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We have been in the labyrinth for five hours now, and we are looking for a safe room for Kaelion to get out of the labyrinth.
The ancient orc intends to leave the labyrinth early to go and buy the necessary materials for my tattoo and to investigate the prices of available accommodation near the labyrinth, as it would be inconvenient for us to continue staying in a place that is in the outlying area of the capital.
Those were the reasons he gave me, but I also realize that he wants to go out to rest.
Surprisingly, his fighting abilities and instincts are not bad at all, and they get better and better the more time we spend in the labyrinth.
So I get the impression that he used to be a fighter of some sort.
Labyrinth explorer is for sure he wasn't, since he told me before that he came very little in the past, so he was most likely a soldier of the empire or some kind of mercenary.
In any case, he gives the impression that it's been many years since the elder orc's fighting days, and he's now quite out of shape.
The problem with our current objective is that there are really very few safe or challenge rooms on these upper floors, and while asking people for directions can help, it can also be dangerous.
We have been tricked once so far, and since then we are quite cautious about who we ask for information.
The deception was an apparent piece of advice from a small group of 5 people, which led us to an ambush of 30 people.
We got out alive thanks to Kaelion, who dropped bombs that emitted a blinding light that momentarily incapacitated our attackers.
And thanks to that distraction tactic, I was able to slaughter them at full speed with my sword and magic.
In any other context, their numbers might have been a big problem for us.
Probably none of them had the strength to be on these floors, but being in such a large group makes a difference.
The good thing is that there was little point in their numbers if they were all blinded at the same time.
I thought it would be impossible to find such large groups in the labyrinth, as the limit to which you can enter the labyrinth in a group is 10 people, but I guess it is always possible to meet up after entering.
They probably have some method for that, because otherwise I see it as quite difficult to do, given the vastness of the labyrinth.
"Good! It looks like the indication was reliable this time, though it's a pity it's a challenge room and not a safe room," says the elderly orc, approaching the threshold adorned with bright reddish characters.
"Never mind. I can manage on my own if I have to, although it would be nice if you had some more toys like that shiny one you used earlier, just in case." I say, starting to analyze the pattern of the threshold to see if the difficulty of the room might change as a group enters.
"I'd like that too, but those were my last blinding bombs. And the materials to build them aren't cheap..." says the old orc, leaning against the wall of the corridor and letting himself fall into a sitting position.
"...When I get out, I'm going to see if I can buy the materials to create a couple more, but it shouldn't be a resource we abuse."
"It's alright, Kaelion. They won't be necessary. You haven't seen all I'm capable of yet..." I say, with a smile, "... Hmm, I believe we can both go in without fear of being split up or the difficulty of the challenge increasing."
"Haa... I wish you could be certain that's the case, but I guess I can't complain since I don't know how to interpret those patterns myself. I could have learned it, but I was never interested in this place..." says the old orc, reluctantly standing up.
"...But, changing the subject, frankly, I don't know what else you could show me so far. I've already seen your great skill with the sword, how you can set your weapon on fire, and how you can fire projectiles of magic that are as lethal as bullets from my rifle. And that's not to mention your absurd speed and strength."
"You still haven't seen my mana bombs." I say, grinning wider.
'Nor Azur... But for him, I don't think neither the elderly orc nor I will see Azur for a long long while.'
Since yesterday, when I told him he'd better not get in my way if he didn't want me to die because of him, my companion has been completely silent.
It is only after concentrating for several minutes that I can feel a faint trace of his consciousness.
...
"Shit! They're pushing me back because I'm tired. Kaelion! Give me another mana potion. I'm running dry again," I say, and the old orc hurries to give me a mana potion to drink.
We have to do this because I have had both hands full for the last half hour or so, emitting uninterrupted bursts of magical fire against the mindless horde of goblins and hog-goblins that keep coming towards the entrance of our shelter.
The atmosphere of this challenge room is that of a huge cavern, in the typical shape of goblin lairs.
Normally, this type of challenge would be easy for me to beat, but the number of enemies is absurd at levels I've never seen before.
Within seconds of appearing on the scene, we were spotted by a goblin who quickly raised the alarm before I could get rid of him.
And that was the start of our current dilemma, as thousands upon thousands of enemies began to pour in from all sides, so that we barely had time to find a room with only one entrance to barricade ourselves in.
As soon as the enemies reached the threshold of our shelter, I began to cast pure, unrefined mana in the form of a flare from my hands to stop them.
The problem is that, while this technique requires very little concentration as it is not really a spell, it consumes considerably more mana than any of my spells, and its damage and range are rather mediocre, reaching only about 10 meters and doing little more than a third of the damage I could do with a mana bullet.
This is exactly why I've already consumed six mana potions so far.
'It's a pity I can't perform the focused flare from my mouth, as it's something I've only been able to do when fused with Azur...
That kind of attack does a higher amount of damage, has a longer range, and wouldn't consume as much mana as this thing I'm doing now...
But I have to be able to manage this without any help.'
Luckily, the damage and range of the mana streamed from my hands are good enough against goblin-level enemies.
I only have to watch as the endless green horde rushes towards me to receive an instant death.
My flames burned them to ashes in a matter of seconds.
…
A few minutes after consuming the seventh mana potion, the horde of enemies finally comes to an end, whereupon I fall to my knees on the ground and remove my mask, storing it in my inventory so I can breathe easier.
I then lean against the cave wall to rest, as the throbbing in my head from the excessive use of mana makes me feel dizzy and nauseous.
"You sure don't want to go out with me, boy? You've got a bad look on your face. You look like you could pass out at any moment," Kaelion says, approaching with concern as he sees my face.
The elder orc had come out to see the large pile of ash that was left as the only evidence of the horde of enemies.
Since the loot they dropped was surely incinerated and destroyed as a result of being exposed to my flames for so long.
"Nah... I-I just n-need a few minutes of rest..." I say, making an effort to keep my voice from shaking and trying to relax my mind.
"...But having faced so many enemies has made me think of one thing... Why didn't we see any monsters during our journey to the capital? is it .... normal that there are no monsters outside the labyrinth on this continent?"
"Yes, but that's only nowadays. In the old days, the continent was plagued by monsters in the uninhabited areas, as they reproduced at a high rate..." he says, looking at me with a frown.
"...But our race can also develop very fast, unlike the other three thinking races on the continent. That was the main factor that allowed us to take control of the entire continent and practically eradicate monsters from most of it. The only exceptions are some very complicated areas to explore, like the Krag-an jungle, which was the former reptilian country, and the great green forest, current avian territory."
"Ahh," I say in response, combining the response with the involuntary exclamation of pain that escapes me due to another twinge in my head.
'This must be how Sofía must feel at all times now that Lilian and I are not around to help her with the mana supply to the magic academies....
How can anyone put up with such a thing on a continuous basis? No wonder she was so generous to me when she first met me.'
"Are you sure you don't want to go out with me? You're too pale," he says, kneeling down beside me as he pretends to touch my forehead, but I slap his arm away.
'The last thing I need right now is to have to worry about my curse.... I have to make him go away'
"No! Go away. You're a pain in the arse if I have to take care of you because you're exhausted. Go buy what you need for my tattoo...." I say, trying to make my voice sound as firm as possible.
"...I'll stay here for a while resting and see about exploring for a couple more hours when I can."
"Haa... I wish I could change your mind, but I know you well enough by now to realize that's not going to happen. And I also don't have the strength to protect you if I decide to stay, so I guess I'd better get going. Sometimes it's really bad to be old and weak..." he says in a grim voice, standing up with a groan but never taking his eyes off me.
"... Just don't get yourself killed, kid. It would be really sad if the main character of the story I plan to write dies before he does something really epic.... Besides, I still haven't decided what could be more epic for a story like this..."
"Yeah, don't worry. Your story is safe," I say, stifling a grunt as I feel a twinge in the back of my head. "It's not in my plans to die in the labyrinth."
'At least for the time being.'
And with that answer, the orc figure suddenly disappears from the room, leaving me alone in the now-safe room.
"Haa... It couldn't be a room like the one we rested in yesterday.... No! It had to be a bloody cave...." I say, closing my eyes and trying to relax my mind without falling asleep.
Otherwise, I would be at the mercy of anyone else entering the room.
"... Well, at least this cavern has torches on the walls.... A lot of goblin dens don't even have that..."
"....Azur. Don't you want to help me by keeping watch for a few minutes? So I get some sleep, at least," I say into the air, waiting to see if there is some sort of response from my companion, but I only sense the silence of the cavern as any answer.
'I thought so... But it didn't hurt to give it a try'