Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 45

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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 045

Believer(5)

…the development was unpredictable. The audience watching from the stage felt this especially.

Lee Si-ah couldn’t understand Seol Ha-woon’s actions above all else. When he killed the Security Team Leader, the entire hall was dumbfounded. If there had been a chat window, it would have been flooded with ???.

“No, why…”

Seol Ha-woon was shaking up this entire situation. To call it shaking up was putting it nicely – it was practically sabotage.

Even though it’s an individual battle, did they have some kind of fight? Like “I won’t clear it, so you guys don’t clear it either” or something?

“…Someone said Seol Ha-woon got evil edited. Turns out he’s just naturally like that.”

The chatter from behind stabbed at Lee Si-ah’s ears.

Just as those words suggested, it was clear trolling. There had been a feeling of him being out of place from the beginning, but now he had definitely crossed the line.

─Mr. Seol Ha-woon. Don’t move.

Eventually Kate moved first. She warned Seol Ha-woon while forming a spear.

This was Lee Si-ah’s first time seeing a Destroyer’s ability in person.

Archers usually use bows or guns. Which of the two is superior depends on the archer’s function and aptitude, but Destroyers who throw cold weapons are recognized for their overwhelmingly superior talent without any room for debate.

To what extent? Destroyers are one of the branches that lead to becoming a mage.

“Kate’s going all out.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Shoot! Shoot!”

Before they knew it, Seol Ha-woon had become the villain, and Kate threw her spear at Seol Ha-woon while receiving cheers from the stage.

Shwaaaack.

The long spear tore through the atmosphere as it rushed forward. It devoured the thin mana bullet and continued onward, then KWAAAAANG── completely blew apart the upper portion of the building where Seol Ha-woon stood.

“Wow, so refreshing.”

“So satisfying, so satisfying.”

“Phew~”

Most reactions were of satisfaction. Lee Si-ah clenched her fists tightly by herself.

She was so disappointed.

Looking back, maybe Seol Ha-woon was a character she shouldn’t have even glanced at. Someone who had no intention of escaping from 96th place, that kind of…?

[ Failure ]

“Huh?”

“What.”

“Why, why is it failure again?”

Was there another variable remaining? Lee Si-ah looked at Seol Ha-woon’s POV again.

The situation had returned to the beginning.

─Shit…

He touched his stiff legs with a dejected expression. However, as if there was no time to waste, he climbed up to the rooftop again.

Before long, an unexpected situation occurred.

* * *

6th attempt.

The labyrinth had regressed 10 minutes.

The ‘situation’ where the politician on the platform spouted bullshit, and the unnecessarily large crowd shouted loud enough to burst eardrums.

“Ah…”

Lee Jun-ho felt heat shooting through the crown of his head. The back of his neck was hot. His teeth were grinding. A strange burning sensation flowed down his spine.

He pressed down on his eyelids and loosened his neck muscles. Crack. Crack. Strange sounds flowed from his joints.

This is just pissing me off.

This bastard and that bastard, there’s no one who knows how to do anything properly, and no matter what I do, it never ends.

Fuck, what the hell am I supposed to do?

“…Just getting fucking heated.”

The same result 5 times. This was the last coin.

Of course, the actual time Lee Jun-ho had experienced was only 50 minutes. However, he was repeating the situation with every nerve in his body on edge.

It was definitely not an easy battle.

As difficult as it was, the screws in his mind had already come loose.

High-temperature adrenaline raced down his back, and his facial muscles trembled as if convulsing. Hot steam like blood was caught in his empty grip.

Then.

─Lee Jun-ho.

Seol Ha-woon’s voice flowed into his ears. Lee Jun-ho gave a short reply.

“What the fuck.”

The cameras were no longer on his mind. The fatigue accumulated from the looping battle and anger at the repetition itself was amplifying the flaw inherent in Lee Jun-ho.

The desire for destruction.

─Calm down.

The words telling him to calm down. At that moment, Lee Jun-ho smiled. His mouth curved up as if his lips would reach his ears.

“Calm down?”

Instead, he drew his sword. His bloodshot eyes gleamed. Magic power like heat haze rose from his heated body.

Lee Jun-ho limped toward someone in the crowd.

“You.”

A Labyrinth Person with a sword at his waist.

“You look fucking suspicious.”

He swung his sword and cut the man’s neck. Blood gushed from the cross-section like a fountain.

Aaaaah!

A scream rang out from beside him. Lee Jun-ho turned his eyes in that direction.

“Shut up, you fucker.”

He thrust his sword and tore open the mouth.

Anyway, these weren’t human. They were just byproducts of the labyrinth, forms of magic power. It didn’t matter whether he tore them apart or ground them up.

─Lee Jun-ho.

Again, Seol Ha-woon called his name. Lee Jun-ho had no idea what he wanted.

─Lee Jun-ho. Calm down.

Because he didn’t know, he didn’t want to follow those words.

─Mr. Lee Jun-ho!

─Jun-ho hyung, what are you doing!

Kate and Kim Woo-hyeon were also saying something to him.

“Just shut up for a bit. I’ll handle it myself.”

He threw his earphone onto the road surface. Lee Jun-ho ran toward the familiar Thorn Armor Maze Person. He cut down everyone who stood in his path. The Labyrinth People’s arms and legs scattered through the air, and sprays of blood rose up.

Clear massacre. Indiscriminate killing spree.

“Mr. Lee Jun-ho!”

Kate’s voice trying to stop Lee Jun-ho scattered away.

He was already beyond control. Kate had no choice but to try to subdue him.

Bang!

A quiet mana bullet embedded itself at Kate’s feet.

─Leave him be.

It was Seol Ha-woon.

“…You, until the very end.”

─People should originally go wherever they want to go. Especially someone like that, he needs to go all the way to the end to be satisfied.

“Bullshit.”

Kate muttered a curse in her native language and tried to stop Lee Jun-ho, but multiple grenades came flying from the not-so-distant sky.

Kwaaaaang!

The ground shook. All the placards caught in the bombardment were completely destroyed. The earth overturned and dust spread like smog.

The entire plaza was filled with chaos. The speech had already been interrupted, and all the Labyrinth People scattered in panic.

Even in that mayhem, Lee Jun-ho didn’t stop.

* * *

I watched the scene from the rooftop. My physical condition wasn’t very good. My left leg was especially problematic. I had stepped wrong while dodging the spear throw.

I say stepped wrong, but it barely moves at all. It’ll probably be like this for several days.

“Tsk….”

Anyway.

I had only one question about this plaza.

‘The situation didn’t end even after the car left.’

The most normal 3rd round. We should have succeeded then. It was the actual development from before the regression.

But we failed, and my reasoning naturally continued from that point.

Another danger exists.

Not in this plaza, but among the close associates who are ‘with’ the protection target.

If we failed even after the limousine left, no matter how hard it is to believe, I have to think there’s a problem inside the limousine.

In the 4th round, I guessed that danger was the Security Team Leader. But that was wrong, and now two choices remained, but before I could choose between them, Kate stopped me.

Ah, I don’t mean to resent Kate.

For her, it was a natural response. My credibility had hit rock bottom in the 4th round.

Besides, it might have been a good thing.

“…You’re doing well.”

I smiled while watching Lee Jun-ho through the scope.

Right now Lee Jun-ho is in a rampage state. He’s grinding up not only hostile Labyrinth People but all Labyrinth People within range.

“Continue.”

I half-induced this. Lee Jun-ho has a contrarian side. If you tell him to be calm, he won’t be calm, and if you tell him to settle down, he won’t settle down.

“Go all the way.”

I added grenades to ensure Lee Jun-ho wouldn’t be interrupted. Multiple explosions and countless killings covered the plaza.

Endless chaos.

But there would be truths that only emerge within this.

Someone who shows aspects in this uncontrollable free-for-all would be lurking somewhere in this plaza.

I surveyed the area with my naked eyes.

While looking down at the panorama of the completely ruined plaza where friend-or-foe identification was already impossible, suddenly.

I discovered someone.

“….”

I gritted my teeth. My head suddenly started aching.

There was exactly one person.

Someone making a joyful expression even in the midst of this utterly chaotic mess, this hell-like crushed chaos.

No, someone so delighted they couldn’t even hide their laughter.

I was certain of the final danger element.

I shouldered the materialized Sniper Rifle AEM94. I aimed at that spot through the scope. One person was caught in the magnifying view.

Small.

About 6 years old perhaps.

A daughter holding her father’s hand, trying to leave the plaza together with her father.

I aimed at that child’s forehead.

Click.

I pulled the trigger.

──Bang.

The advancing Mana Bullet directly hit the small head. I watched the scene.

The most inhuman choice based on the most rational reasoning.

If I made the choice, I must face it. I must not avoid the consequences of my actions. I must not run away. I can only watch that side hoping my decision is right….

“Stop!”

Suddenly someone shouted from behind me. It was Kim Du-gyeom. The guy who arrived too late glared at me like a messenger of justice while gripping his sword.

“Seol Ha-woon. If you don’t stop, I will subdue you by force.”

“I already shot.”

I barely moved my lips.

You bastard.

* * *

──Bang.

“!”

Lee Si-ah’s breath stopped. Silence also settled over the stage. Some people let out short screams. Many covered their eyes with both hands.

The plaza itself had already become a mess because of Lee Jun-ho, but a much more serious scene was broadcast on the main monitor.

Seol Ha-woon killed the protection target’s daughter.

A short child. He shot the forehead of a girl who didn’t even seem to be an elementary student.

Why on earth?

─■■ah!

The Politician screamed and grabbed the child.

─■■ah! ■■ah! No!

Lee Si-ah’s breathing trembled at the tearful wailing. Some people temporarily left their seats saying they couldn’t watch.

─Congressman! You must leave immediately!

The Security Team Leader hurriedly approached and dragged the Congressman away.

─Let go, let go! ■■, ■■!

The Congressman struggled desperately, drooling and bleeding from his eyes, nose, and mouth, but the Security Team Leader managed to get him into the limousine.

“Ah….”

It was too horrific a situation. No matter how much Mitamnan itself advocates ‘actual labyrinth conquest’…

“No, shouldn’t we drag that person out and send him to prison?!”

“That’s why he became a cripple bastard….”

Just as the level of angry words was gradually rising.

──Crrrack.

The body of the child with the shattered head writhed.

Crack. Crack.

Sharp thorns seemed to slowly cluster together from below the neck bones.

Kwaaaah!

The small child’s body was completely torn apart. The thorns pulled out from within stretched toward each other, forming a bizarre shape.

“…Huh?”

“What, what is that.”

“That, that, why is it like that?”

Lee Si-ah, who is quite a labyrinth expert, knows this phenomenon.

She shouted without realizing it.

“Boss battle!”

In other words, Seol Ha-woon was right again this time.

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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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