Hans A.
My first companion, and the first person I killed in this world.
Thanks to him, I had been able to evolve from a helpless newbie to a seasoned explorer. And it was because of him that I had met Erwen and come this far.
But…
'Maybe it's because his name was Hans… he's surprisingly persistent.'
His portrait…
It was the first thing I had discarded after looting his body. Was it some kind of cursed doll that kept coming back?
"Hmm, you threw it away in the labyrinth…?"
What? When did Amelia get here?
I looked around, and the other teammates were also eavesdropping while pretending to do their jobs.
Explorers had sharp ears.
"…Maybe this is where everything that disappears from the labyrinth ends up."
Bersil offered a theory, but it was something anyone would have thought of after hearing my story.
"Oh! That's interesting! So I can find my lost boots now? They were my favorite!"
"If you're lucky."
"Wait a minute, Gowland. If your theory is correct, then what are those? I don't think there are that many wardrobes and tables in the labyrinth."
Amelia pointed at the floating objects, and Bersil hesitated, unable to answer.
"That's… strange… Why…?"
The flaw in her theory.
Surprisingly, it was Auyen, the navigator, who provided the answer.
"Those… might be furniture from large ships."
"Large ships?"
"I heard that Space-Time magic wasn't as advanced when the 6th floor was first explored. So the ancient explorers couldn't summon ships like we do."
"Oh, so…?"
"They built their ships on the starting island and then left them on the 6th floor. It's a well-known fact among navigators."
"…How is that possible? Did they just abandon their ships after using them once?"
"No, they used magic. Space-Time magic wasn't as advanced as it is now, but it still existed."
Auyen didn't know the details, but he said there was a spell that automatically guided the ships back to the starting island, regardless of their location.
"So they used the fact that time still flows on the 6th floor even when the labyrinth is closed."
"Yes. But that led to many thefts and disputes. And shipwrecks were also common—"
"I see. Thank you for the information."
I cut Auyen off.
He was getting too excited. He needed to focus on navigating.
"Just focus on steering the ship."
"Ah… yes!"
"Erwen, stop eavesdropping."
"...!"
"Ainar, your cleaning has stopped."
I redirected my teammates' attention back to their respective tasks.
It didn't matter what was floating in the sea.
The important thing was that we could find items that had disappeared from the labyrinth.
"Bersil, keep collecting the floating objects. There might be treasures among them."
"Okay."
Hans A's family portrait might be useless now…
But who knew what we might find?
Numbered Items, high-grade equipment…
There must be countless lost treasures in this sea.
Just like the equipment we had to abandon in Ice Rock.
'Hmm, so it's not a garbage dump… it's a tomb. Filled with valuable artifacts.'
Now I understood.
Why there were so many explorers waiting in front of the stone tablet, even with Verzak roaming the floor.
It was worth the risk.
'New monster essences, byproducts, and lost treasures…'
I wondered how much we would earn after returning to the city.
As I was thinking that, Erwen shouted from the crow's nest,
"Mister! Land! I see an island!"
…I hoped it wasn't another 1st-grade monster.
______________________
Thankfully, it really was an island.
Well, calling it an island was a bit of a stretch…
But it wasn't a monster.
"…It looks like a temple."
A single structure, supported by two pillars, was floating on the water.
We circled the island, but there was only one entrance. And we couldn't see inside.
It was shrouded in shadows.
"What do we do?"
"Explore, of course. That's why we're here."
The water around the island was shallow, so we transferred to a smaller boat and unsummoned the main ship.
And then we slowly rowed towards the island.
"…This is a strange place."
As we approached the entrance, the shadows receded, revealing the interior.
'The visibility is about 5 meters.'
A wide staircase led downwards.
It looked like it was designed for something much larger than a human.
Well, that was convenient for me.
「Character has cast [Gigantification].」
A staircase I could use even while using [Gigantification]?
This was valuable.
Thump, thump, thump—
I took the lead and descended the stairs, ready to tank any damage.
And after a while…
"It's deep."
I had descended at least 200 steps.
What was this place?
It didn't make sense spatially, but I decided not to think about it. There was no point in questioning the laws of physics in this world.
Thump!
I finally reached the bottom.
"Ugh… it smells like dust."
A musty smell filled the air.
The visibility was low, but the surroundings gradually became brighter.
"...!"
It was as if someone had flipped a switch.
My teammates flinched, looking around for enemies, and then they all stared at the surroundings in awe.
"This is…"
The ceiling was incredibly high, as high as the staircase we had just descended.
And giant bookshelves reached all the way to the ceiling.
"What is this…? A library…?"
It resembled a library, but there was a key difference.
The size.
Each book was as large as a person, requiring both arms to carry. And the bookshelves, filled with thousands of these giant books, were even larger.
"Oh! They're not that heavy!"
But the books themselves weren't that heavy. An explorer could easily lift one.
"Frenelin, can you open one?"
"Of course!"
Ainar took a book from the shelf and placed it on the floor, opening it.
But…
"It's blank…"
So the books were just decorations?
"Bersil, you and Ainar examine the books. And Ainar, protect Bersil if anything happens."
I left Ainar and Bersil with the bookshelves and explored the area.
It was a cylindrical space.
Curved bookshelves lined the walls, reaching all the way to the ceiling.
And…
"…I don't know what this is for."
A stone slab that looked like a table stood in the center.
And at the opposite end of the staircase, there was a large stone door between the bookshelves.
I examined everything carefully, but I couldn't find anything.
'It seems like you have to use this somehow…'
There didn't seem to be any monsters or traps, so I let my teammates explore the area.
And after a while…
"Yandel, I found a book with something written in it! But it's in ancient language, so you should come take a look."
Right, my ancient language skills were finally useful.
I rushed over to Bersil, and a book was open on the floor.
There was a picture on one page, and text on the other.
"The picture looks like a 9th-grade Wall Mole… but I can't read the text."
Bersil was right. The picture was of a Wall Mole.
The text next to it confirmed it.
Name.
Habitat.
Abilities.
And a description of its name, abilities, and behavior.
"…It's like an encyclopedia. Is this the only one?"
"Yes. All the other pages are blank."
"I see…"
"You seem… thoughtful."
"Just thinking."
This book alone was incredibly valuable.
Raven, the history buff, would have been ecstatic.
But I wasn't interested in that kind of thing.
An explorer prioritized practicality over knowledge.
'How can I use this?'
What could I do with this discovery?
And why was it here?
An explorer's job was to experiment and find answers, not to study and theorize.
"Everyone, gather around."
I summoned my teammates.
"Did you find something?"
"Not exactly, but I have an idea."
"An idea?"
Amelia tilted her head, but it was faster to show her than to explain.
And I wasn't even sure if it would work.
Thud.
I placed the book on the stone slab in the center of the room.
And after about three seconds…
"…You're wrong."
Amelia spoke, and at that moment…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
…the stone slab started glowing blue.
Something had changed.
And in [Dungeon and Stone], that usually meant danger.
Therefore…
"Bjorn! The stone door! It's opening…!"
I ran towards the door and shouted,
"Get ready for battle!"
My teammates quickly got into formation, their faces grim.
A tense silence filled the room.
One second, two seconds, three seconds…
And then, after four seconds…
A monster emerged from the slightly opened door.
[Squeak—]
…It was a Wall Mole.
[Squeak!]
Just one.
______________________
The first monster we encountered had been a 1st-grade Tol-Lafupa.
So we were all wary of what might emerge from the stone door.
But…
"A Wall Mole…?"
A single 9th-grade monster?
"Stay alert. There might be more."
I said that, but I was also disappointed.
But my disappointment quickly turned into understanding.
'…I see how it works.'
We had placed a book about the 'Wall Mole' on the stone slab, and a 'Wall Mole' had appeared.
Was it a coincidence?
"Erwen."
I called her name, and she immediately fired an arrow.
Did she understand my intentions without any explanation?
It didn't matter.
[...!]
The Wall Mole, which had been waddling towards us, died without a sound.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A 9th-grade magic stone dropped.
No essence.
Beginner's Luck didn't work here.
Not that I would have absorbed it anyway.
Rumble!
The stone door closed.
And…
"Oh! Yandel! Look!"
…a staircase leading to the second level of the bookshelf appeared.
It was a surprisingly straightforward progression, even for [Dungeon and Stone].
'So we have to summon monsters and climb up…'
I checked the book before going upstairs.
"The picture and the text are gone…"
So we couldn't reuse the books.
I discarded the blank book and climbed the stairs.
And then a thought occurred to me.
'Can't I just climb up without using the stairs?'
I was a barbarian. I had to try.
I climbed up the bookshelf, using my height to reach the railing of the third level.
But the books on the shelf wouldn't budge.
'So I can climb up, but I can't take the books.'
I was curious what was at the top…
But I decided to save it for later.
We still had a lot to do here.
"Everyone, find a book with a picture in it."
My teammates started searching the bookshelves, and it didn't take long for us to find another one.
This time, it had two monsters.
A 8th-grade Nightfla…
"Oh! I know this one! It uses the same ability as the vampire we met in the Blood Citadel!"
…and a McGuffin.
"…What does it say?"
"It already has a name… we wasted our time."
They were all curious about the McGuffin's entry…
'Let's see… the name is…'
…and I froze as I read the first line.
"…Huh? Bjorn, what's wrong?"
Ainar approached me, concern etched on her face.
Bersil also asked,
"…Yandel? Is there a problem?"
I didn't answer and just said,
"McGuffin."
"Yes?"
"The book also calls it a McGuffin."
"…What? But you named it…"
That's what was strange.
"W-What a coincidence…? They have the same name…?"
Auyen muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.
It was an understandable reaction.
It was much easier to believe it was a coincidence.
But…
Name.
Habitat.
Abilities.
I reached the etymology section and read…
[…Bjorn, son of Yandel, the first explorer to enter the 1st Basement Floor: Archives, named this creature after its discovery.]
…and I froze.
What the hell was going on?
-x-X-x-
Logically, it didn't make sense. The name we had just come up with less than a day ago was already recorded in this book.
"…How is that possible? We just arrived here."
"The details are accurate. Yandel, do you know anything about this?"
"Well…"
I hedged, but inwardly, I had a feeling I knew what was going on. I couldn't explain it clearly, but instinctively, I sensed what this phenomenon was connected to.
'The Record Stone…'
The mythical object that contained the entire history of the world, past and future. This phenomenon was definitely related to it. Even the name of this floor, 'Archives,' pointed towards that conclusion.
'The more we explore, the more complicated things become…'
I was momentarily stunned, but I quickly collected myself. This wasn't something I could solve right now.
"This must be another one of the labyrinth's mysteries. Let's not dwell on it and focus on the task at hand."
"Right! Research and investigation are for mages! We're explorers, we just need to explore!"
Ainar, for once, made a sensible comment.
I chuckled and carefully read the entry. The origin of the name was shocking, but the book itself was incredibly helpful.
Unlike the entries in the city library, this book had precise numerical values.
[Agility +8, Lightning Resistance +15, Jumping Power +30, Soul Power +20]
The base stats were listed as numbers, not as vague terms like 'High,' 'Medium,' or 'Low.'
It also listed the color and effects of each essence.
Green essence: [Iron Feathers].
Yellow essence: [Thunder Thorn].
Blue essence: [Bubble Shield].
This information alone was enough to render the Mage Tower's research obsolete. There was no need for them to spend a fortune on research anymore.
Well, they were probably more interested in publishing papers and building their reputations than in the actual research.
This information would still be valuable, even if it was publicly known.
"Alright! Let's try it again!"
After confirming the details, we used the book to summon the monsters.
「Nightfla slain.」
「McGuffin slain.」
The battle ended quickly. As before, the stone door closed, and a staircase leading to the third level of the bookshelf appeared.
We repeated the process, searching for books and summoning the monsters. Once a summoning book was found, we tossed it to the first team waiting on the lower level, so they could handle the monsters while we searched for more books.
「Frost Wolf slain.」
「Ice Golem slain.」
「Death Knight slain.」
「Wyvern slain.」
「Minotaur slain…」
「….」
As we climbed higher, the number and rank of the monsters listed in the books increased, making the battles more challenging. At this point, the Archives were comparable to a mid-level hunting ground.
'No new monsters…'
Unfortunately, we still hadn't found any books with new monsters.
'…Do you have to slay them first to unlock their entries?'
It was a possibility, but we didn't have enough data to confirm it. We still had a long way to go.
One day, two days, three days…
Time flew by. We spent every waking moment hunting and searching for books, and our efforts paid off. We had climbed several levels, and our sample size was large enough to draw some conclusions.
1. New monsters don't appear in the books.
Whether there were no more new species, or whether their entries only appeared after they were discovered, remained unknown. We would have to explore other areas to find out.
2. The Archives are a terrible hunting ground.
…No, they were an amazing hunting ground.
If you were after magic stones and essences, there was no better place.
The monsters always appeared through the stone door.
It was ideal for large-scale team battles.
You could prepare before the battle.
You could cast spells and activate skills beforehand.
And in the mid-to-upper levels, each book contained over 100 monsters.
That alone made it incredibly efficient. There was no need to wait for respawns. You just had to summon more monsters.
In just three days, we had earned over 10 million stones from magic stones alone, and we had obtained seven essences.
Well, six of them were below 6th-grade, so we discarded them. We only kept the 5th-grade essence.
'It's a great place for hunting, but…'
Despite the efficiency, none of us were satisfied.
Our goal wasn't just hunting.
This was a newly discovered area.
We could earn much more by exploring and discovering new things.
'The problem is… we can't clear this place at our current level.'
We had definitely progressed past the mid-game, but clearing the final stage was impossible.
'3rd-grade monsters are appearing, which means there might be 1st-grade monsters further up.'
It seemed like we had reached our limit.
It was time to leave the Archives.
As that thought crossed my mind…
"Bjorn!"
Ainar, who had climbed to a higher level, shouted.
"I found a book with a new monster!"
Really?
_________________________
Ainar's shout brought everyone together.
They were skeptical, considering it was Ainar… but she proudly presented the book.
A grotesque creature covered in tentacles.
It walked on all fours, and something resembling bone wings was attached to its back.
"What do you think? Have you ever seen a monster like this?"
"I… I haven't."
"Yandel, you?"
"Me neither."
It seemed like a new species.
But why now?
"Hurry up and read it! What rank is it?! It looks really strong!"
I felt a strange sense of unease, but I read the entry aloud.
"Its name is Tentakulan. Its habitat is the Sea of Records."
"The Sea of Records? Is that where the McGuffins appear?"
"Yes, but don't interrupt."
"Ah, sorry."
"It's a 4th-grade monster, classified as a magical beast."
"Oh! 4th-grade! What about its abilities?"
Seriously, stop interrupting.
I sighed inwardly. It was like talking to a brick wall.
"It has the [Pacifist] essence of the 4th-grade Sea Merchant, and the [Evil's Sound] of the Gargoyle, the [Stone Curse] of the Medusa, and the [Underwater Roar] of the Leviathan."
"…So there really are more monsters with mixed abilities."
Yes, at this point, it was a fact.
This floor had new monsters with unique essence combinations.
And…
"It seems like the monsters in the library only appear after they've been discovered."
That was new information.
"Huh? We weren't the first to find it?"
I nodded and read the origin of the name.
"…Explorer Matherkin Lillgrams discovered this creature while exploring the 1st Basement Floor: Archives."
"Matherkin Lillgrams… that's the leader of the Silver Lion Clan…"
"We told them to leave, but they're doing well on their own."
Amelia sounded annoyed.
She felt like they had stolen our discovery.
It didn't matter who discovered it.
We weren't getting paid for this.
'I'll let her name the next monster we find.'
Anyway, we had gathered enough information about the monster, so we descended to the lower level and summoned it.
[Grrrrrrrrrr…]
It was much larger than the picture in the book.
But there was one thing that bothered me.
It looked like a wolf with tentacles, so why was its habitat the sea?
「Tentakulan slain.」
The battle ended without any problems.
Since it was our first time fighting it, we took our time and followed the standard strategy, but it was still just a 4th-grade monster.
"That was… easier than I expected."
Misha had become much stronger too.
She had slain a 4th-grade monster in a single blow.
"Alright, everyone gather around."
After the battle, I called for a meeting and initiated a vote.
There was only one item on the agenda.
"Should we stay here, or explore other areas? Share your thoughts."
The response wasn't enthusiastic.
"…Does it even matter? You'll just choose whatever you want."
"That's right."
Damn, I shouldn't have revealed my trump card so early.
I should have saved it for a more important decision.
"Don't worry. I'll abstain from this vote."
I reassured them, and they finally started sharing their opinions.
Surprisingly, the vote was unanimous.
We would leave the library and explore other areas.
Well, I had expected that.
They were already getting tired of the repetitive hunting, and the Tentakulan incident had only fueled their desire to explore.
"This place isn't bad, but it's too inefficient, considering the competition."
"They're probably discovering new monsters and naming them as we speak."
"And they'll sell the essences to the Mage Tower for a high price."
That's the explorer spirit.
But even after the vote, I decided to stay for a day or two.
"…We're not leaving yet?"
"Why? It's not like you to waste time."
They looked at me suspiciously, as if I was about to abuse my authority.
I felt a little offended.
I was just trying to be efficient.
"We're already encountering 3rd-grade monsters. We should hunt them before we leave."
We could handle 3rd-grade monsters, even if they appeared in pairs.
"And Emily, you still have a few 3rd-grade essences to collect, don't you?"
"That's… true."
"Ainar, you haven't obtained that essence I told you about."
"...!"
It wasn't just Ainar.
Erwen and Misha also needed 3rd-grade essences.
And I needed the Bellarios essence.
"So… everyone agrees?"
"...."
Silence meant consent.
We continued hunting, our motivation renewed.
「Steel Giant slain. +EXP 7」
「Phoenix slain. +EXP 7」
「Earth Wyrm slain. +EXP 6」
「Garcian slain. +EXP 7」
「Abyssal Skeleton slain…」
「….」
The battles were much more challenging now, but the rewards were worth it.
We had slain almost half of the 3rd and 4th-grade monsters we had missed because of the war in the 7th floor's Dark Continent.
The only disappointment was that Beginner's Luck had only activated once.
「No. 9999 Beginner's Luck activated.」
But at least it had been the Abyssal Skeleton essence.
It was a common monster, but it only appeared on the 10th floor.
None of us could use it, but 10th-floor essences were valuable, so it was a decent reward.
'It seems like the rarer monsters don't appear in the books.'
The Bellarios, for example.
I really wanted to find its entry.
"Stop."
I decided to call it a day.
The difficulty was increasing exponentially. We were now encountering two 3rd-grade monsters at a time.
We could handle them if the combination was favorable, but the battles were taking longer, and we needed more rest. It wasn't efficient.
"Everyone, gather the books. We're leaving."
"Gather the books?"
"What if other explorers come here? If we take the books from the top level, they won't be able to progress any further. They can summon monsters all they want with the lower-level books, but the staircase won't appear."
"But the books are so big… we won't have enough space in our subspace pockets."
"If we run out of space, we can just throw them in the sea."
"What? Yandel, you're really…"
"Really?"
"Brilliant. Especially in situations like this."
Amelia and the others seemed to like the idea.
None of them objected.
They were all explorers, after all.
'It's fair competition in this world.'
We cleared the area, making it impossible for others to progress any further, and then we started our ascent.
Thump, thump.
I climbed the stairs one by one, while the others jumped and climbed, their smaller bodies making it easier for them.
We reached the top level.
"…Hey, Baron Yandel?"
A group of explorers was waiting for us at the entrance.
They were in battle formation, their weapons drawn.
-x-X-x-
One, two, three, four, five, six…
Out of habit, I started counting.
'Twenty-four.'
That was the number of explorers awkwardly standing at the entrance.
So these were the Hex Clan, right?
"It seems like the Myrtane team joined them."
"Myrtane?"
"The five-man team that couldn't bring their warrior inside. Their leader's name is Myrtane."
I see.
So the remaining four-man team and the other five-man team joined the Silver Lion Clan?
I wasn't sure, but I decided to address the group in front of me.
I had been annoyed by their presence ever since we arrived.
"Are you looking for a fight?"
"…Excuse me?"
The warrior at the front seemed startled by my blunt question and quickly gave his teammates an order.
"Ah… We heard noises and thought it was a monster… Everyone, lower your weapons!"
So they had been preparing for a possible monster encounter, not a PK.
They lowered their weapons, and the warrior cautiously addressed me.
"Um… Are you finished exploring below?"
"Not completely. Are you just arriving?"
"Yes, but…"
"This is fate, so let's introduce ourselves. What's your name?"
"Wyte. Wyte Hex. I'm the second leader of the Hex Clan."
"Second leader?"
"My father was the first."
So he inherited the clan. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
I was about to leave, but I was a little curious, so I decided to ask a few more questions.
"Wyte, what happened after we left?"
"Ah, about that…"
Normally, explorers would tell you to mind your own business, but not to me.
It was partly because of my reputation, but also because I had opened the portal to this place.
They felt indebted to me, even though I had left them on the rocky island.
"As you might have guessed, Baron, they naturally split into two groups."
Wyte's explanation was brief.
The Silver Lion Clan and the Hex Clan.
After I left, the two groups had formed a temporary alliance. They hadn't merged their command structures, but they had agreed to travel together and help each other in dangerous situations. ŗ𝐀Ó𝔟Ёş
"What about the smaller teams?"
"They felt uneasy being between the two clans, so they formed their own group."
So there were three groups in total.
They had each boarded their own ships and left the rocky island to explore.
And then…
"The problem started after they discovered the island."
"The island?"
I showed interest, and Wyte, sensing an opportunity, offered a trade.
"If you share information about this floor, we'll share our information as well."
"Alright, I'll do that. Continue."
I hadn't signed any contracts, but Wyte seemed satisfied with my verbal agreement and continued his story.
"It was a large island. And we encountered a new species."
"Are you talking about the Tentakulan?"
"How did you know that name…?"
"I'll tell you later. Just keep going."
"…It wasn't the Tentakulan. Unlike the creatures we encountered on the way to the island, it was much stronger."
Much stronger…
The Tentakulan was 4th-grade, so this new monster had to be at least 3rd-grade.
"Tell me more."
"We managed to slay it, but we couldn't identify its essence. It used the [Healing Mist] of the Death Lord, the [Corpse Poison] of the Lecta, and the [Hellfire] of the Hellsmith. We named it 'Diamond.'"
Diamond.
Its rank was unknown, and it had been alone, so it was probably a solitary creature.
"What happened after you killed it?"
"We decided it was too dangerous to explore the island, so we set up camp on the coast and continued hunting Diamonds. And… that's where our opinions diverged."
"How so?"
"The Silver Lion Clan wanted to explore the island, but we disagreed. Hunting Diamonds on the coast was already dangerous enough for us."
But the Silver Lion Clan had been adamant.
Instead of trying to reach a compromise, they had decided to go their separate ways. The Hex Clan had given up trying to persuade them.
"The smaller teams also disagreed, and two of them joined the Silver Lion Clan. Myrtane's team decided to stay with us."
"Why did you leave the island?"
"We thought there might be other islands. Islands that were safer for us to explore."
It made sense. If 3rd-grade monsters were appearing on the coast, it would be safer to explore other areas.
He had seemed reckless at first, but he was actually quite pragmatic.
"Now, it's your turn, Baron. Can you tell us about your exploration?"
I shared the information we had gathered in the Archives.
He had listened with anticipation at first, but his expression gradually changed as I continued.
"So… there's not much for us to gain there?"
"It's a decent hunting ground. We left a lot of summoning books behind. And you might discover something we missed."
"That's… true."
Wyte then called his navigator and shared the location of the island with Auyen. That concluded our business.
As I was about to leave…
"So… you haven't found a way out either?"
Wyte said something that caught my attention.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, it's nothing… Just a silly thought."
"I'll decide if it's silly or not. Tell me."
I pressed him, and he looked a little embarrassed as he spoke.
"I was just wondering… when this place will close… I'm a little worried… Will we be able to return to the city?"
"…."
"I'm just… a little scared… that this might be my final resting place."
I see.
'That was a waste of time.'
_________________________
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
Our ship cut through the silver waves.
Our destination was the island Wyte had told us about.
"We should arrive in about five hours."
Auyen was using all his navigation skills to shorten the travel time, and the other teammates were also diligently performing their duties.
It was 2:00 AM.
'Day 11…'
It had been eleven days since the labyrinth opened.
But it still hadn't closed.
I had been checking the time every day since Day 7, but…
Maybe it was because of Wyte's words.
I felt a strange sense of unease.
I had been relieved that the labyrinth hadn't closed before… but now, a small seed of anxiety had been planted.
'Not knowing anything… it's driving me crazy.'
This was also part of the labyrinth, so it would close eventually, right?
I tried to reassure myself, but I couldn't shake off the doubt.
Even though I knew that all floors from 1 to 10 shared the same closure timer, I couldn't be certain about this place. It was too unique.
'If it doesn't close by Day 30, I'll think about it then.'
I decided to postpone my worries.
It was good to be prepared, but I couldn't let it paralyze me.
"Bjorn! Tentamond! That Tentamond appeared!"
"It's Tentakulan."
We had entered their territory. McGuffins were no longer appearing, and Tentakulans were jumping out of the water and onto the deck.
「Tentakulan slain.」
「Tentakulan slain.」
「Tentakulan slain.」
「Tentakulan slain…」
We hunted them as we sailed, but no essences dropped.
It was a little disappointing.
They were 4th-grade monsters, so their essences would have been valuable.
'I'll farm them later if we have time…'
I dismissed the thought.
I couldn't be greedy.
"Oh! A new island!"
As the island came into view, we prepared to disembark.
The only suitable landing spot was a small beach below a cliff.
The rest of the island was surrounded by steep cliffs.
'We could dock next to the cliff and climb up…'
But it was easier to just disembark on the beach and walk.
That kind of stunt was for experienced explorers. This beach was clearly meant to be the starting point.
"I'll scout the area. Follow me, and let me know if you find anything."
We disembarked and started exploring the coast. There were no monsters in sight, but we couldn't let our guard down.
'Visibility is about 10 meters.'
That was one of the characteristics of this floor. The visibility changed depending on the field.
We could see the outline of the island from afar, but now that we were on the ground, our vision was limited.
"Auyen, you're in charge of mapping the area. Can you do that?"
"Yes, leave it to me."
I could have mapped the area myself, but I delegated the task to Auyen.
I was the vanguard. I couldn't be carrying a notebook and pen.
"Clan Master, I think we've explored the entire coast."
"That was quick."
After about 20 minutes of searching, we had explored the entire coast. There was only one way to leave the beach.
We could either climb the cliff… or take the narrow crevices between the cliffs.
'…The problem is… there are three different paths.'
There were three crevices: one in front of us, and one on each side.
They might all lead to the same place… but we couldn't be sure.
We had to choose one.
"Ainar, which way should we go?"
"If you're a warrior, you always go straight!"
There was no way to know without exploring, so we followed Ainar's suggestion and took the middle path.
'…It's narrower than I thought.'
Even without [Gigantification], I had to duck and squeeze through the narrow crevice. My head and shoulders kept bumping against the walls.
After about 20 minutes of struggling, we finally reached the exit.
'Finally, some fresh air.'
I felt claustrophobic, so I quickly squeezed through the opening and stepped outside.
And I immediately scanned my surroundings.
"...."
A tropical rainforest.
Knee-high bushes covered the ground, and the trees were larger than any I had ever seen.
And then…
Drip.
Something dripped from above.
'Rain?'
That was my first thought.
But the sticky sensation on my cheek… it was unmistakable.
'Blood.'
I looked up.
"...Damn it."
Three mangled corpses were hanging from the vines above us.
"…They're from the Silver Lion Clan."
Bersil's words were followed by a heavy silence.
The reason was simple.
"...."
"...."
Monsters didn't do that.
-x-X-x-
Three bodies hung from the tree.
"Erwen, cut them down."
We lowered the bodies and examined them.
"The wounds are clean."
"Judging by the cuts, the weapon was a sword. About this long."
"…It seems likely that they were killed by other explorers."
The mage and the assassin, both experts in their respective fields, agreed that the wounds were inflicted by a weapon.
"But… there are monsters that use weapons, aren't there?"
The navigator, a non-combatant, naively voiced his opinion, but no one took him seriously.
The bodies were hanging from a tree.
"Monsters have never displayed this kind of behavior. Lokrob, you've seen it yourself, haven't you? Monsters attack explorers on sight, but they don't show any interest in dead bodies."
"Ah… Now that you mention it, that's true."
Bersil's explanation was convincing enough for Auyen to immediately agree.
But…
"What happened here…?"
"I don't know. Maybe there was a conflict within the Silver Lion Clan? Or maybe these explorers betrayed them. One thing's for sure, it wasn't a monster."
Bersil's theory wasn't conclusive.
There was always the possibility of a new species with unknown behavior patterns.
"Mental contamination."
"…What?"
"They might have been driven mad. Monsters don't do this, but humans driven by madness are capable of anything."
That possibility couldn't be ignored.
As the leader, I had to take every precaution.
"Bersil, cast Tranquility."
"Okay."
We prepared for the worst.
Soul Barrier was the most effective spell against mental contamination, but it consumed a lot of mana. Tranquility was a good alternative.
"Can you maintain Tranquility indefinitely?"
"Yes, don't worry."
Okay, I would give her further instructions if necessary.
I looked up at the tree where the bodies had been hanging.
And then I turned to Misha.
"Misha."
"Y-Yes?!"
"What was your first impression when you saw the bodies?"
"Um… well…? It seemed like… a display… Like they were showing off their kills…"
I see.
"Emily, you?"
"It felt more like a warning to me. They were hanging right at the entrance…"
"Like a 'Do Not Enter' sign?"
"Exactly."
Amelia nodded.
"What about you?"
"Same as you. It felt like a warning."
As I said that, I heard a strange sound next to me.
"Ugh."
"What's wrong, Misha?"
"Nothing…"
I decided to end the conversation.
I wasn't interested in who had killed them.
It wasn't a monster, that much was certain. But even if it was another explorer, it didn't make sense.
'We'll find out eventually.'
If we wanted to know what was going on, we had to explore.
That was the explorer's motto.
"Let's move."
We entered the jungle, Auyen diligently mapping the area as we went.
And after a while…
"Eek! The tree… it's moving!"
We encountered our first monster.
It wasn't the 'Diamond' that Wyte had told us about.
"A new species."
Its name and rank were unknown.
But it was definitely a plant-type monster.
Moving trees weren't classified as beasts or nature spirits.
Whiiiish!
A vine lashed out like a whip.
That seemed to be its basic attack.
Thump!
The impact against my shield wasn't that strong.
Considering it was a basic attack, it was probably around 5th-grade.
But it was too early to let our guard down.
Mages were known for their weak basic attacks.
Trrrrrr-!
The branches trembled, and glowing orbs started falling from the leaves.
The orbs, initially small, grew rapidly as they fell.
And by the time they reached the ground, they had grown several times larger and taken on a distinct shape.
"Seedria!"
The 5th-grade plant-type monster, Seedria.
It was small and made cute noises, but it was still a 5th-grade monster, on par with the Troll.
[Beep, beep…!]
It had summoned Seedria, so its skill had to be [Growing Seed].
What about its other skills?
We continued fighting the seven Seedria, and soon we saw another skill.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Mana orbs rained down like bullets.
It was the [Mana Barrage] of the 4th-grade aquatic monster, Palpupura.
Pffff-!
And the dust-like particles… that had to be [Charming Powder].
'Overall, it's around 4th-grade.'
We waited for it to use more skills, but it didn't.
I still wasn't sure about its passive skill.
But there was no point in dragging the fight out any longer.
Kwang!
I swung my hammer with all my might, splitting the giant tree in half.
"Did we kill it?"
But the body didn't dissolve into particles of light.
What? Did it have a resurrection passive?
As I cautiously approached the tree…
[Kyu?]
A tiny creature emerged from a knot in the wood and stared at us before scurrying away.
I knew instinctively.
"That's the main body! Erwen, don't let it escape!"
Erwen immediately fired a [Fire Arrow].
Fwoosh!
The arrow struck its target and exploded.
「Squirrel slain.」
Two items remained.
A magic stone, probably around 4th-grade.
And…
「No. 9999 Beginner's Luck activated.」
…an essence.
_________________________
"What should we do with it?"
"It's a new species. We're taking it."
Bersil collected the essence, and I thought for a moment.
"This essence probably won't be very useful."
"It's true… We don't know its essence yet, but its skills weren't that powerful."
Misha chimed in, agreeing with Amelia.
It was a little unusual.
She had been avoiding the other teammates throughout the expedition.
'Is she finally opening up?'
It wasn't much of a conversation, but it was a good sign. She wasn't completely shutting us out.
I played along.
"Well, you never know."
"What do you mean?"
"Parasites often have hidden abilities."
Some parasites could enhance their host's skills or even grant them new ones.
"We'll have to check its abilities in the Archives later."
"What about the name?"
"Does it matter? They probably already have a name for it."
"…We might be the first to discover it. I'll name it Nanari."
"Sure, go ahead."
I had a feeling there would be a monster named 'Nanari' eventually, anyway.
"Um… Nanari is a good name, but… it summons Seedria and uses the Palpupura's skills, so… how about Seedpura…?"
"Stop."
Bersil, what are you doing?
"It's Nanari. We'll call it Nanari until we confirm its official name."
I made the final decision.
"…Alright."
Amelia seemed pleased.
'So that settles the name…'
After collecting Nanari's essence, we resumed our exploration.
"…This island is creepy."
Auyen's comment was met with unanimous agreement.
The jungle itself was normal enough, and the darkness wasn't a problem for experienced explorers.
But the details were unsettling.
"Ugh… I stepped on it again…"
As we walked through the bushes, we kept stepping on something soft and squishy.
Like mud.
When we looked closer, we found chunks of flesh and bone scattered among the bushes.
"This is disgusting. Why is there so much of this…?"
"At least it doesn't smell."
That was true, but the sight itself was grotesque.
It was as if someone had taken different monsters, mashed them together, and then scattered the remains throughout the jungle.
'Why is there an eyeball sticking out of that…?'
We continued mapping the area, carefully avoiding the… remains.
"Battle stations!"
A monster ambushed us.
It was the 'Diamond' that Wyte had told us about.
「Diamond slain.」
The battle itself wasn't difficult, but we spent about 40 minutes testing its abilities.
And finally, we identified its essence.
[Impure].
It reduced the maximum number of essences by one, but increased the power of all active skills by 50%.
'I was expecting a high-grade passive, since its active skills are all 3rd-grade.'
But the passive itself was only 5th-grade.
It was a little disappointing.
'If it had a good passive, it would have been a great essence.'
[Hellfire] was a powerful skill, even if its base stats were low.
'New combinations are interesting, but it's going to be difficult to find the right ones…'
"Mister!"
Erwen suddenly shouted.
Another monster? We had just finished a battle…
"It's not a monster! It's people!"
That was important information.
"People?"
"Four of them. They're running this way."
"Are they coming towards us? I don't sense any other presences."
"No, they're not."
"Then why are they running?"
"…They were captured by the monsters on this island… and they just escaped."
I see.
"Let's go. I'm curious what happened."
We quickly regrouped and followed Erwen.
"We should be able to intercept them soon!"
We changed our formation to pursuit mode and increased our pace.
"There they are!"
Erwen stopped, and we saw a group of explorers running through the jungle.
"Ah…!"
Their expressions were a mixture of emotions.
Surprise, fear, relief, hope…
And then, as they recognized me…
"We're saved!"
"…Help us!"
They dropped their weapons and ran towards us.
That was my least favorite type of explorer.
I understood their desperation, but…
"What were you running from?"
"A… a monster! A monster on this island…!"
"Are they chasing you? I don't sense anything."
"N-No, I don't think so!"
"Then why were you running?"
"…We were captured… by the monsters… and we just escaped…"
"I see."
I released my grip on his shoulder.
"Stay alert, even if there are no monsters nearby."
We switched back to exploration mode. There was no need to maintain battle formation.
"So… tell me. What do you mean by 'captured'?"
"It's… exactly what it sounds like… There's a village… a monster village on this island…"
"A colony?"
"N-No, it's different… It's difficult to explain…"
The explorer stammered, unable to articulate his thoughts.
The woman next to him spoke up.
"Baron, those monsters were different."
"Different how?"
"They communicated with each other using a complex language system. One of our mages said it sounded like ancient language… Ah! That's not important."
She shook her head and continued.
"The village… it was huge. There were houses, and… families… children…"
"…."
"Like… natives…"
Natives…
That was an interesting concept.
-x-X-x-
Every world has its legends.
Lafdonia was no exception.
Tales of explorers encountering intelligent beings in the labyrinth, receiving their help, or narrowly escaping their clutches, had been passed down for generations.
Of course, none of these stories had ever been proven true.
"It's a common fantasy among explorers."
As Erwen's cynical comment suggested, most explorers had entertained the thought at least once.
What if there were other intelligent beings in this labyrinth of secrets?
"Interesting… Very interesting…"
Unlike Erwen, Amelia's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she listened to the story about the 'natives.'
"What about the bodies at the entrance? Did those 'monsters' kill them?"
Amelia's question made the female explorer tilt her head.
"Bodies… at the entrance?"
"You didn't see them? There were three."
Amelia described the bodies, and the explorer flinched.
"MacHoldin, Prenton, Rick… Those were the three who were captured in the first attack… We didn't see them in the village… So that's what happened to them…"
"The first attack… Tell me everything. From the moment you separated from the Hex Clan."
"But… how did you know about that…?"
"The Hex Clan told us about this island."
"…I see."
"We should have followed them…"
The explorer muttered softly and then began her story.
"After we parted ways with the Hex Clan, we started exploring the island."
They had discovered a new area.
And encountered new species.
The battles had been challenging, and there had been several close calls, but they had been filled with excitement and anticipation.
"Tentakulan, Diamond, Squirrel, Papagonas, Bailonta… We named the new monsters we encountered, feeling like we were on a grand adventure."
Papagonas and Bailonta.
Those were monsters we hadn't encountered yet.
I made a mental note to ask about them later.
"As we were heading towards the center of the island, we found something unusual."
A trail of footprints.
They were much larger than human footprints, and there were many of them.
But…
"They were different shapes. And… flat. As if they were wearing shoes…"
They had followed the trail, convinced that it belonged to a new species.
The already dense jungle became even thicker.
And the monsters that had been appearing occasionally disappeared completely.
And then…
"That's when the first attack happened."
The monsters had ambushed them from all sides. They had fought back, but three of them had been captured.
Including the clan leader's girlfriend.
The Silver Lion Clan had pursued the monsters, venturing deeper into the jungle.
"But we couldn't go any further. We lost many members in the second and third battles."
The biggest problem was that they hadn't been able to kill a single monster, despite their losses.
"I don't know why we didn't realize it sooner, but… they were intelligent. They communicated with each other and used complex strategies."
The Silver Lion Clan had retreated.
The clan leader, whose girlfriend had been captured, had been furious, but he had eventually agreed to return to the city and seek help from Baron Yandel.
But it had been too late.
"There were traps on the way back. We had taken the same path, but there hadn't been any traps before…"
They had been captured and taken to the monster village, blindfolded.
"But how did you escape?"
"One of the… monsters… freed us…"
"Freed you…?"
It had been a small monster, much smaller than the others.
They thought it was a child.
"Were you close?"
"No… We couldn't even communicate."
"Then why did it free you?"
"We… don't know. It just came to our cell and stared at us… and talked to us… but that's all."
I pondered their story, and Amelia spoke her mind.
"It must have been out of sympathy."
Erwen agreed.
"My sister did something similar. She was fascinated by the monsters during the festival preparations, and she kept visiting the stables… and then she freed them all the night before the festival."
The explorers' faces hardened, but they didn't argue.
They knew, deep down, that they had been spared because of a child's sympathy. They had been treated like animals in cages.
"Well… children are like that…"
That was the end of their story.
We then focused on the 'monsters.'
What did they look like?
How strong were they?
How many of them were there?
We gathered as much information as possible and then made our decision.
"It seems safe enough to continue exploring."
There were many monsters in the village, but their individual strength varied greatly.
Just like human society.
Not all of them were warriors.
The problem was that they had the home-field advantage…
Well, if things got dangerous, we could always retreat.
"Lead the way. To the village."
"…Are you sure…?"
"We're here to explore."
"…."
I patted their shoulders reassuringly, but they looked like they were about to cry.
"Um… We can tell you the location… but please… don't go there yourself…"
"Yes! We'll be a burden…!"
They didn't want to go back.
But…
"Do you have a ship?"
"Yes! Murton has a ship summoning inscription."
"Good. You're dismissed."
"…What?"
"If you can make it back to the rocky island and summon a ship, then go. It's your choice."
We had encountered 3rd and 4th-grade monsters on the way here.
Thankfully, they were explorers, so they understood what I meant.
"…We'll lead the way."
"Good."
It seemed like our paths would cross again, so we exchanged names.
Marina, Chen, Krian, and Dennis.
Dennis, the spearman, was from the smaller team, and the other three were from the Silver Lion Clan.
Well, the clan was practically disbanded at this point.
"Yandel, I'll take the lead."
Our formation changed slightly.
"Emily, you're going to be the vanguard?"
"There are traps in the jungle."
"But that's why I should be in the front—"
"Yandel, you're our leader. What if you're injured or captured? Who will lead us then?"
Amelia took the lead, arguing that she was better at detecting traps.
And she was right. She found and disarmed the traps with ease.
It was a strange feeling for a tank.
'Being protected… it's not that bad…'
After about two hours of walking, we reached our destination.
But…
"This is it… This is where we escaped… Huh?"
There was no entrance.
The tree roots they had climbed out of… there was nothing there.
"What happened?"
"I… I don't know…"
"Did you make a mistake?"
"No! I'm sure this is the place! You saw it yourself, Baron! I found my shoe here!"
He seemed to be telling the truth…
We checked the other trees nearby, just in case, but there was no entrance.
'Maybe it opens and closes periodically?'
I wasn't sure how it worked, but there was definitely a village hidden somewhere beneath this tree.
The child we had just met was proof of that.
As I was thinking that…
Swoosh!
"I'll take the left."
"Then I'll take the right."
Erwen and Amelia immediately moved to block the escape routes.
And they captured their target.
A small, blue-skinned creature with large eyes.
Sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, and its head had a strange, pointed shape.
[Kyiyaaaaa!]
The creature struggled and shrieked.
But it didn't last long.
"Be quiet."
Amelia pressed her dagger against its throat, and it stopped struggling, looking up at me.
[P-Please… spare me…]
It spoke in ancient language.
_________________________
If you could read and write ancient language…
You could also speak it.
Even if it was a little awkward.
[So you're the one who freed them.]
I spoke to the creature in ancient language, and its eyes widened in surprise.
It had been begging for its life just a moment ago.
[Answer me.]
[Y-Yes… I freed them…]
[Why?]
[They looked… sad…]
That reminded me of a common trope.
A kind-hearted child inadvertently causing a disaster with a single act of kindness.
"Yandel, what is it saying?"
"It says it freed them because they looked sad."
I answered Amelia, but the four explorers who had overheard our conversation looked displeased.
"That damned monster… how dare it…"
"Baron… can you tell it that we're not grateful? It killed our comrades… and now it's acting like it did us a favor…"
I didn't translate their words.
This was the first intelligent being we had encountered in the labyrinth.
I had to be polite and extract as much information as possible.
[What are they saying?]
[They're thanking you for helping them.]
[…Really…?]
The little monster seemed to accept my words without question.
It was probably difficult for it to read our emotions, since we looked and sounded so different.
But children were the same everywhere.
It was filled with curiosity.
[How can you speak our language? You're a monster.]
[Monster…?]
Its boldness was amusing, but I couldn't let that comment slide.
[Why are we monsters?]
[Because… you look different… Even though we can communicate…]
It was like Gulliver's Travels.
A normal person becoming a giant in a land of Lilliputians.
[Okay, if we're monsters, then what are you?]
I asked, and the little monster answered without hesitation, as if stating a simple fact.
[We're… humans.]
It had become a strangely philosophical conversation.
-x-X-x-
The monster claimed to be human and called us monsters. It was a ridiculous situation.
"Interesting."
"Interesting? What did it say?"
"It claims to be human and calls us monsters."
"Oh… what a stupid monster."
Unlike Ainar, who laughed it off, the other teammates had mixed reactions.
Some found it amusing, like me. Some were curious. Others were slightly annoyed.
Surprisingly, Bersil, the mage, didn't show much of a reaction.
Maybe it was because she was a player. If Raven had been here, she would have been ecstatic, demanding to know more.
[What are they saying?]
The little monster asked me.
It seemed to be picking up on our reactions.
[They're discussing your claim to be human.]
[…Is there anything to discuss?]
[Of course there is.]
[Who are you?]
It asked a fundamental question, and I thought for a moment before answering. There was a word that encompassed humans, barbarians, fairies, beastmen, and all other races.
[We're explorers.]
[Explorers…?]
[Have you never heard of it?]
The little monster raised its right index finger and pointed downwards. It seemed to be the equivalent of nodding in their culture.
[Explorers… what are explorers?]
[People who wander through the labyrinth, searching for new things and slaying monsters.]
[…So you're from beyond the island.]
[That's right.]
I pointed my index finger downwards, and the little monster tapped its finger twice.
This was strangely entertaining.
"It seems like this conversation will take a while. Everyone, stay alert."
"Understood."
We switched to a defensive formation and began building rapport with the little monster.
[Want some of this?]
[What is it?]
[Jerky. Dried meat.]
[That's not what I asked.]
[Huh?]
I tilted my head, and the little monster asked, as if genuinely confused,
[What does 'eat' mean?]
I was momentarily speechless, but it didn't seem to be joking.
So I explained.
[It means chewing food with your teeth and swallowing it.]
Like this.
I chewed a piece of jerky and swallowed it, and the little monster looked disgusted.
[…Ugh. That's strange. Teeth are for killing enemies…]
[Then you don't eat anything?]
[Of course not! How can you put something like that… inside your body?!]
It looked strange, saying that with its tiny body and sharp fangs…
[S-Sometimes we accidentally swallow things while fighting… but usually, we don't!]
This was interesting.
It was similar to how monsters behaved.
[So you can survive without eating anything?]
[Of course. As long as we drink enough life water, we humans can live forever.]
[Life water…?]
I asked, and the little monster took out a small ceramic bottle from its bag.
It drank from the bottle.
[This is life water.]
[Can I have some?]
[...Sure.]
It seemed reluctant, but it handed me the bottle.
Okay, I had secured a sample.
"Bersil, do you recognize this?"
"Just a moment… It has a high mana density…"
I hadn't expected her to know, but Bersil immediately identified the liquid.
"This… it's ground-up magic stones dissolved in water."
"…Magic stones?"
"Yes. It's the same as the mana water used in the city. They're made the same way."
Mana water was an essential ingredient for creating magic tools.
But they drank this?
[Hey, is this 'life water' made from magic stones… or rather, stones you get from killing monsters?]
[Yes… why? And I'm not 'hey', I'm Marupichi!]
[Alright, Marupichi. I'm Bjorn, son of Yandel.]
[…Strange name.]
Marupichi… or Maru for short, said that and then shyly(?) extended its index finger. I also extended my finger and touched it.
"What are they doing?"
"I don't know. Looks like a handshake."
"What information have you gathered? Did you find out the location of the village?"
Ah, right…
I should have asked that sooner. I had been distracted by the conversation.
"I'm working on it."
"I see… It's probably not that easy. Even a child wouldn't reveal such important information to the enemy. Let me know if you need my help."
"…Understood."
I suppressed my curiosity and focused on the important questions.
[Marupichi, where's the entrance to your village?]
Unlike Amelia's concerns, Maru, the kind-hearted child who had freed the explorers, didn't hesitate to answer.
It wasn't the answer I had hoped for, though.
[There isn't one. Not right now…]
[Huh?]
[The adults closed it. No one can enter the village until they open it again… not even me…]
Ah, so that's why it was hiding in the bushes.
[Do they usually close the entrance?]
[No… Not unless it's the rainy season.]
Rainy season? Does it even rain here?
It made sense. If it was an underground village, there would be problems during heavy rain.
[Then why is it closed now?]
[It's probably because of me.]
[Because of you?]
[Yes. The adults think the captured monsters escaped…]
I thought they would send out a search party, but then I realized they probably thought the explorers were still hiding inside the village.
They would have sealed the entrance and started searching.
'It's been about four hours since they escaped… They'll probably figure it out soon and come looking for us…'
I shared the information with my teammates.
And then we voted.
"The question is, 'How should we treat these monsters who claim to be human?' There are two options."
"Two?"
Amelia asked, and I nodded.
"We can befriend them."
Or…
"We can kill them all."
Either way, it would be an explorer-like choice.
_________________________
"Befriend them…? Monsters?"
Some were incredulous.
Others questioned the feasibility of such a plan.
"Why would we even want to befriend them?"
"They're the natives. They'll know a lot about this place."
"Can't we just ask this one?"
Well, how much could a child know?
To get high-quality information, we needed to talk to the adults.
Amelia was still skeptical.
"If that's the reason, we can just capture an adult and interrogate them."
"That might be difficult. This one was easy because it's a child. The adults might be more resistant."
"Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I do. But we don't have to resort to violence yet. We don't even know how strong they are. And besides, you said we shouldn't kill anyone unless necessary, didn't you?"
"That was when we were dealing with humans."
"Ah."
"…So, if we can't befriend them, what's the next step?"
Amelia cut to the chase, and I answered without hesitation.
There were only two options, after all.
"We kill them all."
"I see. Then I vote for befriending them."
"Really?"
"I'm also curious about them."
We started voting, Amelia first.
And…
"Three votes for befriending them, and three votes for killing them."
It seemed like my vote would decide the outcome again.
I turned to Marupichi.
And just as I was about to make my decision…
Whiiiish!
A warrior's instincts detected a threat.
Someone, somewhere, was attacking.
Before I could even process the information, my body reacted.
Thud!
An arrow struck my shield.
I was surprised.
'…It actually pierced the shield.'
It hadn't gone all the way through, but the arrowhead was stuck in the plywood.
It seemed to be a pure physical attack.
"Battle stations!"
I shouted and turned towards the direction the arrow had come from.
Monsters emerged from the bushes, armed with various weapons.
'They're here to rescue the child.'
The arrow must have been a distraction.
As soon as I realized their intentions, I dropped my shield. And then I grabbed Marupichi.
[Eek!]
It was my new shield.
[Let go! Let go of me!]
It struggled and shrieked, but it was a perfect shield.
I charged forward, holding Marupichi.
The monsters hesitated.
[…Coward…]
[…Using a child as a hostage…]
They couldn't attack me without risking the child's life.
[…M-Maura! Uncle Maura!]
[Don't worry! We'll save you!]
It seemed like they all knew the child.
'Why are they using honorifics? Is it a high-ranking member?'
If that was the case, it would be even better.
I raised Marupichi and shouted,
[Drop your weapons! Or the child dies!]
Amelia muttered,
"Unexpected. I thought you would try to befriend them."
"Huh? I am trying to befriend them."
I replied, and Amelia asked,
"…This is how?"
"This is how we bond. We fight, and then we become friends."
We had done the same thing, hadn't we?
_________________________
Silence.
[He spoke our language.]
[How can a monster speak our language?]
[Could it be… what the Elder said… ?]
The monsters stared at me, hesitant to attack.
And after about a minute…
Thump, thump.
A large monster emerged from the bushes. It was at least 3.5 meters tall.
It was carrying a large bow.
So this was the archer.
[Are you the leader?]
I asked, and the monster replied,
[How can you speak our language? You're a monster.]
[Drop your weapons. Then I'll tell you.]
My shield answered.
[…F-Father! Don't! I'm okay…!]
Wait… father?
"Haha! Look at Bjorn's evil grin! Those monsters are as good as dead!"
…Did I grin?
I didn't remember, but I focused on the conversation.
[Don't interfere. Chichi.]
[But…]
[I said be quiet!]
[....]
The shield shut up after being scolded by its father.
Right, children shouldn't interrupt adult conversations.
[Last chance. If you want your son to live, drop your weapons—]
[Monster, I invite you to our village.]
[...…What?]
I thought I had misheard, but he repeated himself.
[I invite you to our village. Do you not understand? It's not a difficult word.]
Well… it wasn't about the word itself.
[Do you really think I'll accept your invitation in this situation?]
This monster seemed intelligent. I couldn't underestimate them.
We were outnumbered, and if they ambushed us, we would be in trouble.
I couldn't trust them yet.
[You refuse my invitation…? How barbaric.]
[Hanging corpses from trees is civilized?]
[…Your companions are safe. We won't harm them. Lower your weapons.]
How could I trust them?
[If you wish, you can keep my son—]
[No.]
I refused, and he didn't press the issue.
He just made a strange request.
[Then can you wait? Just for a moment.]
Was he calling for reinforcements?
I was a little uneasy, but I agreed.
I couldn't sense any hostility from him.
'…He seems less hostile now that I can speak their language.'
After about ten minutes…
[It's the Elder…]
[Make way.]
The monsters parted, and an old monster with a white beard approached us.
[Greetings. What is your name?]
His voice was gentle.
[Bjorn, son of Yandel.]
[A good name. Nui! Take the warriors and step back! I need to speak with them.]
I didn't know their culture, but the monsters obeyed the Elder's orders without question.
[Forgive me. This is a private matter.]
[Private… ?]
The word sounded strange, but the Elder just smiled.
[I haven't introduced myself. I am Brugrid, the Elder of this village.]
[Brugrid?]
I had heard that name before.
"Emily, do you know anyone named Brugrid?"
"One of the Last Sage's companions had that name."
Ah, that's why it sounded familiar.
I turned back to the Elder.
He extended his hand.
"Don't be alarmed. It's just a handshake."
"Ah…"
I shook his hand.
And then I realized.
"You said your name was Bjorn, son of Yandel?"
The Elder was speaking.
Not in ancient language, but in Lafdonian.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. You must be an explorer from Lafdonia."
What?
"Yes. How long has it been? Since you arrived here?"
Who was this guy?
-x-X-x-
Diflun Groundel Gavrilius, the Last Sage.
The great explorer and savior who protected the city from the Witch's curse with a barrier and opened the dimensional gate to the labyrinth, solving the resource shortage.
Almost all the feats recorded at the top of the Stone of Honor belonged to him.
He left an enormous footprint on the primitive labyrinth, and people named hidden pieces within the labyrinth 'Gavrilius's Arrangements' after him.
[Diflun Groundel Gavrilius, the Last Sage, and his companions vanquished all the monsters in the Crystal Cave and opened a hidden area.]
As the most famous figure in history, his companions were also widely known.
"…He just spoke our language, right?"
"Yes? Y-Yes… he did…"
"No, wait… he knows about… Lafdonia?"
My teammates were confused, eavesdropping on my conversation with the village elder, Brugrid.
They all had the same expression as the monsters who had heard me speak ancient language: 'How can a monster speak human language?'
If I looked in a mirror, my expression would probably be similar.
But…
[I am Brugrid, the Elder of this village.]
[You must be an explorer from Lafdonia.]
[How much time has passed outside?]
As a leader, I forced myself to calm down and organize my thoughts.
Who was this monster?
…Actually, there was one obvious possibility.
"Cornelius Brugrid, the Dragon Knight."
The village elder nodded as I spoke the name.
"That's correct."
Holy shit, was he serious?
This monster-looking thing?
"D-Dragon Knight Brugrid…!"
"…I can't believe it."
"Is he lying? He's from thousands of years ago… and he looks like that… and he's still alive…?"
My teammates were in an uproar, but the Elder ignored them.
He just looked at me and asked,
"So, tell me. How much time has passed outside?"
Elder Brugrid's gentle voice had a strange power, as if compelling me to answer.
But I had to confirm something first.
"Before I answer that, can I use this?"
I took out 'Distorted Trust.'
We couldn't trust each other without some kind of insurance.
"It's been a while since I've seen one of those…"
"So can I use it?"
"Go ahead. I would prefer it, actually."
His ready agreement increased my trust in him, but I still activated the item.
Click.
And then something unexpected happened.
"Let's test it first. Can you tell me your name?"
"Cornelius Brugrid."
"...."
The item didn't activate.
Not because he had told the truth, but because the item deactivated whenever he spoke.
Just like when I spoke.
"…What's going on?"
"I don't know."
As I was wondering, Bersil approached me and whispered,
"Maybe… it's because he's a monster?"
It was a plausible theory.
I had never used the item on a monster before. If it only worked on humans, this would make sense.
'Or maybe he's like me…'
I tried using the Verification spell with Bersil's help, but it also failed.
"It seems like we'll have to talk without any magical assistance."
Damn it, I had wasted a charge…
"Now answer my question."
"I have one more question first."
"Go ahead."
"If you're really one of the Last Sage's companions, why are you here? Looking like that?"
"That's…"
The Elder continued,
"Something I don't know myself."
"…Huh?"
"It was an ordinary day. I was in the labyrinth, and then it closed. But when I opened my eyes, I was here. In this… monstrous form."
"...What?"
"I've been thinking about it for a long time. Why I'm here, why I look like this, where this place is, why I can't die… but there's only one answer."
"...."
"I don't know."
Elder Brugrid's voice was devoid of emotion.
As if he had given up on finding the answer.
"I'm not sure if you're satisfied with that answer, but… does that answer your question?"
"Sort of."
I had received an answer, so it was only fair that I answered his question.
"…It's the 157th year of the New Era."
"New Era…?"
"It's been 157 years since the Immortal King died and the new King ascended the throne. And it's been over a thousand years since the Witch's curse."
"A thousand years… I see."
The Elder's reaction was surprisingly calm.
Like a deflated balloon.
There was no sense of panic or urgency.
'So it's my turn again.'
We hadn't made any formal agreements, but no one had ever complained about this system.
'Let's try this.'
I chose my next question carefully. I wasn't sure if there was a limit to the number of questions I could ask.
"Who are those monsters that look like you?"
It was the question that had been bothering me the most since hearing the Elder's story.
If he had suddenly woken up here one day, looking like that… then what about the other monsters that looked just like him?
"They were already living on this island when I arrived. The natives, I suppose. I don't know why, but they accepted me as one of their own."
Bersil flinched and tried to say something, but I quickly stopped her.
"Yandel… is this… evil—"
"Bersil."
"Ah…"
Right, there was no need to give him any more information.
I wasn't sure if I could trust him yet.
I gave Bersil a look, and she closed her mouth.
'Evil spirits.'
That must have been the word she was about to say.
Maybe Brugrid wasn't just transformed, he was possessed by one of these monsters.
Why?
I didn't know.
This world was full of secrets.
"And?"
"I assume they were in a similar situation as me. But unlike me, they didn't retain their sanity. They were intelligent, but uncivilized. They were like wild beasts."
"But they call themselves humans now."
"Unlike them, I don't age or die. That alone was enough to make me a god-like figure. I became their elder and taught them everything I knew. This island is a harsh environment. You'll see soon enough."
"Why did you teach them ancient language?"
"It's easier for them to learn in this form. And it's more suited to their vocal cords."
Well, I couldn't argue with that.
Calling themselves 'humans' was a strange choice, though.
"Can I ask a question now?"
"Go ahead."
I let him take his turn, but I stayed focused.
I had a reason.
'Don't underestimate a barbarian.'
If he was lying, I would find out.
______________________
Cornelius Brugrid.
I wasn't sure if he really was one of the ancient heroes.
[I don't know. Why I'm here.]
He claimed he didn't know why he was here.
It could be the truth, or a lie.
But one thing was certain.
[A thousand years… I see.]
He was lying about not knowing how much time had passed.
He had captured the explorers and brought them to the village. He could have easily asked them.
'He speaks Lafdonian, so it's not like he couldn't communicate…'
And yet, he had left the village to meet with me.
Why?
He could have easily obtained that information without our help.
And the warriors' reaction before he appeared had also been strange.
[How can you speak our language? You're a monster?]
They had invited me to the village after I started speaking ancient language.
'Is there a clue in the ancient language…?'
As I was thinking that, the Elder spoke.
"Do you know how to leave this place?"
"No."
"Then how did you get here?"
"There was an inscription on the Stone of Honor about a hidden area being unlocked. We found the entrance and came down from the 1st floor."
We exchanged questions rapidly.
"Why did you kill the explorers you captured?"
"It wasn't my decision. The warriors found them. They were scared and confused, so they attacked."
"I see. Your turn."
"What's beyond this island?"
"…Don't you know?"
"The trees here don't float."
Really? I didn't know that.
"Now answer my question. What's beyond the sea?"
"We haven't explored much yet. Just the rocky island where we started, and this island. They're about five hours apart by ship."
"I see… Thank you. My turn."
It was my turn again.
I was worried about wasting a question, but I decided to take the risk.
"Why did you come all the way here to meet with me, instead of asking the explorers you captured?"
"Because the rainy season starts in three days."
"…Rainy season?"
The little monster had mentioned it too.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"We're busy preparing for the rainy season. We don't have time for interrogations. We were planning to talk to them later."
So he was too busy.
It sounded like an excuse.
"And yet, you took the time to meet with me. Instead of the explorers you already had."
I made my suspicion clear, and the Elder looked at me intently.
"You're… quite aggressive."
"It's a natural reaction for an explorer."
"Maybe. But you should show more respect to someone who saved your life. I came here because I was worried about you. I didn't even finish the preparations for the rainy season."
"What? Saved my life?"
I was incredulous, and the Elder spoke, his voice calm and emotionless,
"You won't believe me now, anyway. Let's meet again in three days. Here."
"Three days…?"
I asked, but he didn't answer.
"You wouldn't trust me if I asked you to come to the village now, anyway."
That was true.
But I didn't see how anything would change in three days…
"Try to stay on this island. Or at least nearby. If you take too long, we'll have to close the entrance to the village. Ah, the entrance will be open, so you can come whenever you change your mind."
"…?"
"You can keep Marupichi until then."
The Elder then turned and left, leading his warriors through a hidden passage beneath the tree roots. I didn't try to stop him. I didn't understand his intentions.
"He's gone…"
"Yandel, what are we going to do now?"
I didn't know.
I wanted to complain, but I forced myself to calm down and focus on the task at hand.
And the task was obvious.
[Marupichi, what's the rainy season?]
I started by asking the little monster about the rainy season and anything else it knew. And then we hunted monsters in the area, staying within the central part of the island.
Time passed…
One day, two days…
Click.
The promised three days had arrived.
[00:00]
It started raining on the island.
Kwaaang!
But it wasn't like any rain I had ever seen before.
[Keureuk! Keureuk!]
[Grrrr…!]
[Kwaaaaaaaaa!]
It was raining monsters.