Chew, chew.
I savored the jerky, trying to make it last.
It was a special high-calorie jerky, made for explorers.
If someone asked why I was eating breakfast so late, the answer was simple.
This was our last meal.
Chew, chew.
We had run out of food.
It meant we wouldn't be eating anything until we reached the 8th floor.
Maybe that's why...
Chew, chew.
It tasted even better than usual—
'What? Where did it go?'
I was lost in the blissful taste of the jerky when I realized it was gone.
"It's... already gone?"
Seriously? This was our last meal!
I'm still starving!
And why were the rations the same for everyone when our calorie needs were different?
Rumble.
This was discrimination!
Mages and paladins were weaklings with low metabolisms, and they didn't even have to exert themselves. They just had to wave their staffs and chant their spells.
But they get the same amount of food as the warriors who risk their lives on the front lines?
This was an insult!
If I were a competent leader, I would never—
'Wait, I'm the leader.'
Right, what can I do?
I didn't want it to be like this.
But if I gave special treatment to the warriors, they would accuse me of favoritism.
So I had to set an example.
'Well, it seems like a failed policy.'
I had earned the indifference of the other professions and the resentment of the warriors.
Ah, how do I know they resent me?
Because I'm one of them.
"Heh heh heh."
"Mister, what's wrong?"
"Warriors always laugh when they're in pain."
"Is... is that a laugh?"
Erwen approached me, her face contorted with disgust.
Then she smiled and offered me something.
"J-jerky...?"
"Yes!"
"You're... giving this to me...?"
"Yes!"
I couldn't believe it, but she nodded without hesitation.
I stared at the jerky, and then I realized what I was doing.
"N-no! I'm not hungry! You eat it!"
"You should at least try to control your expression when you're lying."
My expression? What does she mean?
Erwen summoned a water spirit and shaped it into a mirror.
I saw my reflection.
I was grinning like an idiot.
"..."
"See? That's a real smile. Hehe."
"..."
"Just eat it. I'm fine. The others are also sharing their food with you."
"...What?"
What is she talking about?
Amelia answered my question.
"The ranged attackers saved some of their rations. They're sharing it with the warriors."
"They saved it? How? It would have spoiled."
"They're talking about after we entered the cave. There haven't been any blizzards since then."
"Ah, right..."
I was so focused on my hunger that I had forgotten about that.
Anyway, that wasn't the important part...
"Are you serious? They're sharing their food with others?"
"You can see for yourself."
Okay, I have to see this.
"Halt!"
I used my authority as the leader to stop the expedition.
It was time for a break anyway.
"Oh, a break!"
"Finally!"
"Quartermaster! Blankets! Give us some blankets! We need to get some sleep!"
The paladin activated [Purge Evil], creating a safe zone, and the members collapsed on the ground, exhausted.
And...
Thud, thud.
I walked towards the rear, observing the scene.
Erwen was right.
"Here, have this."
A paladin was offering food to a warrior.
And...
"...J-jerky...? For me?"
The warrior looked at him with suspicion and disbelief.
"Yes, you must be tired."
"A-are you... in love with me? Then I can't accept this. I have a wife and children in the city—"
"It's not like that, so don't worry."
"What? You're giving me jerky without even loving me...?"
The warriors were shocked, but they quickly devoured the jerky.
It was happening everywhere.
"I-I'll never forget this debt! I'll repay you with my life!"
Countless warriors were making vows, their eyes filled with tears.
It was a heartwarming scene.
"My policy... wasn't a failure..."
The expedition force was united, helping each other.
"Schuitz? Did you say something?"
"Ah, Jun... it's nothing."
"Yes, but what are you doing here...? Is it related to the sudden halt?"
I nodded, even though I had just come here to get some jerky from Erwen.
I had to maintain my dignity as the leader.
"How's the mood?"
"The mood...?"
"We ran out of food this morning. Are there any complaints?"
"They're strong people. They've been through worse. They understand that this is unavoidable."
"I see..."
I wasn't really interested in the mood, so I just nodded and left.
_______________________
As I was returning to the front lines after my conversation with Jun,
"Oh, Schuitz! Thanks for last time!"
"You look even thinner than before."
"Here, have some of mine."
The warriors greeted me warmly.
It was probably the biggest change since Pike Neldain's execution.
We had to fight together on the front lines whenever a major battle occurred, so it was natural for us to form a bond.
But it wasn't just the warriors.
"..."
"..."
The other professions weren't as friendly, but their gazes had softened.
They used to glare at me and whisper behind my back...
It was a heartwarming change.
'This is all thanks to Neldain.'
A common enemy unites a group.
His betrayal had shifted the blame from me to him.
And I was the one who exposed him.
My reputation had naturally improved.
"Schuitz, that guy... I can't tell if he's smart or stupid."
"I heard he suggested eating monster meat and got scolded by his teammate..."
"He's a bit eccentric, but not stupid. He helped us catch the traitor."
"Ah, that? I heard the mage did all the work, and he just took the credit."
Haha, there was another traitor among them.
I wanted to punish them...
But I changed my mind after hearing their conversation.
"A capable leader knows how to choose his subordinates. And besides, he's a good guy."
"That's... true. I haven't talked to him much, but he seems kind."
"He's always the first to volunteer for the dirty work, even though he could just order others around."
"That's the kind of person you want on your side when things get tough."
So they were just ordinary companions.
Thud, thud.
I reached my team's position as the 20-minute break was ending.
"Mister! See? I told you!"
"Yes, you were right."
"Now, eat this! Don't be shy, everyone's doing it."
"Ah, I already ate on the way here."
"Hehe, good job! I'm the only one who cares about you, right?"
"Yes, you're the only one."
I finished the conversation and leaned against the wall, fiddling with the ring.
Amelia approached me.
"Are you thinking about why the ring stopped glowing?"
"That's right..."
No. 6111 Fate Tracker.
The Traffic Light Ring, as I called it, had suddenly stopped working.
It happened four days ago.
"It's strange. A detected fate wouldn't just disappear for no reason."
"That's what I'm saying."
It was a baffling phenomenon.
Nothing significant had happened...
"Schuitz, it's time to go."
Ah, already?
"Everyone, get up! We're moving! And if you took anything out of the sleds, put it back before we leave."
I stretched my stiff muscles and noticed Raviyen chewing on something.
"Raviyen, didn't you finish your breakfast? Where did you get that jerky?"
"Ashid gave it to me."
"...Ashid?"
Did she take it by force?
I looked at Ashid, and he chuckled.
"I gave it to her willingly, don't worry."
"But you're also struggling, aren't you?"
"Haha, that's what companions are for. And besides, I need Raviyen to be strong so she can protect me."
"...I see."
It didn't seem like she had forced him, but I felt uneasy.
Could he be interested in her?
'No, that's ridiculous.'
There's a huge age gap between them.
_______________________
20th day in Ice Rock.
We finally reached the end of Ice Rock.
'I didn't expect us to arrive exactly on the 20th day.'
We had allocated 20 days for traversing Ice Rock.
But we had encountered several unexpected events, and we had to push ourselves to make it on time.
'Maybe the schedule was too tight from the beginning.'
We had taken the inexperience of the members into account when planning the expedition.
But we only had their information on paper.
We didn't know their actual skills.
The expedition force was strong offensively, but lacked in safety and mobility.
Well, I guess that's to be expected for a team created for war, not exploration.
"Mister, what are you thinking about?"
"...Nothing."
I shook off my thoughts and looked around.
The bottom of the Eye of the Glacier, marked with a giant eye-shaped pattern.
"Everyone, calm down and wait! We'll draw lots in order!"
We had reached the portal to the 8th floor, but the atmosphere was chaotic.
It was understandable.
This was Ice Rock, a desolate wasteland where no one came.
We were the first ones here this season.
"How are we going to decide the order?"
"It doesn't matter, let's just hurry up and get this over with. I'm starving."
"What? Then you can just leave!"
"Leave? I wasn't even planning to participate! I'm a mage!"
The maximum number of people for the Bonding spell was six.
And the first clear experience points were also limited to six people.
So we decided to draw lots.
It was purely based on luck, regardless of rank or achievements.
"Damn it! Why is mine blank?!"
"Hey! Don't even think about using your abilities to peek inside the box! I'm watching you!"
"Woohoo! The 8th floor! I never thought this day would come!"
Cheers and groans filled the air as the line shortened.
"Aren't you disappointed?"
Raviyen approached me and asked.
"Disappointed about what?"
"You're the expedition leader. You could have just taken a spot for yourself."
"Ah, that..."
It had been discussed among the team leaders.
They had suggested that we take the experience points ourselves and leave one spot for the others.
Kaislan had even argued that we should give the last spot to the one with the most achievements.
He really knew how to handle his subordinates.
"...Are you listening?"
"Yes, I am."
"Why did you give it up so easily?"
Raviyen asked, and I shrugged.
She already knew the answer.
"Damn it, it's blank."
Amelia returned, clicking her tongue.
"Schuitz, it's your turn."
"How many are left?"
"One."
I see...
I discreetly turned my head and counted the remaining explorers.
'Four left.'
So the probability was 1 in 4.
And...
'There's no Hans among them.'
All signs pointed to good fortune.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A cold wind swept through the chasm, chilling me to the bone.
Swoosh.
I took off the ring.
I didn't need it now.
Thud, thud.
Fate is something you create yourself.
"Good luck."
Kaislan encouraged me as I stood in front of the box.
It was time for the final showdown.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
I let out a war cry and drew a lot.
And...
"Too bad, it's blank."
Damn it, I failed.
Why isn't there any BGM?
This is the perfect time for a dramatic soundtrack.
Thud, thud.
As I stepped aside, Raviyen walked past me.
Ah, she was next.
Could she really win—
"Is this the one with the circle?"
"Yes, congratulations."
Wow, she actually got it!
'I should have drawn last...'
I felt a pang of regret, but then...
"Can I transfer this to someone else?"
"Didn't you hear me earlier? We discussed it and decided to allow transfers."
"Really?"
Raviyen finished her conversation with Kaislan and walked towards me.
And...
"Here."
She handed me the lot.
"...?"
I couldn't understand.
She had entered the labyrinth alone so she could speedrun and get more experience points.
She was clearly in a hurry...
"Why are you giving this to me...?"
"I don't think this belongs to me."
"...What?"
I was confused, and she answered with an embarrassed smile.
"I've been watching you. You've been working the hardest."
What...
"Whoo!"
"Yeah, yeah! You led us here, you deserve it!"
"That's a shame. I was going to give it to him if no one else transferred theirs."
"Liar! You were so happy when you drew it!"
"I'm serious! I even argued for allowing transfers during the meeting!"
"Just take it! A true explorer knows how to seize an opportunity!"
The frigid air of the chasm couldn't reach me.
'It's warm...'
-x-X-x-
The lottery ended, and those who had drawn lots with circles gathered together. They quickly performed the 'Bonding' spell and then headed towards the giant stele at the center of the chasm.
Whooosh!
As I placed my hand on the stele, a portal opened, accompanied by a dazzling five-colored light.
"Hmm, this is fascinating. I can clearly feel the flow of mana, but the way it unfolds is clearly different from typical space-time magic."
"Is this your first time witnessing a portal opening?"
"Yes. Mages don't usually obsess over achievements."
The team members exchanged words as they watched the portal open, and the swirling light soon took a distinct shape.
「First to open the portal. EXP +2」
I always feel a bit cheated when opening an 8th-floor portal gives the same experience points as a 1st-floor one.
Whooosh!
The five-colored light swirled into a sphere, and I turned around. Everyone was staring at me expectantly.
Right, I'm the one who opens it, and I'm the one who enters first.
"Formation!"
We formed our ranks, anticipating potential enemies on the other side, and I stepped into the portal.
Flash!
The world was engulfed in a white light.
My vision blurred for a moment, and then...
「Entered the 8th-floor Dawn Land.」
Dawn Land.
The 8th floor of the labyrinth, also known as Down Land in the game.
「Achievement Unlocked」
Condition: Reached 8th Floor.
Reward: Soul Power permanently increased by +50.
I felt a surge of Soul Power as the achievement unlocked, similar to when I first entered the 5th-floor Great Magical Forest.
Right, they called it 'Baptism' here.
A blessing bestowed upon explorers by the Tower when they achieved a significant feat.
Whooosh!
I scanned the area, and the other team members soon followed.
"No enemies."
"That's a relief. I was worried they might be waiting for us, like in the 'Goblin Forest Battle'."
"I finally made it to the 8th floor."
"This alone makes the expedition worth it."
About half of the members had received the Baptism. Well, excluding the mages and priests, it was actually more than half.
They had reached the 'Deep Levels', after all.
"This is a strange place..."
Erwen seemed to be experiencing the 8th floor for the first time.
Amelia and Raviyen were probably the only ones with prior experience.
"Enemies or the 8th floor, I don't care! Let's eat!"
"Woohoo!"
"I need healing first! Please heal me! My fingertip has gone numb!"
I gave the order to rest before a riot broke out.
The sleds were empty, but our subspace pockets were full.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
Munch, munch, munch.
As soon as the order was given, the team members pulled out their food and devoured it.
The explorer with a minor injury, who hadn't received healing yet, stuffed his mouth with jerky and looked for a paladin.
"Mister, let's eat."
"Alright."
I joined my teammates, and we enjoyed a feast.
"I've heard about it, but I never imagined it would be this peaceful."
"You're talking about the Dawn Land?"
"Yes. It's called the Deep Levels, so I thought it would be much more dangerous..."
It wasn't a wrong assessment.
A lush green hill stood tall before us.
Beyond the hill, a vast plain stretched out, and a warm breeze carried a pleasant scent.
The change was even more drastic after shivering in thick fur coats just a few hours ago.
"You guys rest here. I'll go scout the area."
I finished my meal and left my teammates.
A leader has his duties.
And I could eat while walking.
Crunch, crunch.
I stuffed my mouth with five pieces of jerky and started exploring.
It was a luxury I couldn't even dream of a few hours ago.
But my heart was heavy.
That's why I couldn't relax and enjoy the break.
'I can't find the rift...'
The 8th-floor Dawn Land was a very small area.
It was probably the smallest field in the entire labyrinth.
And there were no monsters here.
At least not until you entered the rift.
'Someone must have cleared it already...'
There was always one rift open on the 8th floor.
The type was random, and after clearing it, two portals would open, giving you a choice.
To continue to the 9th floor.
Or to return to the 8th floor.
Either way, once the rift was cleared, a new one would spawn, and the cycle would continue.
And the problem was...
'The ones who entered the rift are probably from Noark...'
Would they continue to the 9th floor?
Or would they return to the 8th floor and farm a different rift?
If it was the latter, our current situation was quite dangerous.
They would be a large expedition force, strong enough to rival us.
'Now I understand why the royal family is so desperate...'
Being on the 8th floor myself, I could finally grasp the severity of the situation.
The royal family had lost many high-level explorers in the war two years ago.
They had recovered some of their strength through various policies, support, and the return of retired explorers...
'But the gap will only widen.'
Noark had a cheat code.
They could start on the 7th floor from day one.
They could immediately access the 8th floor and farm high-grade essences.
The difference in strength between the top explorers would become exponential in a few years.
'...But they can't remove essences, so even if their essence grades are high, their combinations must be subpar, right?'
Well, that was probably true for most of them.
After all, I had never seen anyone optimize their essence combinations as meticulously as I did.
90% of them would have haphazard builds.
But there would always be exceptions.
'...Well, that's not something I need to worry about now.'
I shook off my worries about the distant future.
I wasn't a royal loyalist who would sacrifice my life for the King.
When you're in the labyrinth, you focus on the present.
So...
"We're departing in five minutes! Get ready!"
It was time to end the precious break.
We couldn't afford to relax for too long.
"Finally saying goodbye to those damn sleds!"
I stored the sleds and supply boxes in my subspace pocket and then distributed potions, scrolls, and other combat consumables to each team.
With that, we were ready to resume our journey.
Click, click.
Everyone was in formation by the time it was time to leave.
They were starting to look like an elite force.
"Let's go!"
We marched towards the portal, maintaining our formation.
The journey to the Dark Continent was uneventful.
There were no monsters on the 8th floor, except for those in the rift. And the portal was close enough to see from the hill.
Thud, thud.
We reached the portal after about 30 minutes.
"This is the gateway to the Dark Continent, right?"
Even up close, the portal looked normal.
It was a relief.
If Noark had decided not to open the 8th-floor portal, we would have been stuck here.
'...Well, even if they hadn't opened it, someone would have eventually, because of the experience points.'
I led the way, maintaining our formation, and the other members followed, their expressions tense.
They were about to enter Noark's territory.
"Schuitz."
Kaislan called out to me just as I was about to enter the portal.
"Shouldn't you say something before we depart? Your words will boost morale."
Hmm, I don't really want to.
It feels like a waste of time.
I showed my disinterest, and Kaislan quickly added,
"Think about it! This is a historic moment! If this expedition succeeds, and if you play a crucial role in the victory... Your words will be recorded and remembered for generations to come!"
Hmm, I don't know if this is a historic moment or not.
But judging by the way he's suppressing his burning ambition, he's clearly envious of me.
'If I don't say something, he'll keep whining about it...'
Alright, let's just get it over with.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat, and Kaislan stood at attention, like a loyal guard.
"Listen up! We stand at a crossroads! Victory or defeat! Gain or loss! Doubt and fear may linger!"
"..."
"But!"
"..."
"I, Melend Kaislan, have no doubt that we will be recorded in history as victors!"
"Oooooh!"
Kaislan's team members cheered enthusiastically, while the other members looked indifferent.
'Who is he to be giving a speech?'
That's what their expressions seemed to say.
Did he sense the mood?
"And that's why!"
"...?"
"Listen well! Before we embark on this great mission bestowed upon us by the King, Schuitz will address us!"
He passed the baton to me.
What the hell, he gave a speech himself and then shoved the mic in my face?
'...Is he that desperate to be recorded in history?'
I couldn't understand his motives, but everyone has their own values.
I turned to face the team members, standing with my back to the portal.
Unlike when Kaislan was speaking, they were all looking at me with anticipation.
This is why American CEOs stir up controversy on social media.
People pay attention, even if it's out of worry or disgust.
Anyway, that wasn't important.
"Ahem..."
I cleared my throat and looked around.
The faces of my teammates, familiar after weeks of hardship and shared meals.
And then I knew what to say.
"I won't make a long speech!"
Right, I already said that back then.
About killing a lot and earning a lot.
"Let's all come back alive!"
That's enough for today.
_________________________
「Entered the 7th-floor Dark Continent.」
_________________________
The latter half of the Dark Continent, known as the Dragon's Lair.
Giant vertebrae were scattered around like ruins, and the ground was covered in skulls and bone fragments.
Clatter, clatter.
We marched forward, our footsteps muffled by the bones.
"..."
There were no conversations.
Clatter.
And no light to guide our way.
But we could still see.
We had magic.
「Liard Ashid has cast the 5th-grade support spell [Insight].」
It was a 5th-grade support spell.
Maintaining it constantly would drain a mage's mana quickly, but it was necessary.
We were deep in enemy territory.
We had to be cautious.
Clatter.
Amelia, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped.
And...
Whoosh, whoosh.
She signaled with her hands.
Enemies nearby.
The team leaders gathered at the front, and we activated the voice control magic, also known as team voice chat.
"How many?"
"Fifteen."
Hmm, that's a small clan.
They would need at least that many to explore this area.
"What's the plan? Fight?"
"Of course! They're the enemy!"
"I agree with Sir Kaislan. We should eliminate them. It's safer to reduce their numbers as we move."
The team leaders quickly reached a consensus.
Ambush and eliminate.
I agreed.
But...
"Alright, let's attack."
"Wait. If we're going to ambush them, we need to prepare. The mages and ability users need time to charge their attacks."
"Oh, you're right! We'll lead the charge."
What are they talking about?
"Do you guys not know what an ambush is?"
"...?"
I threw a bucket of cold water on their enthusiasm, and they looked at me, confused.
They've killed plenty of people, but...
Have they never ambushed anyone before?
"Just wait."
"Wait? What for?"
I explained the basics.
"We wait for them to engage with monsters, and then we attack from behind."
That's how you PK.
-x-X-x-
Before I started playing [Dungeon and Stone], the online game I enjoyed the most was a PvP-focused one.
When you created a character, you had to choose one of two factions. You would then grow your character on a different continent and fight for dominance.
The best part of the game was leading an expedition into the enemy faction's territory and stealing their field bosses.
The thrill of PK.
The satisfaction of landing the final blow on the boss.
And the sweet, sweet praise from the enemy players.
'It was a fun game.'
If it weren't for [Dungeon and Stone], I might still be playing that game.
It was that good.
'...But if I had kept playing, I wouldn't have ended up here, would I?'
That thought crossed my mind, but it was too late for regrets.
The reason that almost-forgotten game suddenly came to mind was simple.
The current situation was similar.
The Dark Continent was currently occupied by Noark.
Our expedition force had infiltrated their territory.
And most importantly...
'The same tactics work here.'
I could feel the same thrill as I did back then.
"...A-ambush!"
"How did they get here?!"
"Deal with the monsters first!"
"Aaaaargh!"
The panicked reactions of the enemy explorers.
"Y-you cowards...!"
"To think they would ambush us at a time like this!"
"I'll take you all with me!"
The sweet, sweet praise.
「Bon Dragonian defeated. EXP +7」
And the 3rd-grade monster kill, like a cherry on top.
But the best part was yet to come.
"Essence! Essence!"
Wow, did I get a reward for being a good Samaritan?
Not only had we successfully ambushed the enemy without any casualties, but the monster we killed even dropped an essence.
It was the second 3rd-grade essence we had obtained on this expedition.
"Ashid, go secure the essence."
"Yes, sir."
While the mage secured the essence, I quickly finished cleaning up the battlefield.
After all, the essence wasn't the only loot.
"Ugh, ugh... S-spare me..."
"You know I can't do that."
What the hell, is he talking to a corpse?
"Move aside."
I drew my hammer and ended their suffering.
Crack, crack, crack!
Their bodies went limp.
I confirmed their deaths and then ordered the team members to strip them of their equipment. We stored everything in our shared subspace pocket.
"Whew, with the equipment in their subspace pockets, this is a huge haul."
"We'll all be rich when we get back."
The team members were excited, even just from the visible loot.
It was understandable.
Even a 3rd-grade essence couldn't compare to the equipment of fifteen 7th-floor explorers.
And we hadn't even broken a sweat.
"Loot secured."
"Any casualties?"
"None, sir."
"Good."
I couldn't hide my satisfaction.
A clean victory in under five minutes, without a single casualty.
"...Do you plan to fight like this every time?"
"Is there a problem with that?"
"No, but..."
Akuraba trailed off.
She knew.
This was the most efficient way to ambush unsuspecting enemies.
Well, there was one drawback.
'Thirty minutes...'
The battle itself was over in five minutes, but waiting for them to encounter a monster took a long time.
But it was a minor inconvenience compared to the benefits.
It would be a much bigger loss if someone was injured or killed.
'But still...'
Kaislan cautiously approached me.
"Schuitz, it was a bit hasty to kill them all. We should have captured one and interrogated him."
Ah, he's right.
"I'll keep that in mind for the next ambush."
Kaislan's expression brightened as I acknowledged his advice.
"Mages, incinerate the bodies and erase all traces!"
We cleaned up the battlefield and then hid ourselves in the darkness.
And we continued our journey.
The silence was broken by a conversation between two team members.
"Did you see their equipment?"
"If we can pull this off ten more times... We'll be rich beyond our wildest dreams."
Well, they'll find out soon enough.
_______________________
Our routine in the Dark Continent was simple.
Thud, thud.
We moved through the darkness, concealed by shadows.
"Enemies."
When we encountered an enemy group, we waited for them to engage with monsters.
And then...
"Now!"
We ambushed them while they were distracted.
Kaboom!
Whiiiiiish!
Thud!
We focused our ranged attacks on their backline, eliminating them before they could react.
"Let's go!"
"Wipe them out!"
The melee attackers then charged in, overwhelming the remaining enemies, who were pinned down by the monsters.
Another easy victory.
'That's ten.'
We repeated this tactic throughout the Dragon's Lair, and by the time we reached the exit, we had ambushed ten enemy groups.
"Mages! Set up a sound barrier!"
"Hey! Be careful when you're looting! You're ripping off their flesh!"
The team members efficiently collected the loot and erased all traces of the battles.
A team member dragged a survivor before me.
"Leader! Here's the one you asked for!"
"Good work."
"You're welcome, sir."
We had been capturing one survivor from each battle since the second ambush.
We interrogated them for information.
It's always better to be prepared.
The labyrinth is a place where anything can happen.
And besides, I wasn't the one doing the interrogating.
"Jun."
"Leave it to me."
I just had to hand the survivor over to Jun, our official information extractor. He would take care of the rest.
For example, that the explorers we had encountered on the 8th floor were Noark's elite.
And that their base was practically empty.
We had obtained a lot of useful information through these interrogations.
The only problem was that we hadn't encountered anyone with new information lately.
"Schuitz, come here for a moment. It's urgent."
Jun called me during an interrogation.
It was unusual.
I rushed over to his tent.
The survivor was still alive.
It meant he had obtained valuable information.
"Tell me. What did you find out?"
"It's a bit ambiguous."
"Ambiguous...?"
Jun pointed at a glowing stone on the ground.
"It's a message stone."
"A message stone?"
It was a familiar item.
"He had it in his possession."
"So...?"
"Someone contacted him. What are your orders?"
As Jun asked, the message stone vibrated again.
Buzz.
How many more times would it buzz?
I didn't know.
I had to make a decision quickly.
Swoosh.
I raised my hand, signaling for time to think.
'Is it a local contact, or from further away?'
The range of a message stone was limited, depending on its quality.
But this was Noark's territory.
The contact could be from a distant location.
That was why the royal family had sent us here.
The mana wave emitter.
A device similar to a modern-day cell tower.
Noark had brought this massive device, which couldn't be stored in a subspace pocket, into the labyrinth.
It allowed them to communicate freely with their troops scattered throughout the continent and coordinate their attacks against the royal forces.
Buzz.
The stone buzzed again.
I had to make a decision.
"You, do you think this message is from someone trying to trick us?"
"...I-it's probably a routine check-in. They're just confirming our status!"
His overly enthusiastic response and stuttering made me suspicious.
"Jun, what's the probability of him trying to deceive us?"
"Very low."
It meant he was confident, even though he couldn't guarantee it.
"...I-I can do it! I'll do whatever you ask! J-just please... kill me...!"
The survivor's desperate plea helped me make my decision.
Alright, he seems trustworthy enough.
"Answer the call. If they ask if anything is wrong, tell them everything is fine."
I placed the buzzing stone in front of his face.
And...
Click.
He pressed the button.
A man's voice came from the stone.
[Finally, we've reached you.]
A deep, resonant voice that sent chills down my spine.
I recognized it instantly.
"R-Regal Vagos... sir... is that you?"
Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Crack.
So you're here too.
_______________________
I had encountered many enemies in this world.
I had crushed most of their skulls, but some were too strong for me to handle.
The Lord of Chaos, Riakis.
The Corpse Collector, Abet Necrapheto.
The Ruin Scholar, Belvev Ruinjenes.
I had a long list of enemies, but the one I hated the most was...
Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
I felt my blood boil as I heard his voice.
But...
Clench.
I had to calm down.
Now wasn't the time for revenge.
I focused on the conversation.
[Meiras, where are you?]
"I-I'm in the Dragon's Lair, hunting with my teammates!"
[...Really? Then do you know anything?]
"Know anything, sir...?"
[None of the teams I sent to the Dragon's Lair are responding.]
"I-is that so? I, I don't know anything about that. We're... we're doing fine here. Really!"
His excessive explanation and stuttering made me suspicious.
Swoosh.
Jun silently picked up an awl.
The survivor immediately corrected his tone and posture.
"That's strange. I wonder what happened to them. Perhaps they were attacked by monsters?"
He spoke calmly, without a hint of stuttering.
[Even those fools wouldn't be wiped out completely.]
"...Right, sir. Is everything alright on your end?"
He even dared to ask for information.
[For now.]
"..."
[Don't do anything stupid and wait there. I'm sending reinforcements. Join them and follow their orders.]
"Yes, sir."
[Tsk, useless fools.]
He ended the call, clicking his tongue.
"It's a shame we couldn't find out how many reinforcements he's sending."
"I agree..."
"...Are you alright? You look pale."
"It's nothing. Don't worry."
I was just trying to control my anger.
His voice had triggered a flashback...
"Oh, no."
I heard a gasp behind me.
Whoosh.
I turned around, and Erwen was standing there.
Thud.
She was holding something in her hands, but it had slipped from her grasp and fallen to the ground.
Normally, she would have picked it up... but she just stared at me.
"Erwen? What's wrong?"
I approached her, and then I noticed it.
"Wait, you're trembling..."
"T-that v-voice..."
"Calm down. What's wrong?"
"That was... t-that was him, wasn't it...?"
For some reason...
"D-dragonslayer, R-regal Vagos..."
Erwen was terrified.
-x-X-x-
Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Only a few people knew about my history with him.
My former teammates, a few high-ranking officials from the Leathlas Church, and the leaders of the Dragonkin tribe.
Erwen didn't know anything about it.
She only knew that a mage named Dwarkey had died in the labyrinth.
'Could there be some connection between them?'
Hmm, that seems unlikely.
She didn't react this way when the Marquis told me about the hidden mission to kill the Dragonslayer.
'...But she did look upset back then.'
No, she definitely looked upset.
Her lips were tightly pressed, and Amelia even asked if she was feeling unwell.
She quickly left, saying it was nothing.
'I should have investigated further.'
I can't just ignore my companion's mental breakdown.
I excused myself from Jun and calmed Erwen down.
Then I asked her what had happened.
"I-I'm s-sorry... I-I suddenly..."
"It's okay. I'm not mad. I'm just worried. What happened between you and the Dragonslayer?"
"It's... it's a long story."
Erwen hesitated for a long time before speaking.
"It happened when I was ten."
"Ten years old..."
Thirteen years ago.
A year after the war between the barbarians and the fairies ended.
That triggered a memory.
"Could it be... related to the Bloodbath?"
The terrorist attack on the fairy sanctuary.
The culprit was Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Over a thousand fairies had died that day.
And if my guess was correct...
"...Yes. My parents died that day. Protecting us... my sister, my brother, and me..."
"...I see."
Erwen had lost her parents.
Her uncle had adopted all three siblings and raised them with love, but the void remained.
Still, Erwen endured.
Her older sister, Daria, had tried to fill their parents' shoes.
But...
[That young lady is fated to follow in your footsteps.]
Fate had taken Daria as well.
The culprit wasn't the Dragonslayer, but another member of Orculus, the Ruin Scholar.
"Damn it."
"I-I'm sorry... I-I was scared when I heard his voice. He's the enemy... but I have to fight him if I don't want to lose anything else... I-I'm afraid they'll take everything from me again..."
It was understandable.
Trauma was like that.
Fear overwhelmed reason, and memories of the past resurfaced.
"I-I'm pathetic, aren't I...? I-I'm stronger now... I vowed to get my revenge... but I'm still so scared..."
"Pathetic? You're not. I'm the pathetic one."
"W-what? P-pathetic? You're not! You're amazing!"
Well, everyone has their own standards.
I had spent a lot of time with Erwen, but I didn't know anything about this.
Or rather, I hadn't tried to find out.
[...I know I have a problem.]
When I first noticed her anxiety.
If I hadn't dismissed it as a stat issue...
[I understand how you feel. Losing someone you care about.]
When we returned to the city after Dwarkey's death.
If I had thought more deeply about her words...
I might have realized the true problem sooner.
But...
"Mister..."
I couldn't dwell on the past.
It was time to solve the problem.
"Erwen."
She looked up at me with teary eyes and grabbed my hand.
She was waiting for me to say something.
I knew what she wanted to hear.
"Don't worry. The Ruin Scholar, the Corpse Collector, that damn lizard... I'll kill them all."
"...?"
I vowed, my voice firm and resolute.
"...Huh?"
That wasn't the reaction I expected.
"What? You don't believe me?"
I glared at her, and she flinched.
"N-no! I-I believe you! I do!"
Her voice lacked conviction, but I didn't press her further.
"..."
"..."
Her eyes, filled with anxiety, had calmed down.
At least for now.
_______________________
I returned Erwen to her position and took a moment to think.
'...This is strange.'
Four members of our team had a grudge against the Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Raviyen, myself, and now Erwen.
And...
'Amelia was in a similar situation.'
Well, Amelia's case was a bit different.
She was the victim, not the aggressor.
The Dragonslayer had a grudge against her for robbing him and erasing his memories.
[If he remembers, he'll be furious.]
I was surprised when I heard about the timing of the incident.
It happened right after the first thread was severed.
'So Amelia was helping me from the beginning?'
It was a strange coincidence.
I chuckled and headed towards Jun's tent.
"Aaaaaargh!"
I heard a scream as I entered.
"K-kill me! Y-you promised! Aaaaaargh!"
"I believed you when you said you had confessed all your sins and found your true self. Or rather... I was deceived."
"I-I didn't lie!"
"Then why didn't you mention the Dragonslayer? He's waiting at the base, isn't he?"
"Th-that's...!"
"You're still filled with malice—"
"I-I didn't know! I swear! They didn't tell me anything! Aaaaaargh! Kill me! Just kill me!"
The survivor, who had been screaming and thrashing, suddenly went silent.
Jun approached him and forcefully opened his mouth.
Blood was pouring out.
He had bitten off his own tongue.
"...It seems he lacks the virtue to find enlightenment."
Jun sighed and then healed the wound with divine power.
"...N-no! Please...!"
"Don't worry. I'll help you find your true self and guide you to enlightenment."
"...Demon! You're a demon! A demon!"
"...My, my."
Jun's smile didn't waver as he picked up an awl.
And...
"Ah! You're here."
He saw me and quickly gagged the survivor.
"Mmm, mmm!"
"...Did you find anything?"
"Not much. Just that there are more troops waiting at the base than we expected."
"...More troops? How many?"
"Based on his testimony, it seems like twice our number."
"What? Twice?"
This is bad.
"Why didn't we hear about this from the others? Did they deceive us?"
"No, they wouldn't lie to us. They're loyal to the cause. They probably just... didn't know."
"...I see."
That made sense.
"But if that's the case, couldn't he be mistaken?"
"Yes, it's possible. But... he said he overheard it during a communication. Routine check-ins are usually handled by the base. If the Dragonslayer is there, his team would be there as well."
"..."
"What are your orders? We'll continue the interrogation, but if the enemy has twice our number, the mission will likely fail."
"Even if we succeed, the casualties will be significant."
"...Yes."
What should I do?
Should we push forward with the original plan, regardless of the casualties?
I contemplated for a moment and made my decision.
"Jun, stop the interrogation and call the team leaders."
"You want to hold a meeting?"
"Yes."
Two heads are better than one.
Maybe they'll have some good ideas.
_______________________
Another leadership meeting during the expedition.
I shared the information from the interrogation, and the team leaders started discussing the situation.
"Twice our number? That seems unlikely. The Dragonslayer's team is just a small clan."
"Even if it's just twenty more explorers, we can't underestimate them. We're not that large of a force either."
"Yes. They're not like the weaklings we encountered earlier. They're all elite."
"So you're saying we should abandon the mission?"
"No one said that. We're just brainstorming for alternatives. That's why Schuitz called us all here."
"..."
Kaislan calmed down when I was mentioned.
Authority backed by strength demands respect.
"Anyway, if we continue with the original plan, the casualties will be significant, even if we succeed. Any ideas?"
I asked directly, and the suggestions came pouring in.
"How about we ambush them near the base and whittle down their numbers?"
"That won't work. We'll miss the rendezvous time with the main force."
"And they'll figure out what's going on. We'll lose the element of surprise. They'll be prepared."
"Kala, do you have any better ideas?"
"...What about infiltration? We could use the survivor to gain access to their base. It might work."
"But if it fails, we'll all be captured. The mission will be a failure. It's too risky. We might as well—"
Ambush, infiltration, luring them out, assassination...
We discussed various strategies, but couldn't agree on a perfect solution.
But collective intelligence is a powerful force.
"Luring them out and dividing their forces seems like the best option."
"We can use their message stones."
We finally reached a consensus.
Well, it was split into two options.
"We should lure out the Dragonslayer and eliminate him first. We can deal with the base later."
Eliminate the Dragonslayer first.
"No, we should lure them out and attack the base. That's our mission."
Or prioritize the mission.
Both options had their pros and cons.
The former would allow us to achieve two goals at once.
But...
"Akuraba, this isn't the time to be greedy for achievements. Do you think they'll fall for it so easily? They'll alert their allies before they die."
"And there's no guarantee that the ambush will succeed. If they react calmly, our casualties will be significant."
"That's what I was going to say! Even if we win, we'll be exhausted. How can we attack the base in that state?"
If it failed, the mission would be a failure.
The latter option, on the other hand, guaranteed the success of the mission.
"Everyone, calm down. It's Schuitz's decision."
Jun intervened, and all eyes turned to me.
'This is a tough one.'
It was the first time in a while that I couldn't make a decision easily.
I knew what the rational choice was.
To prioritize the mission.
But...
"We focus on the mission."
I couldn't ignore the Dragonslayer.
"Good thinking! We'll be rewarded handsomely if we succeed!"
"Reward..."
I chuckled.
Akuraba sensed something in my laughter and cautiously asked,
"Schuitz, can you tell us why? I thought you would be more ambitious."
She was right.
If I had been alone, I would have chosen the former option.
But...
"Because your lives are on the line."
"..."
"The less we fight, the more of us will return alive."
That's why I gave up on my greed.
That was the only reason.
"So, does that answer your question?"
"...Yes, it does."
Akuraba nodded, her eyes filled with understanding.
I let go of my last shred of regret.
'Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.'
It doesn't have to be today.
I'll get my revenge someday.
[We'll meet again, Dragonkin.]
That vow will be fulfilled.
-x-X-x-
Luring the Dragonslayer and his men out of their base was easy.
There's a saying that the most dangerous enemy is the one inside your own ranks.
We had 'Enlightened', the Noark explorer who had been converted by Jun, send a false message to the Dragonslayer, and he took the bait immediately.
[...You're saying there's a group of thirty explorers from the royal faction?]
"Yes! They must have crossed Ice Rock!"
[You said you were following them, right? Stay put. I'll be there soon.]
"Yes, sir!"
He fell for it again.
He was a naive one, in a way.
Back in Lalkas's Maze, if he hadn't given up on 'Tempered Desire' and given me time to recover, he wouldn't have lost his sword.
"Alright, let's move."
After luring the Dragonslayer away, we headed south, towards the Dragon's Lair.
We didn't have to worry about running into them.
We had Enlightened.
[What's your current location?]
"We're in the western region of the Dragon's Lair."
[Still heading west. Are you going to Ironfalls?]
"It seems like they are, sir!"
[Alright. We're heading that way too. Let me know if they change direction.]
"Yes, sir!"
By the time the Dragonslayer reached Ironfalls, we would be at his base.
Even if he received the message and turned back immediately, we would be long gone.
"Enemies ahead."
"Halt. We'll wait for them to pass."
After two days of forced marches and minimal combat, we arrived at a vast plain.
Our vision was limited by the darkness...
But that wasn't important.
"Finally, the Gray Plains."
The Gray Plains.
The central region of the Dark Continent, located between the Dragon's Mountain Range and the Dragon's Lair.
And...
The location of Noark's base.
"It's surprisingly deserted. I expected more activity around their base."
"It means the main force is doing a good job distracting them."
Our mission was a diversionary tactic.
The royal forces had entered the Dark Continent through the Ghostly Canyon and were engaging Noark's main force near the Dragon's Mountain Range.
Our role was to strike from behind while they were distracted.
"We'll slow down from here and move stealthily."
"I'll have the scouts spread out. We need to detect them early."
"Alright, I'll leave the details to you."
We moved cautiously through the Gray Plains, but couldn't avoid all combat.
The labyrinth was full of monsters.
Even if we avoided the explorers, we couldn't avoid the monsters.
「Void Ant defeated. EXP +4.」
「Dark Crystal defeated. EXP +6.」
「Minum defeated. EXP +5.」
「Hell Ghoul defeated. EXP +4.」
「Zambet defeated...」
「...」
Monsters emerged from cracks in the barren ground.
There were even 3rd-grade monsters among them.
"Vol-Herchan!"
It was the monster I needed for my final build.
But the battle was easy.
"What are you all waiting for? Spread out!"
"Warriors, focus on defense! The mages will finish them off!"
We had fought three 3rd-grade monsters at once in Ice Rock.
And we were well-fed.
Boom!
The Vol-Herchan, known for its high defense, put up a good fight... but it eventually fell and turned to light.
「Vol-Herchan defeated. EXP +7.」
It didn't drop an essence, but I wasn't disappointed.
I already had one.
'It's ironic.'
I never imagined I would get the essence before killing it for the first time.
The order of things was different in reality.
'The snowball effect from absorbing the Ogre essence in the early game?'
That thought crossed my mind, but the true starting point was the Corpse Golem essence.
If I hadn't absorbed it, I wouldn't have been able to kill Vampire Duke Cambormier.
"Schuitz, the scouts found their base."
We had been marching for about a day through the Gray Plains when we finally received a report.
A giant tower, guarded by about a hundred explorers.
It was definitely their base.
But there was one problem.
"...They're outnumbered."
"It seems the Dragonslayer took more troops with him than we expected."
"I see... We'll gather information first."
"I'll send out the scouts again."
"What about the others?"
"Tell them to rest and prepare for battle."
"What about Purge Evil?"
"Don't activate it. They might detect us. We can't risk losing everything for a minor advantage. If we encounter monsters, eliminate them quietly."
"Yes, sir."
I sent the scouts, who had stealth skills, to gather information. The rest of us hid in a crevice and rested.
I needed a break too.
"You look tired."
Amelia approached me and handed me a piece of jerky.
We had plenty of food now.
Crunch, crunch.
I munched on the jerky, and Amelia said something ominous.
"Schuitz, this is going too smoothly."
"Damn it..."
She had to say that, didn't she?
I had been trying not to jinx it...
"...?"
"I wasn't talking to you. What's wrong? Did you find something suspicious?"
"Not really, but..."
Amelia trailed off.
It didn't seem like she had any concrete evidence.
"Don't worry. It's not going too smoothly. We just prepared well."
"Prepared well?"
"We went through hell in Ice Rock, didn't we? And we even had a traitor among us."
"That's... true. Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."
She apologized, but it was too late.
I was already worried.
'A hundred...'
We could probably handle it.
The scouts said there weren't many notable explorers among them.
'And they're not expecting an attack from behind.'
Noark's main force was busy preventing the royal forces from crossing the Dragon's Mountain Range.
They had left a reserve force at the base, led by the Dragonslayer...
'But he's out on a mission.'
It was the perfect opportunity.
'And there's no Hans around.'
The only variable was the information the scouts might bring.
"Schuitz, the scouts are back."
"What did they find?"
"No one within a 5-kilometer radius."
There were no unexpected variables.
I had been worried it might be a trap...
But I shook off my anxiety.
"Tell the scouts they did a good job. Let them rest. Well, it won't be for long."
"...Are we attacking?"
"Yes. It's time to get ready."
It was time to end this long expedition.
_______________________
I stood in the darkness of the barren plain.
I couldn't see it, but I could sense it.
Noark's base, hidden in the darkness.
"..."
I waited patiently, my body tense with anticipation.
The expedition force was ready to attack.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
We heard a deafening roar coming from the darkness.
Any experienced explorer would recognize it.
The footsteps of a large monster.
"M-monsters!"
"Everyone out!"
The silence was shattered.
I could imagine their expressions.
"What the hell?! How many are there?!"
Panic.
"Damn it, this is bad luck! Get your weapons ready!"
Frustration.
"Why are they all coming this way?"
And confusion.
One of them figured it out.
"It's an ambush! Someone's luring them here!"
Noark explorers were known for their resourcefulness.
He was quick to catch on.
"What?!"
"An ambush...?"
"Damn it! Could it be them? The ones Regal Vagos mentioned?"
"Call for backup! Now!"
It was too late.
"Kaislan."
I called his name, and he raised the royal flag.
"Fire!"
The mages, archers, and ability users unleashed their attacks.
Kaboom!
The enemy formation was shattered.
The monsters, sensing the weakness, charged through the gap.
"Damn it! Where are they?!"
"Aaaaargh!"
"Block them!"
They tried to regroup, but we didn't give them a chance.
"Kaislan, again!"
We bombarded them with ranged attacks, and they finally located us.
But...
"There they are!"
"They're over there!"
It was too late.
Kaboom!
Boom!
Whiiiiiish!
We continued our barrage.
Buzz!
My message stone vibrated.
I knew who it was.
He was the only one who had been contacting me.
Click.
I answered the call.
[Where the hell are you?!]
He roared.
He must have received my last report, about our location.
[I'm at the spot you mentioned, but there's no one there! And I'm receiving reports of a battle near the Sky Eye!]
Sky Eye was the name of the mana wave emitter.
'So they've already attacked it.'
I understood why the royal family was so obsessed with destroying it. It had caused them significant losses.
[Are you ignoring me?! Answer me! Where are you?!]
I decided to be honest.
"Your backyard."
A little psychological warfare never hurt.
I waited for his reaction, but he was silent.
Then he spoke, his voice flat and emotionless.
[...Who are you?]
What the...?
"You'll find out if you come here."
[...This was your plan all along.]
"Of course. It's obvious, isn't it? Anyway, I'm busy, so I'll see you later. Enjoy the view while you're there."
[You won't die peacefully. I'll make sure of that.]
He threatened me, but I ignored him.
He had already used that line before.
"Yeah, good luck with that."
[What? You think this is a joke? You think I won't—]
I ended the call.
It was time for the next chapter.
Akuraba reported.
"Schuitz, we've cleared most of the monsters!"
The enemy had finished dealing with the monsters.
It was our cue.
"Charge formation!"
"Warriors, forward...!"
We stormed the battlefield, our veteran warriors leading the charge.
"Charge!"
"Wipe them out!"
The enemy tried to block us with a shield wall... but it was futile.
"Ugh!"
Our warriors broke through their lines, and we poured into their formation.
They were overwhelmed.
"They're heading for the Sky Eye!"
"Stop them!"
They realized our target and tried to stop us, but it was too late.
"Kaislan, again!"
We bombarded them with ranged attacks while our warriors held them off.
"Halt!"
We reached the Sky Eye.
We formed a defensive circle around it, protecting it from the enemy's desperate attacks.
But...
"Schuitz! Over here!"
"Hurry! We have a problem!"
Akuraba called for me.
What? A problem?
"Gregson, take over."
"Yes, sir!"
I left my position and rushed to the back.
Akuraba was standing awkwardly in front of the Sky Eye.
"What's wrong?"
"I-I've tried everything, but I can't contact the main force!"
This is bad.
-x-X-x-
Once, twice, three times, four times.
With each attempt to contact the main force, a sense of dread washed over me.
But there was nothing else I could do.
"Try again."
"Yes, sir..."
We could only keep trying.
But no matter how many times we tried, we couldn't reach them.
'...What's going on?'
Our original plan was simple.
1. Infiltrate and attack Noark's base.
2. Contact the main force at the Dragon's Mountain Range using the Sky Eye.
3. Destroy the target and escape, rendezvousing with the main force.
The main force would create a breach in the enemy lines and meet us at the rendezvous point. They would then escort us back to safety.
But...
"It's not working."
We couldn't contact the main force.
'Did they abandon us?'
That thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it.
Would they really abandon a force this large?
It didn't make sense.
Something must have happened to them.
And even if they had abandoned us, there was only one thing I could do.
Survive.
"Leader! How long do we have to hold out?!"
"Priest Cambel says he's at his limit!"
Time was running out.
We had to make a decision.
What was the best course of action for our survival?
I made my decision.
It might not be the best choice...
But it was the only one I could think of.
"Akuraba."
"Yes, sir."
"Remove the communication coordinates."
We had been trying to contact the main force at their designated frequency.
But...
"Sir? That means our messages will be broadcast across the entire continent..."
"That's what I want."
There was no point in leaving unanswered calls.
"...I understand."
Akuraba hesitated, but eventually agreed.
And...
"It's done. I've set the bandwidth to maximum."
She handed me the message stone.
Click.
I pressed the button.
I was a bit nervous.
This was like broadcasting on a radio.
Anyone with a message stone, friend or foe, would hear our message.
But...
"Listen up."
[Listen up.]
The message echoed from every active message stone in the vicinity.
It was the main force's fault.
They weren't answering our calls.
What else could I do?
"The Sky Eye is destroyed."
[The Sky Eye is destroyed.]
I had to force them to listen.
_______________________
A barren plain, shrouded in a gloomy haze.
And...
"..."
The shattered remains of the Sky Eye.
Swoosh.
A man removed his robe, revealing his disfigured face.
His skin was scarred and blistered, as if it had been burned by acid.
"...What happened here?"
The man's gaze swept across the area, and those who met his eyes quickly looked away.
"You."
He grabbed the nearest explorer by the throat.
"G-g-guh! P-please spare me! Regal Vagos, sir!"
"If you want to live, tell me what happened."
"I-I'll tell you everything! Everything!"
The explorer's desperate plea made Regal Vagos loosen his grip.
He had to hear his story before punishing him.
[I repeat, the Sky Eye is destroyed.]
[We're heading to the rendezvous point.]
The message stone went silent.
He had rushed back with his troops after receiving the message, but he still didn't know what had happened.
So...
"So you're telling me... they attacked, destroyed the Sky Eye, and escaped with mass teleportation, and you just stood there and watched?"
He felt a surge of anger.
"Th-they... they outnumbered us... Regal Vagos, sir... you took most of our troops..."
"Are you blaming me?"
"N-no, sir! I-I just meant... they ambushed us with monsters...! W-we were overwhelmed...!"
"...Useless fool."
Regal Vagos tightened his grip, and the terrified explorer blurted out a name.
"T-Titana Akuraba!"
"Titana Akuraba...?"
He knew that name.
She was one of the most famous explorers of his generation.
"That old woman was there...?"
"N-not just her! J-James Kala, the Golden Mage! K-Kaislan! There were too many famous explorers! Please have mercy...!"
The explorer begged for his life, his voice trembling, and a man approached them.
"Vagos, calm down. They did their best."
Cale Elbad Jeneger.
He was Regal Vagos's advisor.
When they received the news about the royal expedition infiltrating through Ice Rock, he had advised caution and suggested they defend their base.
That's why...
Regal Vagos felt a pang of regret, but also a surge of defiance.
"Cale, stay out of this. I'm just disciplining them."
"Then why him? Everyone is responsible for failing to protect the base. It's unfair."
"Then I'll punish them all."
The other explorers flinched, and Cale sighed, playing his trump card.
"...The Captain won't be happy."
The leader of Orculus.
The Traitor, Ricardo Liuhen Praha.
"You bastard...!"
Regal Vagos grabbed Cale's collar, but that was all.
He couldn't ignore that name.
"The Captain will be back soon. He'll want to know what happened. We should wait for his orders."
"...Tsk."
Regal Vagos calmed down.
He had already disobeyed the Captain's orders by leaving the base.
He didn't want to cause any more trouble.
But...
"The Blood Spirit Marquis's man? Lihen Schuitz?"
"Y-yes! I'm sure! He was the expedition leader! I heard them call him Schuitz! And... he used [Gigantification]!"
Regal Vagos flinched as he investigated the one who had tricked him.
[Gigantification]...
He felt a strange sense of familiarity.
"Cale!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Bring me the message stone."
Cale obeyed without hesitation.
Regal Vagos snatched the stone from him.
And...
Click.
He played the recording.
[Your backyard.]
[You'll find out if you come here.]
[Yeah, good luck with that.]
The familiar voice that made his blood boil.
He replayed the recording over and over.
Click, click, click.
And then he chuckled.
"...No wonder it sounded familiar."
He finally remembered.
[I repeat, the Sky Eye is destroyed.]
[We're heading to the rendezvous point.]
The enemy he had forgotten for over three years, thanks to Amelia Rainwales' betrayal.
The thief who had stolen his precious sword.
He thought he was dead.
"So you're alive."
The royal family must have known.
Or they wouldn't have appointed him as the expedition leader.
"Bjorn Yandel."
He muttered the name, his voice filled with anger.
"Cale! Gather the troops! We're going after them!"
"But the Captain isn't back yet—"
"I'll take responsibility."
It was time for a rematch.
_______________________
Deadwood.
A field located in the western region of the Dragon's Mountain Range.
It was firmly under Noark's control, and the royal forces had never breached its defenses.
And...
Our rendezvous point.
"..."
We waited in silence.
We believed that the main force would come for us.
"..."
We hid among the branches of giant, withered trees, our hearts filled with anxiety.
It had been three days.
"They should have arrived yesterday if they left immediately after receiving our message."
"Why... why aren't they coming?!"
"Kaislan, keep your voice down! We can't use the voice control magic anymore."
We had been encouraging each other, hoping for a swift rescue... but the mood was starting to turn sour.
It was understandable.
That morning, we had our first casualty.
'Philip Aintropy.'
He was an explorer on Melend Kaislan's team.
A navigator.
He had specialized in navigation skills like [Current Control], [Weight Reduction], and [Over Supply].
He had died during a battle that morning.
We had enough mana to maintain the stealth magic... but the mages were exhausted.
The spell had momentarily deactivated.
Noark explorers, who were searching the area, had spotted us.
We had been forced to fight, and Philip had been killed instantly. His skull had been crushed.
And now...
"Schuitz, this place isn't safe anymore."
The team members were panicking.
They knew that Noark would eventually realize that one of their members was missing.
They would intensify their search.
We had already noticed an increase in enemy patrols.
"We have to make a decision."
"Wait, what do you mean? A decision?"
"We can't stay here forever. If the rescue team isn't coming, we have to leave."
"...What?! Are you saying the royal family abandoned us?!"
"I didn't say that. But... they're not responding to our messages... If something happened to them, we have to adapt."
"That makes sense, but I disagree. We're exhausted. How far can we go in this state? We'll be wiped out if they find us."
"So you're saying we should just wait here? For how long? The mages' mana will run out in two days! We'll be wiped out then!"
The team was divided.
'Damn it...'
I sighed inwardly.
I already knew.
We had to make a choice.
'This is driving me crazy.'
We had three options.
First, stay here and wait.
The best-case scenario was a swift rescue.
But the worst-case scenario...
'We'll die here.'
Second, break through to the royal faction's territory.
Deadwood was less important than the Dragon's Mountain Range, so the enemy defenses would be weaker.
That's why we had chosen it as the rendezvous point.
It wasn't a completely impossible plan.
But...
'We're outnumbered.'
Even if 10% of us survived, it would be a miracle.
And the worst-case scenario would be the same as the first option.
'Should we go somewhere else?'
The third option was a waiting game.
Just like their base was empty while the main force was at the front lines... there might be a safe haven somewhere else in the Dark Continent.
'We destroyed the Sky Eye, so they won't know our exact location.'
But it was the riskiest option.
We would be exposed to countless variables for a longer period of time.
Even if everything went perfectly, there would be casualties.
'We're all dead if it goes wrong, no matter what we choose.'
I couldn't help but laugh.
If we were all going to die anyway...
Shouldn't we choose the option with the best chance of a good outcome?
The royal family was responsible for this.
They should take responsibility.
"...What?! No! We can't just give up! The main force will come for us...!"
I ignored Kaislan's protest and spoke.
Even if I wasn't sure about the choice.
"Get ready. We're leaving."
"You're not waiting for the main force?"
"Yes. We've waited long enough."
I looked at Kaislan and smiled.
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility."
-x-X-x-
When faced with a desperate situation, people tend to cling to hope.
If we do this, and then this, and then this...
Wouldn't everything work out?
They lose sight of reality, blinded by the faintest glimmer of hope, wasting precious time on countless 'what ifs'.
Years, even decades.
We were a seasoned expedition force, but we were still human.
"...You're saying we're leaving?"
My decision was met with immediate resistance.
"That's a reckless decision!"
"W-we should wait a little longer! Maybe something happened to them, maybe they're just delayed..."
"We're surrounded by Noark! How far can we possibly go?!"
Objections spread like wildfire.
It was understandable.
It was the most hopeful option.
If the rescue team arrived, we would all survive.
The crisis would be over, and we could return to the city and live happily ever after.
The hardships we had endured would become nothing more than a story to tell over drinks.
But...
'It's dangerous.'
I knew.
The situation wasn't that desperate yet.
True despair came when all hope was lost, when the golden time had passed.
There was no point in regretting it then.
We had to act now.
"What are you all talking about? Have you all lost your minds?"
I used harsh words to snap them out of their delusion.
It was a kind of shock therapy.
"We had a traitor in Ice Rock. When we reached the Sky Eye? We couldn't contact the main force, no matter how many times we tried. And now?"
"..."
"It's been three days, and there's no word from them. Just a delay? The rescue team is on its way? That's a joke. If that was true, Noark wouldn't be swarming this area. They would have been sent to the front lines to stop the royal forces."
I took a breath and continued.
"Listen carefully."
"..."
"We've been abandoned."
I didn't believe it myself.
But I had to break their false hope.
"W-what?! Why would the royal family abandon us?!"
I didn't know.
Maybe something had happened, maybe they couldn't reach us.
I believed that was the most likely scenario.
But it didn't change the outcome.
"If they didn't abandon us, why aren't they here?"
"That's..."
The explorer trailed off, his jaw clenching.
"...So you're saying we should leave?"
"Yes."
"In this state? We're all exhausted! We'll all die—"
"What's the difference if we stay here?!"
The mages activated the 'Voice Control' spell, despite their depleted mana.
I shouted.
"Open your eyes!"
"..."
"Whether you like it or not, they're not coming!"
My words silenced the team.
They couldn't refute it.
They had been feeling it too.
The doubt, the fear.
"..."
"..."
I spoke, breaking the silence.
"I'm not dying here."
"..."
"Are you?"
A member of Kaislan's team answered.
"...No one wants to die."
"Good. Then follow me. Kill the enemy, protect your comrades. That's more meaningful than waiting here to die."
I looked at the team members, perched on the branches of the giant tree.
They didn't seem convinced.
It was understandable.
Lihen Schuitz.
An unknown explorer, a nobody.
They had seen some of my skills, but...
How could they trust me in this situation?
They looked at their team leaders.
And...
"We follow the light."
Jun was the first to speak.
He bowed deeply, his gesture exaggerated and theatrical.
"The 4th Team will walk the path of hardship with you."
Next was Kaislan.
"The royal family appointed Lihen Schuitz as the leader of this expedition. To question his judgment and defy his orders is treason."
His introduction was lengthy, but it could be summarized in one sentence.
"The 5th Team will obey your command."
He even knelt on one knee, as if pledging his loyalty.
It was unexpected.
He had been so skeptical during the leadership meeting.
"The 2nd Team is different."
Akuraba spoke.
"It's not blind faith, nor fear of the law. I simply agree with his decision. I don't think the royal family is coming."
"So?"
I pressed her for an answer.
"The 2nd Team will follow you."
Okay, that leaves one team.
The 3rd Team, led by James Kala.
James Kala looked troubled.
"I..."
He seemed pressured by the other team leaders' actions.
But he quickly shook his head.
"I agree. It's pointless to object. I'm just a simple man, I follow the majority."
It was a typical James Kala response.
But his sincerity resonated with the other members.
"...It's over."
"He's already made his decision, what's the point of arguing?"
"Haha, I never trusted the royal family anyway. They've screwed us over countless times. I'll take care of myself."
"I'll hold them accountable for this. But first, we have to survive."
I looked at the murmuring team members and clenched my fist.
Alright, let's do this.
_______________________
"The patrols have increased. They must have realized one of their members is missing. What should we do?"
We had to move.
"We'll use the Multiple Teleportation spell."
That was our plan.
But...
"The mages will be exhausted after casting such a powerful spell. And they'll be able to track us."
Noark would be able to track the residual mana from the spell.
But we didn't have a choice.
"We have to risk it. We can't stay hidden forever with this many people."
"But..."
"The Sky Eye is destroyed. They can't communicate freely anymore. It's our best chance to create distance."
The team leaders expressed their concerns, but didn't object.
Okay, that settles that.
"Where are we going after the teleportation?"
The next step was simple.
"North."
We were heading for the northern region of the Dark Continent.
"...Not south, towards the royal faction?"
"That's right."
There was only one reason.
The scouts could only track our teleportation destination.
They wouldn't know where we went after that.
"You're trying to mislead them. They'll send their troops south, leaving the north undefended."
"Exactly. We'll hide in plain sight. Until the labyrinth closes."
"I see... Did your advisor come up with this plan?"
They still didn't believe I could come up with something like this.
It was fine.
"Get ready. They'll be here soon."
"...Yes, sir."
I shared the plan with the team leaders, and they relayed it to their teams.
Tadat.
We descended from the tree.
We couldn't hide while the mages were casting the spell.
"It's been three days since I last touched the ground."
The five mages quickly began drawing the magic circle.
Swaaaaaaaaaaa!
The Multiple Teleportation spell required a massive amount of mana to transport twenty-eight people.
Anyone with a keen sense for mana would notice.
Please, just a little more time...
"..."
We formed a protective circle around the mages, our backs to the giant tree.
"Mister, someone's coming. They're fast."
Erwen's voice was low and urgent.
And then...
"...They stopped. They're turning back."
They had spotted us and were going to alert their allies.
Whiiiiiish!
Erwen fired an arrow before I could give the order.
But...
"Did you kill him?"
"No, it hit a tree."
"I see."
It would have only bought us a few more seconds anyway.
I shouted.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
There was no point in hiding anymore.
Noark would be here soon.
And we would hold them off until the spell was ready.
Swoosh.
I checked on the mages.
"The coordinates! You entered the wrong coordinates!"
"Ah, s-sorry! I'll fix it!"
They were working frantically.
They knew the situation was dire.
I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
'...If only it was the Gate spell...'
In the original game, only high-level Archmages could cast the Gate spell. And it was a one-time use skill, costing the caster's life.
The Gate spell currently used in the labyrinth was a modified version.
A downgraded version, to be precise.
It could be cast by 4th-grade mages.
It was a one-time use skill, but the caster didn't necessarily die.
But...
'It can't be used on the 7th floor or above.'
That was the crucial drawback.
'I should have insisted on recruiting an Archmage...'
I had requested it, but the Marquis had rejected it.
Archmages were rare, even in the Mage Tower.
And the royal family only had one.
Even if the Sky Eye was destroyed and all thirty of us survived, it wouldn't be worth it if the Archmage died.
'Unless they were planning to abandon us...'
That thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it.
It was a pointless comparison.
Our lives weren't worth as much as an Archmage's.
And the original plan was for the main force to rescue us.
They would suffer casualties, but the royal family would deem it a worthy sacrifice, considering our reputation and achievements.
So there must be another reason why the rescue team wasn't here—
'...Let's stop thinking about that.'
Why wasn't the rescue team here?
I had been obsessing over that question.
But I decided to let it go.
We would find out when we returned.
"They're here...!"
And if we didn't...
It wouldn't matter.
Boom, boom!
The ground shook.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
"Kill them!"
As soon as the enemy appeared, I cleared my mind.
I only had one thought.
「Character has cast [Gigantification].」
「Character has used a transformation-type ability.」
「[Primordial Cell] effect reduces the Soul Power consumption of the skill by half, and the highest stat is increased by 1.5 times.」
Survive.