part1 · 082-ep82
Episode 82: Beyond the Guardian
Silence had returned to floor 100.
Before Ren lay the dragon's massive body. The area was so still, you'd never guess a furious battle had raged here moments ago.
"...I really did bring it down."
Ren lowered the magic sword.
Until a short while ago, the Ancient Dragon had been stronger than him.
《Dragon Scales》. 《Flight》. 《Body Strengthening》. 《Magic Manipulation》. 《Fire Magic》. 《Wind Magic》. 《Lightning Magic》. 《Self-Regeneration》. 《Dragon's Roar》. 《Dragon's Intimidation》.
And—
《Breath》.
The Ancient Dragon had held any number of powerful skills. In fact, Ren had lost once. Taken a fatal blow — and let the ring die in his place.
And at the very edge of that death—
《Infinite Growth》 and 《Survival Adaptation》 had fused.
And what was born from it was—
《Transcendent》.
"..."
Ren looked at his hand. From deep in his body, he felt a power clearly unlike anything before.
"Appraisal."
The display rose in his vision.
《Name: Kurose Ren》
《Age: 25》
《Race: Human》
《Level: 650》
《HP: 500,000/500,000》
《MP: 450,000/450,000》
《Strength: 600,000》
《Defense: 550,000》
《Agility: 750,000》
《Magic: 700,000》
《Unique ability》
《《Transcendent》》
《Skills》
《《Appraisal》EX》
《《Body Strengthening》EX》
《《Magic Manipulation》EX》
《《Magic Perception》EX》
《《Item Box》EX》
《《Swordsmanship》EX》
《《Presence Detection》EX》
《《Crisis Detection》EX》
《《Status Ailment Resistance》EX》
《《Fire Magic》EX》
《《Water Magic》EX》
《《Wind Magic》EX》
《《Wood Magic》EX》
《《Earth Magic》EX》
《《Lightning Magic》EX》
《《Light Magic》EX》
《《High-Speed Self-Regeneration》EX》
"...Level six hundred fifty."
Before the fight, he'd been level 550. Now, 650.
Ren ran his eyes down the rest of the status, recalling the numbers from before the fight.
HP had been 180,000. MP 150,000. Strength 220,000. Defense 200,000. Agility 260,000. Magic 240,000.
And now—
HP, 500,000.
MP, 450,000.
Strength, 600,000.
Defense, 550,000.
Agility, 750,000.
Magic, 700,000.
"...Incredible."
His level had risen by 100. But that wasn't all. Every ability had climbed to heights incomparable with before the fight.
And his skills had changed, too.
The magic skills that had sat at Lv.10. And 《High-Speed Self-Regeneration》, which had been with him all along.
Every one of them, now, had reached EX.
"...So this is the power of 《Transcendent》, huh."
Ren turned his awareness to the new skill.
"Appraisal."
The display changed.
《Name: 《Transcendent》》
《Type: Unique ability》
《Effect: Transcends every limit that exists in one's own growth, abilities, and adaptation》
《Manifested through the fusion of 《Infinite Growth》 and 《Survival Adaptation》》
《Has no growth limit》
《In extreme conditions, automatically acquires the abilities, adaptations, and growth the target requires》
Ren gazed at the display.
《Infinite Growth》. 《Survival Adaptation》.
The two skills that had carried him this far. Now they were one.
Grow past all limits, and gain whatever power survival demands.
That was—
《Transcendent》.
"...With this, I can get even stronger."
Ren gripped the magic sword and flowed magic into the blade. The magic poured in, smooth, as if answering his will.
Nothing like before. The very feel of handling magic had changed.
Ren sheathed the magic sword.
"...Might as well take this with me, too."
Ren turned his hand toward the dragon's massive body.
"《Item Box》."
The next instant—
the dragon's body was wrapped in pale light — and vanished.
Ren checked inside the 《Item Box》. The stored body of the dragon had already been butchered into materials, sorted by type.
《Stored items confirmed.》
《Target: Ancient Dragon》
《Beginning automatic identification of materials.》
《Beginning automatic butchering of materials.》
《Beginning automatic sorting of materials.》
And—
《Butchering and sorting complete.》
《Ancient Dragon scales: 312》
《Ancient Dragon claws: 18》
《Ancient Dragon fangs: 24》
《Ancient Dragon horns: 2》
《Ancient Dragon hide: 1 body's worth》
《Ancient Dragon meat: 1 body's worth》
《Ancient Dragon blood: large amount》
《Ancient Dragon bones: 1 body's worth》
《Ancient Dragon magic stone: 1》
Ren looked the display over.
"This much will be plenty."
By the effect of 《Item Box》 EX, the dragon's body had been automatically butchered and sorted into materials.
"I'll look it all over later, nice and slow."
Ren closed the 《Item Box》.
And—
he looked across floor 100.
The spot where the dragon had fallen. Nothing was there.
Then—
—Rumble...
"...?"
The ground shook, hard.
Ren tensed at once.
Then, past where the dragon had fallen — across the rock wall where nothing should have been — a crack split open.
—Crack!
The crack spread. The rock wall slid open, slowly, to left and right.
And from within—
a giant door revealed itself.
"...A door?"
Ren narrowed his eyes. As if the dragon's fall had been the trigger — and what was hidden had come to light.
Ren approached the door and used 《Appraisal》.
《Name: Door》
《Type: Door》
《Status: Good》
《Material: Special metal》
《Magic resistance: Extremely High》
《Details: Appeared upon slaying the floor-100 guardian》
"..."
Ren gazed at the display.
Felling the dragon had made this door appear. Of that much, there was no doubt.
"...What's waiting past this?"
Ren looked up at the door.
Even 《Appraisal》 EX couldn't see past it.
But—
having come this far, the only thing left was to find out.
Ren re-gripped the magic sword.
"...Let's see what's there."
And he reached for the giant door.