Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 120

—————
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 120

In the house(7)

〔Tai-ryung〕

The Eastern Region’s story progresses.

Lee Jun-ho’s group gathers the city’s explorers. They persuade explorers who have already filled their WP quotas, and recruit those who haven’t, preparing for a large-scale raid.

─Lee Jun-ho: …It will appear soon.

Dragon’s Nest. Everyone watches the lake where the vicious serpent lurks with tense eyes.

─Seo Ji-woo: Everyone, get ready.

About a dozen explorers each grip their weapons while sweating…

Paaaaaaah—-!

The dragon revealed itself.

“Gasp.”

It looked so, so terrifying.

It was 2-3 times more hideous than the dragons we were familiar with.

─Seo Ji-woo: It’s an evil dragon!

─Lee Jun-ho: Everyone prepare!

The Eastern Region was also rushing toward its climax.

〔RAINOS〕

Rainos.

What happens in the ‘Labyrinth within Labyrinth’ where Seer has imprisoned the explorers is not shown on screen.

Perhaps because cameras cannot enter that space? Or is it part of the direction?

Swish—! Shiiik—! Screeech—-!

Thanks to that, Kang Hyeon’s Poison Dance unfolds.

Kwadadadadada─-!

Blue Gun Barrel sprays buckshot. A baptism of magic power and bullets poured out without gaps.

However, Kang Hyeon deflects it all, pushes it away, and swiftly rushes at those trying to approach, cutting them down.

It’s swordsmanship close to divine. His movements have already far transcended ordinary people, as if he alone is moving at seven or eight times speed.

The graceful flow like a butterfly’s wing beats seems like truly smooth brushstrokes, making the meaning of the word ‘Sword Dance’ understood through the eyes.

Swooooooh—-

The hand gripping the sword, the legs rolling through the sky embroider the space.

But even Kang Hyeon won’t be able to hold out for long. Humans have limits to their stamina.

By immediate arithmetic calculation, moving like that for just one hour would consume tens of thousands of calories.

Tick. Tick.

A soundtrack like a second hand announcing his limit fills the theater.

Tick. Tick.

Kang Hyeon’s sword whirls, and the screen shakes violently.

A moment when one can’t even breathe, let alone drink cola.

Chiiiiik.

The sound of a capsule opening.

Kang Hyeon looked back at that place.

─Im Hae-jun: Wh, where is this?

Im Hae-jun awakened from inside the capsule!

─Kang Hyeon: Im Hae-jun.

He looked at Kang Hyeon with bewildered eyes.

─Im Hae-jun: Hyeon hyung?

─Kang Hyeon: Come help.

─Im Hae-jun: …Ah!

Im Hae-jun quickly grasped the situation and got up, backing up Kang Hyeon with his Magic Bow and arrows.

Chiiiiiik…!

It’s not just Im Hae-jun. Next, Lee Sin-hye, Lee Young-soo, Kim Dong-ha, and even Ryu Yeon-hwa.

Allies are increasing.

Seol Ha-woon succeeded.

─Kang Hyeon: It seems we don’t need to negotiate.

Kang Hyeon catches his breath, lets his sword hang down, and stares at Seer.

─Kang Hyeon: Thanks to you gathering the explorers for us.

But Seer is strangely relaxed.

Could it be that he still has remaining moves?

─Seer: Kang Hyeon. As you probably already know, sometimes there are people who are particularly affected by labyrinths. They’re said to have excellent sensitivity.

Belatedly, the camera shows each capsule one by one.

─Seer: This Unconscious Labyrinth has captured her. No, she has captured the labyrinth.

Even setting aside Kim Du-gyeom who’s completely out, Kate. She’s nowhere to be seen. She’s not in any of the capsules.

Don’t tell me.

─Seer: Yes. That person’s physical body is inside.

Just like Seol Ha-woon, she fell into the consciousness labyrinth with her bare body.

─Seer: So now I can demand negotiations again.

The screen captures Seer’s face.

─Seer: To those watching us from afar…

The “they” that Seer was referring to were probably us inside the theater.

Lee Si-ah unconsciously licked her lips.

〔Tai-ryung〕

Back to the Eastern Region again. Now even the Eastern Region feels welcoming. It’s like a section where I can breathe a little.

Lee Jun-ho’s party and the explorers fight desperately against the dragon. If Seer is the great demon king of intelligence, then the dragon is the great demon king of brute force.

Kraaaah—-!

The dragon’s breath burns the earth. Jo Woon gets injured by the intense heat while trying to save another explorer, and Lee Jun-ho and Seo Ji-woo aren’t in normal condition either.

Most of them already seem exhausted, but the dragon is still going strong.

─Seo Ji-woo: …Ah. Hey, damn it. We won’t die even if we die anyway. Let’s keep going until we’re dead.

─Lee Jun-ho: Is that supposed to be words or shit…

Just when the two were letting out hollow laughs at the desperate situation.

─Taoist Mage: It’s not over yet!

The Taoist Mage appeared.

The one who had only been ordering around the Eastern Region people until now came with his companions to provide support.

─Taoist Mage: Everyone, pull yourselves together!

Several Taoist monks in pure white martial arts uniforms fly up to draw the dragon’s attention. Paa! Paa! The qi gong they shoot out strikes the dragon’s body hard.

Grrrrrr─-!

The enraged dragon lets out a roar, and Lee Jun-ho stands up using his sword as a walking stick. A quite spectacular scene unfolds with the hem of the martial arts uniform fluttering in the wind.

Jo Woon and Seo Ji-woo stand behind him.

Though they’re covered in dirt, blood, and ash all over their bodies, they never give up.

─Seo Ji-woo: Get ready.

At Seo Ji-woo’s words, Lee Jun-ho grips his sword again.

─Lee Jun-ho: …I’ve been ready from the beginning.

─Jo Woon: Let’s go.

Hyaaaah!

Illuminating their backs as they fly toward the dragon with a battle cry…

The scene switches to the distant West.

Pazzzk—-!

Sparks flew from Seer’s rimless glasses.

─Seer: …Oh no.

He gritted his teeth hard. His complexion also hardened stiffly.

─Syndra: What’s wrong.

─Seer: Something unexpected is happening.

─Syndra: You didn’t expect it?

─Seer: Yes.

What could this unexpected event be.

Seer observes the waves of the labyrinth within labyrinth through his glasses. He detects the fluctuating rift.

At the same time, Seer himself is also shaking.

─Seer: If the opponent can twist the very foundation of the plan I conceived…

He gave a hollow smile.

─Seer: I may have no choice but to accept defeat.

In an instant, the camera shows the entrance to the Unconscious Labyrinth.

Crack- Crackle-

It’s being destroyed. What Seer had declared impossible is happening.

By a single mage.

─Syndra: So what should we do from now on.

Syndra asked Seer.

Seer looked at Syndra.

─Seer: …Sister.

─Syndra: Are you crazy. Since when did you call me that.

At the address of “sister,” Syndra rubbed her arm.

─Seer: Enjoy today.

Had he admitted defeat? Or perhaps, he never intended to win from the beginning.

Kwagggggk-!

A huge spark erupted from within the Consciousness Labyrinth.

The screen moved back to the Research Facility.

─Im Hae-jun: Oh, hyung! Kate!

From beyond the crumbling labyrinth, Kate and Seol Ha-woon walk out.

─Im Hae-jun: Are you okay?!

Im Hae-jun runs toward the two of them.

─Kate: Yes. I’m fine.

─Im Hae-jun: …What about you, hyung?

He belatedly checks on Seol Ha-woon.

─Seol Ha-woon: …You’re already too late.

─Im Hae-jun: What? Why, why?

Seol Ha-woon sulked again. Seol-tto-ppi.

Anyway, all the explorers from the west had gathered. They all looked somewhere in combat stance.

Seer.

He appeared on the monitor, looking back and forth between Kate and Seol Ha-woon before letting out a sigh.

─Seer: It’s my defeat. I acknowledge it. My struggles were meaningless. I’ll release them. I won’t interfere with you all either.

─Im Hae-jun: I won’t be fooled!

Im Hae-jun shouted loudly. His front teeth are properly broken.

─Seer: You all carry out your purpose. If you find valuable items in our world, take them to your world.

The explorers’ expressions became subtle at Seer’s gentle tone. The theater was the same.

─Seer: If you do that, we can leave at least a trace of ourselves on the other side.

Seer isn’t a simple villain. He might not even be a villain at all.

Perhaps, he might be a hero who fought for his own world.

─Seer: I’ll be satisfied with that. I’ll gladly give it to you.

Suddenly, Seer smiled.

─Seer: Just please remember one thing.

It wasn’t a voice begging for sympathy. As he had always done, he conveyed his wish dryly.

─Seer: That this place where we live… was also a world as precious as yours.

Crackle.

The frequency wavered and the video cut off.

Silence settled for a moment.

─Im Hae-jun: …Hyung. It’s kind of sad.

The theater was the same. Sighs could be heard here and there.

Because it’s not just a movie. Because it’s not fiction.

They… ‘once’ actually existed.

─Im Hae-jun: Hyung. How much WP did you collect? I collected all 10,000. There’s like 3 days left until the deadline.

─Seol Ha-woon: Oh. I saw. You got caught trying to get a ticket.

─Im Hae-jun: …What! You saw all that and didn’t help me?!!

─Seol Ha-woon: Ah, so noisy. Did you swallow a military band?

Leaving behind Im Hae-jun who felt disappointed, Seol Ha-woon left the laboratory.

As Seer said, there was no siege or troops. Seol Ha-woon leaned against the wall of the empty research facility.

─Seol Ha-woon: …

Seol Ha-woon’s expression contained quite complex emotions. It was a bittersweet face.

He probably felt like he had met a worthy opponent after a long time. He must have felt like he discovered a ‘rival’ worth pouring all his active-duty skills, reason, and experience into.

─Kang Hyeon: Good work.

Kang Hyeon approached his side. The two stood maintaining an appropriate distance.

They looked quite close, but from Lee Si-ah’s perspective, there was still a line.

A line where neither approached the other.

What could be the reason?

Because they’re competitors, or perhaps.

Because they don’t want to be ‘found out’?

─Seol Ha-woon: You too.

Seol Ha-woon glanced at Kang Hyeon and crossed his arms.

─Seol Ha-woon: You worked hard.

Kang Hyeon bowed his head and smiled.

At the right end of the camera angle was Seol Ha-woon, at the left end was Kang Hyeon. Lee Si-ah memorizes this scene, this composition.

If made into a meme, it would get thousands of recommendations.

〔Tai-ryung〕

Whoooosh—!

While the west was wrapping up, now the east was more spectacular. They fought while brilliantly unleashing magic power.

The Taoist Mage and dozens of Taoist monks, that is, the Labyrinth People and explorers joined forces together, and finally.

Groooooar…

The evil dragon let out a dinosaur-like roar and collapsed.

─Seo Ji-woo: We got it!!!!

─Lee Jun-ho: Haah…

The explorers jumped around excitedly celebrating, and the Taoist Mage smiled with tears in his eyes.

─Taoist Mage: Everyone… worked so hard—

─Seo Ji-woo: We got it, we did!

─Jo Woon: We won!

Seo Ji-woo and Jo Woon forcibly grabbed the Taoist Mage and tossed him in the air.

The Taoist Mage also bounced up and down laughing heartily.

─Lee Jun-ho: Everyone. No time to rest. We need to quickly distribute the loot and go.

Since there wasn’t much time left to depart, Lee Jun-ho pointed to the date written on the boarding pass.

If the west had tickets, the east had boarding passes.

─Lee Jun-ho: The ship leaves soon.

─Seo Ji-woo: …Ah. That guy really has something when it comes to being a buzzkill.

Seo Ji-woo glares at Lee Jun-ho with a menacing expression, and Jo Woon also clears his throat with obvious displeasure.

Lee Jun-ho’s face scrunched up.

─Lee Jun-ho: Then let’s not distribute the loot. Just leave it all behind then─

─Seo Ji-woo: That’s not it! Let’s go distribute the loot~!

They quickly rush back to the dragon’s corpse.

〔RAINOS〕

What follows is daily life. The western explorers also spend their remaining time leisurely.

Seol Ha-woon donates all the money he earns to the orphanage, receiving only tea leaves that hardly qualify as payment. So he has an unnecessarily huge pile of tea leaf sacks.

─Seol Ha-woon: …Take care.

The last day.

He turns away after leaving words that won’t be heard to the orphanage children waving from far away.

─Children: Take care~!!!!

The children who had grown plump from eating many special meals thanks to Seol Ha-woon. Their voices are truly resonant.

A warm smile forms on Lee Si-ah’s lips.

─Seol Ha-woon: Ticket. I’ll use it.

At the exchange, Seol Ha-woon speaks to the android-like staff member. He smiles brightly and guides him to the elevator.

─Seol Ha-woon: ….

Seol Ha-woon, who boarded the elevator, quietly closes his eyes. He says nothing.

What is he thinking about right now?

─Kang Hyeon: Ticket. I’ll use it.

Following him, Kang Hyeon also enters the elevator.

Kang Hyeon doesn’t close his eyes. He just looks ahead.

Whirrrrr.

In the endlessly ascending elevator, with the cross-editing of those two people as the finale….

─Seer: The sky is clear.

Suddenly, the Seer’s voice is heard.

─Seer: It’s a good day.

He seems to be whispering to someone.

─Seer: On weather like this, you could just take a walk alone, go to your favorite dining hall. You could share time with someone you love.

The camera continues ascending past the elevator, reaching the sky.

A bird flying between the sun and clouds appears on the screen.

─Seer: You all have time. You have freedom. These are the most precious things.

Lee Si-ah bit her lip. Suddenly, emotion welled up in her chest.

─Seer: So… please hope for a today that’s better than yesterday, a tomorrow that’s better than today. Please work to make it so.

The Seer. Because he was such an intelligent person, he accepted that he was a Labyrinth Person. He accepted that their future was doom.

─Seer: This might be too clichéd to say, but.

The bird soars gracefully away from the camera, and the angle descends again to capture someone inside the glass window of a high-rise building.

The Seer’s face.

─Seer: The today you take for granted is the tomorrow that someone who died yesterday so desperately longed for.

Sniffling sounds, nose-blowing sounds, the sound of wiping tears while holding glasses.

In the theater, such emotions spread like echoes.

─Seer: Well then….

That’s all.

The screen fades to black with a quiet farewell.

〔Ending NaN World〕

A scroll appears, somehow feeling empty and hollow.

The movie had already ended, but people remained seated for a while nonetheless.

Lee Si-ah was the same.

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