#5. Dopamine Deficiency
As usual, I woke up in the afternoon, stretched, and after finishing breakfast, immediately set out to hunt.
[Challenger, the Tower of Trials is calling you.]
I ignored the message that always popped up when entering the labyrinth and, using the map compiled on the open community, moved forward immediately.
After yesterday's hunting, I had reached level 18, and after swapping some equipment to become stronger, the goblins were nothing more than trash mobs to me.
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Not only regular goblins but even stronger monsters like the Goblin Ten Captains were all one-shot kills.
Only the elite monster, the Goblin Hundred Captain, could withstand two of my attacks.
Of course, even the Goblin Hundred Captain couldn't scratch me.
As I kept leveling up by overwhelming monsters with sheer power, I suddenly noticed something strange.
Seo Jin-hyeok Lv.20 (Unemployed)
HP: 320/320MP: 220/220Strength: 28 (20+8)Agility: 22 (20+2)Endurance: 26 (20+6)Intelligence: 22 (20+2)
These were my current stats. I had only just started hunting, but I had already reached level 20.
However, even after hunting a significant number of goblins since reaching level 20, my level refused to rise.
What's going on? Could it be that on the first floor, you can't level up past 20?
I immediately opened the community and started searching for information about leveling. The answer came quickly.
[Level Difference Experience Reduction Chart (Under Study)]
"Ah, damn it."
I was right. It was almost impossible to level up any further on the first floor.
There was a system where, if the difference between the monster's level and yours was too great, the experience gained would be halved.
Of course, it wasn't impossible to gain experience entirely. Killing a massive number of monsters would eventually increase your level, but efficiency would be terrible.
After only a few days, my spec-up progress had already been stalled. Nothing went according to my plan.
Of course, this was due to my abnormally fast growth, so I couldn't really complain.
And, if I think about it, my growth hadn't exactly stopped.
Other challengers who entered around the same time would probably only be around level 10. But with my equipment bonuses, I was effectively close to level 30.
After all, leveling up isn't the only way to increase your specs. As long as you can boost your stats, whether through gear or other means, that counts as spec-up.
And since I monopolized the entire tower, I could become much stronger just by focusing on treasure chest farming.
"So from now on… it's treasure chest farming, no questions asked."
I opened the community again and spread out a map showing all the treasure chest locations.
I had collected quite a few treasure chests already, but a significant amount still remained in the labyrinth.
There were surely some chests acquired by first-generation hunters that weren't recorded on the map. Including those, there was still plenty left to grab.
From now on, I would focus on quests and chest farming rather than hunting.
***
Focusing on treasure chest farming all day proved quite rewarding.
I got 11 small chests containing gold and crafting materials, 6 medium chests containing large amounts of gold and items, and two large chests. As expected, the large chest rewards were quite substantial.
[Kingdom Knight's Straight Sword]Attack Power +52 (Slash)Critical Damage: x1.5Durability: 250/250Enhancement Attempts Remaining: 7
A rare weapon far superior to my main weapon, the [Steel Straight Sword], had dropped.
It had two more enhancement attempts than my previous weapon, and the base attack was also much higher.
The critical damage multiplier was slightly lower, but with more enhancement attempts, I could simply add the [Sharpness] enhancement.
According to the community, aside from unique weapons, this was the best sword obtainable on the first floor.
Even though my level was capped at 20, considering the stat boost, it was as if I had effectively leveled up 5 more times.
The stat numbers didn't change on my status screen, so the satisfaction wasn't as high, but it was still an excellent result.
[Author: Seojin-hyuk#2661][Title: Hey guys, I'm new, is this good?]
(Photo)
"I got this from a chest on my first run. Is it any good?"
No, it's trash. Just sell it at the shop.
Did you get it on the first floor? Which server? Are there still chests on the first floor?
Damn, gotta give 2661 credit for the find lol.
Really?
If it's the Kingdom Knight Sword, it's the best straight sword on the first floor~ With a base attack of 52, a little enhancement and it'll last until floor 4.
No, he's just asking because he doesn't know.
After posting my find in the community and ignoring countless friend requests, I settled into my lodging.
Since leveling was stalled, it was fine if other challengers arrived, but even now, the tower chat channel #2661 still showed 1/1.
As usual, I spent the night browsing the community until dawn before falling asleep.
***
The next day, I went straight to the blacksmith to enhance my weapon.
I used the maximum amount of materials again, but luck wasn't on my side, and I only reached +6 with one failed attempt.
Still, it was much better than the +5 Steel Straight Sword I had been using, so I didn't complain.
After all, even the Steel Straight Sword could one-shot most goblins, so there wasn't any urgent need to increase my attack power.
After enhancing, I had a full breakfast at the inn and headed back to the labyrinth.
Medium chests had limited spawns, and large chests never respawned once claimed.
Therefore, the number of chests I could loot would decrease over time.
That day, I ventured quite deep into the labyrinth but found not a single large chest.
I ended the day having done nothing but enhance my weapon, with no other growth.
[Tower of Trials #2661 (1/1)]
The next day, still no new challengers arrived. I had the same breakfast and went into the labyrinth.
While looking for treasure chests, I entered an area where goblins spawned in large numbers. A few swings later, I leveled up.
It was my first level up in two days. I reached level 21, but the stat increase was minimal.
I also got another large chest, which contained a [Mithril Wand], a weapon for the Mage class.
Its stats were impressive for a first-floor item, but useless to me unless I changed class to Mage.
If I weren't alone, I could at least auction it, but for now, it was just a sturdy metal stick.
The following day, I diligently farmed treasure chests again, but with poor results.
I couldn't get a large chest, and the few equipment items from medium chests were already fully enhanced and equipped.
Frustrated at the scarcity of chests, I vented by hunting, but my level didn't rise.
[Tower of Trials #2661 (1/1)]
Still, no new challengers arrived. Days had passed, yet I remained alone.
The following days yielded no significant results. I earned gold and enhancement materials, but that was it.
After a few more days, I reached level 22, thanks to repeating daily quests.
By the second week in the Tower of Trials,
"Damn it, I can't deal with this."
My specs had completely plateaued.
***
In novels or comics, there's always that scene.
The protagonist trains daily, becoming incredibly strong, yet the story never shows the process.
Doing something consistently every day without fail is ridiculously difficult, yet the process is often skipped as if it were trivial.
I want to ask something. How did you manage to endure such boring, repetitive tasks every single day and still get stronger?
Seo Jin-hyeok Lv.22 (Unemployed)
HP: 340/340MP: 230/230Strength: 30 (22+8)Agility: 24 (22+2)Endurance: 28 (22+6)Intelligence: 24 (22+2)
Even though it's been several days since I hit level 22, there's no sign of leveling up again.
I feel like I've checked almost every treasure chest in the labyrinth, but all the items I get are just duplicates.
Hunting and farming have all turned into repetitive tasks with no visible return. At this point, the only way to dramatically get stronger is through a class change.
But a class change isn't an option. If I change classes now while still in the Normal class, I'll be at a disadvantage when I later try to switch to a Unique or Epic class on the higher floors.
Of course, there's no guarantee I'll even discover such a hidden piece, but either way, it would be a waste.
And even if I get stronger through a class change, what then? My stats would still be blocked until I reach the second floor.
That leaves only two options. Keep grinding this meaningless repetitive work to slowly level up, or…
Clear the boss alone and move up to the second floor.
"This is it."
Naturally, I chose the latter, and so I stood before the tightly shut first-floor boss room.
To get straight to the point, it was a very dumb decision.