Chapter 85

Chapter 10. The Flame of Life (1)

Hwan-su is a creature that feeds on human dreams. However, this also means that with the owner's intention, it is possible to hatch the desired species.

Of course, it was impossible to achieve a 100% desired result. The Tower was not that easy a place.

But at the very least, it was possible to guide it towards the desired attributes and higher species.

Of course, that was a given.

The method of guidance was by no means easy.

Each required material was extremely hard to obtain, being very precious.

And such things were usually hidden, precisely under hidden pieces, or hidden quests.

‘It should be around here, right?’

The first thing Yeon-woo needed to obtain was the egg of the giant bird, albatross.

‘When it’s a chick, it’s not much, but a fully grown albatross is strong enough to easily devour an average player. It’s also quite large.’

The albatross is a massive bird, measuring a full 5 meters in length.

Its beak can easily crush armor, and its talons are powerful. It is also incredibly agile, making it one of the most difficult to handle.

But Yeon-woo wasn’t particularly worried.

If there was no viable hunting method, he wouldn’t have attempted to hunt it in the first place.

He trusted the ghosts he had trained over the past ten days.

Following the records left in the diary, Yeon-woo retraced the map of the 11th floor, searching for the albatross’s habitat, and stopped in the middle of the forest.

For some time, there was no sign of anything around him.

This meant he had entered the creature’s territory.

Yeon-woo lifted his head.

On the top of a tree over 15 meters tall, a massive shadow stood with its back to the sun.

A monstrous bird with a pterodactyl-like appearance.

The albatross, having spotted Yeon-woo, spread its wings wide and let out a deafening screech.

Keeeeeek!

The forest echoed with the sound.

If it were an ordinary player, they might have been frightened and panicked by the low-frequency sound.

But Yeon-woo was smiling coldly.

[Hidden Quest / Albatross Hunt]

Content: The albatross, located in the north of the 11th floor, has a voracious appetite and devours any prey it sees, causing the ecosystem around it to be destroyed.

To maintain the ecosystem of the 11th floor, hunt the albatross and collect its eggs to prevent the chicks from hatching.

*This quest is linked to the ‘Flame of Life’ quest.

Reward: +5 to all stats, Albatross’s Crest

‘This is what’s good about the 11th floor.’

The hidden pieces located throughout are not only good materials for creating the desired Hwan-su but also a treasure trove of rewards.

Collecting materials for the Flame of Life and obtaining rewards—two birds with one stone.

“Come out.”

Swoosh—

In response to Yeon-woo’s call, black mist rose from the ground and took shape.

Ten ghosts, led by Bu, Nol, and Kar, stood up.

Without any further instructions, they immediately launched themselves into the air with great force.

Pfft! Pfft!

The albatross quickly flapped its wings, preparing to take off.

However, while in flight, it would be a different story. Given its size, it needed time to take off, and during that time, Nol had already reached it.

Kwang!

Nol struck the albatross forcefully with its talons raised.

As the albatross spat blood and was sent flying backward, other ghosts were already appearing from behind and charging at it.

Below, Bu extended his hand to cast a curse.

Health reduction.

Though it was a simple debuff, the albatross was immobilized as if bound by invisible chains.

Kraaaang—

Only the albatross’s mournful screech echoed through the forest.

Meanwhile,

Yeon-woo, holding a longsword in one hand and Krashna’s dagger in the other, launched himself into the air.

Swoosh!

* * *

“Eat.”

Yeon-woo spread his left hand and placed it on the albatross’s neck, which was taking its last breath.

His teeth sank into the flesh, drawing blood at a terrifying speed.

This was the skill, Valtori’s Bloodsucking Sword.

Kiaaa!

[Stealing vitality and essence.]

[Strength increased by 1.]

[Agility increased by 2.]

...

[Skill proficiency of ‘Valtori’s Bloodsucking Sword’ increased to 15.9%.]

A piercing scream echoed.

The albatross, using its last strength, tried to shake Yeon-woo off but soon turned into a mummy and collapsed.

Following the vision captured by the Dragon Eye, a pale, smoky soul could be seen seeping from the lips.

Yeon-woo quickly collected the albatross’s soul into his collection.

‘Though it harbors deep resentment towards me, I can’t immediately turn it into a ghost. Still, a spirit of this caliber is not easily obtained. I will find a way to subdue it eventually.’

The albatross is a formidable creature, comparable to a Bulka, and can be useful in various ways.

[Quest completed.]

[You have achieved an accomplishment that few can easily accomplish. Additional merit points are provided.]

[You have earned 1,000 merit points.]

[You have earned an additional 500 merit points.]

...

[As a reward, all stats have increased by 5. You have obtained ‘Albatross’s Crest’.]

Yeon-woo smiled at the messages that appeared and then looked at the ghosts standing proudly.

“Good job, everyone.”

Kiaaa! Kaa!

Keeaa—

[The ghosts are greatly pleased with their first successful group battle.]

[Morale has increased.]

[Affinity has significantly increased.]

Perhaps because they were mainly driven by instinct, they seemed even more pleased.

“And take this as well.”

Yeon-woo compressed the black mist into a sphere and threw it to the ghosts.

The ghosts, greatly pleased, caught the sphere and swallowed it.

A reddish glow appeared and then disappeared over their gray bodies.

[The spirit sphere has been used.]

[Bu (Voodoo Shaman’s Spirit) has been enhanced. All abilities have increased by 1.]

[Nol (Giant Nol) has been enhanced. Agility has increased by 3.]

[Kar (Bulka) has been enhanced. Strength and health have increased by 2.]

...

The spirit sphere was a food item Yeon-woo created, inspired by the fact that the material for creating ghosts was spirits.

In Yeon-woo’s view, no matter how much he trained and increased the affinity of the ghosts, there was a limit to how strong they could become.

This was because the ‘rank’ determined before death set a limit on their abilities.

Therefore, he had to find a way to increase their rank.

‘That way, I can make them grow to the level of a Lich or Death Knight as soon as possible.’

Fortunately, the spirit spheres were very effective. Each time they were consumed, their overall abilities improved, and their thinking speed increased.

In particular, Bu, who could only cast simple buff spells, could now cast a variety of spells.

So Yeon-woo frequently distributed spirit spheres to the ghosts, and they ran around more enthusiastically to obtain more spheres.

Two birds with one stone.

The ghosts, like squirrels gnawing on acorns, squatted and ate the spirit spheres.

Watching them, Yeon-woo couldn’t help but smile.

‘The hunt was much more successful than I expected.’

In fact, Yeon-woo didn’t even need to participate. The ghosts handled the albatross on their own.

Yeon-woo just watched and, at the end, used Valtori’s Bloodsucking Sword to steal the essence.

Being able to increase his stats while sitting comfortably, he wondered if there was any sweeter deal.

‘The rest of the ingredients should be easy to obtain.’

Yeon-woo collected the albatross eggs from the nest and descended to the ground.

There were a total of 3 eggs, each as large as a human head, making them difficult to carry. He handed them to a nearby ghost.

‘Next, I need to...’

Yeon-woo checked the second item on the recipe list.

‘The Shadow Snake’s Apple.’

Since he had planned the route based on proximity to the habitats, the Shadow Snake’s habitat was not far from here.

“Let’s go.”

Yeon-woo led the ghost army to the next location.

* * *

Despite its grand name ‘Trinity,’ the team was a very ordinary group consisting of a tank, a dealer, and a healer.

However, Delan, Joon, and Heidi had a strong bond, having never had any conflicts since they started playing together during the tutorial.

This bond continued even when they tackled the ‘Shadow Snake’s Burrow.’

“Huff, huff. Damn it. I’m going crazy.”

“Where does it end...?”

“Just a little more. Sylph said it’s not far.”

“If Heidi, the elf, says so, it must be true. Come on, everyone, just a little more effort.”

The Shadow Snake’s Burrow was the most challenging dungeon the Trinity team had ever tackled.

The height of the tunnel was so low that they had to slightly bow their heads, and the width was so narrow that a few steps would reach the end.

With snakes suddenly popping out from the ceiling, walls, and floor, it was impossible to keep their wits about them.

Moreover, the Shadow Snake’s venomous fangs were known to cause paralysis in the limbs if bitten.

With the antidotes they brought almost depleted, any further exposure to the venom would mean certain death.

Under normal circumstances, they would have retreated. The Trinity team preferred safety over taking risks.

However, the Trinity team did not think of turning back.

Or rather, they couldn’t.

They had been in the burrow for five days.

It would be a waste to turn back now, considering the hardships they had endured, and there was a reward waiting at the end that would make up for all their efforts.

‘If we can just get the Shadow Snake’s Apple...!’

‘We won’t have to suffer like this anymore. We’ll be able to handle such burrows with just a finger.’

The Shadow Snake’s Apple was rumored to be a powerful elixir.

Eating one would heal wounds and increase health, and eating two or more would double the amount of magic power based on the number consumed.

The Trinity team had accidentally discovered the location of the Shadow Snake’s Apple.

A completely unexpected hidden piece.

The Trinity team considered it a gift from the gods, compensating them for the five years of hard work they had endured.

According to the information they had, there was a forest of apple trees deep within the burrow.

It was a reliable piece of information, and they firmly believed it.

Even if it wasn’t as abundant as described, it would be enough to make them powerful.

And then,

“We’ve... arrived!”

“Finally!”

“Oh!”

At the leader Delan’s shout, Joon and Heidi’s faces lit up with excitement.

In the distance, a massive iron door, presumably the entrance to the boss room, stood.

“I know you’re excited, but it’s too early to celebrate. Let’s prepare for battle first. We need to stay focused from now on.”

Convinced by Delan, Joon and Heidi calmed down and began preparing for battle.

As Delan said, the difficulty of the boss room would be much higher.

Joon, the dealer, wielded a Draconian dagger bought with the team’s accumulated merit points, and Heidi, the elf healer, summoned a wind spirit.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Delan, the tank, led the way and opened the iron door wide.

Joon and Heidi, ready to attack the boss monster immediately, swallowed their saliva. Their eyes were filled with tension.

Beyond this, there was a forest of Shadow Snake’s Apples. A treasure trove that would make them powerful...

“Huh?”

“Wh... what?”

“What is this?”

The scene revealed in the boss room left the Trinity members speechless.

What they saw was a forest filled with withered, twisted trees, exuding a desolate atmosphere.

Only the fallen leaves scattered on the ground, rolling around aimlessly, indicated that something had already swept through the area.

* * *

[Quest completed.]

[An accomplishment that few can easily achieve...]

...

[Quest completed...]

...

[As a reward...]

...

Yeon-woo dismissed the messages that kept appearing.

Having seen them so many times, he no longer felt any excitement.