Chapter 14

Chapter 13: The Labyrinth of Labyrinthos (7)

Bang!

Sword and axe.

The two weapons clashed.

Sparks flew, blindingly bright.

"Grrooarrr…!"

A heavy groan escaped the Minotaur's mouth.

Not because he was struggling.

Quite the opposite.

If they clashed head-on, a mere human...

He could slice them to pieces along with their dagger.

But the moment the weapons met.

Crack!

The opponent cleverly shifted his center of gravity, deflecting the attack.

A parry.

And not just any parry, but one executed to perfection.

***

"This... can't be."

Park Hana's mouth gaped wider and wider as she watched.

She had never doubted that it would end one-sidedly.

A boss-level monster with a skill over level 10.

Even if the entire Black Raven Guild came, they wouldn't stand a chance.

That's why she had only thought about running at the first opportunity.

She couldn't die here.

But.

Jinhyuk wasn't being pushed back at all against the monster.

In fact, he was pressing forward.

Bang! Bang!

The small blade overwhelming the heavy metal was a paradox.

Her heart raced with the rapid exchange of blows, almost too fast to see.

'Humans can move like that...?'

Park Hana clenched her fists without realizing it.

Moreover.

'He's smiling.'

A situation where a single mistake could cost him his life.

Yet.

Jinhyuk was smiling as if he were enjoying it.

And at that moment.

Jinhyuk grabbed the Minotaur's horn and spun his body around.

When he landed lightly on his feet, the dagger was already gone from his hand.

Crack!

The dagger, now vertically positioned, had pierced the Minotaur's palate.

"…!"

He couldn't close his mouth.

The dagger was fixed like a support.

"Five minutes, it's over."

Jinhyuk looked down at the Minotaur with a cold gaze.

At the same time.

Whoosh!

The 'Fire Element' he had activated surged into the Minotaur's mouth.

The crimson flesh beyond the throat was visible.

No matter how tough the outer skin, the inside was inevitably soft.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The flames burned through the esophagus and into the intestines.

"Kraaaah!"

A terrifying scream echoed.

[The unique ability 'Berserk' has ended.]

[The Labyrinth Guardian will enter a 'Resting State' for 24 hours!]

The Minotaur stiffened, standing in place.

'This should finish it cleanly.'

Jinhyuk retrieved the dagger embedded in the Minotaur's mouth.

It was risky, activating Berserk, but.

He had definitely earned a point.

[Gap Stat Points obtained so far: 57]

Fifty-seven points!

Enough to close a 19-level gap.

'Only a little more to reach 100 points.'

Twenty days left.

At this pace, it was more than enough.

So, what's left is...

Jinhyuk's gaze shifted to the back.

Park Hana, trembling, came into view.

Having seen his true strength, she must have realized that even the entire Black Raven Guild would be useless.

Jinhyuk beckoned to Park Hana with a finger.

"What are you doing?"

"Me?"

"Are you not coming?"

"Me! Yes!"

Park Hana, who had been a beat late in regaining her composure, ran over quickly.

"Haa. Haa. You... called me?"

"From now on, I'll be recruiting interns for Oldtimer Company."

"An intern?"

"You don't seem very enthusiastic. Not interested?"

If she wasn't interested, well... it would be hard to see the sun again.

Jinhyuk casually spun the dagger a few times.

The blood-stained blade drew a soft curve.

"Of course, I'm interested! Please let me join! I've always wanted to work for this company!"

Park Hana nodded vigorously, her hair disheveled.

Good. I like her attitude.

A very passionate applicant.

"Then, a question. What can you do for the company from now on?"

Park Hana's face turned pale at the sudden question.

"I... I..."

"You?"

"Affinity! Yes! My unique ability is to befriend others. I can make friends instead of enemies."

Empathy ability.

Certainly not a bad ability, but.

He already had it.

"And?"

"And... I will never, ever betray you."

That would be impossible even if she wanted to, once the brand was applied.

"Is that all? Nothing else?"

Thud.

Jinhyuk took a step forward.

Fingering the dagger.

"No. That... Ugh... Just, give me a moment. I need some time to think!"

Park Hana took a step back.

She had to think of something.

Something useful.

Something that would please him.

"I'll announce it. The first Oldtimer Company intern is... not selected..."

Jinhyuk raised the dagger high.

Right then.

"Brahm's Ring!"

Park Hana shouted sharply.

"..."

Jinhyuk hesitated.

Brahm's Ring? Really?

"You got it from the Black Raven Guild?"

"Not yet, but I will soon."

"Even if I don't trust humans, it's hard to believe."

Brahm's Ring was one of the best items obtainable on the first floor.

With increased movement speed, magic resistance, and the ability to suppress monster mana.

Three useful options.

The problem was that securing the item was almost impossible.

The key to the dungeon was obtainable from the Korean starting point, but the dungeon containing Brahms's Ring was located at the Chinese starting point.

In the early stages of the tower's appearance.

Especially with two competing countries, neither would give up their candy.

Unless they forced it.

Park Hana bit her lip.

"Big brother, I said we're trading with the Chinese side. We'll provide 'Korean Ginseng' in exchange for the ring."

A consumable item known for its excellent health and mana recovery, 'Korean Ginseng'.

Hmm. That changes things.

I didn't expect Park Hana to have connections with China.

"Korean Ginseng is good, but not enough to give up Brahms's Ring. Is there more to the deal?"

"I don't know the exact details of the contract. Ah! Really! The viewers told me..."

[Lv1 'Eye of Truth' activated!]

[Park Hana's words are 'True'.]

It didn't seem like she was lying or playing tricks.

This is getting interesting.

Maybe, not just Brahms's Ring, but Korean Ginseng too.

Jinhyuk's mind started working quickly.

Several scenarios came to mind.

The only thing that bothered him was one.

'In the end, will I have to be enemies with them again?'

China had as many oldtimers as Korea.

In fact, the giant guild 'Zhonghua' created by Chinese oldtimers was one of the largest in the world.

'They must have already established and organized their guild.'

He thought it would take at least a month.

In reality, there were many more variables, so it would take at least that long.

But they had compressed the entire process to the extreme.

Through peaceful negotiation?

No.

Such idealism couldn't make this possible.

It was definitely the result of strong leadership and charisma.

And he had a good idea who was at the top.

'...Namgung Cheon.'

A genius who received elite education as the son of a noble family.

A ranker who monopolized all kinds of secret techniques and elixirs in [The Tower of Trials].

Yes, it had to be him.

Park Hana called Jinhyuk, who was lost in thought, right then.

"Um..."

Ah. I need to focus on this now.

Park Hana must be on the edge of her seat, waiting for the results.

"Congratulations."

Jinhyuk smiled broadly.

"You've been selected as an intern for Oldtimer Company! Yay! Applause!"

"..."

Park Hana's face was blank at the sudden change in attitude.

"Intern. Applause."

Jinhyuk muttered softly.

Where does the boss clap and the intern doesn't?

"Yay!"

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Park Hana clapped enthusiastically.

It felt like bowing, but it didn't matter.

He had already experienced this countless times as a BJ.

"Ahem."

Jinhyuk cleared his throat and continued.

"Alright, our company doesn't pay interns. You'll have to cover your living expenses through part-time jobs. And the most important point: whenever and wherever I call, you must come immediately. Whether it's 3 AM or if you're in Jeju, it's not my problem, so remember that."

Of course, being late or absent without permission means termination.

Here, termination means leaving your body behind and only your soul can leave.

"Understood."

Park Hana bowed her head in resignation.

And added.

"Do we need a contract?"

"Of course."

He needed proof of the contract.

Just that.

It was a bit different from a normal contract.

Hum!

Jinhyuk activated the new skill he had obtained through fusion.

His index finger glowed blue.

"Is that the contract...?"

"Yes. Did you think I would stamp a piece of paper?"

That only works outside the tower.

Not here.

What can I say?

A more certain and fiery method was Jinhyuk's style.

Jinhyuk placed his index finger on Park Hana's right shoulder.

[Park Hana is being branded with Lv1 'Flame Soul Brand'!]

Sizzle!

"Ah..."

Park Hana frowned but didn't scream.

It wouldn't really hurt.

Only if she betrayed him would it be excruciatingly painful.

***

Time passed quickly.

A simple routine of raising his 'Gap' stat through battles with the Minotaur and resting.

It was a monotonous cycle, but Jinhyuk never once felt bored.

'I'm getting stronger.'

Every day.

He could feel himself growing stronger.

So there was no room for boredom or monotony.

Bang!

The Minotaur's fist aimed for Jinhyuk's face.

But it didn't connect.

A few centimeters from his face.

There.

Jinhyuk caught the fist with one hand.

"What's wrong? You seem to be getting weaker."

Taunting and provoking were just bonuses.

"Kraaaah!"

The Minotaur's arm muscles rapidly expanded.

But it made no difference.

His stats were so high that the gap had not only narrowed but reversed.

Thud! Thud!

Instead, Jinhyuk's punch hit the side.

The massive Minotaur's body bent into a C-shape.

"Keh! Keh!"

He lost consciousness, foaming at the mouth, in less than five minutes.

'I must have done this over a hundred times now.'

After a month of fighting, he felt almost familiar with the Minotaur's face.

Seeing him unconscious had become a daily routine.

'If this is my daily life, I could live here for a year, not just a month.'

He was thinking that when.

"Good job, sir!"

Park Hana brought a dish of food made from moss and mushrooms.

Ah...

I take back what I said earlier.

This food. No matter how much I eat, I can't get used to it.

Spicy kimchi stew.

Crispy chicken with a cold beer.

Sizzling pork belly with soju.

Bera's mint chocolate ice cream that cleans your palate!

That's what I want to eat.

...Desperately.

"Let's go. Outside."

Jinhyuk gritted his teeth.

We're almost there.

***

[Gap stat increased by 0.015 points.]

The moment he dodged the attack.

Jinhyuk's roundhouse kick struck.

Bang!

The Minotaur's neck twisted 90 degrees.

He no longer even talked to the Minotaur.

The moment he gained stats, the Minotaur would pass out.

And finally.

[Current Gap stat: 100]

100 stats...

He had reached the point where he could extract the maximum output for the time invested.

A surge of something built up from within.

At the same time.

"Sir, I see light!"

The end of the labyrinth was in sight.

They had finally arrived.

At the end of the long journey.