Artifact Devouring Player-Chapter 35: Silence - (4)

[Chapter 35]

「Silent Ring」

■ Artifact Grade: Platinum

■ Artifact Description: This ring, formed from vengeful spirits that quietly devour mana, possesses an exceptionally strange ability to gather mana.

■ Special Effect: Mana Circulation

■ Simply by wearing the ring, mana recovery can be boosted up to four times the usual rate.

However, this effect is only active during nights when the moon is visible within a dungeon. During the day, the recovery rate is reduced to twice the normal amount.

"Why is it always night? It was the same with that damned pup before."

He grumbled, but his mood wasn't bad.

It was true that swordsman players had lower mana dependency compared to mage or archer players.

But ultimately, mana was the driving force behind activating skills—it was a necessary condition.

Moreover, while specialized swordsman skills consumed less mana, that wasn't always the case for other abilities.

Sanghyun had no intention of living as a bland, ordinary swordsman in this life, unlike in his past life. In other words, he planned to increase his potential for growth.

That meant he had no choice but to equip various skills and abilities, which would inevitably raise his dependency on mana.

So, from a long-term perspective, the mana circulation effect was truly valuable.

He was simply grateful that the Death Knight had conveniently dropped such an artifact at the perfect time.

Sanghyun immediately began mana synchronization and started absorbing the artifact.

Then, he noticed several pieces of bloody flesh neatly laid out on the table.

The stench was overwhelming.

"Kobold meat. Seems like it's in the freshest state before decomposition begins."

It was meat Sanghyun recognized well.

Though no one ate it now, in the future, it would become so scarce that people couldn't get enough of it—around the year 2040.

Chomp, chomp. Smack.

Sanghyun ate the meat without any change in expression.

With every bite, greasy juices full of that pungent stench seeped out, but it wasn't enough to make him grimace.

It was still better than the larvae or pupae one inevitably had to eat when obtaining artifacts from insect-type monsters.

"Did that orange moth larva I ate last time kill my taste buds? Still feels oddly numb."

Feeling an unnatural calmness on his tongue, Sanghyun tilted his head slightly. Regardless, the meal was finished.

From now on, the mana circulation effect would remain active at all times, adjusting according to day or night conditions.

"Whew! Should I rest for a bit before moving on?"

Sanghyun slumped down into his seat.

The fatigue from Psychedelic's influence had drained his stamina, leaving him feeling utterly exhausted.

Silence, silence, silence.

He couldn't count how many times the word "silence" had echoed in his mind within this dungeon.

The suffocating pressure of this dungeon's silence was enough to induce PTSD from the mere thought of the word.

"The boss monster, the Arch Lich, will be even worse. The Death Knight was just a warm-up."

Recalling the enormous challenge that still lay ahead, Sanghyun let out a bitter smile.

Of course, the rewards for overcoming that challenge were more than worth it—absolutely overflowing.

If everything went smoothly, killing the Arch Lich would guarantee him at least one B-rank title.

That's because slaying the Arch Lich itself was the recipe for acquiring a B-rank title.

Even the "Lucky Day" title he obtained before was something he had earned using a recipe discovered in his previous life.

It was the same for the title related to the Arch Lich.

Killing that creature would inevitably grant him a title.

The only variable was if the title allocation limit had already been exhausted, but considering no one in Korea had yet cleared this dungeon, that wasn't a concern.

"Even just obtaining that title will boost my mana by 100—no, likely even more. Plus, I'll definitely gain an option related to silence."

The motivation was more than enough.

When someone overcame an obstacle no one else had managed to conquer, the system awarded even greater rewards.

Players called this the "First-Clear Bonus."

The one who first conquered a dungeon would receive rewards that were, frankly, excessive.

This was why, as time passed, the gap between leading players and those chasing after them grew wider.

In his previous life, Sanghyun had naturally been in the latter group—and even within that group, he had been stuck in the rear.

Suddenly, Sanghyun recalled a man.

The Silent Mage, Jerron Decay—a British player.

Known simply as "Silence" itself, Jerron was skilled at creating vast zones of silence and slaughtering enemies using magic skills.

The Sword Demon Do Kyungsoo?

In front of Jerron, even Do Kyungsoo was just a local player.

Now, Jerron was already performing on the global stage.

"Thinking like this... I still have a long way to go. But maybe it's a blessing to have so many people to catch up to."

Sanghyun nodded to himself.

The constant motivation driving him now—it was more than enough.

In his past life, he had lived resignedly, without dreams or hope.

But this time, that would never happen again.

The advance continued.

Due to the oppressive silence, Sanghyun carefully avoided battles involving multiple monsters.

It was also a matter of stamina management.

Since he had already consumed all the combat rations he brought, he had to fill his stomach with fruits he found in the dungeon.

Naturally, since it wasn't grains or meat, he lacked the energy boost those would have provided.

Still, during the process of moving and fighting, Sanghyun was most satisfied by the realization that his skills were quite formidable.

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Despite the dungeon being designed for players around level 120, he could solo-clear it without much trouble.

In other words, as long as the condition of being silenced wasn't enforced, the battles themselves were relatively easy.

It was the silence, sealing his skills, that made the dungeon tricky—but Sanghyun had completely nullified that risk.

His level had risen considerably.

Eventually, upon reaching the area where the boss monster, the Arch Lich, resided, Sanghyun had his final meal.

He feasted on everything from assorted fruits to meat obtained from slaying an old, wandering wolf within the dungeon.

Before the battle, Sanghyun checked his status window for a final assessment.

■ Level: 68

■ Titles: 10

■ Constellation: Goddess of Luck

■ Stat Status

[Strength 250 / Stamina 109 / Agility 83 / Mana 71 / Luck 249 / Evasion 33 / Defense 65]

[Unassigned Points: 0]

"At this rate, I might hit 100 in all stats before reaching level 100."

All stats at 100.

This meant having every stat—from Strength to Defense—exceed 100, a feat considered incredibly difficult.

One needed to wear a balanced set of artifacts and distribute points wisely.

But the bigger issue was that hitting 100 in all stats also meant that no particular stat would stand out.

Players often referred to this as being a "jack-of-all-trades"—mediocre and useless.

But Sanghyun was different.

While his overall foundation was solid, his core stat as a swordsman—Strength—had soared exceptionally high.

Moreover, a Strength stat of 250 was something only achievable by players around level 130, even with several artifacts equipped.

Given his current level, his stats were absurdly overpowered and completely unbalanced.

If there were a formula that adjusted levels according to stats, he'd be at least level 160 by now.

His other stats, including Luck, were also steadily and sufficiently raised.

At that moment—

≪The stench of a repulsive creature vibrating here implies the presence of an intruder who has not been granted permission.≫

A low, guttural voice echoed in a deep bass tone.

It wasn't an actual voice—it felt more like telepathy transmitted directly into his mind.

No translation was needed.

"..."

≪I am a being of endless learning and growth. I shall shatter you with my full power, devour your brain, and fill the gaps in my knowledge.≫

"Ah, was that always your concept?"

The idea of absorbing knowledge by eating someone's brain was a bizarre concept often seen in comics or anime.

But the fact that the Arch Lich embodied that concept left an unsettling feeling.

≪I will make you feel the despair of challenging an insurmountable wall and an unreachable mountain.≫

"Are we fighting with words now?"

He immediately gulped down the last Vitality Potion. There wouldn't be time to drink it once the battle started.

From what Sanghyun had analyzed, the Arch Lich was a mage specialized in overwhelming offense.

This was practically his first real battle against a proper mage.

His previous fight with Choi Youngcheol didn't really count—Choi Youngcheol's skills were too lacking for that.

'Titles. Silence. And as a bonus, Magic Stones and possibly hidden stats or skills if luck favors me.'

He steeled his resolve, thinking of the plentiful rewards he could gain by defeating the Arch Lich.

'One mistake, and I'll really die.'

The Arch Lich's power was at least two levels higher than the mid-boss Death Knight.

In terms of level, it was over 170—a foe who couldn't be taken lightly.

Particularly since this mage freely wielded silence skills, making him twice as tricky to handle.

Tatata!

Sanghyun dashed toward the thicket ahead.

If he pushed through the bushes, a vast plain would likely open up—this would be the Arch Lich's battlefield.

Ironically, the only moment he could seize the initiative was right at the start of the battle.

Unless a mage was constantly casting magic, they usually needed a separate warm-up period in the early stages.

≪Lightning Field.≫

The Arch Lich, who had locked eyes with Sanghyun as he emerged from the thicket, immediately launched its first response.

Lightning Field was a spell where currents of electricity crawled low along the ground, aiming for the target's lower body.

If hit, the lower body would become paralyzed, temporarily halting movement—similar to stiffness.

"Hu!"

Sanghyun jumped high, launching himself into the air. It was much more effective than blocking or dodging sideways.

Crackle!

The electric current sliced forward, narrowly missing the spot where Sanghyun's knees had just been. He successfully evaded it.

He briefly shifted the greatsword he held with both hands to his left hand and drew a longsword from his waist with his right.

『Demon Bash』

Then, channeling the power of Demon Bash, he hurled the sword straight at the Arch Lich.

Throwing technique, throwing sword—this was Sanghyun's specialty.

It didn't matter to him whether the Arch Lich could block the attack.

What mattered was whether it would steal his time or not. The best move for the opponent would be to dodge.

But mages typically preferred the convenience of dealing with threats directly rather than the hassle of constantly moving.

≪Shield.≫

'Knew it.'

The Arch Lich chose the easiest route. Sanghyun was already preparing his next attack at the same time.

Full Charge.

With enough momentum built up, Sanghyun's body slid across the ground toward the Arch Lich.

Tiiing!

The longsword was deflected by the Arch Lich's shield and flew into the air.

But by then, Sanghyun had finished charging in perfectly.

Flash!

His body blinked forward, instantly closing the distance. The heavy greatsword, packed with the full force of his charge, struck the Arch Lich's shield.

Boom!

The sound of wind—or perhaps the shield's barrier—shattering echoed simultaneously.

It wasn't the sharp sound of glass breaking but the heavy sound of a stone wall collapsing. It was a thick shield.

However, the shield broke, and Sanghyun anticipated a successful first exchange.

≪Your pitiful scheme is obvious.≫

'Another shield?'

But his expectations were off.

≪This is the difference between me and a worthless creature like you—our perspectives are worlds apart.≫

"We're just getting started, you bald, shiny-headed bastard. Acting all high and mighty just because you blocked one attack."

Sanghyun's fighting spirit flared.

Yeah.

This was what a proper boss monster should be like.