Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Catch That Bastard (9)
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Ka-gagagak!
Gurumimi barely managed to block the axe swinging right in front of his eyes like a massive bell.
The impact-weak illusion magic shattered instantly, revealing the rabbit head with a look of panic.
Gurumimi's mind was filled with a single question.
"H-how did you see through the illusion magic again...!"
How the hell had he pierced the illusion magic?
Illusion magic was an incredibly tricky and delicate spell.
Even another mage couldn't easily distinguish reality from illusion without deep study.
And the one handling the illusion magic right beside him was a mage with considerable expertise in it.
Even Rayhem, who had been mimicking Gurumimi from afar, widened his eyes in shock.
His magic had been seen through.
By a guy who looked utterly unrelated to magic—a brute packed with stupidly huge, rock-hard muscles.
The situation was different from their first encounter. Back then, they had a tracking map and had anticipated things somewhat.
An explorer with talent might make that call on instinct.
But what the hell was this situation now?
Without even looking at the tracking map.
With a clear enemy right in front of him, radiating hostility.
Noticing an opponent lurking right beside him, breath and presence completely suppressed, waiting only for a chance to strike?
'Is that even possible?'
It might make sense if someone with a blessing that could detect illusion magic had chased them into the Labyrinth at just the right time.
'But no one in Labyrinth City witnessed illusion magic being used? When did they get the info? How? No way. Did we get exposed?'
Balkan watched Rayhem from afar, eyes rolling as his movements slowed.
'Yeah. Think about it.'
He didn't answer their questions.
Letting doubts fester in their minds would create more psychological pressure.
And that pressure would turn into burden, naturally creating openings.
So what he needed to do now was swing the axe even fiercer and harder!
Kaga-gagak!!
Gurumimi angled his straight sword to deflect the axe, spun once, and slashed upward from below.
Kang!
Balkan didn't dodge. He brought down Zirnier Besil's Double-Edged Axe from his other hand onto the sword rising toward his neck.
Kang!
He'd meant to just block the blade lightly, but the sword snapped clean in two.
"Wha..."
Ever heard of relic alloy?
Gurumimi's eyes filled with shock. His movements froze for a moment from the surprise.
Opportunity.
Jee-eoeok!!!
"Kak!"
The axe Edelbert had gifted him grazed Gurumimi's nape.
A tingling sensation ran up his arm from the flesh being sliced.
Not a satisfying result, though.
His agility was sky-high, apparently. Even in that moment, Gurumimi leaped back with rabbit-like springiness, barely dodging the axe blow.
"Kuluk, gehet—!"
But "barely" meant he still took some damage.
Gurumimi clutched his neck, where blood dripped from the axe gash while still gripping the broken sword, stemming the flow.
His white rabbit fur stained red with blood. In an instant, he pulled a potion bottle from his waist and bit it between his teeth, then shouted.
"Talian—!"
He desperately called for Rayhem, but it was pointless.
"Looks like your friend's about to get caught."
"......"
Rayhem had been too confident in Gurumimi's plan succeeding.
In other words, confident his illusion magic wouldn't be pierced.
That confidence shattered perfectly below the status window, flipping the battle.
"Mage is caught, Balkan! Be right there!"
Joy Hog and Juwel shouted as they bound Rayhem.
With Balkan holding Gurumimi, the party—having grasped the situation—decided to capture the troublesome mage first. The portal to the 7th floor was close, raising escape risks.
Leaving Hitollis to support Balkan, the party charged at Rayhem, the illusion mage putting on an obvious bluff while disguised as Gurumimi.
Two tanks, one swordsman, two mages, and one cleric—that overwhelming force was too much for a single mage.
In the end, despite Rayhem's frantic spellcasting, the party's coordination overwhelmed him, and he was swiftly captured.
Gurumimi glanced at the scene and judged quickly.
'Run.'
Too careless. Underestimated them. Outnumbered. Ambush plan botched. Shouldn't have dropped to the 8th floor to begin with.
'All because of that bastard...!'
Gurumimi glared at the helmeted man before him—Balkan—gnashing his teeth.
That fucker kept ruining things at crucial moments, turning everything to shit.
Pushing regret aside, his red rabbit eyes sought a way to survive.
Those eyes turned to the glowing blue ascending portal.
At the same time, Gurumimi's thigh swelled massively as mana gathered inside.
Gurumimi steeled his resolve.
The massive cost of permanent Wisdom loss.
And in exchange, this blessing granted an enormous stat boost.
He'd decided to use it.
Jee-eoeoeok!
"Kahaak!!"
But Balkan wasn't the gracious villain type who leisurely admired a hero's transformation.
That second or so Gurumimi took to prepare the blessing felt eternally long to him. He swung the axe without hesitation.
Aiming to sever the escape leg.
Kududuk.
'The axe won't budge?'
Gurumimi already had slightly higher stats in strength and agility than Balkan.
And right now, his leg had all muscles and mana explosively condensed.
Its toughness resisted even Zirnier's axe blade. It stopped midway, blocked by bone and muscle.
"Kkuuu... Aaaaaaak!!!!"
Gurumimi gritted his teeth, tensed his thigh, and took a step forward.
Not an ordinary stride.
"Balkan—!"
Joy Hog's shout came from right beside him.
The voice of Joy Hog, who had been holding Rayhem by the distant portal, rang out nearby.
A sensation of his arm stretching late, followed by stinging pain in his back.
Gurumimi had moved at insane speed, and since the axe was lodged in his thigh, Balkan—gripping the handle tight—got dragged along.
He tumbled across the floor in the sudden chaos but didn't let go of Gurumimi.
Aldente stretched his jelly arm belatedly but couldn't reach Gurumimi or me. The speed gap was too wide.
"Come up to the 7th floor!"
Balkan shouted that urgently and clung to Gurumimi's thigh.
Soon, the rippling blue ascending portal swallowed Balkan and Gurumimi.
Joy Hog stared in shock, then shoved the captured mage into Gregor's luggage bag.
"We're following right now!"
The remaining party members huddled and jumped through the portal.
In an instant, the end of the now-silent 8th floor held only the two quietly glowing portals.
A floating sensation hit as the scenery flipped in an instant.
Unfamiliar sights. The 7th floor.
That crazy bitch Gurumimi. Somehow succeeded in crossing the ascending portal with her frantic flailing.
"Kak!"
Gurumimi couldn't handle his own speed and crashed into the Labyrinth wall right after exiting the portal.
I, tangled with Gurumimi, slammed into the wall and hit the floor. Luckily, Gurumimi cushioned me, so no major injuries.
And I hadn't let go of the axe until that moment.
The blessing's duration must've ended already—Gurumimi's thigh felt looser than before.
Not too soft, not too hard. Perfect for slicing.
I raised Edelbert's axe in my right hand and slammed down Zirnier's blade.
Kaaaaang!!
"Kwaaaaaa!"
Like a sculptor hammering a chisel into marble.
Zirnier's axe vibrated as it dug through thigh bone and muscle in a flash.
The pain must've been immense—Gurumimi let out a wretched scream.
Chaeng!
Even as he aimed his broken sword at my lower back, the unimaginable agony made Gurumimi drop it.
I kicked it far away immediately.
Cheeky bastard. Once more.
Kaaaaang!
Another slam, and Zirnier's axe—embedded in Gurumimi's thigh—sliced through bone and flesh, emerging to taste open air.
No scream this time.
Gurumimi's body slumped, teeth clenched with grunts. He'd passed out.
"Haa..."
I sighed, plopping my ass on his belly. Drained.
"Finally caught the bastard."
Luck played a big part overall. Gurumimi focused more on fleeing than fighting. A prolonged battle would've injured me badly too.
"How many portals this bitch made me ride."
Puk!
I punched Gurumimi's passed-out rabbit head.
At least it was an ascending portal, not descending. Dropping to the 9th would've been hell, but the 7th was better. Had to pass through it to return to the surface anyway.
'With Gurumimi here, Joy Hog's party will follow the tracking map.'
The 7th floor was average-sized, I'd heard. Even if it took long, they'd arrive in two days max.
Meaning I had to hold out alone for up to two days.
If we were lucky and spawned close, half a day. But I wasn't that lucky...
Cheolgak. Cheolgak.
"Fuck."
Footsteps entered my restored perception range. A lot of them.
My grip tightened on the axe handle. Sighing, I assessed the foes.
Not Joy Hog's party first off. Way more numbers.
About 13. Heavy plate clanks and light steps showed no hesitation. Like nothing on the 7th floor warranted caution.
No good hiding spots in this open space.
I stood quietly, hand on axe, ready to meet whoever approached. Outlaws? Fight. Decent explorers? Then...
Cheolgak.
The footsteps stopped.
"What are you? How the hell are you already here..."
The foes weren't outlaws or explorers... but a familiar face.
A paladin in golden armor, Seriph's escort.
[Nate Elrin LV.40]
The temple investigation team she led stared at me with eyes full of curiosity.