The training for new adventurers lasted a week.
Certainly, there was much to learn.
Of course, it was knowledge in theory, not yet embodied through physical experience.
Still, some things could be immediately applied.
Such as how to pack a backpack or basic first aid, the way to form a party, the laws that must be followed on each level.
Simple methods of trap detection or types of signals.
Once you know these, you can see things you couldn’t before.
One might call it the main theme of the Guild.
A kind of direction emerged.
Venturing into the Labyrinth to cut down demons and break through levels was not all there was to it.
That alone wasn’t enough.
It was about meticulous preparation that minimized risks, about advancing step by step, slowly but steadily.
That was what was consistently emphasized over these past few weeks of training.
The next morning.
“Is it today?”
Darmong asked.
“Yes. I’ll be back.”
“Don’t expect much.”
Though Darmong poured cold water on the prospect, there was no helping the excitement of anticipation.
It was finally time for party matching.
Five people would form a single party, though there were rare occasions where four people formed one.
Mostly, parties were assembled by viewing recruitment notices on bulletin boards, but the Guild sometimes arranged parties for new Explorers.
Darmong recommended the latter option—he had heard that the Guild tended to help form parties with members who had attended the class.
The Explorer branch office was teeming with people.
Jeong Yusin stood in the shortest line to save time.
He soon regretted it.
It was the same stern-faced registrar he had seen last time.
“Ah, fuck. Not that look again.”
There was a reason the line was short.
It wasn’t that he wanted to switch lines now.
In the brief time he waited, more people crowded in, making the line longer.
He didn’t want to wait any longer.
‘Don’t think of it as stepping in shit. It’s not like I’m dying.’
Jeong Yusin’s turn came.
“Could you match me with a new Explorer party?”
“Confirmed. There’s only one party looking for a front-liner. You’ll be placed with them. Head to table number 6.”
“Yes.”
Quickly leaving the counter, he headed towards table 6.
There were about 30 tables, all filled with chattering people, creating a rather loud atmosphere.
With effort, he managed to spot the table marked with the number 6.
Familiar faces sat there.
It was the boy who had once slammed the counter and shouted.
At the table, there was another male, and two females, but one male who Jeong Yusin had seen the previous week was missing.
“Hello, I’m Scath. I was referred here by the Guild.”
“Hello. I’m Kael, the party leader.”
Kael’s voice resonated with confidence as he introduced his party one by one.
The other man was named Din, responsible for reconnaissance.
The redhead woman was Ann. She was one of the rear guards and wielded a bow.
The other rear guard was Mari, a brunette and an apprentice of the Dejimoseon of the Elemental Enclave.
Kael gave a brief overview of the party’s status.
They had entered the Labyrinth for the first time the previous week and broke through the first layer without much difficulty. However, at the second layer, a member had injured their leg and they needed a temporary replacement.
This person was Jeong Yusin.
The party had two missions:
Hunt down ten goblins.
Collect Magic Stones.
The payment would be divided equally into five parts.
Their activity range would be limited to Level 1 of the Labyrinth.
With all negotiations and agreements finalized, Jeong Yusin along with Kael’s party members agreed to meet at the Guild branch the following morning and departed.
Back at the inn, Jeong Yusin met with Darmong and shared stories about Kael and his party members.
“Darmong, wasn’t it customary to connect people who attended the Explorer training program?”
“That is odd.”
Darmong stroked his chin as he pondered.
“Regardless, I’m going tomorrow.”
“Scath, be careful.”
Darmong’s serious warning was met with a nod of agreement from Jeong Yusin.
As night turned to morning,
Anticipated with both hope and nervous excitement, it was finally the day to enter the Labyrinth.
Rising at the crack of dawn, Jeong Yusin began inspecting his equipment.
Does the sword draw smoothly? Are the shield straps too loose? How about the joints of the Hard Leather Armor? They weren’t supposed to be stiff.
He meticulously went through all the necessary inspections.
After double-checking, he equipped his backpack, packing only what was vital for the first layer, based on the training he had received.
“Alright.”
Without his helmet, Jeong Yusin headed to the dining section, where Darmong had placed breakfast.
“This is the last meal you’ll eat outside the Labyrinth.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
A steak cooked to perfection and a mountain of garlic awaited him.
“Is it alright that it’s such a lavish feast?”
“It’s because I can foresee you starving for days inside, so take it.”
“I won’t leave anything behind.”
The dishes were wiped clean.
“Phew.”
As he patted his full belly, Darmong handed him something wrapped in paper.
“It’s dried meat and biscuits. Use them sparingly.”
“I appreciate them.”
Jeong Yusin didn’t refuse. It would’ve been heartless to ignore the little tsundere’s effort, and besides, he had no money either.
“I’m off.”
Before leaving with his packed gear, he greeted farewell.
“One last reminder—be cautious.”
“Yes.”
With Darmong’s advice etched into his heart, he made his way to the Explorer Guild branch.
Arriving at the branch, he sat at an open table, waiting for Kael’s party.
About 30 minutes had passed when they strolled in loudly. Even though one of the members bore minor injuries, they were full of confidence and ease, having successfully broken through the first level without much difficulty.
“Ah! Scath-san, you’re here early!”
Kael greeted. His gear looked rather light; a Leather Armor, with a Long Sword at his hip, a rather light backpack, though whether it was due to funds or another strategic reason was unclear.
All party members appeared similarly equipped.
“Let’s go now. It’s busy at this time, so heading in early is advantageous.”
“Understood.”
Jeong Yusin rose and followed the party.
The Great Labyrinth lay west of the city.
As Jeong Yusin got closer, the crowd grew denser. Amid the throngs of people, he was swept along until he finally saw it.
The Great Labyrinth.
From a distance, it appeared to be a small tower.
Up close, however, it looked more like a jagged rocky peak.
A spacious glowing magic circle, capable of easily containing thousands of people, was set before the peak. Soldiers of Labyrinth City were controlling the traffic at its entrance.
“One party at a time, please enter calmly!”
A fully armored soldier called out.
As each party stepped into the magic circle, they disappeared in a dazzling light.
Explorers followed the soldiers’ instructions obediently.
The soldiers were stationed in various spots, swiftly letting Explorers pass.
The wait wasn’t long when finally it was Kael’s party’s turn.
Excitement and tension bubbled in Jeong Yusin’s chest.
Stepping onto the magic circle, the light grew progressively brighter, obscuring his vision.
Flash!
A strong, brilliant light accompanied by a floating sensation enveloped him.
Thud!
“Oof!”
He lost balance and landed heavily on his buttocks, the cold, damp stone floor greeting his skin.
They had finally been transported to the first level of the Labyrinth.
Due to the nature of the Labyrinth, every person, no matter if they’d reached the 50th floor or the 80th, started from the first level without exception.
If you exited the Labyrinth, you’d have to start over from the beginning.
That is, countless individuals were currently in Level 1.
Right now was:
‘The safest time.’
It was essential to quickly determine their current location and arrange formation.
“Ugh!”
A surprised voice echoed through the dark cave.
It was Kael’s voice.
“What’s the matter?”
“I dropped my flint. Can you light the torch for me?”
“Understood.”
Jeong Yusin retrieved flint from his pouch and ignited the torch.
The surrounding area brightened up.
Levels 1 through 5 of the Labyrinth were referred to as the Surface Levels. There was one rule that must be followed absolutely.
Always maintain a source of light, by any means necessary.
There was good reason for this.
The defining characteristic of the Surface Levels was darkness.
This type of darkness drove individuals mad.
Absolutely, and without exception.
No matter how skilled the Explorer or legendary the hero, this was an inviolable law.
Even the smallest flame, like that of a firefly, could ward away the onset of insanity. Thus, experienced Explorers passed through the Surface Levels swiftly with minimal light.
“It seems we’ve been dropped at the very outskirts?”
The scouting and guidance role, Din, examined the map and spoke.
“Is that so? We didn’t have much luck this time.”
“Indeed, last time we were much closer to the entrance of Level 2.”
Din’s gloomy muttering was met with a casual shrug from Kael.
“There are days like this. Let’s go.”
Kael led the way, torch in hand.
Jeong Yusin followed immediately behind, with Din behind him, and then Mari and Ann closing the formation.
Hours passed. They encountered multiple parties along the way, who, after a brief exchange asking them to step aside, vanished like the wind.
“Hmm… Din, where are we?”
“Just a moment.”
In response to Kael’s question, Din pulled out his map.
“Turn left at the next fork, and we’ll make our way to the central area of Level 1.”
“Good!”
Kael shouted enthusiastically, encouraging the visibly tired group.
“Once we reach the central area, we’ll stop and rest. Sound good?”
“Alright.”
“Okay.”
Kael looked at Jeong Yusin as if awaiting an answer.
“Yes, understood.”
Reassured that they could rest after reaching the central area, they marched on swiftly without incident. Thankfully, they hadn’t encountered any demons thus far.
However,
Fate wasn’t favoring them today.
“Din, what is this? Dead end!?”
Kael looked at Din with irritation.
“S-sorry.”
“Hold it together. This isn’t like our village. To continuously charge headfirst without thinking…”
“Kael, stop. You’re getting too sharp. This is just our second trip into the Labyrinth.”
The redhead, Ann, interrupted Kael in mid-sentence.
Kael exhaled, shaking his head.
“Got it. Sorry, Din.”
“No, it’s my fault. I should’ve been more focused.”
“I just want to rest a bit.”
The apprentice priestess, Mari, joined in, clearly fatigued from hours of continuous travel.
“Alright, let’s rest.”
They collapsed, leaning against the dead-end wall. Jeong Yusin sat slightly apart from them.
They began chatting and laughing, reminiscing about village life. They discussed how the fields of their home village must be getting seeds scattered just about now. Stories erupted about old crushes of Din’s turning out to be boys.
Listening quietly to their memories, Kael approached Jeong Yusin and sat beside him.
“All five of us are from the same village. Ah! The sixth member is likely resting at the inn by now.”
“I see.”
“Since we were kids, we’ve done everything together. Our village was barren and in a secluded area, so there were always dangers. Facing those dangers together made them feel not so scary. Then, we realized after overcoming threats, we learned more from experience than from books.”
“Ah.”
Jeong Yusin nodded silently, not exactly grasping what Kael was trying to say.
“I saw you attending the Explorer training before. You seem older than me, but I thought you might be unfamiliar with something. You learn more from experience. It’s better to learn from those who explore the streets than the idle chatter inside the Guild building.”
Jeong Yusin realized now.
‘So, this was your way of giving me some advice.’
The life advice from a teenager was indeed different from that of older folks.
It was more confident and decisive.
It felt like enlightenment of the truth of life.
“And one more thing. To me, Scath seems like…”
“Kael, I’m exhausted. Can I get some sleep here?”
Mari suddenly interrupted, whining.
“Marie, if we move a bit further, there’s a resting spot. We can rest there.”
Din stepped in, comforting Mari.
“Din, is this time you’re sure?”
“Yeah, I’ve thoroughly examined the map. There’s a resting spot in the central area.”
“Alright, Marie, let’s push a little further.”
“Phew, alright.”
Kael rose, consoling Mari, and led the group forward.
They continued walking for about two hours. Just as Mari was about to collapse from exhaustion, they discovered a resting area.
There was a crevice between the cave walls large enough for them to step into with a small hollow inside.
It was spacious enough for about 10 people to fit snugly.
They entered, unpacked, and then blocked the entrance with a blanket to ensure no light leaked out. Each person leaned against the walls.
They took out biscuits and dried meat from their backpacks, ate, and quickly decided the watch order.
By now, it was likely the evening.
Mari was the first watch, followed by Kael, Jeong Yusin, Din, and finally Ann.
They spread out blankets on the cold cave floor.
‘Not bad.’
The atmosphere was good as they were like childhood friends in a party. The tension had led to some mistakes, but they were all encouraging and leading each other in a commendable manner.
No ambushes, no feuds.
While covered in a blanket, Jeong Yusin hoped for an equally smooth (next) day, closing his eyes to sleep.
Inside the dark Great Labyrinth.
