Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Labyrinth 21st Floor
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Labyrinth floors 11 through 20 are called the "Forest Layer."
While terrain like lakes or swamps does appear, the environments on these floors never stray from the broad framework of "forest."
But once you pass the 20th floor and reach the 21st, things change.
Natural Attribute Layer. Or simply the Attribute Layer, as it's known.
Flames flicker and lava bubbles on the 21st floor.
Chilling air blooms and frost falls on the 22nd.
Lightning strikes and thunder roars on the 23rd.
Cliffs rise and earthquakes rumble on the 24th.
And the 25th floor, shrouded in darkness with demonic energy rising...
Floors 21 through 25 are colloquially known as the "Attribute Layers," each boasting its own distinctive environment. Adventurers accustomed to the Forest Layer must prepare thoroughly with gear and consumables to withstand each layer's conditions, as well as the unique monsters that inhabit them, before pushing past the 20th.
Up to the 20th floor, the main obstacles were the labyrinth's monsters and fellow adventurers. From the 21st onward, it's the labyrinth's "environment" that becomes the primary enemy.
"Yes. The requests currently available on the 21st floor are as follows."
But precisely because of these harsh conditions, the rewards are plentiful, allowing countless requests to be posted on these floors.
'Lava stones... high-quality granite. There's even a request to harvest lava itself? Still, mining requests for ores are the most numerous...'
Among them, the 21st floor—the Flame Layer—is especially renowned for its abundant mineral deposits. Even when the labyrinth mutates and reshapes its internal structure, the "Flame Layer" form remains unchanged, and over long periods, it has yielded materials for countless weapons and armors.
"So that's the 21st floor."
Flames roil across the 21st floor. Naturally, entering requires fire-resistance potions, or alternatively, magic tools or special gear.
🔥 Attribute Resistance Lv. 6:Increases resistance to all attribute damage.
'Finally, time to put this skill to use.'
The [Attribute Resistance] skill. Honestly, I'd acquired it but hadn't had much chance to use it so far, since no monsters had attacked with attributes. Even so, it leveled up steadily, finally hitting Lv. 6 when I triggered [Lust Absorption] on Vivian.
Just to be safe, I'd visited the Alchemy Guild and bought some experimental items.
"Yes, customer. Here's the flame explosion scroll and lava potion! The lava potion, as the name suggests, spills lava when you break the bottle..."
"I'll take it."
True to the Alchemy Guild's reputation for selling every odd item imaginable, they naturally stocked flame-related goods. After buying the lava potion, I returned to my estate's training ground, pulled it out, and poured it straight onto my arm.
-Sizzle!
"Whoa."
Acrid smoke rises, carrying a foul stench. With [Sensory Block] active, there's no pain, but I can see my flesh burning. However...
"Not a big deal."
I brush off the lava, charred flesh flakes away, and fresh skin grows back. Plus, the burn was only superficial. Maybe because [Body Reinforcement] has grown, but even dousing myself in lava only scorches the outer layer of skin.
They say it matches the 21st floor's lava in potency, but this much I could tank barehanded. Unless I was swimming in it.
Decision made.
"Let's go."
To the 21st floor.
"Huff... huff... Lena. Aren't you hot?"
"I'm fine since I handle fire to begin with. Hiss, you struggling? Want to rest?"
"Yeah... No, I'm good. What about you, Karona?"
"I'm fine."
In the labyrinth layer where flames flicker and lava bubbles up in places, a three-person party pressed forward through the blaze.
"Grrr!"
A red wild boar spewing flames from its mouth appeared before them. The representative monster of the 21st floor, called the Ifrit Boar.
The orc woman called Karona stepped forward protectively, hefting her massive double-headed axe, as Lena began chanting.
-Fwoosh!
"Fire Rain!"
No sooner had the monster breathed fire than flames poured from Lena's staff in kind. The two torrents clashed evenly for a moment before the blaze surged toward the monster.
"Squeal!"
The Ifrit Boar shrieked under the flames, but the 21st floor's monsters inherently resisted fire. It took little damage and began rampaging.
"Tch..."
Watching the scene, Lena bit her lip, pride wounded.
"Krarrarara!"
The moment Lena's spell ended, Karona swung her double-headed axe at the boar bursting through the flames. A massive shockwave erupted, and the two locked in a contest of strength.
"Bwooo!"
"Kr... Kraaa!"
After a brief struggle, Karona roared from her mouth, her muscles bulging even further. She shoved the Ifrit Boar back and severed its tusks.
"Bwooo!"
-Squelch...
"Bwo?"
As the tusked boar writhed in pain and tried to breathe fire again, a shadow beneath it slithered alone, morphing into a sharp dagger that stabbed into the beast's leg.
-Stab!
"Squeal!"
"Nice one, Hiss! Hraaah!"
Karona didn't miss the opening, swinging her axe to decapitate the Ifrit Boar. The moving shadow gradually took form, revealing the gray-haired catkin who had vanished moments before.
"Hoo... Tough."
"Hiss, you okay? That technique..."
"Yeah. Not used to it yet, but way more usable than before!"
The day she returned from placing 4th in the tournament, a half-elf advanced adventurer visited the Rogue Guild and taught her the skill, saying she showed talent.
🌑 Shadow Play Lv. 3:Hide in shadows and manipulate them.
"Still not at master's level... But I can use it once per fight!"
"Yeah..."
The half-elf advanced adventurer... Daphne, was it? Having received her tutelage, Hiss proved her talent by learning the new skill and raising it to Lv. 3, handling it proficiently in real combat.
Plus new gear from her 4th-place tournament prize money. Thanks to that, Hiss broke through to the 15th floor and grew enough to party with Lena, who was active in the 20s.
And Lena...
"You were amazing too, Lena!"
"Yeah... Thanks..."
Lena barely managed a smile at her friend beaming brightly at her.
Lena's current deepest reach was the 21st floor. Even when she'd cleared the ruins with Ian in the past, her deepest was the 21st.
".........Hoo..."
As Hiss turned back to approach Karona, Lena unwittingly sighed.
Unlike her friend, who'd been stuck as a beginner adventurer for so long before finally breaking her limits and growing, Lena herself remained stalled.
Of course, the 21st floor monsters didn't match her well either. She wielded fire magic, but the floor's monsters resisted fire by default.
'Still. If only that were all...'
Info from her magic teacher. If she could just catch a "salamander" living in the 21st floor's lava, it would be the breakthrough to her stalled state.
"Hey, check over there!"
'Same as always.'
Back in the labyrinth, repeating the same process to reach the 20th floor. And as before, dwarves roamed hunting ogres.
It had only been a short while since that incident on the 20th, yet their grit was impressive.
Or...
'They trust that guy?'
I eyed the adventurer floating high above, yawning as he surveyed the entire forest. Demonkin-like, demonic energy wafting, black wings spread.
'Saw him from the 11th.'
On this labyrinth run, I'd spotted such monitors overseeing the whole forest from the 11th floor on. My detection skills like [Insight] confirmed they were all stronger than me.
From reports on 20th-floor matters upon entering this time: They'd hired available advanced adventurers, stationing one per layer. To prevent variant monsters like on the 20th?
Advanced adventurers were few and expensive... yet they'd managed one per floor. Anticipating another anomaly?
With such reliable insurance, no raiders appeared, letting many adventurers explore safely and depleting the labyrinth's monsters.
"Well, made it to the 20th easy thanks to that..."
The portal to the 21st floor loomed ahead. Before entering, I stretched, massaged my body with [Heavenly Touch] to peak condition.
I drew the temporary sword (2 gold) and slowly stepped into the 21st.
-Roar.
"Urgh..."
Crossing the portal, the fresh forest scent vanished, replaced by acrid sulfur stinging my nose.
Scorching heat enveloped my body, smoke rising from my feet on the ground.
This was...
'Labyrinth 21st floor. Flame Zone.'
Every breath brought searing heat, making it hard to breathe. Sweat poured to cool my rising temperature upon entry.
Like a sauna. Without [Attribute Resistance], it wouldn't end at "like"—I'd probably die.
'[Sensory Block]'
The moment I cast the skill, the heat vanished. No thermal sensation at all, but whatever.
'Much better.'
"Squeaaal!"
With the heat gone (or rather, unfelt), I leisurely scanned around and spotted a red wild boar spewing flames from its mouth.
"Kweee!"
Spotting me, the boar greeted(?) by spewing fire. It kept vomiting flames until it hit its limit, coughing up black smoke.
"Kwah! Kuek!"
"Oh. [Attribute Resistance] applies to hair too. Good."
"...Kuek?! Kwik!"
I walked out unscathed from the flames, slightly singed. Precisely, not unscathed—skin burned a bit, but [Regeneration] activated, sloughing off the charred layer. Definitely faster than before.
'Good thing hair regenerates too.'
With [Regeneration], no baldness worries. Truly the filial skill.
"...Kweee!"
The monster stared at me in brief confusion before charging with sharp tusks instead of flames. Hm. Pretty fast. But overly linear, so I sidestepped lightly and slashed its flank.
-Slash...
'Tough hide.'
True to surviving this hellish flame, it resisted my blade heavily. Not unslashable, but... no need to ruin a sword without regeneration.
[Regeneration] and [Body Reinforcement] both grew recently, right? Let's see...
-Spurt!
I cut my arm, blood flowing into the Berserker's Gauntlet. Simultaneously activating [Limit Break Lv. 4]. It reduced side effects upon hitting Lv. 4, they said?
Wonder how much? Sheathe the sword, fist this time. Again.
"Roughly. Serious punch."
"Kuek?"
-Boom!