CHAPTER 39: ASCENSION

There was only a minor difference between the First Floor and the Second Floor. While both floors house First-Grade Monsters, the first floor houses the weaker ones and the Second Floor the powerful ones.

Max would have problems on the First Floor in finding Level 8 and Level 9 First-Grade Monsters, while the Second Floor was filled with them so they decided to descend to the Second Floor.

Fortunately, they could travel to different floors normally through the labyrinth instead of relying on portals alone. So, after they found the stairs leading to the Second Floor, they descended to level up even more.

They spent the rest of the day on the Second Floor, hunting the monsters and using their Mana Shard to level up, though that was mainly for Max.

Stelle took all the weaker Mana Shards to saturate her mana core to the peak of the Bronze Rank, which she was incredibly close to reaching...

As for Max, he used the Mana Shards while keeping the gained EXP from slaying monsters on the side. This allowed him to level up even faster.

Technically, he should have reached Silver Rank because of the sheer number of monsters he killed on the Second Floor; sadly, Kafka locked his Ascension.

When he asked the reason for it, she had replied,

[You can speed up leveling up but Ascension to every rank should be done manually. You should know better than anyone why there is an Ascension to begin with. I can allow you to Ascend through leveling up, but I don’t think you would want that.]

Max didn’t argue with her on that point, as he knew she was right. Every Ascension changed something in the Hunters and made them stronger.

If he just continued to level up through his system, he would miss most things and would just have the power. And power without control and knowledge was dangerous.

The example was right before him. To Ascend to Silver Rank, he needed to sense the mana flowing within him and make it flow throughout his body while making sure it doesn’t escape the body.

Normally, the body automatically did that, but he needed to learn to control it manually and make it stay in his body.

In Bronze Rank, mana just strengthened one’s body and the leftover mana never stayed in their bodies as there was nothing holding it back.

In Silver Rank, one learned to control the mana to stay in their body and use it in many other ways, like coating their weapons to increase their efficiency.

So, Max had agreed with Kafka’s suggestion and decided to focus on natural Ascension as that was more helpful in the long term for him.

He would do the same with higher ranks that had different requirements.

After both Stelle and Max had reached the peak of Bronze Rank and couldn’t level up any further, they decided to call it a day and wait for the portal to open again.

They made a large cave their shelter and rested there while talking about their future. After all, they had decided to dive in the Labyrinth as a party.

"Let’s do this..." Stelle muttered, as she shifted a heap of Mana Shards towards Max. "They should fetch you good money as long as you sell them immediately after leaving here."

Max couldn’t help but smile when he saw the Mana Shards before him. The majority of them were at Level 8 and Level 9, and they didn’t really need them anymore so it was better to sell them.

Stelle acted like a brat, but she did care about her friends. It was clear that she had taken only a small portion and even within that, the Mana Shards were from weaker monsters.

However, Max didn’t reject her offer as he was in need of money. Now that he had abandoned his duties in the Royal Palace, he had to do something to survive, not to mention buy many things necessary for diving into the Labyrinth.

"Where will you go though? Are you coming with us to Godshine City?" Charlotte asked, as she prepared their meal. "We can help you if you do come with us."

"I do plan to go to Godshine City but not to your clan. I don’t have a good history with nobles and powerful clans," Max shrugged lightly. "I’m sure you have your problems to deal with. My presence will just burden you."

His knowing gaze made Charlotte look down, as she knew he was right. They had sneaked out to come to the Labyrinth, after all.

"Don’t worry! Just tell me when you want to dive in to the Third Floor and I’ll come." He sighed. "I would have gone there directly but I still have some matters to deal with."

Stelle stared at him for a moment before bringing out some paper notes. They were red in colour and had a beautiful palace depicted on one side, which he recognized as the Imperial Palace of the Selero Empire.

Sel, the main currency of the Selero Empire.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow upon seeing that but kept her mouth shut. Though Max could understand her surprise as Stelle wasn’t a girl who would easily part with her money.

Max had an urge to tease her and so he did, "Oh, my, 200 Sel! Did you perhaps really fall for me? I mean, I don’t..."

Before he could finish, Stelle cut him off, "I also give money to beggars; does that mean I also love them?"

"You don’t," Charlotte muttered but then looked away to focus on her work.

The redhead could only glare at her sister in anger.

"Haha! I’m flattered that you’re so worried about me," Max laughed and took her money, completely ignoring her angry face.

For the rest of the time, they talked about a lot of things, though it was mostly Max who needed some answers to survive in this world.

He had heaven-toppling goals, but they would be meaningless if he couldn’t even survive in the civilisation, after all. So, he spent his time learning a lot of things from the two ladies.

Charlotte felt strange from his questions, but still answered everything. While doing that, she thought, ’Maybe he doesn’t have full memories? It’s strange!’

She buried her suspicions and conversed with him normally.