Chapter 20 — E-Rank Labyrinth: Grave of the Earth Elf (1)
Chapter 20 — E-Rank Labyrinth: Grave of the Earth Elf (1)
“…….”
For the first time, a noticeable change appeared in Rosalia’s gaze.
If one translated its meaning, it would be roughly:
‘Are you insane?’
“Kar, are you crazy?”
Marlin also gasped and tapped my back with her tail.
“No. I’m perfectly sane.”
My mind was clearer than ever.
Who had time to go insane when there was a labyrinth exploration to enjoy?
“Then… are you trying to die while fully conscious?”
“If I were going to die, I’d at least choose an S-Rank labyrinth.”
“…….”
The silent pressure in Marlin’s gaze evolved another stage.
If I teased her any longer she might attack me herself, so I activated a Mystery.
Hooo—
A thin, intangible membrane wrapped around my body.
[Membrane That Defers Wounds].
A Mystery that slowed the rate of vitality loss.
“Now you may cut me with your dagger. Don’t just slash—use that Mystery applied to dagger techniques. And adjust the power so it causes extreme pain but doesn’t kill me.”
The assassin elf stared at me silently for a while.
Then she drew a crimson dagger from her cloak.
It was far more impressive than the ceremonial dagger I had given Marlin.
The blade matched the color of Rosalia’s hair and eyes.
No name, but undeniably a masterpiece.
Slash.
Her hand vanished for an instant.
The next moment terrible pain erupted in my neck.
Not just there—sharp pain spread throughout my entire body.
“…Hmm. Cutting the neck wasn’t really necessary. You don’t dislike me, do you?”
“Kar, are you okay…?”
“If we delay, I won’t be. Hand me a vitality potion.”
My obedient assistant quickly produced one from her leather bag.
I drank three mouthfuls calmly.
Soon a wound slowly appeared on my neck and blood streamed down.
“B-Blood!”
“Take out the vial we bought earlier and collect it.”
“Okay….”
When the vial filled with blood, I finished the potion.
My body recovered and the bleeding stopped—though the pain remained.
“Good. Let’s go.”
“…If you just needed blood, couldn’t you have cut your thigh?”
“This wasn’t about blood. Haven’t you learned to accept my actions calmly by now?”
“How am I supposed to ignore someone suddenly asking to be stabbed?!”
A fair argument.
Instead of answering, I simply began walking toward the ruins.
“Look at you running away because you have nothing to say!”
Marlin laughed triumphantly.
I tilted her hat crookedly while Rosalia followed silently.
The ruins looked intact from afar, but up close they were half collapsed.
“Marlin. The moment we enter that entrance, monsters will target us. Stop joking around and take the exploration seriously.”
“As long as you stop saying weird things.”
“Fair enough.”
Then I addressed the silent assassin.
“Sister, please remain hidden in my shadow.”
“….”
“If you defeat everything, we won’t gain any soul growth.”
When companions with large level differences hunted monsters together, experience flowed entirely to the higher-level member.
It prevented power-leveling strategies.
“Marlin and I intend to reach Level 2 today, so please cooperate.”
“….”
“You’ll help if things become dangerous? That works for me.”
“How are you having a full conversation like that?! Sister, is Kar telling the truth?”
Rosalia looked quietly at Marlin.
Then she activated the Mystery [Shadow Folk] and disappeared into my shadow.
“What did she say just now?”
“She scolded you for not understanding.”
“Stop lying!”
“This time it was true…”
Perhaps this was how the boy who cried wolf felt.
Repenting my habitual lies, I entered the ruins through the collapsed entrance.
“Put on the masks.”
Inside, sandstorms blew even though it was indoors.
The sand was more harmful than dust storms—breathing it caused continuous damage.
“Cough… okay!”
Wearing the mask, we proceeded.
Pillars lined the walls, and deeper inside stood a half-destroyed statue.
《A statue built by foolish Earth Elves who worshipped the God of Nature, Metherd. Its ruined appearance suits it perfectly.》
Behind the statue was a narrow corridor.
Dark and filled with blowing sand.
“…This feels ominous.”
“You have good instincts.”
Second rule of labyrinth exploration:
Darkness is the most dangerous enemy.
Like before, I lit a candle and attached it to Marlin’s hat with spider silk.
“Wouldn’t it be simpler if you carried the candle?”
“You’re right.”
“Did you do that for absolutely no reason?”
“Sometimes life improves when you stop thinking.”
She tried to rip the candle off violently, so I hurriedly calmed her.
The corridor walls were covered with murals.
《Paintings left by the nearly extinct Earth Elves. Obviously praising the God of Nature. Description omitted.》
“Stop complaining and examine them properly.”
Marlin studied them as well.
“It’s hard to see… They seem to praise their god, but parts are painted black.”
《Murals praising Metherd. But the figure of Metherd is completely covered.》
A few steps ahead, a large black bird appeared in the mural.
The eagle symbolizing Sue’je.
《The dirty thundercloud has covered Metherd’s dignity. A hobby of Sue’je, lord of foul authority.》
The Grave of the Earth Elf depicted a time similar to the Fire Ant Nest era.
An age of Evil Gods.
Even the God of Nature could not ignore them.
Zap.
Sue’je sent a pleasant current through the mark on my collarbone.
Stronger than usual.
“O One who resides above all gods, that hurts a bit. Please spare your lovely cultist.”
In this labyrinth—where Sue’je’s cult once flourished—the deity’s influence was unusually strong.
Used properly, it enabled strategies impossible for other classes.
—Leave.
A voice suddenly echoed.
It had begun.
“Marlin, there’s one drawback I didn’t mention.”
“…What?”
Her tail rose as she gripped her dagger.
The candle suddenly went out.
“The Grave of the Earth Elf has one unpleasant feature.”
When I relit the candle, the flame flickered weakly.
Beside Marlin appeared a charred figure.
“Gah!”
Marlin slashed immediately.
Slice.
Her blade cut straight across the neck.
The blackened figure staggered before collapsing.
“W-What was that?!”
“An Earth Elf burned by Sue’je’s lightning.”
《Earth Elf Corpse (Level 1)》
《An undead that wanders the world after death.》
“This labyrinth is classified as the Horror type. Creatures like these will keep popping out.”
A labyrinth relying heavily on jump scares.
Honestly, I didn’t consider it true horror.
“…Wasn’t this supposed to be easy?”
“It is. Just walk around and kill whatever appears. I brought candles on purpose.”
“Really…?”
“No. Magic-stone lanterns don’t work here.”
Only candlelight functioned.
“Let’s move.”
“You know the path because Lidni told you, right?”
“Exactly.”
We advanced slowly while I explained the objective.
“The clear condition is killing the Leader Specimen on the fourth underground floor.”
“And we’ll find the Hidden Piece before that?”
“You’re ready to graduate already. And we’ll collect everything we can…”
—Leave.
A monster suddenly dropped from the ceiling.
“Die!”
Marlin instantly beheaded it.
“Impressive.”
“…It’s less scary than I expected.”
“Right?”
“What kind of horror labyrinth is this?”
I pretended not to notice her tail wrapping around my arm.
We continued forward.
Eventually we reached the stairs to the first basement.
“Watch your step.”
The candle grew even smaller.
Now it should appear.
Scratch scratch scratch.
Something approached quickly.
Marlin tightened her grip on my arm.
“Another burned corpse?”
No.
“—Kyaaahaha!”
A disheveled elf crawled toward us on all fours.
《Earth Elf Cultist (Level 1)》
《A cultist who abandoned the God of Nature to serve Sue’je. Their mind has collapsed.》
“Nice to meet you, senior.”
I stepped forward and extended my left hand.
“Please become experience points.”
—Kyaaak!
The mad elf leapt and bit my hand.
Crunch.
Even with Membrane That Defers Wounds, my vitality dropped rapidly.
—Grrr…!
Then suddenly the elf screamed and convulsed.
“W-What’s happening?”
I drank another potion calmly.
“When the assassin cut my neck earlier, she also used a Mystery that poisons enemies.”
The Assassin Mystery [Treacherous Dagger Technique].
My body was currently soaked in deadly poison.
“…Are you insane?”
“It hurts but won’t kill me.”
“That’s not the point!”
“What’s the big deal.”
I pulled a short strand of spider silk and stabbed it into the monster’s forehead.
“This is the easiest hunting method.”
Yes.
For my build—
The Immortal Cultist, this was the correct approach.