HBWnovel Chapter 491: 92nd Floor. Faith (2)
Chapter 491: 92nd Floor. Faith (2)
Every time Taesan entered a new floor, the first thing to greet him was always the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper would typically be waiting for adventurers at the entrance, ready to assist.
But this time was different. Even after passing through the entryway of the 92nd floor, there was no sign of the shop.
Taesan pressed forward and opened a door. With a faint creak, the chamber of the 92nd floor revealed itself.
“You’ve arrived,” a voice echoed.
Inside the room stood the shopkeeper.
He smiled at Taesan, his face alight with unspoken emotion.@@@@
“So, it’s finally you,” he said.
“Yes.”
The shopkeeper bared his teeth, his smile widening. The emotions on his face were impossible to hide.
“What is your wish?” Taesan asked quietly.
The shopkeeper had a wish—a purpose that bound him to his role within the labyrinth.
Yet no other adventurer, not even the ghosts, had been able to capture the shopkeeper’s attention.
Only someone of Taesan’s caliber could fulfill the shopkeeper’s wish. The fact that the shopkeeper remained stationed at the 92nd floor, even in the enhanced labyrinth, was a testament to this.
“Yes, my wish.” The shopkeeper chuckled bitterly.
He clenched his fist, his eyes burning with intensity. His beard quivered as he spoke.
“I am the king who lost everything.”
“What did you lose?”
“Everything!”
The shopkeeper roared, his voice filled with rage.
“My kingdom! My glorious treasures! My people! And the heights I was meant to reach! All of it was stolen from me! Taken by something cursed and vile!”
His words spilled out like a madman’s rant. The sheer force of his emotions shook the room, creating a tangible impact on the surrounding space.
This was a being capable of physically altering his environment with mere emotions. His strength clearly far surpassed that of the labyrinth’s main guides or even their elite leaders.
Taesan remained impassive, unshaken by the outburst. He had always known the shopkeeper wasn’t weak.
Without changing his expression, he asked, “And so, what is it that you desire?”
“An ordinary thing,” the shopkeeper replied, his smile turning sharp.
“A goal as common as the air itself. Yet, to me, it is of the utmost importance.”
The shopkeeper’s grin widened as his voice dropped to a near growl.
“I want revenge.”
[Side Quest Initiated.]
[The labyrinth’s shopkeeper wishes for you to enact his revenge.]
[Condition: The death of a Transcendent.]
[Reward: Determined by Lakiratas based on your performance.]
Taesan’s eyes narrowed as he read the system message.
“A Transcendent,” he murmured.
The shopkeeper’s wish was no small thing. For him to seek revenge against a Transcendent, the nature of his loss must have been extraordinary.
Taesan’s grip tightened slightly on his sword as he prepared himself for what lay ahead.
***
Revenge.
It wasn’t surprising.
The shopkeeper was the “Lost King.” For someone of his caliber to have lost everything, external interference was the most likely cause.
“I was once a resident of a world inhabited solely by dwarves. We called it Dverza.”
[Initially, I thought you wouldn’t need clarification, but given the scale of this task, an explanation seems necessary.]
Balbabamba turned to Taesan.
[You’re aware of the general classifications of Transcendents, correct?]
Taesan nodded.
There were two main types of Transcendents:
Faith-Based Transcendents: Those who ascended through the worship of countless mortals.Conceptual Transcendents: Those who governed universal laws and concepts.[For simplicity, let’s call them Faith Gods and Concept Gods.]
“Those terms aren’t official, are they?”
[No, I made them up for convenience. Distinguishing between the two is tedious otherwise.]
Taesan chuckled softly as Balbabamba continued.
[Faith Gods ascend through the sustained worship of mortals. It’s the level you’re approaching now.]
“Still unstable, though,” Taesan admitted.
Currently, Taesan could only exist as a Transcendent within the confines of his domain—areas where his faith was strongest. Outside of those spaces, he hadn’t yet fully transcended.
[Even so, it’s a rare level of existence. Then there are the Concept Gods. They govern concepts, dictating the very laws of existence. They are the true Transcendents.]
Figures like Lakiratas, Maria, and Baltazahar—rulers of victory, struggle, and choice, respectively.
They transcended the limitations of time and left their concepts etched into reality.
[Their rarity is matched only by their power. A Concept God’s strength dwarfs that of a Faith God.]
The Transcendent who had invaded the shopkeeper’s planet, however, was a Faith God.
[Like you, it rose by amassing the worship of countless mortals, ascending through faith.]
“A Faith God invading another’s planet?” Taesan asked.
It was an unusual notion. Balbabamba explained:
[It’s simple. That Faith God wasn’t content with its position. It sought more.]
Unwilling to remain stagnant, the Transcendent began invading other worlds, subjugating their inhabitants, and stealing their faith.
[It wanted to become a Concept God.]
A ruler of universal concepts, standing at the pinnacle of Transcendence.
[Realizing it couldn’t achieve that goal on its own, it changed its focus. If it couldn’t become a Concept God, it would accumulate enough faith to rival one.]
“How many planets has it conquered?” Taesan asked.
[No one knows for sure. But it’s likely over ten.]
Taesan let out a dry laugh. The shopkeeper’s ambition bordered on insanity.
Balbabamba glanced at the shopkeeper.
[When he entered the labyrinth, I told him repeatedly that no adventurer could fulfill this wish. That there was no point in even trying. And yet... here we are.]
“For my vengeance,” the shopkeeper said, his voice low and steady. “That is my everything.”
Balbabamba conceded with a nod.
[You’re a madman. But you’re a madman who has found a glimmer of possibility.]
Taesan looked at the shopkeeper.
“What’s the reward?”
“Everything I have. Within the limits of the labyrinth, I’ll give you all of it.”
This likely included the shopkeeper’s vast arsenal of equipment.
“Not bad,” Taesan replied with a faint smile.
“Then...”
Taesan nodded.
“I accept.”
[Quest Accepted.]
The shopkeeper’s face lit up with unrestrained joy.