Chapter 9
mental concentration is possible even in a time-stopped state.
willpower recovers even in a Time-stopped State.
Conclusion.
I can use skills with almost no restrictions!
For magic-type skills, it is practically the same as the casting time having disappeared.
Because I can just stop time and perform Mental Concentration.
Willpower will never run out either.
If it runs out, I can similarly Stop Time and let it recover.
The only restriction is the skill cooldown.
\[Wait, don't tell me the cooldown too?\]
No, that probably isn't the case.
Cooldown should require actual real time to pass.
Still, just in case, I decided to check.
I waited a full 100 minutes while keeping time stopped.
\[Willpower: 100/100\]
After fully replenishing my Willpower, I used Time Release.
I looked around.
Since I killed the knight goblin, it was now time for the crossbow goblin to pop out.
“...”
What is that?
A small rock located in the corner of the cavern rattled.
Then, a Crossbow goblin crawled out from a passage hidden behind the rock.
I wondered where it suddenly popped out last time, so that's how it appeared?
I made eye contact with the Crossbow Goblin.
The guy tried urgently to aim his crossbow, so I used Time Stop.
Here is a gift for you too.
I finished my Mental Concentration and fired a Fireball as soon as I used Time Release.
With an explosion, the Crossbow Goblin blew up spectacularly.
\[Flame Strike (0:27)\]
A message popped up as soon as I thought about checking the Skill Cooldown.
I used Time Stop right then.
\[Flame Strike (0:27)\]
The number did not decrease.
As expected, it doesn't apply to the cooldown.
Honestly, it wouldn't make sense if it did.
No, Mental Concentration and Willpower alone already don't make enough sense.
I take back what I said about Magic-type Skills being trash.
If it were like this, Magic-type Skills were absolutely perfect for me.
No, it wasn't just perfect.
It was simply a game-breaking synergy.
The downsides of Magic-type Skills were Mental Concentration and a large Willpower Cost... but those downsides had completely vanished.
In game terms, it was like having an infinite mana pool and every Skill becoming an Instant Cast.
Since Flame Strike's cooldown is 30 seconds, it means I can freely spam a Skill of this power every 30 seconds from now on without limits.
\[Though my mind will be a bit tired instead.\]
I organized my thoughts.
But come to think of it, the strategy message isn't popping up.
The reason I came in for a repeat clear wasn't for magic stones, but to check the hidden route.
Seeing as it isn't ending like this, there must be something here.
\[Would you like to exit the tower?\]
The message popped up when I thought about leaving.
Alright, I can leave whenever I want.
Let's look around a bit more first.
The boss room was a completely blocked-off Cavern.
Going back through the Passage I came from would only lead to the starting area.
There isn't really any other space...
“...”
The Passage the Crossbow Goblin crawled out of entered my field of vision.
Could it be that?
I approached it.
The entrance to the passage had been revealed more widely when I fired my Skill.
I lay on my stomach, stuck my head inside, and looked around.
A passage continued leading downwards like a rabbit hole.
An underground passage?
After some thought, I decided to go in.
I had a feeling this was the place.
It probably wouldn't be too dangerous.
I could escape at any time anyway.
“Hup.”
I squeezed my body into the hole.
It was just wide enough for one person to barely pass through.
I crawled down the gently sloping path on all fours.
It was so dark ahead that I couldn't see anything at all.
Since I couldn't see, I ended up focusing on sounds.
I was a bit scared.
An arrow wouldn't suddenly fly at my face, right?
\[Should I have come down backwards?\]
Fortunately, the Passage ended quickly.
A wide and bright space appeared ahead again.
After exiting the hole and standing up, I flinched in surprise.
It was a cavern with holes gaping on the opposite side, just like the one I had crawled through.
Someone was sitting in the middle of the Cavern.
For a moment I thought it was a goblin, but it wasn't a goblin; it was a person.
Is a person... here?
I tensed up.
The person didn't move an inch.
“...Excuse me?”
I called out carefully.
There was no response.
I stepped closer to get a better look.
A figure was wearing robe-like clothes reminiscent of a mage.
Seeing the face briefly reflected under the hood, I flinched in shock.
It was because he had a bizarre face, as if their skin had rotted and melted off.
The old man with the melted face was sitting in a meditative posture with his eyes closed.
I quietly watched that sight.
What... am I supposed to do?
Since a person popped out instead of a Goblin, I had no idea what I was supposed to do.
\[Do I have to wait until he opens his eyes?\]
Could this Old Man be an enemy?
Getting any closer felt somehow unsettling.
Right then, the Old Man opened his eyes.
The Old Man's gaze turned toward me.
A voice like scraping metal flowed out.
“I thought it was noisy outside... Child, for what purpose have you come here?”
I was at a loss for words.
Purpose or whatever, I don't really know myself...
“You don't seem to be from the Imperial Army, so are you an adventurer? You have hastened your own demise. Since you're a rat that crawled in anyway, I shall use you as a test subject.”
“Pardon?”
A test subject?
I couldn't understand a single thing he was saying, but one thing seemed certain.
My life was being threatened.
As soon as I judged him to be an enemy, I stepped back and cast my Skill.
I used Time Stop, did my Mental Concentration, and fired a fireball at the Old Man.
BOOM!
Crimson flames engulfed the Old Man.
Did I get him?
The smoke cleared, revealing the Old Man's figure.
Surprisingly, he was completely fine.
A translucent barrier was spread out around him.
What is that? A barrier?
“...A Mage? How?”
For some reason, the Old Man also muttered in a flustered voice.
As I was thinking about what to do now that my only and strongest Skill had been blocked, the Old Man suddenly shouted.
“Everyone, come out! Kill him!”
...Is everyone coming out?
A moment later, the sound of footsteps flooded in.
Goblins poured out of the holes gaping on one side of the Cavern.
Crazy, what is this now?
I was terrified.
Kieeeek-!
Dozens of Goblins are rushing in from all directions.
\[Flame Strike (0:01)\]
After confirming that the Skill Cooldown was up, I immediately used Time Stop.
No, a few dozen are a different story from just a few.
If I fought while completely surrounded and got hit by a stray spear or sword, I wouldn't be safe either.
There was no reason to fight a dangerous battle.
\[I'm going to wait 100 minutes, you bastards.\]
Once again exercising the virtue of patience, I waited until my Willpower filled up.
\[Willpower: 100/100\]
After a long time passed, my Willpower was fully charged.
I did my Mental Concentration, used Time Release, and immediately fired a fireball.
Toward where the Goblins were clustered the most.
KABOOM!
Pieces of flesh scattered in mid-air.
The Goblins that took a direct hit vanished without a trace, and the ones nearby were sent flying in all directions.
An acrid stench pierced my nose.
It looked like two-thirds of them were wiped out in one shot.
I moved to take care of the ones remaining sparsely.
Running around here and there, I sliced them down one by one.
It ended quickly.
After taking care of all the Goblins, I looked at the Old Man again.
“...”
Excuse me, what are you doing?
I wanted to ask that.
Amidst the chaos, the Old Man was still sitting in his spot with his eyes closed as if meditating again.
The Barrier was also still spread around him, so there wasn't really anything I could do.
Should I go closer and try tapping it with my sword?
Anyway, it seems like everything will end only if I kill that old mage...
Right then, the Old Man's eyes snapped open.
*At the same time, a dark aura enveloped the Cavern.*
Startled, I tried to step back but almost tripped.
It was because the floor suddenly turned into a sludgy swamp and sucked in my feet.
\[Wh-what the.\]
The Old Man giggled at my panic and shouted.
“You arrogant brat! Did your master not even teach you how mages fight each other? To think you just stood there blankly waiting until I completed my magic!”
Tentacle-like things shot up from the floor that had turned into a black swamp.
With my feet caught, I couldn't move.
Struggling only made my legs sink further.
The tentacles squirmed and approached me.
That sight sent shivers down my spine.
Wait, time out. Just a second.
\[Would you like to exit the tower?\]
Emergency escape.
\[Exit, exit, exit!\]
As I shouted urgently in my mind, the scenery before my eyes flipped.
It was my room.
I panted heavily, catching my breath.
“Haa...”
I almost died.
\[You have failed the Nightmare Difficulty, 1st Floor hidden strategy. (2/3)\]
\[If you fail to clear three times, the Hidden Route will be closed.\]
The messages were floating before my eyes.
So that Old Man really was the hidden boss.
“That crazy old geezer.”
A Barrier appearing, controlling Goblins, and the floor suddenly turning into a swamp.
He was using some weird abilities.
Given how he talked about test subjects and whatnot, isn't he something like a dark mage?
The Hidden Strategy seemed to be on a completely different level of difficulty compared to a normal clear.
\[It will be closed if I fail three times...\]
It seemed I only had exactly three chances to clear it.
The only fortunate thing was that I could at least save my life.
...I should try challenging it again.
Since I had two chances left, I had to find a way to defeat the Old Mage within those two chances.
“How do I defeat him?”
I sat on the edge of my bed and crossed my arms.
My Skill gets blocked by the Barrier.
A Barrier that even blocks a fiery explosion wouldn't break just because I approached and whacked it with a sword.
I'd first have to do something about the Barrier to be able to land a hit on the Old Man.
With the means I had, there seemed to be no way.
“Seohyeon, are you awake? Come eat.”
Morning came while I was agonizing over it.
Even while eating at the dining table, I remained distracted.
“Don't pick out the carrots. Eat them all.”
“Ah, I'm eating them.”
“Do you know how good carrots are for your eyes? Seoa, you have bad eyesight like your mom, so you need to take good care of them.”
My younger sibling grumbled as she poked around the braised short ribs.
Even though she was always told not to be a picky eater, it was like talking to a brick wall for my younger sibling.
Ugh, that stubborn kid.
In that moment, something suddenly flashed in my mind.
\[Did your Master not even teach you how Mages fight each other? To think you just stood there blankly waiting until I completed my magic!\]
Come to think of it, that old geezer said that.
Complete his magic?
Does that Old Man also have to do the Mental Concentration that I have to do when using a Skill?
\[He was constantly doing something like meditating before using that weird magic.\]
Maybe that was him doing Mental Concentration.
Then what about the Barrier?
The Barrier should be magic too, but it spread it out right as I launched my attack.
\[...Ah.\]
No.
Even when I first encountered him, the Old Man definitely had his eyes closed.
Maybe he was then doing the Mental Concentration required to cast the Barrier?
And when he talked to me afterward, he had already finished his preparations.
The Old Man had said.
Why was I waiting blankly until he completed his magic.
In other words, when fighting a Mage, don't give them time to complete their magic.
...I felt like I had thought of a method worth trying.
---
Taking advantage of the time when my family all went out, I entered the tower again.
After taking care of the Goblins lightly, I entered the Underground Passage again.
I crawled on all fours as fast as I could.
When I exited the Passage, the Old Mage was sitting with his eyes closed, just like before.
As soon as I saw the Old Man, I used Time Stop.
I finished my Mental Concentration and cast my Skill without asking any questions.
KABOOM!
An explosion occurred.
Only a blackened ash heap remained in the spot where the Old Man had been.
Did I get him?
A message popped up before my eyes.
\[You have successfully cleared the Nightmare Difficulty and the 1st Floor Hidden Strategy.\]
I got him.
I let out a chuckle and muttered.
“This actually works.”
So he really was preparing the Barrier.
To think first strike wins was the answer.
Once I knew it, it was a clear method so simple it felt anticlimactic.
\[Completely absorbing the Floor's Power\]
\[Level Increased.\]
\[Level Increased.\]
\[Level Increased.\]
\[Level Increased.\]
\[Level Increased.\]
\[Moving to the reward room.\]
The scenery flipped.
\[Difficulty: Nightmare\] \[Floor: 2nd Floor\] \[Level: 15\] \[Willpower: 200/200\] \[Skill: Flame Strike (Rare)\]
My level went up a lot again?
Feeling the power overflowing in my body, I clenched and unclenched my fists.
Now, let's see.
What could the hidden reward be?
There were various things around me.
Seeing some kind of book, I first picked it up to check it.
It was an old book with geometric patterns drawn on the cover.
\[Item: Malfardus's Magic Grimoire\] A magic book left behind by the Mage Malfardus. Upon use, you can choose and acquire one of the following Skills.
\[Skill: Lesser Mind Control (Rare+)\] \[Skill: Teleportation (Rare+)\] \[Skill: Corrosive Flame (Rare+)\] \[Skill: Shadow Swamp (Rare+)\] \[Skill: Life Drain (Rare+)\]