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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: A New Reality
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I rummaged through the Priestess's backpack.
There wasn't much of use. A few bread crumbs, a blanket, and the dagger she used were all I got.
I loosely wrapped the blanket around myself to cover my body. My t-shirt was completely tattered, so I just discarded it.
"You, you should focus on covering your stomach. A man's stomach is, well, *exciting*, but if you walk around with it exposed, you're practically inviting the guards to 'interview' you. Honestly, the guards just arrest you for their own viewing pleasure."
I couldn't quite grasp it, but it seemed a man's stomach was a major turn-on for women in this world.
Taking Densi's advice to heart, I wrapped the blanket around me.
I looked a bit like a primitive tribal chief, but this was the best I could do.
The dagger also seemed quite useful. It was a bit heavier than a Goblin knife, but much sharper.
I decided to keep the dull axe tucked at my waist for now and use the dagger as my primary weapon.
"Ugh. This bitch only had *this*?"
As I erased my presence and prepared to leave, Densi was rummaging through the Priestess's corpse.
"Densi. Come here."
I tugged on the magical rope, which had become her leash, and commanded her. Densi immediately stopped what she was doing and scurried over to me.
"Y-yes, you called?"
This is why education is so important. That selfish, sex-crazed woman had been reborn into a respectable person after about two hours of etiquette training (physical).
I looked down at Densi, who had her head bowed and was now watching my every move, and asked,
"What were you doing?"
"I, I was looting the corpse. The dead are dead, and the living have to live for the dead, don't they? But life's really tough, so I thought I might need some of the dead person's belongings."
"You're making a very long story out of 'I stole money from her pocket.' Hand it over."
"Yes, yes."
Densi hesitantly offered it with hands clasped politely. Four copper coins lay in her palm.
I didn't know how much they were worth, but I took them anyway. There's no harm in having money.
"...You two weren't close, I take it?"
"...We just did a few requests together."
"For 'just a few requests,' you two worked surprisingly well together when you ambushed me."
"Women tend to work well together when they have a common goal."
"That's something to be proud of, isn't it? You little brat."
It didn't seem like she'd betray me to avenge her comrade.
I quietly raised my fist and placed it on Densi's solar plexus.
The moment my fist touched the bottom of her small chest, Densi's eyes squeezed shut, and her shoulders trembled violently.
"H-hoo... h-mmph..."
Densi hadn't even been hit yet, but she was already taking deep breaths, bracing for the pain to come.
"Hmph, h-hoo, h-hoo..."
I hadn't even applied much pressure, just a slight push on her solar plexus, but she was gasping for air as if she'd been stabbed.
"Ugh, ugh..."
"Densi."
"Yes, yes!"
Seeing that it had clearly served as a preventative measure, I quietly lowered my fist with satisfaction.
Then I gently patted her trembling shoulders.
"Don't get any bad ideas. Be good, okay? Got it?"
"H-huh, yes, yes!"
"If you understand, then lead the way."
Densi hastily gathered her backpack and moved towards the escape portal as I instructed.
I followed Densi from behind, comfortably holding her leash.
***
It was definitely different from navigating the Labyrinth alone.
"C-can we take a short break? Please?"
First of all, I could finally take a break.
Rest when you're tired. Such a simple, common-sense thing was difficult to do in the Labyrinth, where abnormality ran rampant.
Even more so when I was alone.
Just a few hours ago, I'd been attacked by Goblins after taking an ill-advised break.
That's why, until now, I'd been pushing myself on forced marches, half-out of my mind and unable to sleep, but I didn't have to anymore.
"Shall we get moving again soon?"
"A-already? What kind of stamina do you have...?"
Of course, I didn't let my guard down completely. A healthy level of tension was still necessary.
*Swoosh!*
Another advantage was the increased convenience in combat.
"Krrgh—!"
An arrow, whistling through the air, embedded itself in the Goblin's head.
With an archer slave, if I spotted a Goblin, there was no need to engage in close combat; a quick arrow shot from a distance ended the fight.
"Kerek, Kereruk!"
"Kekekeruk—!"
"I, I killed one!"
Even when two or more appeared, one would die before the fight truly began, significantly reducing the burden of one-on-many combat.
*Thwack!*
The quickly swung dagger pierced the Goblin's heart in one swift motion.
'Doesn't feel good.'
The dagger itself was of good quality.
It was much sharper than the axe I'd been using, effortlessly slicing through Goblin muscle even without careful effort.
But compared to the axe, it lacked a certain *feel*. The sensation of piercing the Goblin's skin was simply less impactful.
Still, there was nothing for it. This was the only usable weapon I had right now.
'By the way, I feel like my body's gotten a bit lighter?'
A strange sensation I'd felt ever since waking up after being hit by the sleeping poison.
It wasn't something I could simply dismiss as my imagination.
I'd grown accustomed to killing Goblins and wielding violence, but this felt different, on another level.
It was as if my body had grown another step. To put it in gaming terms, a level-up.
Well, there are Goblins, potions, Beastkin, and a world where women are obsessed with men.
At this point, I probably wouldn't be surprised by any bizarre phenomenon.
"At this rate, a Status Window will pop up next."
*Ding!*
[Synchronization 80% Complete.]
"Uh..."
Why is that actually showing up?
***
Startled, I blankly stared at the translucent Status Window before me.
[Synchronization 81% Complete.]
The number increased by one.
Seeing the text "Synchronization 81% Complete," it seemed... it meant synchronization was 81% complete.
"..."
Beyond that, I wasn't sure.
It was surprising to see it appear suddenly, but maybe it was because I'd already encountered Goblins and potions.
It wasn't as shocking as I might have expected.
Just a little strange, that's all. At the same time, a slight sense of curiosity arose.
I didn't feel like I'd done anything special, yet it was already 81%.
'I wonder if I'll be able to do something when it reaches 100%?'
I stared at it for a while, but there was no sign of it reaching 82%. It seemed the condition for increasing synchronization wasn't simply passing time.
'Most of what I've done since coming to the Labyrinth has been killing monsters, so maybe killing monsters increases the synchronization rate.'
In the end, my task was still the same. Kill monsters. And head for the escape portal.
*Snip, snip.*
As I prepared to move again, Densi was doing something on the Goblin's face while I was looking at the Status Window.
*Snap—*
I gripped the leash and tugged, and Densi scurried over.
"Densi. What are you doing?"
"...Oh. I, I was cutting off Goblin ears. You can get a reward if you bring hunting proof to the Adventurers' Guild."
"Really?"
"..."
Ignoring her look that seemed to say, "You don't even know such basic common sense?", I told her to go back and continue her work.
I quietly watched Densi cut off Goblin ears, and then it suddenly occurred to me how many Goblins I'd killed so far.
"...How much do you usually get for these?"
"For 10 Goblins, you usually get about 20 copper coins."
I hadn't been counting for a while, but I must have killed at least thirty.
It was unavoidable since I hadn't known such things, but it felt a bit like a waste.
'Right. Knowledge. I need knowledge.'
I currently know too little about this world. Not just the Labyrinth or monsters, but even basic knowledge like male-female relationships or Goblin ears.
Such ignorance would accumulate over time and inevitably trip me up.
Taking this opportunity, I asked Densi a few questions to satisfy my curiosity and slowly began gathering information about the world outside the Labyrinth.
Even if I couldn't ask and hear everything, I gained at least some basic knowledge.
Before I knew it, the escape portal was right in front of us.
And then.
"Kerek, Kere-ruk."
"Kerereruk!"
It was the final battle.
***
"No, this... is this right...?"
Densi, as she was now called, stared blankly, mouth agape, overwhelmed by the man's combat before her.
'...Is that really a man?'
*Thwack!*
He was tough and brutal.
His muscles rippled fiercely with every punch thrown and every swing of his dagger, veins bulging as if inflamed by the heat of battle.
"Krrrugh!"
His thick arm seized the thrashing Goblin by the head and simply snapped its neck.
*Splatter!*
Goblin blood splattered onto the man's helmet, and the Goblin slumped, lifeless.
'Were Goblins always that weak?'
No. Goblins were cunning and troublesome monsters.
Despite their small, agile bodies, they possessed excellent strength. They were cunning enough to launch surprise attacks. They exploited their pack mentality for group combat.
Especially in their lairs, also known as Goblin nests, it was difficult to withstand their overwhelming numbers.
That's why Goblins were considered both the first hurdle and a wall for novice adventurers.
They weren't just some monster that appeared from the mid-levels of the 1st floor all the way to the deep levels for no reason.
The man wiped his helmet clean, checked the blood, and then clicked his tongue in displeasure.
His aura, like that of a beast that had survived in the harsh wilderness, transformed him from a typical doormat male into an overwhelming alpha.
'That man seems to have come up from the deep levels of the 1st floor... and by himself, no less.'
*Thump!*
She continued her thoughts for a moment before snapping back to reality. Something dropped in front of her.
A Goblin corpse.
The man had casually tossed the Goblin corpse with one hand.
Tossing a Goblin so effortlessly with one hand was no easy feat to begin with. On average, a Goblin weighed around 40kg.
The act of lifting it itself could be done by anyone with a bit of strength.
But tossing it so lightly was something only an adventurer blessed and trained could easily do.
Nam Su-jin had done it as naturally as breathing, thanks to his long years of hard labor and excellent physique, but Densi had no way of knowing that, and she simply let her imagination run wild.
What floor was he an adventurer from? The 2nd floor? The 3rd? She didn't know for sure, but she was certain he was stronger than her.
"Cut off its ears and put them in your backpack."
"Yes."
Even with his distinctly commanding tone, Densi instinctively bowed her head and replied.
There was no reason for her to go this far.
It wasn't even a formal slave contract involving magic.
She could refuse anytime she wanted, and escape whenever she pleased.
Yet, for some reason, she had no desire to. Or more accurately, she *couldn't* bring herself to.
Every time she saw him, her legs trembled, and her heavily bruised solar plexus throbbed with aches.
She still couldn't forget the words he'd spoken while resting that heavy fist on her chest.
"—Be good, okay? Got it?"
The effects of the etiquette training, intensely etched into Densi's mind in a short time, shone brightly, and simultaneously,
"What are you doing? Hurry up and do it."
To his command, utterly unlike that of a typical man, a command befitting a powerful male,
"Yes, yes..."
Without even realizing it, she created a third option for herself: submission.
***
The white portal shimmered and glowed.
Perhaps because I'd grown accustomed to the slightly darker interior of the Labyrinth, my eyes squinted a little.
Nevertheless, that pure white light was a welcome sight.
Thinking about how I'd endured all sorts of hell over the past few days, walking towards this single portal, I almost felt tears welling up.
"Just by touching the escape portal, your body will automatically be pulled in. Be careful, there's a slight sensation of floating."
Densi said that and then slipped right into the escape portal.
She said that crossing the escape portal would bring us to the Labyrinth entrance in the Labyrinth City of Valerius, didn't she?
I cautiously touched the portal.
*Whoosh—*
A slight sensation of floating.
"Uh...?"
It felt strangely familiar. When had I felt this sensation before? Then, the unforgettable memory of that time resurfaced.
'The hospital! When I touched the magic circle in the hospital!'
Back then, right after touching the magic circle, I'd come to my senses and found myself inside a Goblin lair.
Could it be, that I could return to the modern world?
Immediately after hoping, what appeared before my eyes was...
Not the longed-for modern world, but the scenery of an unfamiliar world, as if ripped straight from a medieval fantasy.
"Ah..."
A weary sigh escaped me without my realizing it.
To be honest, I had harbored a little hope.
The hope that all of this was just a terrible nightmare, and that by crossing the escape portal and waking from the nightmare, I could return to the modern world.
My life of hard labor, unable to see beyond the next day, a mundane routine repeated daily, but...
Even within that, I had found my own small joys and lived happily with my sister.
I blankly stared down at my body, splattered with Goblin blood and flesh.
*Crunch!*
The Goblin's dying screams and the sound of flesh tearing were still vivid in my ears.
I recalled fighting with all my might, pushing my mind and body, telling myself that this wasn't real, that it was just a dream.
The weight of the dagger and axe hung at my waist.
I had even killed a person. With my own hands, no less.
I unconsciously touched my face and felt the cold sensation of the helmet.
The cool touch of the helmet once again brought me back to reality.
"Haha. Ha..."
Though I had denied it in my heart, perhaps my mind had already long recognized this cruel reality.
There would be no more ordinary days.
This unfamiliar world had become an undeniable reality.
From now on, I had to survive alone in this harsh world.
"Well... fine, I'll do it."
I clenched my fist tightly and glared at the shimmering portal.
The magic circle I saw in the hospital and the Labyrinth's portal. The identical sensation felt during transport convinced me they had some kind of connection.
"—The Labyrinth is where all sorts of mysteries and secrets lie dormant."
Densi had said that portals only existed within the Labyrinth.
Therefore, to learn more about the portals, I would have to enter the Labyrinth again someday.
I steeled my resolve once more.
The Labyrinth. The Portal. The Magic Circle.
To uncover the secrets of these unknown phenomena and return to Earth.
And to find my missing sister.
"I will. Survive in this world."
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