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YOU HAVE ENTERED GREAT NETHERWORLD ON 5TH FLOOR.
...?
WHAT IS THIS...?
DEAR GODDESS...
THEY ALL LOOK SO DEPRESSED...
112 GREAT NETHERWORLD
GREAT NETHERWORLD ON THE 5TH FLOOR CONSISTS OF THREE SUB-REGIONS.
BLAZING VALE.
FROST VALLEY.
HAUNTED DEEP.
ADVENTURERS EXPLORING IN PARTIES OFTEN HIT THEIR LIMITS HERE,
FORCING THEM TO HUNT IN CLANS INSTEAD OF SMALLER TEAMS.
BECAUSE THERE IS NO SAFER PLACE THAN THE STARTING LOCATION...
...THIS PLACE WAS ALWAYS LIKE A BASE CAMP EVEN IN THE GAME.
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED] REACH THE 5TH FLOOR.
YOUR SOUL POWER STAT IS PERMANENTLY INCREASED BY 20.
AH...!
DID YOU FEEL IT AS WELL, BJORN?
IT'S LIKE MY SOUL HAS BEEN UPGRADED!
CALM DOWN, MS. AINAR.
YOUR SOUL RANK HASN'T CHANGED. IT'S A PHENOMENON KNOWN AS THE BAPTISM.
ALTHOUGH MAGES BEG TO DIFFER...
PEOPLE BELIEVE IT'S A BLESSING BESTOWED BY THE LABYRINTH...
ON ADVENTURERS SEASONED ENOUGH TO REACH THIS FLOOR.
SO IT'S A GOOD THING!
OUR SPECIAL ABILITIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENHANCED.
DOES THAT MEAN MAGES DON'T BENEFIT FROM IT SINCE THEY CAN'T TAKE ESSENCESSS?
NO, OUR MANA POOL INCREASES. AND BY A LOT, ACTUALLY.
I SHOULD HAVE COME HERE BEFORE AS MY COLLEAGUES RECOMMENDED.
OH, AND DIVINE POWER INCREASES FOR PRIESTS.
AH, I SSSSEE...
THEN DWALKIE ALSO WOULD HAVE...
HOW MUCH MANA DO YOU HAVE LEFT?!
TWO... NO, THREE MORE MINUTES' WORTH!
I CAN CLEARLY TELL WHAT'S GOING THROUGH HER MIND...
AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT THINKS SOMETHING IS OFF?
I'M WITH YOU ON THAT ONE. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP US IN CHECK, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT US.
AND THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY ADVENTURERS IN THE STARTING LOCATION. THIS IS UNUSUAL.
SOME CLANS HERE ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO HAVE ADVANCED TO UPPER FLOORS ALREADY.
HEY!
ABMAN? IS THAT REALLY YOU?
...KARAL?
THE BEARMAN WAS GREETED BY ONE OF HIS FORMER COMPANIONS,
WHO TOLD US THAT MORE THAN HALF OF HIS CURRENT CLAN MEMBERS FAILED TO ADVANCE TO THIS FLOOR.
THAT IS WHY I MUST ASK...
...IF YOU WERE ALSO ATTACKED ON THE FOURTH FLOOR.
THAT MASKED BASTARD...!
WE WEREN'T THE ONLY INTENDED TARGETS, THEN!
...REALLY? HE KILLED HIMSELF AFTER BEING FOUND OUT?
ANY IDEAS WHO THEY MIGHT BE?
NOT YET.
ONLY THREE TEAMS SURVIVED THE ASSAULT AND LIVED TO TELL THE TALE, INCLUDING YOU GUYS.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION.
IN FACT, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO WERE AMBUSHED AND STILL CAME OUT WITHOUT A SINGLE CASUALTY.
...WE WERE LUCKY.
SO THEY WEREN'T TARGETING ANYONE SPECIFIC IN THE PARTY. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SUPPOSED TO BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF, THOUGH.
THEN...
THE ROYAL COURT IS PLANNING TO ATTACK NOARK.
...THE CHANCES ARE, NOARK IS BEHIND THESE ASSAULTS.
IT'S LIKE A WARNING TOWARDS THE ROYAL COURT.
THANKS FOR SHARING THAT WITH ME.
I WILL LET ABMAN KNOW IF ANYTHING COMES UP.
THANK YOU.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOWWW?
NOTHING CHANGES. WE'LL KEEP EXPLORING.
WOULD THAT REALLY BE ALRIGHT? IF THERE ARE OTHER GUYS LIKE THEM IN THE LABYRINTH...
WE SHOULD BE FINE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL CLANS ON THIS FLOOR. THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLACE FOR ASSASSINS.
ENOUGH ABOUT THAT. TIME TO GO MAKE SOME MONEY.
W-WAIT FOR USSSS!
WE NEED TO HUSTLE WHILE WE CAN.
ONCE THE WAR BREAKS OUT...
...WE MIGHT BE FORCED TO TAKE A BREAK FOR MONTHS.
YOU HAVE SET FOOT IN A SPECIAL AREA.
FIELD EFFECT BLAZING VALE WILL APPLY.
STATUS EFFECT [EMBER MARK] IS APPLIED.
ALL CONSUMPTION COST IS INCREASED BY 1.5 TIMES, AND FIRE RESISTANCE IS DECREASED BY 30.
SCORCHINGGGG.
I'VE BEEN WARNED, BUT IT'S REALLY HOT.
ARUA RAVEN USED TIER-8 ENCHANTMENT SPELL [COLD-BLOODED].
YOUR FIRE RESISTANCE GREATLY INCREASED.
AMAZING! IT'S SO COOL!
THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT.
IFRIT?
TWO TIER-5 MONSTERS RIGHT OFF THE BAT?
ARUA RAVEN USED TIER-7 SUPPORT SPELL [COLD ENCHANTMENT].
AFFECTED WEAPONS WILL NOW DEAL ADDITIONAL COLD DAMAGE.
I DON'T LIKE THE SOUND OF THESE HITS.
THIS IS WHY I HATE SPIRIT MONSTERS.
IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T FEEL LIKE I'M DEALING ENOUGH DAMAGE WITH EACH HIT.
YOU HAVE DEFEATED IFRIT. YOU HAVE GAINED 5 EXP POINTS.
IT DIDN'T DROP AN ESSENCCCCCE.
HOWEVER...
YOU HAVE ADVANCED TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
YOUR SOUL POWER INCREASED BY 10.
YOUR MAXIMUM ESSENCE INTAKE SLOT INCREASED BY 1.
...I FINALLY REACHED LEVEL 5!
THEY'RE FIGHTING AN IFRIT.
?!
THAT'LL TAKE THEM AT LEAST 5 MINUTES.
ARE THEY ON THEIR WAY BACK TO THE SAFE ZONE?
I'M SO TIRED. WANNA JUST KILL IT AND GO?
ALRIGHT.
WHAT?!
HOLD ON!!
WHAT KIND OF--
NICE WORK.
DAMMIT...!!
...LOOK!
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS CRAP. WHY NOW?!
ESSENCE OF IFRIT (TIER-5)
HA.
THE MONSTER WE KILLED DROPPED AN ESSENCE.
NELBO?
STAY OUT OF IT. I'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS.
LOOK AT THIS GUY. IGNORING THE PRECEDENTS.
HOW DARE YOU COVET SOMEBODY ELSE'S ESSENCE.
HE MUST NOT BE RIGHT IN THE HEAD.
GET READY FOR BATTLE, TEAM.
MR. YANDEL--
DON'T PANIC.
WE SIMPLY RAN INTO FIVE MORE MONSTERS IN THE SHAPE OF HUMANS.
MONSTER?
ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S YOUR ANSWER?
GREEDY BASTARDS.
THE SITUATION IS GETTING ABSOLUTELY TENSE.
THE SIDE THAT CHICKENS OUT FIRST LOSES THE BATTLE.
BUT IF NEITHER RETREATS, WE'LL BOTH BE DOOMED.
THIS IS THE LAST WARNING. BACK OFF.
HA, I'M SO SCARED THAT I NEED A MOMMY TO RUN CRYING TO.
DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU.
YOU LEAVE ME WITH NO CHOICE.
I WILL WATCH YOUR DEATH UNFOLD WITH MY OWN TWO EYES.
VERY WELL.
I WILL TAKE THE ESSENCE NOW AND WORRY ABOUT REMOVING IT LATER.
THEN IT'S SIMPLE. I'LL USE GIANTIZATION AND PUSH THEM OFF.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO COLLECT LOOT, BUT WINNING IS WHAT MATTERS.
HOWEVER...
THAT'S ENOUGH, GUYS.
I AGREE. MR. YANDEL, PLEASE PUT THE WEAPON DOWN.
I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT OF IT, SIR MAGE.
YOU CAN STOP WITH THAT DUMB ATTITUDE, NELBO.
IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU INTIMIDATING, AND I'M GETTING SICK OF IT.
I WILL NOT BE A PART OF THIS TEAM ANYMORE IF YOU KEEP DOING THIS.
ANSWER ME.
I-I WILL STOP.
I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS OFF BECAUSE THE MAGE WASN'T TAKING THE INITIATIVE, WHEN THEY USUALLY HOLD THE MOST INFLUENCE IN THE PARTY.
HE WAS TRYING TO LET KIDS HAVE SOME FUN.
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!
ARUA RAVEN OF THE ALTEMION SCHOOL.
EFRAIN BELLO OF THE WARTON SCHOOL.
OH, HOW IS YOUR MASTER DOING THESE DAYS? I SAW HIM AT THE CONFERENCE LAST YEAR.
HE'S THE SAME. HOW ABOUT THE MASTER OF THE WARTON SCHOOL? STILL WORKING ON THAT RESEARCH?
OF COURSE. THAT IS OUR ULTIMATE GOAL, AFTER ALL.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW?
YOUR COMPANION WANTS THE ESSENCE OF A MONSTER WE'VE BEEN HUNTING.
YOU KNOW HOW RIDICULOUS THAT DEMAND SOUNDS, RIGHT?
AHEM, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S NOT ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS.
THERE HAVE BEEN PRECEDENTS, BUT THEY DON'T MEAN MUCH.
IT IS TRUE THAT WE KILLED THAT MONSTER.
THE COUNCIL WILL SEE THIS AS A FAIR DISPUTE AND HOLD A COMMITTEE OVER IT.
I'M NOT SURE THEY'LL THINK HIGHLY OF SOMEONE THAT ESCALATES THIS MATTER TO THE COUNCIL WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN PRECEDENTS.
TH-THAT'S--
DO YOU STILL INSIST ON STANDING BEFORE THE COUNCIL OVER ONE ESSENCE?
GIVE UP ON THE ESSENCE. THAT'S THE MORE REASONABLE OPTION.
W-WELL...
GREAT WORK, RAVEN! I CAN ALWAYS TRUST YOU WHEN IT COMES TO ARGUMENTS!
UHM...
I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE!
WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO AFTER THE ESSENCE!
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THIS IDEA FROM THE GET-GO!
M-MR. BELLO...?
WE'RE NOT PLUNDERERS! LET'S NOT PLAY DIRTY!
WHAT IS THIS?!
THEN IT'S OURS.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE ESSENCE, MR. YANDEL?
WE SHOULD SELL IT BACK IN THE CITY. LET'S STORE IT IN THE CONTAINER.
OKAY!
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE TOOK CARE OF IT SO PEACEFULLY!
WE SHOULD HURRY BACK TO THE CAMP.
THAT SETTLES THAT--
THE AUDACITY TO GIVE ME A DIRTY LOOK LIKE THAT. IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR HAVING INTERFERED.
HANS!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HURRY UP!
NOTHING. I'M COMING!
WHAT THE F***?!
WHO...?!
Bjorn's party enters the 5th Floor Great Netherworld and receives the Baptism soul power boost. At the crowded base camp they learn masked attackers wiped out most parties on the 4th Floor, hinting at Noark versus the Royal Court. They push into the Blazing Vale, defeat Ifrits with Raven's cold magic, and clash with another party over a dropped Ifrit essence before winning it through negotiation.
Spoiler Warning
Click to reveal