Chapter 67: Master of the Labyrinth
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: Master of the Labyrinth
With Noel acting as our navigator and trap detector, and me as the monster sensor, dungeon exploration became a simple cycle of movement, combat, and rest.
It meant we didn't have to do any tedious mapping or worry about traps popping out of nowhere.
Moreover, after entering the 3rd Layer, even the frequency of combat dropped drastically, thanks to most of the monsters being notoriously sluggish gargoyles and golems.
While the monsters we'd met before were risky because they'd chase us relentlessly if we tried to run, gargoyles and golems were wonderfully stupid morons who would lose us after just a few turns around a corner.
Of course, we couldn't avoid every fight.
Occasionally, they appeared in groups of two or more, and since gargoyles and golems were so large, taking them down consumed a lot of stamina and mana.
As a result, we naturally started taking more frequent breaks than we did on the 2nd Layer. The resting itself was fine, of course. Managing our condition was essential to prepare for the 3rd Layer's boss.
Instead.
“Hngh, nnggh...!!♡”
Slap, slap♡
The slight problem was that every time we rested, I had to unload at least three rounds into Noel.
It was as if she heard 'Let's take a short break' as 'Let's go to a motel.' She'd settle onto my lap and start grinding her ass against me, making her impossible to ignore.
Of course, it wasn't difficult for me, but the real problem was with Noel.
“I'm coming...!”
“Inside, fill me up inside...!!♡ Haaah, nngghh...?!♡”
Sppllrt, splurt—
For every one time I came, Noel would come more than five times, and that's including the smaller orgasms. If her legs suddenly gave out in the middle of a fight, it would undoubtedly lead to an irreversible disaster.
In the end, the fact that we had to take a separate break after our break, which involved over an hour of sex, became a factor holding us back.
But I lacked the self-control to refuse her advances. Who knew a beast-kin's pussy would be this tight?
'...Three rounds is just stress relief.'
We're constantly fighting monsters in a sunless dungeon. Isn't it okay to consider this much a form of stress relief?
Forced to rationalize it that way, I let Noel finish cleaning me up with her mouth.
“Sluuurp, slup, schlurp...♡”
I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd acquired a sex slave instead of a summon, but it was too late to return her now.
Besides, I was in no position to blame anyone, since I was enjoying it too.
Sighing inwardly, I shot my last load into Noel's mouth.
*
As I said before, our exploration of the 3rd Layer was going smoothly.
Perhaps it was because we now had the option to run away when monsters appeared.
With the danger naturally reduced, we let our guard down. While that didn't cause any problems on its own, a problem soon came looking for us in our complacent state.
“Master! Two stone golems at our six!”
While we were fighting two gargoyles, two golems appeared behind us.
Suddenly surrounded, we were forced to make a choice.
Either break through one side or deal with all of them.
Of course, neither option was easy.
If we broke through the gargoyles, I was worried about the magic they'd fire at our backs. If we ran toward the golems, their ridiculously wide attack range was a concern.
But taking them all on wasn't feasible either.
According to our original plan, we were supposed to push on for another thirty minutes before setting up a base camp and resting.
It wouldn't be easy to fight as usual with our stamina already so low. Even if we could, it would be impossible to handle four monsters without getting injured.
“Kyah?!”
“Noel!”
CRASH!!
Noel, who had been keeping the golems in check, was sent flying back by the recoil of blocking a massive spear. Normally, an attack like that wouldn't have pushed her back; it was proof of how exhausted she was.
I ran to Noel to check on her.
“Are you okay?”
“Ugh... I-I'm fine.”
She didn't look fine at all, but I couldn't let her rest.
“Can you just draw the golems' attention for a moment? Don't fight them head-on.”
“...Yes!”
With a determined look in her eyes, Noel got back up and charged toward the golems.
There was no more time to hesitate.
I summoned the element of lightning from my mana circle, and it immediately began racing through my magic circuits.
My body trembled from a pain like being electrocuted, but I bit my lip and forced my legs to hold steady.
While Noel drew the golems' attention, I kept the gargoyles at bay and gathered my mana.
Crackle—
The single principle that mana dominates the elements was the foundation of an Elementalist's magic.
I used an overwhelming amount of mana to forcibly suppress the rampaging lightning that didn't even recognize its own master. Thanks to that, the lightning that felt like it would burn out my magic circuits calmed down temporarily.
If I were just a 3rd Circle mage, I wouldn't have needed to do something so reckless. As a 2nd Circle mage, there was a limit to the output I could produce, no matter how much mana I poured in.
The lightning and mana traveled through my circuits, from my heart to my shoulder, from my shoulder to my arm, and from my arm to my hand.
[Ball Lightning]
A small, ball-shaped mass of thunderclouds rose above my head.
“To me!”
At my short signal, Noel, who had been drawing the golems' attention, quickly broke from the front line and ran to my side.
The moment I pulled Noel into my arms and cast a barrier, vicious lightning erupted in all directions from the unstable-looking thundercloud.
It was a storm of lightning, discharging with enough force to shatter the dungeon's ceiling, floor, and even the mural-covered walls. It was impossible for the nearby gargoyles and golems to escape its aftermath.
As I watched the gargoyles' heads get blown off and the golems' limbs shatter in real time, all I could do was pray that the barrier would hold.
A mage generally has a strong resistance to magic they cast with their own mana. By that same logic, the 'Ball Lightning' created with my mana wouldn't tear apart a barrier made with that same mana.
...Probably.
The lightning storm, which felt like it lasted an eternity but was over in an instant, finally subsided. Beyond it, all that remained were the stone fragments of the gargoyles and a barely moving golem.
Actually, you could hardly call it moving. Not only were its limbs blown off, but its core was also completely exposed.
In human terms, it was a critical injury; it wouldn't be strange if it died at any moment.
We couldn't help but be stunned by the sight. No matter how much lightning boasted the strongest firepower among the elements, golems were also famous for their high magic resistance.
So for a mere 2nd Circle mage to reduce a golem to such a state with a single spell, our reaction was only natural.
However.
“Ugh?!”
“M-Master?”
My legs gave out from under me, and I collapsed to the floor.
From that single spell, a burning sensation as if my magic circuits were being incinerated washed over me. My vision swam, and my head grew dizzy.
Only then did I realize that power beyond one's level doesn't come for free.
“Master!!”
My limbs wouldn't move properly.
The rebound—the price for forcibly suppressing an element with mana.
But if I hadn't, casting a lightning spell of that magnitude would have been impossible.
“No...el...”
I struggled to look toward the golems. As if understanding my intent from that alone, Noel immediately rushed over and finished them off by shattering their cores.
But that was all we could manage.
I should have given Noel a few potions. They would have been useful now, when I didn't even have the strength to take something out of my inventory.
Regret came too late, and the price came too soon.
And the price was always far greater than we could have imagined.
Thud—
A vibration came from the ground. But it wasn't just one. I could feel at least five of them.
It seemed that the aftermath of the battle had drawn every monster in the vicinity to our location.
“Master, hold on tight!”
“...I can't get any strength into my hands right now.”
Like the beast-kin she was, with senses sharper than mine, Noel immediately scooped me up and ran toward where the vibrations were faintest.
Before long, a Bear Golem appeared.
'I really hate bears...'
Naturally, we had no time to fight. Noel used every last bit of her strength to dodge the Bear Golem's attacks and force her way through.
In the process, Noel's arm was wounded.
At some point, the number of monsters chasing us had grown to five, but Noel didn't stop.
It was strange, no matter how you looked at it.
The golems and gargoyles we'd encountered so far were all blockheads that would lose us after just a few turns.
But these ones were different.
No matter if they were classified as Bear Golems or Poison Gargoyles, they were still fundamentally golems.
There was no way their intelligence could be so dramatically different.
Besides, something was off about those golems that had appeared behind us earlier, too.
To avoid a situation like that, I had kept my mana detection active even during combat. But those golems had appeared behind us as if they were invisible, completely bypassing my detection.
“You can put me down now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I'm much better than before.”
Without a moment's hesitation, Noel put me down and started running again. I followed right behind her.
My legs still felt a little weak, but I compensated with mana.
Thanks to that, my magic circuits began to ache again, but it was bearable. No, even if it wasn't, I had to endure it.
“To the right.”
I guided our direction using mana detection to shake off the pursuing monsters. Of course, with my magic circuits not in their normal state, my detection range was reduced to nearly half of what it usually was.
Still, it was much better than nothing.
After running through the dungeon for a good while longer, we finally managed to lose the monsters.
Finally, I squeezed out every last drop of my mana to cast one more detection spell.
It was accompanied by intense pain, but I managed to extend the detection to its usual maximum range. Only after confirming there were no monsters nearby could we finally rest.
Just in case, we took turns keeping watch while the other took a nap. We didn't have the luxury of a leisurely meal, so we practically inhaled our food.
'...My stomach feels a bit off after drinking a potion instead of water.'
It seemed to be the same for Noel, as her expression looked quite poor.
Anyway, after many hardships, we had each managed to get five hours of rest and recover some of our fatigue when another massive vibration echoed throughout the entire dungeon.
THUD!!
It was a vibration incomparably larger than the golem-type monsters we'd met before. I immediately used mana detection and sensed something not far from us.
And that something was rapidly approaching us.
“Noel!”
It was too late to run. At that speed, we'd be caught in no time even if we tried to flee.
In that case, it was far better to face it now while we were prepared to fight. Noel held her giant hammer, and I drew Gilenium, our fighting spirits blazing.
KUUUNG!!
The vibrations grew stronger and closer.
My legs began to tremble instinctively, but I punched my thigh to stop the shaking.
KRAAANG!!
Finally, what burst from around the corner ahead wasn't a golem or a gargoyle, but it was just as massive as they were.
Tough, sharp-looking horns, skin bulging with thick veins, and nostrils snorting hot steam.
The axe it held was so enormous it made Noel's hammer look like a child's toy.
“M-Master... Is that what I think it is...?”
It had the head of a bull atop the body of a monstrous man.
The absolute ruler who roams the labyrinth.
The apex predator of the dungeon.
The A-rank monster, the Minotaur, had appeared.