Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 44

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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 044

Believer(4)

Lee Si-ah at the field stage watched Seol Ha-woon’s POV.

Seol Ha-woon, who had entered the situation, moved diligently. The method he chose after losing his mobility was wire.

He extended a wire to some building rooftop and climbed up instantly to first kill the sniper, then sat in the sniper’s chair and pulled out some teacup.

For the first 2 minutes he was filming a spy thriller, then suddenly he was leisurely making coffee. Just as he stirred it gently with a spoon and took a sip.

Kim Du-gyeom arrived.

─…You’re late.

Seol Ha-woon smiled as he looked at Kim Du-gyeom. The atmosphere was strangely tense. Before long, quite a few people had gathered around Lee Si-ah.

They were spectators who came to watch Seol Ha-woon.

─How did you get here…

Kim Du-gyeom seemed quite surprised.

─It’s a habit. Finding high ground.

Seol Ha-woon answered while smelling his coffee.

─I’ve subdued the sniper, so you go down.

─…What are you going to do here?

There was a slight edge in Kim Du-gyeom’s voice.

On the other hand, Seol Ha-woon was overflowing with composure.

─There are five more chances anyway. I need to store as much information in my head as possible.

Kim Du-gyeom frowned.

─Did you find out anything?

─Well.

Seol Ha-woon deflected while drinking his coffee.

─What did you find out. You should share.

Kim Du-gyeom was quite spiteful. To Lee Si-ah’s eyes, this was unexpected. He wasn’t like this in Mitamnan episodes 1-2. Didn’t he get quite a bit of screen time with his good image?

─…

Seol Ha-woon said nothing. He just smiled and pointed at his watch.

─6 minutes left.

─Geez…

Kim Du-gyeom, grinding his teeth, eventually went down the building dejectedly.

“Why are those two acting like that?”

“Did they fight?”

“Kim Du-gyeom is being weird? It’s an individual match, why does he keep asking?”

“There’s no time either, he should move quickly”

Murmuring sounds could be heard from around.

This is the downside of a good image. If even a hint of selfishness is felt in Kim Du-gyeom’s actions, the public will see him as someone who only pretends to be good on the surface.

On the other hand, the current Seol Ha-woon… to put it crudely, whatever shit he pulls, people just think ‘that’s the kind of person he is.’

The more they get entangled, the more disadvantageous it is for Kim Du-gyeom.

* * *

Plaza. Kate was moving through the crowd, detecting dangers. Her two eyes vigilantly watched the surroundings without gaps, and her sensitively alert five senses detected even the faintest flow of magic power.

“…”

Suddenly, she twisted her gaze to look somewhere.

A suspicious figure. Dressed in a jacket, but his body was abnormally thick.

Kate tailed him while examining inside his clothes. There were bombs wrapped around his waist.

Suicide bombing. The response policy was simple.

She crouched down and picked up an appropriately sized stone. She wedged it between her fingers and flicked it with a snap!

“Guk!”

The light stone throw pierced through the opponent’s throat. The terrorist collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.

Instant death.

“This is Kate. I’ve killed a terrorist on the eastern side.”

First danger element. Suicide bomb.

* * *

─This is Kate. I’ve killed a terrorist on the eastern side.

Lee Jun-ho heard Kate’s words while among the people in the plaza.

─Everyone, remember all the danger elements. We’ll have to repeat the same thing in the second round.

“Confirmed.”

He walked while gripping the sword at his waist.

A combat stance ready to respond immediately even to a momentary surprise attack. However, not even a trace of suspicious people could be seen in his area. Everyone was just holding signboards or placards, enthusiastically responding to the speaker.

They said there were many suspicious people around here. What the hell is that bastard Kim Du-gyeom?

“3 minutes remaining…”

─Southern direction! South! Here! Need support! It’s urgent!!!

Kim Woo-hyeon’s urgent voice rang through the earphone.

Combat occurring!

Lee Jun-ho cheerfully adjusted his route, but it was already too late.

“…What the hell is that.”

He stopped and muttered while looking at the sky.

There was some monster soaring through the sky. A Labyrinth Person in armor with protruding thorns. The creature that leaped up like a pole and descended like lightning chopped off the politician’s head clean.

[ Failure ]

Second danger element. Thorn Armor Maze Person.

* * *

Second attempt.

The early development repeated differently. Seol Ha-woon climbed the abandoned building to secure high ground, and Lee Jun-ho immediately shouted to Kim Woo-hyeon.

“Woo-hyeon! Tell me that bastard’s location!”

─Southern side, 190 degree direction!

“Jun-ho! I’ll go with you too!”

Kim Du-gyeom had attached himself before they knew it. He had caught the scent of broadcast screen time.

The two men ran toward the armored monster.

─This is Kate. Move calmly. There are still many chances.

Lee Jun-ho and Kim Du-gyeom arrived at the location. A guy who looked dangerous just by looking at him was standing there. A suspicious person with completely black pupils without whites, and purple thorns writhing on his back.

“Hup!”

Lee Jun-ho immediately rushed in and swung his sword. The Labyrinth Person’s body sprouted sharp spikes to defend.

Clang!

The long sword got caught in the thorns, but Kim Du-gyeom, who charged from behind, stabbed into the creature’s side. Thunk. The Labyrinth Person’s reaction to the embedded sword was indifferent. It struck Kim Du-gyeom’s temple with its right arm.

“Guk!”

Kim Du-gyeom was immediately sent flying, and Lee Jun-ho retreated three or four steps back to adjust his stance.

This guy is stronger than expected. There’s a need to carefully control the intervals and tempo of attacks.

Whoosh── Whiiiiik──

Lee Jun-ho’s long sword sliced through space. A whip-like sword strike shot out. Lee Jun-ho maintained strict distance, and the Labyrinth Person couldn’t dare approach, enduring only with its body. Its thorns were hard enough to deflect the long sword, but Lee Jun-ho’s blade glowed red-hot.

Heat Technique.

The temperature of the blade that had heated up from the moment they began exchanging blows was now sufficient to burn the opponent.

Sizzle─! Tssssss──!

Every time sword and thorn clashed, burning sounds rang out. The steel-like thorns had already turned black from scorching.

“Hiyaah!”

Kim Du-gyeom, who had recovered belatedly, made a noisy reappearance. Kim Du-gyeom drew the Labyrinth Person’s attention for just a brief moment.

Lee Jun-ho didn’t miss that opening. He thrust his sword long toward the Labyrinth Person’s neck area. The Labyrinth Person twisted its head to avoid the sword tip, but it was already too late.

Swish!

He pulled the extended long sword back diagonally and slashed. The Labyrinth Person’s entire head was torn off.

Roll roll. The severed face rolled across the ground.

“…Labyrinth Person suppression successful!”

Kim Du-gyeom quickly reported over the radio. As if he had done it himself.

─This is Kate. I’ve eliminated four more terrorists.

─This is Ryu Wei. Similarly, I’ve killed three terrorists carrying firearms.

Lee Jun-ho sighed and replied.

“Yes. Good work. Then…”

Boooooom───-

A thunderous roar shook heaven and earth. Lee Jun-ho and Kim Du-gyeom instinctively hunched their necks.

This time it was above the platform where the politician was giving his speech.

“….”

“….”

In the sight of the two men staring blankly at that place, the politician’s body flew gracefully through the air. Like some spinning top, like a paper airplane, spinning round and round as it flew… crash.

It crashed onto the road surface and was reduced to pulp.

“Ah… damn it.”

Lee Jun-ho slapped his hand to his forehead.

[ Failure ]

The third danger factor. The area under the lamp is dark—the bomb installed on the speaker’s platform.

* * *

3rd attempt.

The development itself was much smoother than the 1st and 2nd attempts.

─Woo-hyeon, I’ll leave the bomb to you.

─Yes. Leave it to me!

Kate quickly found and killed the bomb terrorists, and Kim Woo-hyeon secretly infiltrated under the platform. Afterwards, Kim Du-gyeom and Lee Jun-ho killed the Thorn Armor Maze Person.

“…This is tough.”

Kim Du-gyeom muttered. Lee Jun-ho leaned against the wall and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Tell me about it.”

Thorn Armor—this wasn’t an ordinary one. Since it was the second time, he could see the pattern, but his own stamina was being drained accordingly. A type with ridiculous durability rather than attack power. The kind he didn’t want to face for long.

Lee Jun-ho spoke over the radio.

“Hey Woo-hyeon. You’re ready, right?”

─Of course, hyung!

───-

Right on cue, the bomb exploded. However, the explosion couldn’t affect the outside. It was Kim Woo-hyeon’s formula. He had woven magic power at the base of the platform to suppress the impact itself from leaking out.

The politician, startled by the explosion, was escorted by his bodyguards into the bulletproof limousine, and vrooooom! hurriedly departed.

“…Phew.”

Lee Jun-ho sighed.

“We succeeded, Jun-ho.”

Kim Du-gyeom held out his fist to Lee Jun-ho. It was the kind of excitement Lee Jun-ho hated most.

Still, had they succeeded this much?

“Well…”

[ Failure ]

“Huh?”

“…What?”

Both Lee Jun-ho and Kim Du-gyeom were flustered.

Not just them, but all the on-site spectators watching this situation from afar as well.

* * *

4th attempt.

They had returned to the beginning without understanding why.

Kate stood in the plaza and thought.

They had definitely dealt with all the significant danger factors, and the politician had safely departed.

Perhaps another trap had been triggered in the meantime? Or was there a variable they couldn’t perceive?

In Kate’s mind as she pondered intensely, a certain person suddenly came to mind.

“…Could it be.”

Seol Ha-woon.

If he was interfering with them.

No, if he had interfered.

“What was the problem?”

Kim Du-gyeom had approached at some point. Perfect timing. Kate asked him.

“Du-gyeom. Where is Seol Ha-woon?”

“Ah… on the building rooftop. He’s been covering that area since earlier.”

Kim Du-gyeom pointed northeast.

“What was he doing?”

“He was suppressing snipers and gathering some kind of information…”

Then Lee Jun-ho joined them too. He touched his eyelids with a quite tired face.

“…Kate. It seems you’re thinking the same thing as me?”

His voice sounded slightly angry. Was he also thinking that Seol Ha-woon was the problem?

However, Lee Jun-ho’s condition was strange.

“Lee Jun-ho. You look tired. Let’s switch. I’ll handle the armor monster.”

“No.”

Lee Jun-ho shook his head.

“Kate, this is your first time facing it. I’m gradually getting used to it. That’s much better for the team. And.”

He twisted one corner of his mouth.

“I’m not tired.”

Expressions like heating up, getting hot, getting excited would be more appropriate.

Fighting always elevates Lee Jun-ho. The thorn creature was the perfect toy to preheat Lee Jun-ho.

…At least Lee Jun-ho himself thinks so.

“Is that so.”

From Kate’s perspective, it was the complete opposite. Rather, he seemed to be in a dangerous state. Overheating, or hypersensitivity.

“Yes. Go ahead then.”

But it didn’t seem like she would listen even if he tried to persuade her. Kate was someone who hated wasting time.

Lee Jun-ho and Kim Du-gyeom headed back toward the Labyrinth People. Kate also started moving for now.

Though Seol Ha-woon was suspicious, hasty certainty was forbidden.

She first quickly subdued the bomb terrorists, then surveyed the plaza looking for any other potential dangers.

─I’ve dealt with the bombs too!

Kim Woo-hyeon’s briefing.

─This side is handled too.

Lee Jun-ho had also subdued the Labyrinth People. The progress itself was exactly the same as before.

“….”

Kate looked at the politician from the middle of the plaza.

The moment he finished his speech and waved his hand, boarding the limousine with his wife and daughter.

──-

A blue trajectory struck directly at the Security Team Leader beside the speaker. The Security Team Leader died with his temple pierced through.

Though it was faint mixed in with the crowd, it was definitely a mana bullet.

Kate reverse tracked its path.

Above the abandoned building.

Seol Ha-woon’s position.

“Tsk….”

Biting her lips tightly, she watched the departing limousine.

“…If the Security Team Leader is dead.”

Even if the limousine left, there would be no one to protect the congressman inside the car.

[ Failure ]

* * *

5th attempt.

Kate lowered her head. Unbearable anger surged up from beneath her heart, but she forcibly suppressed it. Right now, completing the labyrinth was the top priority.

“I found the cause. Everyone proceed the same way.”

Kate moved quickly. First she grabbed a handful of stones, then ran across the plaza in that state, flicking her fingers. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! She killed all the bomb terrorists she had memorized in advance.

She soon stood in a location where the abandoned building was visible. She drew up her magic power while glaring at that rooftop.

Crackle! Crackle-! Sparks flew from her hand. High-density magic power condensed into a long form.

A spear throw.

“Seol Ha-woon. Don’t move.”

Kate said. It was radio communication that only Seol Ha-woon could hear.

Now she could see Seol Ha-woon in her eyes. On the not-so-distant rooftop, a man shouldering a blue sniper rifle.

“This is a warning.”

Kate’s spear throw could collapse the entire building. She was a woman with the rare aptitude of a ‘destroyer’ among marksmen.

Seol Ha-woon answered.

─You’ll regret it.

“Who else are you trying to shoot?”

─I’m choosing. Which of the two to shoot.

“…Ha.”

Other people’s voices reached Kate’s ears.

─I dealt with the bombs. Just in case, I checked if there were bombs in the limousine too, but there was nothing.

─All the armed gunmen in the plaza have been subdued as well.

─Got the armored monster. Kate, now it’s your turn.

Each had eliminated all danger factors.

The bomb under the speech platform. The assassins and bomb terrorists mixed in the crowd. The Thorn Armor Labyrinth People. And the last one.

Seol Ha-woon.

“If you move even a little, I’ll crush you.”

Kate took position and kept Seol Ha-woon in check. Seol Ha-woon calmly responded.

─Trust me. This is necessary.

“I’ll make that judgment.”

─I’m the one who’s right.

“…You’re impossible to reason with. Do you think you can beat me?”

─I am curious though. Which would be faster, a spear throw or a bullet.

What bold words. From Kate’s perspective, it was also ridiculous.

Click.

Magic power condensed at Seol Ha-woon’s gun barrel.

Immediately, Kate hurled her spear throw like lightning.

───-

The mana bullet’s trajectory shot toward the ground, and a long spear dozens of times larger advanced while tearing through the atmosphere, KWAAAAAA!

It blew up the abandoned building.

Whoooosh.

Watching the upper floors completely shatter and scatter in the distance, Kate twisted her lips.

“…I finished up too.”

─Confirmed.

Lee Jun-ho’s answer.

Now, Kate looked around the plaza with peace of mind. The Security Team Leader was safe, and the speaker had also gotten in the car and left.

And….

[ Failure ]

“…No, why?”

Without any reward, she was back to the beginning again.

—————
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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