Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: First Heroine
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The plaza had turned into utter pandemonium.
"Gahhh! My body... my body's melting!"
Just moments ago, a man who had taken a swig of potion spewed flames and collapsed right there on the spot.
People gathered around his beet-red body like it was some hilarious sideshow.
"I really thought it would work this time... Sorry about that."
Standing in the middle of it all was a witch.
Amid the murmuring crowd, the culprit of this mess looked like a rain-soaked kitten, her face all pouty and forlorn.
"What's going on?"
"What else? A newbie explorer chugged a potion from Aren and dropped like a stone in real time."
"Ah, got it."
Aren's handiwork.
At those words, everyone nodded with looks of perfect understanding.
Alchemist Aren.
A notorious eccentric even in Labyrinth City.
She whipped up new potions whenever she had a spare moment and handed them out for free.
The problem? Most of them were untested prototypes.
No one knew what side effects you'd get if you gulped one down.
'Never casually eat anything someone hands you in Labyrinth City.'
It was such a widespread unspoken rule across the city.
Still, the side effects never lasted more than an hour at worst.
And since the effects were genuine, they were worth the risk—no real loss there.
Of course, if you had an appointment or something important in the meantime... well, tough luck.
'That issue will get fixed eventually, but not yet.'
Right now, she hadn't fully bloomed as an alchemist.
She knew it herself, which was why she kept brewing potions and testing them on others.
She'd just gotten her explorer license recently and should be swamped with labyrinth runs, yet here she was diligently making and distributing these. Gotta give her points for sincerity.
"Want a potion?"
"N-No thanks!"
"Take one?"
"Would you?"
The crowd recoiled in horror, shoving away the potions she offered.
Fair enough—no one would willingly drink after seeing that. Surprisingly, though, it wasn't always the case.
"Haha, Aren. Another failure, huh?"
"Don't tease. I'm being dead serious here."
"Just kidding, kidding. Hey, anyway—I'm heading into the labyrinth soon. Gimme one to chug beforehand?"
"Here you go."
The battle-hardened explorers who knew Aren a bit.
They figured a brief side effect beat dying in the labyrinth, so they took her potions for the powerful buffs.
Still nowhere near enough to clear out the mountain piled in her basket.
As fewer people took potions, disappointment was plain on her face.
"Aww, still so many left."
Aren pouted down at the half-full basket.
She clearly wanted to hand them out to more people, but after witnessing that side effect firsthand, no one was lining up.
And this was the perfect chance to talk to her.
"Hey, Aren. Labyrinth time soon. Stop handing out potions and get ready."
"Got it."
At her comrades' call, she gathered the empty glass vials from the ground and prepared to leave.
I stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
"Hey there."
"...What do you want? I'm busy—mind stepping aside?"
Some big lug blocking her way soured her mood; she shot me a grumpy look.
She probably pegged me as a confession or a flirt.
Separate from her crazy "free experimental potion" rep, tons of guys approached her just for her looks.
She likely lumped me in with them.
So, I tried an unexpected angle she'd actually welcome.
"Just wondering—mind if I take some potions from your basket?"
Your guinea pig volunteer.
"Oh! The potions, right?"
In an instant, her face softened into a gentle smile.
That warm, inviting friendliness she showed when handing them out.
"Here."
With a smile sweet as a baby bird, she handed me a vial of red liquid.
"A special brew I made myself."
"Thanks. I'll enjoy it."
I took the vial from her politely.
"That guy's gonna drink Aren's potion."
"Young and reckless."
"This'll be entertaining."
They'd confirmed her potions came with nasty side effects, yet here I was volunteering. Spectators started gathering.
Aren was audience enough for me.
The rest were just in the way, but this was a necessary step.
Ignoring them, I examined the potion.
Bubbling foam like boiling lava—impressive.
Visually, not much different from standard potions.
"Down it in one go. Glug glug~."
Following her instructions, I pressed the vial to my lips and chugged.
The lukewarm liquid slid down my throat and seeped deep into my gut.
The filling sensation soon ignited like hot flames, burning fiercely.
"Pffft!"
I coughed, spewing fire from my mouth.
Not a metaphor—actual flames shot out.
"Gulp!"
She watched intently, eager to see if her creation worked without dropping me like the others.
And then...
"Pretty tasty, actually."
"Huh!?"
As I caught my breath and wiped my mouth, Aren—and the onlookers—gaped in shock.
"He got a side-effect-free one?"
"He just breathed fire, though."
"But that other guy melted like slime."
Seeing me stand there fine, they buzzed with curiosity.
Aren's face lit up with astonishment.
In her clear eyes sparkled the boundless curiosity every mage possessed.
'Cute reaction.'
Exactly what I wanted.
"If it's okay, mind if I try some others?"
"Plenty to go around—help yourself."
She pulled out vials glowing in every color from her basket.
I uncorked and downed them one after another.
My insides boiled, mana surging wildly from deep within.
I felt the impurities in the unrefined potions clashing with my mana.
If absorbed as-is, I'd collapse from side effects like the others.
Conversely, filter out the junk, and no problem.
I visualized it.
Straining fine sand through a sieve, picking fish bones with chopsticks—one by one.
A process that drained immense mental power, even expert mages couldn't guarantee success.
'Piece of cake for me.'
⚔ Conqueror of the Abyss ⚔ A spirit unbowed even against the abyss. Exhibits transcendent mental strength, never losing focus no matter the situation. The body is made of blood; the soul, of mental strength.
In this world, mana equals human mental power—casting spells eats away at it.
Exhaust your stamina, and your body collapses; drain your mental strength, and you become a vegetable.
My spirit, tempered through countless regressions like hammered steel, maintains perfect calm in any moment. It enables precise mana control down to the cellular level without faltering.
And that's not all.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ - Stamina temporarily increases. - Strength temporarily increases. - Speed temporarily increases. With impurities filtered, the potions' pure buff effects scrolled up one after another.
Full doping—maxing every stat I could before entering the labyrinth.
"Ho ho."
Her faint curiosity swelled into full interest; Aren fixed me with a sticky, gum-like gaze.
Observing, experimenting, analyzing, dissecting—that dangerous glint of desire in her eyes.
'This is why a mage's interest is dangerous.'
Mages are arrogant, dogmatic, and above all, insatiably curious.
They chase even the tiniest itch until it's scratched, no matter what it takes.
Just now, her mage switch had flipped to full power.
"Hey."
She called out to me.
Some premonition—not quite a hunch—that she'd say something like, "Got time? Swing by my place?"
Follow that pink youthful fantasy, and you'd end up strapped to her prep table for "health check" experiments.
Of course.
"Aren!"
Right on cue, the relief pitcher arrived to divert her attention.
"Chorus, what's up?"
The man with the Pringles-mustache vibe clutched his forehead as she tilted her head.
"You call this nothing? The team's late to the labyrinth because of you. Hurry up and follow!"
"Uh..."
Aren started to say more, but he grabbed her arm and dragged her off like a fish in a net.
Her lingering, regretful gaze turned my way.
"Good luck."
I waved her off with a simple farewell.
No need to feel bad.
We'd meet again soon.
With that, Aren vanished into the labyrinth portal, pulled along by the man.
'Guess it's my turn.'
I'd made my mark with the one I wanted. After stretching, I caught my breath, steeled myself, and stepped into the portal after her without delay.
Shwooo!
A blinding blue flash engulfed my vision.
My body floated weightlessly.
An unreal sensation wrapped my entire being.
Woooong...!
A broken machine whine—or a anguished scream—rang in my ears from somewhere.
Soon, the city's warm embrace turned to goosebump-inducing chill on my skin.
And then.
Thud.
My foot hit solid ground.
I opened my eyes.
Whoooosh!
A biting wind fit for a mountaintop whipped past.
Walls soared skyward like skyscrapers.
The ceiling hid in impenetrable darkness, endless.
Paths stretched on eternally.
'Back again.'
The hopeless murk you couldn't see through, the vast grandeur overwhelmed everyone.
A suffocating silence settled deep.
Labyrinth Ksox—the pinnacle floor of the labyrinth.
A haven built for those who can't turn back.