Chapter 129 : Chapter 129
Chapter 129 : To the Labyrinth (15)
"Hoo......."
Luna wiped the blood smeared all over her body with her hand.
There was some of her own, but most of it was blood splattered from Bedenyu.
Hwarreuk!
Bedenyu's burning body crumbled along with the Blazing Fire.
"Oh my, can't let that happen."
She caught him with great effort, so she couldn't let him go like that without any result.
Of course, there wouldn't be much she could salvage like that, but Luna still diligently collected Bedenyu's burning belongings.
Loot was a rightful privilege for the victor of war.
"He looted quite a lot."
If he had this much wealth despite some of it becoming a sacrifice to Blazing Fire, it certainly seemed he had gathered it diligently while acting as a gatekeeper in the labyrinth.
Estimating roughly, this much wealth would be enough to cover all the money she handed over to Cain before entering the labyrinth and still have some left.
"I'll use your money well."
Luna, who diligently looted Bedenyu's belongings while humming, lifted her head.
The joy of earning big money was brief, as she remembered something she had forgotten.
"By the way...... is he okay?"
Since the situation wasn't favorable, she lured away the Mage of Blazing Fire, Thug Bedenyu, who seemed the most threatening among the opponents, but Bedenyu wasn't the only enemy.
The one remaining was also someone scattering an unusual aura.
To the extent that the current weakened Cain couldn't dare to be compared.
Luna, who thought about Cain left alone, soon shook her head.
Because she realized who was worrying about whom right now.
"Still, he should be fine."
After all, it's Cain.
***
Ugh.......
I feel like I'm going to die.
Normally, I should have died from excessive bleeding or at least fainted, but I was awake with a clear mind throughout the time the Orb of Water was healing my body.
Because the mind of the Postponer of Ruin did not dare allow me to sleep in the current situation where threat factors still remained.
When I barely became able to raise my body, a familiar figure was seen.
"......You came."
"You're alive?"
"Well, still am."
"I was worried in case you died."
For saying that, she looked somewhat bright, but I didn't point it out.
"You managed to stay alive. That guy wasn't ordinary, right?"
"Because it's me."
"Talking big while practically dying."
Luna laughed out loud.
"By the way, until when are you going to lie down? It seems that a Monstrous Bird thing appeared over there now."
Just as she said, a black dot that appeared to be a Monstrous Bird revealed its appearance in the sky over there.
Meaning it was time to move.
If we didn't move now, we wouldn't know how many more days we would have to wait here.
"......I should move."
"Will you be okay?"
"As long as we don't meet an enemy again."
Although it was a serious injury to the point of having a hole in the stomach, thanks to the authority of the Orb of Water being concentrated to the maximum, everyday movements were possible.
"Anyone can see you're a patient...... Well, if Cain says it's okay, it must be. Aren't you taking those?"
What Luna pointed at were several belongings left after Tychus burned as a price for Self-Combustion.
"I should take them."
Although all equipment or belongings Tychus was wearing directly were burned along with the price for Self-Combustion, it didn't mean there were no remaining belongings at all.
Various belongings including food and water which are always scarce within the labyrinth, and Imperial Gold Coins and various items that seemed to be taken from those who visited the labyrinth.
This amount was considerable.
Even if not making a fortune at a stroke, it was enough to add a little affluence to my life which had been far from affluent until now.
'With this amount, I could equip about one more usable item if I sell everything.'
Regarding the equipment I am currently wearing, the cloak, gauntlets, and boots are at a quite decent level, but it was also true that the most important armor was very poor.
With this amount of money, I could probably afford a quite decent set of armor.
Especially since a large hole was made in the stomach part of the armor I was wearing originally anyway.
"Ah, by the way, where is Lion-Keter?"
"He should be here. Lion-Keter."
However, there was no answer.
"Lion-Keter?"
Luna called Lion-Keter, but as expected, there was no answer returning.
"What? Where did Lion-Keter go?"
"......I don't know."
Come to think of it, I feel like Lion-Keter's presence disappeared a while ago.
I think he definitely said something before disappearing...... perhaps because his voice was so faint, I couldn't hear it well.
"What is it? Lion-Keter!"
The contract with the Demonic Spirit is still connected.
My Demonic energy that is flowing somewhere little by little even now proves that.
'Then......'
There is only one remaining answer.
"He just seems to have overexerted himself a bit. He will reveal his appearance on his own after time passes."
"......Is that true?"
"Yes."
"If Cain says so, it must be so...... but I am still worried. Lion-Keter is really okay, right?"
"He will be okay."
"Really?"
"Really."
Honestly speaking, I couldn't be certain, but if Lion-Keter drew out power to the extent of approaching the origin of Demonic energy, it wasn't hugely strange for him not to be able to reveal his appearance for a while.
I will know the rest as time passes.
'More than that...... gaining the Weapon Reproduction ability in Akiro's Labyrinth wouldn't be a simple coincidence.'
Even now, the Holy Sword Levatein floating above that sky is continuing to draw players into the labyrinth.
As if it has some intention.
But to reproduce the Divine Sword Levatein with the Weapon Reproduction ability gained here of all places.......
'It cannot be seen as a coincidence.'
Especially considering the characteristic of Akiro's Labyrinth where space-time is twisted at will.
'I will naturally know as I climb the labyrinth.'
Now was the time to move.
***
[Is everyone okay?]
As expected, Lion-Keter revealed his appearance not long after.
"Is it the time for you to worry about us now? Just what happened, Lion-Keter. Why did you disappear suddenly?"
[Uh...... I told you, didn't you hear from Vell? I said I was going to sleep because I was tired.]
"Huh?"
Luna and Lion-Keter's gazes headed towards me simultaneously.
"I didn't hear."
"No, there are things you don't hear, how can you not hear such an important thing!"
"Do you think I was in my right mind when blood was gushing out from my stomach?"
"Still, you should have heard what you should hear!"
What should I say.......
When it came to Lion-Keter, Luna seemed like seeing an overprotective mother.
"Anyway, it's fortunate you returned."
[Uh...... I am sorry for causing worry. Still, I thought it would be okay since I told you.......]
"Don't mind it. Rather than that, there is something I want to ask."
[Yes, please speak.]
"How did you contact the origin of Demonic energy?"
[Yes?]
Lion-Keter blinked his eyes.
[I don't quite understand what you mean.......]
"Do you have any guesses?"
[Ah!]
Lion-Keter said as if he remembered something only then.
[Just...... I thought I had to do something. So as I drew out all my power, I felt something at some moment.]
"Are you talking about the origin of Demonic energy?"
[I don't know if that is the origin or not but...... anyway, it was a power felt extremely close to the essence called me, as if it was half of my existence.]
"I see."
It seemed Lion-Keter himself didn't know well how he contacted the origin of Demonic energy, but it seemed to be due to the distinctiveness the Demonic Spirit possesses.
No matter that he is a Spirit artificially born by the laws of Akiro's Labyrinth, a Spirit was a Spirit anyway.
"What are you guys talking about right now?"
Luna cut in as if she couldn't understand at all.
"There is just such a story."
"Ah, what is it. Why are you guys talking about secrets only among yourselves? Include me too."
"There is such a thing."
"I'm going to sulk?"
"I know you won't."
"......He knows me too well."
The walkthrough of the 3rd floor of Akiro's Labyrinth continued.
The core of the 3rd floor walkthrough is maintaining composure and patience as much as possible in the vast plain and waiting for the Monstrous Bird, the only milestone.
Since those who couldn't endure this period due to hunger and thirst all became lost children wandering the 3rd floor plain, there was a need to be careful.
"By the way, there aren't many people unlike what I heard? You said there would be many wandering looters?"
"It seems the guys we met worked quite diligently."
Considering Bedenyu and Tychus were opponents we struggled against quite a bit, if they had been blocking the entrance and hunting explorers until now, it wasn't hugely strange for the plain to be quiet like this.
"Ah, is that so? Indeed, they were a bit strong, although not as much as me."
"Don't be relieved, because what's on the plane isn't only players."
"Then?"
Truly many things live on the plain of the labyrinth's 3rd floor.
Of course, it is true that the biggest threat is starving players, but that doesn't mean other things aren't threatening.
Kugung─
Kugugugugu!!
The vibration that occurred at that time.
Since it was a vibration unusual at a glance, I lowered my body along with Luna.
"Wh, what? What is it?"
"It seems the movement path overlapped. Let's hide ourselves for the time being."
"What is coming?"
Luna's question didn't last very long.
Because hundreds of cavalrymen revealing their appearance beyond the horizon soon announced their presence.
"That is......."
Luna's eyes grew big.
She recognized the identity of the guys who had an appearance far from humans at a glance.
"O, Orc?! Why are there guys who should be in the Eastern Mountains here?"
Orc.
A race classified as a type of demi-human, a race that can be called the masters of the Eastern Mountains.
The Empire, which received great damage from Orcs in the past, does not acknowledge Orcs as people, but the Eastern Union side, which has relatively active exchange with Orcs, acknowledges Orcs as people.
To be precise, they were also in an environment where they had to do so.
Anyway, what's important was the point that Orcs appeared in front of us right now.
"They are guys who can be seen as the true masters of the labyrinth's 3rd floor. They hunt explorers wandering the plain while living a nomadic life. They are guys to be careful of."
"But no matter what, they are just Orcs, yet players get hunted?"
"Among Orcs, there are plenty of individuals stronger than you too."
"I know that too but...... still, they are Orcs."
The reason Luna had such a deep-rooted prejudice was simple.
The level of Orcs could be seen as having severe deviation by individual; some Orcs are weak enough not to be able to hunt even one level 1 demonic beast, but some Orcs are strong enough to be able to hunt even the King of the Demonic Realm capably.
But the problem is that such strong individuals are extremely rare, so most Orcs receive treatment of just about low-level demonic beasts to the Imperial citizens.
Luna also possessed a mindset not straying far from this.
"There is nothing to worry about greatly, if we wait here while holding our breath, they will pass by on their own."
And not long after, the Orc group disappeared from our view.
"......They really went."
"Because if they didn't find prey, there is no need to stay in one place. Orcs are also desperate in their own way to survive on the 3rd floor of the labyrinth."
"By the way, why on earth are Orcs here?"
"That can be seen as due to the characteristic of Akiro's Labyrinth...... originally, there were no Orcs on the 3rd floor of the labyrinth. But the labyrinth called them in."
"What? What does that mean?"
"Akiro's Labyrinth is a space where space-time is twisted. So here, things that cannot exist in the original timeline exist, or things that should exist do not exist."
Luna tilted her head.
"Sorry, but I don't understand well what you are saying. So why are Orcs here?"
"Just know it as such. It's not a very important story either."
"What is that?"
"Anyway, we arrived."
"Huh? What?"
"It's the exit."
Finally, the end of the 3rd floor of the labyrinth was seen.