Chapter 215

If one breaks through the Labyrinth to the very end, they can have one wish granted.

There was something curious about the great stele inscribed in all sorts of languages.

“A wish,” huh?

Could there really exist an Object capable of such a grand feat?

Maybe if I collected ten or so powerful Eyes, it might be possible.

But it seemed unlikely that just any ordinary Object could grant wishes.

Still, the promise of having a wish granted was quite enticing. At the entrance of the Labyrinth, many armed people had gathered.

A middle-aged man clad in armor bearing scars of fierce battles, reflecting light like the rippling surface of a lake.

A woman who walked as if riding the wind, holding a massive longbow taller than herself, ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

Someone standing firmly with a colossal staff, wearing a thick robe that looked unbearably hot under the warm sunlight.

People of all kinds—men, women, young, old—dressed as adventurers lined up at the labyrinth entrance.

It was truly the Labyrinth City.

In a fantasy labyrinth, forming a party is the classic way to go, right?

With that thought and brimming anticipation, I slowly approached where the people were gathering, only to start hearing unfamiliar languages.

Ugh, I can’t understand a single word.

And since I can’t speak, I won’t be able to form a party here.

Because I couldn’t have a proper fantasy adventure, when I looked at the labyrinth entrance, a destruction condition popped into my vision.

[End of Adventure]

I didn’t think too much about it—”If I can’t do it, nobody should!”—but suddenly seeing the destruction condition threw me off.

Unfortunately, the labyrinth destruction condition was more cryptic than I expected.

While lost in various thoughts, staring blankly at the labyrinth entrance, a good idea suddenly struck me.

Even if I can’t talk, there’s still a way to find party members!

What if I rescue people in trouble inside the labyrinth with my dazzling dual-sword skills? That might make them join my party, right?

Striving for a natural party formation!

Hehe.

I chuckled silently to myself, then mustered all my strength to push open the labyrinth door and enter.

Though heavy and stiff, thanks to the power of Black Reaper Armor, I managed to open the labyrinth door.

Standing in the center, I pushed the massive door with both hands while stepping forward slowly.

A heavy door that opens by pushing with both hands!

This feels like an adventure already.

Thud-thud.

With my heart racing, I took brisk steps into the labyrinth interior.

***

The middle-aged man called “Dog Meat Man” by the girl stood at the labyrinth entrance, donning his old armor he hadn’t worn in ages.

Though covered in battle scars, the meticulously maintained old armor shattered the sunlight into tiny fragments, gleaming brilliantly.

Contrasting the solemn appearance of this veteran’s gear, the man’s expression looked incredibly anxious.

Because outside the labyrinth, green-flamed torches burned, and the labyrinth door had sealed shut.

“Damn, it’s been over a day, and the door still won’t open.”

“This situation is unprecedented, calm down. Once the door opens, we’ll head in to find the kid.”

A man draped in a thick robe told the visibly anxious middle-aged man to relax, speaking in a raspy voice.

“Still, look at all the guards rushing here. Is almost the entire Labyrinth City guard force here now? What’s going on?”

Pointing somewhere with her chin, a woman in leather armor responded to the man in the thick robe.

“It’s probably because of that. An Object of that magnitude wandering around the city instead of inside the labyrinth would naturally cause tension.”

Hearing that, the robed man turned his gaze toward the black-armored Object and swallowed hard before speaking.

“Why is something like that in the city? Luckily, it doesn’t seem hostile; otherwise, I’d want to run away immediately.”

The tall woman with a large bow saw the overly tense robed man and chuckled softly.

“Don’t be so worked up. You’ll break your staff.”

“Namisa, what are you doing, aiming your bowstring while talking nonsense?”

Their exaggerated banter seemed like an attempt to forget their fear.

That light-hearted bickering continued until an odd sound came from the labyrinth entrance.

It sounded like the screech of solid stone breaking.

An object about 1 meter tall was pushing the tightly closed labyrinth doors with its hands.

Though the motion seemed normal enough, looking down at the Object’s feet revealed something horrifying lurking beneath.

Black, vein-like tendrils wriggled, burrowing into the hard ground.

They appeared to provide leverage for pushing the door but pulsed with immense power, forming a shape that instilled terror in anyone who saw them.

As the sound of shattering rock filled the air and the blocked labyrinth door finally opened completely, those sinister tendrils retracted back into the armor.

Thud-thud.

With sprightly footsteps, the black-armored Object that had forced the door open disappeared into the labyrinth.

As the gathered people at the labyrinth entrance froze in shock and confusion, the middle-aged man in the old armor swiftly dashed through the newly opened door.

And just as he entered, the labyrinth door slammed shut again.

***

Upon entering the labyrinth, the space warped, teleporting me to another location.

I arrived in a square room with four torches hanging on the walls.

“Whoa.”

Feeling like I’d stepped into a wondrous tourist spot, I looked around.

Suspicious alphabets and numbers were scribbled on the ceiling, but no monsters or passages were in sight.

Hmm, some kind of puzzle, maybe?

“…”

Suddenly feeling lazy, I tore apart the space and smashed one side of the wall.

After jumping over a few walls like that, I finally encountered a monster.

A giant wolf whose body burned with a green flame.

Confidently wielding my dual swords, I charged at the wolf and swung both blades down.

But the wolf easily evaded my attack with nimble steps.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Thanks to the Black Reaper’s strength boost, my sword strikes were heavy enough to shatter the floor, but not a single blow landed.

“Mom, don’t hit with the flat side of the blade!”

“Mom, foot positioning is key when channeling force into a weapon!”

At first quiet, the Black Reapers began chiming in with advice every time I moved.

Getting annoyed by the elusive wolf, I decided against tearing the space and devised another plan for the sake of a proper fantasy adventure.

“Auto-hunting mode: ON!”

As soon as I commanded the Black Reaper armor to act independently, it leaped forward, spun gracefully in mid-air, and delivered a sharp slash.

So precise was the strike that the wolf’s neck parted slowly, cartoonishly sliding off.

Being the sword instructor to Golden Reapers, the Black Reaper also possessed formidable swordsmanship.

When I return to Sehee Research Institute, I should challenge the First Sword of the Golden Reapers.

Anticipating future encounters within the labyrinth, I wandered for a few minutes and arrived at a large door.

It looked important.

Since this labyrinth feels so game-like, beyond this door should be a floor boss. Defeating it will likely let me advance to the next level.

Although I haven’t met any party members yet, reaching the higher second floor might allow for more natural recruitment.

After all, the first floor only had wolves and swallows.

With hope for the next floor, I opened the door to reveal a room entirely bathed in purple.

A room filled with shiny purple dolls and mirrors.

With high expectations for my first fantasy boss, I cautiously stepped deeper into the boss chamber.

Once fully inside the all-purple room, the door I entered through vanished without a trace.

Truly felt like a boss room.

Feeling amazed, I admired the missing door as if on a labyrinth tour.

Then, sensing movement, I checked the direction of the boss and noticed it seemed farther away than before.

What? Was that an illusion?

Since the boss remained stationary, it seemed like something needed to be triggered for it to move.

Thus, there must be secrets hidden in this mysterious purple-mirrored room.

While exploring the gem-like room, an odd sound reached my ears.

Squeak. Squeak.

The sound of something sharp scratching a solid surface.

Turning my head, I saw the boss leaning against the opposite wall.

“?”

This time, it definitely moved.

As I stepped forward confidently, the boss started scratching furiously at the wall with its back turned.

Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.

“??”

***

The Black Reaper transformed itself into a long blade of sharp ice and cut through the spiderwebs made of ice.

Amid trees rooted in clouds, ice spiders emerged, targeting the life of the Black Reaper and the girl.

“Mom!”

Despite repeatedly calling out desperately for mom, the will seemed blocked, unable to reach her.

Each spider weaker than the Black Reaper, but too numerous to protect the Attached Human effectively.

Cough. Cough.

A pained cough.

“The Attached Human is in pain!”

Negative emotions seeped out from the Attached Human.

Many emotions triggered by pain.

Though mindlessly devouring traitors before, the Black Reaper deliberately avoided negative emotions now.

Because mom disliked it.

But now, there was no choice.

The number of spiders kept increasing, and the girl was nearing her limit.

Absorbing the pain emanating from the Attached Human, it changed its form.

Long arms and melting legs.

Sharp teeth and ominous eyes.

The firewood gradually whitened.

Familiar power surged endlessly.

This power can protect the Attached Human!

Just as it extended its long arm to tear the spiders apart, a voice came from behind.

“That’s not right. Don’t do it for me.”

Even though she couldn’t see properly and didn’t know the situation,

Her desperate voice seemed directed at the Black Reaper.

Moved by the Attached Human’s earnest plea, the Black Reaper reverted to its Mini Reaper form.

Beep.

Though sad and crying, seeing the girl smile faintly before closing her eyes made the Black Reaper feel sorrowful.

The weakening breathing sounds.

Ultimately, the Black Reaper resolved to endure for the Attached Human, starting to absorb the pain again.

Regaining the form of the Old God, the Black Reaper swung its long arm and grabbed a spider.

Then it extracted part of itself, like veins, and plunged it into the spider’s body.

“Pain.”

As the wriggling black veins began devouring the spider’s body, the spider started thrashing in agony.

Keeeeeek!

Though made of ice and not biological, the spiders screamed and writhed in pain as the black veins penetrated them.

After struggling for a while, the spider’s life ended.

When the Black Reaper’s eerie eyes swept across the remaining spiders, they could sense nothing but endless terror.

Whoosh.

The white flames in the chest of the Black Reaper began burning even brighter.

“Fear.”

Every time the spiders writhed in pain,

Every time they were consumed by fear,

Every time they succumbed to despair,

The Black Reaper’s flames grew whiter, larger, and its size began to expand.