Chapter 3: Into the Labyrinth

I was rolling around to collect the demon corpses when Grida said, “Furutsu, I think that should do it.”

Good. We’ve collected all the dead gerugeres now. Thanks, Grida. They’d ended up all over this big clearing, so it was kind of a pain to get them all, huh? Let’s go back.

“Okay!”

The gerugeres had been burned to a crisp, with the majority being not much more than ashes, so I was relieved that I could use Turn Reversal to revert them to decidedly not charred corpses. As I rolled toward the carriage, I heard some voices.

“Oh, don’t be absurd! You don’t have to joke around like that!” said one of the Rank C adventurers.

“As I’ve said before, we’re truly only Rank E!” came Datil’s troubled reply.

“Now, now, no need to be so humble, sir!”

Sir?

“Ah, ma’am! Allow us to carry those heavy items!”

Ma’am?

“Ugh, what’s with you guys?!” Fresa said.

The Rank C adventurers had started to kiss up to Datil and Fresa. Boy, they’ve done a one-eighty.

“And what are you planning on doing with us?” Gruszka and his subordinates had their hands tied behind their backs. They’d completely lost their will to fight after seeing the show of strength Grida and I had put on.

“We’ll hand you over to the authorities. But we’ll have you specifically, Gruszka, come along and act as our guide,” Datil replied. At his suggestion, we decided to head for the next campsite with the eleven bandits and eight passengers in tow. The two Rank C adventurers acted as our coachmen and bodyguards. “I’m relying on you two to get us to our destination before the sun sets, all right?”

“Of course! We’d be honored!” the two bodyguards said, bowing their heads.

We decided to use the bandits’ horses since the carriage horses had fled, but we were clearly over the weight limit. Passengers that were experienced in horseback riding were to individually mount any remaining horses and tag along.

“We’re still over the limit, it seems. Okay, activate King of Apples!” Fresa said.

Ding! “King of Apples has been activated. Please ensure that others are a safe distance away. Activating in: 10...9... You will feel a strong shock wave, please stand back. 3...2...1...”

Five apples floated around her. “Nourishing tonic. Enhance physical capabilities.”

Ding! “All apples will have nourishing effects and enhance physical capabilities. 3...2...1... Upgrade complete.”

“I’m sorry. I’m going to need you guys to push yourselves a little,” she said to the four horses pulling our carriage as she fed each of them an apple. The horses neighed, and we could hear a bubbling sound as their muscles started growing.

That’s terrifying! They got bigger!

“Now we should be fine until we reach the campsite. They’re gonna be real sore and won’t be able to move for the next few days though.”

The horses started breathing heavily as though they were ready to run any second now. Hey, don’t push the limits too much, Fresa.

“And this last apple is for you guys, okaaay?” she said, handing over the remaining apple to the Rank C adventurers. “Be careful though. Only eat this when you’re in a pinch, and even then, only take one bite. Your power will go through the roof.”

“Whoa, thank you so much, ma’am! You’re awesome!”

“We’ll be unstoppable with this!”

Hey, we shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves. That apple will...

“But don’t eat it if you can help it. It’s not bad for your body or anything, but it’ll take a toll on you afterward. Seriously, one bite when you really need to, okay?” Fresa warned.

As a side note, horses in this world had shorter legs, but were much more muscular. It seemed power was more desired than speed.

“Heh, copy that, ma’am!”

“One bite when we’re in a pinch!”

Are you sure you guys are responsible enough? Look what happened to those horses! I shudder to think what would happen to a human.

“Then I’ll leave our request to you,” Datil said.

“Tell them not to head toward Muruma,” Fresa added.

“Roger that. We’ll take care of it,” the adventurer said.

Our request was simple. They were to catch up to Berry, Júzi, and Arguta, who were headed toward Muruma, and stop them. We’d thought that even this Rank C pair could handle it. Of course, our group would love to do it ourselves if we could, but we had another stop to make first.

“Well then, we’ll head out!” said one.

“Sir, ma’am! Take care of yourselves! Let’s meet again!” said the other.

The cracks of the whip faded into the distance as the horses ran at breakneck speed, not minding that they were over capacity. The remaining passengers on horseback chased them from behind. Will they really be okay?

“Okay, we should head out as well,” Datil said.

“Yeah! I’m so excited to visit the ruins!” Fresa replied.

“Apple-san, why did you also want to tag along? I understand why Fresa-san wants to, since she loves jewels and stuff, but...”

That’s right. Our stop is the labyrinth in the deepest area of the bandits’ base. I’m a little worried whether those Rank C guys could stop Berry and the others, but I definitely want to confirm what the deal is with that large tree that Gruszka’s subordinate claimed to have seen within the maze.

“Heeey, Datil! I never said I wanted any jewels!”

“Oh, you don’t? Then we can leave those behind, I suppose.”

“Huh?! Nooo! You’re such a meanie!”

Get a room, will you? Stop flirting while we’re horseback riding! We’ve got you two and a tied-up Gruszka on a single horse! Don’t you feel even a little bad for it while you’re making all this fuss? Speaking of, even I know that Fresa’s after the jewels, but how the heck did you figure out that I wanted to visit the ruins too?

“Are you two seriously going to enter the labyrinth?” a surprised Gruszka asked them.

“Of course. Isn’t that right, Datil?” Fresa said.

“Yes. It’s clear that something lies within that labyrinth. As an adventurer, that makes me really excited.”

Ha ha ha, you sure sound fired up, Datil. But before that, it seems like we’ve got another mandatory event to pass through. Isn’t that right, Grida?

“Yep! It’s very big and very gross,” Grida said.

In the next moment there was a loud thud, and a huge creature emerged from the dust. Fresa and Datil yelled in surprise. I guess even they couldn’t pick up on this thing. It was masking its presence under the sand, waiting for us to inch closer.

“You noticed, Furutsu? That’s amazing,” Grida said.

Yeah. I didn’t see it, but I definitely felt something odd in the air. Looks like a big worm.

The creature roared loudly. It’s about as big as a building, and really loud to boot. Tentacle-like appendages were wriggling around on top of its head, and its mouth was lined with a circle of sharp teeth. I feel like I’ve seen something like this in a movie before.

“Eep! A-A sandworm?! Why is there one here?!” Gruszka shouted.

Right, a sandworm! Wait, are we legally allowed to say that? No copyright laws here?

“Gross! Like, what does it eat to get that big?!” Fresa yelled.

“Hey, what in the world is that thing?!” Datil yelled.

Huh? You were able to identify that big siratar, a demon that I doubt anyone has seen grow to that size, but you don’t know this monster? Is it rare or something?

“This is a sandworm! It’s a legendary demon that lives in the deserts of the west!” Gruszka said.

Oooh, a legendary monster! So we’ve got a rare encounter here, do we? Will it drop a treasure box if we defeat it?

“Forget defeating it, no one has really even seen this beast before. Everyone who encounters it is devoured on the spot! The old legend goes that it swallows everything, from people to carriages, and melts down steel armor—and bones too!”

I see! So any treasure boxes would melt down too! Wait, isn’t that bad? It totally doesn’t have any loot then. We’re just getting attacked with no benefits!

“Furutsu, maybe we can use its corpse for Fresa-san’s Hoard Lottery,” Grida said.

Oh, right! You’re right! You’re a genius, Grida!

“Another thing,” Gruszka explained. “Once a sandworm is killed, its body turns to sand. Because the corpse disappears, it’s regarded as more of a legend!”

I see! So we can’t dissect it or make it into a specimen. Isn’t that bad? If we don’t get a corpse, we can’t use it for the Hoard Lottery! There’s no plus in fighting this thing! What a waste!

“Hang in there, Furutsu! This isn’t about benefits or waste! If we don’t fight, we’ll get eaten!” Grida said.

The sandworm roared loudly, opening its jaws. Shut up, sandworm! Like you said, Grida, at this rate, we’ll all get eaten! I probably won’t add much to the meal though. I’m too small.

“Here I go. Cell Manipulation!” Datil said.

Ding! “Cell Manipulation has been activated. Remaining time: 59...58...57...”

He jumped from the horse and ran toward the sandworm. As always, I’m impressed by his speed.

“Hah!” he yelled as he swiftly swung his sword. Sparks flew from the sandworm’s skin, and a sharp metallic sound echoed in the air. “Ugh, I c-can’t cut through it!” Above him, the sandworm opened its mouth wide and dove straight toward its prey.

“Whoa!” Datil said as he dodged the attack. Each time the monster struck, shock waves spread through the ground. Datil rolled around, evading each of the sandworm’s relentless attacks by a hair.

Hey, that’s part of my identity! Don’t roll without my permission!

Ding! “All apples will be hardened, super oxidized, and receive high-speed rotation. 3...2...1... Upgrade complete.”

Fresa had already activated her ability and shouted toward the sandworm. “Jeez, Datil! What are you doing?! Apple Meteor!”

The five rotating apples flew toward the sandworm, breaking through its tough skin. We heard a loud sizzle, followed by the sweet scent of baked apples—which quickly morphed into a burning smell. The sandworm roared once more, however, seemingly unfazed by the damage.

“Huh?! Why isn’t it working?!” Fresa yelled.

It’s too big. You barely burned the outer layer of its skin, and haven’t done much else. Worst case, you might not have damaged it at all.

“It’s my turn next! One hundred percent! Unchain the wind, entreat the moon!” Grida said. A wind blade soared straight toward the sandworm with a loud whoosh. Her power was immense—the blade was larger than the monster’s neck.

Not sure if the words “blade” and “neck” are accurate here though. Whatever, let’s not worry too much about it. But the moment the wind blade made contact, it disappeared into thin air.

“Huh?! Why? What happened?” she cried.

What?! Even Grida’s magic didn’t do damage?

Ring! Ring! “Warning! Magic spell has been resisted.”

“The magic disappeared?! What’s going on?” Fresa said, jumping up and down while pointing at the worm.

“Could it be protected by a guardian?! This is a bit of a pain!” Datil shouted as he continued to dodge its attacks.

A guardian? That sounds familiar. Uhhh...

“Furutsu, remember the baby dragon in the city? They said magic didn’t work on it,” Grida said.

That’s right! You have a good memory. I do remember them saying that when we were in Kalabuya. So this thing isn’t just big, but kind of tricky to defeat too.

“Apple-san! Don’t just sit there looking impressed!” Fresa said.

I’d love to ask how you knew what I was thinking, but now’s not the time. Swords, magic, and apples are all ineffective. All right then, I guess I’ll use my skill. Shackle!

Ding! “Shackle has been activated. Please be careful of your surroundings.”

Clanking sounds filled the air as shackles started appearing. These shackles are from the curse card, connecting me, Grida, Fresa, and Datil. Plus, I should be the only one who can see them, but...

“Ah, it’s those shackles!” Datil said.

“That’s the move that killed the queen ant!” Fresa said.

Apparently I’m not the only one. Both Fresa and Datil could see these shackles. As you’ve noted, Fresa, this move was last used at the Chasm of Catastrophe. Guess I’m firing my ultimate again! This demon’s a bit big—will my shackles be long enough? Let’s do this. Funerary Shackles!

Ding! “Activating Funerary Shackles. The coffin will appear in: 30...29...28... Please be wary of your surroundings. I repeat, please be wary of your surroundings. 24...23...”

Jangle. Jingle. Clink!

That worm’s big, so I’ve gotta hurry.

“Wh-What’s that apple doing?!” Gruszka cried with surprise.

You just saw King of Apples, and you’re in shock over me? Apples these days can fly, jump, roll, and cast magic. Keep that in mind.

Jangle. Jingle. Clink!

I jumped and rolled around the sandworm, wrapping it in my chains. Damn, this thing’s too big! It’s like I’m trying to truss a whale! It didn’t seem to notice me, though, as it was relentlessly attacking Datil. Well, it’s time to say our goodbyes.

Ding! “The Funerary Shackles will now be deployed. Join your hands together in prayer. For those attending the cremation, a bus has been prepared for you. Please board immediately.”

I’m not really sure if anyone would miss this legendary monster though...

The sandworm roared with confusion. A honking sound played and the chains went taut, as the demon was crushed into little pieces before turning into sand.

***

If there really is a World Tree at the end of this maze, we need to be extremely careful.

“Furutsu, what’s wrong?” Grida asked.

Be careful. The term “sandworm” is safe. That’s fine. However! A labyrinth with a World Tree is no good. Shortening this or changing its phrasing in any way will leave us a little too close to a certain game series on a dual screen, and we’ll be in hot water in terms of copyright. Those two words should never be used in the same sentence!

“Huh?! That sounds terrifying.”

Exactly. The real world is indeed terrifying. An “I didn’t know” won’t cut it. Remember those gerugere things that looked like cats? Just one letter difference and it’ll resemble a particular list of names given to a certain hero in an RPG classic.

“Apple-san? Why are you trembling?” Datil asked.

“Datil, it’s trying to be meta right now. We should just act like nothing’s happening,” Fresa replied.

Hey, stop it you guys! Ahem, moving on! How dare you, Gruszka!

“We completely let our guards down. He certainly isn’t a chief for nothing.”

“Hey, stop admiring him, Datil!”

Gruszka had acted obedient and led us into the deepest area of the ruins. The moment we’d all stepped foot into the entrance of the labyrinth, however, he sprang his traps.

“A trap that forcibly pushes people from the entrance into the labyrinth... Who would’ve thought?” Datil said.

As it happens, a number of traps had been activated. From arrows to spears to giant logs, a multitude of weapons flew out toward us. In addition, the magic seal on the ground transformed into a moving walkway like you’d see at an airport, guiding us toward the labyrinth with amazing speed. In the next moment, the entrance had automatically shut, with us inside.

“We were too focused on the entrance, weren’t we?” Fresa said.

“You were too focused on the jewels embedded in the entrance, weren’t you?”

Yeah. Your eyes had this air of intensity, and you had an...interesting expression on your face.

“Heeey! Be quiet, Datil-san! You too, Apple-san!” she pouted.

I didn’t say anything. Verbally, at least.

“In any case, this is kind of bad, isn’t it?” Datil remarked.

“Right. I thought only one person could enter at a time. All three of us are here.”

Yeah, we’ve got Fresa, Datil, and...the last person isn’t me actually.

“Why has everything gone dark? A-Are we inside the labyrinth?! Why am I with you guys?!” the bandit chief yelled.

It’s Gruszka.

“Hey, he undid the restraints on his arms!” Datil shouted.

Fresa giggled. “We really can’t keep our eyes off him. But I think Apple-san’s got the upper hand this time.”

We were in the deepest part of the ruins. Gruszka had been keeping his distance from us since we’d arrived at the labyrinth entrance, so I used my Shackle ability from the curse card to keep him close with my invisible binds. I’m glad I was able to recast this.

“I see. The shackles!” Datil said.

I guess even you can’t see them unless you’re focused.

“I was so focused on the entrance that I didn’t notice a thing,” Fresa said.

You were so focused on the jewels, weren’t you?

Ding! “The effect of Shackle has expired. Recast cooldown: 3600...3599...3598...” With a clank, the shackles released Gruszka. I needed to wait for about an hour before it could be used again.

“Why?! Why was I dragged in here too?!” Gruszka said, panicked from being suddenly yanked into a dark passageway.

“You deserve it! You never learn,” Fresa said.

Although Fresa and Datil couldn’t see as well as I could, the curse card increased their physical capabilities, allowing them to see relatively well in the dark.

“We shouldn’t be looking around aimlessly. Our heads will fall if multiple people are in here at once, right?” Datil said.

He was right; if more than two normal humans entered this labyrinth, they would die. I was able to confirm this via the mysterious voice that we’d been hearing on repeat.

Ring! Ding! “Humans have been confirmed. Welcome to Gaokerena Palace. From this room onward, we will remove all foreign objects. Please ensure that only one person at a time enters. Forcible entries will activate our self-defense mechanism which is extremely dangerous.” Ring! Ding! “Humans have been confirmed. Welcome to Gaokerena Palace. From this room onward...”

“Is this looping?” Grida asked.

Yeah. Seems like an announcement to warn any visitors, but it sounds like only you and I can hear it. Maybe only plants can pick it up?

“Gaokerena Palace? What’s a self-defense mechanism, Furutsu?”

See that door? Beyond it is a room that removes dirt, dust, mold, and germs that visitors may be bringing in. We have to enter that room one at a time. Failing to do so might confuse the system—like it thinks that not all the foreign objects were removed.

“So it cleans everything we brought from the outside world?”

That’s right, clever girl. And if more than two people enter that door, we’re breaking the rules. To prevent anyone from bringing in any foreign objects, the visitors just get decapitated instead. That’s what they mean by self-defense mechanism.

Grida shrieked. “That’s scary!”

The people who entered this labyrinth before us weren’t able to hear this announcement, which also served as a warning. I feel like there’s no point in warning people if they can’t hear you, but there’s a good chance that the creator of this area isn’t aware of this. There’s a possibility that there are humans out there that could actually hear this announcement.

“Furutsu, so the people that entered this area two at a time are...”

Yeah. They most likely opened the door and entered the room together. Same deal if three of them got tossed in here. That’s why they were all decapitated and thrown back out.

“Okay, so what do we do with Fresa-san and the others?”

That’s the problem. We’re the only ones who can hear this warning and we don’t even have a method to convey our thoughts to them. If we don’t, their heads will roll, Gruszka’s included. Don’t be too rash, you guys.

“Should we try proceeding for now?” Datil suggested.

Huh?! Wait wait! Stop! Down!

“You’re right. There’s no sense in staying here,” Fresa agreed.

No no no! You’ll die, you know? Your heads will roll!

“Wait! What’s going on? It’s too dark for me to see!” Gruszka yelled. It seemed like he wasn’t able to see anything at all. Noticing this, Fresa reluctantly turned on her lantern. “Eek! So we really are inside the labyrinth?! If multiple people enter here, w-w-we’ll die!”

Gruszka was trembling with fear. Serves you right. I’d love to just throw you into that room alone, but...

“You’ll be fine if you stick with us. But you should cooperate,” Datil said.

Datil and Fresa won’t leave him alone; they’re too nice. There’s a good chance they’ll try to enter the room after him.

“Fresa-san, Apple-san, let’s go!”

“Yes, but let’s be careful,” she replied, nodding at Datil. She picked me up.

Wait! Don’t go! You mustn’t!

“Huuuh? Datil, I feel like Apple-san’s telling us to stay here,” she said.

“You’re right. I wonder why.”

Whew! I’m glad my thoughts are being conveyed! I don’t know how, but still!

“N-No! No way! If we stay here, we’ll die! Our heads will be gone!” Gruszka screamed as he started throwing a fit.

“Hey, calm down! Why are you suddenly being so difficult?!” Fresa yelled.

“He’s probably seen many of his subordinates die. He’s terrified that he’ll meet the same fate and is in a total state of panic!”

Gruszka wriggled out of Fresa’s grasp and dodged Datil’s arms as he rushed toward the door. As I had expected, the two started to run after him. No! All three of you will die at this rate! Why does Gruszka run so fast?!

“Stop! Calm down!” Datil yelled.

“No! We don’t know what’s up ahead!” Fresa wailed.

Gruszka wobbled around as he ran, and the two chased after him. The announcement, paying no heed to the situation, repeated itself once more as it echoed through the narrow passageway. “From this room onward, we will remove all foreign objects. Please ensure that only one person at a time enters. Forcible entries will activate our self-defense mechanism which is extremely dangerous.” Ring! Ding! “Humans have been confirmed. Welcome...”

If they heard this announcement, they would never imagine entering this room all at once, but it seems like they really can’t hear it at all.

“How about you use your shackles to stop them?” Grida suggested.

I can’t. They’re still on cooldown, and it’ll take some time before I can use them again.

Gruszka huffed. “I found it! Whew. I found a door! An exit!” He laughed while trying to catch his breath and grabbed the handle.

No! Don’t open that! It’s not an exit!

“Ah, Furutsu! Use your sleep magic!”

Oh yeah! Good thinking, Grida! Darkness from below...

Beep Beep! “Detected magic manipulation. Activating Antiphase Field. Magic will be neutralized and nullified.”

...will desire the Heavens! Wait, what did it just say?

Ding! “The spell is incomplete. Please recite the full spell to activate magic.”

My spell is incomplete? What does that mean?! Darkness from below will desire the Heavens!

Ding! “The spell is incomplete. Please recite the full spell to activate magic.”

I can’t cast anything! It said it detected magic manipulation and was activating an Antiphase Field. Does it mean I can’t use spells here?

“Yes! I made it! Outside!” Gruszka gloated.

This is bad! He opened the door and jumped right in!

“I’m telling you that it’s dangerous!” Datil roared.

“Wait! That doesn’t go outside! Stop!” Fresa yelled.

Datil and Fresa chased Gruszka into the room, and I was still in Fresa’s hands. Damn it! The door’s closed! The small room had no lights and was illuminated only by Datil’s lantern. It felt cold and was mostly blank, looking oddly modern. It was completely different from any building that I’d seen in this world before.

Beep! Beep! “Confirmed entry of multiple persons. Locking onto [3] necks. Decapitation will commence in 59...58...57...”

Don’t say something so terrifying so casually! That’s not the only thing that’s scary though.

“Wh-What is this?!”

“This is terrible!”

The room was filled with skeletons. I imagined this place looking more like clean room storage, but it’s actually more like a horror movie.

“Eek! N-No... Nooooo!”

See? Even the audience is screaming. Anyway, this isn’t ideal. At this rate, they’re all gonna die.

“Fresa-san, where are we?” Datil asked.

“Judging from Apple-san’s look, probably not anywhere good,” she replied.

Correct. If you guys had heard that announcement, you’d be way more scared.

“The door—ugh—won’t open. Could you please stand back a little?” Datil said. He rammed his body against the door and tried to use his sword to pry it open. “No good. It won’t even budge.”

Okay, it’s do or die here. Grida, let’s attack the door with our full power!

“Okay! With one hundred percent of my power, unchain the wind, entreat the moon!”

Ding! “The spell is incomplete. Please recite the full spell to activate magic.”

Strength at a hundred percent! Unchain the wind, entreat the moon!

Ding! “The spell is incomplete. Please recite the full spell to activate magic.”

No good. Our spells are totally nullified!

“Intruders will be removed in 35...34...33...”

We don’t have much time! At this rate, all three of their heads will fly! Wait, hold on. That’s weird.

“What’s wrong, Furutsu?” Grida asked.

Why are there corpses in here? I thought you were supposed to get decapitated and then thrown out of this room.

“You’re right. How strange.”

Decapitated and thrown out...? Oh! That’s it!

“15...14...13...”

Then I might be able to protect them with that thing! Grida, could you take out an item from the storage real quick?

“10...9...8...”

“Huh?! But why?” Grida said.

I’ll explain later! We don’t have time! Put it over there!

“Are you sure?! Um, so I take this and put it there...”

Thump!

“3...2...1... Decapitation will commence.”

Thud! Clank! Whoosh! Three odd sounds echoed in the chamber.

“Wh-What was that?!” Datil cried.

“Huh? What was that sound?” Fresa yelled.

“Ahhhhhh! I can’t see! Why?! H-Help!” Gruszka wailed.

Everyone’s safe. Great! I knew it!

“That’s amazing! But how?” Grida asked.

Look at the corpses around you. Their necks aren’t severed, are they?

“Huh? Oh, you’re right.”

Once this room detects multiple people, it cuts their heads off and spits them out. If your head isn’t severed, you won’t be attacked again, but you also won’t be able to leave this room. That means...

“You don’t mean...”

Yeah. They’re trapped in this room forever. The corpses in this room most likely died from starvation, suicide, or turning against each other.

“I feel bad for them. But why didn’t they get decapitated?”

Armor. These skeletons are all wearing armor or helmets that guard the neck area.

“Oh, you’re right!”

In fact, some of them aren’t even steel. Look over there. That’s leather armor fitted together with rivets. If armor that lousy could block this attack, half-decent stuff should be plenty. Perkunas’s Mantle and Loga’s Leather Armor are more than decent. They even have special effects that protect unguarded areas—these are legendary equips.

“I can’t see anything! What’s going on?!” Gruszka cried.

With Fresa and Datil’s super equips, there was no worry of them being decapitated in the first place. Man, I feel like I wasted energy worrying over them.

“It’s dark! Help me! Help!”

So our only problem is that guy over there, screaming and crying.

“Look, Fresa-san! Your rotten luck saved this two-bit villain’s life,” Datil said.

“Hey, don’t say it like that!” she said with a pout.

On top of Gruszka’s head was the large pot that Fresa had pulled from the Hoard Lottery. It went down to his shoulders, protecting his neck area.

“What is this?! Help! I can’t see!” Gruszka yelled.

It’s a bit dented from that decapitation attempt, but it’ll still be useful for cooking. Grida, could you please collect it?

“Okay!”

Now then. It took a bit to fully analyze the item, but it seems like Fresa’s mantle has finally activated.

“After deliberation, it has been confirmed that a physical slicing attack has been aimed toward the user. A lightning counterattack will be fired.”

We heard a cracking sound and were surrounded by a bright light. Squeak! “S-S-System...d-d-dowwwwn.” Beep! “Systeeeeemmmm...” Creak! Boom!

The once blank room was suddenly charred and black—it was a shocking sight. Thanks to the change in color, we could now see the once-invisible seams in the wall as smoke billowed from the burned surface. Perkunas’s Mantle fired lightning bolts equivalent to the opponent’s evil intentions. Since she was almost decapitated, I’d say the intentions were pretty malicious. A large lightning bolt is probably a fair trade here.

“Datil, look! The door’s opening!” Fresa said. The lightning bolt must have unlocked the door, as the tightly shut exit was now wide open.

“That was easier than I expected,” Datil said.

“Heeey, don’t be so breezy about it! Look at all the people in here that couldn’t find an exit and starved to death!”

The room was filled with corpses. Those that survived the initial decapitation probably tried to do whatever they could to escape, only to die in despair. Fresa’s right. This isn’t something we should just hand-wave away.

“You’re right. Apologies for my comment.”

We were just very lucky.

“We’re able to leave this room because I rolled this mantle in the lottery, okay?” Fresa said proudly.

You just wanted to brag?! For a moment, I had a better opinion of you, but you’re making me retract it a few seconds later! I’ve never had to do this before!

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Datil said, with a tired look on his face. “You’re amazing. Thanks.”

“Wh-What are we dawdling for?! Let’s leave this place immediately!” Gruszka said, shakily looking around.

“Hey! You’re still alive thanks to the pot that I pulled earlier, okay? You should be more gracious toward me!” Fresa said.

“A pot? What are you talking about?”

I mean, the pot was suddenly on his head, and just as suddenly gone. I doubt he has a clue of what went on.

“Besides, just who are you lot, anyway?!” he said.

“We’ve said it before. We’re just normal Rank E adventurers,” Datil replied while Fresa giggled behind him. Gruszka narrowed his eyes with suspicion. “Now then, shall we go, Fresa-san?”

“I don’t mind, but the bandit chief here seems to be a bit of a scaredy-cat,” Fresa said.

“Hmph! Say as you will. You guys are the strange ones here!” Gruszka said.

He’s not wrong. It’s pretty abnormal for you guys to be talking like normal in this situation.

“Oh, strange, you say? That’s a bit rude of you, isn’t it? We can leave you here, if you’d like,” Datil said. Gruszka gulped and fell silent.

As Datil and Fresa chuckled to each other, looking at the now silent Gruszka following close behind them, they decided to leave the room. Datil stood in the front with a lantern in hand. Fresa was behind him, and Gruszka, still nervously glancing around, brought up the rear.

“There’s only one path to take. Not much of a labyrinth, is it?” Datil said. We went deeper down the dark hallway.

This Gaokerena Palace is very cleanly built. It feels like it’s not of this world.

“These walls are made out of an odd material, right, Datil?” The hallways felt strangely modern in terms of architecture. It felt as though we were in a science fiction novel.

“Yes. This isn’t wood, stone, or steel.”

Like the walls in the room we’d just left, there were no visible seams. As the lantern lit up the hallways, they glowed back with a pale and mysterious blue light. The walls and ceilings were covered in uniform patterns, pointing even further to the fact that these were man-made.

“I don’t see anything. Do you?” Fresa asked.

“There’s no demons or traps,” Datil replied.

As a side note, there weren’t any announcements either. The silence was a little unnerving.

“Datil, do you think this area is a safe space, or something?”

No. That’s unfortunately not the case, Fresa, because...

“Absolutely not! Do you not remember what I said about my subordinate?! It’s very dangerous!” Gruszka said behind us.

Exactly. Gruszka told us that the only person that came out of this labyrinth was on the verge of dying.

“If we’re talking purely in terms of fighting abilities, my subordinate’s skills surpassed mine.”

In other words, there’s something in here that would leave a capable warrior on the verge of death.

“So there are demons or traps then?” Datil said.

“Could be. Let’s stay cautious,” Fresa said.

Let’s not forget the large tree at the end of the labyrinth that they apparently saw. The truth lies deeper inside.

***

The path’s split into two.

“Furutsu, we’re the only ones that can see that,” Grida said.

Right. We see a T-junction here, with the roads split to the right and left. The other three only see the path to the right.

“Fresa-san, we’re safe. Nothing’s here,” Datil said, as he put his back against the wall of the right path. He slowly peeked down the end of the hallway.

Since this is an L-shaped path to him, this is theoretically the correct way to confirm his surroundings. But since we can see the left path, he looks wide open to an attack from behind.

“The left path looks like it’s blocked off by a wall to them,” Grida said.

Yeah. It’s odd, but I think you’re correct. We can see this wall too, but it’s so faint that it’s almost transparent. Of course, the others aren’t able to hear the announcement we’ve been hearing as well.

Ring! Ding! “Welcome to Gaokerena Palace. The Audience Room is to your right. If you would like to go to the Nursery, please proceed to your left.”

Wait, isn’t the Audience Room the place where the king usually is? And he says something like, “I have been expecting you. Please defeat the Demon Lord.” So this palace has a room to meet the king? If that’s the case...

“Do you think we could meet the World Tree?” Grida asked.

Maybe. I think Gruszka’s subordinate didn’t see the left path either, and headed to the right, where they saw the large tree.

“Yay! Then let’s go right!”

Wait. I’m a bit curious about the left path actually.

“Huh?”

Only we can see this path. What lies in the Nursery? Normal humans wouldn’t go this way, so Gruszka’s subordinate probably went down the right path, where they were mortally wounded and died at the exit. I hopped off Fresa’s hands and rolled to the left.

“Huh? Apple-san, where are you going?” Fresa said.

Even if something dangerous was lurking beyond this invisible wall, I’m sure Datil and Fresa could handle it. Uh, no guarantees for Gruszka though. I proceeded toward the left path.

“Hey, that’s a wall!” Datil said with surprise. He chased after me and gently put his hand against the wall. However, as there was nothing physical there, it went straight through.

“Huh?! What’s going on, Datil?!” Fresa exclaimed as she followed him over.

“Ack! Hey, d-don’t leave me behind!” Gruszka cried, running toward the left path as well.

“How is this possible?! Look, we can pass through this wall!” Datil said as he put his hand on the illusion.

From my point of view, it just looks like you have your hand in the air.

“How interesting!” Fresa said.

Now’s not the time to be excited. I just heard a new announcement.

Ring! Ding! “All weapons will be confiscated here. Please immediately place your weapons, armor, and any other dangerous items on the ground. Should you proceed while equipped, you will be treated as a trespasser and will be removed immediately.” Ring! Ding! “I repeat, please immediately place your weapons, armor, and any other dangerous items on the ground...”

Now wait just a second. There’s no way we can just get rid of all our weapons in this dangerous place! Besides, only Grida and I can hear these announcements! How can I explain to them that they should drop all of their dangerous items?

Ring! Ding! “Warning! Please place all of your weapons and armor on the ground, or turn back.” Ring! Ding! “Warning! Warning! It is prohibited to proceed any farther with your weapons!” Ring! Ding! “Warning! Warning! Warning! Please do not proceed any farther. You will be risking your life!” The announcements had steadily grown more urgent. But of course, there was no way to stop the three that couldn’t hear them.

Beep! Beep! “Confirmed [3] trespassers. We will prepare our gatekeeper.”

So we’re finally trespassers. But there’s no use warning people if they can’t hear your announcements.

Beep! Beep! “Creating gatekeeper. There are [3] trespassers. Creating gatekeeper. There are [3] trespassers.”

Creating?

Beep! Beep! “Gatekeeper has been created. Trespassers have been confirmed. Commencing removal.”

From the end of the dark hallway, a large shadow approached us.

“Fresa-san, something’s coming!” Datil warned.

“Is that...a human?” she asked.

No, it’s too large to be a human, and it also has this unusual smoothness to it. Is that the gatekeeper?

Creak. Creak. Creak.

“Huh?! It’s fast!” Datil yelled. In an instant, three enlarged mannequinesque beings, like the kind you’d see in department stores, stood right in front of him. In the next moment, a large booming sound echoed in the hallways, as he was blown backward down the hallway.

“Datil!” Fresa shouted.

He’s fine. It looked like he was blown back, but he definitely jumped back of his own accord. But I can’t believe he had to retreat there! He left Fresa and Gruszka behind.

“I’m fine. Please be careful! I had planned to lure them all, but one is headed straight toward you! These things are really strong!” Datil yelled.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

I see. I’ve heard that experienced fighters can use space to direct an opponent’s attention as they please. He had jumped back to goad the three mannequins into chasing him. But as he says, these things are strong. That speed was on par with the queen ant.

“Eek! It’s coming!” Gruszka cried, hiding behind Fresa.

Come on, at least act like you’re gonna fight. Whoops, I shouldn’t be so laid-back myself. I’ll help! This place might not work either, but let me give it a shot. One hundred percent, unchain...

Beep! Beep! “Detected magic manipulation. Activating Antiphase Field. Magic will be neutralized and nullified.”

...the wind, entreat the moon.

Ding! “The spell is incomplete. Please recite the full spell to activate magic.”

Ugh, dang it. I guess I can’t use magic here either.

“Furutsu, what should we do?” Grida asked.

Can’t help it. Worst case, I’ll try to tackle this thing. Let’s watch Fresa fight for now.

“Ahhh! I-It’s creepy! What is that?!” Gruszka yelped.

“Hey! It’s dangerous, so stand back! Activate King of Apples!” Fresa said.

Ding! “King of Apples has been activated. Please ensure that others are a safe distance away. Activating in: 10...9... You will feel a strong shock wave, please stand back. 3...2...1...”

Five apples floated around her. “Harden. High-speed rotation.”

Ding! “All apples will be hardened and be applied with high-speed rotation. 3...2...1... Upgrade complete.”

The floating apples started to rotate with extreme speed. The gatekeeper cautiously slowed down as it closed the gap. Creak. Creak.

“You guys are smart too? You have a good eye,” Fresa said.

How are these mannequin gatekeepers sensing anything at all? They don’t have eyes, mouths, or ears.

“Furutsu, those aren’t alive. They’re not animals or plants,” Grida said.

Oh, makes sense. The announcement also said they were “creating” these gatekeepers, so I guess they’re just dolls that automatically fight or something. It looks like they made one for each trespasser.

“Eek! Get away! Stay back!” Gruszka yelled.

Upon closer inspection, it does look like the gatekeeper’s aiming for Gruszka. I mean, he looks absolutely terrified while he’s fleeing. I’d want to punch him once too.

“N-No! Ack! Ow!” Gruszka had tripped over his own feet.

Now’s your chance, go! Wait, I shouldn’t be rooting for the gatekeepers, should I?

Creak. Creak. Creak.

Gruszka screamed as the gatekeeper lurched around oddly, heading straight toward him.

“Raaah!” With a roar, Datil’s sword cut through it.

That was close. The mannequin was sliced in two at its stomach, and it sprayed a mysterious, bouncy material. Its upper half lay at our feet, while the bottom rolled to a stop near the wall.

“Apologies for the wait. Are you all okay?” Datil said.

“Hey! We didn’t wait at all! What should I do with all these apples?!” Fresa said, sounding frustrated but with a smile on her face. At the end of the hallway were the other two gatekeepers, sliced into shreds. As always, you work fast!

“Whew. I-I’m okay,” Gruszka said, shakily standing up as he wiped sweat off his brow.

Man, you’re really just dead weight. Why did you come here in the first place? Oh wait, I’m the one that dragged you here with my shackles.

Creak. Creak. Creak. Suddenly, the upper half of the closest mannequin grabbed Datil’s ankles. This thing can still move?!

Datil cried in pain as we heard crushing sounds. Loga’s Leather Armor didn’t protect his ankles.

“Datil?!” Fresa yelled.

“I-I’m fine. Take care of those guys over there!” he said, pointing his sword toward the two other gatekeepers that had been sliced to shreds.

Those guys can seriously still move too?! They’re hacked into tiny pieces!

“Got it! Explode. Incinerate.”

Ding! “All apples will explode with an incinerating effect. 3...2...1... Upgrade complete.” At once, the apples around Fresa stopped rotating. The ends of their stems glowed with tiny sparks of fire.

Crack! Datil used his sword to sever the wrist of the mannequin that had grabbed onto him. He kicked the ground, gaining a safe distance between himself and the doll. His ankle was firmly imprinted with the mannequin’s hand, as drops of blood rolled down his foot. Those things are really strong!

“Datil...I’ll never forgive these guys! Apple Meteor!” Fresa yelled, her voice bouncing around the hallways. The apples whooshed as they headed straight toward the lurching mannequins. The light from the explosions illuminated the area. In the next moment, the entrance was engulfed by a big fire.

I understand your anger, but this is going a bit too far, Fresa.

“Eek! Why are apples exploding?!” Gruszka said, wide-eyed.

That’s actually a fair point. I wish she wouldn’t go overboard with her moves—people will get a bad impression of apples.

“Actually, you’re to blame for that, aren’t you?” Grida asked.

I’m deeply sorry.

Grida giggled. “As long as you understand. Just kidding!” After a brief pause, she screamed. “That’s so gross!”

What’s going on? I’m not gross.

“No, look at that thing over there! Look!”

Huh? What? Oh...ew! Yeah, that’s gross! The hand that Datil had severed earlier was scuttling around on its own. The upper body, now handless, was also slowly moving.

“I slashed that thing to pieces, but it can still move?!” Datil said.

The hand, upper body, and lower body all moved in a grotesque way, ready to pounce.

“I guess I need to grind them into dust. Cell Manipulation!”

Ding! “Cell Manipulation has been activated. Remaining time: 59...58...57...”

“The blue dragon is always by our side! Blue Dragon Sword: Rain!” Blue light started to gather toward Datil’s sword. In the next moment, drops of water started falling from above.

What? Rain?! We’re indoors! As the sound of rain grew louder, the gatekeepers began to crumble. Can each of these droplets slice through them?! Before long the rain stopped, and not a trace remained of the gatekeepers.

“Th-That move was amazing...” Gruszka said with awe, unable to hide his shock.

“Datil, how’s your leg?” Fresa asked, jogging toward him.

Datil smiled back. “I’m fine, look!” His leg was slowly returning to its original state.

“This...isn’t magic, is it?”

“No, I think this is the Pseudo-blessing ability that I got from Apple-san back at the chasm.”

Judging from its name, it probably works similarly to the blessing card, allowing the user to fully heal, restore lost body parts, cure poison, regenerate mana, and stuff like that.

“Furutsu, what about the ‘nourishing, protecting, family, increased business sales, high academic achievements, and praying for a safe childbirth’ parts?” Grida asked.

Uh, we can ignore those.

“Really? Aw...”

Why do you sound disappointed? The healing speed is a lot slower than my blessing card, but it definitely allows the user to fully heal. His torn ankle is totally recovered.

“Huh?! A-Are you an undead?!” Gruszka yelled as he trembled.

Is shaking like a leaf your character quirk or something now?

“Datil, I think he thinks you’re some sort of Nosferatu,” Fresa said.

“Well, I might as well be an undead. With these regenerative capabilities, I won’t die so easily.”

The two whispered to each other, giggling. Come on, let’s not go too far. Gruszka’s getting paler by the second.