Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 46

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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 046

Believer(6)

When the daughter of the protection target died, Lee Jun-ho hesitated. Even though he had lost his reason, it was far too sudden.

“…Huh?”

When thorns burst out from inside the child’s body with her head blown apart, his entire body turned cold. His brain that had been burning hot rapidly cooled down.

“What the hell is that…”

The thorns intertwined with each other and rose up to become a monster the size of an ogre, and the tender child’s skin was instantly crushed.

〓〓〓〓-!

The monster roared. Lee Jun-ho let out a hollow laugh. So it was hiding inside the kid.

Swoosh!

A Mana Spear rushed from the other side. The thorn monster’s chest was pierced through in one strike, but it wasn’t a vital spot. The creature stretched its arms toward the limousine without faltering.

Lee Jun-ho urgently rushed forward and swung his sword. A Single Flash that cut off part of the thorns. However, the remaining thorns charged independently.

Thunk!

They were blocked by the limousine’s body. It was mage Kim Woo-hyeon’s response. He had already applied a Reinforcement Preservation Formula to the limousine.

“Hup!”

Lee Jun-ho leaped high and stood blocking the space between the limousine and the monster.

Whoosh─ Whooosh─!

He deflected all the thorns the creature was whipping around like a whip. Ryu Wei, Jung Min-gi, Lee Jong-soo and other participants who had been lacking in contribution so far also rushed in to assist Lee Jun-ho.

Such moments continued.

[ 2 : 15 ]

About 2 minutes remaining. The objective was to kill the creature.

However, its durability was solid. The Sword Wind that Lee Jun-ho shot was blocked by thorns and faded away, and Kate’s Spear Throw hit directly a couple times but had no effect.

──-

Suddenly a gunshot rang out.

Sniping from the high ground, a Mana Bullet struck the monster.

〓〓〓-!

The creature screamed. It staggered particularly violently. Kate quickly confirmed the impact point.

“Lower back!”

Meaning the lower back was a weak point.

Lee Jun-ho signaled to his teammates.

“I’ll handle the front, so circle around back.”

“Confirmed.”

Everyone scattered and aimed for the rear. Lee Jun-ho shot Sword Aura at the staggering monster. A scorching gale rushed in and singed the thorns.

〓〓〓〓〓!

The enraged creature raised all the thorn stems on its body. Lee Jun-ho took a defensive stance, but the attack wasn’t aimed at him.

The target was long range.

The monster fired thorns toward Seol Ha-woon. Thorn fragments shot out like artillery. Lee Jun-ho took advantage of that gap to charge at the creature.

Swoosh!

Kate’s Spear Throw pierced through its lower back, and other explorers also tore into its rear.

〓〓〓〓…

The thorn monster that had been hacked dozens of times let out a weak roar and collapsed. The thorns composing its body dried up with a crackling sound and settled down.

“…Ah.”

Now it’s really over. Lee Jun-ho staggered while leaning on his sword.

Kate asked.

“Are you okay there?”

Lee Jun-ho nodded.

“I’m fine but…”

He stopped speaking and looked elsewhere. The building where Seol Ha-woon’s support had just come from. That place was now covered in thorns.

Kate tapped her earphone and said.

“Seol Ha-woon is fine. I got radio communication.”

“…Really? Phew.”

Lee Jun-ho let out a sigh of relief and sat down spread-eagle on the ground. Kate also sat using the thorn debris as a chair.

Tap tap tap.

Belatedly, the sound of someone running. Kate glanced in that direction.

“…Kim Du-gyeom. Where were you that you’re only coming now?”

“Oh…”

Having wasted time going back and forth to Seol Ha-woon, he scratched the back of his neck and made excuses.

“Well, that’s… I was up there protecting Seol Ha-woon. In case an attack came flying…”

“Oh really?”

Lee Jun-ho asked while lying down.

“So. You protected that person?”

“…Yes?”

His face showed he had no idea what had happened. Lee Jun-ho let out a hollow laugh.

“No. Then, how did that guy survive?”

That monster bastard was shooting around like some kind of water ghost.

At that moment.

[ Success ]

Finally, it was a success.

* * *

──1 minute ago.

A panorama of memories flashes through my mind. Perceived time seems stretched like rubber, hazy, and sharp thorns surge from the other side.

Kwa─da─da─da─da─

That barrage appears slow to my eyes. However, my body won’t move. Perception and action are different things. I don’t have the physical ability to utilize this moment.

Therefore, I’m already as good as dead.

No escape route exists.

…If it weren’t for learning ‘that’.

I drew up my Magic Power.

The back of my hand.

The back of my hand was sufficient. I vibrated Magic Power on that skin surface.

“Sequence”.

Magic power resonated through the atmosphere even before my thoughts could catch up. Magic particles strongly compressed the atmosphere, neutralizing the kinetic energy of the thorns.

“….”

Before my eyes.

No, to be precise, the thorns that stopped right in front of my rimless glasses fell down like shell casings with thuds and patters.

“Wow….”

My heart was pounding like crazy.

I placed my hand on my forehead. Cold sweat had formed there. My skull felt like it was buzzing and shaking too.

“Hah.”

I let out a hollow laugh. I had succeeded with “Sequence,” which I had never properly executed during training.

It was probably due to the special nature of this more intense real combat situation than ever before, plus the glasses I was wearing now.

【Reinforced Compressed Rimless Glasses】◆ When worn, perception increases by 2, but magic power is constantly consumed.◆ When worn, acquires trait ‘Nervous System Amplification’.◆ Nervous System Amplification: Inject magic power into the rimless glasses to temporarily amplify the character’s nervous system performance. Effect increases proportionally to input magic power, and magic power is consumed every second.

I used ‘Nervous System Amplification’ to identify the thorn monster’s weakness and sniped it, and the enraged creature attempted mutual destruction on me.

It was a damn nasty bastard to the very end.

“The side effects are pretty severe though…”

But it’s worth the unique value.

By the way, unique means ‘exclusive,’ so it’s bound to the wearer. This glasses would have no effect if someone else wore them.

Drip. A nosebleed flowed.

“Ugh.”

I wiped the blood with my sleeve.

[ Seol Ha-woon defeats a Labyrinth boss for the first time. ]

[ You have acquired 3 B-Grade Random Boxes! ]

Cheerful system messages appeared with pleasant chimes.

* * *

[ Success ]

Team 1 had successfully conquered the plaza.

“Wow… That was spectacular.”

The other teams also watched that development from their respective waiting rooms.

“But what made it so difficult?”

Seo Ji-woo let out a hollow laugh. It was entertaining to watch. Almost excessively so.

Seol Ha-woon’s sudden trolling, Kate’s furious spear throw, Lee Jun-ho’s rampage, and the ‘right choice’ made at the end of the chaos.

“Archer Seol Ha-woon seems to have discovered something suspicious in the confusion.”

Jo Woon said. Seo Ji-woo glanced at him.

“…But to disguise itself as a child. Truly befitting of a Labyrinth. How utterly vicious. I’m worried about Archer Seol Ha-woon who shot the child.”

As he said, Seol Ha-woon had shot a child. Of course, it was a monster wearing a child’s skin, but he had made a decision that humans instinctively abhor and that society as a whole considers taboo.

“Mage Seol Ha-woon modified his plan in a brief moment and coldly executed a cruel judgment.”

Jo Woon was quite talkative. What was he, some kind of commentator?

“But… will the next Labyrinth be like this too? I’m worried. What do you think, Ms. Seo Ji-woo?”

Jo Woon suddenly asked Seo Ji-woo.

“Well.”

Seo Ji-woo was equally worried.

If such a situation occurred, how would I act?

Could I show the composed and unwavering demeanor of a mage like Seol Ha-woon did?

“I don’t know….”

Seo Ji-woo clasped her hands behind her head while thinking of Seol Ha-woon.

Honestly, these days when she thought of Seol Ha-woon, only that interview video came to mind. The shy smile he wore when talking about Seo Ji-woo, as if he somehow had feelings for her….

“Ugh. I should just loosen up my body.”

Seo Ji-woo shook her head and stood up.

* * *

Infirmary. I received a diagnosis from the doctor and got a cast put on.

“For now, not moving would be best.”

The problem was indeed my left leg. The damn thing that barely moves properly becomes annoyingly creaky once it gets injured.

“I’ve administered painkillers, so it should get better.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

“Rest comfortably.”

As soon as the doctor left, I lay down on the bed. The dull pain that felt like being hammered quickly subsided.

Painkillers work incredibly well on me.

【Body That Responds Well to Medicine】◆ Grade: Low◆ Drug efficacy increases by 25%, but side effects decrease by 5%.

Thanks to this useful trait for a low grade.

This is also why I deliberately brought coffee to drink. The beneficial effects of caffeine like nervous system stimulation and improved concentration are amplified, but the side effects remain the same. There’s no reason not to utilize it.

Knock knock-

A knocking sound.

The infirmary door opened and an unexpected visitor appeared.

“….”

Kate silently looked at me. She was holding a flower in her hand. A rose.

“Are you feeling alright?

She then thrust the rose forward. Like she was playing rock-paper-scissors.

“What’s with the sudden flower?”

“…Don’t you like flowers.”

I thought ‘what nonsense,’ but then suddenly realized that Kate had been in my room.

With her unnecessarily keen observation skills, she had discovered the snow flower pot, and from that information, she deduced that I liked flowers.

“Yes. I’ll gratefully accept it.”

“If you had explained beforehand, I would have believed you.”

Kate continued quietly.

“In the 4th round, before killing the Security Team Leader.”

“Well….”

Rationally speaking, that’s true. If I had conveyed my suspicions with sufficient persuasiveness, she would have gladly listened.

However.

“I have a habit of always thinking of the worst-case scenario.”

Kate tilted her head.

“What worst-case scenario were you thinking of?”

I tapped my ear.

“The worst case of radio communications being intercepted.”

If all information had been shared in a situation where radio communications were being intercepted, the final boss would have maintained a poker face even in that chaos. Since it was intelligent and cunning enough to use a child’s appearance.

Personally, I think the probability of interception was over 90%. Electronic devices using frequencies are the most easily compromised form of communication.

“Interception….”

Kate’s eyes widened slightly. She muttered quietly and nodded.

“You’re right. Radio communications are vulnerable. Higher-ranked players use Sound Transmission in Labyrinths.”

[Sound Transmission] is a particularly high-difficulty formula among Standardized Magic, but it can be roughly substituted by using artifacts.

“Seol Ha-woon.”

Kate looked into my eyes.

“Are you alright, Seol Ha-woon?”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if it wasn’t a child, it looked like one.”

She seemed to be asking about the emotional pain of shooting a child.

It wasn’t my first time, but Kate wouldn’t be used to it.

“If it’s something that must be done, then it must be done. You look at what comes after, not the moment.”

If I don’t kill the target, I die. Or my comrades die, and furthermore, we lose the battle.

Once that reasoning is established, it doesn’t matter if the target is a child, a puppy, a cat, a cardinal, or a president. I simply shoot to kill.

“I may have misunderstood you, Seol Ha-woon.”

Kate said while looking at me.

It seemed like her way of apologizing, but there was no need for that.

“It might not be a misunderstanding.”

“…Rest well.”

She quietly stood up and left the infirmary. I picked up the rose she had left behind. It had quite a nice fragrance.

I suddenly became curious.

Where did this flower come from?

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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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