Barberian

Chapter 63: Catch Them (1)

The lobby of the Explorers' Alliance is always bustling.

It's packed with people, from clients who come in to place requests to explorers looking for work and the staff who serve them.

It's a normal scene, but lately it's been a little noisier.

"Did you see the minotaur carcass the explorers from the Academy brought in this time? It was almost the ninth floor."

"Ah. A beast that moved up a floor? Of course I saw it, and from what I've heard from the guy in charge of sorting the carcasses at the Alliance, it's believed to be the…seed of a mid-tier explorer!"

"Ah. I heard that a party of 13th level explorers was destroyed by an omen some time ago, and the male explorer was mauled by a minotaur."

"Well, new traps and monsters have appeared since the Omen, so it's certainly possible."

There was a lot of speculation and conversation in the Explorers' Alliance.

The chatter was generally similar.

The Labyrinth's omen, the changes it brought, and the aftermath.

It's been over a month since the omen went off.

And now, the explorers who had gone beneath the eighth floor when the omen broke had begun to return to the Labyrinth City.

Not all explorer parties have made it up, with some staying in Eden, the midway point on the 15th floor.

The number of people who had already returned was considerable, so the information about the Labyrinth that had been turned upside down by the omen was spreading quite quickly.

"Of course, with rumors spreading so quickly, there are some things that need to be filtered."

Gellan, a low-tier top-tier explorer and a man on the verge of becoming a mid-tier explorer, who had come up from the 11th floor of the Labyrinth this time, spoke along with the other party members.

"For example... some crazy male explorer in a helmet slaughtered a dozen minotaurs."

"And not just any minotaurs, but special minotaurs."

"I heard that the power of the party I was with was at the level of 7th floor explorers? Does this make sense?"

His fellow Academy-commissioned explorers testified to having seen the scene, but to Gellan, it was nonsense

He just didn't like the fact that there was a male explorer as good as him.

"Besides, I heard one crazy rumor while I was on the ground this time."

As Gellan opened his mouth, the female explorers and the male explorers who were trying to get a rise out of him glared.

"What rumor? Just tell your sister, and I'll do anything for you."

"What rumor?"

Feeling confident in the way they looked at him, Gellan told them the rumor he couldn't believe...or, more accurately, didn't want to believe.

"...That the Alliance Leader has a male apprentice...Of course it's a rumor. What does that mean?"

A ridiculous rumor that the Explorers' Alliance Leader Idelbert has taken on an apprentice. It had been Gellan's biggest concern since he'd arrived on the surface.

"It's ridiculous that the leader of the Alliance would take on a male explorer of no consequence."

It was literally an absurd rumor.

What could the near-perfect Idelbert possibly lack that would cause her to take on a disciple, even a male disciple?

Gellan was currently considered the most skilled male explorer below intermediate level.

Gellan couldn't accept the fact that a strange male explorer had overtaken him and became Idelbert's disciple.

'How much do I love you, Idelbert?'

There was only one reason. It was because Gellan was in love with Idelbert.

He wasn't the only one.

It was well known that male explorers who met Idelbert, even once, would develop a serious case of love sickness.

"Is that true?"

From the table next to him came the dagger to Gellan's heart.

Some drunken junior explorers were talking excitedly.

Gellan's eyes rolled back in his head.

"You guys! Are you really saying that? Can you be responsible for that?"

"Huh? No, not responsible."

"We heard it, but we didn't see it."

The explorers flinched at Gellan's words, as he shouted with the energy of a mid-level explorer.

Few remember the time when Idelbert said she had taken Balkan as a pupil, and the rumors they spoke spread like wildfire.

Rumors travel with people and they spread like wildfire.

"I don't know the truth because even if I ask the teller, she won't tell me, saying that the information is confidential. I don't know if he's really a student or not."

"Some rumors say he's a lover, some say he's a prostitute who loves her, and some say he's a real disciple."

"Prostitute or lover?"

"He must be, because he always comes out of the elevator with his legs shaking. Bitch."

"From what I hear, he wears a helmet because he's so stupid, but his face is a bit of a landmine."

"Who said that?"

"I don't know, I just heard a rumor."

Gellan's stomach flipped hotly as the junior explorers began to gossip amongst themselves.

How dare they, how dare they!

His teeth grinded together as the delusion grew.

As Gellan chewed on the unknown, unrecognizable bastard who had obviously approached Idelbert with the intention of devouring the Explorers' Alliance whole.

-Ding.

The elevator dinged, signaling Idelbert's arrival in the lobby.

Order was restored to the Explorers' Alliance, including the clients who had been shouting for their own gain, the explorers who had been exchanging last-minute comments, and the nervous Alliance staff.

They headed for the elevator, pretending not to notice as they returned to work.

Gellan's bloodshot eyes also turned to the elevator doors.

'Of course it's a rumor.'

He waited for the doors to open, hoping for the best.

Sure enough, the elevator opened, revealing an expressionless beauty with a high black ponytail and a flick of her cat's tail.

The head of the Explorers' Alliance and to the right of Idelbert...A tall man, a head taller than Idelbert, with a massive, muscular body.

He boldly threw one arm around the neck of the awe-inspiring Alliance Leader and leaned in close to her.

His body was drenched in an unidentifiable liquid, and his limbs were covered in red handprints.

The female explorers and staff gulped at the sight of the man's body.

They didn't know exactly, but they could tell at a glance that something terrible had happened.

Idelbert carefully placed a hand on his waist.

"Walk carefully, you'll fall."

"Yes, sir. Master."

With a word of advice, Idelbert carefully helped him to his feet and led him out of the Explorers' Union.

They were the only ones to slip out of the Explorers' Alliance when everyone else stopped.

"...The rumor, was it true?"

"It's crazy, the Union Leader actually took a disciple!"

"Hey. Does that look like a master-disciple relationship to you?! It looked like a male being fucked by a female!"

"No, but... I didn't smell any semen."

"That could be explained if the Alliance Leader gave him a massage."

"The Alliance Leader giving a massage to some guy she calls her apprentice? Ha. I'd rather believe a goblin raped a woman!"

The gossipy crowd, dazzled by the titillating sight, chattered on.

"By the way, doesn't that helmet and axe ... look a bit like the male explorer who captured the unusual minotaur?"

"Yes, that's him, I saw him when I was out on a mission for the Academy! His helmet has changed a bit, but there's no way there's another man his size!"

"A rookie of that caliber is a disciple of the Alliance Leader."

"This is a bit tempting."

Those with more of an explorer's ego began to take more interest in his specs and background.

And Gellan.

"How dare you, you fucking whore, steal my Idelbert!"

He glared at the door of the Alliance he had left, eyes filled with anger, envy, and jealousy, ready to rip it down at a moment's notice.

Gellan's party silently distanced themselves from him as he began to spew insults.

***

"Go in carefully. Master."

"Yes. I also gave you a massage, so be on time tomorrow."

"I think I've had a week's worth of training just today."

"If you come, just come."

"Okay."

Idelbert and I parted ways at the door without entering the inn.

It seemed that she had come purely to escort me to the inn.

Luckily, the imprints of Idelbert's hand on my limbs have almost completely disappeared by now.

"...Balkan. Are you here?"

"Yep. I'll be right there."

"...Good."

Diana, who had been looking at me strange lately-or, more accurately, since Eli left-didn't seem to notice, judging by the fact that she didn't say anything.

We casually prepared for the evening's business.

It was just after 6:00 and the customers started coming in.

The inn is still very popular but tonight, unusually, there were a few guests who came in for something other than a meal.

"We are a 7th floor explorer party. Do you want to join our party?"

I'm guessing they were Explorers who saw me with Idelbert and ran over to try their luck, but their level of sophistication was obvious.

'I'm sure the more serious explorers will be much more cautious.'

"You've been talking for over ten minutes now, and if you're not going to order, go away. Before I chop off your head with an axe."

"What, is this asshole trying to-"

"Ahaha, our mistake, We'll come to you next time, properly!"

A party member was indignant at my cold response, but the leader of the party turned pale and ran off with the party member's mouth shut.

I glanced back to see Diana staring at them with eerie eyes.

'As expected of her.'

I gave her a silent thumbs up, and she closed her eyes once more, smiled softly at me, and walked into the kitchen.

"...?"

Her back looked strangely listless.

'Is something wrong?'

I followed Diana into the kitchen with a question mark hovering over my head.

"Bar, Balkan, is Balkan there!"

A desperate voice called from the entrance of the inn. It was a familiar voice by now.

Lammel Royce, the harpy wizard of the Joy Hog party.

'The next trip to the Labyrinth is tomorrow.'

What on earth could have happened to cause such an urgent call?

Lammel turned to me, her face pale.

"First of all, calm down and tell me slowly, what's going on?"

"That, that... haha..."

In response to my question, Lammel rubbed her forehead and sighed deeply.

The reaction was unexpected.

"Jubeel and Joy Hog have been taken away by the... guards!"

Alas.

So that's what happened.

I slapped my forehead in disbelief.

"That crazy milk bag and drunkard…"

Someone finally reported her...

Chapter 64: Catch Them (2)

I begged Diana's pardon and immediately went after the two women who had been taken by the guards with Lammel.

It wasn't long before I spotted them being accompanied by guards.

They weren't handcuffed, but rather, they were talking to the guards with serious faces, receiving something and then parting ways.

"...What..."

"...Lammel."

"Oh, no, it really was... when I saw it from a distance earlier!"

"Hmm. So, did you bribe them to get free?"

"That's it! It doesn't make sense otherwise!"

It was a plausible story.

I remember the captain of the guard who showed up when Idelbert and Diana were arguing also accepted a soul stone and walked away laughing.

'But wasn't she forced to back down because Idelbert and Diana were too strong for her?'

Of course they're not in that weight class.

Then how the hell did they get away from the guards?

That makes sense if they didn't do anything stupid in the first place...

They must have done something they could get away with.

***

The truth of the case was shocking.

Very, very surprisingly, Jubeel and Joy Hog had done nothing wrong!

It was all a mistake by Lammel, who had seen them interacting with the guards from a distance and immediately assumed they were under arrest.

" Lammel, Balkan, you didn't believe us!"

"You're so mean. You're going to taste the chill of the sword."

You've gone too far, you bastards.

"Put your hands on your chest, both of you, and think of all the things you've done."

Joy Hog, who's normally sane, but turns into a raving drunk when she's drunk like all dwarfs, and Jubeel, who's always been a bit of a mental case.

Honestly, when they were taken away by the guards and sent to prison, I was like, "Oh, finally?" and I was convinced.

At my words, Joy Hog and Jubeel clutched their breasts in agony.

"Uh-huh-"

"Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Jubeel immediately squirted her breast milk in Lammel's face.

Lammel yelped in surprise, and then her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out.

Look at that. How can I not believe it when she told me they were taken away by the guards?

Joy Hog looked at the stunned Lammel and coughed sharply.

"Hmph. Whatever. I didn't do anything to deserve to be taken away. On the contrary, I got a request."

"A request?"

"Yep. It's a big one. Not as big as the Academy's, but pretty lucrative. Well, I need your opinion on whether to take it or not, but we'll talk about the details tomorrow when the whole party's gathered."

Okay. No rush if she wasn't going to be taken.

We exchanged a quick goodbye and parted ways.

Jubeel scooped up Lammel, who was covered in white milk.

"Is she okay? She looks traumatized."

"Huh? I'm sure she'll be fine. She freaks out, but she secretly loves it. Her reactions are the most delicious, and she often tends to my mammary glands."

I see.

It's not an easy relationship.

The next morning, I'm walking down to the lobby of the Explorers' Alliance after my duel with Idelbert when a strange man approaches me.

I reflexively looked at him through the status window.

[Gellan LV. 30]

[Stamina:(9) Strength:(10+2) Agility:(12+6) Wisdom:(6) Finesse:(8+3)]

[Blessings and Curses currently possessed by Gellan: 3]

Now that the stats and even the number of Blessings for a level 30 Grand Explorer look about right, one question is answered.

I had questioned this at one point when I noticed that late level 20 Explorers were getting a definitive status window censor.

At the time, I intuitively assumed that they were getting a secondary job change around level 20, and that they were getting additional stats with every level up....

Now that I've grown up, I analyzed Gellan's status window, and I was right.

'Starting at level 25, your stats will increase by 2.'

For me, I've been getting 1 free point per level up, but after level 25, I'll be getting 2.

It seems like just yesterday that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by a mid-level explorer opponent.

[Nam Soo-jin LV.16]

[Stamina:(8+10) Strength:(8+10) Agility:(7+10) Wisdom:(1) Finesse:(2)]

Now we're almost equal based on simple stats total, despite the nearly double level difference.

[◆ Blessing of ???]

– ???

– Stamina+10 Strength+10 Agility +10

'Of course, that's because the stat increases from the Blessing of the Question Mark are enormous.'

That said, I'm not ready to rest on my laurels just yet.

I need to become even stronger than I already am, if only to uncover the identity of the mysterious blessing.

I may not be able to fight Idelbert or Diana, Zernier would be tough, and Serif would be a bit of a stretch.

Suddenly, I remembered the level 40 Paladin I'd seen in the temple, the golden-armored Paladin that stood by Serif's side.

Yeah, I should at least reach that level...

"Hey, you. Are you listening to me, or are you deliberately ignoring me?"

After a few moments of agonizing silence the guy leaned in close to me.

"Oh fuck!"

I jerked my head back in surprise.

Even though I'd never met him before, the words came out of my mouth.

Fuck. What the fuck are you doing, a fucking asshole, sticking your face in a man's face?

A visceral revulsion welled up in me toward the man, whose name was Gellan.

He looked like some kind of douchebag and he was an insane faggot who was trying to get in the face of the same guy.

"What the fuck, did you just swear at me?"

"I was a little surprised that you just stuck your face in my face, and I apologize for the swearing, but what's going on?"

I apologized politely and asked what the problem was, since it was my fault for swearing in the first place but Gellan didn't seem to like it.

"Ha. Forget the apology, just answer the question. What kind of trick did you pull to get in as a disciple of the Alliance Leader?"

"What?"

"Did you sell your body, give her your dick, or did you take advantage of her weakness?"

I felt my mind go blank at the sudden bullshit.

'What is it, you asshole?'

How could anyone be so blatant as to point this out right off the bat? With so many prying eyes?

I looked at Gellan's eyes, and they were full of shit. He looked like he was losing his mind.

"Alas, in the end..."

"This is why love is dangerous. Once your eyes go crazy, you plunge in without backing out, I tell you. This is why I don't make men. It's bothersome."

"…Isn't it that you can't make them?"

The people who appeared to be Gellan's party members tried to stop Gellan while being aware of the whispering onlookers around them, but his resistance was too strong.

"Tell me the truth! How did you become the Alliance Leader's disciple?"

From the sound of it, he was probably jealous of me for becoming Idelbert's apprentice...something I didn't understand.

"My master came to me first, and she kept asking me to be her student, so I did it... why are you fucking with me, you asshole?"

Idelbert had asked me to be her student first.

There was no respect and no politeness so I didn't feel the need to respect the man in front of me.

There's no reason to honor someone who doesn't respect you.

"You, asshole? The Alliance Leader?! Don't be ridiculous! It's obvious, you seduced her with your body!"

Even though I told him the truth, Gellan denied it.

Moreover, there was a hint of inferiority in his tone.

I looked down at Gellan, who was about my height.

For a man in this world, he has a relatively sturdy body and is tall…

'Is this really a male?'

I even felt a little sympathy for him.

In that moment, I instinctively realized what Gellan's problem was.

Because he had a weak body, even his mind had become sick.

"...Yes. Think as you will, and be strong."

"...You bastard!"

As I spoke these words of pity and sympathy, Gellan's fists clenched tightly as if he sensed my good intentions.

I casually turned on my heel and stepped back into the elevator reserved for the Alliance Leader.

Gellan's body jerked to a stop as he lunged for me.

The elevator was only for the Alliance Leader and her apprentice, me.

No other explorer is allowed to ride or even touch it.

'If you touch it, the Alliance explorers will beat the crap out of you.'

"Well. Come on! You can become an apprentice if you try hard enough!"

Woohoo-

The elevator doors closed as I finished speaking.

Gellan's face contorted in humiliation was quite a sight to behold.

The elevator doors opened with the sound of an alarm. I stepped back into the training room and saw Idelbert.

"Why did you come back up? Did you forget something?"

Idelbert looked at me with a question mark above her head.

'It's going to take a while for Gellen to calm down.'

It would be better to do something productive, though it would be nice to rest.

"I've been having so much fun dueling with you, Master, it's addictive, and I'm back for another round."

"...hmm."

Boom! BANG!

Idelbert, whose black cat tail began to wag like a whip, gave me a rare belligerent smile, then released my wrists and approached me.

"This master is very pleased that her pupil has become so aggressive."

I instinctively took a step backward at the sight of her. The momentum was unexpected.

Perhaps I had misjudged her, but I had made a mistake.

***

"...Balkan isn't dead, is he?"

"I don't know. Maybe he's dead. Jubeel, give him a shot of breast milk. It's shock therapy."

"Finally, my turn."

A voice came from somewhere.

Ah, yes. I've definitely gotten my ass handed to me by Idelbert and barely made it back to the inn.

I had just met up with Joy Hog's party to schedule our next trip to the Labyrinth.

I opened my eyes from exhaustion and saw a cow's udder.

"Jubeel. If you keep that up, I'm going to rip your udder off, or do you want to be a mutt?"

Turning pale, Jubeel quickly covered her udder. The rest of the party giggled at the sight. Only Hitolis, the priest, blushed.

"Hmph. Well, since we're all here, I suppose we should talk about this request."

Joy Hog cleared her throat and began to outline the request.

"Do you all remember the staff of the shaman Hobgoblin we took last time?"

At the same time, a horrible memory began to play in my mind.

Get out of my head, Hobgoblins!

Chapter 65: Catch Them (3)

"Come to think of it, Balkan doesn't know what happened back then."

Joy Hog filled me in on the issue.

"I received a request from Arpo, one of the academy professors and a labyrinth ecologist. To be exact, it was through the assistant who acted on behalf of Master Arpo."

When I had fallen into the fifth-floor transference trap, the Joey Hog Party had been tasked by Professor Arpo's assistant to get the staff of the shaman Hobgoblin.

"Quite a few explorers had tried and failed before we did. There are a lot of hobgoblins in the village on the fifth floor."

'I remember finding a map in the Hobgoblin Village on the fifth floor that said, 'Objective: Shaman Hobgoblin Staff!''

Perhaps the map was a remnant of the explorers who were commissioned before Joy Hog's party.

"Besides, hobgoblin shaman staff is the best and most exploitable staff you can get in the upper levels of the Labyrinth."

I know the power of the Hobgoblin Staff intuitively.

Ugh, my head twitches with a spinal cord reflex and I remember a memory I shouldn't have.

Alas, memories of the terrible Hobgoblins! Thou horrible thing that turns men into cunt-hungry sperm-sack slaves!

"Even without that coveted ... no, nefarious ... enchantment, the staff itself is quite magically efficient."

"The Explorers' Alliance that arranged the commission accepted it, trusting that a professor or something wouldn't use it for 'such' purposes, so we handed the staff over to the assistant and took the commission."

"Well, isn't that where it ends?"

You've gotten what you were asked to get, you've handed it over to the assistant who's representing the professor, you've gotten paid, and that's it, right?

What more is there to say?

Jubeel and Joy Hog nodded at my words.

"That's right. It should have ended there."

"However, the teaching assistant was attacked by outlaws and disappeared."

Hmm.

I straightened my posture. This was going to be a pretty serious story.

Lammel looked alarmed.

"Attacked? Those crazy outlaws attacked an Academy professor's assistant?"

"I don't believe it either, but that's what the guards say. The carriage the assistant was returning in was abandoned in an alleyway near the noble district. It was smashed to pieces."

"Huh."

The Labyrinth City of Valerus has a complex power structure, and the Academy is one of the largest factions in the sprawling city.

The professors of the academy, though there are variations, are usually of high rank.

A lowly explorer or outlaw would not be allowed to meet them even if they wanted to.

Such a professor's research slaves... No, assistants and students, are not to be messed with.

If you mess with them, you'll be going against their master... the professor.

But these crazy outlaw bastards didn't just mess with her, they got rid of her.

"Why did they do that?"

"I don't know why but they didn't find the Hobgoblin staff in the wrecked carriage, either. I'm guessing the outlaws stole it."

Hitolis tilted her head at Joy Hog's reply.

"I've heard from a priest I know that there's been an increase in the number of men with pink tattoos and disfigured faces like they've been attacked by monsters around the Outlaw District lately. Some have even gone missing. I wonder why."

"That's right, that theory."

Jubeel nodded, understanding the situation.

"Outlaw bastards hijacked the Hobgoblin staff and are using it on the men for their own pleasure, those lucky bastards. Pfft-!"

Joey Hogg, who'd just given Jubeel a honey balm, wringed her hands and looked at us.

"Well, this isn't really our problem. We've only fulfilled a request from the Explorers' Alliance, and what happened afterward is out of our hands."

Exactly. The job ended when you collected the money and parted ways with the assistant.

There's no reason for an explorer to protect an assistant, unless the assignment involves stopping an outlaw raid.

Common sense dictates that what happens in the Labyrinth is handled by the explorers, and what happens on the ground is handled by the guards.

However, stating something so obvious to everyone means that....

"Something's happened again, the commission has fallen through, right?"

"Bingo."

In response to my answer, Joy Hog smirked and pulled out two scrolls.

The scene was eerily familiar. They were the ones Joy Hog had gotten from the guard yesterday.

-Chirp.

The scrolls unfolded to reveal a map and two montages.

The map was a map with a location tracking function, like the one held by the teaching assistants when we received the Academy request, and the montage was…

"A map of the two most likely suspects in this case and their locations."

The location on the map was the second floor of the Labyrinth. This can only mean one thing.

'An outlaw has fled into the Labyrinth.'

Anything with a long tail will get caught.

Either they're waiting for things to blow over, hoping the guards won't catch up with them, or they have another purpose for entering the Labyrinth.

"The Guards and Professor Arpo gave us the job to capture the outlaws and bring back the staff. The Guards are paying us five contribution points and Professor Arpo is paying us one gold coin."

One gold coin. That's quite tempting.

The Academy pays so well, normally I'd have to bow down and beg for a favor.

"They're giving five contribution points for capturing two outlaws?"

But the other party members were more interested in the contribution points than the gold coins.

"What are contribution points, anyway?"

I asked Lammel, the only intelligent one in the group, and she immediately looked alarmed.

"Balkan. You have no common sense... hmmm. It's nothing, just listen without putting your hand on the axe."

Lammel explained the contribution points.

"It's a score that must be raised in order to move up to a higher level explorer. No matter how good you are, if your contribution is low, you won't even be able to move up to a mid-level explorer."

I nodded as she explained that every time I accepted a task that benefited the Labyrinth City, or a sudden summons, my contribution would increase.

'I guess I'll have to do it at some point.'

"She's the reason they're giving contribution points."

Joy Hog pointed to the montage to his right. A female rabbit, with eyes so sinister you'd think she was in heat.

"Gurmimi, an executive of the outlaw Clan Blues. She's a rape socialist. She's fucked a hundred people, men and women alike. The record is years old, but the highest floor she's ever reached is the tenth floor."

'Blues?'

A medium-sized outlaw clan that Grumpy used to slave for, said to do all sorts of dirty work.

"So they'd turn men into idiots and sell them as sex slaves with the staff of the shaman Hobgoblin."

"That's the most likely explanation."

"But who is this woman?"

Hitolis pointed to the opposite montage.

It was an ordinary woman. A featureless woman who looked like there could be hundreds of them on the street.

"The guards had no information on this one. But from what we've heard from eyewitnesses to the rape, this woman was carrying a staff."

Hmm.

I watched the montage in silence.

"What do you guys think of this assignment? I won't take it if you guys don't like it."

Joy Hog asked with a mischievous look on her face, the look of someone who knows the outcome.

This was a party of ambitious people.

To move on to higher and higher stages, they need high contributions, and if they can make money along with the contributions, so even better.

"If I don't accept these conditions, I'll quit being an explorer."

Jubeel's words were met with nods from the rest of the party.

And with that our next quest was decided.

'Capture the Outlaws. And retrieve the staff of the shaman hobgoblin.'

It sounds simple enough, but it won't be easy.

'Tricky business in such a vast labyrinth...'

Perhaps the difference between success and failure would depend on how deep these guys descended.

"And just in case they go below the eighth floor, another party has been requested, a party that's very close to being promoted to Intermediate Explorers. I hope you're all aware of that."

I didn't pay much attention, but I was aware of the situation.

We chatted for a while, and then we left.

"Accept customers!! Diana!"

As we were closing for the evening, Zernier burst into the inn.

-Kaaaaaah!

With a helm that emitted a brilliant blue light and an axe in hand.

"...Be careful what you wish for. I've just finished fixing the door."

"I don't mind. If I break it, I'll fix it again, with better wood."

"I don't need it."

Diana's eyes traveled to Zirnier's hand.

"...What's with this helmet and the axe?"

"Oh. This?"

Zirnier exchanged a look with Diana for a moment, then gestured to Balkan, who was clearing a table in the corner.

"Balkan, here I come! I thought you were going to pour me drinks!"

"Ah, you're here, but we're closing in five minutes, aren't we, Ms. Diana?"

Diana scratched her head."...How do these two talk so naturally...?"

She had felt something was off when Balkan first came to her wearing Zirnier's helm, but that had to have been a coincidence.

"You can drink one bottle in five minutes, and then two."

"And then it really rots your liver."

"Don't disrespect the liver of a half-dwarf, hiccup."

"You've had a bottle already, I'm pretty tense."

"A bottle when I wake up, five when I work, one when I leave, and that's the life of a dwarf. Well, half, but never mind that. Put on the helmet I got you. I made it just a little wider than your face shape."

'...Balkan face shape? How does Zirnier have that...?'

Diana's eyes filled with confusion.

Whether she realized it or not, Zernier continued nonchalantly.

"I'm going to borrow a room for a while, Diana, just in case, but if it doesn't work out, we'll have to go back to the drawing board."

While Diana fumbled and panicked at the suddenness of the situation, Zernier dragged Balkan up to the second floor.

-Boom!

The door slammed shut as Diana quickly followed them upstairs.

"No, are we doing this again? The opening is perfect now, and the view is clear enough."

"We need to accumulate data whenever we get the chance, we might need to make a new helmet later."

The conversation was wholesome on the surface, but it was accompanied by sounds that were unnerving to Diana's ears.

The sound of something being furiously groped, stroked, fondled, and spanked.

After a few moments, they emerged from the room.

"Diana, how do you like my new helmet?"

Balkan asked, touching the helmet on his head.

His eyes were slightly more visible than before, perhaps because the eye sockets were cut ever so slightly wider.

His pupils were pitch-black, and they held nothing but Diana.

"Ahhh. Yes. It's nice. It suits you."

"It is, isn't it? Hm. I'm glad."

...What was he glad for, that she thought it looked good?

Diana felt her heart loosen momentarily at Balkan's casual comment, but she quickly tried to regain her composure.

She smiled softly at Balkan, then turned to look at Zernier, who followed him out the door.

Zirnier made eye contact with Diana and quickly hid her hands behind her back.

"Why, why are you looking at me like that?"

"..."

Diana was well aware that Zirnier Besil was a machine, a woman with no interest in the opposite sex.

But the hands she had just seen were...

They were not the cold hands of iron and machinery, but red and ripe as if they had felt human heat.

Diana answered her silently and expressionlessly while she thought quietly in her mind.

'Too many vixens are interested in Balkan these days.'

***

Two days later, the portal to the Labyrinth opened.

Chapter 66: Catch Them (4)

I woke up at dawn, before the early bird and began preparing for the day.

I carefully stretched the joints and muscles that would suffer for the next few weeks, scrubbed myself down with lukewarm water, and washed my face.

It was a luxury I wouldn't have for a while.

After a quick routine, I checked my equipment one last time. It's an important task that never gets old.

The opening of the helmet that Zirnier had fixed opened and closed smoothly without creaking.

I could now eat while wearing the helmet. This was very positive news.

The eye sockets were slightly wider, which made it much easier to see.

Other than that, it's been touched up with dings, scratches, rust, and grime from its long, rough ride.

It was Zernier, the best craftsman in the Labyrinth City, and she didn't miss a single detail.

'And most of all... this axe.'

It's different from the way it feels in my hand. The leather wrapped around the handle is well-made and the finish could not be better.

The blade, forged from a relic alloy, glowed a brilliant blue. It could easily cut through the tough hide of a minotaur.

'Furthermore, the artifact is enchanted with the soul stone of the Boss Minotaur...'

I don't need to say much more about its performance. I've gotten myself a tremendous weapon that can be used in the mid-tier.

However, the design is not as refined as the axe that Idelbert gave me.

It's crude to say the least, a raw axe that reeked of iron.

'You have good taste.'

-It's a masterpiece. I haven't had so much fun making weapons in a long time.

I remembered Zirnier leaving with a smirk on her face, clutching the flask of dwarven brew she'd bought from Diana.

"I'll put it to good use."

I strap the twin axes to my waist, checking them in the mirror, and they tickle me a bit.

Next, I took the leather armor Diana had given me and added gaiters and limb guards.

All of my decent gear from the last battle with the minotaurs was ruined, so I replaced it with some crappy stuff.

It was about 80 silver coins but I got the most advanced gear I could afford for a beginner explorer. Armor can mean the difference between life and death.

'When I didn't have the money for better gear, I could get by with the helmet, but not anymore.'

Every time I looked at my money pouch, I felt calmer.

I stashed the rest of the money under my bed and left the room with a backpack full of food and other supplies.

I came downstairs to the savory aroma wafting from the kitchen, and Diana poked her head out of the kitchen as soon as she heard my footsteps.

"Morning. Balkan."

"Good morning, Diana."

I thought I was up pretty early, but Diana was awake much earlier than I was today.

We had our usual morning chats and prepared an early breakfast.

Since I'm going to the labyrinth so early, I wanted to make sure I had a full stomach.

"It's carrot stew for some reason."

"Yeah. I just thought I'd try it out for something new... don't you like carrots?"

"I eat them."

Carrot soup or potato soup, it doesn't matter.

The important thing is that Diana made it early in the morning.

She ladles the soup into bowls and gathers the utensils.

"Go upstairs and eat first."

She probably said this because I always went up to my room to eat.

I chuckled and opened and closed the opening in my helmet.

"Now I don't have to go upstairs, we can eat at the table."

Diana's eyes narrowed at my words, then she smiled broadly.

"Well, are you sure that's okay...?"

"Sure. I wanted to share my first meal with you."

I remembered eating alone and lonely like a dog.

Farewell, old me. No more solo meals for me now that I've donned my new and improved helmet.

Diana stared at me blankly, then swallowed hard.

She quickly put another bowl of soup in front of her, looking quite impatient in case I changed my mind.

"Thank you," I said.

"Enjoy."

In the darkness of dawn, Diana and I sat across from each other at the table and ate an early breakfast, warm, creamy carrot-based soup and moist, soft bread.

The soup was nutritious and warm, and the bread was buttered and dipped into the soup.

Paaaaaaan-.

As Diana ate, she kept looking at me, munching away.

Her eyes are obviously closed, but it feels like she's staring right into my mouth.

The opening is not too big and not too small, as it's meant to hold food.

I thought to myself, "Maybe it's just my dirty lips."

By the way, the reason she keep looking at it like that is because...

"Did I get soup on my helmet?"

"Huh? No... ah... yes. You did. Hold on, I'll wipe it off."

After saying no and then saying yes, Diana pulled out some tissues, stood up from the table, and leaned in close to me, bending her upper body slightly.

'Wow.'

The baby mama dispenser, precariously wrapped in a gray dress, filled my vision.

I'm glad I'd widened my helmet field of vision. It was one of the best things I'd done in recent months.

The stimulating sight that greeted my eyes early in the morning was energizing in more ways than one.

"Mmm, It's all cleaned up now."

Then my heart sank.

Diana carefully gathered up the tissue she had used to wipe my helmet. Was she going to throw it in the kitchen trash later?

With that thought in mind, I finished the soup. It was so delicious that I wiped the bowl clean with my tongue.

It was a very satisfying meal, both gastronomically and visually.

I felt energized for the rest of the day.

"I'll help you with the dishes."

"No. You have to go early. Go ahead but remember to be careful and alert in the Labyrinth."

I offered to help her with the dishes, but she refused with both arms.

Instead, she told me she was worried about me.

My heart was instantly touched.

Every time I see Diana like this, I feel countless emotions.

As an orphan, I have never felt this way, but I wonder if this is how a son feels when he is worried by a loving mother.

At the same time as my heart soothed, an unknown impulse surged through me.

I reflexively open my arms wide and look at Diana.

Diana. Give me a hug.

She didn't speak, just stared, but as if reading my mind, the corners of her eyes fluttered open.

In the dark dawn, the air was still and cold.

Diana hesitated for a moment, looking around as if she were embarrassed, then swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around me.

"Huh."

I could feel Diana's breasts gently crushing against my thin, light leather armor. It's incredibly stimulating.

Slightly embarrassing, but more than that, it was incredibly motivating.

After feeling the hug without saying a word for a long time, I finally regained my senses and carefully pulled away from Diana.

"Huh."

She exhaled softly and gradually pulled away.

Her ears and cheeks were flushed red, which I thought was cute, given her normally relaxed expression.

"Bye, Diana."

"...Yes. Take care...Balkan."

I didn't want to leave, but I had a job to do.

Feeling the leather armor warmed by Diana's body heat, I headed for the labyrinth entrance.

***

Diana watched Balkan recede into the distance, her heart sinking.

She still hadn't asked him today about his relationship with Zirnier, about his relationship with Idelbert and about his relationship with Ellie.

Zernier had explained that it was merely that of blacksmith and client.

Idelbert dismissed it as that of master and pupil.

His intentions, however, were less than flattering to Diana, who knew Idelbert curse.

More recently, Balkan had returned from training with handprints all over his body.

They were faint, but not so faint that Diana didn't notice.

'Those were definitely not handprints from dueling.'

It was a lustful handprint, the kind that only comes from sticky contact and most of all, his relationship with her daughter, Ellie.

'I'm the kind of person who slaps you until your ass hurts...'

It was an impure relationship that Diana's common sense wouldn't allow her to accept.

The knight's words about Balkan being Ellie's boyfriend kept replaying in her head.

At the same time, she remembered Ellie looking at Balkan with happy eyes.

A sigh escaped her lips as she felt a strange sensation.

Diana swallowed hard, feeling a stifling, mushy emotion she'd never felt before in her life.

She wanted to ask him about his relationship with them.

She wanted to ask him about them, about herself.

But inside, she felt a growing fear.

'What if I'm just someone who feeds Balkan all the time?'

As she thought about it, a part of her ached like it was going to crumble.

Reflexively, she pressed her hand to her chest and felt something warm.

It was Balkan's body heat, the one she had just hugged so tightly.

At the realization, the tightness in her stomach eased slightly, and she smiled.

When she realized that it had been him, after all, she felt foolishly relieved, but only for a moment.

-Thud.

Just as Diana was about to rise from the table, a wad of tissues landed on the floor.

A tissue that, along with Balkan's helm...she had wiped the corner of his mouth so quickly that she hadn't even noticed.

-Thud.

Diana's body stiffened in shock.

-Pounding, pounding.

At the same time, her lower stomach clenched and quivered, and her body temperature began to rise slightly.

She hadn't been able to resolve the Curse of Decadence recently, and she was stressed out.

This meant that her libido had built up like crazy.

And now, just in time, Balkan had given her a heartfelt hug and left her with this.

Diana picked up the tissue, mesmerized, and looked up to the second floor.

'...Balkan's room.'

Swallowing hard, Diana immediately shook her head.

She shouldn't have done it, and if she did it again, she would never be forgiven.

If she did, she'd regret it later. Right now, she's in her right mind so she should hold back.

...she should hold back, but.

...She needs to make sure Balkan has a clean, fluffy bed to sleep in when he comes back from the labyrinth.

She needs to clean it up.

With that thought, Diana opened the door.

It would be a long time before Balkan returned.

Chapter 67: Catch Them (5)

It was early in the morning, and the streets were still deserted, even though it was the day of the Labyrinth.

However, as I got closer to the entrance, I began to see more and more explorers. What a diligent bunch.

'...Paladins? Priests? Why are there so many of them?'

There were about twenty of them, dressed in familiar armor and priests' robes.

Judging by the way they were clustered together, they didn't seem to belong to the explorer's party… ... Ah. There was one familiar face.

[Nate Ellyn LV.40]

A paladin in golden armor.

This female paladin was escorting Serif, a senior priest.

'I don't see Serif, though.'

"You're here, Balkan. But why are you steaming so much? Are you excited? Don't tell me you just did it with the innkeeper?"

Jubeel, who had spotted me as I watched them with questioning eyes, spoke up.

I slipped my hand under my helmet. My face was still warm despite the long walk. My whole body was hot, even in the cool early morning air, almost steaming.

I was in a clear state of excitement and there was only one reason for this to happen.

I thought back to the moment I embraced Diana.

I remembered the moment I hugged her, and how her soft breasts were more important to me than the warmth of her heart.

She had been there for me from the beginning.

I had trusted her all this time, but now I felt like I could really show her the real me.

I steeled myself.

...If this trip to the Labyrinth ends well.

'I'll take off my helmet and talk to Diana's face to face.'

This was an unreasonable relationship.

I'm grateful to Diana for accepting me when I was faceless and my identity was unclear.

I couldn't let her be wasted on a bunch of sex jokes.

"Jubeel. Watch your mouth, or I'll hook you. Physically."

"Mmm, I'm sorry."

Jubeel apologized. Even if she looks like that, she's quick to recognize her mistakes.

I turned my head and saw the other party members.

Our party members are pretty diligent, too. Every single one of them had arrived, even Gregor the Lizardgirl, our porter.

I greeted them briefly, then pointed to the temple people and asked.

"What are all those people doing here?"

"They're here to investigate the Labyrinth this time because the Labyrinth has changed a bit since the Omen."

Hitolis explained, shaking her head as if a bad memory had come back to her.

"In addition to new traps and monsters, there have been a few beasts with an off-putting aura, and I think that's what prompted them to investigate..."

The darkness that lurked in the shadows of some of the monsters we saw last time.

'The leader, Boss Minotaur, even wrapped itself in it before it died.'

The other explorers didn't seem to notice it.

For some reason, only I and the priests of the Temple were highly sensitive to the darkness, feeling an inexplicable repulsion.

Hitolis seemed to assume that the Temple's investigators had come to investigate the mysterious phenomenon.

"I'm only a low-level priest, so I don't know the details, but I heard a rumor from a senior priest that they're spreading their power out to the 12th floor, and the majority of the investigators are mid-level priests and paladins...."

Hmm. I made a mental note of that.

Mid-level Priests and Paladins aren't the kind of people we'd worry about at our level.

They have nothing to do with us, we just want to catch two outlaws quickly.

"What, you're here too? Of course you are, you're an explorer."

Just as I was thinking this, someone spoke to me.

It wasn't a friendly voice, but it wasn't hostile either.

I looked in the direction of the voice, and there was Nate Ellyn, arms crossed, glaring at me.

"Paladin of Serif Adeline, Knight of the Golden Guard, Nate Ellyn!"

The priest, Hitolis, bowed his head at breakneck speed.

The other members of the party glanced over at the intense reaction and greeted Nate Ellyn.

However, she didn't seem to pay any attention to the others, only looking at me with a scowl.

Well. What the hell. Would she say hello to me?

"Long time no see."

"Tsk."

For some reason, Nate Ellyn looked at me and clicked her tongue.

'That Paladin is a bitch.'

Come to think of it, Nate Ellyn had often given me a bad vibe when I was talking to Serif.

'Maybe she's jealous of me because I've been granted the miracle of a mental barrier by Serif?'

It was a fairly plausible guess.

I recalled the faint sensation on my fingertips.

The miracle of the mental barrier Serif had given me was still protecting me.

"We should be getting ready to go in," I said, "but if there's anything else you need, please tell me."

"Bar, Mr. Balkan!"

Hitolis tugged gently on my arm as I turned to Nate Ellyn.

She looked at me in disbelief, as if I had no business speaking in front of her.

Nate Ellyn snapped his fingers, stopping Hitolis in her tracks. Then, with her gaze still fixed on me, she said.

"It's not what I wanted to say something, but I've come to give you a warning."

"A warning?"

"Yes. A warning."

Warning may seem like a harsh word at first glance, but its essence lies in the heart of caring for the other person.

"Don't die. I'll be in trouble if you die."

I and this Paladin are not close enough to be concerned for each other's lives.

The trembling in her voice suggests she's not genuinely worried about me.

If she was genuinely worried about me, she wouldn't have used the word headache.

I thought, 'Why would it bother her if I died?'

Suddenly, I remembered Serif, the white cat with the subtly mechanical yet benevolent smile.

The presumed sister of Idelbert, and a senior priestess of the temple.

"I take it Serif is worried about me?"

"Tsk. Yes. I don't know why she'd worry about a man like you, though."

Nate Ellyn nodded, as if she didn't like the idea of Serif worrying about me.

'I don't really know Serif that well, actually.'

We've only met twice so far.

Although I received a miracle by chance during our last meeting, I wasn't actually that close with Serif.

I thought, "Well, someone in high places is interested in me. Is that a good thing?"

There's nothing to lose by having good connections.

"I have no intention of dying."

The act of entering the Labyrinth is always fraught with danger.

As a result, the explorers who live and breathe the labyrinth are always at risk.

However, I have no intention of simply dying in frustration.

"That's it."

Nate Ellyn heard my answer and turned to walk away, but stopped short.

"..."

She looked like she had something to say, but was very reluctant to say it.

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"...Huh. When you're done traveling the Labyrinth, stop by the temple later. Serif would like to meet you."

"Hmph!"

Priest Hitolis clamped her mouth shut with a huff, as if that was such a surprise.

"I'll pay her a visit later."

"Okay."

Hearing my answer, Nate Ellyn immediately joined the group of temple investigators, and they headed straight into the labyrinth.

"Balkan!"

"Why the sudden honorifics, Hitolis."

The party's eyes sparkled as they looked at me, including Hitolis.

"I never thought Saint Serif would be worried about you."

"I've heard of her. She's said to be a very religious, pure, and excellent priest..."

"Doesn't that just mean she's a virgin?"

"Jubeel... how could you say that about the saint?"

Apparently, Serif's reputation was better than I thought.

"By any chance, Balkan, if I go to the temple with you, can I expect a free blessing?"

Joy Hog asked, drooling.

"They don't do that anymore?"

"They've been out of the business for a while. I always thought it was odd that they suddenly offered free blessings and curses in the first place."

"That's right. The temple is pretty thorough when it comes to billing."

"It was a bit odd, since they would charge money to read blessings and curses that were new or new, though they did take payment."

"They did act like they were looking for some sort of blessing or curse. Well, it was just speculation anyway, and it's all in the past, right?"

They moved as if they were looking for some kind of blessing or curse...

[◆ ???'s blessing]

– ???

– Stamina+10 Strength+10 Agility+10

Joy Hog's casual words caught my eye as I looked at the blessing in the status window.

– Head to the Labyrinth, and grow stronger, that's my personal request.

At the same time, I remembered what Serif had said to me when she read my blessing.

In retrospect, it was a bit of an outlandish request.

Serif hadn't even noticed the question mark blessing when she appraised my blessings.

'...But, what if she did?'

At the time, it was just a vague feeling.

Now, I realize that leveling past 50 is not just a matter of time and effort.

'Couldn't she manage her facial expressions in front of me?'

If she hid it, I wouldn't even notice.

'...No way. Serif is...'

"Ah. There's the party we're going with."

While I was still in the middle of my thoughts, I heard Joy Hog's voice.

I glanced up to see the face of a man I'd seen a few times recently.

"Ha!"

An exasperated sigh escaped me.

Damn. I didn't recognize him from the last tidbit of information.

"Ha. How did I see you here again?"

The pathetic, inferiority-complex, idiot who had been spewing his shit at the Union... was too harsh.

A man who was a bit lacking, the Gellan Party, was approaching this way.

***

Human Swordsman Gellan.

Human Priest Hope.

Mage fox Fusilini.

Guide and tank Slime Ain Aldente.

Although the party was a bit small, the balance was good.

The equipment they wore all shone with the color of a mid-level explorer.

'Of course, it's nothing compared to my helmet, axe, and leather armor.'

"This doesn't look like a rattlesnake party, does it?"

"It's too ugly to be a rattlesnake party. That's a man who must have risen through the ranks, or it wouldn't make sense. With a face like that, it's a crime to be weak."

Lammel and Jubeel whispered quietly behind me.

There is a party called Rattlesnake, commonly called Dick Snake. It's like the modern-day equivalent of Queen Bee.

"A bunch of scumbags who ride the life bus, keeping talented people hostage to their dicks. This is why dick is power, and a man can't do that unless he's pretty damn good."

Jubeel spat on the floor, bemoaning the reality.

"...?"

I just scratched my ears. Someone is talking about me and it tickled my ears in a weird way.

Anyway, I don't know their personalities, but as an explorer, my first impression of Gellan's party wasn't too bad.

"We'll travel together to the seventh floor and search for the outlaw who escaped. If the outlaw evades us and descends below the eighth floor, we'll split up and only Gellan's party will continue the search."

The Joy Hog Party had somehow managed to survive the previous eight floor, but they hadn't experienced the eighth floor after the Omen.

I've never been above the seventh floor either, even with the added power and there are outlaws to contend with.

I can't be sure of my safety.

That's why after the eighth floor, only Gellan's party, which has experience going up to the eleventh floor, is allowed to search.

"Even in that case, they said they'd give me half the money, so that's a relief."

Even if it's half, it's still 50 silver coins and 2.5 contribution points. It's sweet enough.

"We're going to stick to the pre-arranged route, so make sure everyone knows it!"

With that, everyone moved into the pre-planned formation.

Joy Hog and Slime Tank Ain Aldente led the way.

Behind them, axe warrior Balkan and swordsman Gellan.

After that, the priest, the magician, and the porter Gregor stand.

At the end of the line was Jubeel, a sword wielder.

Since there were no more than fifteen of us, we prepared to cross the portal in a single bound, keeping our bodies in contact.

Even Gellan, who seemed like he was going to start a fight, was surprisingly quiet, except for the occasional glare at me.

'I thought you'd be as shitty as you were in the Union.'

It's not going to be trouble-free, but at least he's serious about the expedition.

'Hmm.'

I sighed slightly and glared at the Labyrinth portal.

It's hard to get used to this moment, leaving peace behind and heading into battle but I'll get through this.

This is a gateway I will cross dozens of times in the future.

I stepped through the portal, conscious of the twin axes at my belt.

Chapter 68: Catch Them (6)

Gellan looked at Balkan with his blood-soaked axe.

'Such a dirty battle against a mere goblin...'

Of course, from a third party's perspective, it was a clean and concise battle.

Balkan brought his axe blade to the nape of the goblin's neck, and the cleanly severed head rolled to the ground.

"Well done, Balkan! There's another one on the right!"

"I already saw it."

I had a wide view of the battlefield and eliminated the threat long before the party leader, Joy Hog, gave the order.

-Clang!

Balkan swung his axe wildly, and the goblin blood on it splashed and made a straight line across the floor.

Battle over.

As an explorer, Gellan marveled at the brevity of the battle, wondering if he could have been just as good...no, maybe just barely...

As a man, Gellan disliked every single one of his actions.

His love for Idelbert drove him mentally insane.

He could not forgive Balkan for becoming Idelbert pupil.

"...Gellan, are you sure you want to do that?"

Slime Ain Aldente, who had seen Balkan's skills, whispered to Gellan with an anxious face.

He wasn't the only one looking uneasy; the others in Gellan's party behind him were also looking at him with unease.

This was because Gellan had told them his crazy plan.

The plan was simple.

Capture the outlaw and steal the shaman Hobgoblin's staff.

'Pretend it's a mistake and use it on Balkan.'

They'd been briefed on the Hobgoblin Staff's abilities in previous briefings. The power to turn men into ejaculating retards.

If they use it to turn Balkan into an asshole, Idelbert will be disappointed and abandon him.

And maybe, just maybe, he'll get her chance. Idelbert might even see him!!!

"Gellan. We only need to accumulate 7 more contribution points and we'll be able to move up to Intermediate Explorer, but if we do something like that and get caught, there's no telling what the penalty will be."

Of course, the other party members objected to his plan.

"Aldente. Just do as I say. I'm the leader of this party. Who do you think got us this far?"

Already driven mad with jealousy, Gellan dismissed the party's opinions.

Gellan's presence in this party was powerful.

He had brought this party to the point where they were on the verge of being promoted to Intermediate Explorers.

Everyone in the party knew it, and they had no choice but to follow his lead.

"...I see."

Gellan tore his gaze away from Aldente, who returned to her position with a grimace, and glared at Balkan, who continued to stare at the axe with a nonchalant air.

'Let's see how long you can keep that attitude up.'

***

The chilly air of the first floor of the Labyrinth, both unfamiliar and familiar, rushed through my body.

'...?'

A strange tickling sensation.

It was like a faint energy, or should I say, tiny blue pellets floating in the air.

I recognized it as what people call magic, or mana.

As I entered the Labyrinth with Wisdom 1 elevated, a new change occurred.

My senses were awakened, and I felt more sensitive to new stimuli.

'Still, I don't feel much of a dramatic difference.'

It's just a tickling sensation, but not the blinding sensation I felt when I raised my Finesse.

Anyway, we all made it through the portal safely, and we regrouped.

Our task from here on out is simple.

"We're going up to the second floor, mowing down any goblins that get in our way!"

We had quite a few battles on the first floor.

They weren't hobgoblins or anything, just goblins, so they weren't too difficult, but I didn't let my guard down.

'That bastard's trying again.'

Gellan's constant glances at the goblins were annoying, but I didn't complain.

Anyway, they'll start coming out in earnest after the 8th floor.

"...hmmm..."

After the fifth battle with the goblins, Joy Hog and Gellan's party's guide and tank, Aldente, put their heads together and looked at the map.

I looked at the map, too, with a bit of a hunch.

It was still a two-dimensional map, with a marker floating in the center.

I looked at it and felt a little suspicious.

"What? The marker location is the same as the last time I saw it?"

I think it was in this location two days ago when we gathered and checked the map?

"...That's right, it hasn't moved from this area."

The Slime Ain, who stood about 180 centimeters tall, gave me a strange look, then stretched and nodded.

She was of neither gender, and somehow gave off a strange vibe that made me feel both fascinated and sorry for her.

"These fuckers... must be thinking they're going to be chased today, but they don't want to leave the second floor, so why don't they go deeper?"

Joy Hog looked at the map with reluctance and nodded.

Why are these outlaws, who are nothing more than fugitives, waiting in the same place?

"Not for lack of food, I hope."

Aldente shook her head.

Looting low-level explorers returning from the Labyrinth would take care of that.

"Nor is it a lack of health."

Joy Hog chimed in.

Gurmimi, a senior member of the Blues Clan, was an explorer who had risen to the tenth floor in the past.

She might be even stronger now that time has passed. Even if she was alone, second-floor monsters would be no match for her.

Unless it's a matter of survival, I can only assume they're preparing for something nasty.

They entered the labyrinth, expecting to be pursued.

So, how can they take care of their own safety while also giving a big shit to the pursuers?

The shittiest thing on the second floor.

That leaves the possibility of....

"No way. A transition trap?"

"Maybe."

"Holy shit."

I slapped my head at Aldente and Joy Hog's affirmation.

Shit. It's that damn transition trap again.

I shuddered at the outlaws' cunning plan.

Assuming you can escape the activation area of ​​the transition trap, there is no trap better suited to fooling and shunning people.

'At best, we can find an outlaw, but if we fall into a transition trap, we're screwed.'

Even if we're lucky enough to fall into the nearest third-floor, we'll have a hard time chasing the outlaw back to the ground floor.

Joy Hog and Aldente announced this speculation to the party.

If the outlaws were indeed riding the atmosphere near the transition trap, they could react accordingly.

"If we can't react, all we can do is stick together. How do we avoid the transition trap?"

"Still, it's better than being unable to react and falling apart on different floors. Good job, Balkan."

My Agility 17 spec was barely enough to get me out of the transition trap.

Now, in this party, I'm the only one who's past Agility 17.

"If that's what's going to happen, we're going to have to step up."

"Cough. Sure."

Gellan grinned in a strangely lecherous way.

It made me want to punch him in the face, but I didn't raise my fist, knowing he got the point.

After the announcement, the party took a break.

The first floor is very large. It would take an average of 17 hours for a party of our size to walk through it, even if we walked diligently.

We still have a long way to go and breaks are essential to stay in shape.

With a large number of people, we were able to take longer breaks.

Even though we are now one party, we were originally different parties.

When it came to eating and resting, we would naturally stick together.

'Diana's jerky is the best.'

I've been asking her to make it again, so I've been saving it, but it's still much better than other ready-made jerky.

"Well, why does it open? Oh my God. It's an open-faced helmet."

"Just sayin'."

The party watched in wonder as I opened the mouth of the helmet and munched on the jerky.

"...You know, your lips look surprisingly hard and firm. I thought they'd be full of scars, but your mouth is clean, and you look fit to suck on my cow's horns."

"Are you really crazy, Jubeel?"

"Kkkk. Just kidding."

Jubeel's sex-dripping was something I had gotten used to, but for some reason, the party's stares had changed.

It was as if they had discovered an unexpected side to the furry woman who usually hung out with a group of men.

-Tsk.

Feeling uneasy for some reason, I quickly finished my meal and closed the opening of my helmet.

"Hmph. Hmm."

"...."

Lammel coughed and Hitolis looked away, pretending not to.

I carefully tucked the bag of jerky into my arms and rose from my seat.

Now that we were done eating and resting, we needed to get moving again.

***

After a few more battles and a long march with rest stops, you reach the end of the first floor.

A descent portal glows with an ominous red light. If we cross it, we'll fall to a random location on the second floor.

"Is everybody ready?"

Joy Hog shouted, and our party all nodded. Gellan's party looked at her like, "What the fuck is wrong with her?"

The outlaws were still in the same position, so this was the beginning of the real trickery.

"Let's sneak in."

We stepped through the portal, our bodies touching again.

Once I got over the slight sensation of floating, the landscape changed in an instant.

The stone tiles are much cleaner than the first floor. We safely landed on the second floor where traps are the main theme.

"..."

An eerie silence descended immediately.

I stole a glance ahead and the portal glowed an ominous purple.

The worst transition trap on the second floor, the transition trap to the eighth floor was right in front of me.

If I made a mistake, I would be on the eighth floor as soon as I landed on the second floor.

"Phew!"

I felt like I avoided the landmine by a hair's breadth as sighs of relief erupted from all around. Thank God.

As I turned my gaze away from the danger in front of me, I soon checked my surroundings and two strange women were standing right next to the transition trap.

Chapter 69: Catch Them (7)

I immediately checked their faces.

'She doesn't look like the montage.'

They were both women, but they weren't rabbit heads, and they weren't plain-faced women.

Their gear was pretty crappy, too, with nothing but a worn-out javelin and a staff that looked like it was about to fall to pieces.

I figured they were probably newbie explorers who had just descended to the second floor.

We almost fell into a transition trap as soon as we were dropped on the second floor.

The newbie explorers and the rest of the party looked at each other in disbelief.

'It's not often that one intuitively senses the moment of moving to a different floor, and there's someone right in front of you when you get there.'

Well, that's one thing. We can't stay like this forever.

"Joy Hog. Let's look at the map, see where we are."

"Oh, sure, sure. Look at me."

Joy Hog pulled out a map and checked the location but her expression grew increasingly bizarre.

"...What's wrong? Is it broken?"

Instead of an answer, a panicked voice came out.

Slime Ain Aldente felt suspicious and approached Joy Hog.

"What's the matter with you?"

Immediately, Aldente's face contorted strangely.

For a moment, her eyes flicked back and forth between the map and the newbie explorers in front of her.

I realized from their reactions that something was wrong with the map.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong?"

"The ... marker, right in front of us?"

On the map, the marker that indicates the outlaw's location is right in front of us.

But off the map, in the real world, it's just two poorly equipped rookie explorers with faces that look nothing like the outlaw's.

A strange silence descends.

In the eerie coolness and stillness of the situation, I quietly turned on the status window.

[Gurmimi LV.36]

[Stamina:(6+1) Strength:(15+4) Agility:(17+4) Wisdom:(9-4) Finesse:(10)]

[Blessings and Curses possessed by Gurmimi: 3]

[Reichem LV.22]

'Holy shit.'

I don't know who Reichem is, but her presence with Gurmimi confirms her identity as an outlaw.

I immediately drew the twin axes from my belt and shouted.

"Outlaws!!! These are the bastards!!!"

The women in the rookie explorer's masks laughed bitterly.

"Oh shit. We've been spotted already. How's that helmeted asshole so fast?"

"We'll just have to outrun them."

Immediately, their façade began to crumble away like dead skin.

The crude equipment melted into thin air and disappeared, revealing a rabbit head along with a refined straight sword.

The plain-faced woman behind her held a hobgoblin staff. Those tricksters, even their weapons were deceptive.

Gurmimi, the rabbit-headed woman, and Reichem, the plain-faced woman, both looked exactly like the faces in the montage.

"Damn! Was it an illusion spell?"

"Correct. Slime."

At Aldente's shout, Raychem grinned and touched the transition trap with her Hobgoblin Staff.

Beep, beep, beep-

With a tremendous noise, a 100 meter radius immediately turned an ominous purple color.

Ten seconds remained before the transition trap was triggered.

"Gather up!"

The party members began to huddle together, touching each other as they had prepared in advance.

Aldente and Jubeel in the rear guarded the priests and mages.

The priests and mages of Gellan's party, led by Hitolis and Lammel, began to prepare to respond.

Gurmimi hugged Reichem to her side in the meantime, her thighs bulging as she prepared to flee the realm of the transition trap.

"Run away."

Of course, I wasn't one to stand still. I moved quickly to block their retreat.

Joy Hog and Gellan took up the rear of the outlaws.

"Don't even think about it. I'm going to beat the shit out of you before-"

I didn't finish my sentence and swung my axe at Gurmimi's right thigh while Joy Hogg swung her one-handed hammer at Gurmimi's head.

However Gurmimi blocked my axe blow with the sole of her steel-toed shoe, then ducked her upper body slightly to avoid Joy Hog's hammer blow and counterattack.

"Crack!"

Joy Hog hastily raised her shield, but Gurmimi's dagger sliced past her ear.

She was fast. Blocking two attacks and counterattacking in such a short time.

Although I have far more stamina, he has a slight advantage in strength and agility.

...True, she also has wisdom and finesse, but it doesn't matter.

With this much of a difference, there's no way to stand against a group attack.

If we can draw her into a protracted battle and keep her trapped in the transition trap, we win.

Gurmimi must have realized this, because she immediately called out to Reichem.

"Talian!"

"I see."

Talian?

I thought her name was Reichem when I checked her status?

I questioned, but it wasn't important right now.

A pink glow began to emanate from the hobgoblin staff held by Reichem, the wizard who called herself Talian.

'If that touches me, I'm doomed.'

Horrible memories of the Hobgoblin Village came back to me.

If I am hit by that light, I will be reduced to a sperm-wrapped vivisection.

I must grit my teeth and avoid it.

"This is the time."

At that moment, Gellan, who had stealthily approached Reichem, swung his sword.

Yes! That bastard! He's finally doing something!

-Kaang!

Gellan struck the hobgoblin staff with an exquisite motion and Reichem lost the staff in her hand.

Ping-!

The staff, which had already emitted pink light, fell to the ground.

Zhiyiyiyiying-

And in that moment, I felt a very familiar sensation.

The world was slowing down, like in slow motion, the extreme focus that had saved me in every crisis had returned.

A sperm-wrapped bionic dildo beam was flying straight at me and Gellan was laughing hysterically at my predicament.

Joy Hog looked horrified while the priests and wizards chanting miracles and magic in the background couldn't interfere because of the suddenness of the situation.

Aldente was stretching her slime arm out towards me and trying to make body contact.

The outlaws, who have already started to run away.

The Labyrinth, which continued to emit the noise of a transition trap.

I perceived it all at once.

Feeling my brain burning, I began to make judgments.

Okay, then...

'Which one should I start with, and how should I do it?'

Coincidentally, I had all the cards I needed.

[Miracle of Serif Adeline's Mental Barrier Protects You]

Just as the pink light reached me and started to twitch, creating a tattoo of corruption, a shield of pure light emerged.

Tiyiying-

The hobgoblin staff's vicious abilities were deflected by Serif's miracle.

Coincidentally, in the direction of where Gellan was standing.

I could see his eyes widen as he saw the pink light coming toward him.

An expression on his face, as if he was saying, 'This is not it, damn it,' came into view as if in slow motion.

'Well, well, well, I'm sorry.'

But you were smiling earlier, you fucking asshole. You were aiming for me, weren't you?

I folded my apologies again. He's not worth the slightest bit of concern. He'll just be an asshole for the rest of his life.

At the same time, I looked at the slime hand that began to wrap around my waist.

Aldente, despite being a member of Gellan's party, was a surprisingly good tank.

She's able to stretch her body to reach me from quite a distance. Thanks to this, I'll be able to travel with the party even if I fall to the 8th floor.

'All that's left is those bastards.'

The outlaws have already fled into the distance.

With the pink light problem solved, I felt time return to normal.

In about four seconds, the transition trap will be triggered but they're about to escape from the transition trap area.

However, there's no one left to chase Gurmimi but me.

It's very hard to run and catch up with her, who is more agile than me.

"Then, I'll just have to do this."

I calmly gripped the axe with both hands.

I pointed the artifact axe, specially crafted for me by Zirnier, at a slight angle toward the outlaws' heads.

– I'll have to be careful with this one, it'll drain your magic.

I'd gotten enough instruction from Zirnier the day I got the axe.

I calmly concentrate, feel the coolness of the axe, and extend my senses to my surroundings.

I began to gather the magic that had been tickling me ever since I entered the Labyrinth.

No one told me how to do it, but it came so naturally, as if by my own will.

I must be gifted.

I channeled the energy into the axe like I channeled water into a cup. It all happened in an instant.

I gripped the axe, which had begun to tremble, and spoke the initiation word to activate the magic forged into the artifact.

"Enlarge."

Kwaaaaaang!!!

Fuck. There was a reason she told me to use it in the Labyrinth.

The crude axe, which was only about 60 centimeters long, had grown to nearly 12 meters.

A Zernier artifact, indeed. A simple, tough, and devastatingly effective artifact.

My grip on the axe nearly snapped, but I managed to hold on to the handle.

It's not really a handle at this point, more like a pole.

The axe blade hit the ceiling of the Labyrinth with a loud thud, and with a tremendous vibration, it began to fall on the outlaws' heads.

"What the fuck-!"

Gurmimi, who was just about to go out of the transition trap area, hastily stopped. If she didn't stop, she'd be crushed.

Koooooong-!

A tremendous wind of dust blew in, and the huge, thick axe blade that fell from thin air became a wall in itself.

The axe blade had succeeded in blocking the outlaws' retreat.

In other words, they couldn't escape from the transition trap anymore.

"Even if we fall to the eighth floor, we should fall together. It's only fair, right?"

I said, smirking at their confused faces.

Gurmimi and Reichem, who had gotten a kick out of the comment, looked at me from the distance, their faces twisted.

"What the fuck. You fuckers."

You're the ones who got me in this mess in the first place.

I raised my right hand to make the sign language gesture for 'mountain'.

"That crazy-"

The moment the rabbit head with the veins protruding from its forehead was about to scream and spit out.

-Beep, beep, beep.

The world turned purple.

You can run but I'll catch you and put you away.

That's how we fell to the eighth floor.