He Is Not This World's Protagonist
Quiet portal entrance. The spot where Ian's party had settled in. All that stirred there now was Shiro, standing vigilant watch.
Her soft breaths were the only sound, a low undercurrent in the labyrinth's deathly silence.
Then—whumm.
The stillness shattered as the portal quivered faintly.
Shiro's gaze snapped toward it.
"Ian-nim."
Her voice was short and low. At the sound, Ian quietly opened his eyes.
"...Something's coming up."
He rose, his eyes locking straight on the portal. The other two reacted almost simultaneously, moving without a word to surround it naturally.
Silence.
Then the portal hummed briefly.
The next instant—thud.
Something tumbled out from within.
"Hah...! Hah...!"
It was a person. A mage. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, as if her life hung by a thread. Her body trembled uncontrollably, like it refused her commands. Propped on her hands against the floor, she couldn't even stand.
...This wasn't normal.
Blood. It dripped slowly from her fingertips.
Drip. Drip.
She ignored the wound entirely, her gaze fixed ahead. On the portal she'd just emerged from. Unblinking. As if something had chased her right to the edge.
But the portal lay silent, as if nothing had happened.
Still, her eyes never wavered once.
"..."
No one could speak.
"Hah... hah..."
Only her heaving breaths echoed loudly.
The silence felt profoundly ominous.
Aimdel broke it first.
"What happened down there?"
She whispered softly.
Only then did the mage's gaze shift toward them. Her pupils trembled faintly.
"Mantis..."
Her voice leaked out like a breath.
"Mantis?"
"Why would a 7th-floor monster be here..."
Aimdel and Lidoem responded in unison to the mage's words.
"It won't take the portal, right?"
Lidoem swallowed hard as she spoke.
Normal monsters rarely used portals. For some reason, the labyrinth's creatures tended to avoid them.
But exceptions existed everywhere.
"You idiot, if it's a 7th-floor monster, it's already—"
Aimdel started to scold Lidoem when—
Whumm.
The portal trembled low again.
Ian's eyes sharpened.
"Fall back!"
His sharp cry pulled everyone away from the portal.
Thud. From within, a green leg emerged first.
Long. Unnaturally so. Its joint bent backward.
Like an insect's leg...
"...Get ready!"
Ian barked shortly.
Skreee—
With a grotesque scraping sound, the mantis fully revealed itself.
It stepped forward slowly, its folded arms unfolding languidly.
No, not arms. Thin, elongated blades. Their edges gleamed coldly in the light.
A humanoid shape.
But the proportions were subtly off. Like a human body forcibly grafted with insect parts.
An eerie fusion.
Click. Multiple eyes blinked in unison, focusing.
Its backward-bent legs tensed.
"Shiro!"
Ian shouted sharply.
In that instant—flash.
The mantis vanished from sight.
Crack!
Air tore belatedly. It grazed past Ian, gouging deep into the floor. Stone dust erupted.
"...!"
Ian twisted reflexively.
"Aaaahhh!!"
But it hadn't targeted him.
The female mage, who had retreated to his side, screamed.
In that fleeting moment, her leg—thud.
It dropped to the floor.
No one could speak.
Blood spread slowly, belatedly.
But there was no time to be stunned.
Ian's gaze whipped around like lightning.
The mantis. Its reverse-bent leg tensed again.
Slowly—no, far too fast. Muscles contracted.
"—It's coming!"
Ian shouted.
Crack!
The floor shattered, dust billowing. The explosive recoil launched the mantis in a straight line.
Gone.
No, invisible.
Only the air screamed as it was shoved aside.
"Where?!"
Unexpectedly, Lidoem threw herself forward first.
No hesitation. She reacted fastest once she tracked its path.
"Die!"
She spat the word, kicking off the ground hard and swinging her sword with full force.
Whoosh!
Twisting her waist, a powered strike.
But even so, Lidoem's blade couldn't keep up.
The moment her sword sliced empty air, it had already passed.
"...What—"
The mantis barreled straight toward Ian.
And in Ian's vision, something approached.
A white, reassuring back. In battle, it looked sturdier than anything.
Shiro.
Clang!
Its blade met her shield.
For a split second, it seemed Shiro had blocked the attack.
Then—crunch!
Metal screamed as it tore. The blade pierced her shield straight through, burrowing into her arm.
"......!"
Even then, Ian didn't lose focus.
"Energy Bolt!"
He unleashed magic reflexively.
Boom!
The spell exploded with a roar.
But it was too late. The mantis had already moved.
It moved so fast, it didn't even allow a blink.
"Fuck..."
A low curse slipped from Ian's lips.
His gaze fixed on Shiro, blood streaming from her.
Red spreading. The wound piercing through her shield.
His chest tightened.
"I'm fine."
Shiro said softly, as if to reassure him.
But her eyes never turned to Ian. Only to the mantis.
Unyielding pupils. Gritted jaw. Feet that refused to retreat a step.
As if she'd never let it reach Ian.
Seeing that, Ian's mind cooled sharply.
He had to think.
Somehow, he had to block that thing's attacks.
Find a way.
Right now.
His chilled brain raced.
And then—
"To the third floor!"
Ian shouted loud enough for all to hear.
Fighting here was far too disadvantageous.
Open space all around. Facing that speed demon in this wide area was near suicide.
They had to escape somehow and continue the fight elsewhere.
"Fall back!"
Fortunately, the portal was behind Ian's party.
A short retreat, and they could use it to escape.
But the mantis wouldn't wait.
In that moment, its leg tensed.
"It's coming—!"
Aimdel cried.
"Not this time!"
Lidoem gritted her teeth.
She lowered her stance, reading its trajectory again.
And—clang!
Metal clashed sharply. This time, it connected.
Lidoem's sword struck the mantis's shoulder carapace.
Spark—
Flames scattered. For an instant, its body seemed to waver.
But it wasn't enough to halt the charge.
Ignoring her completely, it shot toward Shiro.
Precisely, toward Ian behind her—
"Damn—!"
Ian's eyes flashed.
Mana erupted from his body in an instant.
Crunch!—
Simultaneously, its blade met Shiro's shield again.
This time, Shiro angled it to deflect.
But—slash!
Metal rang once more, and her shield sheared clean off.
Shield fragments scattered into the air and fell.
Then—stab!
The blade plunged clearly into Shiro's shoulder.
"Ngh..."
Shiro groaned, twisting her body.
Blood soaked her shoulder in seconds.
Ian's eyes shook violently at the sight.
"......!"
Shiro looked so precarious.
But even then, she didn't retreat a step.
Crushing the pain. Teeth clenched.
Her gaze was resolute.
Step.
Ignoring the wound, she stepped forward instead.
The blade protruding from her shoulder sank deeper.
And slowly, she extended her other hand.
Grab!
Thus, Shiro slammed into it bodily, barely seizing the mantis.
"Now...!"
Her small voice reached them.
Even amid this, wounds multiplied on her body.
Ian focused all his senses at her words.
The wand's first gem flashed.
"Spread and bind—Static Thunder!"
Flash—
Light burst from the wand, racing across the ground.
Crackle!
Visible currents slithered over the floor.
At its end—the mantis.
Zzzap!!
Electricity surged explosively. Lightning climbed its legs, coiling around its body.
"—!"
The mantis's movements halted.
Its blade-arms quivered faintly.
Crackle—crackle—
Currents kept flowing through it.
The blade embedded in Shiro slowly withdrew.
"Can't hold long! To the portal, now!"
The moment Ian spoke, Lidoem and Aimdel supported Shiro and retreated to the portal.
Confirming the three enter...
Ian stood before the portal, glaring at the mantis.
The currents faded gradually.
Skreee—
The mantis stirred slowly.
In that instant, Ian's gaze dropped.
To the mage still collapsed on the floor.
Their eyes met.
For a moment. A very brief one, Ian's eyes wavered.
But they steadied soon after.
He couldn't save everyone.
He was not this world's protagonist.
Ian slowly looked away.
And without hesitation, threw himself into the portal.
The silent 2nd floor of the labyrinth, after Ian vanished...
Whumm—
With a faint portal hum, what remained before it was bloodstains from some unknown soul and air cold enough to freeze...
And—
Skreee...
The predator's teeth ground shortly.