Chapter 95

Talent Collector

“It’s okay, so calm down, Yernil.”

While being careful not to let the trace amounts of liquid gold flowing from my body touch Yernil, I moved to a different spot.

Yernil followed, sniffling.

“I put the doll in the lava. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Looking back now, there was actually a much more heart-stopping moment than that.

It was when the Blacksmith’s hammer touched my side.

In gaming terms, it would have been a ‘graze’ judgment.

Normally, with the Blacksmith hammer’s damage, I should have died in one hit.

However, a graze judgment doesn’t deliver the full normal damage value. Half is the maximum, and the minimum starts from 1. The compromise damage somewhere in between was within my life force’s tolerance range.

That’s how it works in gaming terms.

I never thought I’d be saying something like this in a labyrinth, honestly.

‘I was lucky.’

But it hurts.

“Owww…”

That strike from being grazed by the hammer wasn’t a status abnormality or anything—it just reduced my life force.

So I can’t handle it with the hourglass’s time trading.

Now that the tension has eased, it just hurts too much, so I have no choice but to lie down.

Still, mine is just a minor injury.

“Caleb, please take a healing potion for now.”

The priest handed me a healing potion and then moved toward Backstab.

“This side is more urgent.”

Backstab was gasping for breath due to breathing difficulties. They said that while he’d already passed the dangerous point, he needed to be healed until all the cursed magic power in his lungs was expelled.

“High-concentration oxygen.”

So that’s how they treat it.

Actually, it feels more like a painkiller than treatment. The breathing difficulties will naturally disappear over time, and this just makes breathing easier until then.

And I can guess why the priest brought that kind of magic.

“Because of the volcanic ash, right?”

Until now, we didn’t need to worry about it because the spaces where we fought battles were inside the steel mill building, but volcanic ash causes pneumoconiosis, leading to breathing difficulties.

The process is a bit different, but it seems Backstab got breathing difficulties after being affected by the gilding.

“But brother, how come you don’t have breathing… Cough! Why don’t you have breathing difficulties? The gilding was dispelled right away too.”

Backstab asked while receiving treatment from the priest.

“Probably…”

The priest answered instead.

“I think it’s a transcendent cognition phenomenon.”

“What’s that?”

I’d never heard of it before either.

To summarize roughly, it’s like this.

If a woman who isn’t pregnant firmly believes she’s pregnant and thinks that way, she’ll experience a phantom pregnancy.

Even though there’s actually no fetus, she feels fetal movement, her uterus expands, mammary glands develop, she has morning sickness, and even her menstruation stops.

Conversely, pregnancy denial is when someone who is pregnant doesn’t accept that fact, and their intense denial mentally controls their body so there’s no fetal movement or morning sickness, their belly doesn’t show, and they even continue menstruating.

“Even ordinary humans can affect their bodies when they pour excessive mental strength into immersion. But what about a wizard with tremendous potential?”

Wizards are mentally connected to Wizus, the God of Wisdom. Using their memory books as conduits, they use their mental strength to borrow magic from Wizus—that’s what wizards do.

In other words, wizards were already interfering with the physical world to a considerable degree with their mental strength.

“Some wizards have such deep layers of mental strength that they can suppress negative status abnormalities affecting their bodies through mental concentration alone. That’s called transcendent cognition ability.”

For example, if a wizard cursed with ‘decay’ exercises transcendent cognitive ability on their rotting body, that mental strength calls upon Wizus’s power to destroy necrotic cells and promote healthy cell division, instantly reconstructing and recovering tissue.

“That’s how they immediately terminate magical status abnormalities. This is the first time I’ve actually seen it myself.”

“…”

“It seems Caleb has transcendent cognition talent.”

Somehow I’m getting the feeling I’m becoming more and more of a talent collector.

“Ultra-high-speed casting, and Chantless casting.”

The priest said.

“When I saw you during the rain, it looked like you also had telekinetic teleportation skills, and even transcendent cognition ability on top of that.”

I just used the hourglass, but this is a bit burdensome.

“Caleb might truly be a wizard blessed by the God of Wisdom.”

Does the God of Wisdom Wizus actually exist somewhere in this world?

The hourglass was classified as a ‘weapon’ at the blessing fountain. According to the game’s setting, it would appear at the fountain because the deity who used the hourglass was devoured by the labyrinth.

Who was that god?

And one more thing.

Actually, aren’t the skills contained in the hourglass each talents of wizards?

Ultra-high-speed casting and Chantless casting talents came from the hourglass itself.

And when I learned the Direction Controller skill, ta-da.

You are a telekinetic teleporter.

When I learned the Time Trader skill, tada.

You are a transcendent cognizer.

If I had learned Memory Book Editor, they probably would have said something about that too.

If I learned Mind Controller?

Ta-da! You are a labyrinth master. I might have heard that.

“Damn, that’s really awesome. If brother were a pretty woman, I would have asked you to control my body too.”

Backstab threw out a silly joke.

“Haha. Even a transcendent cognizer can’t manipulate other people’s bodies.”

The priest laughed and replied.

It’s a somewhat uncomfortable statement for me to hear, having controlled Yernil all this time.

“Caleb. After we finish treatment, we’ll immediately find the exit room and leave, right?”

Aimus changed the topic.

“Yes. Let’s end this adventure here.”

We have no choice. Because no more monsters will appear on the 4th floor now.

The Convergence Core is intact, but the Brass Golem doll and the setting box have disappeared.

Anyway, 4th floor adventurers have nothing more to hunt here.

“Gasp… Is it because of me that you can’t hunt?”

Yernil was startled and flustered.

“It’s also because of me.”

Since I was the one who destroyed the box.

Actually, in my case, I had considered bringing the box back from the treasure room, but let’s keep that a secret. For Yernil’s sake.

“Anyway, lately no party on the 4th floor has ever hunted properly.”

The Orc Fighter said.

“Rather, everyone will be happy. Since you caught the poachers.”

And honestly speaking, I actually quite like this situation too. Without needing to adventure long on the 4th floor, I got to monopolize something very, very expensive.

What does it mean that we can no longer hunt 4th floor monsters?

‘Now it’s okay to take the convergence core.’

Neko went past the Steel Processing Room press and pulled out the Convergence Core attached to the magic injection device.

It was a gem about the size of a fist. It sparkled blue like a sapphire.

“Please take it, Caleb’s party.”

Neko handed over the Convergence Core.

“Thank you.”

I received the Convergence Core and put it in my bag.

“I also have something I’d like to give to Neko’s team.”

“To us?”

“Yes. Wait here for a moment.”

I left the Steel Processing Room as is and moved toward the furnace.

The items that had floated down with me during the steel mill structure transformation were still there.

Ice pellets formed when frost rays met steam, hardened lava, and half-buried in it…

“It’s a crossbow.”

When I brought the crossbow to Neko, suddenly all three members of the security officer party’s eyes became moist.

The original owner of that crossbow was Security Officer Lizard Crossbow user.

The last member of Neko’s party.

He had died early after being hit by magic artillery. His remains were damaged beyond recovery, so it would be difficult to take them out for a funeral.

In times like this, adventurers take the weapon that the deceased had used for a long time instead.

“…Thank you.”

Neko wiped her eyes and received the crossbow, holding it to her chest.

***

Countless magical equipment pours out of labyrinths, but the prices of magical equipment rarely drop.

What’s the reason for that?

It’s because ‘they’re also easy to break’.

Why am I suddenly talking about this?

Because most of the equipment that Ingelram’s party used was damaged to the level of scrap metal.

Among them was a large-scale barrier bracelet.

It’s the same magic I received support for from Professor Isilof. If Ingelram’s bracelet had been intact, I would have given it to Neko, but since it wasn’t…

“Let’s go together.”

After Backstab recovered, we moved together.

Neko’s team’s raincoats had long become clothing waste, so they couldn’t block the volcanic ash.

We hunted the remaining monsters in the field together and occasionally encountered adventurers.

“The setting box and doll were destroyed in the steel mill. Fourth floor monsters will no longer be additionally produced.”

Neko conveyed that news to everyone they met.

And soon after, we easily cleared the exit room we found. Neko’s team goes through the exit gate first.

The Orc Fighter said goodbye.

“The most famous Orc in the labyrinth city Soren is Blackdog’s berserker Chrome. Quite a lot of Orcs join Blackdog looking only at Chrome alone.”

But that Orc Fighter wasn’t one of them. He had joined the poor and incompetent Security Headquarters.

“I think this is right. My name is Urgash. Please remember me. See you next time at Security Headquarters or the Adventurers’ Guild.”

Orc Fighter Urgash crossed the exit gate first.

Next was the priest’s turn.

“Priest Emma, Paladin Bernard, even the Bishop were talking about Caleb.”

His farewell was a bit longer.

“After adventuring together this time, I understand why. And… Actually, it’s not just Caleb who’s outstanding. I think your party will reach the deep layers someday. It was truly impressive. If you have business at the temple, please stop by once. Just ask for Priest Mikhail.”

Priest Mikhail crossed the gate.

Finally, Neko stood in front of the gate.

She first threw in a magic stone to change the gate’s color, then stared at us intently.

While holding her team’s Lizard’s crossbow tightly to her chest.

“…”

For a moment, she didn’t say anything.

“Neko. Aren’t you going through?”

“I’m going. But before that, just a moment…”

Neko fidgeted with the perky ears on top of her head.

“All four of you, please visit Soren Security Headquarters when you have time. I’ll request four medals from my superiors. The prize money will be a bit small due to budget issues, but…”

“It’s fine. See you in town.”

“…Caleb.”

Neko took a step toward me.

Neko, who had been keeping her eyes sharp while fighting fiercely, was quite relaxed now. Her comfortable face and gaze were much softer.

Her perky ears wiggled back and forth.

“Thank you so much.”

Her voice carried refined sincerity with weight.

“At the Blackdog gambling den too, and this time as well… We’ve received too much help from Caleb.”

“Please become an inspector for sure.”

This atmosphere was awkward and burdensome, so I replied half-jokingly.

Neko chuckled softly.

“If you have any matters that need Security Headquarters’ help, tell me. If it’s legal, I’ll cooperate within my capabilities.”

“Thank you.”

“Then…”

Neko hesitated for a moment, then suddenly approached me.

And then she hugged me out of nowhere.

“…”

Honestly, I was a bit surprised because it was so sudden.

Her breath touches my nape.

Her soft cheek touched below my chin. Her perky ears tickled my nose tip.

She rubbed her cheek against my cheek.

“It’s feline beastmen culture. It’s what you do when expressing trust and respect to a teacher or leader.”

Her explanation was somewhat of a lie.

In the homeland of feline beastmen, that’s the correct usage, but after leaving there, in other regions like Soren, the usage is a bit different.

Usually, it’s used as an expression of affection between lovers.

“Please definitely come to Security Headquarters.”

Neko rushed into the exit gate.

“Huh… Huh?”

And Yernil’s face turned bright red as if she had been wronged somehow, not knowing what to do.

“What, what was that just now? What did she do? That’s a greeting method? How could she do that…!”

Calm down, Yernil.

“Let’s go find the exit room now too.”

***

We came out to Soren.

It was already late at night.

In the past, when I came out of the labyrinth, I felt relieved and comfortable.

Not anymore.

Both inside and outside are all dangerous.