Chapter 50: Auto-Hunt ON
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: Auto-Hunt ON
In the Abyss of the game Labyrinth, there are special tools that can be used depending on one's class, stats, and weapon proficiency.
For example, dagger-type rogues have grenades, and archers have special arrows.
And for wizards…
"A wizard's tool dropped."
It was a small, transparent glass bottle.
Inside, a large eyeball rolled around, squelching against the glass walls.
"Ugh."
Yernil looked a little disgusted, but this was a considerably valuable item.
"The Wizard's Eye."
It was an item I had used extensively, from the easiest difficulties all the way to Turn-Based Master difficulty.
"It's an item you can send into a dangerous area to check your line of sight beforehand. You can also slip it through small, narrow gaps to observe what's beyond a wall."
I thoroughly searched Antonelli's belongings and found a few more useful things.
"A Soul Binding Jar."
It was an item exclusive to necromancers, so it was useless to me, but this one jar was worth more than Aimus's contract fee.
"And two pieces of magic equipment."
A belt and a necklace.
I could feel magical power from both, so they seemed to be magic items, but I couldn't tell the specifics. I'd have to get them appraised by the Magic University's appraisal department.
And finally, two wands.
As expected of a 4th-floor wizard.
This was practically like clearing a treasure room, wasn't it?
"Let's get going again."
The bald slave team, Sally's team, and now Antonelli.
I had really killed a lot of people.
Seeing as I didn't even tremble anymore, I, too, had changed a lot in just one month.
*
The 3rd floor of the Labyrinth was a huge leap in difficulty compared to the first two floors.
The first element that made adventuring here difficult was…
The cold.
"It's a bit chilly."
Yernil rubbed her arms.
The 3rd floor of the Labyrinth was a snowy mountain.
Adventurers who had been exploring the hot and humid jungles and swamps of the 2nd floor were often caught off guard by the harsh cold when they first entered the 3rd floor.
"I should have worn thicker clothes."
That would just slow you down, Yernil.
Feeling "a bit chilly" was actually a good thing.
Normally, as time passed, you'd get frostbite and freeze to death.
The number one cause of death for adventurers on the 3rd floor was freezing. They would lose their means of protection against the cold, wander aimlessly, and die.
But we had a way to stay warm.
"It'll be warmer if you go next to Aimus."
That was because I had him wear a Torch Helmet. The Tier 1 combat magic 'Torch' dispelled darkness, protected against the cold, and additionally granted the 'Clarity' status.
"You said as long as I wear this helmet, everyone within a ten-meter radius is immune to confusion, right?" Aimus asked.
"Yes. So everyone needs to stick close to Aimus."
My high Wisdom allowed me to resist confusion, but I still had to stick close because of the cold.
Thus, with the Torch, we could negate two of the threats on the 3rd floor.
And the third factor that added to the difficulty…
Monsters whose intelligence was on a completely different level from those on the 2nd floor.
"I hear something!"
"It must be the Frost Hunters."
They were dangerous creatures that moved in organized groups, looking for an opening to ambush adventurers.
"They're coming."
Their usual method of attack was to lie in wait on a hill and then launch a surprise…
"Ice Spike."
…attack with magic or arrows.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
However, Aimus opened his parasol and blocked them all.
Using the Torch to ward off confusion and cold forced the party to stick together, which was a perfect setup for an area-of-effect defensive skill like the parasol.
Combined with Sound Mapping, there was no chance of being ambushed by hidden hunters.
I had designed our party's entire strategy around the 3rd floor.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
Huge snowfield wolves, released from the hunters' grasp, charged at us, barking ferociously.
They were called wolves, but they were the size of tigers.
Moreover, they could run on the snow as if it were solid ground, allowing them to close the distance to the party in an instant.
"Wolves!"
As Yernil aimed her bow, Back Attack leaped in front of her and shouted.
"You provide covering fire on the hill!"
He said, throwing a dagger.
Thwack!
The Enchanted Dagger Throw skill maintained the enchantment of the thrown dagger.
"Yelp! Whimper!"
A snowfield wolf with a dagger embedded in its head instantly caught fire and began to burn.
The monster's horrific screams echoed across the snowy mountain.
The wolf, engulfed in flames, rolled frantically in the snow, but the fire wouldn't go out easily.
Swoosh!
Even after the dagger was summoned back to Back Attack's hand.
Pow! Pow-pow!
A Triple Shot fired from Yernil's hands took down one of the hunters on the hill.
Aimus, still holding the parasol open to block arrows and ice spikes, kept his eyes on the wolves.
Thwack!
Back Attack took down the one in the lead with a Leaping Ambush.
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted once again.
Two wolves were rolling on the ground screaming, creating chaos, but the last wolf didn't stop even after seeing that.
The fangs of the monster charging at full speed were comparable in size to Yernil's ears.
"Kaaargh!"
Just before its jaws could tear into Back Attack…
CRACK!
With exquisite timing, Aimus slammed his iron staff down on it.
Smashing Gaia.
The wolf's head was crushed, sending brains and bone fragments flying. Back Attack, who had been in the path of the attack, returned behind me with perfect timing.
'Shadow Leap.'
Their coordination is excellent. I guess it's because they were originally in the same party.
Boom!
Yernil shot down the second Frost Hunter.
"Ice Spike."
The last Frost Hunter cast its spell again, but…
"This is quite convenient."
Aimus's steel parasol blocked the ice spike once more.
"It folds automatically when I swing it like a club, and opens automatically when I point it forward to block."
The parasol was a pretty efficient defensive skill.
I aimed my wand at the last remaining Frost Hunter.
"Dust Explosion."
*
I watched them for a bit to see how well they'd do, and they exceeded my expectations.
There wasn't even a need to turn back the hourglass.
'This feels like I've turned on auto-hunt.'
To think the fledglings from the 1st floor have grown this much, this party leader is deeply moved.
Shall I give these friends a taste of the sweet rewards of the 3rd floor?
"Look at this. It's huge."
I pulled a lustrous magic stone from the snowfield wolf's chest.
"Whoa…"
A look of shock spread across Back Attack's face.
"It's fucking huge."
"It's enormous! Is this really a magic stone?"
Yernil was also astonished.
The artisans of Sohen used magic stones from Labyrinth monsters to create various magic tools, scrolls, special arrows, and fuel for three-wheeled vehicles.
That's why the price of a magic stone increased with its quality and size.
You certainly couldn't find one this big on the 2nd floor or below.
We had even skipped the 2nd floor and come straight here from the 1st.
So the change in the quality of the magic stones must be even more shocking for them.
It must feel like going from eating a tiny chicken leg to being faced with a turkey leg.
The 3rd floor was not a place just anyone could venture into, but the income was substantial.
For a four-person party, the expected profit from a single 1st-floor Labyrinth run was about 25,000 gold.
On the 2nd floor, it was about 50,000, but on the 3rd floor, you could pull in a base of 100,000.
We would probably make even more.
Since we'd be clearing out treasure rooms as well.
And this time, we even looted a human treasure room, Antonelli.
We extracted the magic stones from all three snowfield wolves.
And then.
"Let's get the Frost Hunters' magic stones too."
We climbed the hill.
"From a distance, I almost thought they were people," Yernil said as she turned over a Frost Hunter's corpse.
When I first came to the 3rd floor as a complete beginner in the Abyss of the Labyrinth, I also thought they were people.
There were so many beastfolk adventurers in the game that I mistook them for something similar and got a game over after trying to talk to them.
"The magic stone should be around here."
Using Back Attack's dagger, I gently cut through the white fur on the Frost Hunter's chest. It felt like slicing a loaf of white bread with a heated knife.
"It's C-Grade!"
Back Attack screamed upon discovering the radiant magic stone.
"This is fucking awesome, boss!"
"It's so pretty!"
Yernil jumped up and down.
"How much is this worth?"
"Boss, this is my first time seeing a C-Grade! Holy shit!"
It was certainly excellent.
Although it was a bit small, its magical power was quite dense. Even I was pleased to see it, so Back Attack and Yernil were bound to be thrilled.
As expected, Aimus was the only composed one…
"Th-this can't be…"
The monk's eyes went wild with greed.
"Caleb! Just one of these can pay for our first child's school tuition!"
Where have all the teachings of the Dalai Mountain gone, brother?
"Let's go get more! This is insane! There was a reason you wanted to come here! Caleb! Let's go! Let's hurry and get more!"
"We're rich, boss!" Back Attack chimed in.
"Let's go! Let's go get more!" Yernil shouted excitedly.
She was about to run ahead, so I quickly grabbed her.
"Yernil."
This is the most dangerous time, when you're this excited.
"The thing we need to be most careful of on the 3rd floor isn't the monsters, the cold, or the confusion."
The biggest threat was something else entirely.
Traps.
On the 1st or 2nd floor, I could somehow spot them with my own eyes if I stared at the ground until they popped out.
But from the 3rd floor onward, that wasn't the case.
Because the snow covered the trap switches.
"You must only move after Back Attack has detected the path."
"Ah… yes…"
Yernil's ears drooped slightly to the side after getting scolded while she was jumping for joy.
"Back Attack, find us a path."
"Ah, don't you worry, boss!"
Back Attack scurried forward and quickly found something.
"There's something here."
I knew it.
There were always traps near the areas where Frost Hunters roamed.
"…Move."
When I gently cleared away the snow with psychokinesis, a black button was revealed underneath.
'Oil Floor Trap.'
If you step on it, the ground gives way, and you fall eight meters. The walls and floor are coated in oil, making it impossible to climb out.
According to the lore…
"If you get caught in there, the Frost Hunters capture you, take you away, and eat you alive like sashimi."
"…Gasp."
Yernil swallowed hard.
Then she subtly clung to my shoulder.
"I-I'll stick right behind you, Caleb."
"Let's do that."
That's the ranged dealer's position, Yernil.
But there's no need to be discouraged.
"Let's make some money."
My real reason for coming to the 3rd floor was the stone monument, but before that, from a capitalist perspective, I had to recoup my investment, didn't I?
Do you know how much all the gear I've put on you costs?
"Let's go."
Caleb's Party, Auto-Hunt ON!
*
Thwack!
A two-handed sword slicing horizontally through the air delivered a fatal blow with its momentum.
Right to the neck of a Frost Hunter.
Thud!
The Frost Hunter's head fell to the ground and rolled across the snow, stopping at the tip of a webbed foot.
"Kappapapa! The blood is making my toes nice and warm!"
The Kappa rogue, Gadozumi, laughed as he gently trapped the monster's head with his foot.
"Even with anti-cold magic, my feet get chilly because I'm cold-blooded! Kappapapa!"
"Wear shoes, you idiot."
A fox poked her head out from behind him.
She was Soyul, a fox-spirit shaman who had already reached three tails at a young age, captivating enough to steal the souls and livers of men.
"Kappas don't wear shoes! Just like a fox doesn't hide its tails!"
Gadozumi pointed at Soyul's rear. From a small hole in the back of her tight pants, right in the middle of the belt loops, three fluffy tails swayed.
"My tails don't get cold. But you got frostbite on your feet before, didn't you?"
"That's what it means to be a Kappa!"
Amidst their bickering…
"Hoo."
The swordsman Hijikata wiped the sweat from his brow.
"This is getting a bit tedious. It's been three days already. I wish we'd find the inter-floor stairs soon."
Hijikata tore the magic stones from the corpses.
"By the way, about Caleb's party. Do you think they're okay?" Soyul asked.
It had already been three days since they had replied to Caleb's message.
"Kappapapa! Those guys were honestly being a bit reckless!" Gadozumi burst out laughing again.
"No matter how great a rookie is, skipping the 2nd floor and coming straight here was over the top. Papa!"
"You think so? I thought someone like Caleb would have calculated his chances before coming."
Hijikata had a different opinion.
"Hmm. Like Hijikata said, he probably came prepared for the 3rd floor. But the problem is the 4th-floor wizard. From his message back then, it seemed like he ran into a 4th-floor wizard, right?"
Soyul was more worried about that part than anything else.
"Caleb is the one who found the ossuary resurrection method, so he's our benefactor. I hope he didn't die," she said.
"A fight with a 4th-floor wizard wouldn't be easy."
"Even if he survived, adventuring on the 3rd floor itself isn't easy! He'd be better off going back to the 2nd floor. Papa."
Gadozumi was still concerned about Caleb's attempt to tackle the 3rd floor.
Even top-tier parties from the 2nd floor, like Lil'Dragon Aaron or Birtanen, had failed to overcome the wall of the 3rd floor.
So how could Caleb's party, which had been active on the 1st floor until recently, possibly manage the 3rd floor in one go, no matter how well-prepared they were?
"How about we send a message now and tell him to go to the 2nd floor? Or do you think he's already dead?" Gadozumi said.
"I don't know. Honestly, it feels a bit like meddling. And like you said, it might already be too late."
Hijikata scratched his head and took the lead.
"We don't have time to worry about other parties. We have our own urgent business. Let's just find the inter-floor stairs."
Three days had passed since they had taken the elevator down to the 3rd floor of the Labyrinth, but they still hadn't found the stairs.
Hijikata's party, being quite experienced on the 3rd floor, had a rough idea of where the stairs were located.
The problem, however, was that the terrain changed every time the Labyrinth opened.
"There's one set of stairs near the stone monument."
The problem was that they didn't know where the monument was.
"As soon as we find the stairs, we secure the ossuary first."
"Okay."
"Kappapapa!"
Hijikata led Soyul and Gadozumi deeper into the 3rd floor.
Having entered via the elevator, they had started at a random location on the 3rd floor. After exploring various routes, they finally arrived at a shocking scene.
"What is this…"
In front of the stair gate leading to the 2nd floor.
The corpse of a wizard was lying there.
The cold of the snowy mountain had kept the body from decaying even after three days. They didn't recognize the face, but there was some information they could gather from the clothes and insignia.
"A 4th-floor… wizard…?"
Soyul's voice trembled.
"Look at this."
Hijikata showed her a note that had fallen beside the corpse.
It was one Hijikata himself had sent long ago.
[This is Hijikata. Who is Antonelli? He's not from our party.]
"Caleb killed him."
"A 4th-floor wizard?"
Soyul's jaw dropped.
"What the hell happened here? Papapa!"
Tap-tap-tap!
Hijikata immediately followed the footprints in the snow for several dozen meters.
When he reached the top of a hill, another new scene unfolded.
"What the…"
It was a pile of Frost Hunter and wolf corpses.
Three of each.
"Caleb's party?"
As they followed the path a little further, increasingly shocking scenes appeared one after another.
"What is all this…"
It was a scene that could only be described as a massacre.
They had actively 'hunted down' the Frost Hunters. Gadozumi, who had carefully examined the footprints, slapped his forehead.
"It looks like the Frost Hunters were caught while trying to run away. Papa!"
"The hunters ran away?"
"Papapa! Who's the hunter now?"
"No way…"
"Isn't this Caleb's party's first time on the 3rd floor?"
Soyul was also incredibly surprised.
"What kind of party is this?"
Hijikata, who had spent a long time on the 3rd floor, had seen many rookies more talented than themselves.
Adventurers who had arrived on the 3rd floor later than him but descended to the 4th floor first.
But not a single one of them had ever pulled off something this insane on their first run of the 3rd floor.
'A monster party has appeared on the 3rd floor.'