“In short, if we defeat the guardian of the 30th floor quickly, it’ll be resolved. Palinkron won’t break that promise.”
“…He won’t break it, but he’ll find a way to wriggle out of it.”
“True, there’s a high possibility of that…”
After confirming we had no Guild work for several days, we made our way to the 20th floor of the Labyrinth. We had plenty of time because we used a shortcut from the office via《Connection》.
“There’s no point in worrying. We have to explore the Labyrinth anyway. We have a deal with Palinkron, but we also need to get stronger to counter those two. The Labyrinth is the best place for that.”
“…Indeed. If Kanami can overpower those two, we won’t have anything to worry about.”
“I wish Snow would just tell us everything…”
“…I have told you everything. I told you everything I could on the first day. All that’s left is for Kanami to make a decision and act. Besides, I don’t know all the details myself.”
“I understand… I’m sorry for asking so many times. Snow is definitely on my side. —Alright, let’s get back on track, Labyrinth. We’re aiming to go deeper today.”
“…I’ll just follow you.”
“That’s fine. It makes a difference having you there.”
I already proved yesterday that even though she said she’d just follow, she’d help me. I took the uncooperative Snow with me to the 20th floor and headed for the stairs leading down.
We descended to the 21st floor. The policy was the same as the day before yesterday, with the goal simply changing from the 20th floor to the 30th.
Up to the 23rd floor, where the《Seidō》was laid out, we could easily proceed to the next floor by simply following the path. Furthermore, the barrier of the《Seidō》kept enemies away. While large monsters occasionally intruded, they weren’t much of a problem.
As expected, while walking on the 21st floor, a four-armed monster, a Fury, attacked me. I met the attack with ease. It was an enemy I struggled with not too long ago, but it’s no longer a problem. When I came here before, I was Level 12, but now I’m Level 15. All my abilities have improved drastically.
It took me only a few seconds to defeat the Fury. The Fury, with swords piercing its body in various places, collapsed. Simultaneously, it disappeared in a flash of light, and the embedded swords clattered to the ground. I picked up the magic stones and swords. Some swords were still usable, while others were chipped. I returned them all to my《Inventory》. Thanks to Alivers, we have a way to reuse them, so we need to be economical.
“The Fury might have called for backup, so let’s hurry a bit.”
“…Understood.”
Snow seemed to understand the Fury’s special ability. Seeing her run naturally gave away her extensive experience. I asked Snow while running.
“Snow, how deep have you explored in this Labyrinth before?”
“…To the 20th floor.”
“The 20th floor? But you seem knowledgeable about the Fury on the 21st floor.”
“…I am a student of the Academy, so I know quite a bit. And I’ve heard stories from my older brother.”
“Ah, I see.”
Now that I think about it, Snow has the strongest Explorer as her older brother. It’s not surprising that she’s knowledgeable about the Labyrinth. Information about the strongest Explorer would be treasure beyond monetary value. Along the way, I decided to ask Snow about the Labyrinth. While doing so, a few monsters approached and tried to interfere, but they were no match for me now.
—The 22nd floor, which followed, was similar to the 21st.
Although the difficulty was higher than the 21st floor, we proceeded without much effort thanks to Snow’s magic. When Snow saw me struggling with the aerial attacks of a Rio Eagle, she helped me with an attribute-less magic. The magic, which vibrated a wide area, made the Rio Eagle lose its balance, making it unable to maintain its altitude. It was a simple task for me to then slash it to pieces.
Thus, we reached the 23rd floor, and we came to the end of the《Seidō》.
“…The《Seidō》ends here. What do we do?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been here before, so I know the way. Yes, I…—”
Before? Did I come here alone before? That’s right. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for the《Map》of the 23rd floor, which spread out before my eyes, to be filled in. I desperately dug into my memories. And then I remembered defeating a boss called Flamescorpion on the 23rd floor. However, something felt a little off. Me, at Level 12, defeating that Flamescorpion…alone?
“…Is something wrong?”
“N-no, it’s just a bit hot on this floor…”
“…Yes, it might be a bit hot. I’m fine, though.”
“A bit? This is incredibly hot!”
“I’m a Dragon Person, so this is nothing.”
“A racial difference, huh…”
“Something like that.”
If I looked closely, Snow wasn’t even sweating. I recognized the strength of the Dragon Person race. Dragon People, whose bodies are built differently from humans, seem to be able to move freely in any harsh environment. I envied Snow’s physique as I moved forward. The《Seidō》had ended, but thanks to the《Map》, reaching the 24th floor was quick.
We reached the lava zone of the 24th floor and confirmed that the《Map》ended at this floor.
“I’ve only been to the middle of this floor before. This is where the real challenge begins.”
“…Understood.”
“Be careful of the lava. There are lizard monsters lurking inside.”
“…I know.”
It seems that Glen Walker, the strongest Explorer, had even reached this floor. Snow kept her distance from the lava without me having to tell her.
“However, this heat is unbearable. Shall I use 《Freeze》 to lower the temperature around me? —Magic, 《Freeze》.”
As I tried to suppress the surrounding heat with《Freeze》, I felt something unusual. The flow of magic was too smooth. I was surprised by my own ability to execute the freezing magic so smoothly.
“Huh? What?”
“…Me too?”
《Freeze》 lowered the temperature not just around me, but over a range that included Snow.
“No, I didn’t mean to do that, but the freezing magic feels strangely good. It’s like it’s easier to use freezing magic against heat… or something…”
It was a phenomenon I couldn’t understand myself. It was difficult to put into words and explain to Snow. It was truly a sensation. Did my understanding of heat — no, of flame — increase intuitively? I could discern in detail how the molecules were vibrating. And, for some reason, my body understood how to suppress them. It might be better to say my magic remembered. The freezing magic was automatically controlling the optimal molecular motion.
“It feels like… it’s really easy to cool down heat?”
“…Yes. If so, it’s good. It’s not a bad thing.”
“Yeah. That’s right…”
I proceeded through the 24th floor, still feeling uncertain. I was using《Freeze》, but I hadn’t deactivated《Dimension》. It was like I was deploying a very thin《Dimension Winter》. And that《Dimension Winter》exhibited unparalleled strength on the 24th floor. When I had been here before,《Dimension》had not permeated the lava. However, with《Dimension Winter》, I could extend my senses even into the lava, which was equivalent to exposing the monsters hiding within. A Poison Salamander, a monster that moved through lava, crept up behind us. The Poison Salamander, having confirmed our blind spot, leaped out of the lava, its claws glowing. As I turned, I drew a sword from my《Inventory》and threw it. The thrown sword pierced the Poison Salamander’s head, and its glowing claws never reached us.
“—Guaa!!”
With a short cry, the Poison Salamander died.
“…Huh?”
“It seems to be a monster with low basic abilities, perhaps because it can hide in lava. I defeated it in one strike.”
Leaving Snow, who didn’t know what happened, bewildered, I put the sword and magic stone into my《Inventory》.
“…There was a monster behind us?”
“There was. But you don’t need to worry about it. I won’t let it touch Snow.”
“…Hmph, hmph. Monsters that even I can’t sense are appearing, huh? Okay, I’ll stay close to Kanami. Let’s do that, somehow.”
“If you do that, it helps me too.”
Snow started walking right behind me. If anything were to happen, she was fully prepared to push the enemy onto me. I proceeded while keeping an eye on the lava with《Dimension》. And then, we reached the point where the《Map》ended. This seemed to be my previous limit.
“—Magic, 《Dimension – Multiple Expansion》.”
In the same way I expanded《Dimension》around the town for Guild work, I thinly spread the magic’s sensation. In the Labyrinth, with its abundant disruptive magic, it was a little harder to spread than on the surface. However, thanks to my experience on the surface, I managed to find the stairs leading to the 25th floor. At the same time, I grasped the special areas and bosses of the 24th floor. —And then, I found something strange. An altar, a rare artificial object in a Labyrinth. An altar, seemingly man-made, was built surrounded by lava. And in its center, a single sword was offered.
“…Did you find the stairs?”
Sensing what I had done, Snow asked for the result.
“Yeah, I found them. But I also found something strange.”
“…Something strange?”
“There’s something like an altar in the back, and there’s a sword placed there.”
“…An altar, a sword. Ah, I see.”
Hearing my words, Snow seemed to understand something on her own.
“I see? Do you know something?”
“…I do. But it’s too much trouble to explain.”
“No, please tell me…”
It was problematic if she dismissed it with just “too much trouble.” Information in the Labyrinth was a matter of life and death. Snow understood that too. So, reluctantly, she began to explain in a small voice.
“…It’s probably a Labyrinth drop.”
“A drop? Like the magic stones monsters drop?”
“…Yes, like those. The Labyrinth is ‘remembering and converging’ past items. Beyond the 23rd floor, where Explorers can’t reach, such things remain untouched.”
“Past items…”
I don’t know much about this world. I’ve only been dealing with Labyrinths for a few weeks. But Snow is different. She has been dealing with this Labyrinth for years and has learned a lot of knowledge at the Academy. She seems to know many things I don’t.
“…In the first place, this is a place where the continent expels the legacies of the past. Labyrinths also play the role of circulatory organs that converge and expel the magic and past that have accumulated in the earth. —That’s what I learned at the Academy.”
“I’ve never heard that before. I didn’t know Labyrinths had such a function.”
“…Few people at the Academy know. Anyway, I think that altar is a relic of the past. Perhaps that sword is a famous sword from the past.”
“I don’t understand the complicated stuff, but that’s the most important thing for us. Let’s investigate that sword from here.”
I heard an interesting story. And then, I began to ponder the existence of the Labyrinth in my own way. Hearing the story now, I could no longer believe this Labyrinth was a natural creation. If someone said, “It’s a Labyrinth because it’s another world,” then the matter would be settled. But I don’t feel that way. I can only think that this Labyrinth was created by someone with a purpose. If someone created it, it would explain why Labyrinths are so convenient for humans. Then, who created the Labyrinth? Who—
Using《Dimension》, I《Gazed》at the sword on the altar, seeking information.
【Ruf Bringer】
Attack Power 7
Mental Contamination +2.00
“Kanami, how is it?”
“It seems to be something rare, that’s for sure. …But it looks dangerous.”
“…Should we collect it?”
“Let’s do it for now. It might be worth money.”
Snow and I walked towards the suspicious altar. Along the way, a few Poison Salamanders attacked, but they were no match for me, who could sense them even within the lava. After advancing for a few minutes, we reached the altar surrounded by a river of lava. Normally, the lava would prevent us from approaching, but with my current physical abilities, I could probably jump over it. The river was less than ten meters wide. However, by my world’s standards, it was a distance close to a world record. The fact that I thought I could clear it easily made me fear myself a little.
“I’ll jump over and get it.”
“…Go ahead.”
Naturally, Snow did not jump. I confirmed the safety within the lava and took a sufficient run-up before leaping. As expected, I succeeded in jumping over with plenty of room to spare. I approached the altar and examined the sword in question. Up close, the magic contained within the sword was considerable. It seemed to possess the magic of a mid-tier mage. Above all, the sword was beautiful. It had a unique form that ignored functional beauty, with a completely black design. It felt a little sharp, but that was also a tasteful choice regarding its aesthetic. And adorning that beautiful sword was… beautiful purple magic. It didn’t mar the unity of the jet-black sword, but rather enhanced it as a purple accent. The sword I designed with Alivers was also magnificent, but this type was not bad either. Ah. Above all, how beautiful it would be if bright red blood dripped onto this black blade—
“—《Blast Impulse》!”
A shockwave of magic attacked me from my back. I leaped sideways and narrowly dodged it. Then, I raised my voice in condemnation towards the attacker.
“S-Snow—! What are you doing all of a sudden!?”
However, Snow, the perpetrator, while constructing further magic, replied nonchalantly.
“…No, you were entranced by the sword. I just wanted to blow you away and bring you back to your senses.”
“Entranced? By me?”
“…The sword’s magic was starting to seep into Kanami’s body. That’s pretty bad.”
Keeping Snow’s words in mind, I looked at the sword again. I noticed the sword’s abnormality. The sword’s magic, akin to a malevolent grudge, stirred, trying to enter my body. It was far from the beautiful magic I had felt until just now, and I understood just by looking at it that it was something humans should never touch. Did I, who had just found this obviously dangerous sword beautiful?
“Y-yeah, it’s dangerous…”
“…When Kanami got close, it showed its true nature. What do you want to do? Give up? I think if you hold it, you’ll turn into a murderer.”
“No, I won’t give up. I don’t want someone else to own this and become a murderer. I think my magic should be able to handle it—”
“…N-no, I’m against it. I think Kanami holding it would be the most dangerous thing in the world.”
“I won’t touch it, so don’t worry. I’ll neutralize the sword from this distance. —Magic, 《Dimension Winter》.”
“…Be careful. And don’t forget that if you fail, I’ll be the first one killed by Kanami. Be very careful.”
Leaving Snow looking anxious, I deployed my magic. Of course, I’m trying to retrieve it because I’m confident in my abilities. With my《Dimension Winter》, I can interfere with the magic even from this distance. From several meters away, I pushed away the sword’s magic, which was trying to approach me with《Dimension Winter》. At the same time, I gradually approached the sword. I took a step at a time, being careful not to touch the sword’s magic. After several minutes, I finally reached the sword. This is where the real challenge begins. While still keeping the magic at bay, I then cast《Ice》. Of course, the target was the sword itself. The sword, sensing danger to itself, writhed its magic, rejecting the cold air. However, I imbued《Dimension Winter》with more magic, preventing it. A few seconds later, a frozen demonic sword was completed. I carefully put the sword into my《Inventory》.
“…Haa.”
I exhaled and wiped the sweat from my brow. The seal was complete. I jumped back over the lava and returned to Snow.
“I’m back.”
“…Good work. Don’t take that out while we’re in the Labyrinth, okay?”
“Ah, I know.”
“…Hmm, I’m uneasy. Why don’t you just break it here?”
“No, if I were to break it, it would be better to call Alivers or someone who can use divine magic to dismantle it. It might be useful as material for something. It might even fetch a high price.”
“…While I agree it might be worth money if it could be dismantled, I’m still uneasy.”
Snow, uncharacteristically, seemed eager. She must be extremely anxious. Reluctantly, I took out《Ruf Bringer》from my《Inventory》.
“Since Snow is so concerned, I guess I’ll try to break it.”
“…Yeah, let’s break it. Leave it to me.”
Then, Snow placed her hand on the ice block of《Ruf Bringer》and cast a spell. Receiving the vibration magic at close range,《Ruf Bringer》snapped in two. At the same time, I felt the overflowing malicious magic subside. Its value might have been lost. However, instead, we gained peace of mind.
“Yeah, this is good. Thank you, Kanami.”
Snow said thankfully and handed the split《Ruf Bringer》to me. As I put them back into my《Inventory》, I shook my head.
“No, it was my decision to retrieve it. There’s no need to thank me.”
To that, Snow gave a faint smile. Then, pointing to the depths of the Labyrinth, she said,
“Well then, shall we proceed?”
I felt a slight increase in the vigor of Snow’s voice. It was truly a small spark, but she seemed motivated.
“Yeah.”
I quickly resumed my Labyrinth exploration, careful not to extinguish that small flame of motivation.
