Abel, Beat, and Cliff, a trio suspected of losing something very important to them as men, were…
“Oh, no! I didn’t do anything that wonderful… I mean, anything that unlawful!”
According to Bakara, it was a misunderstanding.
“See, we were together on the way to the village, remember?
And the cultists who appeared had bodies just like these kids, so I just took their clothes off to check!
Of course, I enjoyed a little bit of a perk for my trouble.”
Saying that, she winked with a snap of her fingers.
“Haa. I see…
It seemed there was really nothing to it.
Phew, that’s a relief.
One of my pressing concerns was resolved, and I let out a sigh of relief.
…Yeah.
It was just a little bit questionable why a mere perk would cause one to roll their eyes back as if encountering something unworldly and grotesque, drooling from a half-open mouth and convulsing non-stop as if in a nightmare… but well, in a long life, such things can happen rarely!!
I believed Bakara’s explanation without a shred of doubt and pushed the matter to the back of my mind.
In any case, zero casualties in the Labyrinth of Sacrifice is something to be proud of.
I convinced myself of this and explained the situation to Bakara.
When I explained the cultists’ scheme and its mechanism, Bakara dramatically feigned surprise,
“Oh, how scary!”
and writhed her body as if disgusted, but unfortunately, the scarier one was her.
The trauma level was about on par with Namahage.
A child would probably cry seeing her.
However, Bakara was not just anyone.
“Still, you’re amazing too.
To see through the cultists’ scheme so completely.
I, I, respect you!”
She put on a sickly sweet act, but more than half of it was likely a facade.
She was trying to gauge me, acting particularly unintelligent, wary of my unnaturally vast knowledge.
This man is both a flamboyant queen and a complete predator.
If I let my guard down, I’d be eaten.
…Probably, in more ways than one.
The thought of it made me feel truly sick.
I made sure not to let the chill running down my spine show on my face.
“Well, I happened to have some prior knowledge, and it all fit together.”
I managed to brush it off with an innocuous answer.
For now, I decided to return to everyone else.
Bakara kindly offered to carry Abel and the others, who had fainted.
Honestly, I would have preferred not to carry them myself.
“Wow, what a kind person! That would be a great help,” I said, entrusting the transport of Abel and the others to her.
When I said that, I thought I saw Bakara lick her lips like a ferocious beast, but it was surely a mistake.
I hurried along, single-mindedly focused, and my current location became a bit uncertain. However, with Mitsuki around, there was no fear of getting separated or lost.
During our travel, Mitsuki said,
“…That man is staring at your backside from behind.
It’s annoying, so may I cut him down?”
Her eyes were unnervingly glinting, and her cat ears perked up as if saying “I’m serious.” It was a bit frightening, but overall, I managed to rendezvous with Raiden and the others without any major issues.
Furthermore,
“…Welcome back.”
She must have made her way here on her own.
Ringo had also rejoined the group.
(So, the immediate danger has passed.)
I had broken the bracelets of Abel, Beat, and the others.
Now, they wouldn’t be able to rage even if they woke up.
However, these guys had a history of trouble.
A bit worried, I asked Bakara to keep an eye on the three of them, and she readily agreed.
With this, the possibility of Abel and the others causing trouble was almost nil.
There were still people wearing bracelets and necklaces, but those were for event progression interference.
Since the situation had been clearly explained, there was no problem on that front either.
The possibility of conflict among quest participants was now nonexistent.
And as long as adventurers didn’t die, there was no fear of “that person” reviving.
With this, most of the pressing concerns could be considered resolved.
(No, no, wait, wait.)
Based on my past experiences, it’s precisely when I think “now I can relax” that I often fall into a huge pitfall.
Since not everything is resolved yet, I still couldn’t afford to be careless.
I watched Kuma poking at the still wide-eyed Abel and the others with curiosity, and I thought.
The remaining problems were Rifa and Saiga Village.
If someone who had entered the labyrinth went to Saiga Village, the event might not progress.
It would be best to leave the village cultists to Maki and secure Rifa.
The problem was Rifa’s whereabouts, but I had a hunch.
I separated from the group and decided to search for Rifa.
“Mitsuki, Ringo, come with me.”
I called out and, along with Mitsuki, Ringo, and Kuma just in case, headed to a certain place.
“…This brings back memories.”
Standing before the large, massive door at the center of the labyrinth, my destination, I let out a sigh of nostalgia.
Believing the information that “the altar of sacrifice is beyond here,” I had tried to open this door many, many times using various methods.
However, the map beyond it was not actually implemented, and all my efforts were in vain.
I couldn’t hate the ‘Nekoneko’ staff enough for this.
“Mitsuki, are there any signs of people nearby?”
But I didn’t come here just to complain.
In the quest, I had encountered Rifa most often in this vicinity.
I thought she would probably be around here, but…
“…No response. At least, there’s no one nearby.”
It seemed I was mistaken.
Quite a lot of time had passed since the quest began.
She might have moved farther than I imagined.
“Then, shall we search a bit further in?”
Seeing that my hunch had failed, Mitsuki suggested, but I shook my head.
“No, wait a moment.
Before that, there’s something I want to try.”
I glared at the large door in front of me that had tormented me in the game.
The characters ‘+ |L’ were etched into the door with light.
Everything was just as it was in the game.
—But, I know that this world is not exactly the same as the game.
Perhaps to maintain the reality of this world?
I already know that some places that were only set up in the game but not implemented actually exist in this world.
Therefore, it is highly possible that the “altar of sacrifice” exists properly in this world.
And in the game, terrain and objects like walls and doors were absolutely indestructible unless they had a special HP setting.
However, that is also different in this world.
Any wall or door can be destroyed if one has enough destructive power.
In other words…
In this world, I might be able to destroy this door and reach the altar beyond it.
“…Haa.”
First, I calmed myself down.
The timing of skill execution is crucial.
With my head boiling, there’s a risk of failure.
“Alright!”
Once I confirmed my mind was settled, I faced the door again. I chanted the Power Up spell and set it to activate.
Then, I used the combo I utilized in ‘Capital City Attack.’
—Oborojyuuji, High Step, Jump Horizontal Slash!!
In other words, Oborojyuuji!!
The defense of terrain like walls is proportional to the dungeon level.
A door in a low-level dungeon like this would be no match for the power of this skill combo.
The vertical and horizontal slashes unleashed struck the door perfectly—
“Huh…?”
—but the door didn’t budge.
I tried various other techniques afterward, but the door showed no sign of breaking. In fact, it didn’t even get a scratch.
At first, Mitsuki and the others watched, but perhaps they got bored.
“Then we’ll go search the surroundings,”
They all left together.
But I didn’t give up.
It’s even better when companions are gone, as I can use various techniques without reservation.
Saying that to myself as a way to save face, I persistently challenged the door.
I kept challenging it.
In the end, I even used Setsuna Samidare, but it only resulted in chipping away at Fire of Sh’s endurance.
(How tough is this…)
By this point, the feeling of annoyance had surpassed mere dislike, and I found myself impressed by my opponent, even as an enemy.
I gazed at the formidable structure before me and spoke to it casually.
“…Indeed, I admit it.
You are strong.
And not just strong, but also big and hard.
I’ll give you that much.”
“………”
The door didn’t reply.
Quite a reserved fellow.
“But you know.
A man’s worth isn’t determined by that alone.
Human strength isn’t just about power.
Intelligence, quick thinking.
People who possess such things are truly strong people.”
Still, the door didn’t reply.
A remarkably taciturn one.
“It would be a mistake to think that offensive skills are my only power.
Let me show you.
The true strength of a human.
That brute force isn’t everything!”
Even after saying all that, the door remained silent.
…I was starting to feel a bit embarrassed.
“This is the last one. Here I go—”
Still maintaining the persona of a protagonist facing his rival, I shouted, intending to showcase the pinnacle of human intellect.
“—Petit Explosion!!”
About ten minutes later.
I was wandering aimlessly within the labyrinth, having retreated from the door, and was rescued by Mitsuki and the others.
As I hung my head, lost in a dungeon I should have been familiar with,
“So, after all that, you subjected it to numerous skills and magic, and yet it didn’t even get a scratch, is that it?”
Mitsuki’s harsh words rained down on me like a further assault.
I wanted to retort at least once, but the undeniable fact was that the door hadn’t broken.
I gritted my teeth.
“Moreover, after that, you got lost…
You’ve completely wasted our time.
Shall we hurry back and search for that girl, Rifa, using a human wave tactic?”
“No, wait!”
However, as Mitsuki spoke, I interjected.
It’s true that I couldn’t break the door, and I got lost afterward, but I hadn’t gained absolutely no results.
“Actually, I found this earlier!”
Saying that, I presented a red stone I was holding, as if to say “Ta-da!” but…
“…What is this?”
Mitsuki cocked her cat ears suspiciously.
“…Ah, Ringo?”
Ringo even mistook it for food.
I thought, “These guys…” but then realized that neither of them had ever seen Rifa’s appearance before.
There was no way they would understand. I had to explain from the beginning.
“When I saw this stone, I thought I’d seen a similar color somewhere before, and it immediately clicked.
Rifa was wearing a necklace with a red stone.
But I haven’t seen any other items like it.
So I thought, perhaps it’s an item made from something ‘special’ that can only be found in this labyrinth.”
Mitsuki tilted her cat ears in a puzzled manner at my boastful words.
“You’re saying the girl’s necklace is made from some mineral unique to this labyrinth?
But even if we know that, it won’t help us find her…”
“No, it will be useful.”
I cut off Mitsuki as she was about to continue.
In fact, this was the main point.
“When I hold this stone, I feel a strange pull towards something.
If this and Rifa’s red necklace are made of the same material, they might be attracting each other.
In other words, if we follow where this stone leads, Rifa will surely be there!!”
As I stated powerfully, Kuma clapped with a sound of “Ooh.”
Unfortunately, his paws couldn’t make a sound due to their material, but I was still happy.
Seeing this, however, Ringo…
“…Don’t spoil him.”
She chided Kuma, and I felt a bit sad.
“An-anyway, everyone, follow me!”
As if shaking off that feeling, I gave a deliberately loud command.
From being lost, I had turned into the leader, and I started walking at the front.
To Rifa’s location!
“…I can’t believe we actually found her…”
Mitsuki’s cat ears drooped in astonishment as she muttered.
Following the stone’s pull, we truly found Rifa ahead.
Her necklace was still glowing red, and the stone in my hand was also glowing as if calling out to it.
My hypothesis had been perfectly correct.
I felt triumphant internally, but I made an effort not to show it, and I explained the general situation to the sacrificed girl, Rifa.
She turned out to be surprisingly intelligent, and as soon as I gave her a brief overview, she understood.
Perhaps I could tell her everything.
With that judgment, I revealed that all the villagers of Saiga Village were cultists, and that the village chief, her ‘father,’ was a demon.
I thought she might not believe me, but she seemed to have thought of it before.
Although shocked, she seemed to accept the truth.
Unfortunately, however, I couldn’t remove her necklace.
It seemed to be an unremovable, indestructible piece of equipment even in this world.
With Rifa found, one concern was reduced, but the danger of her being sent to the altar when the quest progressed still remained.
Trusting that the Knights’ Order would subdue the village, all we could do was wait in the labyrinth for now.
While conversing with Rifa, we were leisurely heading back toward the adventurers when…
“—?!”
Suddenly, as we were walking, Mitsuki’s ears twitched sharply, sensing something unusual.
And at the same time…
“Soma, the wall…!”
Prompted by Ringo, I looked in that direction, just as the text written on the wall was changing.
The wall symbols that were ‘+ |L’ had changed to ‘+ ±’.
Although it’s hard to tell, these represent the Chinese numerals ‘eighteen’ and ‘seventeen’ respectively.
These numbers represent the number of deaths required for ‘that person’s’ revival as desired by the cultists, and it’s also a countdown to a forced Game Over.
When this number reaches zero, “that person” will be revived, and a forced Game Over will be triggered.
No, even more importantly, the fact that the number on the wall decreased means…
“Did someone get killed in this labyrinth?”
While I was stunned, the numbers on the wall changed rapidly.
From ‘Sixteen’ to ‘Fifteen.’
It decreased again to ‘Fourteen,’ and in an instant, to ‘Twelve.’
The numbers were decreasing at an abnormal rate. People were dying.
(Could it be that the adventurers have started killing each other again?
But I explained everything thoroughly.
And even so, this pace is…)
To my bewildered self, Mitsuki said in a sharp voice.
“I can faintly hear sounds of battle from the west entrance.
Something seems to be happening there.”
“The entrance!?”
It was the opposite direction from where the adventurers were.
This anomaly must have occurred independently of the quest participants. I made a decision immediately.
“Ringo, Kuma! Take Rifa and return to Raiden’s group!”
“…Okay, understood.”
After a slightly longer than usual silence, Ringo nodded.
I think she was sad that she couldn’t come with us, but I couldn’t just leave Rifa alone.
Considering mobility, this was the only option.
“…Be careful.”
Seeing us off with Ringo’s words, Mitsuki and I dashed through the labyrinth.
While searching for Rifa, we had apparently returned quite close to the entrance.
As we were about to see the entrance, I encountered an unexpected person.
“Maki!?”
I didn’t even have time to wonder why Maki was inside.
“It’s a disaster, Soma!!”
Maki, unusually flustered, ran toward me.
And from her mouth came a shocking truth.
“—All the cultists in the village have started committing suicide by entering the labyrinth!!”
The ‘Labyrinth of Sacrifice’ quest is far from over…!!
Another 10,000 characters have been exceeded, so this will be split.
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I have published a work titled “My Only Wish as a Lonely Person,” which I briefly mentioned in the afterword of Chapter 84.
While the style may not be entirely suited for Narou, I would be happy if those who have similar tastes would read it.
