The single crack on the fifth floor, the Fortress of Souls, featured the Soul Guardian-type labyrinth-type boss monster Hauciel.
Phase 2 of this type wasn't that dangerous, really. It depended on the character's luck stat, but you could usually find the mana stone and move on to the next phase after opening about 500 boxes.
However, there are no guarantees that this happened to me.
That's why I brought Sven Parav. What he needed to clear the crack was not the ability to find gold, but rather the ability to avoid trash. And from what I could see, this guy specialized in disaster avoidance.
That's why I wasn't expecting anything special...
But what was this? Were they playing a prank on me?
My mind went blank as I looked at the golden light coming out of the box. «Sven Parav...» I said suspiciously.
«Excuse me? Ah yes, Lord Baron».
«Did you have any strange feelings before opening this box?»
«No...? I felt the same as always...»
Hah, so that meant we were lucky?
Just thinking about it made me stagger with disbelief. A character with both the ability to avoid misfortune and a miraculous level of luck. At this point, they should make a new numbered object for this type. By his name...
Parav's Gilded Goblin Mask, No. 7777. The one with a single digit.
Yes, that would make it balanced.
«So... what is this?»
I took a moment to shake at his question. Sven had cautiously moved away from the open box and was now looking at me for guidance. Honestly, I felt like kissing him on the face, but I ignored it, as that would only reignite the unfortunate rumor I had barely suppressed.
«As you clear Hauciel, this is a chest that you can find with a very low probability», I explained.
«It's good?»
As expected from an adventurer. «It's good. It's very good».
At my short response, the look in his eyes changed, and then he slowly filled with curiosity and greed as he looked at the chest again. He seemed to wonder what could be there for me to say something like that to him.
But it wouldn't be so tempting for him.
The value of the item inside the chest depended on who got it. For some, it might be worth more than a single-digit object, while for others it would be useless. Paladin Parav belonged to the second group.
I reached into the shiny box and grabbed something round with my hand.
"...¿What are?"
I smiled satisfied and explained the use of this object. Since I had to act like a native, I had to use words like «achievement» and the explanation ended up dragging on... but honestly, this could be explained in two words.
Experience potion.
It was now possible to reach level 11.
***
[You have consumed Dream Soul].
[When you reach level 10, you will get 10,000 EXP.]
***
Dreaming Soul: A super rare item that could only be obtained by fighting the Soul Guardian boss Hauciel.
It was a necessary item to reach level eleven, the maximum of the original mode. Even defeating all kinds of monsters, it took about 14,000 experience points to reach level eleven. That meant that after defeating all the monsters, you had to complete the rest by doing multiple portal and crack tours, but that was almost impossible.
So... that's how I got it.
To be honest, I still couldn't believe it. That's how strange it was to get this item.
When I opened the Gate of the Abyss, the final character was level ten. However, that character had a quiet life from the beginning, and I had maximized my equipment and essences to what I needed in the end.
In any case, I looked to the side after drinking the potion in one gulp to see Parav's slumped shoulders. It was understandable. What he was feeling at that moment was something similar to thinking that he had just won the lottery, but finding out that his number was the winner of the previous lottery.
That's why I was surprised by what he said next.
«Still, this is great. You can climb even higher, Mr. Baron».
I immediately realized that he wasn't saying it out of courtesy, but because he really believed it. There was disappointment in his voice, but there was no jealousy or hatred.
«Don't look at me like that», he said laughing. «It wasn't even useful to me, and didn't you also say that it would be impossible to get him out of here, even if we used distortion magic on him?».
«That's true...» But since he said it first, I felt like I owed him something now. I decided to take care of him first when something good happened to me later. «Then let's continue.»
The more time we spent here, the harder the boss fight would be, so we quickly rearranged our things and started searching again. We continued talking while Parav opened the boxes.
«Mr. Baron, I'm curious about something...»
«Go on.»
«What will happen when we open that box that worries you so much?»
Ah, Is it? «It's simple.»
The moment the box opened, you would lose 5,000 experience points. Naturally, you would be lowered by at least one level, and an essence slot would be forcibly locked for each level lowered.
«What a crazy curse...». Parav murmured. «Clear all achievements...». He didn't seem to suspect where he had gotten the information from. He just tilted his head with an expression that seemed to say: «Why didn't he know?».
And I added: «But the curse is secondary. The Guardian is what ends up being the real problem».
«¿El Guardián...?»
«Sí.»
The Guardian would gain the lost experience by opening the box and become even stronger. And try to defeat something like that with one less essence slot? Not even I could guarantee that I would survive.
«So that's another reason you brought me here. It's a curse that does nothing against a paladin».
«Well, it's not like it's not a reason. But don't worry», I reassured him. «Comparatively, the Guardian is much weaker after finding the Dreaming Soul in the box».
As we continued to diligently open more boxes as we chatted, I got a clearer idea of what Sven Parav's intuition was like.
Since it doesn't activate when the box contains a weak curse or monsters... it seems like it only actually activates when you're going to be in real danger. Even if that is not the case, this is truly a mystical ability...
No, maybe it was something that really transcended human limitations. Didn't he receive that oracle before too?
«Ah, I think we found it.»
After opening boxes for a while, we were able to find the box containing the mana stone and move on to the next phase.
¡Crack!
Once we crushed the mana stone, we moved on to what appeared to be the inside of a huge worm.
¡Ba-dump!
The ground was smooth, undulating and twisted in waves as if it were alive.
[The Hauciel Soul Guardian Defense System becomes stronger].
Sticky substances began to flow from the ceiling, floor and walls.
«Looks like we'll have to move before it's completely full».
We moved faster than ever to clear phase three of the boss.
Even the best tanks needed to breathe. In the game too, the game ended immediately if that liquid filled the entire area. Of course, after completing the map once, I didn't drown again.
Straight ahead, then a left turn when the road splits into three, and then continue straight for two more intersections before taking the next right...
Although he had not memorized the entire map, he perfectly remembered the path needed to reach the mana stone.
Step step.
We destroyed the constant barrage of monsters that stood in our way, running through the stomach acid that had risen up to our thighs until we reached our destination.
¡Ba-dump!
The mana stone was heart-shaped and beat as if it were a living being. Without thinking much, I brandished my hammer to destroy the stone.
¡Vwoong!
Thus we reach the last phase.
After closing and opening our eyes, we arrived at a place that seemed to emulate outer space. In the center, there was a pyramid made up of glass-transparent stairs, and at the top of the stairs, there was a huge mana stone floating there like an eye.
It was the true body of Soul Guardian Hauciel.
This time there were no words either.
As soon as he arrived, his eyes burst open before monsters began to rain from the sky like in the rainy season of Basement One Plant.
Hundreds of monsters reminiscent of an entire army flooded the place.
[The Hauciel Soul Guardian Defense System becomes stronger].
Still, since we had arrived quite early and opened the golden box as well, the monster ranks were not that high.
The highest is rank four from what I can see...
Oh, for reference, if you get here after losing your experience, monsters can reach rank two. The main body would be much more powerful as well.
«Move fast!»
Before the monsters landed, we quickly ran up the stairs, and when they landed, we fought as hard as we could to keep going up.
As expected from a fifth floor crack, it wasn't easy with just the two of us. It would have been much easier if we had had a mage who could use area of effect magic to lead the way.
But it couldn't be helped, so what?
«¡Become-laaaaaaah!»
We continue our desperate fight up the stairs.
¡Boom!
Honestly, we found the main body more difficult to deal with than the monsters, considering that mana cannon that kept shooting at me.
[Keeper of the Soul Hauciel has launched Designate Objective.]
Because I would repeatedly break through his aggro, the allies following me also needed to be strong enough to withstand the waves of monsters.
¡Vwoong!
Furthermore, while all this was happening, it periodically sent out waves of force that could push even me back while I had gigantization active.
«What are you doing?» I yelled at Parav. «I'm going to make my way, so follow me! Don't dawdle!»
«¡S-phone...!»
Although he was being tougher than usual, it couldn't be helped. If he was knocked down or pushed by the monsters down there, he would undoubtedly die. Even if I could face the boss monster alone, I needed to endure the surge here until we both reached the top of the stairs.
¡Bang! ¡Bang! ¡Pum!
I hit my hammer with all my might and knocked down the monsters. Most lost their balance and fell down the stairs, but some unfortunate ones disappeared into the endless darkness beneath us. Even with that, more monsters appeared than disappeared.
...Maldite sea.
As I continued fighting and climbing the stairs, I realized that Sven Parav had been left behind. And during that moment, monsters filled the gap between us.
I think it will be faster if I am going to kill the main body instead of going to save it...
The first thought my player brain had was to kill my emotions and think of the most logical plan. The waves of monsters were just distractions. If he managed to reach the main body, defeating him would be trivial. However, the question of whether to abandon my ally here was the right decision or not shook my mind.
...What do I do?
«I'll hold on! You go ahead...!»
He shouted that while I hesitated in that moment of deep contemplation, and I was able to move forward thanks to that.
[You have launched Balancing.]
[You have launched Balancing.]
[You have launched...]
After reaching his main body, I swung my hammer frantically. Although he had a weak body, with the damage of a barbarian tank, I felt like I had hit him hundreds of times.
¡Crujido!
However, very soon, the mana stone broke into a thousand pieces and disappeared into the light.
[You have defeated the Guardian of the Soul Hauciel. EXP +6]
[Guardian defeat bonus. EXP +3]
Monsters that easily exceeded a thousand also disappeared into the light, and their light illuminated the area.
Afterwards, I quickly went to look for Parav.
I saw him bent over in the middle of the stairs and panting to breathe while looking terrible. «I'm alive...»
Hah, I really needed to take good care of him in the future.
***
After the boss fight was over, the portal opened, and the rainbow essence fell.
Hah ... I'm going to have to leave this behind.
Calling it «waste» wasn't enough to describe what I was about to do. This essence was like that for the face, and not for anything, but for a single passive ability.
Contrato de alma.
The effect of this passive ability was simple. It immediately raised you to level 8, but you couldn't gain any more experience points.
It was an essence that should never be consumed if you wanted to level up. However, it continued to sell at an absurd price. Even in reality, it was famous for having been sold to a marquis for billions of stones a few years ago.
I heard he gave it to his wife and his wife filled seven slots all with beautifying essences...
It wasn't even funny, but absurd things like that happened every day in reality.
I've made enough money after coming down to this floor, so let's prioritize getting out of here first...
After curbing my greed, I crossed the portal with Parav outwards. Now people were running up to us to tell us that they had been waiting for us and to ask us how we had fared.
But this time it was different.
In the still silence, everyone around the stone statue looked in one direction. I also turned quickly to see what they were looking at.
The door had already opened...
Perhaps because we had taken our time after the portal opened, the stone door had already opened wide and revealed to us what it had been hiding.
«A portal...?»
An ominous red portal made us feel uneasy even at first glance.
Seeing him, a well-known magician murmured: «It is not a normal portal. Judging by the frequency it is producing... A crack... It's a crack!».
The crack in Basement One Plant had opened.