◇ ◇ ◇
The next morning, with our preparations for the conquest complete, I met up with Fuuka and Haruto before stepping into our target labyrinth.
The interior was a standard cave-type environment.
"……Haruto, did you see them?"
Once we had entered and the atmosphere shifted into that familiar, heavy sensation of a labyrinth, I posed the question to him.
"Heh. You noticed them too, Orun?" Haruto let out an impressed-sounding chuckle.
"It’s hard not to notice when someone is directing that much malice your way."
As we had approached the entrance, I’d felt a distinct prickle on my skin—the kind of gaze unique to those harboring intense ill will. However, rather than making a move immediately, it felt more like they were observing us. I decided to enter the labyrinth while pretending to be oblivious so as not to provoke them needlessly.
The fact that we had a companion with Bird's-eye Vision—which allowed Haruto to perceive the entire surrounding area as visual information—was a significant advantage. I was merely confirming the situation with him, knowing he’d likely identified our observers using his ability.
"Even though this is our first time properly teaming up, you already know how to use me, don't you?"
"I’m honored by the praise. So, did you figure out who they were?"
"They were dressed as Explorers. Even if they’re Imperial agents in disguise, their skill level is obvious given that we’ve already detected them. No need to be overly cautious."
Dressed as Explorers, huh? I’d assumed they were Imperial agents, but if that wasn't the case, then what was their goal?
"—Orun, can I slash the Goblin?"
As I pondered, a Magic Beast entered my detection web. At the same moment, Fuuka asked for permission to engage.
In this temporary party, I was serving as the representative and commander. Normally, one would expect Haruto—being older and the leader of Copper Afterglow—to take charge, but he’d firmly declined. Between his refusal and Fuuka’s strong insistence, the role had fallen to me.
"Yeah. I’ll leave it to you, Fuuka."
I figured there was no need to coordinate our tactics against a single Goblin. Fuuka gave a small nod and began walking toward the creature. From up ahead, a Goblin came charging at us, letting out a series of foul, screeching cries.
Fuuka drew a sheathed Katana from the storage magic tool at her left hip, gripping it firmly. She cleared the koiguchi, ready to draw the blade at a moment’s notice.
A heartbeat later, her figure blurred, and she vanished from the spot.
In the next instant, the Goblin’s head fell with a thud. Fuuka, who had already moved several paces past the creature, was calmly returning her blade to its sheath.
Her movement just now must have been Shukuchi. I recalled it being a technique permitted only to those who had reached the absolute pinnacle of martial arts. I found myself momentarily captivated by her swordsmanship; it was so refined, so utterly devoid of waste, that it was mesmerizing to behold.
"Well? What do you think of our princess's sword skills?"
"They’re magnificent. I don't know what else to say."
I already knew this, but seeing her move like that reaffirmed it: my victory over Fuuka in the martial arts tournament was a fluke. It had only happened because she was testing the waters and my surprise attack had landed perfectly. To truly reach her level, I still had a long way to go.
After that, we proceeded toward the innermost area of the labyrinth via the shortest route while testing our three-way coordination.
◇
"Arrival at the 20th Floor. From here on, we’ll deviate from the shortest path and head for the innermost area by way of the zones with the highest Magic Beast density."
I informed the two of the plan change while registering the crystal at the 20th Floor entrance to my Guild Card. According to the data I’d pulled from the Explorer Guild, this labyrinth consisted of twenty-two floors, with the Dungeon Core located just below the final level.
From the 20th Floor onward, the number of Magic Beasts was said to increase exponentially. This would make for an ideal hunting ground. As I’d mentioned during dinner the previous night, I wanted to start building up our funds, even if only a little at a time.
"So we're harvesting Magic Stones and materials as we go. Got it. ……By the way, I’ve been meaning to say this, but you can drop the honorifics with me, Orun."
"Eh? But……"
"You’re the leader here, aren't you? Besides, it feels kind of itchy hearing you be so formal with me."
"……Understood. I’ll skip the formalities from now on, Haruto."
"Yeah, much better."
We steadily advanced toward the depths, taking our detours as planned. When we were about halfway through the 22nd Floor, Magic Beasts began appearing in swarms unlike anything we’d seen so far. Individually, these low-rank beasts were weak, but the passage we were in was narrow. If dozens of them swarmed us at once, they’d block our path entirely.
I knew there would be many Magic Beasts here, but the 20th and 21st Floors had been far less crowded. This density felt abnormal.
At the front, Fuuka acted as our Defender, slashing through the monsters and maneuvering to prevent them from passing a certain line, but she was only able to maintain the status quo. I could have asked her to simply annihilate them all, but I felt bad leaving everything to her. I wanted to create an opening where all of us could contribute.
"Haruto, do you have a way to clear the path, even if only for a moment?" I asked, comparing my mental map of the labyrinth with our current position.
If he didn't, I’d switch to wiping them out with Attack Magic, but I wanted to see what he was capable of while we still had some breathing room.
"Is temporary enough?"
"Temporary is fine. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if you just wiped them all out for us."
"Wiping them all out sounds like a chore. I’ll go with clearing the path."
Without a hint of tension, Haruto lowered his center of gravity and took a stance. Suddenly, the air around his right hand began to shimmer like a heat haze.
That shimmering isn't mana. Is it Ki?
"Fuuka, move!"
Haruto called out to Fuuka, who was still dancing through the swarm, blade flashing. She replied with a curt "mm-hmm" and moved aside as Haruto twisted his torso.
"The King gave an order! Out of the way, you brutes!"
Haruto shouted as he stepped forward with his left foot. Rotating his hips, he swung a right fist laden with his full weight. A shockwave of shimmering air exploded from his knuckles and tore through the pack of Magic Beasts.
The creatures in the trajectory were pulverized as if crushed by an invisible weight, dissolving instantly into black mist and leaving a clear path ahead of us.
"Rock Wall!"
I immediately erected stone barriers on either side of the cleared path to prevent the surrounding swarm from closing back in.
"Haruto, can you do that two more times?"
"Heh, no problem! Five or ten times, bring it on!"
"Reliable. In that case, keep moving straight through these walls for a bit. There’s a passage that turns right further up—I want you to force an opening there too."
"Roger that, King!"
"……What is with this 'King' thing?"
"Hahaha, it’s just the mood! You're the leader, so 'King' isn't exactly wrong, is it?"
"No, I’m pretty sure it’s wrong……"
"Don't sweat the small stuff! Let’s go!"
Trading light banter, we forcibly broke through the swarm and reached a wider, open area. We hadn't been able to secure enough space for the three of us to fight properly in the narrow passage, but here, it wasn't an issue.
"Now we have room to move. ——Alright, let’s finish them!"
At my signal, Fuuka and Haruto sprang into action. Every member of this party was skilled enough to handle these Magic Beasts alone. When the three of us fought in coordination, covering each other’s blind spots, the outcome was a foregone conclusion. Even without resorting to Attack Magic, we turned the massive horde into Magic Stones in no time at all.
"Man, what a haul! This should cover our food for a while." Haruto began cheerfully collecting the Magic Stones and materials scattered across the floor.
"Fuuka, do you have any wide-area attacks in case we get swarmed like that again?" I asked her as I helped with the collection.
"I do. But I’m better at duels or small skirmishes, so I leave that kind of thing to the experts."
It was a very pragmatic, Fuuka-like way of looking at things. While I tried to learn every technique possible to handle any situation, she preferred to rely on specialists for her weak points. It wasn't a bad philosophy—especially since even her "weak" area was still probably better than most people's strengths.
"I see. If you get the chance, I’d love to see that wide-area technique sometime. ——Wait, Fuuka, Haruto!"
As I was speaking, my detection web picked up another group of Magic Beasts. Before I could even finish the warning, both of them had already pivoted toward the threat.
"Yeah, I see them. But this…… this I don't like." Haruto knit his brows as he stared into the darkness.
I felt exactly the same way.
"H-Help me—!"
A young man dressed as an Explorer came sprinting toward us, looking back in terror at the Magic Beasts chasing him. Between the abnormal number of monsters we'd just fought and the fact that this man was running toward us rather than toward the floor’s entrance, it was clear this wasn't a coincidence.
We were near the center of the 22nd Floor. If someone was fleeing for their life, they should have headed back the way we came—toward the entrance crystal that wards off monsters. It was possible he was simply panicking, but……
"For now, we kill the beasts coming at us. As for the guy, help him if you have the leeway, but don't go out of your way. We don't owe him anything."
Despite my suspicions, I issued the orders to handle the immediate threat. Normally, helping a fellow Explorer would be the priority, but something felt incredibly off. A person's true nature shows itself in a crisis; I wanted to observe and see what was really going on.
As the distance closed, the young man’s expression of desperate fear suddenly twisted into a malicious, gloating grin.
Hah…… So this really was premeditated.
The man brushed past us at full speed. "Hehehe! Don't take it personally, you Tsutrail lapdogs!"
As he shouted, he scattered a handful of Magic Stones all around us. Magic Beasts are instinctively drawn to the scent of Magic Stones. By throwing them at our feet, he had effectively transferred the monsters’ Hate to us. He was using us as a decoy to make his escape.
"Oh? Giving us this many Magic Stones? That's generous. Thanks."
"Tonight's dinner will be a feast."
"Ah? Hey, Fuuka. You’re not seriously planning to blow all our earnings on one dinner, are you?"
"……? Is that a problem?"
"Of course it's a problem! Our activity funds are barely hanging on as it is!"
"……How disappointing."
Haruto and Fuuka didn't seem even remotely bothered by the man’s treachery.
"Fuuka, capture that man. Don't kill him. Haruto, collect the stones. I’ll handle the beasts."
I gave my final orders. Watching the two move with perfect efficiency from the corner of my eye, I focused my mana into the blade of Schwarzhase.
"—Heavenly Flash."
I swung the blade down, unleashing a pitch-black slash imbued with Gravity Manipulation and Impact. The gravity generated by the black mana dragged the scattered monsters into a single, dense cluster before the energy detonated, scouring the area.
Every beast in the swarm was instantly reduced to a Magic Stone. Meanwhile, the man who had tried to leave us for dead was already pinned face-down on the ground by Fuuka.
Now then, time to get some answers.