Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Anomaly
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Nation.
There hadn't been much direct interaction with him, but he seemed like a decent guy. Straightforward, and willing to own up to his mistakes.
I figured he was one of the good ones.
'His level looked pretty high too.'
Estimated around level 3. Similar to Rishiel, or maybe a bit higher.
-I've only just hit level 3 myself, and that guy's not on my level.
Rishiel gave me a curt explanation, as if making excuses.
That wasn't the point.
'A guy like that died on the first floor.'
I scanned the area again. Blood splattered everywhere. Nothing else, but Rogue Mastery let me piece together what kind of fight had gone down here.
Putting it all together...
'...No signs of an actual battle.'
A chill ran down my spine.
Nation was level 3.
And that woman in his party, Viola—if not for Plunder, I never would've gotten the Guardian Amulet relic off her.
Beings of that caliber, wiped out without even putting up a proper fight?
"...Let's take the head for now."
Ermé said in a trembling voice.
Her face had gone deathly pale. She spoke hurriedly.
"It seems like whatever caused this is nearby, so first..."
"It's gone."
I cut her off.
From just a bit ago, I'd been feeling something off. Blood sprayed everywhere, then dried.
Way too strange.
'...This labyrinth isn't in its right state.'
It felt like the timeline was all jumbled up.
I didn't know why. Normally, everyone enters the labyrinth at the same time frame, but right now, it seemed shifted just a little.
Because...
'This blood dried about two to three hours ago.'
We'd been inside less than an hour.
Drawing the logical conclusion, it all pointed to one thing.
'The timeline doesn't match.'
I laid it out for the group.
"...This anomaly is seriously weird."
Ermé stared at me blankly.
Her eyes, once appraising my competence, now held firm conviction.
'It's just the gift's effect.'
That gaze was getting burdensome.
Still, we needed to move. This spot was too dangerous right now.
But.
That probably wasn't what Ermé wanted.
'We need to retreat.'
This was beyond what we could handle. I gave her a meaningful look.
Ermé closed her eyes briefly, then nodded.
"Alright. We're pulling out of the labyrinth effective immediately. If they got wiped without even resisting, it's too much for us."
Everyone's faces brightened at Ermé's decision.
No one said it, but they all knew this place had gotten way too risky.
'Even that won't be easy.'
The once-silent labyrinth stirred with noise again.
The sound of a herd stampeding our way. I grimaced and turned to Ermé.
"Goblin horde ahead."
"How many? If it's not too bad, we punch through..."
"At least fifty."
"...Pardon?"
"We can break through if we wipe them out."
But there was a problem.
If I used Charging Shot to annihilate them, the massive noise would echo everywhere.
'Here's hoping nothing else is nearby.'
Relying on luck was fine, but this was too much of a gamble.
I summed it up quickly.
Ermé looked at me more cautiously.
"We'll save Violet Lightning Flash for later. We need to conserve mana as much as possible."
Violet Lightning Flash?
She'd named my Charging Shot?
Since when?
I'd always thought skills needed names anyway.
'Not bad, actually.'
I kinda liked Ermé's naming sense.
-My sacred purple thunder, the flash of annihilation...
'...'
Now that was a doomsday name.
Never asking Rishiel for skill names.
"Retreating right now won't be easy. We'll have to fight through."
"Their mobility that fast?"
"Something's off. They're way faster than normal goblins."
Ermé nodded at my words and took charge.
"We'll intercept the goblins here first. Quick and clean."
"Got it."
Glasses pushed his specs up with his middle finger and cast buffs on all of us. I felt my speed pick up, my body hardening.
"I'll help too. Goddess, grant us your holy grace and protect us."
Rozante squinted and recited her prayer. Golden light flowed through our bodies. More vigor than usual surged up.
Thud thud.
I tested my body lightly.
'Feels good.'
Stretching out, I saw Rozante doing the same beside me.
"Don't let appearances fool you—I'm pretty skilled in hand-to-hand."
At my puzzled look.
Masochist type like Munk? The kind that gets pleasure from pain.
'A real pain if she's an enemy.'
But reliable as an ally.
Anyway, time to focus.
I readied my bow and arrows. With a goblin battalion coming, recovering arrows would be tough.
'Gotta spend 'em freely.'
A thought crossed my mind: setting traps with wire here, picking them off. Not a bad idea.
'Something to consider later.'
If we could get back, that is.
I nocked an arrow.
Ping.
The arrow melted into the darkness, becoming a streak of light. It pierced the lead goblin and four behind it.
'Solid performance.'
Different from my old bow. That one just had a sharp string.
'...Wanna try it?'
The string was pretty long. I pulled out my old bow, unspooled the string quick. Got me a line about my height.
As the dwarf boasted, it was razor-sharp.
But needed a weight on the end to use as a weapon. Or just for traps.
I swiftly wrapped it around a dagger tip. Rogue Mastery's dexterity made it easy.
Thud thud.
Stuck two daggers into the ground to spread it taut.
Too far between walls for a full trap, but this would do as a temp measure.
'Good enough for now.'
I drew my sword.
"Everyone, fall back slowly."
Teresa, Rozante, and Ermé retreated. I stuck by Glasses, just in case.
Whoosh—.
Something flew at us. I swatted it away from Glasses with Whisper of the Wind.
Thwack!
It was an arrow.
'...They've got an archer too?'
"Kieeeek!"
Goblins charging in a pack.
A wave of green monsters. Fifty strong.
Felt different from usual. Even puny rushers got tough in numbers.
'Defend while...
Attacking. But their numbers overwhelmed.
'...Can I survive this?'
No. I had to.
*
Kieeeek!
Goblins shrieked as they closed in.
They weren't normal. Eyes blood-red, bellowing at us.
-Be careful. They're berserked.
'What does that mean?'
-They ignore pain and charge recklessly, unlike usual.
Rishiel's words brought regret.
Maybe just blast 'em with Violet Lightning Flash.
'No, the noise might draw whatever killed Nation.'
That thing we couldn't handle.
These, we could somehow.
While thinking, the horde reached us.
And.
Kieeeek!
They screamed as the front five tumbled forward. Legs half-severed by the sharp string. Three more collapsed behind.
Their momentum slowed.
"Now."
Ermé dashed ahead, sword flashing. Teresa smashed them to pulp with her mace.
Boom!
Rozante's fist caved in a goblin face.
"...Scary woman."
Agreed with Glasses as I advanced. So many, some that Ermé, Teresa, and Rozante should've handled slipped past to us.
That's why I was up front for Glasses.
Sword swung at the incoming goblins.
Glowing red blade and silver edge danced fluidly.
Slice.
Maybe the sword was just that good. Heads came off clean.
Blood splashed my face, but no time to wipe. More kept bypassing the frontliners.
'Five.'
Easy in a party, but now solo in front.
Not a real threat. I'd cleared the first floor alone before. But ranged blocked, Glasses behind me.
So.
'Quick.'
Five goblins closing. Two in the lead.
Sword swing. One gutted, the other decapitated clean. Meanwhile, one leaped, axe raised high.
'Taijutsu.'
Kicked its gut like punting a soccer ball. Flew off. Meanwhile, two more rushed me.
'Blood Spirit Blade.'
The blood-soaked sword shimmered, extending a slender crimson blade aura.
Wrapped in faint purple lightning.
Swept it, beheading both.
Goblins split neat.
No time to admire. More vaulted the front toward me.
'...Chaotic.'
Life outside was suffering.
*
Then came the grueling war of attrition.
Ran into them three more times after. Everyone showed fatigue.
'...Tougher than expected.'
Daggers depleted. Arrows half-spent. Sharp string half-dulled.
'Too much consumption.'
Lucky we had Rozante.
Her vitality blessing kept us going.
And one more thing.
'Whatever wiped Nation's party isn't here.'
From the scene, one thing massacred them.
After a bit of running.
Presence ahead.
"...Everyone, careful."
"More goblin bastards?"
"These pests never end."
We all drew weapons, cursing.
I shook my head. One presence. Familiar one.
"Just one. Probably... someone we know."
"...You all remember what I said."
Ermé had warned right after arriving.
Watch for suddenly missing party members, or those who find them. So we drew X's on our wrists, hid with bracelets.
"Stay alert and move forward."
I drew my bow, arrow nocked, advanced.
Soon after, we saw her. A trembling woman.
Purple hair, purple eyes. Black robe huddled, shaking.
"Eek, eek!"
Viola spotted us and freaked out.