don’t fix it and just leave it, I might actually freeze to death!’
Desperately, I began to think through the unexpected situation.
What I felt from the energy surging through my body was pure and free from impurities, as it originated from the transcendent.
‘I can’t believe the entire thing has already spread throughout my body. My head is so stiff that it won’t work; there’s no way I can gather it all in one place.’
It seemed impossible to collect the cold energy that was flowing everywhere, gathering it at my dantian or forming a circle around my heart.
…Then what?
I can only press it down with overwhelming magical power!
I rapidly activated my magical energy, forcefully intensifying the smooth flow of energy into a violent rush.
“Ugh─!”
I gritted my teeth and focused.
The cold energy flowing through my veins started to yield, retreating to the sides under pressure from the fierce magical current.
Vroom.
Szzzing─
The cold energy, unable to withstand the force, began to stick to the surface of my blood vessels as it surrendered its cycle.
Keep going. Spread it thinner. More, just a little more!
Drip drop.
In a moment, my whole body glimmered blue, and with a sizzling sound, frost crystallized all over me.
“Gack!”
I struggled to keep my aching body steady and exhaled the restrained breath. My still-dazed head was heavy.
I did it!
[Chaos says you’ve worked hard, clapping for you.]
‘What should I say? I coated the path of my magic with cold energy? Or perhaps I’ve made my entire bloodstream a circuit of cold energy?’
Either way, this was the best outcome I could manage for now.
[You have acquired the characteristic Frozen Frost.]
────
[Frozen Frost] [A]
The ancient ruler of the vast Frozen Land, where death and mystery coexisted, an unparalleled transcendent being concerning ice attributes.
The user who has perfectly absorbed its faint energy can now open the path to ice attributes wide.
Though the start is weak, with consistent use and actual practice, growth is possible until it reaches its peak.
─You can handle weak cold energy by consuming magic.
────
“Haha! This is a masterpiece! You managed to absorb everything without missing a single bit? You really surprised me twice.”
Yes, damn it. Were you surprised? It’s nice for you, but someone else is suffering here. That jerk!
‘Damn it. I didn’t expect it to be this difficult, even though I hoped I could just get it with a click.’
Chaos and the voice I hear are all transcendental beings, so their standards for pain must be different from a mere human like me.
I shook off the frost that had formed in my hair and looked up.
What I saw was Yeriell, looking as though she was about to cry.
And Lumia, who was trying to appear calm but couldn’t hide her trembling hands.
“Ugh.”
“Heh heh. Don’t worry. There were a few ups and downs, but I absorbed it safely.”
“Are you laughing right now? Ugh!”
Yeriell lightly punched me, using her tiny fists to express her frustration.
Knowing she worried a lot, I spoke with a smile.
“Thank you both for worrying. I’m fine now. Rather, I feel refreshed? Anyway, the biggest problem has been solved, so should we check out the other items?”
Oh right.
“Lumia, can I hold your hand?”
“Huh? Here.”
I took Lumia’s slightly trembling hand and held it between my palms.
“Eep. Ahh.”
“Feeling any better?”
Her shaking stopped, and her ears perked up again. She seems to have regained her spirit.
Taking care of party members’ mental health is crucial.
Seeing that both of them seemed to be okay, I turned my attention back to the items in the chest.
Next after the orb was the ring.
────
[Flower of Frost]
One of the many pieces of equipment that the transcendent, who ruled the Frozen Land, handled in his lifetime.
Currently, the user hasn’t fulfilled the requirements to activate its abilities.
Due to possessing the characteristic Frozen Frost, it can be worn.
────
This one also didn’t have a rank.
For regular items, it’s standard to have ratings marked in alphabetical letters or unique items labeled as unique next to their names.
Hmm, so this is just a ridiculous piece with no abilities at all?
I wore it on my index finger and tried to forget about it.
Next was the old parchment that looked like a scroll.
────
[Magic Scroll—Cold Storm]
A scroll containing the high-grade spell “Cold Storm.”
However, due to being created a long time ago and neglected, its power has degraded to mid-grade level.
If you infuse magic into your hand and tear the scroll in half, the embedded magic will activate.
────
Oh… if used well, this could be a lifesaving tool in dire situations.
If not, I could also use it to generate a large variable.
It would have been great if it still had its high-level power, but I’m thankful for this.
Now, lastly, a luxurious potion bottle that continuously glows in various colors.
────
[Breath of Winter]
A mysterious essence contained in the bottle that can only be witnessed by those who reach the peak of the highest mountain in the Frozen Land.
If you step away from the altar, the essence within will evaporate.
─When consumed, it applies permanent medium cold resistance.
─When consumed, it grants a permanent increase in innate talent for magic operation.
────
Wow, if I could sell this, it would be a huge jackpot. It’s just too unfortunate that I have to drink it here.
As I delivered detailed information about the potion, smiles appeared on both Yeriell and Lumia’s faces.
“Wow, wooooow! Can I really drink this?”
“A consumable related to talent, and there are only three of them; how rare is that?”
“Right. Once we leave here, the effect will disappear, so let’s drink it right now.”
Clink!
We all clinked our bottles and drank the contents simultaneously.
[Due to consuming the Breath of Winter, medium cold resistance is now permanently applied.]
[Due to consuming the Breath of Winter, your innate talent for magic operation has increased.]
The taste… was heavenly.
More than just delicious, as soon as the contents touched my tongue, I felt like I was floating on a cloud for a brief moment.
Just as I was lost in the aftertaste, the transcendent’s voice echoed once again.
“Well then, it seems we’re done, and it’s time to say goodbye. I shall await the day we meet again, mortal.”
What?
‘W-wait, what should I call you? Can I at least have a name!’
“Crackling. I discarded my name long ago, but if you’re so curious, find out for yourself later.”
Rumble─
“Gah!”
“Uwaah!”
“Eep.”
In an instant, the area shook so violently that I couldn’t even stand.
What’s going on all of a sudden? Has the space itself started to disappear now that everything he wanted is resolved?
No, if you aren’t even going to tell me your name, can’t you just slightly open the exit?
I hurriedly dropped to the ground and crouched low.
With a loud bang and a rumbling sound, I felt as if something was thrown somewhere.
After enduring that and waiting for about ten minutes, the noise finally stopped, and everything went silent.
[Chaos says to look around you.]
At Chaos’s words, I got up and surveyed my surroundings.
“Wow, shit…”
The altar, and even the vast chamber where our party had entered, was nowhere to be found.
Where am I now? No, first things first, let me check if Yeriell and Lumia are okay.
“Huhhh… I’m dizzy.”
“Are both of you alright?”
Yeriell was lightly slapping her chubby cheeks.
“Ugh, even though I wasn’t in a portal, seriously. I keep having these strange experiences every time I enter the labyrinth.”
“Exactly. How about you, Lumia?”
Lumia was still curled up, clutching her ears.
I worried if something was wrong and rushed over.
“Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?”
That shouldn’t have happened.
She’s a Móni who even landed without a hitch when we ascended to the 2nd Floor with her impeccable balance.
I gently held her hand on top of her head.
“I-I’m fine. I guess having good senses turned out to be more of a curse this time. I should be okay after a little while.”
Nodding, I looked around and then began to speak.
“Anyway, I’m glad we got out without any major issues. We gained a lot.”
“Right! I-I feel bad that Aren had to go through so much trouble, though…”
“Yeriell, at least you used Heal. I didn’t do anything at all.”
“There you go again. If we’re talking about that, I wouldn’t have reached the fork in the road by myself. We’re a party; what’s good for one is good for all.”
Before the gloomy words could escape, I quickly cut in, saying that what’s good for one is good for all.
I immediately pulled out the map to check it.
“As long as there aren’t any unusual features like forks in the road, we should find a resting point soon. Okay, let’s head straight ahead now that we’re all feeling better!”
Nodding, I led my companions, who returned my agreement, onward.
After a couple of hours of walking…
A resting point!
Just like the first floor, there were holes in the walls large enough for a few people to squeeze through.
‘There surely won’t be anyone here, right? Surely.’
I leaned in first and entered one by one, and fortunately, it seemed like there were no people around as the area appeared empty.
Given how rare it is to encounter other adventurers, it seems there aren’t many adventurers falling into this swamp zone at all.
“Darkness is my servant. Move in obedience.”
[Black Puppet]
Fortunately, as we stepped away from the chamber, the summoned minions returned, solving the issue of keeping watch.
After rolling out our sleeping bags and retrieving preserved food from the backpack, we all sat together for a meal and chatted away about various topics.
From the characteristics and items I obtained, to the owner of the altar, and even the winter potion we drank earlier.
“Yawn.”
My body is fine, but I feel mentally exhausted.
Before I knew it, everyone was starting to say less and less.
Eventually, closing our eyes one after another, we drifted off to sleep, bringing an end to a particularly long and challenging day.
Already at the center.
The 3rd Floor isn’t far away now.