Chapter 12 Black Route (1) (2/2)

[White Moss]

Visit ligh_tnovelworld.com for a better experience

A type of moss that bears the essence of the moon. It can cause illness if eaten. It doesn’t taste good either.

The explanation was as simple as it could be.

But Yeon-woo was well aware of the hidden effect of the White Moss.

It was only later that I discovered that as difficult as the Black Route was, it also had many different solutions. One of the solutions was White Moss.

The White Moss was a substance full of moon essence. Many animals feed on this as their staple.

However, it does not suit human constitution, so even if one eats it, the body cannot absorb the energy and often gets sick.

So, players who somehow managed to find dungeons usually avoided White Moss.

Therefore, players who chose the Black Route often turned back soon after finding this cave.

Because there was no light, they couldn’t even see their hand in front of their face, and the cave was worthlessly long and full of useless things. No one wanted to waste their time in a place like this when they were busy moving forward.

Even Yeon-woo’s brother didn’t know about the secret this place held until very long after.

Visit ligh_tnovelworld.com for a better experience

However, I learned about it after hearing it from my close friend from the Yeon-dan family. That White Moss is a kind of material, and there is a unique way of consuming it.

‘White Moss is too fragile. Because it’s thin, it just melts when ingested. However,’

Yeon-woo stopped thinking and turned his eyes towards the sound coming from somewhere.

Kigigic

Gigic

Something stuck its head out through the White Moss out of a sudden. It was a centipede as big as person’s forearm. Its reddish exoskeleton seemed pretty hard.

[Red O-Gong]

A centipede that feeds on White Moss. Because it dwells in aquatic caverns, its eyes have atrophied and has developed other senses. Sometimes it prefers meat over moss.

Khaak!

As if thinking the intruder was after its food, the centipede moved its dozens of legs and approached Yeon-woo at a furious speed.

Visit ligh_tnovelworld.com for a better experience

It crawled down from the ceiling along the wall.

It was a scene that would make any ordinary person feel both surprised and disgusted.

Yeon-woo, however, stepped forward.

‘Insects and beasts that eat White Moss as their staple have evolved to artificially radiate heat in order to absorb the moon essence. And that kind of heat emanates from their heart which contains the fire(火) property.’

He felt the touch of the dagger with his fingertips.

‘On the other hand, White Moss’ property is water(水). If you consume both heart and moss at the same time, the two properties will synergize with each other and become an elixir that hardens the bones and muscles.’

Numerous elixirs exist in The Tower. Some can augment magic power, and some affect certain stats or properties. Among them, Yeon-woo went for the elixir that would help him nourish his bones and muscles.

The human body is too weak. It easily falls ill, breaks, and tears. But the combination of White Moss and the heart of a fire property beast can transmute such body. It could make bones much stronger, muscles much sturdier. It could transform one’s body into one more suitable for combat.

*Pat*

Yeonwoo bolted forward, throwing the dagger he held in his hand. The dagger penetrated the hard armor of the Red O-Kong, splashing blood and body fluids.

Visit ligh_tnovelworld.com for a better experience

Kiek!

The centipede expressed anger and twisted its body as it spread its forcipules.

*Rumble*

The ground under the centipede caved in as it crawled over it.

[Flame Monster has appeared]

[Hidden Quest / Frost and Flame]

Content: The Room of Frost and Flame is filled with unique monsters that feed on White Moss. If they come out of the dungeon, the outer ecosystem could be thrown into chaos. Hunt down as many monsters as you can.

Reward: Rewards will be given according to the number of monsters hunted.

– 100 or more: 100 Karma

– 300 or more: 300 Karma

Visit ligh_tnovelworld.com for a better experience

– 500 or more: 500 Karma + Additional rewards according to achievement

– Over 1,000: ??

‘It’s up.’

The Room of Frost and Flame had one more advantage besides the benefit of obtaining Bathory’s Vampiric Sword and toughening up the body.

According to the number of monsters hunted, additional Karma could be obtained, and there were also additional rewards if the number exceeded 500.

The more he hunted, the stronger his body would become, and he would also horde Karma and rewards. It was basically a treasure trove.

‘No matter how, I have to win the reward for hunting a thousand monsters.’

*Pat*

Yeon-woo chose not to engage head-on. Instead, he quickly shifted his body sideways and narrowly avoided the attack.

*Kwang*

Visit ligh_tnovelworld.com for a better experience

In the spot where the Red O-Gong rammed its head, some rocks were being crushed by its forcipules.

‘The monsters here are very strong. Even with this stronger body I honed in Section A, they’re not easy to kill. It will be really dangerous if I let them crush from the front.’

As soon as Yeon-woo finished measuring up the Red O-Gong, he aimed for its trunk.

However,

*Tang*

‘Yup, it’s hard. Too hard.’

The dagger bounced off of it’s surface, leaving behind only a scratch. But even that was enough to aggravate Red O-Gong, so it squirmed its body to catch Yeon-woo with its forcipules.

Once again, Yeon-woo narrowly avoided its attack and continued racking his brain.

A cloud of dust rose up as a deep pit had been created in the place where he had been standing.

‘Normal attacks won’t do any harm to it. The exoskeleton is too sturdy. The dagger I just threw pierced its skin by luck but… it’s too shallow. It’s not enough to weaken it.’

Visit ligh_tnovelworld.com for a better experience

However, he could not let this battle turn into a war of attrition.

He didn’t know how much health the Red O-Gong had, and this was still just the entrance of the dungeon.

Due to not knowing how deep the dungeon was, he had to end the battle as quickly as possible.

*Kwang*

Once again, the Red O-Gong rammed its head towards the spot where Yeon-woo was standing.

Kieeec!