On-Site Investigation (2)
When I came to, we were already in a completely different space from where we'd just been. The material of the walls enclosing us, the drastically narrowed passageway, and even the faint stench in the air—anyone could see this was a far cry from that slime-infested cave.
"Wh-what the hell happened? Where are we? How did we end up here...?"
As the surroundings came into view, Siel sunbae muttered with uncharacteristic bewilderment on her face.
"No way. A teleportation portal...? Why would something like that be in a labyrinth that's been used for decades...?"
"Sunbae!"
"Uh, y-yeah...?"
She seemed too deep in panic, so I called out sharply to snap her out of it. At least, to me, this wasn't worth freaking out over. This was probably an event from the original story. Considering that slime labyrinth was just an easy training spot for freshmen, it made sense. In the original, this was likely an early-game episode to feed the protagonist some growth EXP. At that level of difficulty, Siel sunbae and I could handle it together no problem.
"Calm down. Let's try contacting the outside first. If that doesn't work, we can just find the exit ourselves."
"R-right. Yeah. Sorry. I'll go try contacting them now." Fortunately, she'd brought a way to communicate with the outside. She pulled something from her inner pocket and headed to a corner.
"Lens! Can you hear me? Professor Rusty! Anyone hear my voice?"
She desperately called out names—first Fernoba sunbae, then some professor I didn't know—pouring all her effort into reaching them. But after several tries, it seemed her voice wasn't getting through. She returned with slumped shoulders and apologized to me.
"...No connection. We're probably deep underground, or there's some kind of communication jammer around."
"Can't be helped, then. Let's look for the exit firs—sunbae?"
As I suggested the only option, I saw her usually composed face twist, biting her lip in frustration. Who knew the ever-smiling sunbae could make that expression? I was so surprised I just stared blankly, until she snapped out of it and gave an awkward smile.
"Ah, sorry. I just thought I'd dragged you into this mess for no reason..."
"No big deal. You're a victim too. Besides, it's not like you wanted to get me involved."
If I'd just pulled her out of that magic circle at the end, none of this might have happened. It was my choice to save her, and my failure to do so. Not entirely her fault.
"Anyway, let's find the exit. I'll take point."
"Shouldn't I lead? Having the swordsman in the rear and the mage up front feels off..."
"No way. As your sunbae, I have a duty to protect you. And I'm the academy's student council president, after all."
Her sense of duty was always over the top in the weirdest ways. Her resolute gaze said she wouldn't budge.
Too bad I wasn't one to back down easily either.
"So you're saying you don't trust me?"
"Huh? N-no! It's not that I don't trust you...!"
I grinned and delivered the line with heavy self-deprecation. She frantically shook her head. Still not yielding, huh?
"Ouch, that hurts. You were singing my praises as the next big thing, but turns out you never thought I was reliable."
"Agh! Fine! You take point! Happy now?!"
"Should've said that from the start."
It was the first time I'd seen her crumble like that, so I forgot the seriousness of our situation and burst out laughing. Yeah, that's more like it. Mages should stay back chanting spells and blasting fireballs. Leave the front to the trusty swordsman.
＊
It took less than five minutes of boldly setting out to find the exit to realize something was seriously wrong with this dungeon.
Click.
Hiss...!
"Junior! Get back!"
"Damn, poison gas...!"
"Wind!"
We'd triggered some device in a passageway, and suddenly poison gas spewed out. Luckily, sunbae blew it away with wind magic and gave me emergency treatment just in case, so no real harm done.
"Sunbae! Behind you!"
Whoosh!
After that, tripping wires on the floor unleashed poisoned arrows from behind, and traps kept popping up nonstop. The slime labyrinth had some traps too, but they were minor—just scratches or cuts. Here, every one was lethal, life-threatening stuff. Poison was the baseline passive, and one even had a magic circle that nearly roasted me alive when I leaned on an empty wall.
"Whew, body's not tired, but mentally? Draining."
"Tell me about it."
We'd navigated the dangers without major issues so far. Then a fork appeared, right turn mandatory. We headed that way.
And that's when it happened.
Clack. Clack-clack.
"Sk-skeleton?!"
"Sunbae!"
Ching!
A grotesque clatter of bones echoed. From the corridor ahead emerged a monster made entirely of bones—even its sword. I blocked just before it swung at Siel sunbae.
The moment we encountered this random undead, my suspicions deepened. No way this was fodder for first-years.
Slash!
I swung my sword aura-infused blade, decapitating it.
But the problem was...
Clack. Clack.
Screee...!
Thud. Thud.
...it wasn't alone. More undead crawled from the corridor we'd turned from. My grip tightened on my sword. Turning back now? Dead end where we started. To find the exit, we had to push through.
"Junior! Dodge sideways!"
"...!"
As I adjusted to clear a path, her sharp voice made me leap frog-like to the side.
Roar—!
Siel sunbae's massive fireball engulfed the corridor. Small skeletons crumbled to dust instantly. Tougher ghouls survived, shambling toward us.
Crack!
To buy time for her next spell, I charged into their midst. The flames had slowed them. I smashed a ghoul's skull lunging for my shoulder with my bare fist.
Splurt!
Switched sword to left hand, lopped off a skeleton's head from the side.
Right hand free, I snatched a bone sword from a fallen foe and carved a path.
"Not on my watch!"
Crackle!
Occasional blindside attacks? She froze them or blocked with mana barriers from afar. Guess student council president wasn't a participation trophy. With this support, we could break through. I ramped up my mana, slashing mercilessly.
Until...
Grrrumble...
A black shape slithered from the ground. It rose, morphing like the slimes earlier, toying with me. A shade—one of the undead slime types.
Shick!
I readjusted my grip; it lunged from the floor. I countered with max sword aura, but it didn't feel solid. As I'd heard, shades were like undead slimes—physical attacks barely worked.
'At least sword aura lands somewhat.'
It penetrated more than plain steel. Problem: more wriggling from the floor.
"Ngh!"
Three leaped at once. I countered, but my forearm got grazed. Dangerous, but retreating? No—Siel sunbae was prepping magic behind me.
"Sorry! Buy me a bit more time!"
"Got it!"
Stab!
I nodded, skewered an approaching one. Sword aura did some damage. It sensed danger from its dead buddy; the flanking shades hesitated.
"Radiant Lance."
Her low chant made my head snap back. Light orbs above her split into spears—exactly matching the shades' number. I leaped high.
Whiiiish—!
The spears impaled them. Pierced shades froze like broken robots.
Grrrumble...
They melted into the spears, crumbling to dust as the light faded. Even ground-hiding ones met the same fate.
Spectacular. I'd seen mock battles, but this was pro-level.
"You okay? Hurt anywhere?"
"Just a scratch on my forearm. Otherwise fine."
"Hold on. I'll heal you right—" Despite heavy mana drain from two big spells, her face paled at my wound. She gathered mana without hesitation.
"Nah, I'm good. Just a flesh wound. Let's move, sunbae."
"But..."
"Really, it's nothing."
I stopped her and stood lightly. Scratches like this heal with spit. Priority: find the exit fast. She'd burned mana too—if another fight hit, no guarantees.
Rattle. Rattle.
"...Sunbae, quiet."
"...!"
Mid-thought, we hid at a presence from the corner. A massive skull soldier—twice the size of the skeletons—passed right by.
"Death Knight..."
"...That's a Death Knight?"
"Yeah. Why's a high-tier undead in the middle of the academy...?"
She whispered in horror.
"Let's take its path while we can. Might be safer."
"Smart."
Regaining composure, she directed. We sprinted full-tilt down the Death Knight's trail.
"Huh?"
"This is..."
Not a dead end—a massive wooden door. Big enough for that Death Knight to pass casually. No other rooms or exits visible.
Maybe the way out?
"Guess we go in."
"Yeah. On three, open together."
"Got it."
Might be digging our graves, but no choices left. We locked eyes, nodded grimly, and yanked the handle.
Creeeak...
The ancient door groaned heavily.
As the scene beyond unfolded, our eyes widened in shock.