Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Life Sword
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There was a minor misunderstanding, but we resolved it through conversation. After packing our things, I returned to Kabisa with Ha-young.
“Rina! Hanna!”
“Ha-young, you’re here?”
“Did you go to pick up Ha-young?”
“That’s right.”
“Hi, Alpen! Good morning, Geumyong and Nyx!”
She was always energetic, but she seemed even more excited to be coming with us.
Anyone who didn't know us might mistake her excitement for a trip to an amusement park, not a labyrinth...
“Did you order breakfast?”
“No, we just finished washing up...”
I ordered our meal and asked Luke to prepare some extra ingredients.
We had another mouth to feed, after all.
The ingredients arrived before the meal, and as I was organizing them, I saw the icebox was full.
Should I have bought another icebox?
I guess I'll just have to store drinks in my inventory and chill them with magic whenever we need them.
“Hanna, would you like some of this?”
“Rina, you need to eat a lot. That’s how you’ll grow big and strong.”
“If I was going to grow, I would have already! Am I a kid? You eat up.”
With Ha-young around, the atmosphere felt a bit brighter.
Nothing had been resolved yet, but as Rina said, there was no need to worry about it already.
After our meal, we headed to the plaza.
I thought there wouldn’t be many people since the Martial Arts Tournament was ongoing and the rest period was short, but the crowd was about the same as usual.
This time, most of the allied guilds were taking a break, so there would be less control and monopolization than usual. It seemed most of the members from small and medium-sized guilds weren't resting.
After a short wait, my vision shifted with a flash of light.
The familiar 1st floor.
My companions who had been beside me were all gone, leaving only Ha-young, Geumyong, and Nyx.
“This is my second time, but it’s still amazing. To be transported just by standing still.”
“It is. I’ll summon the others first.”
“Okay. I’ll stand guard.”
She playfully saluted with her left hand, sticking her tongue out slightly. She was so mischievous.
“Thanks. And you salute with your right hand.”
“Oops, my mistake. Let’s just overlook things like that.”
I smiled once and summoned my companions one by one.
I asked just in case, but as expected, they had no memories of it this time either.
Still, they remembered traveling with Ha-young in the labyrinth before, so no one was particularly wary of her.
I glanced at my companions, who were engrossed in the video recording crystal, and then summoned Bio last.
I was worried he might not appear, but thankfully, he materialized in a flash of purple light.
“Bio?”
He usually wore clean, if somewhat shabby, clothes, but now they were torn in places, and I could see wounds.
“It’s nothing.”
“What do you mean, nothing? Rina.”
“Yes? Huh? Sir Bio!”
I only called for Rina, but Hanna rushed over with her.
“How did you get hurt like this?”
“Just a moment.”
Rina clasped her hands and chanted a spell, conjuring a white light, but it fizzled out as it neared Bio.
“Why is my divine power...”
“My constitution does not accept divine power.”
“Can’t you heal yourself?”
“If I could, I would have already, wouldn't I?”
He's like this even when I'm worried about him.
“It’s nothing serious, so don’t make a fuss. More importantly, have you practiced the Life Sword?”
“Uh... I did, but.”
I practiced a few times after he disappeared, but once I left the labyrinth...
“It seems you were slacking. If you knew the Life Sword, you could have healed this. A pity.”
“I’ll try my best.”
“Hello. Oh, you’re injured.”
Ha-young also looked a bit surprised at Bio’s state.
“Ha-young is joining us this time, too. Do you have any recommendations, like the 34th floor last time?”
“The 46th floor is somewhat similar. Let’s go there.”
Despite his ragged appearance, he wasn't lacking in power. Bio snapped his fingers, and my vision shifted.
“Huh? I got a quest.”
“A quest? I didn’t get one.”
“You’ve already been to higher floors, so it won’t appear for you.”
According to the quest description, the 46th floor was divided into three areas.
The Cursed Grave Site in the south, primarily inhabited by undead monsters.
The Kellibla Highlands in the center, mainly home to flying monsters like griffons and wyverns.
The Glacial Valley in the north, where ice-attribute monsters appeared.
The structure required us to defeat the floor bosses in all three locations to advance to the next floor.
“It seems we’ll have to split up the party like last time.”
“But we just met up with you, Hyeon-ung. You want us to separate again?”
“Sir Bio, this isn’t right.”
“Didn’t you say you spent your time outside slacking off instead of training?”
I have nothing to say to that.
In the end, I had to send Ha-young and the others away again, leaving me alone with Bio.
“I’ll go catch a monster.”
“There’s something I need to say before that.”
Don’t tell me he’s going to cut off my arm again.
My companions and Ha-young all told him not to do that before they left, so I doubt it.
Looking at him now, Bio’s expression was more serious than I had ever seen it.
“What is it? Is it related to your injuries?”
“Not entirely unrelated. Has anything happened outside the labyrinth recently?”
“Happened?”
“Anything out of the ordinary. Tell me everything.”
He was like this last time, too. Is it because I’ve been marked by an angel?
“Nothing special, really. If I had to say something, it’s that the Martial Arts Tournament has started.”
“The Martial Arts Tournament?”
I explained that the preliminaries were underway and that I would be heading to the capital with the lord during the next rest period.
He seemed a bit wary of the lord, so I also told him that I had helped him and that we had a solid relationship of trust.
“You’re only doing things that will get you noticed by the angels.”
He frowned, clearly displeased.
“Why would that get me noticed? I think I did a good thing. It was give and take; the lord showed me favor.”
“If an angel compels him, the lord will have no choice but to obey.”
“I used the bluestone to prepare for that. The angels probably don’t know.”
“Is that really so? And it would be best if you didn’t participate in that tournament.”
Why did he want me to skip the tournament?
“Why?”
“Because the capital is where the angels’ influence is strongest. The angel is likely the emperor’s puppet. Even if the lord tries to protect you, it won’t be easy in the capital.”
I'm not saying I don't understand, but if I thought like that, there would be too many things I couldn't do in this world.
I wondered if he, like me, was worrying too much.
“I’ve already received a seeded spot...”
“Can’t you just give it up?”
“Aren’t you worrying too much about something that might not even happen?”
It’s not like I can stop living just because I’m afraid of what might happen.
“It’s you who’s being complacent...”
“But I can’t just stop all my activities outside, can I?”
“Hmm... Fine. If you master the Life Sword, you won’t die a dog’s death somewhere. If you master the Life Sword, you may participate in the tournament.”
I feel like I could win even without mastering it.
Well, I was planning to focus on training this time anyway.
“Is it possible in ten days?”
“I’ve devised a method that combines the principles of the Life Sword with your personality.”
A method?
“Wait here a moment.”
As he spoke, Bio vanished.
He reappeared after about five minutes, but huh?
I thought he was going to catch an orc or some other monster like last time, but standing next to Bio was Elaine.
“Why Elaine?”
“She volunteered to help with your training.”
Don’t tell me, this guy...
*Swish—*
Before I could even finish the thought, Elaine’s right arm fell to the ground.
“Kugh! I was prepared for this, but it hurts more than I thought...”
“What are you doing? Stop!”
“Draw your sword. If you don’t reattach it quickly, her pain will continue.”
Bio’s emotionless voice made him sound like a psychopath.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“Hye... Hyeon-ung... I... kugh... I’m fine. I volunteered for this.”
Volunteer or not, I don't think we need to go this far.
“Reattach it right now!”
“The Life Sword requires you to eliminate aggressive emotions. You haven’t been able to do that, have you? Considering your personality and how much you care for your companions, I thought this would be more effective than cutting off your own arm.”
That’s bullshit.
The reason I’m striving to reach the 100th floor is to get the Orb of Wishes and live happily with my companions.
To free my companions, who are bound to the labyrinth by the shackles of being summons, and live happily.
But to make a companion suffer to achieve that goal is putting the cart before the horse.
“I don’t want to hear it, just reattach it! Why would you persuade a perfectly fine companion to...”
“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I did not force her.”
Of course you didn’t force her. But you must have known that if you made such a request, none of my companions would refuse.
Because all of my companions are the type to walk into a pit of fire with a smile if it’s for my sake.
“No! I told you, I volunteered.”
“Elaine?”
“Kugh... Ever since you summoned me, Hyeon-ung, I haven’t been able to help you at all.”
“What are you talking about?”
“In battle... in daily life... even Alpen takes care of Geumyong and Nyx, but I’m useless, aren’t I?”
“What do you mean?”
“And teaching Ha-young...”
I had no idea Elaine had been thinking this way.
She never showed any sign of it.
Elaine always had such a bright personality.
A princess whose head was always in the clouds. That’s how I thought of Elaine, but this was a completely different side of her.
“Elaine, have I ever said I didn’t need you?”
Elaine gritted her teeth, but she didn’t lose her smile as she shook her head.
“No, of course not. You’re a good person, Hyeon-ung. Kuaa. But I wanted to be helpful, just like the others. That’s why I volunteered. Kugh...”
As she endured the pain and spoke steadfastly, Elaine’s eyes shone brighter than ever before.
I understood her feelings, but I couldn’t accept this.
“You don’t have to go this far. Elaine, your existence alone is more than enough.”
“But I don’t like it. Please, draw your sword. Before it hurts more...”
Bio said he would reattach it if I wanted, but Elaine kept protesting, and in the end, I had no choice but to draw my sword.
****
Day four in the labyrinth.
I cut down on my time for eating and sleeping.
I put everything aside to focus on my training, but I still couldn’t grasp the Life Sword.
“That’s enough training for now. Why don’t you get something to eat?”
It had gotten to the point where Bio was the one urging me to eat.
“Alright.”
As I watched Bio flick his finger, causing the severed arm to fly back and reattach to Elaine, I took out some dried rations, beef jerky, and a bottle of water from my inventory.
I stuffed it all in my mouth, washed it down with water, and immediately grabbed my sword again.
“Hyeon-ung, you’ve been eating nothing but that for several meals. You need to eat a proper meal.”
“I’m fine. More importantly, are you sure you can keep doing this?”
Over the past four days, Elaine’s right and left arms had been severed at least hundreds, no, thousands of times.
A normal person would have lost their mind long ago.
Even if Elaine was a demon, she was still young...
Bio had apparently offered to let her switch with another companion, but Elaine had vehemently refused.
“I’m fine. I think I’m getting used to the pain now.”
Used to it? Saying that with such a pale face wasn’t convincing at all.
In truth, it wasn't that I'd made no progress at all.
At least I was no longer cutting the severed arm into two pieces.
About two out of five times, I succeeded in reattaching it, but that was as far as it went.
Unlike Bio’s perfect Life Sword, mine merely healed the wound; the limb wouldn’t move.
“Rest a little. It’s not good to move right after eating.”
“It’s not like we’re sparring... No, you’re right. I’ll rest a bit.”
Because if I started training again, Elaine would have to suffer more pain.
I guess I was only thinking of myself.
“Being alone with you like this, Hyeon-ung, is so nice.”
Alone?
Bio is right over there, though a bit far off. Is she not even counting him as a person?
Then again, I’d probably do the same.
“What’s so nice about it? You’re just in pain the whole time. I’m sorry...”
“There you go again. What are you sorry for? I’m doing this because I want to. Besides, the others are probably jealous of me.”
“What...”
“It’s true. When Sir Bio first came and asked, you should have seen how much Rina wanted to come. When Sir Bio excluded her because she’s a healer, she looked ready to start a fight.”
I could believe that of Rina, more than anyone else.
“Alright. Let’s get started again soon.”
“Okay, Hyeon-ung. I’m really fine, so please don’t be so impatient. My mom used to say that rushing things can make even simple tasks fail.”
As Elaine stood up first with a bright smile, there was no trace of fear on her face.
I thought she was just a childish princess, but she could say such mature things...
I stood up, my heart feeling a little lighter than before.
“Starting again?”
“Yeah!”
*Swish—*
At Bio’s glance, Elaine’s leg fell off again.
“It was always her arm, so I decided to change the body part.”
That guy Bio is a true psychopath.
Elaine collapsed immediately, but she bit her lip, suppressing even a scream, perhaps worried that my excessive concern would break my focus.
Gazing at the cleanly severed, twitching leg, I swung my sword, imbuing it with a complex mix of emotions.
*Ssk-*
The desire to repay her efforts as she strived so hard for my sake.
The guilt I felt for her constant suffering and pain.
The wish for her to no longer suffer, to no longer be in pain.
Unlike all my previous failures, where nothing happened, the leg slowly lifted and flew towards Elaine, reattaching itself.
I had succeeded this far several times before.
The important part was what came next.
“Elaine?”
Elaine, who had been nodding, slowly got up, then ran and threw her arms around me.
“Hyeon-ung, you did it!”