Chapter 87: Then It's Fine
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 87: Then It's Fine
Behind Arthur Dexter, who had discovered Yoo Eon, the trio including Rubia stepped into the clearing.
"Whoa... what on earth is this...? Why is everything destroyed!?"
The stone tiles of the 2nd Stratum, which wouldn't even be scratched by ordinary attacks, were completely pulverized. Dark violet flames of unknown origin clung to various spots within the wide open space.
Parts of the floor had melted and flowed like liquid from the heat, and yellow tridents—seen somewhere before—were embedded here and there in the walls.
And standing at the center of it all was none other than Yoo Eon.
"Ah!! He's alive!!"
"It's true...! Thank goodness, Aven!"
Rubia and Belinda held hands and jumped up and down, rejoicing at the fact that Aven had survived.
Benjamin, who had been watching Aven in silence beside them, approached Arthur Dexter and spoke.
"Aven's state is strange."
"You can feel it?"
"...Yes. I am a Mage, after all."
"What do you mean? What's wrong with Aven?"
Benjamin reached out an arm to block Rubia as she tried to step forward, shaking his head.
Currently, there weren't many outward peculiarities in Yoo Eon's condition. At most, he had stripped off all his equipment during the process of consuming and regenerating his own body through his abilities.
Of course, since his entire body was covered in black scales, Rubia and Belinda—who were simply happy to see him alive—didn't notice this.
However, to the eyes of Benjamin and Dexter, Yoo Eon was abnormal.
What an immense amount of mana. It’s at a level I’ve never felt before. Even the professors of the Iverit Class didn't possess mana like this.
A massive mana that overwhelmed even the professors who taught him. And that wasn't all. To begin with, the very quality of the mana felt from Yoo Eon was different.
Furthermore, in the eyes of Dexter, a former Titanium Grade, it was clear what Yoo Eon was looking at.
He's wary of me. It's not because he doesn't recognize my face; something must have gone wrong.
Dexter was one of the figures whose name was always mentioned among the strongest in Calax. To the current Yoo Eon, who could instinctively sense an opponent's martial prowess, there was no one more to be guarded against than Dexter.
He might be several times, perhaps dozens of times stronger than the Human Hunter Lugus. To the senses of a beast whose first priority was self-preservation, Dexter was not an opponent to be boldly challenged.
Dexter knew this as well.
"Is there anyone here who has a close or long-standing relationship with him?"
"H-huh? Why all of a sudden?"
"Aven seems to need rest right now."
He had seen an explorer enter a similar state before. Of course, Dexter could subdue Yoo Eon by force, but if there was another way, it would be better.
"W-we just happened to party with him this one time..."
"I see."
As if he had no choice, Dexter let out a deep sigh, shook his head, and handed the gloves he was wearing to Rubia.
"Get back. It's dangerous here."
"W-what... why are you giving me these all of a sudden?"
"Rubia. It seems we must subdue Aven by force."
At Benjamin's words, Rubia and Belinda wore blank expressions, as if they couldn't understand what he was talking about. But there was no need for further explanation.
—Swoosh!!
A trident, thrown by Yoo Eon with a powerful physical strength several times his original power after shedding so much blood, flew forward.
CRASH—!!!!
"Impressive."
It was blocked and shattered into pieces by Dexter's hand.
"W-wait?! Aven, you jerk, what are you doing?! We're in the same party!!"
"Rubia! Get upstairs, quickly! You'll get caught in the crossfire if you stay here!"
The trio hurried back up the stairs they had just descended. Meanwhile, Dexter slowly moved down toward the broken staircase, drawing Yoo Eon's gaze.
Once he confirmed the trio had disappeared from sight, Dexter thrust his fist forward and spoke.
"Burst."
Thump—!!
Yoo Eon, who had been standing still, was sent flying like a dry leaf by an invisible, silent impact, slamming violently into the wall. The impact was so great that a hole several times deeper and dozens of times larger than the one the Human Hunter Lugus had been embedded in was carved into the wall.
The walls of the Labyrinth cracked and crumbled as thick dust rose. Yoo Eon, having been slammed into the wall, fell back toward the floor like a dry branch falling from a tree.
After some time, once the dust settled, what appeared there was...
"So you can withstand even that."
Yoo Eon, now shrouded in even larger dark violet flames. Dexter immediately deployed his ability and struck the ground with his fist.
Boom!! Ka-boom—!!!
Contrary to the intense roar, the floor didn't break at all. Aside from the sound, it looked as if an ordinary person without mana was noisily pounding the floor with their fist.
But the reality was different.
"Burst."
As Dexter, who had been striking the ground, thrust his fist forward again, a strangely shaped shockwave similar to before poured out.
—Rumble...!
Since it wasn't the first time he'd been hit by this attack, Yoo Eon recognized it and moved to avoid it. Even in the midst of that, he maintained his guard against Dexter and secured an escape route. He was fully exerting the instincts and capabilities of a beast.
Nevertheless, the gap in combat power between the current Yoo Eon and Dexter was simply too vast.
With a massive roar like a thunderclap, an unidentified shockwave attack struck at a speed that couldn't even be tracked by the eye.
"Let's end this now."
As Dexter thrust his fist forward one last time, a rectangular shockwave so large it was impossible to escape engulfed Yoo Eon.
Crumble—
Unable to withstand the force, the ceiling and walls shattered and fell. Dexter moved quickly through the collapsing Great Hall, picked up the unconscious Yoo Eon, and headed up the stairs. There, Rubia and Belinda, who were trembling, met him.
"W-what happened?!"
"Aven will be fine. Let's go up."
* * *
"Senior, so why did the Department Head say he was going down into the Labyrinth...?"
"How should I know? He's always been like that. He has this sort of stupid future sight."
"Stupid future sight...?"
Dahlia was sitting in a chair diligently looking through documents, while Katrina had her feet propped up on Dahlia's thighs. About an hour ago, Arthur Dexter, who had been cooped up on the 4th floor, suddenly declared he was entering the Labyrinth and went straight into the portal.
"Come to think of it, Katrina, you were in a fixed party with Department Head Dexter, weren't you?"
"Well, yeah. He was like that back then, too. He'd say something stupid like, 'That's strange, I feel like something's going to happen.' And when we actually went to check, something big really had happened."
"I-I see... Is it a skill?"
"Seems like it. But I don't really know either."
Katrina and Dexter were currently boss and subordinate, but they had previously formed a party as fellow explorers. Of course, even Katrina's position at the guild was because she wanted to slack off and spend her days sitting at the reception desk.
From Dahlia's perspective, the impulsive behavior of her direct superior, Arthur Dexter, who was usually stuck in his office, felt strange.
Come to think of it, Aven should be in the Labyrinth right now.
There was still no news of Yoo Eon's return. A few days ago, he had visited the guild decked out in equipment more thoroughly than usual. He said he was going on a hunting party with three strangers to the 18th floor, a depth he had never been to before.
While cheering for him deep in her heart, Dahlia also felt a bit of regret.
Right, Aven can also form a party like a normal person.
Ever since his days as a Brass Grade, her eyes had been drawn to Yoo Eon. After entering the Labyrinth with a party once or twice at the very beginning, he had gone in alone ever since.
He used to always have an expression like he was about to die, but one day, his expression seemed to brighten up a bit. It was truly good to see.
I think it was from the time his left eye...
After that, he had a sudden streak of success and even achieved remarkable feats.
"Eek?!"
"What are you thinking about, Dahlia?"
"A-ah, it's nothing...!"
Because Katrina had pointed her toes and brushed against her chest, the idle thoughts filling her head vanished instantly. As Dahlia shook her head to clear her mind and tried to focus on work again—
—Wait, isn't that Lord Arthur...?
—Who's that guy he's carrying?
—Arthur Dexter came out of the Labyrinth...?!
News of the return of her top boss, who had performed the impulsive act, reached her.
"Well, well, let's see what kind of trouble he's caused this time."
As Katrina, who was beside her, stood up while lazily sliding into her loafers, Dahlia also became curious. Even though she had only been a receptionist for three years, it was rare for Arthur Dexter to move personally.
Since her senior, Katrina, said that if Dexter acted impulsively, it meant his "stupid future sight" had triggered, she wondered if something big had happened.
"Huh...?"
But what on earth was going on? The face of the man slung over Arthur Dexter's shoulder was familiar.
"A-Aven? Why is he there...?"
* * *
Since Dexter was such a famous figure, it was only natural that his actions became the talk of the town among explorers. And stories discussed among explorers naturally made their way into drinking sessions.
"It's been a long time since I've seen that man Dexter enter the Labyrinth."
"Did you hear what happened? They say he came back to the surface carrying someone on his back."
"Ah, that's right. What was his name? Aven, was it? They said his body was completely wrecked. He was taken to the treatment center."
And since most explorer drinking sessions took place at inns...
Clatter
"E-excuse me, sir... what did you just say...?"
"Ah, that. You know the Southwest Guild manager? Are you too young to know him?"
"The name! You said his name is Aven...?!"
"Yeah, yeah. They say Dexter went into the Labyrinth for the first time in five years to bring him back personally. I don't know the details of what happened, though."
Tresha, who was serving food, had overheard the conversation between the explorers and heard the news about Yoo Eon.
"Whoops. Tresha, what's this?"
Roland, who was half-drunk as usual today, picked up the bread Tresha had dropped and ate it. Then, seeing Tresha's expression—
"Is something wrong?"
"B-Brother! Brother is hurt...! Sister!!"
As Tresha rushed into the kitchen, it wasn't long before Sera came out.
"Whoa. Sera, where are you going now?"
"Ah, Dad! Don't eat things off the floor! I'm going to the guild for a moment!"
Roland blankly watched Sera's back as she grabbed her coat and ran outside in a hurry. Then, he glanced down at the floor.
"It hasn't been three minutes yet. Then it's fine to eat."
Fortunately, he was stopped by the men sitting next to him.