A Rational Decision
It was a rational decision. That was what I thought.
With not a single coin to my name, trying to earn money through ordinary work would only give the Church of Light time to track me down. After all, there had been a survivor—that orange-haired woman whose name I never learned. The logical choice was to begin adventuring as quickly as possible and grow stronger. To do that, I needed proper equipment and supplies. And to buy equipment and supplies, I needed money. Therefore, accepting Vertea’s offer was perfectly reasonable. It wasn’t robbery; she had volunteered it freely.
Yet this odd feeling lingered. It was as if I had lost something important. Being treated like a kept man by a woman at least a hundred years younger than me… it was genuinely, deeply strange. I wouldn’t let it show, of course.
“So where are we headed?”
“This unit has acquired numerous skills in order to assist Master with absolute perfection.”
“Oh, have you now?”
“Cooking is merely one example. This unit has also identified locations within the Labyrinth that offer favorable force compositions, weapons with excellent cost-to-performance ratios, and vendors who provide supplies at reasonable prices.”
“That’s impressive.”
“This unit is pleased that Master recognizes its efforts.”
Together with Vertea, I set out to explore an aspect of the Labyrinth I had yet to properly examine. We were still in Yongsan District. The streets thronged with people, and adventurers walked along roads once choked with cars. As I strolled through the lively district, I spotted soldiers everywhere—the same ones I had seen yesterday. These were the skilled fighters who had swiftly subdued the adventurer turned monster. Their standardized equipment and full-plate armor radiated authority. They must be responsible for maintaining public order.
The realization that some form of discipline existed here brought a measure of relief. I followed Vertea until we arrived in front of a workshop sign.
“This place…”
The ringing of hammers striking metal reached me before I even drew close. The acrid scent of charcoal tickled my nose. I didn’t need an answer. This was a forge. What had once been a recycling center, hardware store, interior design shop, and workshop had been combined into a full-blown blacksmithing street.
True to its purpose, bare-chested men and others wearing leather aprons hammered away at ingots and called out to customers with tireless energy.
“According to this unit’s research, adventurers on average rate the quality of goods from these forges highly and consider them excellent value.”
“Interesting.”
I didn’t know much about blacksmithing, but even I could see the impressive details: furnaces burning at extreme temperatures, weapons made of super-alloy hanging in the back. Such materials were nearly impossible to process in factories and resisted deformation, yet here they had been skillfully shaped into equipment. It really was a fantasy world. Then again, I was traveling with a halfling who could reduce a human to ashes in less than a second.
Impressed, I approached the forge.
“Hm? A customer? Don’t recognize your face.”
A shopkeeper who remembered his regulars. I already liked the place.
“I just entered the Labyrinth recently. My servant here said your goods were high quality…”
“Ah, of course! There’s no more honest forge in all of Yongsan District than our Destiny Smithy! So, what are you looking for?”
The smiling middle-aged man was taller than Vertea but shorter than me. Not many people were taller than me, but even accounting for that, he didn’t feel merely short. There was a sense of compression about him, as if he belonged to an entirely different category. With elves and halflings around, I assumed he was a dwarf.
“I’m trying to gather basic equipment first. Would you have simple armor or weapons available?”
“Simple armor or weapons, eh… looks like you already have a weapon. Need a spare? How about a shield instead?”
The dwarf picked up one of the shields displayed in front of the forge. It didn’t resemble the riot shields I was familiar with. This one was round, quite large, and made of wood.
“You’ll need to learn how to use it properly, but a good shield is vital in the Labyrinth. Isn’t surviving more important than hitting your enemies?”
He had a point. Vertea remained silent, offering no objection.
“All right. I’ll take that shield. For armor…”
“Hmm. I don’t know your budget, but are you familiar with armor?”
“Not at all.”
“Then it’s best to start with something light until you get used to it. With your build, most pieces won’t fit anyway. Unless it’s magical gear, of course—”
The dwarf scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to me.
“Take that shield and this note over there. They handle textiles and other equipment in that section.”
When I turned, I saw that what had once been a church courtyard and car wash now stood filled with tents displaying all kinds of goods. It felt refreshingly new, like stumbling into a festival or theme park.
“Are you a customer?”
A woman with a courteous demeanor waited inside.
“Yes. I’d like to buy armor and a shield.”
“Armor, is it? Are you looking for anything in particular?”
“I was told something light would be best. Here, this note…”
“Ah, you’ve already received an order slip. Let me see…”
The woman adjusted her glasses and examined the note, nodding to herself before retrieving an item hanging inside the tent.
“Could you wait a moment? Feel free to browse while I make the adjustments.”
It looked like a cloth jacket, though not ordinary fabric—thick, padded material that seemed stuffed with cotton. A basic level of protective gear. I didn’t know its proper name, but it appeared capable of stopping basic slashing attacks. It probably wouldn’t stop bullets, arrows, or thrusts, however.
“That is a gambeson. This unit considers it a sensible choice.”
“You think so?”
“It allows free movement at the joints, is lightweight, and layers well under other armor.”
“I see.”
“This unit believes it would be wise to purchase the remaining items here as well.”
She was right. While they altered the gambeson to fit my frame, they encouraged me to look around. It was a clever sales tactic, but the goods really were impressive enough to make me want to buy more.
“What should I get? I don’t know much about the Labyrinth.”
“This unit will provide guidance.”
Following Vertea’s advice, I examined various items. Rope came first—she said it was essential for exploration. I agreed. Next was a shoulder-mounted lamp. I had imagined something like a medieval lantern, but these were far more advanced. They had modified headlamps so they could be attached to clothing or backpacks. There were also canteens, bedrolls, and backpacks.
“It is best to choose a backpack that can be removed quickly.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It becomes cumbersome in battle, and excessive weight will hinder your movements.”
Since I knew nothing about Labyrinth exploration, Vertea’s advice proved invaluable.
“Flint and a weak light source for camping would also be useful.”
“Flint?”
“This unit can ignite flames, but having one as backup—”
“I can start fires too.”
I raised my index finger and let a small current of electricity dance above it. It was designed for subduing targets and couldn’t be maintained long, but it had more than enough power to light a fire instantly.
“Then it will not be necessary. A weak light source would still be advisable.”
“Anything else?”
“This unit recommends a charging device for the lights and a multi-purpose knife.”
“I can handle charging myself.”
“Master is like a universal charger.”
“Is that… a compliment?”
“It means you are highly useful.”
“It is a compliment, right…?”
By the time the alterations were finished, I had bought quite a few things to go with the armor and shield: rope, a lamp, a canteen, a bedroll, a backpack, a weak light source, and a multi-purpose knife. Vertea had wanted me to buy new shoes as well, but the ones I currently wore were exceptionally well-made. They had grown slightly wrinkled from my long hibernation, yet few items in the Labyrinth could match their quality. After all, they had been custom-crafted for superhuman soldiers during the war.
If I had known things would turn out like this, I would have gone into hibernation wearing my combat uniform. Unfortunately, that ship had sailed.
I learned how to put on the gambeson, slipped it over my shoulders, packed my new purchases into the backpack, and stepped back outside.
“What are your plans now, Master?”
“Well… should we head out immediately?”
“This unit recommends accepting requests provided by the Adventurers Guild.”
“Requests, huh. Is there anything else I should know?”
“Parties are normally formed with a minimum of four members. Regrettably, this unit is a solitary entity, so two more individuals are required to meet the basic composition.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.”
I would need to find at least two more people, though I had no idea how easy that would be.
“Let’s go to the guild and post a request for party members, then.”
“This unit agrees. Until a full party is assembled, that would be the wisest course.”
“Right. Until then.”
I answered casually, but disappointment lingered. Even if I posted a request, there was no telling how long it would take or what kind of people would respond. As a complete novice in the Labyrinth, I couldn’t afford to be too picky.
‘See you again, Avatar of Darkness. Next time I’ll be more thoroughly prepared.’
That orange-haired woman was after me. If there were many people capable of using powers similar to what I had displayed, it would become a serious problem. I needed to grow stronger as quickly as possible. I didn’t know how the blessing would affect me, but obtaining it and becoming even stronger would be ideal.
Lost in these thoughts, we walked together until we reached the spot where the monster adventurer had been torn apart yesterday. Not far from there, I saw two girls.
One wore a blue dress beneath a breastplate, with snow-white hair and blue eyes. Beside her stood another girl with an unpleasant expression, vertical pupils, horns, and long animal ears. Both looked very young—no older than twenty. Yet their well-maintained gear, disciplined posture, and presence in this place suggested their identities. Were there no age restrictions for adventurers? Was it really acceptable for girls who still looked like children to stand on the battlefield?
Before I could finish the thought, I noticed the flowers they were placing at the base of a utility pole. The blood that had stained the road had not yet been completely washed away. When the girl beside her said something sharp, the kneeling girl laughed awkwardly and scratched her head.
This was no coincidence. They were mourning someone who had died here.
“Vertea.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Is it common for adventurers to end up like that?”
“It is not extremely common, but it does happen from time to time.”
“What usually happens to the surviving party members?”
“They are often grounded until they can find a new party. They may also be forced to pay compensation for the damage caused by their transformed comrade. Such incidents are most frequent among novice to low-class adventurers.”
“I see.”
I walked straight toward them.
“Paying your respects?”
The white-haired girl flinched noticeably. The horned girl frowned. I took note of their different reactions.
“Ah, um… if we’re bothering you…”
With an awkward smile, she carefully picked up the flowers. The horned girl’s glare grew even sharper. She didn’t seem to like the mourning itself, but she hated the interruption even more.
“You seem to be mourning the adventurer from yesterday.”
When I added a nod toward the bloodstain, the girl’s expression darkened completely. She wore her emotions openly—a stark contrast to the horned girl beside her.
“Yes. He was our comrade. Even though it ended that way—”
“If you suffered any damage, we’re sorry, but we have no means to compensate you. There have been far too many people like you who came sniffing around for a piece of us.”
The horned girl’s venomous tone didn’t faze me. Vertea twitched at the corner of her eye, looking ready to do something drastic, but my next words stopped her.
“That’s not why I’m here… I was wondering if you have any open spots in your party?”
Fortunately, the two girls’ eyes widened so dramatically that Vertea didn’t incinerate anyone. Between the pair of wide-eyed girls and the single halfling, I finished my proposal.
“I happen to be looking for party members myself.”
At the very least, people who would mourn even a comrade who had turned into a monster probably wouldn’t cause any major problems. That was what I believed.