Chapter 112: Chapter112-Upgrade to Gold Rank

"I-" Before I could finish speaking, he interrupted again. "You're strong," he said softly, "but you need to let this go. I'm here. Just focus on your breathing!" Suddenly, a flood of notifications filled my system interface... When I looked at them, I was stunned to see something unbelievable and unexpected appear in front of me... [Ding, congratulations host! You have advanced to [Gold] Rank!"] Gold rank? Hell, no! I was seriously frustrated. All that pain and effort just for a single rank upgrade. 'System, are you kidding me?' I shouted in my mind. (Sorry, host! But your body isn't suitable to upgrade to Platinum, so I had to forcefully stop your ascension!) I was seriously frustrated by this... What about the essences? I have more than enough to upgrade to Platinum rank... (Host, I didn't inform you earlier, but I've deducted 10,000 essences from your total.) What? I quickly opened my character profile to verify if the system was telling the truth. Name: Michael Frostburne Race: Human Current Rank: Iron Title: Netori King, Lust King Progression to Platinum Rank: 26% (3300/12500 essences) ... Unfortunately, it was accurate. "Fuck you, system!" I was furious and kept cursing the system as abusively as I could. I understood that my ascension was halted due to my body's limitations, but drastically reducing my hard-earned essences was just outrageous. 'That wasn't part of our deal when I accepted the sacrificial quest.' (Alright, host, I get it, I get it! As compensation, your skill that you would have received for reaching Gold rank will be upgraded directly to level 5!) 'Seriously?' I asked, trying to control my anger. (Yes, host!) I accepted without hesitation. This was actually a jackpot. Considering that the cost to upgrade a skill to level 4 was around 11,100 essences, and to level 5 was likely double that, this offer was not just acceptableit was a major win. What's more, the skill would now be extremely powerful. (But, Host! There's a condition!) A condition? What now? (You'll need to wait a Five days to receive your newly upgraded skill!) Wait? Again? I'd already spent so many days waiting... (Is that acceptable?) 'Ok.' With no other choice, I reluctantly agreed. After waiting about a month for the upgrade and skill, another few days didn't seem like much more to endure. ... As I focused on my screen lost in my world, suddenly, Allen's voice cut through the haze of my thoughts. "Young master," he said softly, "I didn't expect we'd meet again like this after so many days." Is he... Emotional? For a brief moment, I thought I heard somethingan emotion I couldn't quite placecreep into his tone... But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the cold, detached voice I was more familiar with... Perhaps I misheard... "Yeah, me too," I replied, my own voice still weak from the ordeal. We both fell silent after that, the only sound in the room being the rhythmic beeping of the machines around us. I sighed... I knew it... It felt strange, almost wrong, that he wasn't asking me anythingno questions about what I'd been through, no updates about what had happened in my absence. After everything I'd been through, the silence felt heavy, unnatural. I finally broke it, unable to keep my curiosity at bay any longer. "Hmm, Allen, how much time has passed?" Allen's expression remained unchanged as he said, "You've been in a coma for 40 days. Today marks the 41st." His words hit me like a ton of bricks. "What? 40 days? A coma?" I blurted out in shock, trying to sit up as my mind raced to make sense of what he was saying. I glanced at my watch briefly to check the date. Michael Frostburne Total rules broken: 1 Current rules broken: 0 Time: 9 a.m. Date: May 25, 2130 ... "Allen, what on earth happened after I went into a coma?" Even though I already knew why I fell into a coma, I decided to ask Allen for more information anyway. Allen brushed off my rude and loud tone, and I wasn't concerned with his opinion... I only wanted to find out what happened inside the domain while I was in a coma. Allen's gaze remained steady as he explained, "It all began when you and the others walked into that hall. What you didn't realize was that the hall was actually a labyrinth, an illusion designed to trap anyone who entered. As soon as you stepped inside, your consciousness was drawn into this illusion world, leaving your bodies here in a coma." I struggled to understand what he was saying. "The illusion world?" I asked, still confused. What's that? Is he talking about that quest world? Allen nodded slightly. "Yes, that's what we're calling it for now. The illusion world is a simulated reality, possibly created by some unknown forces. In that place, time and reality are distorted, and those trapped inside must fulfill certain conditions to escape. We still don't know its origin or purpose." "Allen, I get what you're saying, but how did everyone already know about this world before anyone emerged from it?" I asked. How did you find out? I assumed I was the only one aware of this world, but it seems they already knew about it as well. I listened in shock as Allen continued. "You weren't the only ones affected. Across the country, other heirs and young talents from prominent families were also pulled into similar labyrinths. The news spread quickly, causing a national crisis." "National crisis?" I asked. "Yeah," he said. "After the news about the labyrinths and the comas affecting many young heirs and talents spread, the government was under a lot of pressure from worried families. To reassure the public and provide answers, they decided to release all the information they had about the illusion world." I frowned, trying to understand what I had heard. "What did they reveal exactly?" Allen kept his gaze steady and said, "They revealed that the Hunter Association was the first to discover the labyrinths. A group of ten top hunters, while monster hunting in a cursed city, accidentally entered one of these labyrinths. This labyrinth wasn't just a regular illusion; it was a world from our ancient history." I was surprised. "So, did they manage to get out?" Allen nodded. "Yes, they made it through the labyrinth and found a key. "A key?" I asked. Does this mean I now only need to clear five more illusions out of the six needed to get the keys? That makes it a bit more manageable... However, I'll still need to somehow acquire that key discovered by the government in the near future... Considering I'm just a gold ranker at the moment, I don't think that's possible right now. "Yes, this key is beleived to be essential for understanding and potentially exploring the labyrinths. The Associations are still working on figuring out it's purpose." I took a deep breath, trying to process everything Allen had just told me. "Hmm," I murmured, keeping my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside. "Thanks for the information, Allen." Allen nodded, his face calm and difficult to read, as if he were a statue made from stone. Our conversation ended as suddenly as it had started. I wasn't great at keeping conversations going, so I stayed quite, not knowing what to say. But as the seconds passed, the silence became more and more uncomfortable. Allen's cold, steady gaze was fixed on me... To my eyes... I felt like a sheep trapped by a predator, vulnerable and exposed under his sharp stare. The discomfort in my chest increased with each passing moment until it became almost suffocating. Finally, when I couldn't stand it any longer, I decided to break the silence and speak again. After a brief pause, I spoke again. "Allen, could you leave me alone for now? I'm feeling a bit stressed and need some time to rest peacefully..." He bowed slightly, maintaining his professional demeanor. "As you wish, young master." Without another word, Allen turned and headed for the door, his footsteps barely audible. Just before leaving, he paused and glanced back at me, a flicker of concern in his eyes. Before I could say anything more, he nodded and quietly exited the room, closing the door softly behind him. Now, I was alone. But not even a minute had passed before a middle-aged man in a doctor's coat entered my room, followed by the same nurse from earlier. "Young master, I've just been informed by my nurse that you woke up with intense internal pain. I'm sorry for the delay," he said. I responded, "No problem." The doctor then came to my bed, studying the chart in his hands. Then, He conducted some scans and administered a serum. "How are you feeling now?" he asked, his tone calm and professional. Without waiting for my response, he checked my pulse and then gently lifted my wrist to examine it. "Your vitals look stable," he said, nodding to himself. "Any dizziness or discomfort?" I shook my head, and the doctor gave a reassuring smile. "Good. We'll continue to monitor you closely..." "I'm sorry, doctor, but I need to rest in this room without anyone else here!" I insisted firmly. The doctor started to reply, "But" I cut him off abruptly, "No means no!" The doctor and nurse exchanged looks, then nodded in agreement. With a final, composed glance, they quietly left the room. *** After they both left my room, I suddenly remembered something... Oh, I completely forgot about that key... I quickly opened my inventory and took out the key I had been given. As soon as I held it, I was amazed by how unique it looked... Wow... The key was truly special. Its shaft was made of a dark, almost black metal that glowed subtly in the light. The bow was covered in detailed patterns that looked like ancient symbols and glowed with a soft blue light, as if the key had some kind of hidden power. The most eye-catching part was... A symbol on the bow. Is that... A dragon? The dragon was insanely detailed, flying with its wings spread out. Its eyes were small, bright green gemstones that sparkled, adding to the key's mysterious look. At the tip, where you'd normally find teeth, there was a complex pattern of interlocking shapes that seemed to change as I turned the key. The color was a stunning gradient, starting with deep midnight blue and fading to silver at the edges, giving it a magical feel. It was clear this key wasn't just an ordinary object; it had a special purpose, and its elaborate design and dragon symbol suggested it was more than just a way to unlock a door... Maybe it has some powers too... I tried using the key like a wand, waving it around in different magical poses, hoping it would work like a staff from a fantasy story. I imagined it glowing with magic, but... Nothing happened... Oh well, forget it. After standing there for a few minutes, I gave up and walked to the door. I turned the knob and stepped out into the hallway. Let's get some food and satisfy my hunger... I was craving a hearty breakfast, something real and satisfying. After days of eating nothing but packaged food, a good meal was exactly what I needed. After enjoying some of the most delicious and luxurious food I'd had in days, I went to my room, did a few stretches, and then decided to take a shower.