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Rather than forcing a direct path to the second floor, I decided to clear the first floor completely before moving up. Increasing our pace was important, but after hearing the ancient records Shin Sang-Yong deciphered, I changed my mind.

If there was a chance of finding a Qi Spearmaster, it wouldn't matter if it took two or three days—or even two or three months. It would be worth it.

Of course, I couldn't help but feel a little skeptical. Not long ago, I had already found the Chimera Alchemist. Could I really be lucky enough to stumble upon another rare or secret class so soon? Was I just being greedy?

Could the world really hand me these extraordinary opportunities one after another so easily?

And yet, despite my doubts, I couldn't suppress the strange sense of anticipation bubbling inside me.

Because right now, I was riding an upward momentum.

Life worked like that.

Even in my first life, when I fell, I plummeted—all the way to the lowest depths of hell.

But when I rose, I soared to the highest peak.

Right now, I am on an upward climb. I could feel it.

I didn't know how long this momentum would last, but as long as it did, I wanted to push forward, seize every advantage, and ride this wave as high as it would take me.

Standing in the center of the hall, I activated the Third Eye once again.

It was truly coming in handy.

"Leader, which direction should we head in first?"

Shin Sang-Yong's question made me pause.

He wanted me to decide on our first route.

Mixing my detection ability with the Third Eye, I scanned the paths ahead.

Just as Shin Sang-Yong had said, this hall served as the central area of the first floor. That meant, aside from the hallway we had originally entered from, there were three possible routes we could take.

As expected in a laboratory, there were countless potential threats and obstacles along the way. However, when it came to spaces worth exploring or entering, the options were limited. To the west, there were six rooms and one staircase; to the north, four rooms; and to the east, one room and another staircase. The staircases likely led up to the second floor.

"Let's start with this direction." I said, pointing toward the western corridor. It made sense to tackle the area with the most rooms first. If we had been more fatigued, I might have chosen the eastern route to minimize risk, but after our rest, our strength had been fully restored.

Naturally, I was at the front. It was typical for the caravan leader and ranger to lead, but since we didn't have a ranger, it was up to me. I silently hoped that our next recruit would be a skilled archer. For now, I would continue leading the group.

Being at the front was crucial. It was the role of the leader to be prepared for any sudden ambushes, and the direction I chose to guide the party could mean success or failure for the entire group. Normally, Shin Sang-Yong or Jung Ha-Yeong would take the lead, but since we lacked a ranger, I had been stepping up. Given my proven track record of leading us through difficult situations, the others had no objections to my position.

With a firm resolve, I began to lead the way down the western path, knowing the next few hours could determine the pace and safety of our exploration.

I walked down the corridor without a hint of hesitation. My pace was steady. The laboratory, at first glance, seemed like it had a complex structure, but once I could distinguish the rooms worth entering from those that weren't, it became relatively simple. Aside from the lone figure I encountered when we first entered, I hadn't sensed any presence in the other corridors. This meant that if we remained cautious and focused on the rooms or spaces themselves, we could avoid most threats.

Of course, there was no guarantee that the second and third floors would be exactly like the first, so this assumption only applied to the first floor for now.

After a short while, we found our first space. According to my sense, it was the outermost room on the western corridor. The room appeared nothing like the typical hospital ward I had seen earlier. Instead, it emanated a very different vibe.

The door was a heavy, rusted iron gate, and the walls around it bore faint, dark red bloodstains. Inside, I could feel something… something alive. The sensation of breathing. It was unnerving—what could possibly be alive after all this time? I stopped just in front of the iron door, turning my body to face the group.

"Before we entered the hall, when we opened that first door, I'm sure you all were taken aback by the creatures that rushed out at us." I said, then locked eyes with Yun-Jung. She averted her gaze, clearly recalling the moment when she had carelessly opened the door. I clicked my tongue in mild frustration before continuing.

"The thing inside this room isn't giving off as many signs of life as those creatures did, but still... it's best not to retreat recklessly this time. The creature inside is likely aware of our presence by now. So, if we open this door, we must be on high alert. Never let your guard down."

The tension among my group was palpable. I watched as they each readied themselves for the possibility of an encounter. Once I saw that they were prepared, I stepped forward, approaching the door. We had to face whatever awaited us inside, and there was no turning back now.

"I'll open the door. As soon as I open it, an attack might come immediately. Sol, cast the binding spell right away, and the two mages, please cast magic that limits its movements. Hyun and Yun-Jung, move forward slightly in the current formation. And make sure to keep an eye on the sides, just in case."

There was no response. However, everyone quietly nodded to my orders. After a brief pause, I added:

"Whoever is inside, fighting near the door will be to our advantage. Now…"

I reached for the iron door handle. From behind me, I heard Yun-Jung whispering, "I hope it's an empty room with no one inside." and An-Hyun murmuring, "I told you, there's someone inside." I didn't pay much attention to their voices. My hand grasped the handle, and I applied pressure. The door was heavy enough that it wasn't something I could open alone, but with my strength, it was no problem.

Crrrk.

The door, which had been shut for a long time, creaked as it resisted, and I heard the sound of stiff mechanisms loosening. With a bit more force, I opened it in one go, and with a sound of something breaking, an unpleasant smell immediately overwhelmed me. And at the same time—

"Kraaaaang!"

A massive fist came charging toward my body. But we weren't just standing there.

"Shackle!"

Sol's spell went off, and I saw white light streak past me. The timing was perfect, and I mentally shouted "Nice!" But the scene that followed was anything but nice.

"Kh… Aah!"

The fist, which had stopped for a moment, suddenly twitched and ignored Sol's binding spell, swinging the punch back at me. Hah. It resisted a spell with over 80 magic power? I was stunned, but I quickly raised my sword sheath to block its attack.

"Su-Hyeon, it's dangerous...!"

Puff! Bang! Crash.

"Ke-rek! Ke-lek! Ke-lek!"

It's strong. I didn't pull out all of its strength, but even so, after being hit by its attack, I was forced back by half a step. But then, I brought out a technique I'd used before, back during the rite of passage when facing a boss monster. It was my own technique based on the principle of Saryangbalcheon-geun (subdue the opponent's great power with a small force).

Combining the shock that entered my body with my own strength, I returned the impact right back to it. I watched as its right hand burst from the shock and the giant creature was sent flying backward. With a loud noise, it collapsed, screaming in pain.

"...A giant."

"I-I'm seeing a giant for the first time in my life."

The creature, clutching its hand in the room, was indeed a giant. Standing over 5 meters tall, it was an impressive sight, but it wasn't a typical giant. Its body was adorned with numerous mechanical devices and artifacts embedded within it. In fact, it seemed more like an experiment than a mere giant.

Now I understand why Sol's spell didn't work as expected. The blood flowing through the bodies of the giants from the Hall Plain is naturally resistant to magic. Normally, it should have been able to reflect the magic rather than simply resist it, but it seems the resistance was greatly weakened, as it didn't reflect the magic as expected. From the visible implants and artifacts, it appeared that its lifespan had been extended slightly, but over time, the giant's natural abilities had diminished.

"Grrrr... Grrrr... Huff, huff."

"Everyone, stay focused. It's a giant, but it's currently in a weakened state. However, its magic resistance still seems intact, so mages and Sol, please step back for now."

"Hmm... I may not be able to help directly, but I can assist indirectly."

"I won't stop you. Yun-Jung, take Keeper. An-Hyun, Vivienne, get behind me."

"Hyung, support?"

"Yeah."

When he was chosen instead of Yun-Jung. An-Hyun dashed forward as if flying. Vivienne, though an alchemist, understood why I called her and immediately moved to my side. Watching the party swiftly shift formation, I turned my gaze back to the front.

The giant was just pushing itself up with its remaining arm, planting it firmly on the ground.

Our eyes met.

This giant was likely another victim of the residents' experiments. Its eyes burned with an undeniable hostility. But that was all. I felt no guilt or sympathy—I hadn't been the one to experiment on it.

Giants were naturally powerful beings. In my first life, the leader of the giants was almost considered a demigod. But they were also simple and honest by nature, making them trustworthy allies if befriended.

That said, I had no intention of making this one my ally.

Behind me, I could hear Vivienne murmuring an incantation. The giant must have noticed because the murderous intent on its face deepened even further.

With a whooshing sound, the giant's remaining left arm came flying toward me. The overwhelming strength that giants were naturally born with seemed to have diminished, making its attack feel far weaker than what I knew from experience. However, even in its weakened state, the force behind its punch was still formidable.

I leaned my head slightly back, and the giant's fist sliced through the air, missing me. But letting that punch go to waste would have been a shame. I raised my sword with my left hand and adjusted it so that the flat of the blade just barely brushed against the giant's fist.

And the moment my blade made contact with its fist—just as I had intended—I channeled my magic. Here, have a taste of this.

What followed was a sight that left everyone in awe.

In my first life, I had developed a unique sword technique to compensate for my relatively weaker strength and magic compared to top-tier users. The core of this swordsmanship was based on Taegeuk—not on brute force and rigid strikes, but on fluidity and redirection.

The giant's hand merely touched the flat of my blade, yet its entire arm was being pulled along with my movements. Unable to maintain its balance, it swayed uncontrollably. I guided its arm left, then sharply redirected it to the right. It was just like dangling a piece of string in front of a cat and making it chase after it.

A massive, five-meter-tall giant—reduced to nothing more than a mere plaything.

And there was no way An-Hyun would miss such an opportunity.

"Haah!"

With a strong battle cry, An-Hyun thrust his long spear forward. Seeing the giant stumble, he aimed for its torso, likely thinking that landing a hit was more important than precision.

But even a weakened giant was still a giant. Its instincts remained intact, and it wouldn't go down so easily.

Even while staggering, the giant's eyes locked onto the tip of An-Hyun's spear. Using its free right hand, it swiftly struck the shaft of the spear with its wrist.

"Whoa…!"

The impact threw An-Hyun off balance, making him stagger forward. The collision produced a loud shockwave, likely because he had infused his attack with magic. But his strike had been too straightforward—he would have been better off aiming for a blind spot.

At the same time, the giant made a final desperate effort, and I felt the magical connection between my sword and its hand suddenly snap. My eyes flashed with intrigue. Well, I had only been toying with it anyway, so I wasn't too disappointed.

More importantly, thanks to mine and An-Hyun's little game, we had bought Vivienne enough time to complete her spell.

As if answering my expectations, her clear and resounding incantation echoed throughout the room.

"Come forth! Imprison! O steel constrainer who rules over the 49th Legion!"

A now-familiar magic circle appeared, and a pale, hazy mist spread throughout the room. In response to Vivienne's summons, the magic circle began to glow brightly.

Sensing something ominous, the giant—who had been charging forward without hesitation—instinctively pulled back, widening the distance between us.

As I silently observed its reaction, I heard Vivienne's calm voice calling to me from behind.

"Su-Hyeon, I'll have Imprison focus on support this time. You and Hyun, land the finishing blows."

"You're planning to restrain it? A giant's blood isn't so easily tamed."

"Hmph. My beasts are enhanced chimera familiars. Just watch. I'll show you whose power is stronger."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

Vivienne and I exchanged words with ease, neither of us showing any tension. She even flashed a confident smile, brimming with certainty in her abilities.

Imprison.

I was curious to see what kind of power it would display this time.

From the side, I noticed Hyun gripping his spear tightly, clearly frustrated by his earlier failed attack. Seeing that, I steadied my own stance as well.

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