Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 225

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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 225

Lonely(3)

“Let’s go together.”

The dining hall of the Labyrinth Exploration NaN Dormitory. Im Hae-jun made the suggestion with a determined expression.

“A three-person party.”

“…Why bother?”

Seo Ji-woo was indifferent, and Kate was tapping away at her smartphone.

Ding ding!

Seo Ji-woo’s smartphone rang loudly. As soon as she saw the screen, she frowned deeply.

“Ah, stop posting stories already.”

“You started it first.”

The SNS war between Seo Ji-woo and Kate is currently ongoing.

It’s a battle of posting unflattering photos. The two are seriously mocking each other, but the public mistakenly thinks it’s just playful banter between best friends.

“No, no, both of you stop that. If we form a three-person party, we’ll be competitive! Let’s meet in District 3.”

“How are we going to meet?”

“Sister, you can connect us with your line right now!”

Im Hae-jun extended his pinky finger while smiling.

“Seo Ji-woo’s line that never breaks. The talent to become a mage!”

Kate, who was listening nearby, quietly snorted. Seo Ji-woo’s eyes narrowed.

“What was that just now?”

“I’m leaving.”

Kate stood up. She placed her tray in the collection area and went straight back to the dormitory.

“Ah, damn. She left because of you, sister.”

“It’s fine.”

Seo Ji-woo grinned and raised her finger.

“I already attached a line.”

“…Oh~ As expected.”

Im Hae-jun made the same expression as Seo Ji-woo.

“Then… shall we form a three-person party?”

“Yeah. Let’s pretend to meet by coincidence.”

Hehehe. The two shared a meaningful smile together.

Meanwhile, Kate, who had arrived at her room, placed her smartphone on the desk. The trailer she had watched several times before played again.

Seol Ha-woon: My principle is…

This voice is not the Mage Seol Ha-woon. It’s Irochi Seol Ha-woon.

Kate is still curious about his inner thoughts. What process he went through, how he made such a decision.

How heavy the weight contained in the choice to give up on oneself must be.

However, she also worried whether it would all be properly captured in the broadcast.

An edited version is literally a result produced by ‘editing.’

“…Malice.”

Kate still remembers Seol Ha-woon’s words telling her not to be consumed by malice.

Also, she is slowly adapting the sequence that Seol Ha-woon used to make it her own.

My own principles and beliefs that can permanently support a wavering life.

Now Kate is pursuing that.

Without realizing it, she had begun following the path he left behind.

* * *

The Family’s mansion was devastatingly destroyed. The exterior walls of the building caught in the bombardment had completely collapsed, and only fragments remained of the marble columns. The luxury carpets and antique furniture were also mixed among the ashes and debris, losing their original form.

In those ruins, I listened to the Mage’s explanation.

“The Line is not simply a city, but rather the only settlement in this maze. It’s like a final destination for the countless people in this maze. If you work hard here for just a few years, you could live luxuriously for the rest of your life in the outside world.”

The ‘Family’ I had destroyed was one of many organizations incorporated into The Line’s order.

However, since they were predators who fed on newbies, they needed to be crushed for the sake of other explorers who would arrive soon.

“What about Zone 4?”

“From Zone 4 onwards, it becomes very difficult. It will exceed your imagination. Not just the monsters, but the natural environment itself is far too harsh for humans to endure. It’s not developed to some degree like this District 3.”

The Mage recited the information he knew with all his heart and soul.

“Of course, you do gain experience just by surviving there, but the amount isn’t that much… so most people try to stay in District 3.”

I liked his polite manner of speaking.

“But there must be people there, right?”

“Yes. There would be extraordinary masters there.”

“Then.”

I stood up from my seat. I had heard enough explanation by now.

“Let’s move. Please guide me. To a place where I can dispose of items and buy things needed for Zone 4.”

“Yes. This way.”

The Mage guided me.

We moved to the dark underground city of The Line.

It was a market where smuggled goods and all kinds of illegal stolen items were traded.

Items obtained by killing people also seemed to be treated as mere ‘stolen goods’ here.

“Hmm. I won’t ask about the source. But there will be a commission fee.”

“That’s fine.”

“Good. This much would be…”

I sold various items there and obtained other necessary things.

【Expandable Subspace Bag】, 【Self-Heating Sleeping Bag】, 【Freshness-Maintaining Coolant】…

Most were artifacts needed for exploration.

“Please guide me to the entrance of Zone 4.”

“Yes, Master. Please follow me.”

I walked through the maze-like entangled city with him.

Suddenly, a plaza where people had gathered caught my eye.

[Party members urgently needed! (Tank/Healer preferred)]

[3-hour short-term money-making party (First come, first served)]

[Seeking S-rank Mage!! (Terms negotiable)]

“What is that?”

“District 3 doesn’t only have the city called ‘The Line.’ If you go out just a little, there are quite a few large and small dungeons and dangerous areas where monsters appear.”

The Mage glanced at me cautiously.

“There are good reasons why most explorers don’t bother going to Zone 4 and stay here instead. It’s safe and prosperous… Are you really going to Zone 4?”

“Yes. Going to the end is my purpose.”

I like such simple and clear goals. Labyrinths that are too complex with too many variables are rather tiresome.

“This is the place.”

Meanwhile, we arrived at our destination.

“Beyond there is Zone 4…”

A massive steel door leading to Zone 4.

The Mage reached out and opened it.

Whoooosh──

Pure white cold air flowed in from beyond. It was a cold current so tangible you could almost grasp it.

“From here on… it will be unimaginably cold and hot. You must prepare thoroughly.”

The cold is fine. This coat I’m wearing right now is an extremely rare item.

“Thank you for your hard work. You don’t need to follow me any further.”

“Thank you!”

The Mage quickly knelt down. He spoke to me while almost bowing.

“I wish you the best of luck!”

“Yes.”

I paid him 5,000 for the guide fee.

Clatter clatter clatter clatter clatter.

Looking at the fleeing figure rushing away, I stepped my walking stick outside.

Air so cold it could tear skin wrapped around my entire body.

The scenery itself felt strangely familiar. That terrible snowy wasteland I had experienced before in the Survival Labyrinth. However, even more menacing mountains and nature were spread out like an ink painting, much more severe than back then.

“The snowy wasteland was quite a while ago too.”

It’s already been more than 6 months.

I poked the snow field with my walking stick. It was too deep to walk on with my broken legs.

Zone 4

Great Nature

Automatically acquire small amounts of experience points every hour.

“….”

I floated my fountain pen in the air. I had lived on two legs in the previous snowy wasteland, but this time there was no need to do so.

As a mage, I had reached a different dimension.

Swoosh──!

I drew a snowmobile with the fountain pen’s ink.

Of course it was just a hollow shell with only the framework drawn, but in this maze, ‘experience points’ could become anything.

[300 experience points will be consumed.]

I consumed experience orbs to fill in the snowmobile’s engine, fuel, durability, and so on.

A reasonably decent snowmobile was completed.

“Let’s go.”

I got on the snowmobile and gripped the throttle handle.

Vrooooom!

I drove the snowmobile into the endless snowy wasteland.

How long had I been riding?

Gently, snow flowers began falling from the sky like clothing. White particles flowed down onto my coat and crumbled.

It was only for a moment.

In an instant, it became uncontrollably fierce.

Whooooosh──!

The snow flowers transformed into a blizzard. It whipped around as if slapping my cheeks.

I couldn’t see an inch ahead. Even my trait ‘True Eyes’ was obscured.

This was quite serious.

I stopped the snowmobile. I took out my fountain pen again and drew a minimal structure to shelter from the blizzard, then materialized it with experience orbs.

[300 experience points will be consumed.]

Roughly a 4-5 pyeong rectangle. I went inside it.

“The weather’s gone crazy.”

I lit a campfire with magic power. I briefly opened the door to let Gitburmi float out.

Wriggle wriggle.

In that instant, some small creature quickly slipped through the door crack.

“….”

It was a baby fox. A creature with white, fluffy fur, with snowflakes stuck all over around its eyes.

A protein source perhaps.

I had that thought for a moment, but the creature seemed already exhausted, panting heavily before curling up near the campfire.

Squeak.

It made that sound and quietly fell asleep.

I was conscious of the camera.

“A fox came in.”

I stared blankly at the fox, then leaned my back against the wall too.

I quietly closed my eyes.

I had assigned a mission to Gitburmi.

If the blizzard stopped or danger occurred, it would touch my nervous system to wake me up….

I opened my eyes. I looked outside through the small window crack in the rectangle.

The blizzard had roughly stopped. This was enough to proceed.

I opened the door and came outside.

This rectangular temporary dwelling… I’ll leave it here.

If I thought of the explorers as competitors, I should destroy it, but I didn’t particularly want to do that.

Now I rather wanted to leave something for those guys.

We’re not competitors, so I’m not the leader but the advance team.

Absolutely not to look good to the camera filming me now or the viewers.

Above all, I might have difficulty clearing this entire maze by myself.

[300 experience points will be consumed.]

I consumed a bit more experience to create a magic stone. I stuck it on the rectangle. I also attached external radiating magic power so it would be visible even in the blizzard.

As I keep saying, the duration of formulas varies tremendously depending on who the mage is.

Formulas manifested with poor quality magic power can’t last even a day despite using S-grade magic stones, while good quality magic power can last over a week even with cheap C-grade magic stones.

My magic power is top grade.

This rectangle will remain at least until the maze is conquered and help the explorers.

“Well then….”

I got on the snowmobile. But the baby fox had somehow approached next to me.

It had earnest eyes as if it wanted to come along.

Squeak.

I quietly watched the creature chirping like a chick, then lifted it by the scruff and put it in the front seat of my snowmobile.

“Let’s go.”

I’ve decided you’re my companion this time.

Animals are more comfortable than humans. At least animals don’t lie.

* * *

Whoooooosh────!

The raging blizzard. This blizzard almost feels like the end of the Survival Labyrinth.

Lee Jun-ho, who’s in the lead, can’t even speak. His lips feel frozen.

“Jun-ho, are you okay?!”

A voice comes from behind. It’s Kang Hyeon.

“I’m fi-“

“Hang in there! Lee Jun-ho fighting!”

This rough voice is Lee Jong-soo.

One warrior, two swordsmen.

Damn, he feels like going crazy because of the blizzard but no one’s any help. Lee Jun-ho is painfully realizing why a mage is essential in a party.

Whoooooosh──! Whoooooosh──!

He seems to have rashly taken the very front. Taking the blizzard and cold wind head-on, even he finds it quite difficult.

It feels like my face will tear, please.

“…Wha.”

His lips are frozen so he can’t speak properly, but he spotted something not far away.

Some rectangular structure. It’s faint, obscured by the blizzard, but certain. The edges are glowing blue.

“Fo-llow meee!”

Lee Jun-ho adjusted his route toward that place.

Swoosh. Swoosh.

Stepping deeply into the snow field makes sounds like being stabbed with a knife.

Whoooooosh──!

“Jun-ho! Where are you going?!”

“Jun-ho!”

The guys behind seem to have frozen mouths too.

“Follow meee!”

Breaking through the maddening blizzard, he reached the rectangular structure.

“Here!”

There was a door attached. Lee Jun-ho quickly opened it.

Creeeeak.

He went straight inside.

Thud!

As soon as the door closed, all three collapsed and let out groans.

“Whoa….”

“Haah….”

“Ah….”

Lee Jun-ho brushed his frozen hair.

“We almost got forced return….”

“…But Jun-ho. Where is this place?”

At Kang Hyeon’s question, he looked around the interior.

“I don’t know.”

There were windows, a device for making campfires, and most importantly.

“It’s a magic stone.”

The magic stone embedded in the center was maintaining the interior temperature appropriately.

“Someone must have made this and left.”

Sniff sniff. Kang Hyeon smelled the air.

His eyebrows twitched.

“I think I know. Who made this.”

“Really? Who?”

Lee Jong-soo asked while taking out meat from his bag.

Kang Hyeon answered briefly.

“Ha-woon hyung.”

“Mal-ok Hyung?”

Lee Jun-ho tilted his head.

“Yeah.”

“How do you know that from the smell?”

“The lingering traces of magic power.”

Magic power leaves lingering traces. The more outstanding a mage’s capabilities, the more so.

Seo Ji-woo, Yoon Hwa-rim, and Kate also leave quite distinctive scents, but magic power as clean as Seol Ha-woon’s is rare.

“Clean like snow. The texture of his magic power.”

If I had to make a comparison, it’s like a very clear river, and snow that doesn’t melt.

“…As expected of Mal-ok Hyung!”

Lee Jong-soo praised Je Mal-ol while placing meat on the frying pan.

Sizzzzzzle.

Looking at the cooking pork belly, all three people swallowed their saliva.

Lee Jun-ho smacked his lips and said.

“Then, did Mal-ok hyung leave this here on purpose?”

“Yeah.”

If it wasn’t on purpose, there would have been no need to leave the magic stone behind.

Leaving it like this meant he hoped someone would use it.

“Seeing things like this, he’s not just a cold person.”

Lee Jun-ho chuckled. Lee Jong-soo also nodded while cutting the pork belly.

“You just have to trust Mal-ok.”

“…That’s right.”

Kang Hyeon quietly stood up and looked out the rectangular window for a moment.

Whoooooosh──-!

The blizzard still raging.

Sizzzzzzle.

The sound of pork belly cooking seeped through it.

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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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