Chapter 24
Beep! The transfer return ticket costs 10 coins. That's equivalent to 100,000 won. So, I couldn't just hand it over for free. I'm not a volunteer. If you're giving, there should be something coming back.
"Hmm, everything I have..." Rise fumbled over his body in embarrassment. I'd hoped he might have something hidden in his clothes, but he seemed completely broke.
"Sorry. I was dragged here right before my execution, so I don't have a thing. All I can offer is these ragged clothes I'm wearing."
Rise slowly began stripping off his clothes. I eyed them carefully. They looked like ordinary robes. Still, just in case, I asked.
"Are those clothes you're taking off made of some special material?"
"Nay, just plain old garments."
Too bad. No need for ordinary clothes. The design wasn't my style anyway.
"Then forget the clothes. Put them back on."
Rise redressed. Then he scratched his head and spoke.
"If not the clothes, I have naught else to give..."
If Rise had nothing to offer me, I couldn't hand over the transfer return ticket. I'm not a sucker who'd shower unconditional kindness on a stranger I just met.
That said, telling him to wander the labyrinth and die feels a bit harsh.
Rise hadn't shown any hostility. He was fairly polite, no actions that rubbed me the wrong way. His first impression wasn't bad, so I decided to offer a little goodwill—with conditions.
"Rise. Do you need to rush back to your home world?"
"Not urgently. Returning now would just get me caught by the government scum and killed like a dog. Better to wait a bit."
"Even if you could go back right away, you'd stick around this labyrinth for a while?"
"Aye."
"Then help me out. Assist with my labyrinth exploration for a few days, and I'll send you home whenever you want."
Payment in labor. With no other options, Rise gladly accepted.
I ignored the pointless jo-ryeokja chat and picked a passage to explore. Then, out of nowhere, Rise mentioned he might have a gift after all.
"The executioners who came with me had execution swords. They got eaten by monsters... er, the beasts here, but the swords should still be there. No way the monsters ate the blades too."
"What's an execution sword different from a regular one?"
"A special blade that can cut even foes stronger than the wielder. It'd surely aid you."
I wasn't great with swords. But no harm in having one. Might tame a sword-wielding monster someday.
Anyway. After discussion, we decided to re-explore Passage 8. Needed to retrieve that execution sword. And find the two revolutionary officers presumed to have crossed over with Rise.
"To be honest, I don't expect those two are still alive. If they met the monsters here, they're long dead. The creatures in this labyrinth are on another level from us."
Rise, walking beside me, said grimly. A peek at his face showed deep gloom.
"Don't make that face. Those two officers are still alive."
"...How do you know?"
"I can see it. The number of drifters who fell into this labyrinth."
I stared into empty space.
Three drifters. The two officers hadn't died yet. Lucky they hadn't run into monsters.
"Can you pinpoint their location?"
"Can't track drifter positions."
"Shame... But good they're alive."
Chatting as we went, we always took left turns at forks.
"We'll split up from here. Take this."
I stopped and handed Rise a sheet of paper. For map-making, of course—with a pen.
GOLD-grade jo-ryeokja ‘Ppururu’'s support item has arrived!
Got two wristwatches from Ppururu. Kept one, gave the other to Rise.
"Take this too."
"A watch out of thin air! What sorcery is this?"
"Too lazy to explain now. You know what a watch is, right?"
"Aye. Identical to those in my world."
"Meet back here at 9 PM, then. Jellyfish."
I turned to Jellyfish-002. It went pii and slapped onto my cheek.
"Even if you're far from me, the buff spell on me doesn't fade, right?"
[Pii!]
"Good. Refresh the buff on me, then cast the same on Rise next to you. Stick with him today and protect him."
Rise was fragile here. Only C-grade threat level. So I assigned one monster as his guard.
We split into two teams. Rise and Jellyfish-002 take left path: retrieve execution sword, then explore. Me with Dog Spider-001 and Black Magma Slime-003 on central path.
Before heading out, I grabbed Rise who was about to leave.
"Ah. Hold up."
"What is it?"
"One thing. Any weird feelings in your body, Rise?"
"Weird how?"
"Like, feeling weaker."
"How did you know?"
Rise answered in shock. My guess was spot on.
"Dunno why, but suddenly my strength faded. Not from injury—those healed perfectly."
Not just labyrinth monsters—drifters got nerfed too. Makes sense; they could be threats. Rise clocked at C-grade, probably true power A-grade.
"Wasn't weak from the start?"
"Fine at first. Then, crawling injured, past some point—power just drained."
One of my two guesses confirmed. Labyrinth monsters weren't always nerfed. Only those near me.
"Do you know why my power waned?"
"Probably me. Things weaken approaching me."
"Weakens all nearby life... A fearsome, grand ability."
"Just activates in the labyrinth."
"Can you undo it?"
I shook my head. Couldn't control it.
Anyway, Rise confirmed my hunch. After scouting, back at shelter, I'd reward him—something besides the ticket.
After parting with Rise, pushing into the central path.
[Kirik!]
Something zipped past me. Pain shot through my left hand. Looking—index and middle fingers gone.
Lost two fingers, eyes wide open.
Couldn't respond. Not me—Dog Spider-001 and Black Magma Slime-003 either.
[Kikikik!]
The finger thief mocked from afar. Too distant to see clearly. Humanoid shape. Breached Jellyfish-002's protection—guessed nerfed B-grade or higher. Didn't aim for heart or head, so not trying to kill.
[Sii!!]
[Srrrring!!!]
Monsters finally noticed, enraged, chased—but it vanished instantly.
I calmly eyed my left hand. "At least it's not my right."
"Of course it hurts. Fingers got chopped off."
As worried chats poured in and monsters fretted over my hand.
[Ppiii!]
A weird sound from somewhere.
[Ppiii!!!]
Getting closer.
[Ppiii iii iii!!!]
A monster appeared ahead. Fast flyer approaching. Pink mushroom form.
[Sii!]
[Seung!!]
What? Monsters weren't alerting—seemed welcoming.
Not dangerous?
The mushroom zipped right up, hovered, scanned me top to bottom, grabbed my left hand, slathered sticky goo on the stumps. Fingers regenerated in seconds.
[Ppii!]
The mushroom grinned, patted my head, then flew off elsewhere.
...What the hell was that?