Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 10

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

Labyrinth Exploration 101 Episode 010

I AM(2)

The main set of [ Labyrinth Exploration NaN ].

On a large stage, 96 chairs are arranged in pyramid formation. The sparkling chair at the very top is 1st place. Right below it are 2nd-3rd place, the third tier has 4th-7th place, the fourth tier has 8th-15th place….

It’s the time-honored opening of the Labyrinth Exploration series.

“Cue.”

At PD Yoon Sa-hyuk’s signal, first two individual trainees without agencies enter the set.

“Wow. This is amazing.”

“It’s huge. Ah, so those are the chairs.”

[Lee Dong-hyuk], [Kim Yoon-seo]. The two young people with name tags on their chests look around and react.

In PD Yoon Sa-hyuk’s opinion, they’re unremarkable lower-tier contestants.

“Um. Where are you going to sit? I heard you can sit anywhere at first.”

The woman asked.

“Ah, I’ll sit here… humbly.”

The man sat in chair number 40. The woman pondered before sitting in chair number 20. They glanced at each other and smiled awkwardly.

“Your name is Lee Dong-hyuk…”

“Yes. I’m Lee Dong-hyuk. I’m 22 years old.”

“Ah. I’m 23. Kim Yoon-seo. It’s a bit awkward, isn’t it?”

“Ahaha, yes. I know you, Kim Yoon-seo.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. You’re a mage, right? You do YouTube?”

──Thud.

A rather ominous footstep cut through their chatter. The two looked in that direction.

The third individual trainee. Brown comma-shaped hair walking across the stage like a runway. Somewhat unrealistic proportions and physique. A man who fulfills star quality with just his appearance alone, making even a simple shirt look good.

The name tag on his chest read [ Kang Hyeon ].

He appeared on the set. Lee Dong-hyuk unconsciously widened his eyes, and Kim Yoon-seo covered her mouth with both hands.

Kang Hyeon walked over and sat down. Without even looking at the number behind him, without hesitation, as if he had no desire for 1st place.

Chair number 10.

“Wow…”

“…”

Lee Dong-hyuk and Kim Yoon-seo could only glance at Kang Hyeon but didn’t dare approach him.

The atmosphere was strangely like that. His facial features were on the softer side, but his expressionless face was like a blade.

“Whoa. Is this the set?”

“It’s quite different from last season. Back then it was tiered.”

Next, four individual trainees came rushing in together. They seemed quite close as their voices were loud.

“Ah, so those are the ranking chairs…”

“Right…?”

“Oh.”

Thud. The conversation stopped.

Probably because of Kang Hyeon.

Overwhelmed by just one person’s presence, they quietly walked over and sat in random chairs. Without saying anything, deliberately looking for the camera positions.

──Tap. Tap.

This time a rather different echo resonated. The sound of a hard object hitting the floor. The gazes of all seven people, including Kang Hyeon, turned in that direction.

There was quite an unusual man.

“…Who is that person?”

“Ah. He made it through too.”

23-year-old Kim Yoon-seo was the first to recognize him.

“You know him?”

“I saw him during the mage preliminaries.”

First of all, he had long hair. A style that suited his decadent impression quite well. He was tall with good proportions, but there was a melancholic aura that swallowed all of that. Perhaps because of his limping leg and the walking stick clutched in his left hand.

The name attached to his chest was [Seol Ha-woon]

Tap. Tap.

He climbed the stairs with his walking stick and sat in a chair.

Rank 11th.

In other words, right next to Kang Hyeon. A position that would inevitably be captured on camera whether he liked it or not.

A so-called prime spot.

* * *

“PD-nim. What do you think of Seol Ha-woon?”

Yoo Eun-jin asked while looking at the camera screen.

Kang Hyeon and Seol Ha-woon. The shot of them side by side wasn’t bad.

Usually when you’re next to someone with Kang Hyeon’s looks, honestly unless you’re Lee Jun-ho level, the other side is bound to look dead, but Seol Ha-woon is surprisingly holding his own.

Of course Kang Hyeon is definitely more handsome in terms of appearance.

But their atmospheres are so different that you can feel a strange synergy. And why is Seol Ha-woon’s skin so good?

“At least we won’t get PC complaints.”

“…What. PD-nim, you’re so T. You’d get in trouble if you said that anywhere else.”

Yoon Sa-hyuk shrugged his shoulders.

“Focus.”

Again, he stared at the set.

There were 8 individual participants without agencies in total. As they filled their seats, the large screen at the front flickered.

[ Forest ]

Forest. Four participants from a guild considered mid-tier entered in order. They greeted the other trainees who were already seated while looking around.

“…Wow. 1st place.”

“It’s too flashy. It’s burdensome.”

The 1st place chair standing at the peak. However, they only glanced at it with their eyes but didn’t dare go there.

If you’re not confident in your skills, it’s unhealthy aggro.

They planted their bottoms in the top 10 range.

[ Heroes ]

Next, two participants from Heroes briefly sat in the 1st place chair before immediately standing up.

“Haha. Still, I had to try sitting in it.”

Since I might never get to sit in it again…

The participants entered in that manner.

Everyone could sit anywhere, but the very top remained vacant for quite a while, probably because they were conscious of others.

[ Myeongwoon ]

[ SNM ]

[ HYPE ]

As the guilds continued to enter and more than half of the 96 seats were filled.

[ Celion ]

Celion.

Three participants from the major guild appeared. Among them, one particularly caught the attention of the audience.

“Jun-ho. Where do you want to sit?”

“Hmm….”

Lee Jun-ho. Already famous among guild fandoms, he smiled mischievously and gracefully climbed the stairs to sit in ‘that place’.

“I’ll take this spot. Great view.”

Celion’s Lee Jun-ho claimed the center position for the first time. The other participants looked at him with somewhat curious gazes.

It wasn’t quite ‘who do you think you are?’ Jun-ho was someone they all acknowledged as worthy.

[ Jeiros ]

After that, Jeiros’s Ryu Yeon-hwa and Seo Ji-woo appeared. With the entrance of these genuinely ‘familiar faces’, the atmosphere heated up.

“What the hell. Why is that Jun-ho sitting up there…”

Seo Ji-woo glared at Jun-ho at the very top with annoyed eyes. Jun-ho cheerfully waved his hand in greeting.

“Hi Ji-woo!”

“Tch.”

She didn’t want to engage in such childish chair competition.

Seo Ji-woo walked toward the second place seat, but Ryu Yeon-hwa was one step faster and sat down first.

“…Damn it. How petty.”

“You were just slow.”

She simply sat in the third seat. After all, these numbers didn’t mean anything right now.

Jun-ho tilted his head curiously.

“Huh? What’s up? Why aren’t you guys fighting?”

“Fight about what, you sick… person.”

Seo Ji-woo almost cursed out of habit. She and Jun-ho were from the same high school.

“No, but last season you guys were always picking fights to steal the first place seat and stuff?”

[ Wierang ]

Just then, participants with Chinese nationality appeared.

Jo Woon, Ryu Wei, and Li Cheon-wi respectively. Ryu Wei and Li Cheon-wi looked around as if choosing where to sit, but Jo Woon was different.

He moved in a straight line as if he had already decided on his destination.

The apex of the pyramid.

First place, Lee Jun-ho.

Jo Woon stood right in front of him, looking up at Jun-ho, while Jun-ho smiled faintly and faced Jo Woon.

“Mr. Lee Jun-ho. I wish to determine the rightful owner of this seat.”

“…Through a duel?”

Jun-ho asked back. Jo Woon nodded resolutely.

“Sounds good~.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Jo Woon and Jun-ho descended the stairs together and stood on the stage. The PDs smiled at this sudden competition.

The reason the stage was unnecessarily wide was actually all for this duel.

“Ooh.”

“Ah, my heart’s racing.”

“Those two are fighting right from the start.”

Jun-ho, who showed the qualities of a Sword Saint, and Jo Woon, supposedly a descendant of Sangsan.

The participants’ reactions were heated at their clash.

Shing! Jun-ho drew his sword. It was a long sword that seemed to almost touch the ground.

Jo Woon extended a long spear that was much longer than that.

“Wow. He’s really like Zhao Zilong.”

Even at Jun-ho’s admiration, Jo Woon didn’t move a muscle. He stared at Jun-ho with serious eyes.

“I’m coming.”

“Yep.”

Swoosh!

Jo Woon took the first step forward and thrust his spear. Jun-ho twisted the flat of his long sword to defend.

Clang!

A sharp clash erupted.

“Whoa.”

Jun-ho raised his eyebrows, and Jo Woon continued to sweep his spear. Acrobatic and flexible spear technique. Free-flowing and ever-changing thrusts followed.

Clang! Clang! Clang──!

In duels between spear and sword, the spear usually has the advantage. This is due to the inevitable reach difference.

Therefore, the countless swordsmen Jo Woon had faced so far would usually crumble before long under his unrestrained spear attacks.

However, this case was a bit different.

Unlike other swordsmen, Jun-ho used a considerably long sword. Its range didn’t fall short compared to the spear, and if he took wider steps, he could actually pressure the spear.

Clang-! Clang-!

The spear struck at the sword. The sword deflected or parried the spear. The spear couldn’t easily penetrate, while the sword curved inward, aiming for gaps in the spear’s defense.

Each time the two pieces of metal clashed, fierce sparks flew. Sweat mixed in the exchange of steel. Magic power had somehow gathered on their weapons.

Clang─!

The PDs and production staff nodded and admired.

Indeed, Jun-ho had the potential of a Sword Saint. A talent recognized by that picky Murim.

Jo Woon’s spear persistently tried to wear down Jun-ho, but Jun-ho didn’t waver. Rather than simply dodging with his body or stepping back, he faithfully blocked every attack and was actually ‘advancing’. Drawing the spearman into his own range.

“Hup!”

Finally, at the forty-second exchange.

Jo Woon’s spear, which had always been sharp, dulled for just one moment. Whether his hands were wet with sweat or his strength gave out, the spear’s trajectory and weight became sluggish compared to before.

As a result, the spear blade struck the sword body at an angle.

It was a mistake.

Instantly, Jun-ho’s eyes opened wide. The pupils of a predator devouring an opening. He scraped the spear shaft with his sword blade and dashed forward.

Scrrrrrrrr───-

“Kuk!”

The gap between them closed in an instant, and the sword tip reached Jo Woon’s neck.

“Phew~ Over?”

Jun-ho grinned.

“…Yes. I lost.”

Jo Woon acknowledged it cleanly.

“You’re good. Good work~”

Jun-ho, who had lowered his sword, casually returned to his seat. However, Jo Woon, as if he hadn’t given up yet, approached the next person in second place, Ryu Yeon-hwa.

“Are you perhaps a mage?”

Ryu Yeon-hwa nodded. Then he immediately moved on to the next person in third place, Seo Ji-woo.

“Are you a mage?”

“Yes. Want to fight?”

Seo Ji-woo rolled up her sleeves as if she welcomed it, but.

“No. A duel is excessively disadvantageous for a mage. I don’t want it.”

“…You’re excessively honest.”

In other words, quite stubborn.

Jo Woon eventually fought with warrior Jin Ho-jong, who was seated in 4th place after Seo Ji-woo, and seized his ranking.

* * *

Three hours into filming.

All 96 participants from various agencies were seated. Fortunately, I didn’t get pushed down from 11th place.

Maybe because early rankings don’t mean anything anyway, even though they glanced at me, they didn’t bother picking fights.

Or maybe my expression looks a bit scary right now.

Clank──

Then, lighting descended on the front of the stage. A woman appeared under quite a flashy spotlight.

She walked confidently and looked around the area.

“Nice to meet you. I’m main mentor Yoo Ji-in.”

Yoo Ji-in. Currently ranked 333rd in the pro rankings, and one of the world’s top high rankers.

“I’m also South Korea’s high ranker mage.”

The 96 trainees showed various expressions.

Some participants’ entire bodies stiffened, others applauded in admiration, and guys like me remained expressionless.

Cameras busily captured our reactions.

“First. I formally welcome all of you who participated in the third series of Labyrinth Exploration, ‘Now and Never’.”

Her voice sounds even more beautiful hearing it in person.

“From now on, you’ll be solving challenges within the Labyrinth Exploration series system, either working together or using your individual strength. Yesterday’s ally will become today’s competitor, and today’s competitor will become tomorrow’s ally.”

It’s the exact line that appears in the first episode.

I really feel like I’m a regressor now.

“However, as you all know, the Labyrinth Exploration series has a special system.”

Everyone tensed at Yoo Ji-in’s words.

To say it again now, 「Labyrinth Exploration」 is an invention. Other countries can’t carelessly copy this format.

If it wasn’t special, various guilds wouldn’t have sent their assets─promising talents under 28 years old to participate, nor would they have granted 2-year exclusive usage rights.

The South Korean government even requested to strictly limit the number of foreign participants.

“Well… Yes. They say they’re ready.”

───Tszzt!

As soon as she finished speaking, magic power flashed. Like a camera flash, it filled the entire space for a moment.

All participants instinctively closed their eyes, and when they opened them again.

[ Labyrinth Exploration NaN Participant Seol Ha-woon ]Rank: UndeterminedVotes: 0

A hologram was floating on my retina.

Compared to [MoMo], it’s quite simple, but for the others, this is their first experience with the 「Labyrinth Exploration」 series status window.

“You have been chosen by 「Labyrinth Exploration」. This status window activates when you tap your wrist twice.”

「Labyrinth Exploration」 is a magical invention.

This means the broadcast program itself is large-scale magic.

“You’ll see your rank and vote count. Here, the vote count naturally means the precious votes that the people give to explorers.”

Subtitles will probably appear around this time.

[ Voting is only possible on the IONet website with verified accounts. ]

“Later, your rankings will be determined by vote count, and you’ll be able to receive substantial bonuses.”

There are many bonuses that remain permanently even after 「Labyrinth Exploration」 ends.

This is why Lee Je-hoon, the previous season’s winner and 4-star prospect, grew to world-class level.

“Now, before revealing the mentors who will help your growth.”

Yoo Ji-in smiled brightly.

“We’ll conduct a proper level test.”

Sighs arose among the participants.

This level test determines the first week’s rankings. The challenge will probably be the ‘Straight Line Maze’.

“….”

I casually looked back at Kang Hyeon. There was no change in his expression.

Should I try talking to him?

“Are you confident….”

“?”

He turns to look at me as soon as I start speaking. His reaction is too quick.

“Are you confident?”

Informal speech came out without me realizing.

Kang Hyeon replied.

“I just have to try.”

While saying that, he glanced at my walking stick.

“Are you alright, Seol Ha-woon?”

“….”

I didn’t expect a counter-question.

“…I lost something, but I gained something too.”

Kang Hyeon blinks at my words.

“I mean it’s okay even if my leg is like this.”

It’s somewhat awkward, but let’s go with informal speech.

A camera is filming me.

Rather than just using polite speech normally, speaking informally from the first meeting would definitely be better for drawing aggro.

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