Chapter 77: A Brilliant Light

It didn’t take long for Peace’s warning to earn its warrant.

Two Acolytes appeared from behind them.

Thankfully, Ralph intercepted them, allowing Yulis to take out one with his arrows and Maura to decapitate another.

[You have slain Tier 9 C-Class, Defiled Light Acolyte]

[+2 EXP]

[You have slain Tier 9 C-Class, Defiled Light Acolyte]

[+2 EXP]

They weren’t the swiftest kills, but neither was the fight worrisome. They were individually strong, but had no means to get by Ralph and his shield.

’10 EXP, right?’

Leaving behind the Spirit Stones once again, Peace led them further in.

’That’s all I need.’

Ten more EXP and he’d rank up once again. It was practically inevitable at this point.

In fact, if they did make it to the altar on the lowest floor, it would be more surprising if Peace didn’t rank up again. Assuming the EXP cap stayed at 51.

It had thus far, but Peace couldn’t exactly make conclusions without precedent.

He was the progenitor of playing the monster side of the game. No guides for him.

Other than ranking up, he also had his Trait, [???].

’Ten more consumptions as well...’

Peace couldn’t dawdle any longer. If he found something that wasn’t absolutely revolting, non-humanoid, and felt his mind would survive, he’d devour it until that familiar voice whispered in his mind.

He’d try to hide the action, but that seemed like a fruitless endeavor. Especially since they were following him, he couldn’t sneak it in while they walked.

Besides...

’What use does a dead man have for secrets?’

If the two options were death or spilling the tea, then Peace fancied himself quite the clumsy British man.

Volkar sliced his axe into another mindlessly charging Acolyte that Peace had managed to stall.

[You have slain Tier 9 C-Class, Defiled Light Acolyte]

[+2 EXP]

Yulis, stepping over the corpse and gawking at the walls, muttered:

"It’s changing."

Without looking back, Peace nodded.

"Yeah... it is."

The marble-white walls were starting to become stained. A few cracks began to form on the walls. The torches were growing weaker, and a few had even been knocked off the wall. The torches on the ground refused to light when they walked by.

Ralph clicked his tongue, then said:

"We’re entering something’s territory."

’The question is... what?’

Peace had little clue until he saw a thin, almost wire-looking thing hanging from one of the torches. Yulis seemed to notice as well because he’d stopped in his tracks to study it, causing Ralph to walk into him and nearly tackle him.

’You have got to be shitting me.’

Peace rasped:

"Shit. Stop."

Volkar scratched his cheek.

"Hmm, what’s wrong?"

"Spiders."

Ralph took a deep, dejected breath, then said:

"Temple Spiders... seems Pariah here is aware. They aren’t particularly strong, but we don’t have the time to cut through their webs."

’Yeah...’

As they continued on, the entire passage would eventually be blocked, and they’d have to slice through little by little. While still worrying about the spiders who’d be pissed at their webs being disturbed.

Walking away, guiding Volkar with him, Peace said:

"No matter. Let’s go back and try the other way."

Ralph opened his mouth to say something as Peace walked past him, but stifled it.

’This pace... isn’t good.’

Meaning...

"Let’s pick it up. This should be the area that takes us the least time."

The others didn’t exactly understand, but when Peace started up into a light jog, then a jog, and a brisk run, they copied.

As Peace jumped over the corpse of an Acolyte they had killed earlier, he saw one rushing towards him at the edge of his range of vision.

’We don’t have time for you bastards!’

Screw safety and preserving his body...

Dropping into a sprint, Peace charged straight for the Acolyte.

The torches could barely keep up with Peace.

The moment the light illuminated the hollow devotee, Peace’s fingers had already struck through its neck.

[You have slain Tier 9 C-Class, Defiled Light Acolyte]

[+2 EXP]

’Tch.’

Peace tore his hand out from its neck and threw it aside, continuing onwards.

’It almost got me.’

The fight had been over in an instant, but within that instant, it had tried to do the same to Peace. Only it tried to grab his neck instead of skewering him. Peace had won due to his increased reach.

Getting the memo of brevity, Volkar lowered his axe and pointed it forward as they ran.

Another Acolyte entered his vision, but Peace barely made any move towards it. He only slowed down slightly and said:

"One coming."

The moment it entered the torchlight, Volkar stabbed the pointed tip of the double-headed axe’s spine straight into its chest.

Having impaled it, Volkar lifted it up, then slammed his axe down and trapped it on the ground. One swift stomp to its neck stilled the writhing heathen.

[You have slain Tier 9 C-Class, Defiled Light Acolyte]

[+2 EXP]

’Huh...’

"Wait. Volkar, step away."

Before he even said it, the group behind him had all slid to a stop, and Volkar had already tackled Yulis to the ground and held him close in fright.

Yulis pushed on Volkar’s head, but barely managed to move it.

"Get off me, you oaf!"

Volkar, only squeezing him tighter as if he were some toy bear, half-shouted:

"But my muscles, it’s gonna steal my muscles!"

Ralph knelt and began prying the two apart.

"They don’t always steal your muscles, kid. But that one will."

Volkar shrieked, then hugged Yulis into his chest.

"Gah!"

Watching as the pitiful Day Elf began gagging from the wretched stench of Volkar’s armpits, Peace studied the dancing white flame...

A Wisp.

Perhaps it was a bit greedy to declare, but...

"I will take it."

Maura, facing away from the party and watching their flank, asked:

"I noticed you got stronger... did you level up?"

Peace nodded.

"Something like that."

Ralph, struggling to save Yulis, cocked his head towards Peace.

"Huh? It was a polar question, dumb elf."

Ignoring the drunkard, Peace knelt and awkwardly put his face into the flame and opened his mouth.

Somewhat surprising him, the flame suddenly rushed into his mouth as if it were a vacuum.

But...

Unlike the fruity smoothie taste, he was graced with quite the horrid taste of burnt chocolate.

’Bitter! Bleh!’

[???] — (condition to unlock: 91/100)

’Just one?!’

Ralph jumped away, nearly knocking into Maura.

"Gah! The hell! I’ve never seen that happen!"

Peace turned to spit something back, but a sudden voice in his head distracted him.

[You have acquired Trait, Devotion to Light]

Staring at Ralph with his mouth half-open, showing off quite the gnarly set of fangs, Peace thought to himself:

’Wait... what?’

’What...? What? WHAT?!’

He still couldn’t absorb Wisps and earn a Resonance, but he was indeed taking in the Wisp.

And whenever one took in a Wisp, they’d have a chance to earn a Trait — the Trait would even exist long after the corresponding Resonance had been removed.

’I’d just assumed I needed to earn the Resonance to get the Trait...’

But this happening actually made sense.

Either way, sense or not, Peace felt his body growing stronger.

’Status...’

???

Name: [Pax Garnier]

Tier: [9]

Rank: [E] - (EXP: 47/51)

Class: [Terror]

Traits: [???] [Devotion to Light]

Resonance: N/A

Item Level: 13

???

’I really... have a second Trait.’

Seemed he had a little more use for the main component of the game’s power system than he thought.

’Wait... couldn’t this be... amazing?’

Since he couldn’t earn a Resonance, he could continuously absorb Wisps and potentially earn Traits. If he ever got strong, he could spend time farming garbage Wisps and devouring them. The Traits given might not be the most overwhelming things, but each gave a permanent boost to power that eclipsed the ceiling provided by only holding Resonances.

’Bahah!’

He had said it once when he realized his strength as a Tier 9 F-Class, and he’d say it again with this new revelation.

’I have so much potential, man!’

With Ralph watching him with disgust and Yulis reeling from Volkar’s stench, Peace flexed his claw-tipped hands.

There was one problem...

His knowledge when it came to early-game Resonances was pretty solid... but not when it came to Traits.

Not even his sister could claim to have a good grasp on them due to how rare they were.

’What did that Trait do, again?’

As if responding to his question, perhaps actually doing so, a voice spoke in his head.

[Devotion to Light] — [Your eyes once beheld a light so brilliant that all else appeared as shadow. Reclaim that forgotten light, and protect it at all costs.]

’Ah, right!’

The description sounding like nonsense was... well, nonsensical. However, Peace remembered the use of this particular Trait.

Well...

He didn’t exactly need the description of the Trait to help him decipher what it did...

His eyes ’swallowed the light of the torches, then projected that light into the shadows’ for his eyes alone...

Not that it actually caused the light to dim or shadows to vanish, but rather that his eyes behaved like those of an owl, reflecting the dim light so he could see. But they not only reflected light but also stored it for later.

’I’m like a flashlight... for myself.’

In the game, it manifested as dark areas being lit up; it seemed it would be no different for Peace here.

Peace was now able to see down the entire corridor!

And...

Peace was now able to see down the entire corridor...