Chapter 235: A Terrible Smell
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 235: A Terrible Smell
Were the two morally bankrupt male explorers, Grokk and Melt, simply fools?
Not at all.
Naturally, by the time one reaches the Palladium Grade, the amount of residual mana in their body increases significantly, which greatly affects their senses. A primary effect of this is the ability to vaguely perceive the amount of residual mana within others.
‘This guy looks like a typical Cobalt rank at best. It’s a miracle he made it this far.’
Grokk, the older of the two explorers hired by Kanna Belfos, thought this as he looked at Yoo Eon. Even Adelaide Margarita, who possessed eyes capable of seeing a person's true worth, had initially perceived Yoo Eon as a mere Cobalt-grade explorer until he actually used a skill.
This was because Yoo Eon possessed a unique constitution; unless he manifested his mana cores, he did not emit his true mana capacity.
Furthermore, Iris possessed a profound mana concealment ability that even Orichalcum-grade explorers could not detect.
It wasn't for nothing that she had remained hidden from other mages and explorers for centuries; her mana-related techniques were as exquisite as those of the Succubus Queen, Mystery Antoinette.
In short, they had simply picked the wrong opponent. It was a classic case of "two overpowered troublemakers hiding their strength."
"Haha! Lady Iris, you are a woman of few words. You may act more comfortably around us."
"Okay."
Yoo Eon and Iris were currently perched on a small luggage rack behind the rear seat of the sled, traveling toward the labyrinth portal leading to the 55th floor.
As Grokk, his mind filled with lewd thoughts, laughed boisterously while making advances toward Iris, Kanna—who was annoyed by the noise because she wanted to talk to Yoo Eon—clicked her tongue.
"Hey, shut up. You're being noisy."
"...Understood."
The only potential snags in Grokk and Melt’s plan were Kanna Belfos and her attendant, whose estimated combat power was at the Cobalt Grade. To be honest, Grokk was well aware that he lacked any romantic appeal.
His face was a total wreck, his hair was thinning, and despite his sturdy build, he was quite short. Melt was younger and knew how to groom himself, so he was slightly better off, but still.
To put it plainly, even if Yoo Eon died during the battle with the Snow Mountain Witch as planned, Iris was unlikely to give herself to them willingly.
Ultimately, it would have to lead to a forced sexual encounter through brute strength. The big question was whether Kanna Belfos would turn a blind eye to that.
The Belfos family already had a record of which explorers their precious daughter had entered the labyrinth with, and his and Melt’s identities were public knowledge.
Even if he didn't like Kanna Belfos's attitude, he couldn't exactly kill her.
‘Well, she’ll probably look out for herself. She’s the one engaging in point-padding, after all.’
Grokk figured that even if they were both women, a noble like Kanna Belfos wouldn't penalize her accomplices while she herself was committing the immoral act of point-padding.
‘Come to think of it, I haven't considered that girl's status.’
Iris possessed undeniably stunning looks and an exceptional figure. If a woman with a face like that wasn't a noble, she was destined for a forced marriage or to become a plaything for high-ranking nobles. If she was unlucky, she’d likely be captured by criminals and turned into a public prostitute.
"Lady Iris, are you of noble birth?"
"No."
"Hmm, that can't be right. A high-level mage and such a beautiful woman being a commoner? That’s like saying lightning strikes upward! Hahaha!"
"Grokk, didn't I tell you to be quiet?"
"Urgh... Understood."
In any case, Kanna Belfos's interests were also related to Iris. Though she had no idea that the two explorers she had hired were planning to kill Yoo Eon—the man she was targeting.
"A-Aven, was it? Are you... a, um, noble?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then are you active as an explorer in Calax?"
"Yeah, something like that."
Unaware of their dark ulterior motives, Yoo Eon didn't think much of it. It had been a while since he’d been in such a boisterous group, and it didn't feel too bad.
From Yoo Eon's perspective, these people weren't opponents he might barely beat; they were beings he might accidentally kill if he wasn't careful.
‘What if I mess up my mana control and hurt them?’
That was his only concern.
* * *
They traveled for a long time until around 6:00 PM. Since time inside the labyrinth flowed similarly to the surface, the days had grown slightly longer despite being in a snowy region.
Just like the surface world in the height of summer, the sun showed no signs of setting yet.
"The Snow Mountain Witch is a Spirit Species that uses powerful frost attacks."
Yoo Eon half-listened to the explanation from Kanna Belfos's attendant before deciding to search the surroundings thoroughly. The reason was that since the space inside the labyrinth had expanded significantly upon reaching the 6th Stratum, it was difficult to encounter even a mid-boss entity by chance.
"She looks like a statue of a woman made of ice."
"Yes, that's right."
It was an ice sculpture monster in the shape of a woman, about three meters tall.
‘This feels strangely familiar.’
Just as Yoo Eon was searching his memories for a description he felt he’d heard somewhere before, the attendant approached and placed something in the hands of Yoo Eon and Iris.
"What is this?"
"A signal flare. If you find her, retreat immediately and fire the flare to signal your location."
"Understood."
‘Interesting. They even have things like this prepared.’
Though she didn't stop her master from going astray, she was an excellent person who fulfilled her duties as an attendant.
"H-How about we mix up the teams for a bit? Wouldn't that be fun?"
"That's ridiculous... Ah, wait... Is it?"
The six-person party had to be split into three teams of two. Grokk wanted to be on a team with Iris, while Kanna’s true desire was to keep Iris away from Yoo Eon, even if she couldn't be on his team herself.
She was a bit uneasy about being separated from her attendant, but she also felt a slight, ambiguous desire to be on Yoo Eon's team.
"Lady Iris shall team up with me! A mage needs a more reliable frontliner, after all!"
"No."
Grokk had made his proposal boisterously, only to be coldly rejected.
"Let's go with the people we're familiar with. If our coordination is off, someone could die."
"Hmm... Ah, let's do that for now. It can't be helped since this is dangerous."
Kanna wasn't such a fool that she would risk her own life just because she wanted Yoo Eon. Regrettably, following the attendant's suggestion, Grokk and Melt, Kanna and the attendant, and Yoo Eon and Iris formed teams and began their search to locate the Snow Mountain Witch.
"When would be a natural time to fire this?"
"I don't know."
Within three minutes of starting, the team of Yoo Eon and Iris had already pinpointed the Snow Mountain Witch's location. If Yoo Eon mobilized the army of Evil Eyes that had swept through the entire 35th floor in an instant, finding a monster's location was trivial.
"Take this, vampire."
"Cold."
"This is how you play."
Ultimately, Yoo Eon and Iris decided to have a snowball fight for about ten minutes, scooping up the snow that covered the ground and throwing it at each other.
Whoosh—!
Of course, they weren't just playing; Yoo Eon used Horus's mana to compress the snow with wind and launch it at Iris at 174 km/h.
Cr-crack!
Iris performed the feat of using 'Omnidirectional Physical Reflection Magic' to return the snowballs Yoo Eon threw at her exactly as they came.
"This isn't fun."
"That's because you're not getting hit."
"Why is getting hit supposed to be fun?"
"That's just how the game works."
"Strange."
"I'll just throw them by hand, so try getting hit once."
Iris was hit squarely in the head by a snowball Yoo Eon had casually packed and tossed. Although her body temperature was lower than a human's, she was still a living being, so the snow on her head soon began to melt and soak her hair.
"I'll dry it for you."
"Okay."
After spending about ten minutes like that, they moved to the Snow Mountain Witch's location and fired the signal flare.
Pop!
Beneath the signal flare that soared into the sky trailing red smoke, Iris and Yoo Eon each took positions a short distance away from the Snow Mountain Witch and waited for the other party members to join them.
"They're late."
"I'll be a grandmother by the time they get here."
"Iris, you're a long-lived species anyway."
"True."
This was generally how the movement speed of ordinary people felt. Since Kanna and the attendant's team had taken the sled, Yoo Eon thought they would arrive first, but surprisingly, Grokk and Melt's team arrived faster.
"Oh, you got here quickly."
Grokk and Melt were panting heavily. They breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Kanna’s team hadn't arrived yet.
"Phew, looks like we made it."
"You're early. Good job."
Kanna’s team arrived on the sled, so they didn't look particularly tired. Regardless, they had found the Snow Mountain Witch, and since all six were gathered, it was time to begin the battle.
"Use only a tenth of your power."
"Why?"
"It's practice."
"Hmm, alright."
Yoo Eon nodded at Iris's advice. Grokk, sensing something strange as they organized their formation, spoke up.
"What? Weren't you a frontliner?"
"Well, I can do that, but right now, I'm a mage."
"What do you mean, 'right now you're a mage'?!"
If Yoo Eon wasn't standing in the front, they wouldn't be able to "accidentally" kill him during the fight with the Snow Mountain Witch. As Grokk grew frustrated and started acting irritable, Kanna, who was listening nearby, snapped at him.
"Grokk, why are you trying to force a mage to the front?"
"W-Well, you see... I just thought three in the front and three in the back would be best..."
Grokk tried to make a lame excuse, but of course, it didn't fly. However, surprisingly, Kanna and Grokk's goals aligned in one aspect.
"Grokk, follow me for a second."
"Eh? What is it?"
After leading Grokk away, Kanna cast a soundproofing magic just in case and spoke.
"Hey, that Aven guy...?"
"Yes. Go on."
"Could you... maybe put him in a somewhat dangerous situation?"
Both of their plans required Yoo Eon to be in danger.
The difference was that Kanna’s goal was 'rescue' from danger, while Grokk’s goal was 'death' through danger.
"Why... would you want that?"
"Well... it's good to have him owe me a favor or a debt, right? Then I can use him like a toy."
In Grokk's mind, it was perfect.
‘Right, this girl was thinking the same thing.’
He would pretend to go along with Kanna’s plan, but in the end, if he killed him, his own goal would be achieved. Shouting for joy in his heart, Grokk nodded, and Kanna calmly returned after finishing their conspiracy as if nothing had happened.
"Alright, it can't be helped. Like Grokk said, it seems better to have three people in the front. Aven, you stand in the front. Got it?"
"Hmm. Understood."
In truth, Yoo Eon didn't really care whether he was in the front or not. Unlike other mages, he didn't need casting time. He was essentially a warrior who knew how to use magic.
"Alright, let's go."
Thus, the front line consisted of Grokk, Yoo Eon, and Melt, in that order. In the rear stood Kanna, the attendant, and Iris, who planned to do absolutely nothing.
Ssshh—!
As soon as it spotted the humans, the Snow Mountain Witch bared its hostility. As described, it was a Spirit Species in the form of a female statue made of ice.
However, there was one thing they had overlooked.
Sshaaaaaa?!
"Uh, wait, where is it going?"
The fact that members of the Spirit Species are extremely sensitive to the residue of mana.
"What's wrong with it?"
And to a high-ranking member of the Spirit Species with sensitive senses, Yoo Eon—whose body emitted a horrific smell of various monsters mixed together—was like an indescribable, monstrous entity.
"It's running away...?"
"What?! Someone catch it, quick!!"