Unlimited Skills
Even with time stopped, Concentration is possible.
Even with time stopped, Willpower recovers.
Conclusion.
I can use skills with almost no restrictions!
Magic-type Skills effectively lose their Casting Time.
Because I can just stop time and enter Concentration.
My Willpower will never run out either.
If it runs out, I can simply stop time and recover it.
The only restriction is the Skill Cooldown.
*Wait, could it be the cooldown too?*
No, that can't be right.
Cooldown Time should surely require real time to pass.
Still, just in case, I decided to check.
I waited a full 100 minutes with time stopped.
[Willpower: 100/100]
After fully recharging my Willpower, I released time.
I looked around.
Since I'd dealt with the Knight Goblin, it should be the Crossbow Goblin's turn to appear.
“...?”
What was that?
A small rock in the corner of the Cavern twitched.
Then, a Crossbow Goblin crawled out from a Passage hidden behind the rock.
Last time, I wondered where it suddenly popped out from, but it appeared like this?
My eyes met the Crossbow Goblin's.
It frantically tried to aim its crossbow, so I stopped time.
Alright, here's a present for you too.
As soon as I finished Concentration and released time, I launched a Fireball.
With an explosion, the Crossbow Goblin spectacularly blew apart.
[Flame Strike (0:27)]
A message appeared as I thought about checking the Skill Cooldown.
I stopped time immediately.
[Flame Strike (0:27)]
The number didn't decrease.
So, it doesn't affect the cooldown after all.
Honestly, if it did, it would be ridiculous.
No, even with just Concentration and Willpower, isn't it already ridiculous?
I take back what I said about Magic-type Skills being trash.
If this is the case, Magic-type Skills were perfectly suited for me.
No, it's beyond perfectly suited.
It was simply an absurd synergy.
The drawbacks of Magic-type Skills were Concentration and high Willpower Consumption...
But those drawbacks have completely disappeared.
In game terms, it was like having infinite mana and all skills becoming Instant Cast.
Since Flame Strike's Cooldown Time is 30 seconds, it meant I could now continuously unleash a skill of this power every 30 seconds without limits.
*My mind might get a bit tired, though.*
I organized my thoughts.
But come to think of it, no Clear Message appeared.
I had entered for a Repeat Clear not for magic stones, but to check the Hidden Route.
Since it's not ending like this, there must be something more, right?
[Would you like to exit the Tower?]
A message appeared as I thought about leaving.
Good, I can leave anytime.
For now, let's explore a bit more.
The Boss Room was a dead-end Cavern.
Going back through the Passage I came from would only lead to the initial starting point.
There wasn't really any more space...
“...”
The Passage from which the Crossbow Goblin had crawled out came into my sight.
*Could it be that?*
I approached it.
The entrance to the Passage was wider now, after I'd launched my skill.
I knelt down and peered inside.
Like a rabbit hole, a Passage led downwards.
*Is it an Underground Passage?*
I hesitated, then decided to go in.
I had a feeling this was it.
There wouldn't be much danger.
After all, I could always Emergency Exit.
“Oof.”
I squeezed my body into the hole.
It was just wide enough for one person to pass through.
I crawled down the gently sloping path.
It was completely dark ahead, so I couldn't see anything.
Since I couldn't see, I focused on sounds.
I was a bit nervous.
*Surely an arrow won't suddenly fly at my face, right?*
*Should I have gone down backwards?*
Fortunately, the Passage ended quickly.
A wide, bright space appeared again ahead.
Emerging from the hole, I stood up and flinched in surprise.
It was a Cavern with many holes, like the one I had crawled through, on the opposite side.
Someone was sitting in the middle of the Cavern.
For a moment, I thought it was a Goblin, but it was a person.
*A person... appeared?*
I tensed up.
The person didn't move.
“...Excuse me?”
I cautiously called out once.
There was no response.
I approached a little closer to examine them.
The figure was wearing robes reminiscent of a Mage.
Catching a glimpse of their face under the hood, I recoiled in surprise.
Their face was grotesque, as if their skin had rotted and melted away.
The old man with the melted face sat in a meditative posture, eyes closed.
I watched him silently.
*What... am I supposed to do?*
It wasn't a Goblin that appeared, but a person, so I had no idea what to do.
*Should I wait until he opens his eyes?*
*Could this old man be an enemy?*
Something about getting closer felt unsettling.
Then, the old man opened his eyes.
The old man's gaze turned to me.
A voice like scraping metal emerged.
“I thought it was noisy outside... Young One, what purpose brings you here?”
I was at a loss for words.
*Purpose or not, I don't really know myself...*
“You don't seem to be from the Imperial Army, an Adventurer perhaps? You've hastened your own demise. Since you've scurried in like a rat, I'll use you as a test subject.”
“Huh?”
A test subject?
I didn't understand a word he was saying, but one thing seemed clear.
*My life is in danger.*
As soon as I determined he was an enemy, I backed away and cast a skill.
I stopped time, entered Concentration, and launched a Fireball at the old man.
*KWAANG!* (Boom!)
Crimson flames engulfed the old man.
*Did I get him?*
The smoke cleared, revealing the old man.
Surprisingly, he was unharmed.
A translucent Barrier had formed around him.
*What is that? A Barrier?*
“...A Mage? How?”
For some reason, the old man also muttered in a surprised voice.
I was wondering what to do now that my only and strongest skill had been blocked, when the old man suddenly shouted.
“Everyone, come out! Kill him!”
*...Everyone, come out?*
A moment later, the sound of footsteps approached.
Goblins poured out from the holes drilled into one side of the Cavern.
*Crazy, what is this now?*
I was terrified.
*KIEEEK-!* (Screech!)
Dozens of Goblins rushed at me from all sides.
[Flame Strike (0:01)]
After checking that the Skill Cooldown was ready, I immediately stopped time.
No, not just a few, but dozens of Goblins, that's a different story.
If I fought while surrounded by so many, I wouldn't be safe from a stray spear or blade.
There was no reason to fight a dangerous battle.
*I'll wait 100 minutes, you bastards.*
Once again, I exercised the virtue of patience and waited for my Willpower to fill up.
[Willpower: 100/100]
After a long time, my Willpower was completely full.
I entered Concentration, then released time and immediately launched a Fireball.
Towards the densest cluster of Goblins.
*KWAANG!* (Boom!)
Chunks of flesh scattered into Mid-air.
The Goblins hit directly vanished without a trace, and those nearby were flung in all directions.
A pungent stench stung my nose.
About two-thirds seemed to have been wiped out in one shot.
I moved to deal with the remaining scattered Goblins.
I ran around, slicing them down one by one.
It was over quickly.
After dealing with all the Goblins, I looked back at the old man.
“...”
*Hey, what are you doing?*
I wanted to ask that.
Amidst the chaos, the old man was still sitting in his spot, eyes closed as if meditating.
The Barrier remained around him, so there was nothing I could do.
*Should I go closer and poke him with my sword?*
Anyway, it seemed like killing that old Mage was the only way to end this...
Then, the old man's eyes snapped open.
*At the same time, a dark aura enveloped the Cavern.*
I was startled and almost fell as I tried to back away.
Because the floor suddenly turned into a sticky swamp, sucking at my feet.
*W-what is this?*
As I panicked, the old man cackled and shouted.
“You arrogant young fool! Didn't your master teach you how mages fight? To just stand there idly while I complete my magic!”
Tendril-like things rose from the floor, which had turned into a black swamp.
My feet were caught, and I couldn't move.
Struggling only made my legs sink deeper.
The tendrils squirmed and approached me.
The sight sent shivers down my spine.
*Hold on, time out. Just a second.*
[Would you like to exit the Tower?]
Emergency Exit.
*Exit, exit, exit!*
As I frantically shouted internally, the scenery before my eyes changed.
It was my room.
I gasped for breath.
“Haa...”
I almost died.
[Nightmare 1st Floor Hidden Clear failed. (2/3)]
[If you fail the Clear three times, the Hidden Route will be closed.]
The message floated before my eyes.
*So that old man was the Hidden Boss after all.*
“That crazy old man.”
A Barrier, controlling Goblins, and the floor suddenly turning into a swamp.
He was using some strange abilities.
*Considering he mentioned “test subjects,” isn't he some kind of Dark Mage?*
The Hidden Clear seemed to be on a completely different level of difficulty than a regular Clear.
*Closed after three failures...*
It seemed I only had three chances to clear it.
The fortunate thing was that I could save my life.
*...I should try again.*
With two chances left, I had to find a way to defeat the old Mage.
“How do I defeat him?”
I sat on my bed, crossing my arms.
My skill was blocked by his Barrier.
A Barrier that could block a Flame Explosion wouldn't break if I just approached and poked it with a sword.
I needed to deal with the Barrier somehow to even hurt the old man.
With the means I had, it seemed impossible.
“Seohyeon, are you awake? Come eat.”
While I was pondering, morning arrived.
Even while eating at the table, my mind was preoccupied.
“Don't pick out the carrots. Eat them all.”
“I am eating them.”
“Carrots are so good for your eyes. Seo-a, your eyes are bad like your mom's, so you need to take good care of them.”
My sister grumbled, poking at the galbi-jjim.
Even though she was always told not to be a picky eater, it was like talking to a brick wall with her.
*Ugh, that stubborn ox.*
Suddenly, something clicked in my mind.
*‘Didn't your master teach you how mages fight? To just stand there idly while I complete my magic!’*
Come to think of it, that old man said that.
*Complete his magic?*
Did that old man also need to enter Concentration, like I do when I use a skill?
*“Before he used that strange magic, he was constantly meditating or something.”*
Perhaps that was him entering Concentration.
Then, what about the Barrier?
The Barrier must also be magic, but he deployed it immediately after I attacked.
*...Ah.*
No.
When I first encountered him, the old man definitely had his eyes closed.
Perhaps that was him entering Concentration, which was necessary to cast the Barrier?
And his conversation with me afterwards was when he had already finished his preparations.
The old man said,
*Why are you just standing there idly while I complete my magic?*
In other words, when fighting a Mage, don't give them time to complete their magic.
...It seemed like I had thought of a method worth trying.
* * *
Taking advantage of my family's absence, I entered the Tower again.
After easily dealing with the Goblins, I re-entered the Underground Passage.
I crawled as fast as I could.
Emerging from the Passage, the old Mage was sitting with his eyes closed, just as before.
As soon as I saw the old man, I stopped time.
After finishing Concentration, I cast the skill without a word.
*KWAANG!* (Boom!)
An explosion occurred.
Only black ashes remained where the old man had been.
*Did I get him?*
A message appeared before my eyes.
[Nightmare 1st Floor Hidden Clear successful.]
I got him.
I let out a wry laugh and muttered.
“It actually worked.”
So, he really was preparing his Barrier.
First strike wins, that was the answer.
Once I knew, it was an absurdly simple Clear method.
[You have fully absorbed the Power of the Floor.]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Moving to the Reward Room.]
The scenery changed.
[Difficulty: Nightmare]
[Floor: 2nd Floor]
[Level: 15]
[Willpower: 200/200]
[Skill: Flame Strike (Rare)]
My level went up a lot again, didn't it?
I felt the overflowing power in my body, clenching and unclenching my fists.
Now, let's see.
What would the Hidden reward be this time?
There were several things around.
Seeing a book, I picked it up first to check it.
It was an old book with geometric patterns on its cover.
[Item: Malfadas's Magic Grimoire]
This is a grimoire left by the Mage Malfadas. Upon use, you can choose and acquire one of the following skills:
[Skill: Lesser Mind Control (Rare+)]
[Skill: Teleportation (Rare+)]
[Skill: Flame of Corruption (Rare+)]
[Skill: Shadow Swamp (Rare+)]
[Skill: Life Drain (Rare+)]