Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Chapter 4 - Floren Kingdom
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Doruma hurried his steps.
The world fragments eroded by the Great Labyrinth had become part of the Great Labyrinth.
But within the Great Labyrinth, it maintained its form. How was that possible?
Why had it turned out that way? Why.
Cheon-ho's mornings came early.
It was because of the morning training he had to perform every single day.
Reality was, "70 isn't it. Skills not honed grow rusty, and bodies not trained grow weak."
It was his father's words. And in fact, in Phaien, if you slacked off, your level dropped.
In Phaien, strength was measured by levels, so it was only natural that if your skills dulled from laziness, your level would drop too.
The Labyrinth World's level system seemed somewhat different from Phaen's, but Cheon-ho didn't pay it much mind.
The purpose of morning training wasn't just to maintain the status quo.
To advance forward. Even one step, even a little, to improve his skills.
"It's like a drill. Turn it once, and it definitely moves forward."
The origin of the saying was dubious, but Cheon-ho liked his father's words.
If effort yielded results in equal measure, there was nothing better.
The currently possible and impossible. While doing simple bare-handed exercises, Cheon-ho measured his own physical abilities.
Thanks to the level system, his body had surpassed human limits, but even so, the boundary between what he could do and couldn't was clearly there.
How much strength could he exert?
How fast could he move?
He had to recognize it with his mind. To move his body precisely as he thought, he first needed to understand his body.
Since arriving in the Labyrinth World, he hadn't had much chance for morning training. He was always on the move somewhere or tackling time-limited missions.
So this rare morning training time felt especially precious to Cheon-ho.
Now I can finally breathe.
It was only natural to feel uneasy if he skipped his daily routine.
Standing upside down bare-chested, doing one-handed push-ups, Cheon-ho straightened his posture. Heat radiated from his body. Between his sharply defined muscles—not bloated, just perfectly toned—his nipples glistened with sweat.
Taking a fresh look at his own body, Cheon-ho grinned lewdly. It had always been a good physique, but since coming to the Labyrinth World, it had improved even more. Probably thanks to the level system.
And it was right then.
"H-Hero."
Turning at the voice from behind, he saw Lucille. But it wasn't her usual self. Lucille, who had dyed the night red, fidgeted restlessly, unsure where to look.
It made sense— it was the first time she'd seen Cheon-ho shirtless.
"H-Here's a towel."
Thrusting the towel at him awkwardly, Lucille bit her lip and quickly added,
"L-Lunch later."
Then she retreated with quick steps.
Watching Lucille's back, Cheon-ho followed her gaze and spotted Eizel in the corner, thumbs up.
Cute.
Cute. It was Eizel, but she just smiled adorably without much embarrassment.
Cheon-ho turned back, picked up the towel Lucille had handed him, and smiled.
"Hmm."
[My liege, that's creepy.]
As Mitra chided him, Cheon-ho cleared his throat and protested very quietly. "Still, this is pretty decent, right?"
[I see it every day, so no thrill anymore.]
Well, Mitra saw him naked every time he bathed.
"Get cleaned up quick. Haste makes waste, but we're about to head down to the fourth layer now.]
"Yeah, you're right."
Cheon-ho obediently entered the small bathroom in the room. Mitra spoke again.
[Undress quickly.]
"Uh, y-yeah."
What was this inexplicable unease?
Unconsciously covering his body with his arms, Cheon-ho hurriedly finished showering.
After finishing breakfast with leftover dumplings from yesterday, the group first met with King Kurt.
"Hero, we dwarves repay both favors and grudges twofold. The grace you've shown us—we'll never forget it."
True to a dwarf whose words matched his actions, King Kurt didn't stop at talk. With a clap of his hands, an aide nearby brought over a chest that looked precious at a glance.
"I pondered all night what to give you. It's impossible to gift a better sword to one who already wields a holy sword."
[Hmm.]
Mitra cleared her throat smugly, and Cheon-ho smiled faintly. Sure, he could have fed any sword to Mitra, but he couldn't just ask for one from King Kurt, who had prepared a separate gift.
"After debating all night, we reached a conclusion. I hope it pleases you."
At King Kurt's nod, the aide opened the chest. Inside the luxurious box lay a beautifully forged hammer.
"Long ago, our ancestors forged their first work with blue flames. In the hands of an ordinary man, this hammer makes a craftsman; in a craftsman's hands, a master artisan. In a master artisan's hands, something greater still."
As described, it must be a true treasure even among Rock Dwarves.
"You saved us all. We repay favors twofold—what treasure under heaven could be too precious for that?"
King Kurt laughed heartily, while his aides hid their reluctant expressions.
"And with a gift like this, our Rock Dwarves' magnanimity will shine across the world. We're satisfied with that."
"Don't say that. Elves could never give something like this."
"Only we Rock Dwarves can."
As King Kurt laughed again, his aides chuckled and chimed in. Apparently, the latter sentiment really resonated with them. And honestly, it didn't matter.
"Thank you." His father had said the same: receive gifts graciously when given.
A hammer that improved craftsmanship itself would have endless uses.
Bowing politely to King Kurt, Cheon-ho left the Rock Dwarves' city with his group.
And new members joined Cheon-ho's party.
"Let me greet you again. I'm Orenol."
"Ralph here."
"I'm Samadi."
"Sara."
"Nudy."
They were the five Rock Dwarves from yesterday.
Aside from Orenol, whom they already knew, the other four dwarves had diverse builds.
Ralph, a burly bald warrior rivaling Orenol.
Samadi, the eldest-looking with white hair and beard.
The sole redhead, Sara.
Nudy, with his awkward young beard, just barely an adult.
Their reasons for joining Cheon-ho varied just as much.
"For my family's vengeance."
"To kill even one more of those rat bastards."
"To see the other layers."
"To journey with the Hero."
"To leave my name in the world."
There were primal motives like revenge, and ambitions like making a name for oneself.
Cheon-ho accepted them all.
"Let's combine our strength."
"Yes, Hero!"
"Yeah!"
The Rock Dwarves responded with shining eyes and booming voices. Cheon-ho now understood why, in his father's tales, his father always repeated the same line. It was the right answer, after all.
Unite everyone's power. And accomplish what one alone could never do.
"Anyway, let's hurry."
It was already nearing noon. Cheon-ho mounted Eliel, while the Rock Dwarves clung to Saschiell, Kaziel, and Mujiel respectively.
Lucille, perhaps due to the morning incident, flew separately with cheeks slightly flushed.
"Hmm."
[Hmm.]
The same "hmm," but the first held regret, the second a strange amusement.
"Let's depart."
Saschiell spread her wings low. The distant pillar was soon reached by flight.
[A peculiar energy is felt.]
The moment they entered the stairs, Mitra said lowly. The angels tensed, sensing something too.
Energy surging up from the fourth layer.
With the third layer liberated, the difference was even clearer.
"Let's hurry a bit more." Everyone nodded at Cheon-ho's words, descending the stairs faster to suppress the ominous feeling.
And how much time passed.
The moment they finally reached the fourth layer, Mitra raised her voice.
[My liege!]
Cheon-ho moved reflexively. Gripping Mitra, who began emitting radiant light, he slashed strongly at the front. The holy sword's sacred power drove away the peculiar energy.
"Krgh?!"
"Ugh!"
The Rock Dwarves suddenly groaned in pain. It was due to the magic far stronger than on the third layer.
"Amplify your auras! Protect the dwarves!"
Saschiell quickly shouted, radiating holy energy. Cheon-ho looked ahead. Thanks to Mitra and the Goddess of Healing's blessing, the magic couldn't harm him, but ordinary folk were different. If it was like this at the entrance, he worried for the fourth layer's inhabitants.
"Mitra."
[Let's go, Hero.]
Leaping from Eliel's back, Cheon-ho hurried his steps. He cleaved through the especially thick demonic energy at the pillar entrance, opening a path, and finally stepped out.
It was dark.
The sky was filled with black clouds, and far off, flames raged.
Cheon-ho caught his breath. Taking deep breaths, he quickly surveyed the surroundings.
Withered forest.
Black sky.
Distant flames staining part of the black sky red.
Hill.
Below the hill.
The flames' source. Cheon-ho gazed at them, dashing to the hill's edge to behold the scene below.
A city was burning.
A city three times larger than the Rock Dwarves' city was being destroyed.
He could tell even from afar.
It was the Plague God's horde.
Giant Rats blackened the ground, and ratmen—over ten thousand strong—swarmed the city.
Huge bats in the sky darkened the already dim heavens further. The late-arriving angels stifled screams.
Unlike the Rock Dwarves' city, the battle was over.
What unfolded in the city was no fight, but a massacre—nearly concluded.
The city brimmed only with death.
Lucille choked back a gasp. Saschiell gritted her teeth, holding back fury.
If only they'd arrived sooner.
If only they'd hurried more. If they'd set out right after yesterday without rest.
Even then, it would have been the same.
The enemies outnumbered them too greatly.
The fourth layer's situation differed from the third.
But even so.
There had to be some way—
[Sage's Time Lv2]
Calm forcibly returned.
Cheon-ho steadied his breath. Instead of charging foolishly into the city, he scanned the surroundings. He was searching for those who had fled the battle. Saving the whole city was impossible, but perhaps them.
[Hidden Quest: Rescue the Royals]
[The Plague God's horde has overrun Floren Kingdom's capital.]
[Floren Kingdom's King Byron sent the young princess and prince fleeing through a secret passage, but their fates hang in peril.]
[Rescue the young princess and prince to preserve the Floren royal bloodline.]
[The royal blood is needed to save the fourth layer.]
[Quest duration: 21 minutes]
The light panel appeared. Everyone saw it, and no one hesitated.
Cheon-ho immediately mounted Eliel.
Eliel kicked off the ground, and Cheon-ho recalled the map from the light panel in his mind, matching it to the terrain.
Below the hill. Beyond the valley.
Quite a distance from the capital. Not even close from the hill.
Eliel flew at full speed. No one but Saschiell and Aurael could keep up, but they couldn't afford to wait.
Kicking through the night. Charging through the darkness.
[I see them!]
Mitra shouted.
Cheon-ho saw too. Gritting his teeth, he widened his view once more.
Still forest.
Ruined path, dozens of ratmen larger and more robust than those from the third layer.
About twenty giant bats, seemingly in pursuit from the sky. Fallen ones on the ground, already lifeless horses and their riders.
And ratmen devouring those corpses.