I Became a Gallery Newbie Beloved by Transcendents-Chapter 31: The Golem’s Fortress (1)

Body-Strengthening Aura.

ㄴ Heavenly Demon) I am the foremost expert on Body-Strengthening Aura.

ㄴ Maintain your dignity, Supreme Heavenly Demon!!!!

The Heavenly Demon senior explained Body-Strengthening Aura better than I expected.

So he really is an expert.

ㄴ Heavenly Demon: Have you ever played in the water? That sensation when waves ripple around you while you float in the sea or a river—think of replicating that feeling with your mana.

To put it very simply, it meant maintaining the sensation of lightly coating my body with mana.

Following that explanation, I was naturally able to sustain a veil-like airflow covering my body.

Fortunately, unlike Sword Aura, which shimmered, it wasn’t a perfectly pure white.

It was a bit more transparent.

After about eight hours of practice, I recorded my Body-Strengthening Aura and uploaded it to the gallery.

A white current covering my arm.

Title: This one took a while.

Author: ㅇㅇ*

Managed to cover everything in detail. No problem moving. Can withstand enemy attacks decently.

Anyway, armor is the first line of defense. This is something to deploy in emergencies, right?

Attached File: 789128312099.jpgㄴ Correct, you got it.

ㄴ Damn, you learn fast.

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman: You’ll get a feel for when to use it once you roll around enough.

ㄴ Beast King: Wow, that was fast. Really fast.

ㄴ Heavenly Demon: Now for the next lesson—hand techniques and kicking techniques.

ㄴ Famous Guy: The Lesser Heavenly Demon doesn’t even get this much attention from him. This is fascinating.

ㄴ ㅇㅇ*: How do you raise your Rank? Mana stat increasing doesn’t seem to automatically raise Rank.

ㄴ Sword of Light: Mana stat matters. But what’s even more important is enlightenment.

ㄴ Even we common folks from Easy and Normal Mode made it to Rank 5. We can imbue weapons with energy and circulate mana properly. If you build up mana circulation well, Rank 5 is within reach.

ㄴ It’s not like we were summoned to the tower for no reason.

ㄴ You reach Rank 5 because you were "summoned" as someone with that potential, whether innately or through experience.

ㄴ Pioneer: Yeah, that’s true. Feels unimpressive now, but everyone here has some real skill.

ㄴ Hhhhk, thank you, Outcast.

ㄴ Taking care of common folks as always, Outcast ㅇㅇ

ㄴ Heavenly Demon: Rank isn’t an absolute measure of combat power. Someone with a larger vessel might reach Rank 4 later than someone with a smaller vessel.

ㄴ Spear King: But if your opponent is Rank 7, you should be cautious. Rank 7 is when people start forming their ‘Unique Domain.’

ㄴ Room Conspiracy Theorist: By that logic, Rank 6 should also be approached with care. At that level, you can at least imitate a domain. – This world is a massive closed room.

ㄴ ㅇㅇ*: What about the Hard Mode seniors?

ㄴ Archmage: Rank 9 and beyond. Once you return alive, you realize clearing the 100th floor of Hard Mode pretty much requires reaching Rank 9.

ㄴ Demon Dragon King: Beltui—That’s right. The 95% who didn’t make it failed because they couldn’t reach that level.

ㄴ Archmage: There’s probably someone who reached Rank 10. But it’s not me. Anyone here Rank 10?

ㄴ Beast King: Who would admit it? Most of us are probably Rank 9. Even those who reached Rank 10 probably aren’t fully convinced they actually did. Hahaha.

Hearing it in numerical terms, I was once again reminded of just how far I was from the Hard Mode seniors.

For now, I had all the information I needed.

Read 𝓁atest chapters at fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm Only.

ㄴ ㅇㅇ*: I’m taking a full rest today. Heading out tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow, I’d enter the fourth-floor stage.

ㄴ Shrine Maiden: Is it really true that your cooldown for interdimensional trade is still two days away?

So, the two seniors lining up to trade with me were the Shrine Maiden and the Heavenly Demon.

The Shrine Maiden ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) would have to consider what I was facing in my current stage before trading, but dealing with the Heavenly Demon was tempting.

Learning hand and kicking techniques from the strongest martial artist in Murim.

It was an enticing prospect.

Ever since yesterday, when I started feeling the limitless potential of Sword of Light senior’s Dragon Slayer Sword techniques using Sword Aura as my baseline, I’d been keenly aware of it.

I devoured the cream bacon pasta I’d packed for lunch but hadn’t found the time to eat.

Sitting cross-legged, I picked up the Bloodstained Dagger.

Stabilizing the release of Sword Aura.

I continued channeling Sword Aura to train it.

Sssswoosh.

I also kept practicing Body-Strengthening Aura, which I had just learned.

Mana replenishes while resting anyway.

And circulating mana refills it even faster.

I trained thoroughly to ensure there were no variables in battle.

[Skill ‘Enhanced Focus’ has leveled up. Lv.5]

A welcome result.

***

Hmm.

Ever since I was summoned to the tower, I had never once failed to get proper sleep, but tonight, I slept even deeper than usual.

Was it because I had come face to face with the knowledge of death lurking beyond the 13th floor?

Or was I simply exhausted?

Last night, I had stir-fried pork over rice. Another meal I had packed for the third-floor stage but never got the chance to eat.

[4th Floor Coin Shop]

FoodBeveragesPotionsNot much different from the third floor.

<Cooking>

Ramen with a small portion of kimchi - 10 CoinsPork soup rice - 10 CoinsFried rice - 10 CoinsCream bacon pasta - 10 CoinsSandwich - 8 CoinsNuts (peanuts, walnuts) - 6 CoinsJerky - 6 CoinsStir-fried pork over rice - 13 CoinsRoskatsu - 13 CoinsPork loin cutlet, huh.

Looked like it came with salad and miso soup as a side, just like the stir-fried pork.

Why did it feel like the prices were steadily increasing?

Crunch.

It had been a long time since I had tonkatsu, and it tasted great.

One thing I learned from clearing the third-floor stage—I could bring along more food than I had thought.

The inventory had a 60-slot registration limit, but no weight restrictions.

Coins Owned: 2,451

I was more than well-funded.

Winning first place in the exchange event had earned me 1,000 Coins, and clearing the third floor had rewarded me with 800 more.

Rustle.

The sleeping bag that had greeted me at the entrance of the fourth-floor staircase was quickly rolled up and stored in my inventory.

I checked the clock hanging on the wall.

Current Date: March 2nd

Time until the next exchange event: D-23

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

If possible, I wanted to reach the 9th or 10th floor before the next exchange event.

Though I wasn’t sure if it was feasible.

Title: Entering the 4th Floor.

Author: ㅇㅇ*

If things look sketchy after entering, I’m heading right back.ㄴ What crisis awaits the climber this time?

ㄴ What’s it gonna be this time? Hopefully not another quest-type.

ㄴ Hey, don’t jinx it.

No way it’d be another quest-type, right?

ㄴ Ice Queen: Frozen! Stay safe!

ㄴ Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, Climber-kun. Climber-kun’s fortune today isn’t too bad!

ㄴ Sword of Light: Go ahead. If something happens, come right back.

ㄴ Heavenly Demon: Use what you’ve learned and submit a report.

ㄴ Absolute Monarch: I wish you good fortune.

ㄴ Lmao, Monarch bro finally showed up.

ㄴ Yeah, couldn’t resist sending him off, huh? ㅇㅇ

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman: Survival is always the most important thing.

ㄴ Archmage: Go go.

I skimmed through the farewell messages, then shut down the Transcendent Gallery.

I stowed the device back in my inventory and took a deep breath.

"Hoo."

And then exhaled.

Another road of suffering began.

Step, step.

I moved forward, heading toward the gray door at the far end of the fourth-floor waiting area.

As I opened the door, light engulfed my vision.

『Pandemonium Mode 4th Floor is a Dungeon-Type Stage.』

A dungeon.

『Clear the dungeon, "Golem’s Fortress."』

It had a similar aesthetic to the dungeon I experienced during the exchange event, "Kobold’s Cradle."

The enclosed space was lined with neatly arranged yellow and gray stone walls.

Dungeon Name: Golem’s Fortress.

And, true to its name, a golem made of deep blue stone was hunched over, completely still.

Step.

As I approached, there was no response.

What the hell?

Was it sleeping or something?

Swish.

I took out my gallery device from my inventory.

Glint.

I saw the golem’s two eyes glow red.

But even so, it still didn’t seem like it was going to move.

I took a picture of the golem.

Title: What is this thing? It’s just sitting there.

Author: ㅇㅇ*

Do I just smash it? Is this a freebie?

Attached File: 828887973.jpgThis time, the chat flooded in faster than usual.

ㄴ Shit, DUCK.

ㄴ Archmage: Duck.

ㄴ Archmage: Find cover.

ㄴ Sword of Light: Get down, now.

ㄴ Absolute Monarch: The mana core, its heart, is at the back of the neck relative to human proportions.

ㄴ Ice Queen: Probably! Mana laser! Frozen!

ㄴ Heavenly Demon: Look at its eyes carefully. The direction of the mana laser’s trajectory is foretold.

ㄴ Pioneer: Left first, then right.

Boom.

A deep tremor spread throughout the dungeon.

Bzzzzzz!

The golem’s wide-open mouth suddenly filled with a rapidly condensing red glow.

I shoved the device back into my inventory and flattened myself to the ground.

BEEEEEEEEEEP—

A piercing sound rang out as a red laser swept across the entire horizontal plane.

KABOOOOOM!!

A chill ran down my spine.

Shit.

Was this a bullet-hell game now?

I raised my left hand, gripping the Mirror of Metamorphosis like a shield.

The eyes hold the hint.

The left eye’s glow indicated a diagonal trajectory.

The right eye’s glow indicated a vertical trajectory.

[Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.5 – Skill Activated.]

At the same time as I circulated mana, I activated Body-Strengthening Aura.

BOOM!

I bent low, dodging the diagonal beam like an acrobat.

Vrrrrrr!

The vertically descending laser was deflected by expanding the Mirror of Metamorphosis.

I focused energy into both feet.

TWHOOOOOM!

I bent my knees and launched myself upward.

For a moment, I was completely airborne.

With my left hand, I drove the Bloodstained Dagger into the golem’s shoulder, climbing up like scaling a rock face.

The golem’s heart—its mana core—was at the back of the neck.

I swung Fierce King’s Sword, now imbued with Sword Aura, directly at the core.

CRASH!

With the destruction of the mana core, the deep-blue golem collapsed.

I landed back on the ground.

BZZZZZZ!

"......."

Beyond the darkness, crimson lights flickered.

Not one.

Dozens.

I stepped forward.

If I stopped—

I’d die.

Damn Pandemonium.