LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 52
‘Wow, what’s all this?’
A mysterious orb, sparkling with a brilliant blue light.
A ring with intricate overlapping geometric patterns, clearly not ordinary.
An old, tattered scroll with a geometric magic circle engraved on it.
Three exquisite potions containing a colorful substance, like the aurora known as the Northern Lights.
The treasure chest contained items that seemed extraordinary, considering the time, effort, and traits they had invested to reach this point.
“Swallow the orb, and you shall gain power.”
Upon hearing these words, he immediately focused on the orb.
After a moment, a status window appeared.
─────
[Frozen Crystal]
The essence of a transcendent being who once ruled over a vast, frigid land.
After successfully absorbing the essence, you can acquire a trait.
-The trait acquired depends on the level of absorption.
─────
The item description was quite straightforward.
However, it didn’t have a grade.
He wasn’t sure if it was because it was related to the gods, like his other traits, or because it was prepared by a transcendent being.
He carefully picked up the orb and spoke to Chaos.
‘Can I… eat this?’
[Chaos says that it won’t be life-threatening, but it’s like forcibly imprisoning and absorbing the power of a transcendent being within your body, so it might be a bit painful.]
Yes, as long as he didn’t die, it would be fine. Surely the transcendent being wouldn’t have played a trick that even Chaos, who could see the system window, couldn’t detect.
And even if the transcendent being had pulled a fast one, they had no choice but to follow his instructions if they wanted to leave this place and ascend to the third floor.
“Yeriel, I’m going to absorb this now. Even if I’m in severe pain, you must not use healing magic. Can you endure it?”
“Hmm… I don’t know what that orb is, but I trust you since you’re so insistent. But be careful, okay?”
Alright, they were ready.
Gulping, he put the orb in his mouth and swallowed it without chewing, fearing that chewing might cause problems.
Just like drinking a glass of ice water, the only sensation was the coldness as it slid down his throat.
He understood what it meant to melt and disappear.
“Krrr…”
Here it comes, the reaction!
He began to feel a massive energy churning inside him.
It wasn’t the magic power that constantly circulated from his heart, but a frosty energy coursing through his veins.
It was cold, as if it wanted to freeze him instantly, clinging to his lungs and constricting his breath with a gloomy, heavy weight.
“Huff, huff.”
Haa…
Before he knew it, his body had become rigid, and the temperature around him began to drop.
His breath, like in the polar regions, exhaled as a white mist.
An alarm bell rang in his mind.
‘I have to control this energy. If I can’t fix it, I might really freeze to death!’
In this unexpected situation, he desperately racked his brain.
What he felt from the energy coursing through his body was that it was very pure and unadulterated, as it came from a transcendent being.
‘It’s already spread throughout my body. My head is frozen, and I can’t think straight, so it’s impossible to gather all this energy in one place.’
It seemed impossible to gather the energy in his dantian or create a circle around his heart, as it was flowing out from various places.
…Then.
He had no choice but to use his overflowing magic power to suppress it!
He rapidly manipulated his magic power, turning the gentle, steady flow into a violent torrent.
“Krrr!”
He clenched his teeth and focused.
The cold energy flowing through his veins was pushed to the edges by the rapidly circulating magic power.
Whoosh.
The cold energy, unable to spread its energy due to the pressure, eventually gave up and adhered to the surface of his veins.
Keep going. Spread it even thinner. More, a little more!
Crunch.
In an instant, his entire body turned blue, and with a crunching sound, a thin layer of ice formed all over his body.
“Krrr.”
He struggled to hold his aching body and exhaled the breath he had been holding. He still felt dazed and grabbed his head.
Success!
[Chaos claps and says you did well.]
‘What should I say? Did I coat my magic path with cold energy? Or did I turn my veins into a circuit of cold energy?’
Either way, this was the best he could do for now.
[Trait ‘Frozen Frost’ acquired.]
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[Frozen Frost] [A]
The Frozen Land. The former ruler of a vast, frigid land where death and mystery coexisted, a transcendent being who was unparalleled in ice magic.
The user, having perfectly absorbed the faint energy of the transcendent being, now has the path of ice magic wide open.
The beginning is humble, but with consistent use and practice, growth to the extreme is possible.
-Can consume magic power to manipulate weak cold energy.
─────
“Haha! This is a masterpiece. You didn’t miss a single thing and absorbed it all? You’ve surprised me twice.”
Yes, damn it. Are you surprised? Someone almost died from the pain, and you’re so happy about it, you bastard.
‘Damn. I didn’t expect it to be this difficult, even though I didn’t expect to get it with only a snap of my fingers.’
Chaos, the voice he was hearing now, and the transcendent being were all transcendent entities, and their standards for pain were different from that of a mere human like him.
He shook his head, brushing off the frost that had formed on his hair.
In front of him were Yeriel, pouting, and Lumia, trying to maintain her composure with a blank expression, her trembling hands giving her away.
“Ugh.”
“Hehe. Don’t worry. There were some twists and turns, but I successfully absorbed it.”
“You’re laughing now? Yikes!”
Yeriel lightly punched him with her small fists, relieved.
Knowing they had been worried, he smiled and spoke.
“Thank you both for your concern. I’m fine now. I even feel refreshed. Anyway, the biggest problem is solved, so let’s take a look at the other items now.”
Oh, right.
“Lumia, can I have your hand?”
“Hmm? Here.”
He gently clasped Lumia’s still-trembling hands with both of his.
“Ugh. Ugh.”
“Feeling better?”
As the trembling stopped, her ears perked up again, indicating that she had regained her composure.
Party member mental care was a serious matter.
Both Yeriel and Lumia seemed to be doing better, so he turned his attention back to the items in the chest.
After the orb, it was the ring’s turn.
─────
[Frost Flower]
One of the many pieces of equipment used by the transcendent being who once ruled the Frozen Land.
The ability cannot be activated as the requirements have not yet been met.
Can be equipped due to the user’s ‘Frozen Frost’ trait.
─────
This item also had no grade.
Normally, items would have an alphabet grade or a unique grade, indicated right next to the item name.
Hmm, was it just an exquisitely crafted ring with no abilities for now?
He put it on his ring finger and tried not to think about it.
Next was a scroll that looked like an old parchment.
─────
[Magic Scroll – Cold Storm]
A scroll containing the high-level magic ‘Cold Storm’.
However, due to being created a long time ago and left unattended, its power has been reduced to mid-level.
The magic will activate when the scroll is torn in half with magic power.
─────
Oh… This could be a lifesaver in a pinch or a means to create a significant variable. It would have been great if it had retained its high-level power, but even this was more than enough.
Lastly, there were the exquisite potion bottles, continuously glowing with various colors.
─────
[Winter’s Breath]
A mystery that can only be witnessed by those who reach the peak of the highest mountain in the Frozen Land.
The mystery will evaporate if you leave the vicinity of the altar.
-Grants permanent intermediate cold resistance upon consumption.
-Grants permanent increase in innate talent for magic power manipulation upon consumption.
─────
Wow, this would be a jackpot if they could sell it. It was a pity that they had to consume it here.
He held up the bottle and recited the detailed information, causing Yeriel and Lumia’s faces to light up with joy.
“Wow, wow, wow! Can we really drink this?”
“A consumable related to talent, and there are three bottles of it!”
“Yes, since the effect will disappear once we leave, let’s drink it right now.”
Ting!
They clinked their bottles and drank the contents simultaneously.
[Intermediate cold resistance is now always applied due to consuming Winter’s Breath.]
[Innate talent for magic power manipulation has increased due to consuming Winter’s Breath.]
The taste… was sublime.
It wasn’t so much a taste, but as soon as the liquid touched their tongues, they felt like they were floating on a cloud.
They were still basking in the afterglow when they heard the transcendent being’s voice again.
“Well, it seems like everything is done, so it’s time to bid farewell. I’ll be waiting for the day we meet again, mortal.”
Huh?
‘Wait, just a moment! At least tell me your name!’
“Haha. I’ve discarded my name, so if you’re curious, you’ll have to find out later.”
Rumble…
“Krrr.”
“Uwaah!”
“Ugh.”
Suddenly, the cavern shook so violently that they couldn’t keep their balance.
Why now? Was the space disappearing now that everything he wanted was resolved?
No, if you’re not going to tell me your name, at least open a way out!
He quickly crouched down on the ground.
With a loud rumbling sound, he felt like he was being pushed out somewhere.
After enduring and waiting for about ten minutes, the noise finally stopped, and the surroundings became quiet.
[Chaos says to look around.]
He stood up and looked around at Chaos’ words.
“Wow, damn.”
Not only the altar but also the entire cavern they had entered had disappeared without a trace.
Where are we? First, let’s check if Yeriel and Lumia are okay.
“Ugh, I’m dizzy.”
“Are you both okay?”
Yeriel adorably slapped her chubby cheeks.
“Ugh, it’s not even a portal, and we’re experiencing these strange things in the labyrinth.”
“That’s true. How about you, Lumia?”
Lumia was still crouching, holding her ears.
He quickly approached her, worried that something might be wrong.
“Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?”
That was unlikely.
Lumia was a beastkin who had excellent balance and had flawlessly landed when they entered the second floor.
He gently placed his hand on her head.
“I’m fine. It seems like my heightened senses became a disadvantage this time. I’ll feel better if I wait a bit.”
She nodded, looked around, and then spoke.
“Anyway, it’s good that we got out without any major problems. We gained a lot.”
“Yes! Actually, I feel bad that you suffered so much, Ahren.”
“Yeriel, at least you healed. I didn’t do anything.”
“There you go again. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have even reached the fork in the road. We’re a party, and what’s good for one is good for all.”
He quickly cut off any gloomy thoughts and took out the map.
“If there aren’t any more unusual occurrences like the fork in the road, we’ll reach the shelter soon. Let’s straighten up and keep going straight!”
They nodded in agreement, and he led them forward.
After walking for about two hours, they finally reached the shelter.
Like the one on the first floor, there was a hole in the wall, big enough for one or two people to enter.
‘Hopefully, no one is here. Please.’
He went in first, followed by the others, and fortunately, no one was there, probably because this was an unpopular area.
Given the rarity of encountering other adventurers, it seemed that the number of adventurers in the swamp area was low.
“Darkness, my servant. Come forth.”
[Black Puppet]
Fortunately, as they moved away from the cavern, the familiars could be summoned again, resolving the night watch issue.
They laid out their sleeping bags, took out preserved food from their backpacks, and gathered to eat and chat.
They talked about the traits and items he had obtained, the owner of the altar, and the Winter’s Breath they had consumed, among other things.
“Haaam.”
He was mentally exhausted, even though his body felt fine.
Their conversation gradually died down, and eventually, they all closed their eyes and fell asleep, marking the end of a long and arduous day.
We were already at the center.
The third floor was not far off.