023. Rise Nova
A planet brimming with light and energy. Lumina, ruled by a race called the Oarak. For decades, fierce conflict had raged between the corrupt government and the revolutionary forces opposing it.
And today, that confrontation reached its end. The revolutionaries were defeated.
The revolutionary commander-in-chief, Rise Nova, was captured along with two key lieutenants and dragged to the execution platform.
The citizens, who had endured endless oppression and suffering, gazed up at the platform with despairing faces.
The execution order was given.
The people clenched their fists and squeezed their eyes shut.
The blade fell toward Rise's neck.
In that instant.
Ziiiiiing—!!!
Without any warning, space warped and tore open, swallowing the five Oarak in pitch-black darkness.
In the blink of an eye, the Oarak on the execution platform were pulled into the labyrinth.
Rise and the two executioners landed in the same spot; the other two lieutenants fell elsewhere.
"Wh-what is this?! Where are we?!"
"Those vile revolutionaries are pulling some strange trick again...!"
The executioners panicked, flailing in confusion.
Unlike them, Rise calmly scanned his surroundings.
Something was approaching.
Sensing the killing intent, Rise leaped to his feet and dodged the ambush, but the executioners became monster fodder in seconds.
What is that beast? Is this not my world?
Pushing aside his questions for later, Rise stealthily slipped away while keeping an eye on the monster.
As he wandered the labyrinth, he encountered another monster.
It looked weak at first glance. So he boldly engaged it in combat—but one clash made him realize his mistake.
I can't win against that. It's beyond my level. A monster in a realm I can never touch.
Recognizing the enemy's overwhelming strength and his own limits, Rise wisely chose to flee.
The escape succeeded, barely.
The problem was the deep gash in his side from the chase.
Thanks to the Oarak's innate regeneration, death wasn't a concern. But the wound was too severe; he collapsed to the floor.
Unable to even walk.
Staying put would mean detection by monsters and certain death.
In the end, Rise mustered all his strength and began crawling across the ground.
Smooth black skin. A white bony structure covering half his head like a helmet. Thick strands of hair blending black and orange. No visible nose or mouth. A body structure identical to a human's.
This was the appearance of the castaway I'd just encountered.
The castaway crawling on the floor lifted his head to look up at me.
"Ahh..."
His black skin split open, revealing a mouth. It wasn't missing—it had just been hidden.
"Please... help..."
With those words, the castaway's head drooped. Passed out?
A huge gash marred his side, oozing not red blood, but blue. The injury must have caused him to lose consciousness.
"Can't tame it. It's not a labyrinth monster—it's a castaway."
I crouched down beside him and pointed above the castaway's head.
"I can see a 'Castaway' label floating over its head."
"Anyway, it seems like we can communicate, so I'll take it back to shelter. Can't just leave it here."
"Then I'll kill it then."
This castaway posed no threat anyway. Its danger level felt like C-grade at most. With Jellyfish-002's protective spell active, it couldn't harm me.
"Jellyfish. Gonna bring this one along—levitate it."
[Pii!]
Jellyfish-002 activated float magic. The castaway's body drifted lightly into the air.
"Guys, let's head back."
[Sii!]
[Sreung!]
[Pii!]
Passage 8 exploration was on hold for now.
Back at the shelter, I laid the castaway down and checked its wound.
Almost healed already.
Natural recovery on the way back. Incredible regenerative power—racial trait or personal ability, probably.
Was gonna ask the jo-ryeokja for bandages, but no need now.
I sat, picked up my pen, and opened my sketchbook. Would draw while waiting for it to wake. Bored otherwise.
Time passed. Finished one drawing.
"Ugh..."
The castaway clutched his head and sat up.
"Feeling better?"
"Where... is this?"
"My place."
"Ah... 'Twas thee who saved me?"
Not really saved—just brought along. But I nodded anyway. No harm in earning some gratitude.
"My deepest thanks. To aid a stranger so readily... how shall I repay this grace?"
The castaway rose as he spoke. The language differed, but it translated naturally. Probably a labyrinth explorer ability. Or no language barriers here.
Side note: In isekai worlds, we started with translation magic tools, then learned the local tongues.
Do the monsters understand me because of translation too?
I glanced sideways at the monsters while accepting his thanks.
Then why can't I understand them? They seem to chat fine among themselves.
Sii, pii, sreung.
Guess those were just cries. Maybe they lack proper language.
But I shook it off. Dog Spider-001, Jellyfish-002, Black Magma Slime-003—these three felt mentally immature to me. Like kids, not yet fluent in their species' tongue. Or labyrinth monsters just have low IQs.
Anyway. Ignore the trivia; focus on talking to the castaway.
"Truly, my profound gratitude."
He knelt, bowing his head to the ground repeatedly.
"Once more, for saving me from that beast's pursuit—my sincerest thanks!"
"One thank-you is enough. Stop."
"Ah, as you wish."
He scratched his head sheepishly, brushed dirt from his clothes, and stood.
Now upright, he eyed the monsters guarding me warily. Thought he had no eyes, but they were just obscured by the helmet bone.
"They're my friends, so no need to fear. They won't attack."
"...Fortunate indeed."
"Let's sit and introduce ourselves first."
"Very well."
We sat facing each other on the ground. I gave my name first—no other details. Then grilled him: home world? Race? Name? Etc.
"I am Rise Nova. Of the Oarak race."
"Home world... the planet's name, I suppose?"
I nodded, jotting notes in my sketchbook.
"Lumina. That is the name of my planet. I stepped not here by choice, but was devoured by unknown darkness and dragged hither."
Rise spilled everything readily—even that he was the revolutionary commander-in-chief against the government.
Got the basics. Probing skills now would be rude. Closed the notebook after the notes.
Rise stared at the notebook, tilting his head.
"Yet how didst thou record mine image so?"
"Just a hobby. Don't mind."
I stowed it in the box, then turned to him.
"Rise. If you could return home, you'd go, right?"
"Of course. Duties await me."
"I could send you back if I wanted."
"Truly?"
"Yeah. Got the power."
I could send Rise back. Had four transfer return tickets.
But not for free.
I eyed him up and down.
"Wanna go home? Hand over everything you have first."
Not a threat. A polite business proposal.