Chapter 117 : Chapter 117
Chapter 117 : To the Labyrinth (3)
As Akiro's Labyrinth came within close range, I stopped my steps for now.
“Huh? What's wrong?”
“I think we need to get ready soon.”
“Get ready for what? Can't we just go?”
“Shouldn't we hide our identities now?”
“Aha.”
I took out the mask I won at the auction.
Seeing that, Luna's expression gradually hardened stiffly.
“Wh, What is that?”
The mask I took out from my backpack was a bird beak mask, commonly called a plague mask.
You know, the one medieval European doctors allegedly wore when the Black Death was rampant.
Of course, actually, there was no such attire in medieval times, and the plague doctor attire is said to have developed later in France, but that wasn't a very important fact.
“……I'm asking just in case, surely the mask to hide identities isn't this one, right?”
“Of course it is. You saw correctly.”
“Y, You're telling me to wear something like this right now? Are you out of your mind?”
“Isn't it cool?”
“Co, Cool?! Have this ahjussi's senses all died! Saying something disastrous!”
Just what is the problem?
It's just cool.
“It's not simply about coolness. The Konzern's Plague Mask can not only hide identity but basically functions like a gas mask. It grants immunity to various respiratory hindrance elements hovering in Akiro's Labyrinth. And the defense is also quite excellent…….”
“W, Wait! I don't need things like that, you know? Why are you trying to force it on me as you please?”
“Of course, you might feel that way. But I don't. I need this.”
Luna blinked her eyes.
“……Then do I have to wear it too? Isn't it enough if only Lord Cain wears it?”
“If one party's identity is exposed, isn't it meaningless even if the other one hides theirs?”
“That is true but…….”
Luna looked genuinely unwilling to wear the Konzern's Plague Mask, but as if it couldn't be helped, she accepted the Konzern's Plague Mask from me.
“Ah, and.”
“……What else?”
“If we're going to hide, we should hide the equipment we're wearing too.”
The Konzern's Plague Mask is only for covering the face, and additional equipment was needed to hide the equipment worn or body shape.
For example, things like these.
────────────
[Konzern's Plague Mask]
Classification : Face Ornament
Grade : Rare
A mask resembling a crow's beak was made to prevent Konzern's plague.
It has the function of purifying external air.
────────────
────────────
[Konzern's Plague Gown]
Classification : Full Body
Grade : Rare
A black full-body gown made to prevent Konzern's plague.
It has the function of blocking the body from external contamination.
────────────
────────────
[Konzern's Plague Fedora]
Classification : Hat
Grade : Rare
A black fedora made to prevent Konzern's plague.
It has the function of blocking the body from external contamination.
────────────
As I held out the black gown and fedora soon after, Luna's expression crumpled mercilessly.
“Ha.”
“Just shut up and wear it.”
“I really hate it…….”
While blatantly showing her dislike, Luna faithfully wore the so-called Konzern Plague Doctor Set.
“It's stuffy! It's hard to breathe!”
“Then let's go. Once inside the labyrinth, you will feel it's rather comfortable to breathe thanks to wearing the mask.”
“Ugh.”
Luna shook the mask this way and that as if fed up, but the well-fixed Konzern's Plague Mask didn't budge.
I told you it was a good buy.
“But, I'm asking because I'm genuinely curious…….”
“What is it?”
“Is this really cool?”
That goes without saying.
“Isn't it obvious?”
Although the expression inside the mask couldn't be seen, at least I could know for certain that Luna made a fed-up expression.
***
In the desolate southern desert where the hot sun beats down, countless people are gathered in a hollowed-out area in the middle of it.
Akiro's Labyrinth.
It was the entrance to that place.
Countless people gathered here checking each other's equipment, discussing strategies with party members, or preparing for the upcoming labyrinth entry.
Someone was filling water from the oasis, and someone was examining the structure of the labyrinth by unfolding a map of unknown origin.
Archers were filling their quivers, and warriors were sharpening their weapons.
“……Swarming, creepy. Stuffy.”
Seeing them, Luna spoke only that much sentiment, but I was different.
I felt it the moment I saw it.
Those who are here.
They are all players.
Of course, in the days of World of Justice, the sight of players gathered swarming like this wasn't rare, but it was certainly the first time I saw such a sight since coming to this world.
‘It's not just one or two.’
I felt that there were not a few players in this world since seeing the anonymous bulletin board, but just the number of people here seemed easily to be hundreds.
“Come, come, look at the goods needed when entering the labyrinth!”
“Delicious chicken skewers here!”
On top of that, some people had set up stalls completely and were doing business.
Since there couldn't be things like shops in the middle of a desert like this, it was somewhat inevitable that business was booming.
Anyway, merchants…….
Despite so many players being gathered like this, the reason no significant accidents occurred was probably because of the subtle order brought by this overwhelming number.
No matter how confident one is in their skills, if they acted out unnecessarily in the middle of this, they could face sanctions from the unspecified majority.
Of course, not everyone was like that.
Because everywhere, there were always rogue elements who couldn't discern heaven from earth.
“Hey you, what are you doing right now? Can't you see the line standing? Don't cut in and stand in line properly.”
“Ha, look at this bastard? Are you saying that to me right now?”
“Who else is there besides you right now?”
“Just piss off when I say it nicely, if you don't want to die.”
“Such…….”
When a man who looked like he was somebody growled, the woman who was arguing shut her mouth soon.
Because judging by the equipment worn or various appearances, the level difference was visible at a glance.
However, if a rogue element acts out, restraint comes from somewhere.
A man dressed as a swordsman wearing a conical bamboo hat stood in front of the man who cut in line.
“Huh? Who are you?”
“Stand in line.”
“Unbelievable. Are these things crazy collectively─”
Chwaak!
“Kuaaak! My arm! My arm!”
Along with sword energy that shot out unknowingly when, the right arm of the man who cut in fell off.
“Stand in line. Next time, it's the neck.”
“You, this son of a bitch……!”
“Thinking of fighting?”
The one who appeared suddenly and cut the man's arm was a player of level 7 or higher at a glance.
No, considering that the majority of those doing concept play like that in World of Justice were high levels, it could be higher.
It means it's a level where you have to risk your life to fight even if you are confident in your skills.
“……You, I remembered your face.”
“Might be better to get rid of you while I'm at it.”
“W, Wait! Just saying! Just saying!”
“I was just saying too.”
The swordsman laughed lightly and suddenly moved his steps to the line where he was standing.
It was natural that the man who cut in fled from this place as if running away.
Amidst the subtle peace continuing like that, I spoke.
“Let's stand in line too.”
“Can't we just go? Seeing the long line, it looks like it will take all day if we wait…….”
“It's better to avoid useless trouble.”
Seeing her say such things even after watching that scene just a moment ago, it was truly like Luna.
Actually, Luna had the skill to subdue even if that swordsman from earlier rushed at her, but would there be only that one swordsman as a skilled person here?
“Anyway, once inside the labyrinth, friction with other players will arise even if you hate it. No need to make enemies first unnecessarily.”
“Alright…….”
After persuading Luna somewhat, as we stood in the line stretching at the labyrinth entrance, naturally, strange gazes toward us were felt.
In a way, it was natural.
It wasn't that there were absolutely no others covering their faces besides us, but we were the only ones wearing the Plague Set so conspicuously in this heat wave.
“……I knew it would be like this. Everyone is staring. It's embarrassing, I can't live holding my head up.”
“I thought you were the type who doesn't care about others' gazes.”
“I, I am on that side, but not completely like that, you know?”
“Is that so? Still, well, since faces can't be seen anyway, there's nothing to be ashamed of.”
“……You speak well, really.”
The line shortened quite quickly.
No matter that there are hundreds of players here, not all of them were standing in line, and also because Akiro's Labyrinth itself had no separate waiting time to enter.
“It's our turn now.”
“Huh? Already?”
“Are you ready?”
Luna raised the crow-face-shaped Plague Mask and said.
“Who do you think I am? I finished that kind of thing long ago.”
***
[You have entered Akiro's Labyrinth 1st Floor.]
Dizzy sensation.
The sensation usually felt the moment one enters a labyrinth confuses the explorer, but it was futile on me.
[The spirit of the Postponer of Ruin rejects mental interference.]
And in an instant, the vision cleared, and soon the surrounding scenery was revealed.
Tall trees were packed so densely that the end of the forest could not be known.
Sunlight shining intermittently through the trees created a mysterious atmosphere, and the sound of green leaves rustling in the wind was like the forest's whisper.
Soft moss covered the ground, giving a cushiony feeling with every step.
Colorful flowers blooming here and there, mushrooms, and plants like ferns were embroidering the forest scenery even more beautifully.
‘Is it a forest.’
Even if it's the same 1st floor of Akiro's Labyrinth, one can roughly guess the location of the entrance according to the visible scenery.
Seeing a forest means it's the southeast of the entire 1st floor of Akiro's Labyrinth.
‘And if it's this form visible from the entrance…… I can roughly reduce the number of cases to about 12.’
The way to go was decided.
“Follow me.”
“Do you even know the way?”
“Roughly.”
“What is that?”
The manual for Akiro's Labyrinth I wrote earlier recommends following the right-hand rule, but in a case like now where I memorize the paths according to the number of cases entirely, it's an exception.
I knew this path.
Not long after starting to walk along the path like that, human presence was felt beyond the forest.
“Wow, luck is good today? Hitting two scores in a day.”
“Don't let your guard down.”
“Hmph. You don't let your guard down. Has the stab wound in your belly even healed yet?”
At a glance, a different class from explorers exploring the labyrinth.
“Huh? What, what are those things.”
Inside Akiro's Labyrinth is practically a lawless zone where laws or rules do not exist.
Naturally, outlaws targeting prey by settling near the entrance like this also existed.
A total of three outlaws looked at us and smiled fiercely.
“Oi, instead of wasting energy uselessly, why don't you just leave everything you have and go? It hurts our hearts to take people's lives too.”
“Let's go easy, easy.”
Those words might be true, but becoming empty-handed in Akiro's Labyrinth wasn't much different from being told to die.
In other words, the choice we had to make was practically decided from the beginning as well.
“Ha, unbelievable. What are those randoms saying right now? Right now─”
“I'll do it.”
Luna's eyes reflected in the lenses of the Plague Mask blinked.
“……Huh? Will you be okay? I know your body condition isn't normal either.”
“Enough.”
“Ca, no if you say so then it must be so but…… okay.”
Perhaps because I mentioned body recovery earlier, Luna seemed to think my body isn't normal right now.
Anyway, I thought it was time to test the power of the newly obtained weapon.
Especially, to see what level of individual combat power I possess.
Where would an opportunity to test one's combat ability be common in a situation where there is a certain guardian like now?
‘The opponents are roughly three players of about level 5. It is correct to see each one as a clear powerhouse compared to the current me.’
However, that is only a story when considering only physical levels.
Right now, a power outside the standard that cannot be measured by levels existed in me.
“What, you want to fight? Why make such a foolish choice? Isn't it good to go easy, easy.”
“A guy who needs to die to come to his senses.”
The outlaws surrounded us with their respective weapons in hand.
But the bastards made a mistake.
The mistake of not ambushing.
[Activates ‘Weapon Summon (??)’.]
[Personal weapon is summoned.]
[Summoning Weapon, ‘AKR-74 Assault Rifle (GF-40 Grenade Launcher Combined)’.]
Cheol-keok─
As soon as the muzzle of the AKR-74 Assault Rifle was aimed, astonishment burst out from the outlaws.
“G, Gun?!”
“This fcking! Wh, What is that!”
“What the……!”
Strike first to win.
Now that the opponents are flustered, I had no intention of giving them time to come to their senses.
Tatatang!───
Kwang! Kwakwakwang!!!
Bodies of those who were once human were pierced and blown apart by the barrage of bullets and grenades poured in an instant.
The outlaws, who seemed to endure up to the 7.62x39mm rounds somehow, exploded to death without being able to put up a plausible resistance as grenades flew in soon after.
An end befitting of outlaws.
Staring at the thick explosive smoke rising, Luna, who seemed somewhat frozen, looked back at me.
“Uh…… Eh?”