The staircase leading down to the second level wasn't much different from the previous one.
A spiral staircase that seemed to have no end.
Only dim torches illuminated the dark path ahead.
It was a setup designed to stimulate humanity's primal emotion of fear, but I didn't care.
I didn't even use light magic to minimize mana consumption.
Maintaining only a minimal level of tension, I continued downwards.
Meanwhile, I continuously circulated faint lightning essence through my mana circuits.
This was a preliminary step.
Like heating a frying pan before cooking, it was about deliberately overloading my mana circuits to allow them to adapt to the lightning essence.
'…This is driving me crazy.'
I knew it myself, but this process put a strain on both my mana circuits and my body.
Among mages, elementalists make up the largest proportion, and concept mages the smallest.
The reason why those who wield lightning are as few as concept mages is right here.
Despite its overwhelming power, its use required innate mana capacity and robust mana circuits, and the required physical endurance was also burdensome for ordinary mages.
In that regard, I had barely exceeded the baseline in terms of mana capacity and mana circuits thanks to the blessings of holy water, elixirs, and the app.
However, my physical endurance was lacking in many ways.
I had no choice but to compensate by reinforcing my body with spare mana, but as time passed, I realized more and more why there were so few mages who could handle lightning essence.
This insane essence, uncontrollable even by its master, refused the very makeshift method of reinforcing the body with mana.
"I'm going to get electrocuted at this rate."
I had no choice but to stop the process.
My body instantly felt more comfortable, but I had no intention of giving up on lightning essence altogether.
Rather, I realized that although it was difficult to maintain for long periods, I could use it multiple times in the short term, so I was satisfied with just that for now.
Fire essence was undoubtedly powerful, but I had to discard the optimistic notion that it alone would easily deal with the gatekeeper of the second level.
Even if it exhausted my body, this was a moment where I had to use lightning.
Besides, I had holy water, so I could push for doping if necessary.
I figured I could endure it to some extent that way.
With such random thoughts, I soon reached the end of the staircase.
At the end of the tedious spiral staircase, a stone door similar to the one on the first level blocked my path.
I lightly pushed it open, and the door opened to the sides with a loud noise.
A new labyrinth revealed itself before me, along with a cloud of dust.
"Looks like a catacomb."
The structure seemed similar to the first level, but murals were engraved here and there on the walls.
The content of the murals didn't seem ordinary even at a glance.
Corpses formed rivers, and the ground was flowing with what appeared to be blood.
The beings in the murals were elves.
They were at war with someone.
"Beasts?"
On the side that seemed to be the elves' opposition, stood a giant dragon, golems, and beings that looked like humans.
It was a strange sight.
Beasts were supposed to be driven by instinct to kill humans, so how could they team up with humans and attack elves?
Lost in this incomprehensible content for a moment, I shook off the random thoughts and walked down the corridor again, as I had a long way to go.
Unlike the first level, where I had removed the traps, the exploration of the second level had to be passive.
Unlike beasts, traps couldn't be detected by mana detection, so I had to stay tense every time I walked.
Unlike before, I could block ordinary arrows or falling structures with a barrier, but I didn't think all traps would be consistently simple.
The thought that there might be traps that the barrier wouldn't work against was secretly irritating me.
As a result, the appearance of beasts was rather welcome.
-Krek?
Not long after arriving on the second level, beasts appeared for the first time at a corner in the road.
It was a group of five lizardmen.
I didn't know their exact grade, but judging by the aura they were giving off, they seemed to be around C-grade.
The aura was so pathetic compared to a Lizard Warrior that I couldn't feel even a shred of tension.
No surprise, considering I had spent a week in a B-grade gate until recently, flirting with death.
The time for being intimidated by five lizardmen was long past.
-Krak?!
-Kyaaaa!!
Having realized that I was alone, the lizardmen who had been testing the waters rushed at me all at once.
Even as they approached at high speed, I remained indifferent.
I already knew that those guys were around me thanks to mana detection. In other words, I had more than enough time to prepare magic.
There was a saying in the autobiography of a famous mage I had read before.
[Fireball]
An unprepared mage is weak, but a prepared mage is overwhelmingly strong.
Fireball is the most basic of fire essence magic, but in the first place, no two spells are ever exactly the same to a skilled mage.
Modified Magic.
Altering the magic circle of a popularized spell to suit one's own taste and using it as one's own magic.
It was one of the factors that distinguished a skilled mage.
In that regard, I am confident that I am the best in the circle when it comes to modified magic.
[Acquisition rate of all knowledge regarding basic magic +1000%]
Again, modified magic is the very basics of magic.
Not only is there no problem for me to use it, but it was an area where I could literally practice learning ten things from learning one.
Trusting my sturdy mana circuits, I blew away the part responsible for stability in the magic circle that made up the Fireball. The risk increased, but the power of the magic with the limiter released also increased.
If I increased the amount of mana consumed there as well, the power would be inflated to three times or more that of a normal Fireball.
-Kiyaaaaa!!
*BOOM!!*
It didn't even take a second for one of the lizardmen, who had been directly hit by the Fireball that flew at tremendous speed, to be slammed into the wall.
A large amount of dust rose with a considerable explosion.
My position was that I had to minimize mana consumption, but that didn't mean I was going to insist on only melee combat.
If I was going to use it, I would use it thoroughly.
Seeing the lizardman with his upper body burned black, the other guys flinched and backed away, but it was already too late.
Because the Fireball I had launched wasn't just one.
***
[Remaining matching time: 138:12:47]
About six hours had passed since I entered the dungeon, and the exploration of the second floor was continuing to progress.
Mapping was annoying, but I never skipped it.
I continued exploring, trying to avoid fighting beasts as much as possible.
Of course, that didn't mean that rest wasn't necessary.
In the first place, as a living being, rest was indispensable.
After securing safety, I activated mana detection and had my first meal.
I valued speed over taste, so I thought it was a satisfying meal just because it filled my stomach.
I combined it with meditation while resting.
Of course, I could recover mana without meditating, and I could make up for it with mana potions if I was in a hurry.
Nevertheless, the reason why I meditated was to minimize mental fatigue and adjust the condition of my brain.
Magic is, after all, a program that runs with the brain as its CPU.
If I didn't cool down the overheated computer with meditation, there might be times when I couldn't use magic even if I had mana.
After finishing about an hour of meditation, I continued exploring again.
After that, I tried to avoid the beasts as much as possible through mana detection, but as I ran into dead ends more and more often, battles continued to occur.
Fortunately, the level of the beasts on the first and second levels was similar, thanks to which my coin holdings exceeded 3,000.
As my wallet became thicker and thicker, my eyes were drawn to an item being sold in the store.
[Random Dice]
[Grade: Epic (Consumable Item 3/3)]
[1: Misfortune occurs]
[2: Weak misfortune occurs]
[3: Ambiguous misfortune occurs]
[4: Nothing happens]
[5: Ambiguous luck arrives]
[6: Weak luck arrives]
[7: Luck arrives]
[8: ??]
[If you purchase it at a non-discounted price, 6 or higher will come out for the first time only]
To be honest, I don't know how much progress I've made in the exploration of the second floor.
I'm just letting time pass by in a situation where I don't even know if the path I've been taking so far is correct.
I couldn't help but feel impatient.
1,000 coins.
It was definitely an expensive price, but it wasn't something I couldn't afford.
Coins would accumulate quickly anyway, and the uses were limited.
The deliberation was long, but the decision was instantaneous.
[Would you like to purchase a Random Dice?]
[Y/N]
[Y]
[You have purchased a Random Dice]
[Remaining coins: 2,150 coins]
[Would you like to roll the Random Dice?]
[Caution! The result of rolling the dice cannot be undone]
[Thanks to the blessing of an unknown being, a value of 6 or higher is guaranteed to appear. 1/1]
[Y/N]
[Y]
[Fate rolls on]
[May luck be with you]
As soon as I pressed the accept button, a D8 die appeared on my palm.
It was obviously a simple die, but my instincts were screaming that it wasn't.
This small die felt infinitely heavy.
I felt like I understood a little bit what the app meant by saying that fate was rolling.
But I couldn't back out now, so I rolled the die with slightly trembling hands.
*Clatter-*
Since it won't come out below 6 anyway, I guess I can throw it without worry.
The die that fell on the floor continued to roll as if it would roll forever.
It didn't stop even when it hit the wall.
Rather, it bounced off and rolled even harder.
'It also means that I can't cheat to make a high number.'
In the time that felt like hours, the die finally stopped.
I checked the die's number.
What came into my sight as I swallowed a dry gulp was 8.
[Bbaam-ba-ba-baam!!]
[Congratulations!!]
A flashy notification window that I had never seen before appeared in front of me, accompanied by a tremendous musical performance.
The font and text size were strangely crude, but the content contained within was unusual.
[You have proven that you are loved by the Goddess of Luck!]
[We would like to give you a reward for our customer]
[Would you like to receive it?]
[Y/N]
As I was about to press the accept button in a natural flow of consciousness, I felt a strange sense of unease.
The fact that 8 came out on the die I rolled, and that the app was offering a reward.
It fit too perfectly, like a custom-tailored suit and shoes.
Of course, it could be seen as luck, but would a mage with such good luck have been constantly wielding a sword until now?
Nevertheless, I couldn't refuse this reward.
This wasn't the time to be picky.
[Y]
As soon as I pressed the accept button, the notification window disappeared.
And.
*Paaaa-*
"…Crazy."
The empty space in front of me was splitting open.
This wasn't a metaphor. The space was literally tearing apart, and a space like the universe was peeking out beyond it.
Of course, this surreal situation, which was so unrealistic that I couldn't even distinguish whether it was a dream or reality, didn't end there.
Something that looked like a human leg came out of the torn space, and someone walked out with a leisurely stride.
That's right.
The one who opened that absurd space like a door and came out was none other than a human being.
"Oop-cha!"
What's more, it was a crazy woman with blue twin-tail hair and a bunny girl outfit.
I made eye contact with such a woman.
"Nice to meet you, Kang Hyunwoo-nim."
At that moment, I instinctively realized.
"Is this the reward you received?"
That she wasn't just an ordinary crazy woman.
***
Meanwhile, Iris, who was left alone in the temple, continued to pray to the World Tree without resting for a moment after Kang Hyunwoo left.
The golden tree that was listening to her prayers was already rotten and decaying, but it didn't matter to her.
What's important in prayer is not the practical form, but the faith that comes from deep within the heart.
Iris' faith, wishing for Kang Hyunwoo's safe return, was surging like a fierce wave.
As she continued to pray like that for hours, Iris felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
"…Hyunwoo-ssi?"
Her eyelids, which had been closed in prayer, rose.
There, no warmth towards Kang Hyunwoo could be found.
It contained a coldness that seemed as if it would drop even a passing bird.
Iris felt the same sensation as when she had smelled the scent of strange women in Kang Hyunwoo's arms.
Could this emotion be described as mere jealousy?
No, it wasn't.
This was a more fundamental emotion.
*Squeeze-*
Veins bulged on her beautiful hands, which had been neatly clasped together.