Chapter 219: The Labyrinth's Original Function
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 219: The Labyrinth's Original Function
"I'll make sure everything's fine at the inn, so don't you worry."
"I'm counting on you."
"...You have to come back early. You know that, right? I've been waiting for a long time."
"Y-Yeah... of course."
Theodora gave a bright smile, then pulled out an artifact and teleported back to the surface. Once again, only my father-in-law and I remained on the 11th floor of the Labyrinth.
"How was Theodora, Father-in-law?"
"Not bad. She’d be much better if she improved her technique a little."
"Is she that good?"
The Lymain bloodline was considered prestigious even among the beastkin, and I had heard they could use a special power unique to their kind called the Divine Beast Power.
I remembered seeing Theodora use it once before, though back then, she hadn't seemed to have a proper handle on it.
Did she undergo some kind of special training?
"By the way, who was that young lady from earlier?"
"Ah, do you mean Iris?"
We had met by chance, and our first encounter had been a bit ridiculous. Thinking back on it now, since Iris knew about my skills, she might have orchestrated it just to establish a connection with me.
"I'll tell you everything later."
"Alright, I'll look forward to it."
We didn't run into any particular obstacles in the 2nd Stratum. Since the terrain didn't allow for flight, our breakthrough speed was a bit slow, but thanks to actively utilizing my father-in-law's Teleport skill, we were able to clear it at an incredibly fast pace.
Starting from the 11th floor, it took about two hours to reach the 20th floor. Once there, I summoned Iris again.
"What exactly do we need from the Lich?"
"The one you've been dealing with is a fake Lich."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
According to Iris, most of the monsters I had consumed until now were 'fakes.'
"Don't you think it's strange?"
"What is?"
"That even after you kill them, they just respawn a month later as if nothing happened."
"Hmm..."
Admittedly, I had never really thought about it. Why did the boss entities respawn after being killed? Considering the Labyrinth was a mysterious realm beyond human understanding, it wasn't something ordinary people felt the need to ponder.
But I was different. I had learned that the Labyrinth was a medium for invading the surface, a collection of various locations from a completely different world called the Demon Realm. Iris had also told me that the monsters living inside were creatures that actually existed in that other world.
That realization finally brought up the question.
"You're right. Why do these bastards keep coming back to life even after they're killed? No, do they even actually die in the first place?"
"Everything is just a copy made of Mana. What you call 'Irregular entities' are simply copies that were made a bit closer to the original."
"Then... the ones I've caught weren't actually at full strength?"
"Of course not."
Since the first Labyrinth appeared on the surface 800 years ago, a vast number of them had opened. Consequently, countless monsters had swarmed to the surface only to be slaughtered, including many boss entities.
"Only through a Labyrinth Opening do the real ones finally emerge."
"But... it's not like the ones that come out during an opening feel particularly stronger than the originals that were inside the Labyrinth."
"That's because the surface is different from the Demon Realm."
"Then the Iris I see now is the original."
"Yes. Though I'm weaker than when I was in the Demon Realm."
To summarize, the creatures currently in the Labyrinth were copies based on their strength when they emerged onto the surface. This was why there was no significant difference in combat power between the 'fakes' inside the Labyrinth and the 'reals' that came out during an opening.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"We have to summon the original."
"Is there a way?"
"Why would I mention it if there wasn't?"
My father-in-law, who had been listening from the side, tilted his head in confusion. It was a bit difficult to explain everything right now, so I just brushed it off by saying we were going to summon an Irregular Lich.
"Is such a thing even possible?"
"Yes, well. It seems Iris can do it."
"She's quite an extraordinary young lady."
"Thank you, Papa."
"The phrasing is a bit weird, Iris."
"Why? You call him Father-in-law too."
"No, that's just a title."
"Then, Sera's Papa."
"Hmph! Sera is my proud little girl!"
As we entered the lowest level of the 2nd Stratum's dungeon zone where the boss resided, the Lich—who had now become trivial to us—clattered its gloomy-looking face and recited its lines.
"Is even that part of the design?"
"Pretty much."
:: Come closer. And... feel your doom...!! ::
The Lich immediately began gathering energy into the staff in its hand, scattering green fireballs everywhere. My father-in-law nimbly dodged them, while I deployed Queen Arachne's Exoskeleton to create a barrier until Iris's magic was ready.
It wasn't exceptionally powerful, and as long as I coated the exoskeleton in Aura, it wasn't a problem.
—Crack!
About three minutes later, Iris's magic must have been completed. With the sound of air splitting, cracks began to appear in the space where the Lich was floating.
'What incredible Mana...!'
Iris was definitely strong now that she had fully recovered her power. If she was this powerful on the surface, I wondered just how strong she must have been in the Demon Realm.
With a tremendous roar, the space shattered, and the Lich vanished as if sucked into the hole. The great cavern at the lowest level, where the Lich had been, fell silent.
"Where's the original?"
"Wait."
The shards of the shattered space floated into the air and began to fit back together as if time were reversing. Iris then held out her hand to me.
"Give it to me."
"Give you what?"
"The Lich's Mana Core."
"Ah, right."
I handed the green Mana Core of the Lich to Iris. She walked to the center of the cavern, set the Mana Core down, and began preparing another spell.
After a few more minutes, the Lich's Mana Core began to emit green waves of Mana, floating into the air and starting to disintegrate.
"Whoa."
"How fascinating."
I could feel an immense amount of Mana. Was this the real Lich? The disintegrated green Mana gathered in one spot again and began to reform into the shape of a Lich.
—Rumble...!
"It's done."
"Is it?"
A Lich was born, emitting a Mana pulse that was incomparably stronger than before. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it had become several times more powerful.
Just as I was about to prepare for battle and brace myself—
:: So that is how it is. ::
"Huh?"
Its way of speaking was slightly different. Was this guy always so polite?
Since its face was nothing but bone, it didn't really have expressions, but it just floated there in the air, doing nothing.
—Clatter...
Suddenly, the creature floating above descended to the ground and abruptly knelt before me.
:: You summoned me. ::
"Iris, what is this?"
"A Lich."
"No, I know that."
I wanted to ask why the original Lich was acting like this. I had been preparing myself for a sudden, violent fight.
"He is your subordinate."
"What? My subordinate?"
The Labyrinth where the Emperor of Sinew reigned as master. The Lich was the boss entity stationed in the 2nd Stratum. There was no reason for him to oppose me, the successor chosen by the Emperor himself.
When it wasn't the original, it was just a machine-like creature programmed through magic, a copy of a monster recorded at a certain point in time.
:: The Emperor has chosen his successor. And.... ::
The Lich, kneeling on knees that may or may not have existed, turned its head with a sharp crack to look at Iris.
:: Vampire woman. Why are you here? ::
"Don't worry about it."
:: What a ridiculous thing to say. How could I not worry? ::
"Um, Mr. Lich. Do you two not get along?"
:: Successor of the Emperor, she is— ::
"Hey, Lich."
Iris interrupted the Lich and slowly approached him.
"You'd better think carefully."
:: I see.... ::
I didn't know what that meant, but I figured they had made up. After all, summoning the original Lich was Iris's plan. She wouldn't have done it if it were going to be detrimental to her.
"So, what do I do now?"
"You just have to swallow the Lich."
"Hmm."
To be honest, it felt a bit strange. The copy of the Lich felt like just another monster, so I didn't feel much when I ate it. It just felt like eating a real monster.
But being told to suddenly swallow this guy who was kneeling before me and speaking politely... well. I happen to really like polite fellows.
"Hurry up."
"Phew, alright. Mr. Lich, are you okay with this?"
:: It is an honor. ::
"I wouldn't go as far as calling it an honor."
In the end, after devouring the original Lich, I pulled out its Mana Core just as I had done with the previous Lich.
"What an incredible amount of Mana... it's even more than the Megido Serpent."
The original Lich was stronger than the Irregular Megido Serpent. If that was the case, I wondered just how much more powerful the originals of the other boss entities in the Labyrinth were.
"Iris, so will the Lich not appear anymore?"
"That's not it. I simply summoned the Lich from the Demon Realm here, and you just ate it."
"Then shouldn't it stop appearing?"
"The copying magic that makes up the Labyrinth is still intact."
"I see."
Ultimately, there were no major changes to the Calax Great Labyrinth.
This Labyrinth was designed by the original owner of my skill to raise a chosen successor. All the monsters placed here were those the original owner believed possessed 'necessary abilities.'
"I've eaten things from other Labyrinths too, so there shouldn't be any problems, right?"
"The more, the better."
"Right."
My father-in-law, who had been watching quietly while leaning against a distant wall, dusted off his pants and stood up to approach us.
"Son-in-law, what on earth is going on?"
"Well... the situation is a bit complicated. You could say I'm using the Labyrinth's original function."
"It's difficult to understand. Am I not needed?"
"We have to catch Horus. Of course I need you, Father-in-law. I told you we were just stopping by here for a moment."
"Hmph! That's right! Then, are we going to catch Horus now?"
"Yes, we should."
Our business on the 20th floor was finished. Using the Teleportation Artifact Aurora had given me, we immediately teleported to the 40th floor, which I had previously set as a coordinate.
—Crackle!
Thud—!!
The sensation was similar to using a Gateway, but this felt a bit more comfortable and refined. Aurora was likely a powerful mage, considering she had taken down a 5th Stratum boss entity on her own in an instant.
"Ooh! It's the 40th floor!"
"That's right. Now we're going up to the 50th floor."
"Here! Take it!"
"Huh? Take what?"
Before I could even finish my question, my father-in-law hopped up and into my arms.
"What else? My body! Let's fly there quickly!"
"Ah."
Six months into living with my in-laws, and here I am carrying my father-in-law on my back. I really married well.