Chapter 3 - Tower of Trials (3) (1/2)
Chapter 3: Tower of Trials (3)
「 Activating innate ability ‘Necromancy(F)’ 」
「 Would you like to absorb the spirit of the sand golem? 」
「 Y/N 」
“…?”
I was initially stumped by the series of messages, but I started to get the gist of it.
An ability I never had but others used naturally, as if it was an extension of their body.
The realization of my innate ability.
I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion when I realized that my innate ability was unlocked after 7 years.
Calm down… Calm down…
I shouldn’t lose my composure just because I unlocked the ability.
‘It’s too early for celebrations.’
I needed to stay level-headed.
More than the excruciating pain all over my body, I was mentally exhausted.
I just needed to comprehend the basics and move on to the waiting area.
‘So is this black fog my innate ability?’
Swoosh swoosh.
I tried waving my hands over it but nothing happened.
Makes sense.
If this really was from my innate ability, it wouldn’t disappear with just a wave of a hand.
I had to make sure then.
「 Han Sungyeun 」
「 Strength – 9 」 「 Stamina – 9 」
「 Agility – 8 」 「 Mana – 8 」
「 Innate ability – ‘Necromancy(F) 」
「 Skill – Accelerated Regeneration(E+) 」
The status window that I hadn’t opened in a while looked almost unrecognizable.
A brand new section appeared to display my innate ability.
The skill list also displayed ‘Accelerated Regeneration(E+)’ instead of being empty.
Of course, the stats hadn’t changed yet, but the most important part was unlocking the ‘innate ability.’
I clicked on the ability to display further details.
「 Innate ability – ‘Necromancy(F) 」
「 Proficiency – 0% 」
「 Basic effect – Able to absorb the souls of the dead and control them at will. 」
「 Extra effect(1) – Able to permanently increase stats depending on the nature and rank of the soul. 」
「 Extra effect(2) – Able to store souls for later use. Soul storage capacity depends on the ability’s rank. 」
“Holy shit……!”
The reward I risked my life for had proved to be worth it.
And the effect that mentioned a ‘permanent increase’ in my stats…
I couldn’t help but curse when I saw that.
My stats were something that wouldn’t go up no matter how much I trained.
But…
‘I can finally increase my stats.’
This must be what it feels like to win a lottery.
I moved on and clicked into ‘Accelerated Regeneration.’
「 Skill – Accelerated Regeneration(E+) 」
「 Proficiency – 0% 」
「 Effect – Able to recover quickly from non-life-threatening injuries. 」
My first skill ever was also not a regular skill.
All regeneration-type skills were very rare.
Skills that could heal mid-battle tended to have impossible acquisition conditions.
I heard only hunters who’d been in countless life-or-death battles could acquire it.
But I got it in one fight.
If this is the level of reward from the first floor, how much better is it going to get on the higher floors?
And…
‘How dangerous is this going to get?’
I have no way of proving this but… the tower probably isn’t providing these skills out of the kindness of its heart.
The only reason I got these to begin with was that I won my fight against the sand golem.
The risk I carried for earning these skills was simple.
Death.
This was stated clearly from the very start in the holographic messages.
My innate ability was the reward for passing this trial. The alternative was death.
High risk, high reward.
This was the system perpetrated by the Tower of Trials.
The higher I get…
The riskier these trials would get.
“Damn it…”
No matter how good the reward was, failing could result in instant death.
And unlike a dungeon, you couldn’t escape after clearing a floor.
“Pretty inhospitable for a host.”
It was a crazy risk that no sane person would take.
I wanted to become a hunter because I was sick of being powerless and wanted to avenge my parents.
‘But all that becomes useless if I die.’
I didn’t want to continue fighting carrying this risk.
Because I also unlocked my innate ability, there was even less reason for me to carry on with this risk.
I could become a hunter if I got back with this skill.
But…
“I’ll only get to make that choice if I survive.”
That means I’ll need to learn how to use all the resources I’ve been given.
I stood up and agreed to the message about absorbing the soul.
「 You have absorbed the soul of the sand golem. 」
「 Number of souls in possession – 1/5 」
「 Proficiency increased by 7% 」
At the same time, the black fog flew into my body.
Shhhhhh…!
It was a strange sensation.
‘I somehow know exactly how to use my innate ability.’
I knew that I could enhance my stats just by wishing for it at any time.
This is probably how all the other hunters felt when they unlocked their innate abilities.
I was just a little behind.
「 Permanently increasing your stats using the souls in captivity. 」
「 Strength increased by 3. 」
「 Stamina increased by 2. 」
「 Number of souls in possession – 0/5 」
A weight lifted from my shoulders and my entire body felt more energized.
An unknown sense of enhancement overtook my body but…
‘No need to try it out now.’
I was still covered in injuries, so I didn’t want to test it right away.
Then I continued to the portal where the golem once used to stand.
The moment I reached the portal.
「 Moving to the waiting room. 」
My surroundings changed again.
***
Voom!
The first thing I saw was a rectangular, stone room.
「 You have entered the 2nd-floor waiting room. 」
「 Healing all injuries and status ailments. 」
「 The healing effect is constantly applied in the waiting room. 」
The messages appeared in the air, and my injuries started disappearing.
‘It’s not even that surprising anymore.’
I guess I was starting to get used to this.
When my pain faded completely, I checked up on my body.
As the message said, all of my injuries were gone.
It was almost as if my battle with the sand golem was nothing but a dream.
‘No way it was though.’
Just one look at my clothes could show that it wasn’t.
As if the tower wanted to do the bare minimum, it left my clothes in tatters while healing me.
I shook off the sand stuck to my clothes.
I guess some sand got in my mouth because my throat felt scratchy.