Chapter 68: Flames of Sacrifice

I took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

Phew.

Next to my bed, a brazier with kindling emitted a flickering warmth. It had become a ritual, honed over many seasons of self-inflicted torment. I stuffed a cloth into my mouth and extended my hand into the brazier.

!

A flood of obscenities echoed through me.

Enduring to ten, gradually.

Beyond the pain, my senses began to dull. Instead of the searing agony in my flesh, a new sensation flowed through my fingertips.

[Han () has acquired the Fire Resistance skill!]

Finally.

I withdrew my hand hastily. The faint burn mark caught my attention. As I turned my head and waited, the numbing sensation gradually subsided.

Now, it was time to test the difference when acquiring Fire Resistance.

This time, I managed to endure for more than thirty seconds. I quickly extinguished the fire by placing a water container next to the brazier. I couldn't bear to watch it any longer. Just as the flames dwindled completely, another message appeared.

[Aaron () has acquired the Fire Resistance skill!]

He did it.

Aaron had exceptional endurance. It was expected.

However, there was one individual who posed a slightly different problem. Shortly after, Jenna entered my room, her eyes glistening with tears.

"I can't do it. I can't put my hand into the fire."

She wanted to gain the Fire Resistance Skill as well, but she couldn't summon the courage to go through the process.

"You could ask Eolka to burn you, but only to the point where you won't die."

"I don't think I should do this. If I had known, I would have asked to have that old man instead!"

"Help me."

I reignited the fire in the brazier.

Jenna approached me, her voice muffled with sobs. She sat on my knee, burying her face against my shoulder. I placed the cloth in her mouth, ensuring she wouldn't scream from the impending irritation. Before her mouth was filled, Jenna whispered softly.

"Why me?"

"Why me, huh?"

We were brought here, forced to fight without grasping the reasons for it. Perhaps those who quickly joined, without understanding the situation, might be happier than us. Simply, they were spared from experiencing any torment.

Jenna had fainted multiple times before finally gaining the Fire Resistance skill.

And the next day arrived.

Edi's party ascended to the ninth floor.

Kururur.

The entire lobby trembled gently. The vibrations were more significant than during the facility's construction—a sensation unique to climbing floors.

It didn't take long before Party 2 emerged, and Edi seemed somewhat agitated. Dica and Asher wore strained expressions. With a smile, I called out.

"Did they chop off your limbs or something?"

The two of them flinched, unable to provide a response. Roderick came to their aid, supporting them as they made their way back to the dormitory.

"So, what happened with the mission?"

"We were tasked with conquering the Troll Sanctuary. There were approximately 50 of them."

"Anything else?"

"Asher and Dica..."

"Other than that. Did you notice anything peculiar about the place? If there was anything odd, spill the details."

Edi narrowed her gaze and replied.

"The floor looked like a pool of mud as if a heavy rain had just passed."

"A mud pool. Was that it?"

"I'm not sure about anything else."

"Understood."

Edi wearily retreated to the dormitory, seeming exhausted from the intense battle, without the energy for further training.

As Party 2 departed, Iselle, with an air of authority, summoned the next individuals.

"Han, Jenna, Aaron, Eolka!"

"I'm here."

"Oh, really?"

Party 1 had assembled promptly.

We ventured into the fracture of reality.

"Aren't we missing the fifth spot in the party?"

"We were approaching the tenth floor, yet I couldn't understand Anytng's system.

If he planned to fill the spots, he should have done so earlier. Recruiting rookies from the training course at this point doesn't seem feasible; they simply can't adapt now."

As the mirror on the left began to cover the room, I called out.

"Eolka!"

"What's the matter?"

"You remember what I said last time, right? Just use the first level until I say otherwise."

"But..."

"But, what? Do you get it? Or should I say it again?"

"Yes, I got it."

"Good."

Through my conversation with Eolka, I gained a rough understanding of how she used her magic.

Currently, Eolka is classified as a 3-Class mage. And that simply means that she has three levels of magic.

The first level involved summoning flames.

The second level involved igniting the flames dangerously.

The third level involved turning the flame into an updraft.

As the levels increased, the consumption of magical power intensified.

[Floor 4.]

[Mission Type: Subjugation]

[Objective: Destroy the enemy!]

[Troll Lv. 4 X 3]

[Shrew Lv. 6 X 2]

It was a familiar forest that we had traversed many times before.

To the designated area.

Following my instructions, the party members dispersed. I took the front position, Aaron on the left, Jenna on the right, and Eolka in the middle. We formed a triangular formation, emphasizing the protection of the central figure.

The trolls and shrews eyed us cautiously, well aware of the vast difference in power. They cautiously began to encircle us, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

I stood firm, my sword and shield ready, observing the unfolding scene.

Kee-yah!

Finally unable to contain themselves, two shrews lunged forward, launching their attack against me. As I deflected their sharp claws with my shield, I took a quick glance behind me. Eolka was in the midst of casting her spell. Flames surged from her feet, reaching up to her head.

Now.

"Ignite!"

I swiftly dodged, evading the attack.

In an instant, the surging flames engulfed the two shrews like a crashing wave, leaving nothing behind.

The remaining two trolls met their end swiftly, courtesy of Jenna's well-aimed arrows.

"Huh, they even put up a fight. We can't practice our strategy like this."

[Stage Clear!]

[Eolka () leveled up!]

[Reward: 2,000G, Iron Metal (C) x1]

[MVP: Eolka ()]

Through this battle, Eolka reached level 4.

It marked the highest level possible on the fourth floor.

"I'm at level 10, Jenna's at 8, Aaron's at 6, and Eolka's at 4. Decreasing by two with each level."

"We have raised our levels to the maximum."

Party 2, led by Edi, experienced a similar progression. Especially Edi, who quickly adapted to the situation after her initial defeat against Jenna. Her low-level knife skill soared to level 4. Now, in their blade duels, she could win 6 out of 10 matches against Jenna and even managed to secure victory in 7 out of 10.

The tenth floor drew ever closer.

______________

______________

👋 Hey guys! If you think I'm doing a good deed with all these novels, you can support me by buying me a coffee ☕️ through PayPal!

Just head to this website: [ tiny.cc/tovg ] (ó﹏ò) please type it in your browser. And don't forget to add this novel to your library! 📚 Thank you so much! Your support means the world to me! 🌟😊