Chapter 15: Surprise Attack
"Guuuoooooo!?"
The men dropped their weapons, clutching their ears and flailing their legs as they staggered around the floor. While they had been sent flying quite spectacularly, crashing into the wall, it seemed that the damage to their ears was more significant.
"What... Why the hell did you guys come from behind!?"
The man with the bow and arrow screamed hysterically, his face contorted in pain. Well... that line definitely confirmed his allegiance.
"Hey! What was that sound just now!?"
"That brat! Dammit! Kill him!"
Suddenly, the commotion grew louder, and the area ahead was illuminated by the light of a lantern.
A lantern, huh? If the ambush group over there doesn't have anyone capable of using magic, they need to ensure visibility through means other than night vision. Relying on tools means exposing a fatal weakness.
"Flame Absorb."
Dark magic, Level 3. A faintly glowing dark purple sphere was shot into the passage.
It was one of the counter spells against fire. Unnatural flames were drawn out from the lantern and absorbed into the dark sphere.
"What...?"
To them, it was like being suddenly thrust into darkness. Not only were they unable to use their martial arts, but they also couldn't counterattack or resist. That's when Grace and Rosetta charged in.
Grace's movements were simple. Simplicity meant efficiency. With her low posture, she charged in, sweeping away the legs of her opponents with a swing of her arms. As they crumbled to the ground, she grabbed one of the men by the collar and slammed him against the wall as if discarding a piece of paper.
To her, it was as gentle as a caress. The reason she didn't use an axe wasn't because she held back. It was likely because she didn't want to needlessly splatter human blood.
As for Rosetta, she was exceptionally refined.
She first pulled down her initial target, trampled over him, completely sealing his movements. Then, while another man in the darkness was still bewildered, she lightly touched her fingertip to his chest and calmly activated her magic.
"――Rotenblood."
A reverse water magic of Clearblood, the antidote. It was a magic that produced toxins in the opponent's bloodstream.
"Gubuh!?"
I don't want to know what kind of sensation he's experiencing due to Rotenblood, but anyway, the man groaned, clutching his chest, and collapsed to his knees. Before the man fell flat on the ground, Rosetta had already stepped on the head of the struggling figure at her feet. I don't know if he's alive or dead, but his movement had certainly ceased.
"You bastard! What the hell happened――"
The man's words, amidst the height of chaos, did not last until the end. It was because Grace ran up and struck his chest with a running start. The large man's body flew parallel to the ground and crashed into the wall.
"A-a raging blaze――!"
The magician tried to wield his staff and chant a fireball spell, but――
"Too slow."
From the magic circle that unfolded at her fingertips, a spear of lightning burst forth and pierced through the magician's body. With a thunderous sound, sparks illuminated the labyrinth corridor in a vivid blue light.
It was a fourth-tier lightning magic: Electro Lance. It had sufficient killing power against humans. Although the magician had a certain resistance to magic, he collapsed in a single blow and lay motionless.
The magician may not necessarily be concealing any cards like non-verbal spells or magic circles, so it was not as simple as just capturing him. In extreme cases, as long as consciousness remained, there was a possibility of being able to use magic regardless of the condition of the body. He had to be definitely neutralized. There were sleep-inducing spells in her repertoire, but they were not foolproof. If one knew that such magic was coming, they could resist it depending on their mental strength.
Rosetta's reverse healing magic was different. It acted directly on the body and had a strong interfering power that did not allow resistance, as it required physical contact.
"I-it's a j-joke... right? This... just a moment... right?"
The fallen shooter muttered in astonishment. Perhaps his eardrums were damaged, as his pronunciation was somewhat questionable, but well, she could understand him.
"Light Bind."
"Huh!?"
As soon as she restrained the shooter, the battle ended without much fanfare. No one stood up. She didn't care about their life or death. It didn't matter since they would be handed over anyway.
The reason she bothered to restrain the shooter was to confirm whether there were comrades outside the labyrinth. She judged that it was necessary to keep one or two of them alive for that purpose.
Within the duration of her dark vision, they would have seen in detail what happened to their comrades. It would be helpful if they spread the word about what happened to us outside. It would reduce unnecessary interference, and similar methods would lie low for a while.
"I-it's not like that! W-we were just――"
The man lying on the ground let out a pathetic scream of excuses.
As if there was anything else he could say. We had made all the preparations, after all.
This guy is desperate because in a place like the Great Labyrinth, this kind of crime cannot escape the death penalty. To undergo questioning while being subjected to magic that detects lies, there is no way to escape.
When I lowered my gaze in silence, the man's eyes met mine and began to wander. Eventually, he seemed to give up and looked at me, pleading.
"Y-yeah! I-I didn't intend to kill you! You guys aren't injured, so it should be okay to let me go, right!?"
"...I won't say it again. Don't speak anymore."
"...!"
I held the magic circle in my palm and said so, finally silencing the man.
To lose in an attempted robbery and now try to play the victim and beg for mercy... His tactics targeting newcomers and this plea for his life, everything about him is unpleasant.
Whether the goal is money or pleasure, and the means are extortion or murder, it has nothing to do with how we handle it.
No matter what their intentions were, when they set up an ambush, there were only two possible outcomes.
Either there would be resistance and it would turn into a fight to the death, or we would be defenseless and simply robbed.
The option of letting them go or showing mercy is even more unlikely when considering the potential for secondary damage or revenge.
If it were newcomers—say, proper adventurers like the Forest Birds—who were their targets, it wouldn't be strange at all.
That's why... it would be dishonest and harmful to everyone else if I insisted on keeping my hands clean. Even this act of crushing them itself is annoying and unpleasant.
"Rosetta-san, could you call someone over and hand them the dimensional stone?"
It would be best if someone influential like her went to the stone monument to call for help.
We're only on the third underground floor, and there are plenty of adventurers who can come down through teleportation. It's still a level where we can directly return to the surface even without the dimensional stone. Even guild staff might be able to come directly.
"...Are you sure it's okay?"
"Yes."
Rosetta looked at me for a while but then ran towards the direction of the stone monument.
...She doesn't have to worry that much.
"Yes, that's enough."
After returning from the underground third floor, I was called to a room in the guild to be informed of the situation――the receptionist seemed rather sympathetic towards us. After asking a few questions and confirming some details, she said that with a pitiful expression and released us, saying those words.
I thought it would take a little longer. Surprisingly, it was quite smooth.
Perhaps it was because of Rosetta's influence, or maybe she went through the magic interrogation as a representative.
"They are a group of adventurers called Snakebite. They have a bad reputation and have been causing trouble for a while now."
"...I see."
Their sympathy towards us might also be due to their behavior.
"When the facts are confirmed, there may be discussions about rewards and such."
Rewards, huh? Although I became an adventurer, I never intended to become a bounty hunter.
After being seen off by the receptionist and leaving the guild room, Grace and Rosetta had also returned.
Rosetta took a deep breath and then smiled, as if she was changing her mood.
"Thank you for your hard work, both of you."
"Likewise, Rosetta-san."
"Yes. Now, Theodore-kun, what are you going to do next?"
Is she talking about going back to the dungeon again?
"...I'll go back quietly, of course."
"...That's true. Yes, I'll also go back."
"Shall I send you by carriage?"
"It's fine. I feel like walking alone for a bit."
I offered to give her a ride, but Rosetta shook her head.
"Maybe someday when you feel like it. I'd be happy if you showed up again. If you have any problems or worries, feel free to consult with me."
"...Understood."
...I feel like I caused her a lot of trouble with the aftermath. Perhaps Rosetta also regrets what happened to her mother. I nodded, and she smiled as she left the guild.
As she turned back over her shoulder at the entrance, she said this.
"Oh, by the way. I heard they had some kind of black Transworld Stone."
"...Black? What is that?"
...It's something that doesn't exist in the BFO.
"I don't know either. It's the first time even the guild staff has seen it, and they're questioning its purpose. Depending on the content, they might tell us more eventually."
We managed to suppress everything at once... But if they had used that, things could have become a bit more troublesome. Without any criteria to judge, it's hard to say. If it's a device like a teleporter trap, it could be quite dangerous.
I watched Rosetta leave the guild while contemplating.
"...You seem a little tired."
"Hmm."
Grace tilted her head and slightly narrowed her eyes. I also smiled and nodded.
Since there was almost no bloodshed when we defeated them, there doesn't seem to be much backlash after freeing them from the cursed objects. It seems she felt a bit unsettled, just like before.
Ah... that's right.
Anyway, I have to exchange the materials I brought back now.
Maybe I'll buy a magic stone for the bathroom while I'm at it. If I put it in a hot bath, it might improve my mood a little. It's important to change your mood.
When I conveyed such thoughts to Grace, she gently narrowed her eyes with a kind expression.