-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Barbarian Who Hid His Face
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The flow was good right from the start.
"See, see! Didn't I tell you? Things like that don't happen as often as you think."
Immediately after entering the Labyrinth.
Not a single Goblin shadow was visible anywhere around.
*Shhhk—*
After confirming their safety, the Armored Knight's map of the first floor was immediately unfolded to check their location.
"Hmm... Near the escape portal. Slightly to the west, I guess."
"Huh? What's that? A map?"
Densi looked at the map in my hand, her face flustered. She pointed a finger at a spot on the map.
"...Those three markers here. Is that, by any chance, our location?"
"Yeah. Why?"
'It shows the number of party members, huh.'
When I was alone in the Labyrinth, it showed one marker. When I was with Jeremy last time, it showed two.
Densi's eyes, staring blankly at the map, were stained with greed.
"Th-this... This is an Artifact, isn't it..."
An Artifact. A precious item that only a small number of blacksmiths or mages could create.
"...An Artifact? This?"
I was a bit bewildered. The Artifacts or relics in my imagination were sacred swords or demonic swords—weapons of power.
Could a mere map be called an Artifact?
"Take a look at my map."
Densi pulled out a map from her waist.
First, the texture and material couldn't even compare.
Still, the important thing was the content, but even looking at her map, the surrounding geography, terrain, routes, and scale were all a mess, making any comparison impossible.
Moreover, Densi's map was full of smudged pen marks, as if drawn by hand, while my map was as clean as if printed, making its visibility far superior.
The reverse comparison was unbelievable.
I didn't know it then, but if I had received Densi's map instead of this one when I first tripped here, I probably would have just gotten lost in the Labyrinth and starved to death.
"I-it seems to barely qualify as the lowest grade, but utility items like maps aren't judged solely by their grade. I don't know for sure, but if you sold this at an auction, the starting bid would be at least ten gold coins."
"Gasp—"
I was so surprised I couldn't breathe properly. It felt like my lungs had stopped mid-inhale.
Ten gold coins? How much was that even? No, more importantly, *this*? This map was worth at least ten gold coins?
'The Armored Knight just casually tossed this to me...?'
I had already suspected she was no ordinary person when I learned she cleared the latter half of the first floor in a few hours, a section that took me days to traverse.
'She'd just toss gold coins to someone she'd never met before?'
And not just a few coins, but a whole heap?
Suddenly, I recalled the potions and antidotes I had chugged like water back then. How much would those have been? It was hard to even imagine.
I couldn't sell something I'd received, so if I ever met her again, I'd have to return it as clean as possible.
"Ten... gold coins..."
Jeremy's eyes, as he looked at the map, were not ordinary. It looked like coins would start glittering in his eyes any moment now.
"Can I... just use this once, Big Brother? If I use it, our exploration efficiency will be incomparably higher."
Densi asked, her lips curving into a sly smile. Her expression was full of covetousness, but what she said was also true.
'He's painfully right.'
No way. I invested a whopping two silver coins each in you guys. Are you really getting swayed by a mere ten gold coins?
It felt too brazen to say that, given how impactful ten gold coins were.
It was a huge sum, enough that even intermediate explorers, let alone novice ones, couldn't earn it in just a few months.
I thought we had been through a lot together, but even so, this party was less than a month old.
'And the biggest reason parties break up is because of money.'
One wrong settlement can sow the seeds of division, and if someone obtains a valuable item, others might calculate its worth, gang up on them, and split the spoils.
Such incidents were commonplace, which was probably why there were so many outlaws in Labyrinth City.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Surely you don't think I'd steal your Master's map?"
"Yeah. Your expression is really weird right now."
"Heh heh. You're right. I was totally planning to steal it. You'd chase me down and beat me half to death if I ran off with it, wouldn't you?"
But our party seemed to be a different story.
"Haaaah..."
Densi's shoulders trembled with excitement. Then, as if her chest felt tight, she started pressing firmly on her solar plexus.
This one's just a pervert who prioritizes her pleasure over money.
"I've received immeasurable grace from you, Big Brother. How could I be swayed by mere money and harm you? And also, I don't think I could ever reach the 19th floor alone without you."
Jeremy, on the other hand, was driven by a firm resolve.
Even though an item worth at least ten gold coins had been revealed, there were no signs of jealousy or discord, unlike other parties.
'For now... acceptable.'
I didn't know how long this party would last.
But for now, I felt like I had made a good decision to buy low.
***
The first floor exploration went incredibly smoothly.
With the Armored Knight's map in Densi's hand, who also served as our guide, the exploration speed became unbelievably fast.
"Eight Goblins ahead. They're charging. Looks like we'll have to engage."
When monsters entered Densi's hearing range and my recognition range, we either avoided them or fought.
Our immediate goal was to reach the second floor, and starting from the second floor, there was a slim chance for monsters to drop 'Soul Stones,' which would drastically change our earning potential.
Therefore, we tried to conserve stamina and avoid combat as much as possible, but sometimes, we had no choice but to fight.
Still, the combat itself ended more easily than expected.
*CRACK!*
Combat wasn't so unfamiliar to me anymore. The sensation of swinging an axe and taking lives felt accustomed.
With my unhesitating movements and a good quality axe, dealing with eight Goblins charging at once on the first floor was now easy.
*Thwack!*
"Haa. Haa... Heh heh. You bastards..."
I looked at Jeremy, who was rubbing the tip of his spear against a Goblin's temple.
[Jeremy LV.4]
His level had gone up. It was clear that his leveling speed was unusually fast, likely due to the experience buff.
'Grow big and strong. My stock.'
"This is my first time clearing the first floor at such a fast pace."
Perhaps remembering the treatment he received from the Deluna party, Densi said, her face looking a little excited.
"Get used to it. It'll be like this from now on. If anything, it'll only get faster."
"Huh? From now on... always...?"
At those words, Densi gave a strangely suggestive smile.
Her sticky gaze lingered, making me instinctively look away.
"Since we're near the second-floor portal, I think it would be good to take a short break before we go."
I nodded at Densi's suggestion.
***
Smooth. It couldn't be any smoother than this.
We occasionally encountered other explorers, but there were no incidents of them picking fights.
"Good luck, rookies."
"Cute. I remember when I was like that..."
Some parties even greeted us warmly first.
Perhaps we were seeing the 'hopeful' version of the Labyrinth, where only the good parts were highlighted?
Reasonable monsters to face, Labyrinth life that was tough but not impossible, friendly explorers, and even the Labyrinth's treasures and wealth, its true flowers.
If it kept showing only these good sides, wouldn't newly arrived explorers think, 'This isn't so bad after all?' and just dive headfirst into the Labyrinth?
The first floor was so bland that I momentarily felt silly for thinking I needed to stay vigilant and never let my guard down.
*SMACK!*
"Wh-why did you suddenly slap my cheek? Are your hands okay?"
"Big Brother... What do you mean hitting your head with your hand while wearing a helmet..."
"...It's fine. It's nothing. Let's keep going."
I punished myself for letting my guard down again for a moment and regained my focus. No matter what, never let your guard down. One mistake and you're done for.
"Ah. We're here. This is the very end of the first floor's deepest part."
I stopped walking and looked at the sight before my eyes.
The continuous passage was blocked by a wall.
And in front of that wall, a blue portal existed.
"Starting from the second floor, there will also be a red portal next to the blue one."
There was only one way to move between floors in the Labyrinth.
'Crossing the portal at the end of each floor.'
Typically, at the end of a floor, two types of portals exist.
The blue portal, which leads deeper into the Labyrinth's underground. Commonly called the Descent Portal.
The red portal, which allows one to get closer to the surface. Commonly called the Ascent Portal.
The Ascent Portal doesn't exist on the first floor. Instead, the first floor has a white escape portal that connects directly to the surface.
Furthermore, it was said that other levels didn't have convenient portals like the first floor's escape portal that could take you directly to the surface.
'One of the reasons Labyrinth life is such a pain in the ass.'
To go down to the second floor and return to the first, one had no choice but to clear the deepest part of the second floor and cross the red Ascent Portal.
And did it end there after crossing the Ascent Portal? No. You would be dropped into a random location on the first floor again and have to make your way to the Labyrinth's escape portal.
It was a malicious structure, clearly intended to screw over explorers.
Because of this, most explorers only embarked on expeditions after long deliberation, even when they were confident they could clear the lower levels.
If they made one wrong judgment and descended to a floor beyond their capabilities, they might never return to the surface again.
And we, having come this far, were confident.
Second floor? Absolutely possible.
It wasn't a matter of foolish overconfidence. It was a conviction forged through numerous battles.
The moment we effortlessly defeated a dozen Goblins charging at us simultaneously without a single injury, we were no longer at the first floor's level.
"Master. Come on. We're all ready."
Densi, holding Jeremy's hand, extended her hand to me.
Suddenly, I remembered when I was first tripped into the Labyrinth.
Back then, I was flustered by the sudden situation and only thought about escaping to survive the Labyrinth.
But now, it was different.
I had a clear goal: to find my sister and return home.
With a clear goal, there was no chance of getting lost or wandering aimlessly.
I would explore the Labyrinth.
To persistently survive in this perilous place and achieve my purpose, I would once again head into the Labyrinth.
"Let's go."
I grabbed Densi's outstretched hand and crossed the Descent Portal.
*Whoosh—*
With a slight sensation of floating, the surrounding scenery changed in an instant.
From the somewhat rustic cave-like first floor, it had become a bit more Labyrinth-like, I suppose.
Like an artificial structure, the walls, floor, and ceiling were all clean, with slight gaps like stone tiles.
Torches were embedded in the walls, so there was no issue with visibility.
'Wait.'
Only then did I feel a strange sense of unease.
'Is the hanging time usually this long?'
I subtly glanced down at the floor. It wasn't a high position at all. A spot I could reach in one second if I jumped.
Yet, my feet still hadn't touched the ground.
I had felt this peculiar state of heightened awareness before.
'When I encountered the Goblin right after entering the Labyrinth!'
If not for this strange calmness back then, I would have panicked and died.
'The fact that this strange phenomenon is happening again means something similar to the Goblin incident is about to occur, doesn't it?'
But there were no enemies in sight. What exactly was the danger?
'Ah. Traps.'
Suddenly, Densi's words flashed through my mind. The main theme of the second floor was traps.
*Thump!*
"Okay, landing—!"
Densi's voice, and the moment our feet touched the floor.
*Click.*
The stone floor sank inward. As if we had stepped on a mechanism.
"Huh."
Sure enough.
*WHOOSH!*
Immediately, dozens of arrows rained down on us from the ceiling.
"Damn it."
I knew instinctively. We couldn't dodge this. The arrows were targeting our heads incredibly fast.
Ah. No wonder. It had been too peaceful until now.
[Would you like to invest 5 Free Points into Agility?]
-------------------- Wanna support me personally, or suggest a series i should pick? you can do all of this and more at my ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/vinez --------------------