The destruction and rebirth of a planet, long after the Ash King Creation Incident.
One of countless lights in the vast expanse of space.
The Grey Star, where order and chaos, prayer and curses intertwine, is still noisy today.
The world has been reborn.
Life that had remained asleep due to the “black tears” was revived by the World Tree, and its form dramatically changed by immense magic power. Phenomena incomprehensible to current humanity filled the world. It was a turbulent time where they clashed, killed each other, and mingled, all while vying for supremacy – a world that could be called the War Era.
All manner of threats, miracles, and curses exist in this world.
The great forests that originally regulated the planet’s atmosphere.
Now, struck by all manner of natural disasters, they have become the territories of the divine beasts born from them: the Misra Tropical Rainforest.
Curses that spilled from the wars that created this world, dragons now freed from their roles.
An insane, illegal construction that piles mountain upon mountain, the Kurou Dragon Mountain Range, whose full extent no one can grasp.
Cataclysms that occurred during the world’s rebirth, resulting in endless waterfalls plunging into the abyss.
Beyond them, the underground world that once existed only in myths: the
“It” is a newly fallen visitor. It fell from the sky, burned its surroundings, and devoured all life.
Not yet a concrete existence, merely an egg waiting for the day it will hatch: the Starstone, Pandora.
A place inhabited by spirits, once created by human hands but now beyond their grasp.
It is said that reaching it grants any miracle in this world: the
An evil black meteor that appeared simultaneously with the world’s rebirth.
A demonic god that sometimes saves humanity and sometimes brings about its ruin: the “twin baleful stars of black.”
And, appearing from the lost Ark, the symbol and beginning of this world.
Gathering prayer and curses within itself, bestowing fortune and misfortune upon all life: the
All manner of inexplicable, wonderful blessings, and fearsome curses exist, and they continue to be born anew. Humanity, which once reigned and consumed all resources, has been dragged from its position of dominance—but not entirely relinquished its claim.
The Arnold United Nations, uniting those who possess a connection to spirits that have become pure mystery, sharing their power without monopolizing it, descending from the Ark and gathering under the great Wise King.
The Elve Machine Roar Federation, bringing together and consolidating national organizations that survived from before the incident, achieving a fusion of mechanical technology and magic, locked in a standoff with the “King” who led the world to ruin once again during the restoration of human society.
The Self-Defense Force, J District, forged by a man of intense crimson, an army that has ascended to become a power. A combat unit that carves through nature with overwhelming command and thorough combat techniques.
Those who offer prayers to the World Tree. A super-giant new religion that has taken form, uniting all faiths within and without the Ark. The Shinjukyo-dan, Golden Fruit, deeming all existing mysteries sacred, aiming for coexistence rather than opposition.
The Three Sages, strange wandering travelers. Appearing from nowhere, they give wisdom, healing, and virtue to people, then depart. A reverent title for three men, which nature itself came to call them.
The Adventurer’s Guild, Planet Expeditionary Force, led by a heroic woman called Kaminari, who gathered the nameless daredevils known as Adventurers. She and her followers aim for exploration with the flying fortress Garuda soaring through the sky.
And the horrifying demonic castle God-Devouring Uuga, a mobile fortress that roams the sky, devouring even gods, appearing everywhere. The fearsome Ash King, who created and destroyed worlds, glares down upon the world from the heavens with the fallen heroes.
These are but a part. The diverse human powers grow, clashing and cooperating at times, struggling to expand their world against the dangerously fierce natural world, continuing their endeavors today.
In a corner of such a world…
***
Labyrinths are as alluring as the sweet nectar that tempts flying insects to wise flowers.
Even if that nectar is poison, leading to death, its allure never fades.
– Excerpt from the preface of the Collection of Aphorisms by Nameless Adventurers (Book)
“Lies. All of it is lies. What kind of nectar? You damn fool.”
In the center of a labyrinth, where plants grew so densely they blocked out the light and strange bird calls echoed, a boy with gray hair spat curses at a sentence that suddenly popped into his head. The crimson angel flitting around him pointed to the flowers deep in the thicket in response to his lament.
“There’s nectar, alright. But it’s poisonous nectar that melts you to the bone the moment you touch it… I guess we should have brought Yuri too.”
“Is Yuri taking the day off?”
“Nope. She’s single-handedly beating the ‘guests’ from Elve.”
“She’s already called ‘the most ferocious of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Ashen Flame,’ but she’s going to get even worse nicknames.”
“Wait, I don’t know about any Four Heavenly Kings. What is that, sister?”
The place they were in was the forest. However, it wasn’t a normal forest area with properly growing plants. This was a part of a Dome that humanity once used. With the planet’s rebirth, many of humanity’s facilities sank into nature. However, their functions were not lost; instead, they were revitalized, maintained their power, and became Labyrinths that brought much bounty to humanity if conquered.
What Ul, currently exploring as the Ash King, was after was one of these heritages that nature had reclaimed from humanity. Ul and his group were continuing their investigation to acquire the miraculously and dramatically evolved Production Dome—but their work was proving difficult.
“It’s become a labyrinth, completely and utterly…”
“Ul, look, look, it’s a giant fruit. It’s hanging heavy.”
“Wow, really. It looks delicious, growing so well on the corpses of trespassers. I definitely don’t want to eat it.”
Diz, who was cheerfully smiling at Ul, said this. Her hair had grown, and she tied it neatly behind her back. She looked around with apparent interest. If this hadn’t been a crisis of life, Ul would have enjoyed it too.
“There are a lot of plants I’ve never seen before. It seems like the space inside the dome was cut off, and they evolved independently.”
“I wish it were safe then…”
The marshy ground caught their feet, insects carried disease and poison, and the plants, more greedy than beasts, tried to devour living creatures. The shrieks and cries of unknown flora and fauna echoed continuously. What sounded like a human cry for help turned out to be a malicious trap where a carnivorous plant mimicked the victim’s voice.
Even the Last of the Great Sin Labyrinth, when the Ark was flying, didn’t feel this blatant. Moreover, the problem was that this labyrinth had multiple layers, and the ground beneath them could randomly collapse. Without warning or discernible signs, it could suddenly fall like a trapdoor.
In fact, one person had already fallen.
“Where did Kosuke even fall to? He’s not dead, is he…?”
Kosuke, who had accompanied them, had pitifully fallen. There was no time to stop his fall at all.
“He’s in full gear made by Davine, and Jain and the others went down first, so he’s probably not dead, but are you worried?”
“I promised him I’d lend him D&G III next time, so it would be a problem if he died.”
“That’s a terrible motive.”
Well, he probably wasn’t dead. Ul thought so. He had become quite tough in the past few years. Although there were still parts of him that were precarious, Ul was just as precarious, so he didn’t think too deeply about it. In any case, the important thing now was how to resolve this labyrinth phenomenon and reclaim this place for humanity. Since they had already received an advance payment from a transaction with J District, they couldn’t just blow it up to solve the problem.
That’s why they were trying not to move much and waiting for the investigation results… As Ul was thinking this, a silver-haired girl descended from the sky. She reached out her hand to Ul, and he immediately embraced her.
“Ul.”
Shizuku, whose hair had been cut short, offered Ul a smile that had begun to appear quite naturally.
“How was it, Shizuku?”
“It was difficult.”
With that one word, Ul’s face contorted, the opposite of her cheerful demeanor. Not just Ul, but everyone present grimaced.
“…What happened?”
“It seems the entire dome has turned into a single monster.”
“…In other words?”
“This is its stomach.”
“No wonder my skin is tingling! Eschel—Teleportation—!”
He said this and called out to Eschel, but there was no reply. She should have been with them, but her figure was nowhere to be seen. Ul, feeling suspicious, scanned the direction she had been. Then…
“H…elp… me…”
She was sinking into the pulpy sac of a giant carnivorous plant that had sprouted from the ground, with only her arms sticking out from the earth.
“WHOAAAAA!!!! QUEEN, DON’T DIE SO EASILY!!!”
“Ugh, uwaa…”
Ul pulled out the listless queen. Eschel, who was increasingly gaining the trust of many as the Queen of Uuga, was crying, covered in slime. In the chaotic situation, Shizuku surveyed the surroundings and stated calmly.
“Ul. It’s activating. Digestion will probably start soon.”
“Let’s move!”
Ul shouted and pulled out the Dragon Fang Spear. The Roar released from his jaws dispersed aimlessly, instantly incinerating the plants surging towards Ul and his companions—but that was only a temporary measure. The plants regenerated immediately and pressed in again.
The situation began to become desperate. As usual.
“Can I just blow up this entire forest?!”
“It’s an important facility for the restoration of humanity, so no.”
“There seem to be useful plants too, so we can’t leave them or Gruffin will scold us later. Still…”
Rine, observing the scene from the rear, looked at their predicament with an expression of tired exasperation, far beyond mere familiarity.
“It’s a crisis for the entire Ash King Army. How many times has this been now?”
“Around five or six times. Should we ask Lady Sua and the others for rescue?”
“In exchange, the Ash King will be taken out for about a week.”
“Yeah, I want to go on a date again soon. Let’s call them, definitely.”
“Your dignity as my brother is being sold cheap.”
While conversing, Rine deployed several white divine formations in the air, forcibly manipulating the surrounding plant environment. Diz gripped an altered Akane as her sword, and Ul, carrying Eschel on his back, ran with Shizuku. The ground, the walls, and all the creatures within writhed, trying to swallow them. Ul shouted.
“Once we’re back, I’m never exploring a labyrinth again!”
“I’ve heard you say that a hundred times.”
“I’ll say it ten thousand times!!!”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Shizuku laughed cheerfully, and Ul looked up at the sky with annoyance.
Though their story may end, their adventures continue.
