Chapter 76

Chapter 76
## Chapter 76: The Labyrinth Merchant’s Secret

—

The digital forums for the player base were currently in a state of total frenzy.

-Seriously, Phase 3 already?
-Wasn’t it just stuck at Phase 2 ten minutes ago?
-How many levels does this thing even have?
-Usually, these encounters cap out at Phase 3, don’t they?
-Well, speak of the devil, it just hit Phase 4!
-This is a massive disaster;;
-Wait, I thought Sword Saint Riley was supposed to be a pushover or something?
-Don’t be an idiot. That’s the legend who decapitated the Earth Dragon single-handedly.
-He probably went toe-to-toe with the Demon King himself.
-Stories always get blown out of proportion. Riley is definitely weak, trust me.

Then, the atmosphere shifted instantly.

Almost the second the Phase 4 alert flashed, the comments took a sharp turn.

-Huh?
-What happened?
-Wait, what’s going on? Did they retreat?
-They actually fled the labyrinth?

The news traveled like wildfire: Gracia had disconnected and abandoned the dungeon.

The official notification read: “Challenger Sword Saint has withdrawn.”

Gracia, who had torn through the ranks to reach Phase 4 at record speed, had turned tail and run the moment she arrived at that stage. It was as if she had come face-to-face with something that shouldn’t exist in this world.

-Whoa, the next contender is already stepping up.
-The Empire’s Three Swords? Who are they?
-Does Empire mean the Arhon Empire?
-Man, even the Empire has their sights set on this.
-You think they can finish what Gracia couldn’t?
-The Empire might actually pull it off. I’ve heard their elite players are on a different level.

Roughly thirty seconds after they stepped inside…

-Never mind, the Empire retreated immediately too.
-What the hell is waiting in Phase 4?
-What did they see that made them bolt that fast?
-If Gracia and the Empire both can’t handle it, isn’t this just an impossible clear?
-We’ve still got the Four Kings lololol. My money is on the Four Kings beating it.
-But if the White King’s influence grows because of this, we’re even more screwed.
-Seriously, that’s a nightmare scenario.
-I’m sticking a portrait of the White King on my wall starting today.
-You’re a total lunatic…

—

I made my exit from the Golden Abyss with Greed at my side.

By the time we stepped back into the main corridors of the underground labyrinth, the surrounding halls were eerily quiet.

‘Where did Isaac and Isabella disappear to?’

There was no sign of them. I had assumed they would be waiting for my return in this exact spot.

My expression darkened as I looked closer at the floor.

‘Are those bloodstains?’

The area was devoid of people, but there were spatters of crimson. It was undeniably human blood.

Did this imply that Isaac and Isabella had been caught in a life-threatening situation?

Just to be certain, I activated my Detector skill, but the pulses returned nothing. One thing was certain: a struggle had occurred here. It didn’t look like a massive skirmish, but the nature of the blood suggested a sudden strike.

‘They were targeted. And they ran.’

Luckily, the volume of blood wasn’t enough to suggest a fatal wound. I couldn’t tell whose it was, but it appeared to belong to only one person. They had been jumped and then forced to relocate. That had to be the case.

‘But who did it?’

While I was occupied in the Golden Abyss, someone else must have gained entry to the underground labyrinth. One of the challengers. But which one?

Gracia had already attempted the Sword Saint challenge and fled. The group known as the Empire’s Three Swords was almost certainly the Silver Fox Mask. It had to be someone other than those two.

‘I need to visit the Labyrinth Merchant and get the right tools.’

I had a general idea of which way they had gone, but the physical trail vanished quickly. Wandering around blindly would be a waste of energy. It was far more logical to purchase tracking equipment from the Labyrinth Merchant than to guess.

-The Labyrinth Merchant is due to appear soon. We should go and wait.

“You know the location?”

-I have a strong suspicion. After spending so much time in these halls…

That was perfect. It made sense—nobody understood the layout of this place better than the Golden Goblins. That went double for their leader, Greed.

Greed took point, guiding me through the tunnels. After an hour of trekking, the creature stopped dead.

《The ‘Underground Labyrinth Merchant’ has materialized at coordinates 568.1199!》

Right there in front of us, the Labyrinth Merchant vending machine shimmered into existence. It was an impressive display of accuracy.

-Insert the Golden Ticket, and the gateway will reveal itself. That is the extent of my knowledge.

Greed spoke with a hint of regret, as if it felt bad for not being able to provide more detail. Since it had never actually used a Golden Ticket itself, its lack of experience was understandable.

“Don’t worry about it.”

I gave a casual shrug and carefully slid the Golden Ticket I had received from Greed into the machine’s slot.

As soon as the ticket vanished…

《’Greed’s Golden Ticket’ has been consumed.》
《’Hidden Event’ has been initiated!》
《The inventory of the ‘Labyrinth Merchant’ has been overhauled.》
《The ‘Golden Rule Door’ leading to ‘Sword Saint Riley’ is now accessible.》

The door swung open, and the shop’s inventory refreshed. The moment I looked at the new items…

‘…So the rumors were true.’

Items that were virtually impossible to acquire through standard gameplay were now displayed right in front of me. Unique Blueprints. Every shop list I had seen from the Labyrinth Merchant until now was nothing more than a distraction. No—compared to this list, those previous ones were a joke. They were just decoys meant to hide the real treasures.

‘Who would ever think to put a ticket into a vending machine?’

This specific event was clearly tied to the act of feeding a ticket into the unit known as the Labyrinth Merchant. Even on the higher levels, using a Labyrinth Ticket on a merchant likely triggered a secret mechanic.

‘And the quality of the ticket dictates the rarity of the rewards.’

Naturally, superior tickets would provide superior lists. The one I had used—Greed’s Golden Ticket—was a drop from the master of the Stacked Abyss. It fully deserved the “Hidden” tag. You had to find this underground maze, take down ten Golden Goblins solo, and then defeat Greed himself. The odds of someone pulling that off were astronomical.

This was the hidden truth of the dungeon.

「Hydragon’s Soul – 100 points」
「Executioner’s Soul – 200 points」
「Golden Dragonling Soldier’s Soul – 400 points」
「Blade Lion’s Soul – 400 points」

Four distinct souls. Every single one of them was incredibly difficult to find. Just the Hydragon’s Soul—I wondered if anyone else in all of Pangeniar even possessed one. Maybe one or two.

‘The same souls can be used to transcend equipment.’

And it didn’t stop there. These souls were the core components required for “Unique-grade” gear. Despite their scarcity, their status as crafting materials was top-tier. There wasn’t a single item on this list worth ignoring. I was certain their actual worth was far higher than the points required to buy them.

However, the points were the primary hurdle. I didn’t have enough to just buy everything on a whim.

‘I earned 1,000 points for defeating Greed in the final battle.’

Add to that the 1,000 points from the final loot haul from Greed, and my total sat at roughly 1,350. It was enough to buy all four souls, but I couldn’t afford to be reckless. The list went on.

「Greed’s Brand – 500 points」
「Hardship’s Brand – 500 points」
「Roar’s Brand – 500 points」
「Death’s Brand – 500 points」

Four brands. Brands were essentially tattoos that granted passive abilities, but they were exceptionally rare. Aside from the most basic versions, almost no tattooists in the world held the secrets to these specific techniques. Anyone claiming they did was usually a fraud. These four were all “Special-grade Brands.” They held immense value and offered elite-level buffs. I had heard of them in passing, but I’d never encountered a craftsman capable of applying them.

‘If a professional tattooist saw these, they’d lose their mind.’

They wouldn’t just be excited; they’d do anything to get their hands on them.

‘And there’s even more.’

To my shock, the list continued.

「Ring of the Sun – 300 points」
「Hollow Rusted Iron Ring – 500 points」
「Ring of the Ancient Contract – 200 points」
「Ring of Deep Favor – 300 points」

These rings were just as difficult to obtain as the souls. There were at least twenty more items below them. All of them were Unique-grade, but two specific items caught my attention.

「Verdant Seed – 500 points」
「Unique Blueprint – 1,000 points」

‘…The Verdant Seed and a Unique Blueprint.’

The word Verdant immediately brought one place to mind: the legendary metropolis known as “Verdant City.” It was the domain of forest-dwelling races, built around a colossal tree known as the Verdant. If this seed was a product of that tree, it would be a resource of unbelievable value. It could potentially lead to accelerated growth or something equally powerful. As for the Unique Blueprint? Its exact function was a mystery.

‘Can it be used as a substitute for any specific Unique Blueprint?’

Unique items cannot be crafted without their specific blueprints. In many ways, the blueprint is more vital than the materials themselves. You could have every ingredient ready, but without the plan, you have nothing.

‘If that’s how it works…’

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my breathing steady as I looked over the list one more time. I cross-referenced it with the materials I already had. My hands were shaking slightly, and my palms were damp with sweat. I couldn’t help it.

‘I… I can actually build one.’

There was one specific piece of Unique gear I had in mind. I did a quick mental check. All the materials required for it? I had them.

Only fifteen confirmed Unique items had been discovered in Pangeniar so far. I had handed eight of them over to Wilhelm, and they had eventually decayed. But that was due to the Demon King’s unique circumstances—under normal conditions, a single Unique item had the power to change the course of history. Their value was astronomical. It was the reason why players were so obsessed with them.

Especially now, when reaching Level 10 felt like a distant fantasy.

‘Gearing up with Uniques is a more realistic path than trying to hit Level 10 and transcend.’

The absurd amount of experience required had left me stranded at Level 6. Even after overcoming Greed, I hadn’t seen a level-up. The road to Level 7 looked daunting, and Level 10 seemed impossible for the time being. It would happen eventually, but who knew when?

…Damn it.

Regardless, deckout out in Unique equipment would be a much faster way to gain power. Unique items push your boundaries, allowing you to challenge more dangerous opponents. And defeating those enemies would lead to faster leveling. It was the logical choice.

‘The Golden Dragonling Soldier’s Soul, Greed’s Brand, the Hollow Rusted Iron Ring, and the Unique Blueprint. Those four.’

The only problem was the cost. I wanted too much. I needed exactly 2,400 points, which meant I was short by 1,000. Plus, I needed an extra 100 points to buy tracking gear to find Isabella and Isaac.

‘Gracia failed, and the Silver Fox Mask failed—I have a little bit of time.’

I made a cold calculation. Sword Saint Riley’s seal was still holding at Phase 4. At Phase 5, he would become “the Abyss itself,” but both of the current challengers had backed off. They might try again after recovering, but they wouldn’t be back immediately. The Desert Queen was a lingering concern, but there was no way she was stronger than Gracia.

‘I have to save those two first.’

The Hidden Event’s Golden Vending Machine didn’t seem to have a timer. Once triggered, the Golden Rule Door stayed put. I would find Isabella and Isaac, earn the remaining points, craft my Unique gear, and then take on the challenge myself.

Having made my choice, I turned to Greed.

“Pay attention, Labyrinth Merchant.”

-I shall do as you wish… Yes, of course. It is my obligation.

—

*Crunch!*

Isabella bit down on her lower lip so hard that a bead of blood appeared. She and Isaac were currently in full flight.

“You need to withdraw now!”

“…You go first.”

Isaac was carrying the Saintess on his back, repeatedly telling Isabella to use her escape. Any player who entered the labyrinth had the option to “retreat” and be instantly transported back to the main continent. But both of them were incredibly headstrong.

Realizing that logic wouldn’t work on her, Isaac’s face twisted into a scowl.

“Dammit, what kind of freak is that? Why won’t it stop hunting us?”

“That is the Desert Queen.”

“What?”

“…The person pursuing us. It’s the Desert Queen.”

“The Desert Queen? The ruler of Paysalmer? Your home country?”

He flashed back to the conversation they had shared in the Demigod trait dungeon. The Desert Queen was the sovereign of Paysalmer, the land Isabella called home.

Isabella gave a grim nod of confirmation.