HBWnovel Chapter 297: The Green Witch (2)
Chapter 297: The Green Witch (2)
Chapter 297: The Green Witch (2)
[What kind of secret domain is this?]
The ghost’s voice was incredulous.
[No way. A place that can only be understood with a certain speech? Isn't this telling other adventurers not to find out?]
“It’s quite special.”
In fact, other adventurers wouldn’t be able to claim the secret reward from here at all. Even Taesan, who had acquired ranks through Soul Ascension, almost had to leave without obtaining it.
“What on earth is here?”
Taesan murmured as he checked the reward.
[You have used ???.]
[You have obtained the Liquid of the Cursed Swamp.]
[Liquid of the Cursed Swamp]
[A liquid from the swamp in the deep forest, where all life forms sink. It contains poison and resentment that can destroy the world.]
Item material.
And Taesan had a piece of equipment that consumed such items.
The whip wrapped around Taesan’s arm rose and absorbed the liquid.
The color of the vine began to turn dark.
[Bracelet of Malice.]
[A bracelet that tries to kill everything except its owner. Created by the witch's caprice. It still has hidden potentials. It has absorbed red rose thorns, green vine roots, cursed leaves, black earth soil, and the liquid of the cursed swamp.]
[Attack Power +325]
[Defense Power +200]
Attack power and defense power increased by 100 each. It was gradually becoming superior to a mere bracelet, almost weapon-like.
Taesan gazed at the bracelet absentmindedly.
This bracelet was made by the witch.
The condition to clear the 65th floor was to break through the witch’s domain.
And this place was the domain of the Green Witch.
It meant the owner of the bracelet was here.
“Unsettling.”
Taesan murmured as he walked through the forest.
What did the shop owner say about the creator of the bracelet?
Taesan tried to recall.
‘She wasn’t eccentric but had a very strong sense of self. Some people liked that, but not me. But why do you ask?’
‘I wondered if she had entered here too.’
‘There’s a possibility... yeah. There’s a possibility. She said she wouldn’t come, but she was very capricious.’
A resident of the same world as the shop owner. Capricious and strong-willed, the shop owner didn’t like her.
Such a person had now created her domain in the labyrinth.
Rumble...
Roots shook in front of Taesan as he advanced. A giant tree rose and glared at him.
In the face of unwavering hostility, Taesan drew his sword.
Rumble!
The roots plowed the ground and advanced. Taesan stomped his foot.
[You have activated Earthquake.]
The ground collapsed.
The advancing roots were crushed and trampled by the collapsing ground. Taesan rushed toward the tree, which was swinging its branches wildly.
Crack!
He pushed forward, cutting down the branches swung at him.
The heavy weight was felt through the handle.
Thud, thud, thud!
Avoiding and countering the storm of attacks, Taesan cut down the tree. The wounded tree began to rampage.
He avoided all the attacks and slowly inflicted damage, delivering the final blow.
Rumble...
[Your Soul Ascension has been activated. Your health has permanently increased by 1,430.]
‘Strong.’
Taesan shook the handle.
The debris left by the god of trials. The ants in that place. This was stronger. It wasn’t an opponent expected on the 65th floor.
Taesan looked up at the sky.
Through the dense vegetation, a green sky was visible.
[You have activated Essence Detection.]
[Domain of the Green Witch.]
All of this was created by the witch.
Taesan ventured deeper.
As he knocked down the advancing vegetation and grass, Taesan discovered a huge lake.
As he approached the lake, it began to ripple violently.
Rumble...
The lake rose, forming a giant shape.
The giant, comparable to a mountain, glared at Taesan with eyes full of hostility.
[The Giant of the Lake has appeared.]
[I'm, I'm sorry.]
“Then you must be punished.”
The witch waved her staff.
A gentle swing. The power that flowed out was just a fragment compared to the power the owner of the staff possessed.
But at the same time, the lake was buried deep into the ground with a loud noise.
[Kk, kkuooook!]
“I’ll take you out later, so reflect on your actions.”
The witch tapped the ground with her staff. The forest, damaged by the power, started to regrow and within a few seconds, it regained its previous appearance.
Each movement of power was something Taesan could not reach. It was a ripple that touched the world itself.
A being beyond mortal.
The witch looked at Taesan.
“Sorry for such poor hospitality. I will give you a generous reward.”
“...No, it’s fine. There seems to have been a misunderstanding.”
“You are a polite child.”
The witch smiled with her eyes.
“There’s no need to refuse. I have something I want from you as well.”
She waved her staff again. The trees twisted and began to form the shape of a house. Soon, a hut was created.
“Come in.”
The witch entered the hut. As she disappeared, the ghost groaned.
[Why is such a being on the 65th floor and not in the deeper layers?]
Taesan followed her into the hut.
Without her hat, she was pouring tea from a small kettle.
“Take it.”
She placed a teacup on the table as she sat down.
Taesan sat opposite her and sipped the tea.
Unexpectedly, it was just plain tea. It didn’t raise his stats or elevate his spirit. The witch noticed Taesan’s expression and blew on her tea.
“I’m tired of unique things. Sometimes, it’s good to go back to what was always ordinary.”
“I see.”
The witch looked at the ghost behind Taesan. She smiled softly.
“You are the noisy one these days, aren’t you?”
[...Are you talking to me?]
The ghost, not expecting that she would address him instead of Taesan, asked cautiously. The witch nodded.
“Yes. I’m curious what choice you will make.”
The ghost’s choice.
There were a few beings who spoke of it. All of them were transcendents.
Taesan opened his mouth.
“May I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Are you an immortal?”
The witch’s hand, holding the teacup, paused.
She looked at Taesan for a moment and then smiled with her eyes.
“Bold. I like it.”
The witch put down her teacup.
At that moment, a massive ripple of power was felt.
Everything outside the hut was distorting. The earth was shaking, and the world itself began to turn upside down.
Taesan realized something while breaking through the forest.
This forest was as vast as a decent-sized planet.
And the witch in front of him was lightly adjusting the entire forest from her seat.
The world itself was in her hands.
“As you guessed.”
Twisting the world, the witch spoke.
“I am one who has transcended mortals but has not reached transcendence. But I have grasped immortality. The witch of the cursed forest, the one who reaches for what she cannot touch. The Green Witch.”
An immortal.
A being that had not become a transcendent.
Therefore, they hated and tried to kill mortals with potential.
Taesan had already encountered such a being once. Even though he knew it was useless, his body instinctively took a defensive stance.
But Taesan slowly calmed his tension.
The witch was sitting quietly as she did before revealing her identity.
Seeing Taesan’s reaction, the witch looked intrigued.
“Impressive. No mortal has been so calm in front of me.”
“I have quite a bit of experience.”
And he knew. Unlike the immortal he had seen, the witch did not seem to intend to kill him.
She had said so when they met. He was a guest. She had something she wanted from him.
The witch began to sip her tea again.