The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound

Chapter 326: The Shadowless King of the Black Sea (1)

Vikir

– Level: 1 (%)

– Titles: ‘Rat Hunter’, ‘Hell’s Dogmaster’, ‘Bloodsoaked Jade flower Lumberjack’, ‘Majin Executioner’ (NEW)

– Stats

↳ Strength: 300

↳ Agility: 270 (+10) = 280

↳ Stamina: 300

↳ Physical Resistance: 1

↳ Magic Resistance: 0 (+1) = 1

↳ Reflexes: 1

Vikir’s status window changed once again.

The title “Majin Executioner” addded significant karma to Vikir’s soul.

Going forward, Vikir’s body will become quicker, and his blade sharper when facing majins.

He ate all the Agility Candies that were left from feeding Baby Madam.

As it’s the hardest stat to acquire among the three basic stats, he made sure to eat them whenever he can.

“But that’s not the important part right now.”

Even if the Agility stat is valuable, is that all there is to it?

Vikir paid attention to the newly acquired “Magic Resistance” stat.

It is related to the “Physical Resistance” stat, which twists reality to create abnormal distortions of physical force.

“Magic Resistance” enhances the perception of the flow of mana/aura in reality and exhibits strong resistance against mana flowing in the opposite direction.

It means repelling aggressive mana from opponents and suppressing surging mana inside the body to its original direction.

‘Simply put, it reduces the impact of enemy magic attacks and suppresses mana surges within my body.’

This stat is arguably the best for anyone practicing mana, especially magicians.

Reducing the strength of an opponent’s magic attacks is one thing, but being able to control mana surges within oneself is a tremendous advantage.

Typically, for swordsmen and magicians aiming for higher realms, mana surge is their biggest fear.

Just as insects are weakest when emerging from their cocoons, or crustaceans when molting, those training in mana are most vulnerable at the moment they surpass their limits.

If the “Magic Resistance” stat is high at such times, it can prevent the most dangerous threat: a mana surge.

“In my past life, Camus had focused all her efforts on the Magic Resistance stat inside the tower. And with that overwhelming resistance, she was able to train and completely absorb all kinds of high-risk magic.”

It was a high-risk, high-return strategy where the risk was entirely mitigated by stats, leaving only the benefits to be fully harvested.

This brute-force approach required absolute confidence in one’s skills, talent, and future.

“Good. Now I’ve collected all six stats.”

In the early stages, you absolutely can’t get them, no, even beyond the later stages until the tower ends, it’s hard to even catch a glimpse of the stats ‘Physical Resistance,’ ‘Magic Resistance,’ and ‘Reflexes.’

These three special stats are the most secretive hidden pieces of the tower and are growth-type privileges that grow along with their owner. Vikir has now successfully awakened all stats, so all he needs to do is to keep leveling up.

As the level increases, all stats naturally rise, so there’s no need to obtain strange candies to grow both the three basic stats and the three special stats.

When Vikir was lost in thought.

“But lord, pardon my forwardness… there is something I am curious about.”

Highbro approached and started a conversation.

“When you obtained ten level candies earlier, why didn’t you use them to increase your level? If your level is 10, you can regain 10% of your power from outside the tower? It seems much more beneficial than just slightly increasing your stats…”

“Hmm. It is to awaken all six stats.”

Vikir explained to the Baskerville triplets about the stats.

Learning that there are three basic stats – strength, agility, stamina – as well as three special stats, the triplets began to burn with enthusiasm.

“We will try to find those too! Then, since you have gathered all six stats, you will now skyrocket in level!”

“You will skyrocket in level!”

“You will skyrocket in level!”

However, Vikir shook his head.

“For a while, I will not level up if possible. If you guys get level candies, sell them at the candy shop to exchange them for stat candies. And even when you move to the latter half, don’t use the level candies but save them up in your pocket.”

The Baskerville triplets looked puzzled at his words.

Vikir explained about the reward structure within the tower.

“Increasing your level allows you to regain some of the power outside the tower, enabling rapid growth in the early stages. However, many falter in the latter half due to the increasing mission difficulty of the tower and the diminishing rewards.”

Rookies just challenging the tower might go all in on converting stat candies to level candies, but seasoned adventurers don’t do that.

The lower your level, the more advantageous it is in terms of rewards – that’s the rule of this tower.

A strong person receives mediocre rewards for achieving great deeds.

A weak person also receives mediocre rewards for achieving minor deeds.

A strong person almost receives no rewards for achieving minor deeds.

…But when a weak person achieves great deeds.

The rewards given in such cases far surpass common sense!

That’s why Vikir, still at level 1, has managed to defeat sewer rats, hellhounds, Cerberus, the Bloodsoaked jade flower, many insect kings, and just now, a Majin.

Rewards for missions labeled as ‘rare,’ ‘difficult,’ ‘epic,’ ‘awesome,’ and so on.

Yet, despite clearing so many missions and receiving rewards, Vikir is still treated as a weakling.

It’s because the tower’s system defines level as a measure of strength.

‘I’ve become quite skilled at pretending to be weak.’

Keeping his strength hidden, his life as a social outcast at the Colosseo Academy was all a long wait for this day.

“…Anyway. For this reason, there’s no need to level up in the early stages.”

The triplets nodded vigorously at Vikir’s words.

Sending him looks of blind loyalty, Vikir added one more thing.

“And another reason why leveling up is just a waste is…”

Upon hearing the whisper from Vikir, the eyes of Highbro, Middlebro, and Lowbro widened in shock before returning to their normal state.

“Wha-? So, all this time the fairy urging us to eat the Level Candies was a scam…”

“Indeed. Then we absolutely shouldn’t eat the Level Candies early on.”

“We should focus solely on raising our stats for the time being.”

Originally, the ‘Stat Candies (red, green, blue)’ they hadn’t eaten them, but rather saved so they could later exchange them at the candy store for ‘Level Candies (gold)’.

Vikir stressed this point once more to the triplets.

Then…

…Grrr!

At the spot where Dogma had died and turned into a Majin, a small anomaly occurred.

A single flame, bearing a dark red hue, danced whimsically above the water surface.

Vikir, with a splash, approached and grasped the flame in his hand.

It was hot enough to boil the surrounding water, yet astonishingly, it did not feel hot to Vikir’s touch at all.

-[Inferiority Complex Flame ‘Inferno’] / Flint / A+

A stone that allows one to obtain a hot spark anywhere, anytime.

It burns using the deep-seated inferiority complex within one’s psyche as fuel.

-Heat +1,000

※The temperature can increase or decrease depending on the level of the inferiority complex.

‘…Is that so. Using inferiority complex as fuel. Then, I am not to be underestimated either.’

Vikir, too, had once suffered from an inferiority complex more than anyone.

A lowly birth, ostracization within the family, a grotesquely distorted appearance, and a previous life filled only with humiliation and hatred.

For Vikir, who had such painful memories, it was practically like having an infinite power source.

…Grrr!

Vikir carefully stored the burning flame of inferiority complex in his chest.

He thought there would no longer be any concern about freezing to death or being unable to cook food wherever he was.

Then…

[Oh- Our savior. Please lead us out of this island!]

Vikir had to listen to the outcry of the insect kings once again.

It was bothersome, but their goal aligned with his.

Vikir also needed to leave the island to descend to deeper levels, so cooperating with them wouldn’t be bad.

“Right. You mentioned there’s a boat?”

The reason the rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles, these two factions of insect kings, had been at odds for so long was indeed over a single boat.

It seemed they had been disputing who would take possession of the boat.

They nodded their heads in a sullen tone soon after.

[Yes. There is one boat.]

“Where is it?”

When Vikir asked, two elder insect kings simultaneously pointed with their index fingers to one spot.

[It’s anchored over there.]

“……?”

Vikir was puzzled, tilting his head. There was nothing where the two insect kings pointed.

Only the vast sea. A dark horizon was all that existed.

“……Could it be?”

As Vikir turned his head, the two insect king elders nodded with heavy expressions.

[Yes. It has sunk.]

The boat, the only means of escaping the island, was now at the bottom of the Black Sea.