Chapter 46: The Third Labyrinth Run
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: The Third Labyrinth Run
Aimus had barely managed to get his wife's permission, but he himself was filled with worry.
“Caleb. To go to the 3rd floor of the Labyrinth, not only do you need to be skilled, but your equipment has to be top-notch too.”
It was because of the equipment.
“From the 3rd floor onward, even…”
He said.
“There are adventurers who bring Magic-grade artifacts!”
He'd probably faint if I told him that Yernil and I already had a magic ring and magic bracers each.
But Aimus wasn't wrong.
Even in the game, you could get by on the first two floors with mediocre gear, but the difficulty spiked sharply from the 3rd floor.
Especially at our current low level, you needed magic artifacts to supplement essential skills or spells for a stable run on the 3rd floor…
“Those kinds of magic artifacts are expensive and rare.”
You usually couldn't buy such items in regular shops.
To get them, you either had to go through a personal connection or an auction house.
“We don't have any connections, and it'll be a while before the auction house opens.”
The lack of magic equipment was one of the main reasons why 2nd-floor parties couldn't advance to the 3rd.
Usually, the party would break up.
It was how the wheat was separated from the chaff among the 2nd-floor parties. The "wheat"—the truly skilled ones—would receive recruitment offers from 3rd-floor parties.
‘Hey, you there, Paladin. You seem pretty good. How about you ditch that party and join us on the 3rd floor? We'll provide you with a Lifewater Steel Breastplate for the duration of your contract!’
Something like that.
The 2nd-floor paladin would then say goodbye to his friends and head to the 3rd floor.
The income was drastically different, so they'd go, hoping to one day buy a Lifewater Steel Breastplate of their own at the auction house.
Conversely, because this was a great way to recruit talented players from the floor below, party leaders were desperate to buy up and hoard magic equipment.
As soon as the auction house opened, they'd rush in, buy everything up, and then use the gear to recruit adventurers who were skilled but poorly equipped.
You could call it a kind of welfare competition between parties.
“But Caleb, you don't have anything like that, do you…?”
Aimus asked worriedly.
“Will we be okay with just normal equipment?”
“Boss. We can't buy magic items, but there are plenty of places that rent them out. Especially in the back alleys.”
Back Attack suggested another option, but I immediately refused.
“Renting is too expensive. It's not cost-effective.”
I couldn't waste my hard-earned money like that, especially this early on.
“Then what's your plan?”
“Just watch.”
*
“I've been waiting for you.”
First, I went to the Temple of Nathaniel to meet Bishop Azello.
“I've heard everything from Bernard. He told me that you, Caleb, essentially completed his entire mission for him.”
Bishop Azello said.
“We have fairly and justly evaluated the contributions of Caleb's party. Here is your reward money.”
“Is it possible to receive magic equipment instead of money?”
“Magic equipment?”
Normally, this wasn't allowed.
Considering the rarity of magic equipment, the amount an institution possessed was directly tied to its power.
“We do not give equipment as rewards to outsiders.”
“But wasn't this the reward Bernard was supposed to receive, not an outsider?”
“Ah…!”
Bishop Azello flinched, flustered.
“From what I heard from my university professors, Bernard said to give his entire share to me.”
“W-well, that's true, but…”
“You swore an oath to Nathaniel, the God of Fair Contracts and Transactions, that you would give me my exact share.”
“…”
“I'm sure Nathaniel would see it that I should be able to receive the reward here with the same qualifications as Bernard.”
“Ah.”
Bishop Azello slapped a hand to his forehead.
“I'm screwed.”
“…”
“There's no getting out of this one.”
The bishop gave a bitter smile.
“I have no choice. As a bishop who serves Nathaniel, I cannot create a scandal over such a transaction. What is it that you desire?”
Perfect.
I knew bringing up Nathaniel would be a checkmate.
“I need a suit of armor that this monk here can wear.”
“Follow me.”
Bishop Azello led us to the Temple of Nathaniel's treasury.
We carefully examined the items, had Aimus try them on, and selected a suit of armor.
[Lamellar Armor of Summering]
▶This product has been confirmed by the Magic University's appraisal department to contain magic power and has received a 'Magic' grade.
▶This lamellar armor grants the wearer the 'Steel Parasol' skill.
“Thank you.”
“The temple has high expectations for you, Caleb. Please become a great adventurer.”
Next, we headed to the Adventurers' Guild.
“Hello. I'm here to collect the reward for subjugating a group of plunderers.”
I gave a brief explanation about Sally's team at the counter, and the clerk quickly checked the records.
“We have a witness statement from Bernard, a paladin from the Temple of Nathaniel. You're Caleb, the adventurer who defeated the plunderer group led by Sally, correct?”
The clerk checked my ID card and then handed me a plaque of appreciation.
“You have done a great service for the order within the Labyrinth and the safety of its adventurers. On behalf of the Adventurers' Guild, I thank you.”
Then, for the prize, I was told to choose between money and a magic item.
This was one of the Adventurers' Guild's policies.
Plunderers were such a nuisance in the Labyrinth that the guild offered strong incentives to eliminate them.
It only made sense.
After all, the easiest way to get magic equipment was to plunder a party that already had it.
It was only right for the Adventurers' Guild to offer a comparable prize for the opposite case.
“I'll take a decent bow for my friend here.”
This time, I decided to pick a weapon for Yernil.
“Follow me.”
We followed the clerk, looked over the weapons, and had Yernil draw a few.
“You pick, Caleb. I don't really know.”
So I picked.
[Magic-Tipped Bow]
▶This product has been confirmed by the Magic University's appraisal department to contain magic power and has received a 'Magic' grade.
▶This bow grants the wearer the 'Magic Tip' skill.
The Magic Tip skill was used in combination with scrolls. It allowed you to hit a target at long range with a scroll that normally required close-range contact.
For example, a resurrection scroll had to be placed directly on a corpse to be used. But if you combined a resurrection scroll with the Magic Tip and shot the corpse, you could resurrect the target from a distance.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you. If you find any more plunderers, please be sure to take care of them. As long as you have proof, we'll provide a reward.”
We left the Adventurers' Guild and headed for the Magic University.
I had left something at their appraisal department.
“You mean the dagger? It's all done. Here you go.”
We had farmed a blank scroll and a dagger from the treasure room on the 1st floor of the Labyrinth last time.
The blade had felt warm, so I'd guessed it had some kind of fire magic or enchantment on it, and I was right.
The certificate of quality came back like this.
[Item Commissioned by Caleb]
▶This product has been confirmed by the Magic University's appraisal department to contain magic power and has received a 'Magic' grade.
▶This dagger ignites and burns the target when it stabs them.
Next up was Professor Isilof's research lab.
“Caleb! I was waiting for you. As a reward for your last mission, I've prepared something perfect for you.”
Professor Isilof handed me a magic wand.
[Wand of Thunderclap]
▶This product has been confirmed by the Magic University's appraisal department to contain magic power and has received a 'Treasure' grade.
▶This wand holds the Tier 1 combat magic 'Lightning Shock'.
▶This wand holds the Tier 1 combat magic 'Superconduction'.
“Thank you.”
“I hear you're going back into the Labyrinth?”
“Yes. We're aiming for the 3rd floor.”
“Right. You're so skilled I'm not worried, but still, take care of yourself.”
I said my goodbyes to Professor Isilof and went outside.
“Just one more place to go.”
The Magic University's Labyrinth Exploration Support Center.
You could rent magic equipment here. Since it was part of the university's welfare program, they didn't charge exorbitant rental fees like the places outside.
Instead, it required something more difficult to obtain.
'Club Mission Completion Points.'
You earned points by completing missions given to club students by professors, and you used those points to rent magic equipment here.
This policy had two effects.
The first was to make students work harder under the professors.
The second was to give students leverage when they went out and formed parties with outside adventurers.
Just like now.
“I see you have a record of completing a B-Difficulty mission. Please choose the equipment you wish to rent within a 5-point budget and let me know.”
There wasn't much you could rent for 5 points. I focused on what was essential for the 3rd floor.
[Torch Helm] - 3 points
▶This product has been confirmed by the Magic University's appraisal department to contain magic power and has received a 'Magic' grade.
▶This helm holds the Tier 1 utility magic 'Torch'.
I'll just take this and save the remaining 2 points.
And that's it.
*
“Wait, did that Labyrinth run really earn us this much?”
Back Attack couldn't hide his shock.
“What the hell happened in there? I've never seen a bishop from the Temple of Nathaniel act like that!”
“…”
Aimus also looked quite surprised.
For Aimus, who had been a party leader for a long time but had never made a proper profit from the Labyrinth, the sudden influx of rewards must have been an unimaginable gain.
“We caught plunderers, too? I was a corpse, so I don't remember a thing. I've never seen this much income from the 1st floor.”
“There was more than this.”
I told him, who was still marveling, the true total of our earnings.
“We haven't even sold the combat doll core, two-handed sword, knight's helm, gauntlets, and other things we got from looting Sally's team. And... even if we sold all of that, it probably wouldn't match the value of the Caretaker's staff we got from the sanctuary.”
This wasn't the kind of profit you could make on the 1st floor.
“…”
Shall I guess what Back Attack and Aimus are thinking right now?
Back Attack is probably thinking, 'I wish I hadn't been the one who needed rescuing and resurrection!'
Back Attack joined and played a key role in the latter half of the adventure, but since he was already dead when he entered, he couldn't claim a share. It's not my rule; it's the Adventurers' Guild's regulations.
And Aimus.
He must be thinking, 'I shouldn't have blurted out 0% during the interview!'
Even if he were a monk who had achieved enlightenment on some sacred mountain, with a family to feed at home, greed was bound to stir after seeing how much we earned on that Labyrinth run.
That's right.
The ownership of the armor I just gave the monk and Back Attack's dagger belongs entirely to me. Neither of them can claim any share of the value.
On the other hand, Yernil could ask for her share, but…
'I don't really know, so just give me whatever you think is fair, Caleb!'
is what she said.
Yernil really is easy to scam. How can someone be so naive?
Anyway, I decided I'd settle up with her later.
And…
'It's about time for a reaction.'
“The 3rd floor... Just how much can we earn there?”
There it is.
Aimus asked, his voice trembling.
“If this is what we got from the 1st floor, what in the world can we get from the 3rd floor, Boss…”
Back Attack also seemed thrilled just thinking about it.
Money is a powerful motivator.
Seeing the incredible profit our party made on the 1st floor last time had made both of them go crazy.
Just how much could they make on the 3rd floor?
“I didn't give you a 10,000 gold signing bonus for nothing.”
“…!”
“Aimus. Send your firstborn to a good school.”
*
'Crazy.'
Violet, the receptionist at the Labyrinth Union, was dumbfounded by the team's unrecognizable transformation.
Let's go back about a month.
To when Violet first saw Caleb.
Back then, with the words [MAGIC UNIVERSITY PRISONER SLAVE] emblazoned across his back, he had been thrown into the Labyrinth with a gloomy party of slaves, holding nothing but a single potato and a wand.
And after that?
He'd shown up in a Magic University uniform and formed a three-person party with an Adventurers' Guild slave dressed like a ranger and a monk carrying a giant iron staff. The fact that he brought an undead with him was unusual, but still.
And today.
In just one month, that party had transformed into a team of seasoned veterans.
They were even equipped with at least one, sometimes two, magic items per person.
'This party's growth rate is insane.'
When you work the reception desk long enough, you can size up a party at a glance.
That party will never make it past the 1st floor.
That party will get stuck on the 2nd floor.
That party will break up soon, and only the priest will get absorbed into a 3rd-floor team.
And…
“Heading down to the 2nd floor, I see?”
In Violet's eyes, Caleb's party was now fully prepared to go to the 2nd floor.
A party that grew this fast was ready for the next floor, even if it was only their third run…
“Nope, we're going to the 3rd floor.”
“The 3rd floor!”
That team is growing way too fast!
*
Descending the stairs and passing through the gate, a chilly wind blows.
A gloomy corridor.
The sound of monsters laughing, or perhaps crying, in the distance.
And a musty smell.
The kind of smell you'd get from opening a dusty old book in a second-hand bookstore.
'Entering the Labyrinth always feels like shit.'
We've never been below the 1st floor, so we can't use the elevator.
This time, we have to go down the stairs starting from the 1st floor.
Which means we've now entered the 1st floor of the Labyrinth.
'Even just entering the 1st floor feels like shit.'
Even though we're way overpowered for this area.
The comfortable bed and delicious food in my dorm suddenly feel like a distant mirage.
The fun times playing games with high-tier wizards at the Berten estate also feel like a fleeting dream.
Now, I'm standing on the line between life and death again.
It's my third time, but I'm still not used to it.
“Let's go.”
Maybe I'll never get used to this feeling.
That's for the best.
It's proof that I'm on edge.
Never let your guard down in the Labyrinth.
“We need to find the stairwell room.”
We're going all the way to the 3rd floor this time.
On my first run, I almost died fighting Back Attack as the exit boss. On the second, I almost died because Bernard's party summoned the Caretaker of the sanctuary.
Please, let this run end safely without any major incidents!
With that prayer in mind, I led the party forward.