**Side: Hilde**
After a short break in the Safe Area, we descended to the third level.
“This is going to be troublesome…”
“I’d heard rumors, but they’re actually here.”
However, the third level was, surprisingly, an urban landscape of Bestia. While the White Demon Castle and Snow Demon Palace were nowhere to be seen, it was still unexpected for me.
“So it really is Bestia. I thought the cityscape looked familiar.”
“Without the White Demon Castle, it might be hard to tell at first glance.”
Excluding myself, Mana and Prim are the most familiar with the cities of Bestia. However, the absence of the White Demon Castle seemed to have, like me, made them unable to identify the city for a moment.
“If it’s Bestia, does that mean it’s quite large?”
“That would be the case. This is my first time experiencing a full urban stratum, but how about you, Eos?”
“This is my first time as well. Rather, I recall that the urban strata in existing labyrinths only occupied about half of the floor at most. So, Krater Labyrinth might be the first to have a completely urban stratum.”
Mana and Eos have experience entering labyrinths as Hunters, but they had never experienced a stratum composed solely of a city, and even suggested that labyrinths with such strata might not even exist.
“Solpreza Labyrinth and Instant Labyrinth had them, but they were indeed only part of the floor.”
“In Solpreza Labyrinth, it was even more of a section, and there were no demi-humans.”
It is said that cities and villages within labyrinths are highly likely to be inhabited by demi-humans. In fact, I heard that the desert city on the sixth floor of Instant Labyrinth was inhabited by Rune Valkyries, Shell Sirens, and Venus Amazones. Therefore, we must assume that this third level of Krater Labyrinth is also inhabited by demi-humans.
“The question is, which demi-humans are here?”
“That’s right. Instant Labyrinth had three types of high-ranking demi-humans, but they seemed to be a bit far from their habitats. So, in this fully urbanized area, I can’t even imagine.”
“There’s a possibility that multiple species inhabit it.”
Demi-humans inhabiting urban strata, aside from Sahagins and Sirens who live near water, are not specifically determined, and apparently, you won’t know until you encounter them. Mana says that while Amazones and Valkyries are less likely to be present, given the difficulty, it wouldn’t be strange for them to be there.
“Can we assume every detail is the same as Bestia?”
“That’s a tricky point. Especially residential areas and noble districts might not be replicated.”
“Markets too, but it’s meaningless for demi-humans and monsters to replicate narrow and winding areas. Therefore, main streets and plazas are often prioritized.”
Mana and Eos answer Lord Yamato’s questions, and their answers are convincing to me as well. Demi-humans also grow in size as their rank increases, but many monsters are inherently large. Therefore, buildings in urban strata are generally inaccessible from the inside, and even if you can get in, there is no furniture.
“So, they’re just facades. Well, even if there was furniture, it would be more frightening.”
“There might be demi-humans living there, so we can’t be too careless.”
Are they sturdier and more comfortable for demi-humans to live in than creating their own settlements?
“Demi-humans are a concern, but I’m also curious about the monsters that inhabit this place.”
“That’s right. From the looks of it, this is the main gate of Bestia, so the main street is wide, but other streets are not as wide, and in some places, they are less than half the width. This means the monsters that inhabit them are likely relatively small.”
Not only Bestia but also Float, the main street extending from the main gate is wide enough for ten Beast Carriages to travel side-by-side. However, a street one block further back can accommodate only five Beast Carriages, and in some places, it is barely wide enough for a single person to pass, let alone a Beast Carriage. Therefore, if large monsters were to inhabit it, their numbers would be limited. The possibility is high for monsters of comparable size to humans or flying monsters.
“Even for investigation, today we can only cover the area around the Safe Area.”
“Given the time, that’s true.”
Although we took a short break in the Safe Area, the sun will set in about two hours. Therefore, even for investigation, we cannot stray far from the main gate where the Safe Area is located. If this were the city of Bestia, we could reach the White Demon Castle from the main gate in two hours, but even though this is a cityscape modeled after Bestia, it is a labyrinth. We must assume that the details, as well as the monsters, will differ. Recklessness is not an option.
“Now, what will appear here?”
We decided to limit our investigation to one hour, but we would not make the foolish mistake of dividing our forces. While the Wing Crest members would likely be fine, in the event of any unforeseen circumstances, it is best to move together.
“Ah, here they come.”
“Gobins first, I suppose.”
As soon as we left the Safe Area and passed through the main gate, it seemed we were greeted by goblins. Goblins are I-rank demi-humans, but in this labyrinth, they are equivalent to one rank higher. Moreover, the goblins that appeared were apparently rare species.
“B-R rank Redcap Goblins. Considering this is a labyrinth, it’s reasonable.”
“That’s equivalent to S-R rank. But there are about ten of them coming, so it might be tough for a Raid.”
Redcap Goblins, like Hobgoblins, are only about 120 centimeters tall, but they wear blood-red hats and what appears to be leather armor. As they are a rare species, they possess strength beyond their appearance, and many are comparable to S-rank monsters. Considering this is a labyrinth, some might even possess strength equivalent to G-rank monsters. With over ten Redcap Goblins appearing at once, even High-Class adventurers would not come out unscathed.
“It will be tough, but it depends on the alloys.”
“Amister seems to have it for the most part, but Torencia is just starting.”
Lord Yamato mentions that it depends on the alloys, and that may indeed be the case. The metals used in weapons with Helios Orbs are iron, magic silver, adamantine steel, and divine metal. Divine metal, except when harvested from Orichalcum Puppets and Golems inhabiting labyrinths, is only found on the Gradia Continent. Therefore, iron, magic silver, and adamantine steel are common, but these metals, while suitable for Normal Class adventurers, cannot withstand the magic of High-Class adventurers for long. As a result, weapons had to be replaced within a few days at the earliest, or within a few months at the latest.
However, the alloys proposed by Lord Yamato based on Earth’s knowledge, Jade Silver, Blue-Gray Iron, and Lapis Laz, boast performance comparable to divine metal. They do not degrade even when Ancient Class adventurers use their full magical power. My own scythe, Snowhill Crescent, was also manufactured with Lapis Laz when I became engaged to Lord Yamato. Therefore, as alloys become common, or at least reach the High-Class adventurers, the combat power of Hunters, Sabers, and Orders will dramatically increase. In fact, we have successfully repelled the Antlion Empress’s Antlion swarm during the Slume Lord subjugation and the Krater battle without suffering significant casualties.
“My brother is considering that, and more people can use Traveling, so the alloys should be distributed in Torencia before spring.”
While Torencia produces a small amount of magic silver, it relies on imports from other countries for adamantine steel and crystal silver, which are not produced there. Therefore, an early import or production of alloys would be highly welcomed by Torencia.
“That’s what we’re counting on. Still, even setting that aside, this labyrinth is extremely dangerous.”
“Indeed it is. Anyway, let’s defeat those monsters for now.”
“Then I will go.”
“I’ll go too.”
I can do nothing about the alloys. However, I am fully capable of defeating the Redcap Goblins before me. Wing Crest has many Ancient Class members, so even if they are a rare species, we will not be outmatched by mere goblins.
“Laxus, here we go!”
Yuri immediately uses his Unique Magic, Heavy Rain Thorns, to stop the Redcap Goblins in their tracks while defeating about three of them. I cannot afford to fall behind.
“Haaaaaaah!”
I also unleash my Unique Magic, Dark Field Scythe, which combines Dark Magic, Ice Magic, Bestowed Magic, Barrier Magic, and Fusion Magic, and slice down the Redcap Goblins. Although it incorporates Barrier Magic, Dark Field Scythe is not a magic that creates barriers. It binds the blades of Dark Magic and Ice Magic, fused via Fusion Magic, to Snowhill Crescent and covers the blades with Barrier Magic to protect them. The reason for doing so is that the Dark Magic fused into it causes the blades to vibrate at an超 (super) frequency. Blades swung with super vibration exhibit higher cutting power than ordinary weapons, but they also inflict significant damage on the blades themselves. Therefore, Barrier Magic is used for protection. This Unique Magic was left as a secret of the Phantom King Family by Lord Kazushi Minato Torencia, the progenitor of the Torencia Phantom King Family. However, since only an outline was passed down, each successive queen has strived to reproduce the Unique Magic developed by Lord Kazushi by utilizing her own magic. I also learned it from my mother and have been using it since before I evolved to High Class.
“I may not have mastered my Unique Magic yet, but I will assist you.”
Aria also begins to provide support with Starlight Orb and Earth Arrows. No, upon closer inspection, Earth Lances are also mixed in, and she has successfully defeated one of them. Aria’s celestial globe, Starlight Orb, uses several national treasure-grade Tenma Stones, greatly increasing the power and accuracy of elemental magic, far beyond what would be expected of a Normal Class adventurer. Although it doesn’t look like a weapon, it can also deploy a shield in emergencies.
“I wish you had left some for me, but I suppose it can’t be helped with goblins?”
Ah, I apologize. Countess Rika said regretfully while sheathing her Lapis Light Rapier, but before she could attack, all the Redcap Goblins had been annihilated. How could I…
“No, please don’t worry about it. I’m sure more will appear.”
Countess Rika says this with a smile, but it is indeed a labyrinth, and moreover, it is a stratum that mimics a city, so more demi-humans will surely appear.
“Thank you. Then, for the next monsters that appear, shall we primarily hunt them with the Countess at the center?”
“That sounds fine.”
“It depends on the opponent. If an Anomaly species shows up, we’ll fight too.”
Lord Yamato and Prim agreed, but they also stated that they would intervene if an Anomaly species appeared. I have experience subjugating Anomaly demi-humans during the Kragen battle, but demi-humans inhabiting labyrinths are equivalent to one rank higher, so it might be beyond my capabilities. No, I am also seeing the signs of evolving to Ancient Class, so if possible, I want to evolve during this investigation and do my best to walk alongside Lord Yamato.
