The Worst Reunion with My Master (4)
“Whoa… this is wild.”
The journey resumed toward Duamutef's pyramid, now that the desert's harsh conditions had been somewhat mitigated.
Valt stared in awe at the hemispherical barrier centered on me, moving as we walked.
“Maintaining such a comfy environment in the middle of a desert. Maybe I should've just learned magic.”
“You can use magic too, you know.”
“Sure, but it's just a handful of basic spells powered by my class. That's it.”
Come to think of it, the Rare class Magic Swordsman boosted both swordsmanship and magic but didn't grant many new spells. That was by design, for balance befitting a Rare class.
Since Valt had started as a pure Swordsman, he couldn't cast anything beyond what his class provided.
By the class settings, though, if he leveled up high enough, he'd have a magic pool rivaling a mid-tier mage. For now, he was limited to a few combat spells.
“Comfy, huh? I agree. I figured you for a good-for-nothing layabout with nothing but that pretty face, no real skills, daring to insult GM-nim… but you've got some unexpected talent.”
Perigit jumped into the conversation.
No real skills…
Considering I only really used Illusion Magic properly, she wasn't entirely wrong.
The power I wielded now was technically a hack via System privileges, not true magic.
But I couldn't exactly spill the truth, so
“Ahaha…”
I just laughed it off.
Then
Shrrrr…
“Huh?”
My viewpoint started sinking.
“This is…”
Looking down, sand swirled around our feet, pulling us under.
“What the hell!” “Ngh!”
Valt and Perigit panicked.
I suddenly remembered what this was. I'd set it up myself, after all.
There were three ways to enter floor 3 of the Labyrinth Tower from floor 2.
All activated once players cleared floor 2.
First: Skip floor 2 entirely and go straight from 1 to 3. An alternate path for when the floor 2 main quest holder locks others out.
Second: The warp gate at the edge of the Sprigganz Great Desert. Allowed by the desert's lord, Brigand the Beast King—currently the most popular route.
Third: Dive into a rare dimensional rift that appeared briefly across the desert. A hidden path.
I'd split them for fun and to reward riskier entries.
The easy first path started you in a dangerous zone on floor 3.
The second was safer.
The third—fitting its insane rarity—granted an ally right at the start.
This incentivized clearing floor 2 first and encouraged exploration.
Of course, no player had ever found a third path—the spawn rate was abysmal.
And now it's right under my feet.
It felt rigged, like someone pulled strings.
“Ah, Albus!”
Valt pushed through the sand toward me, trying to lift me out first.
But
“Whoa!”
The ground gave way, and he tumbled down.
If you didn't know better, it'd be terrifying.
Eh, we'll be fine. Hidden route meant no dangers below—just my custom ally NPC.
More exciting: Meeting a character I'd voiced and acted for, now as a player.
This could be fun.
“No… please… GM-nim, watch over your lost lamb.”
Perigit tried to claw free but fell too. Finally, I could smile.
Being a player, not GM, felt totally different.
Maybe I'd forgotten the real thrill amid all the management.
This excitement.
This rush.
This pounding heart.
Yeah.
Remember this thrill.
The anticipation of a new game back on Earth.
Nostalgia hit hard.
I sank into the sandy darkness.
Flash!
A warp later, we emerged in an alien space—pitch black, details invisible unless right up close.
“Ugh… where the hell are we?”
Valt clutched his head, grimacing as he stood.
“Underground desert?”
“No.”
Perigit answered, stepping forward.
“This isn't the desert. The sand's completely different from what we were just in. No underground layer would have such alien grains.”
She scooped some up.
“More like… we've crossed into another world entirely.”
“Another world?”
“Yes. GM, who governs Luddera, is omnipotent. A dimensional shift wouldn't faze him. Probably floor 3 of the Labyrinth Tower.”
She answered with sudden fervent worship of me.
Figuring it out from one handful of sand? Sharp insight.
…Or her faith in GM was so blinding she overhyped it as 'another dimension'?
“Floor 3?”
Valt scanned around.
“Yeah, players who've been there mentioned fighting monsters in total darkness… but I can't see shit to confirm.”
I opened the admin interface and tweaked the lighting.
Then, for show, chanted an unnecessary light spell.
“Light.”
Kept up the magic-user pretense, avoiding suspicion.
The area lit up like midday.
“Whoa! Albus!”
Valt marveled.
“Man, I said I'd protect you, but I'm the one getting saved. Haha!”
He scratched his head sheepishly.
Back in the sinkhole too—he'd tried shielding me to honor his word.
“Don't sweat it. That's what friends are for. And you'd have my back against something I couldn't handle, right?”
“Albus…!”
Valt gazed at me, touched.
“You're the only one, Albus!” “Whoa!”
He lunged for a hug.
“Get off!”
No way I wanted that—I shoved his shoulders, keeping him at bay.
Thud!
“Never dreamed adventurers would actually show up here.”
A raspy woman's voice came from behind.
“Ngh!” “A—a woman?”
Turning, we saw her: leather armor, arms crossed, looming over our scuffle.
Spot on.
She'd spawned as intended.
Even voicing her myself, seeing her move and speak felt fresh.
“You. Can drop the swords.”
She turned to Perigit, who was frozen in combat stance with daggers drawn.
“Ah. Looks like a total noob who can't even gauge the gap. Baring teeth recklessly.”
Crack.
She cracked her neck,
Thump!
“Cough!”
Then blitzed in front of Perigit, punching her gut.
“If I wanted you dead, you'd be gone. Always assess hostility and skill gaps first. That's how you survive.”
A powerhouse overwhelming even Perigit. “I'm Solaris. Pleased to meet you.”
The ally NPC I'd crafted for hidden-route players entering floor 3.
“…Hm? Another one? Doesn't seem malicious… Why hide? Come out.”
Suddenly, she turned to a shadowed cave wall.
“Eh?”
Another one?
This wasn't scripted.
I whipped around, stunned as
Step.
A man emerged from the dark.
The boy wielding divine power was so shocking, he'd tailed him secretly to uncover his identity—and passed through the rift after him.
Given his powers, he could've sealed it. But he hadn't, so probably lured him on purpose.
To draw me out?
Ahenobarbus, the First Emperor, slipped into the shadows post-warp.
What was the intent?
To persecute a mortal-transcending human like him?
Or punish one defying providence?
Tension surged as he accelerated his bloodflow.
But then
“Never dreamed adventurers would actually show up here.”
A familiar
Deeply missed
Unforgettable voice made him blankly drop stealth.
No way.
Impossible.
Must be a mistake.
Was desperate longing making him hallucinate?
That form.
Never forgotten, not for a second.
Identical to her.
Her face, as he knew it.
“If I wanted you dead, you'd be gone. Always assess hostility and skill gaps first. That's how you survive.”
'If I wanted you dead, you'd be gone. Always assess if they're hostile, and the skill gap. That's how you survive.'
Her exact words from their first meeting—when she'd slammed him down after he lunged at her, saving him.
Advice that kept him alive all these years.
Impossible to forget.
“…Hm? Another one? Doesn't seem malicious… Why hide? Come out.”
She beckoned him with a finger.
Ahenobarbus stepped forward unconsciously.
Master.
Why are you here?
How?