Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Labyrinth Exploration 101 Episode 001

Prologue. Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan

Swoooosh….

The sound of rain outside the shabby studio apartment was melancholy, and with my chin rough from not shaving for a long time, it was a damn depressing night.

I stared blankly at the TV while holding a chicken leg.

[ Explorer audition program ‘Labyrinth Exploration NaN’, entire Debut Team missing… Currently assessing the situation ]

[ NaN Debut Team that departed for D-rank Labyrinth, life or death unknown. ]

[ Breaking News: 7 members of Labyrinth Exploration Season 3 Debut Team bodies recovered. ]

[ All confirmed dead except one… Body parts recovered during search. ]

“…Wow.”

A single word dripped from my gaping mouth like saliva.

“Shit, they’re screwed.”

I turned up the news volume with the remote control.

──Today at approximately 6:17 PM, the third team expedition of Labyrinth Exploration NaN proceeded. The Labyrinth was initially estimated to be D-rank. There was absolutely no risk involved. They departed to warm welcomes from fans around the world, only to return as cold corpses just 6 hours later at 00:30….

「Labyrinth Exploration NaN」.

It’s an explorer survival audition program. Starting with 「Labyrinth Exploration 101」, this was already the third season.

The first season was 10 years ago.

The response was good back then too, but it kind of flopped when the explorer who debuted in first place got instantly killed in their first Labyrinth. Then the second season 「Labyrinth Exploration AAA」 that aired 6 years ago was a huge hit.

Lee Je-hoon, who was first place at the time, is still a high ranker and became one of the representative faces of the Korean Peninsula.

The next third season was 「Labyrinth Exploration NaN」, which is being featured prominently in the news right now.

This ‘Mi-tam-nan’ was a Super Bowl-level jackpot hit. It ranked #1 on global OTT platforms and achieved 30% domestic viewership ratings.

But.

──Details are still being investigated, but it appears a ‘Black Call’ occurred within the D-rank Labyrinth….

They had not only charm and uniqueness but also solid skills, enjoying global popularity, and now they’re all dead.

Just like that, in an instant.

“…Fuck, does this even make sense.”

Ding!

Suddenly my smartphone rang.

[ Labyrinth Exploration MoMo! ]

[ A special gift exclusively for member Seol Ha-woon, a heavy user that even MoMo admires! An opportunity for you who connects 23 out of 24 hours a day! ]

“What’s this.”

「Labyrinth Exploration MoMo」.

A mobile game based on the above 「Labyrinth Exploration」 series. The motto is ‘You too can draw characters and make them into Labyrinth explorers~’.

The actual characters from seasons 1, 2, and 3 appear as unique characters.

[ Right now, purchase 2 additional stat points and 4 Random Boxes for 300 Diamonds! ]

[ However, these points can only be used on new characters. This product cannot be refunded. ]

“Geez, are they kidding me.”

With news like this, what kind of cash grab is this.

I was about to dismiss it but hesitated.

2 ‘additional stat points’ for 300 Diamonds. That’s 3 million won.

“…It is pretty cheap though.”

Maybe I’ll raise an alt character.

[ Payment Complete ! ]

I paid first. Two-thirds of my monthly income was gone, but what can you do. My monthly salary comes from 「MoMo」 anyway.

Yes. I make a living selling items from that game….

──…The fans who were preparing a welcome ceremony are currently in grief.

The wailing sounds from the TV are practically like a funeral.

“Sigh.”

I want to cry too. Even though I look like a shut-in loser, I’m a huge fan. I can’t chase them around everywhere because of my leg problems though.

“…What the hell happened.”

I sighed and picked up the chicken leg.

Even when depressed, you still have to eat.

Then.

───-

Lightning suddenly struck. The TV went out first, then all the lights in the room went dark.

Kwarrrrrung──!

Thunder rolled in belatedly.

“Ah shit, here we go again.”

This isn’t the first or second time.

I got up familiarly and looked for the flashlight. Shining the light, I opened the circuit breaker in the studio apartment and tried to turn it back on….

────!

The world lit up brightly again.

I don’t know what happened next.

Something felt tingly and then everything went white before my eyes.

* * *

[ Labyrinth Exploration MoMo Trial Version! ]

[ Welcome character Seol Ha-woon! ]

[ Remaining time for trial version is 30 days, 30 days! ]

[ ID: Seol Ha-woon ]　　Strength　　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Stamina　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Agility　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Durability　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Magic　│ 　3　　│　F　　Perception　│ 　9　　│　B　Mental Power　│ 　9　　│　B　Appearance　│ 　6　　│　C+ 　Luck　│ 　6　　│　C+ 「Recognition Level: 1」「Recognition: 0」

“Uh….”

Whether it’s the next day or some other day, I’m staring blankly at the status window spread out before my eyes.

What this is, is the character status window from 「Labyrinth Exploration MoMo」.

What’s 「MoMo」?

Simply put, it’s an explorer character development game.

You recruit explorers to raise them, train those explorers to send them to labyrinths or dungeons, have them appear on in-game broadcasts, and use the resources gained there to upgrade explorers or just mess around.

It’s a major mobile game with high recognition and tons of global users.

Right now, Seol Ha-woon’s—that is, my—stats are floating around in front of my eyes as if I were a character from 「MoMo」.

“This is….”

Let me give a brief explanation first.

The “Recognition Level” in the character window is like the level in other RPG games. “Recognition” is the experience points.

When a character successfully conquers a labyrinth or gets media exposure, recognition accumulates, and when it passes a certain threshold, they level up.

So right now I’m level 1… no, that’s not right.

“Wait a minute. Is this right?”

This isn’t a situation I should just naturally accept.

I shook my head vigorously.

But the status window didn’t disappear. It wouldn’t leave from in front of my eyes.

I just opened my eyes right after getting struck by lightning and found myself like this.

“I don’t know what this is.”

First, I got up. Limping on my left leg, I opened the window.

“…Nice weather.”

Outside was surprisingly clear.

It definitely rained last night. Lightning even struck down. There were no wet traces on the asphalt, let alone the window frame.

“Hmm?”

I tilted my head and picked up my smartphone. First, I searched for NaN.

[ 36 hours left until the application deadline for ‘NaN’, the next season of 「Labyrinth Exploration」… ]

“Next season?”

What bullshit is this.

It shouldn’t be about the next season NaN, but should be full of articles about the NaN Debut Team’s deaths.

“What the hell.”

I was mindlessly scrolling down when I stopped short.

“…?”

[ March 8, 2024 ]

The portal site article was written on March 8, 2024.

Wasn’t it originally 2027?

Ah, was this year 2024?

“…No, that can’t be right.”

No way I could have forgotten the year by 3 years, no matter how much I’ve been cooped up at home.

I hurriedly tapped on my smartphone.

[ Search: current year ]

[ March 8, 2024 ]

[ Year of the Wood Dragon 2024 ]

[ The hopeful new year of the Wood Dragon has dawned ]

[ 2024 New Year Fortune ]

“….”

All the information on my smartphone was saying that the current time is ‘2024’.

“Wait. Could this be.”

I quickly turned my head to look at the vacuum cleaner in the corner of my studio apartment. Instantly, goosebumps erupted all over my body.

“Crazy!”

There was no band-aid on the vacuum cleaner handle.

Actually, a year ago the vacuum cleaner handle part broke and I had stuck it together with a band-aid.

“…Huh. No way.”

My legs gave out and I collapsed. Clutching my pounding chest tightly, I muttered in a daze.

“Time has….”

Been turned back?

Ding─!

An alert appeared before my eyes. This time there were quite a lot.

[ Gift Box ]

[ The special gift bundle you purchased earlier has arrived! ]

[ You are given 2 Stat Points! ]

[ You are given 4 Random Boxes! ]

[ Character penalties are being corrected! ]

[ Trait: Disability ]■ Wounds all over your body torment you and breathing is difficult. Strength, Stamina, Agility, and Durability stats are permanently reduced by 5.■ Your left leg is disabled. Movement speed is reduced by 40%.■ Recognition acquisition increases by 15%.

[ Achievement Unlocked: Penalty traits are rare! ]■ Converting penalty…. You are given an additional 5 Stat Points.

[ Achievement Unlocked: KARMA! You have saved quite a few people’s lives. You receive karmic retribution.■ You are given a mid-low grade Trait Selection Ticket.■ You will receive special gifts every time your recognition rises by an even number.

“No, no, what is this.”

All sorts of messages are popping up, but my head hurts. My entire eyelids are throbbing.

“…Wait, let me just… 5 minutes….”

I staggered and lay down on the bed. The mattress that had definitely been half-broken was now firm as if I’d bought it yesterday.

The most mundane yet too vivid sensation of regression.

Feeling chills that made my breath stop, I closed my eyes.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, it was night. The 「MoMo」 system was still there of course, and I belatedly realized this was an opportunity.

“Whether this is really an opportunity….”

Or the afterlife, or my brain in a jar, I don’t know.

“My leg is still the same though.”

It’s a bit disappointing that this isn’t a year ago. If this were really a brain in a jar, they could have cleanly sent me back a year, before that accident.

Then I wouldn’t have been able to get discharged from the military.

Anyway.

[ Stat Points Owned: 7 ]

“Wow… this is cheating.”

I have 7 Stat Points.

Stat Points are incredibly precious resources in 「MoMo」. I just bought 2 of them for 3 million won. 2 points that are non-tradeable and can only be used on new characters, not main characters, cost 3 million won.

Even that was an extremely special event. If you could buy and sell them with money without any conditions, each point would be worth tens of millions of won.

“But my stats are….”

Strength　　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Stamina　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Agility　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Durability　│　2(-5)　│　F　　Magic　│ 　3　　│　F　　Perception　│ 　9　　│　B　　Mental　│ 　9　　│　B　　Appearance　│ 　6　　│　C+ 　Luck　│ 　6　　│　C+

I sigh. Look at those minuses on Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Durability.

For reference, in 「MoMo」, stats represent a character’s ‘potential’.

Let’s take Strength as an example.

If your Strength stat is at level 11~12, it doesn’t mean your ‘current strength’ is overwhelmingly powerful compared to other characters, but rather that when you train strength-related abilities, you’ll grow faster and reach higher grades more rapidly.

Conversely, the alphabet after potential indicates my current ability grade. If my Strength grade is A+, it means my current strength is overwhelmingly powerful compared to other characters.

In that regard, I’m a trash character. Even though I have seven Stat Points, I have so many abilities that fall short of even the average person’s level (4~5).

“There’s no other way.”

In the end, it’s about selective focus.

I dumped all my remaining stats into Magic Power.

[ Magic Power stat rises to 10. ]

[ Seol Ha-woon senses an unprecedented mystery. ]

[ Magic Power grade increases. ]

■F → D

Just by allocating stats, my Magic Power grade rose to D. With effort, I should easily break through to B+, and given enough time, even A grade would be possible. The higher the potential, the faster the growth speed and the higher the upper limit.

However, this kind of all-in approach usually isn’t good. If your physical stats are lacking, you’re bound to become a glass cannon.

“This is like some YouTube thing.”

It’s actually the kind of stat distribution you’d only see in YouTube concept plays, but I have no choice.

As you can see, my physical abilities have been significantly reduced due to some incident, and I’m even limping, so what’s the point of raising strength, agility, and stamina?

It means I didn’t choose a concept – the concept was forced on me.

I don’t know anything about Magic Power and have never learned it, but I can’t engage in close combat when all the muscles in my body have wasted away, right?

Next.

“Trait Selection Ticket…”

[ Achievement Unlocked: KARMA! You have saved quite a few lives. You receive karmic retribution. ]■ You are granted a mid-low grade Trait Selection Ticket.■ Every time your recognition rises to an even grade, you will receive a special gift.

Usually traits come in scroll form, and they’re all random. It means you randomly receive one trait out of countless possibilities, but this [Selection Ticket] is different.

Most mid-low grade traits are trash, but this lets you pick and choose the relatively good few among them – another item that would cost tens of millions if player trading were possible.

The choices for this selection ticket are already determined.

“Found it.”

【Camera Spa】■ Grade: Mid-low■ Appearance +1■ Appearance points increase the longer you’re exposed to cameras.

【Camera Spa】. A famously overpowered trait. Simple is best – it raises your points by 1 with no conditions whatsoever, right?

[ You have acquired the trait 【Camera Spa】! ]

In 「MoMo」, the Appearance stat is quite important. In some ways, it’s almost essential. The higher your appearance, the more recognition you gain.

“Good. For now.”

If we divide character stats by scale, 4.5 is average person level. 7 is talented. 8 is gifted. From 9 onwards is genius level.

So, I’ve become a limping magic genius with decent looks.

“I am a magic genius.”

I muttered while spreading my palm wide. I gathered a handful of intangible power.

Lumpy magic power surging through each joint of my skeletal hand… as if that would happen.

“…I’ve never used magic before.”

Suddenly, stress hit me hard.

My relatively content life of selling items was ruined in an instant. What the hell is happening?

“Haa…”

But there’s no time for complaints.

As you can see, I processed the traits and points very hastily.

Why?

[ Trial version remaining time: 29 days 15 hours 15 minutes 05 seconds ]

※ 30 additional days are extended each time your recognition grade increases!

※ When your lifespan ends, character ‘Seol Ha-woon’ will be disposed of!

Because I only have 29 days left.

When time runs out, disposal.

That obviously means death.

“Then… hm?”

I blinked while looking at the trait slot where 【Camera Spa】 had been added.

There was one more trait.

【Good Ears, Good Eyes】■ Grade: Mid■ The character’s vision and hearing are fundamentally excellent. All actions performed with eyes and ears are superior.■ You can assess people more accurately and sensitively observe invisible things.■ You can easily appraise the value of objects.■ If you can see it with your eyes, you can hear the sounds from that place.

“Ah~ a freebie trait?”

Freebie trait. This kind of trait is called a free trait.

[Labyrinth Exploration MoMo] is a thoroughly realistic game with the motto ‘reality-based’. The items that appear in [MoMo] are actual items that exist in reality, and most of the explorers that appear as characters are actually active explorers. So some characters get these free traits attached.

“So this is why I had good eyesight.”

Anyway.

My problem right now isn’t traits but lifespan, and to gain lifespan, I need to raise my recognition level.

“Recognition…”

As a [MoMo] expert, the most efficient way to level up in-game is to attach a selfie cam to your character and send them into the labyrinth, but in the real world, it would obviously be different.

I picked up my smartphone.

[ Application deadline for 「Labyrinth Exploration」’s next season ‘NaN’ – 36 hours remaining… ]

[ Qualification requirements: Anyone aged 18 or older, 28 or younger ]

This is the best way for me to raise my recognition in my current state.

Of course, their future is terrible. Total annihilation inside the labyrinth.

But well, I can solve that by either abandoning the Debut Team or joining the Debut Team and vehemently opposing that particular labyrinth.

“I’d have to go even if I were dying tomorrow.”

Because my lifespan is only 30 days, you know?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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