Chapter 8 - Chapter 1: The Labyrinth of the New Moon (Part 1)

That quest of mine needed completing. I speak of the assignment I had accepted prior; specifically, the one which involved me hunting Orcs and gathering Orcish materials.

Due to certain circumstances and events, I found myself somewhat idle, with a sizable chunk of free time. I did, however, still have quite a bit of time before the assignment's deadline. As such, I did not foresee there being too much of a problem.

Orcs were, as their name suggested, creatures with piglike heads and somewhat humanoid bodies. They were, however, more monster than human, and were classified as such. Around Maalt, they mainly inhabited forests and the like, as well as the Labyrinth of the New Moon.

In other words, if one took an assignment to hunt Orcs, one had two simple choices: to search in the forests, or to go hunting in the Labyrinth's halls. My choice, on the other hand, was obvious. A simple reason, really: Orcs that inhabited the forests around Maalt usually moved in packs, while solitary Orcs were somewhat rare in such an environment.

Taking those factors into consideration, as well as the obvious problem of monster repop rates in the forest, one could quickly notice the differences in difficulty between the two choices.

Though in reality, it was more a problem of the Forest Orcs in question engaging in group-based warfare. To put it simply, one would be going up against a raging band of Orcs amongst the trees. For a solo adventurer like me, the odds weren't exactly favorable.

Comparatively, Orcs that lived in the Labyrinth—specifically the more shallow levels—were, for the lack of a better word, relatively stupid.

For starters, the thought of grouping up to ambush adventurers didn't even occur to these Labyrinth Orcs. In addition, even though Forest Orcs were commonly armed with rudimentary weapons and armor, Labyrinth Orcs fared much more poorly in this regard, often dressed in mere rags and scraps. Of course, they did not fare very well in the weapons department, either. Simply put, Labyrinth Orcs were much less of a threat, sporting lower offensive and defensive capabilities.

Honestly speaking, this very same logic could be applied to Goblins, as well. Orcs, however, were more visually striking, and this was why it made no sense to hurl oneself into a huge crowd of reasonably-equipped Orcs. My choice was already made up for me, as if there was never any doubt that I would instead choose to explore a labyrinth.

With those thoughts in mind, I found myself standing at the entrance to the Labyrinth of the New Moon. Many moons had indeed passed since I last stood at its gates.

Said entrance was, in fact, thronged with people; it was lively as usual. It was a stark contrast to how the Labyrinth of the Moon's Reflection was; to think I was hunting there just yesterday, too.

Another easy explanation: even beginner adventurers found themselves with larger, more tangible gains by hunting in this labyrinth, provided they hunted in groups. Reality was a bit more disparate for solo adventurers.

And this came with yet another simple explanation for such a phenomenon: as opposed to the Moon's Reflection, monsters in the New Moon commonly organized themselves into looser groups, ambushing adventurers as and when they could. Add on the fact that the hallways of the New Moon were at least twice as wide as those of the Moon's Reflection, and it was all too easy for a single adventurer to get surrounded by monsters in a single moment of carelessness.

In turn, the monsters that dwelled in the halls of the New Moon were considerably more powerful than those that resided in the Moon's Reflection. Due to this, the New Moon was considered the more threatening, and hence higher-leveled, Labyrinth—at least, that was the public opinion surrounding the issue. The veracity of that claim remains to be seen, however.

Wading through the noise and commotion at the entrance, I came across many groups of adventurers; fixed parties, perhaps. Just a cacophony of noise, really, as the adventurers spoke and gestured in an excitable fashion. Leaving them behind me, I instead made a beeline for the entrance of the Labyrinth.

Of course, I did not for a moment think they were simply playing around. The discussions of party strategy and other points of caution within the Labyrinth were essential for survival, after all. While veteran adventurers regularly engaged in this practice, it wasn't an uncommon sight for the new adventurers of Maalt to do so, as well.

These budding adventurers would probably have their seniors to thank, for it was those very same veterans that encouraged the spread of such discussions throughout Maalt and its surrounding lands. Plus, due to the fact that a simple discussion of strategy markedly improved the odds of a party surviving, new adventurers often found themselves engrossed in said conversations, obediently following the advice of those who had come before them. Good practice formed good habits—at least, that was how I felt about it.

From what I'd heard of other townships, new adventurers there hardly engaged in these talks. Compared to them, the adventurers in Maalt seemed like a more hardworking bunch.

But with that being said, I became increasingly aware of the many pairs of eyes trained upon me as I slowly made my way to the labyrinth's entrance. I didn't blame them; they didn't really intend to stare in the first place. The reason for them doing so was because trekking through the halls of the New Moon alone was a rare phenomenon in and of itself. Their curious looks, in turn, were not difficult to comprehend.

It would be unbecoming of me to say that no one challenged this specific labyrinth by their lonesome. Those who did often had strategies or similar means of dealing with monster hordes prone to surrounding them.

If I were to gauge my own abilities in fighting while surrounded... Hmm. How would I do, I wonder?

It was difficult to say. Although I had absorbed a fair amount of life energy from the monsters I'd defeated and now wielded some strength, to this day I had only faced Skeletons, Goblins, and Slimes. It was therefore impossible for me to imagine how I would perform against Orcs and stronger monsters—at least, not until I could try my hand at defeating them.

It was worth noting, however, that familiar monsters such as Skeletons and the like did appear in the shallower levels of the New Moon. In order to find monsters like Orcs, I had to descend deeper into the Labyrinth's halls.

In any case, I felt it was necessary to test my mettle in the shallower levels for now, and from there I would be able to make an informed judgment.

Steeling myself, I shelved my thoughts and strategies as I stepped into the Labyrinth of the New Moon.

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I suppose one really does hunt more efficiently with a party in these parts...

That was the only thought that entered my mind as I journeyed through New Moon's hallways.

I should have probably mentioned that I was currently surrounded and in combat with a small group of monsters. Such a thought would not resound in my mind for no good reason, after all.

At the very least, they weren't strong monsters in the slightest. It was more like they were all old friends of mine, being odd groups of Skeletons and Slimes, visiting me for a jolly reunion in groups of three or so. They were no stronger than they used to be, but I didn't exactly find myself cutting through them in swathes. The circumstances and lay of the land were just too different: back in the Moon's Reflection, it was all too easy for me to strike at their weak spots, decisively ending the fight, but in the halls of the New Moon, I found myself surrounded, no longer having the same windows of opportunity to strike.

To make things worse, each and every one of them attacked me in succession; my old friends kept me relatively busy just evading their attacks. Even if I were to swing my sword wildly at one of them while dodging, I would hardly land a meaningful hit. All I could do was progress cautiously and carefully, striking as and when I could while staying on the defensive. I found this tiring, and utterly exasperating.

While I could have simply ploughed through entire groups of said monsters, it was worth remembering that my actual target was an Orc, a monster dwelling in the lower levels of the New Moon. If I were to use up my reserves of mana and spirit here, I would be faced with the prospect of fighting an Orc later on without any means of attacking. Missing the forest for the trees, indeed. As such, I consciously made the choice to not expend my reserves needlessly; the necessity of that was obvious to me.

Walking through the meandering halls, I continued on, relying on mild enhancements to my body that did not eat away at my reserves. Quite the departure from my usual "one-strike" tactics. Even the absolute minimum of my body-enhancing magics seemed sufficient for my means. Eventually, the number of enemies started to grow thin. If I could continue on at this pace and emerge unscathed, that would be half the battle won.

—Whoops—

In a moment of carelessness, I found a bit of my robe grazed by the Acid Blitz of a Slime. But the robe did not seem to melt at all; I suppose it truly was an item of considerable defensive capabilities. I could not find a single nick or tear in its surface, despite the fact that some of my opponents wielded physical weapons.

Perhaps I will be able to take on an Orc in my current state after all...

Thinking as such, I gathered the magic crystals of the Slimes and Skeletons that had fallen to my blade, placing them in my tool belt's pouch.

Though it seemed like a small pouch that could not contain very much at all, my waist-pouch was in fact enchanted with magic—the inside was bigger than the outside, so to speak. I had used this very same pouch in life; being a magical tool of sorts, it cost quite a bit of coin. It was a reasonable price for such a tool, however, and I ended up saving for five years to make the purchase.

If I had to say, though, the pouch's capacity wasn't exactly hefty. It had the capacity of approximately five to six normal-sized backpacks, which was a more than sufficient size for gathering magic crystals and the like.

More expensive variants with much larger capacities did exist, of course, some even being said that you could put an entire Dragon in one of their pouches. If one really did have such a treasure, however, it probably wouldn't be for sale. Regardless, such items were beyond my means for now, but perhaps I would make that a reality one day. For now, I was content with dreams remaining dreams. Though I would still continue down the path realizing my dream of becoming a Mithril-class adventurer.

Having finally gathered all the magic crystals from my fallen foes, I began making my way into the labyrinth's depths once more.

The Labyrinth of the New Moon was strange in its construction; most notably, the design and atmosphere of each floor was markedly different from the previous one. If I remembered correctly, the next floor was—

I felt a sense of anticipation surge up within me as I descended the labyrinth's stairs, as if I were about to step into a great unknown.

Truly...unbelievable. Am I really in a building? A labyrinth?

Such was the force of the sight that greeted me as I found myself momentarily at a loss for words. Warm rays of sunlight pierced through the air, landing on rolling plains of soft grass. In the distance, I could make out the outline of a forest.

While I had been taken to this floor by other veteran adventurers back in the day, I could not help but be overwhelmed by a feeling of awe as I stared out at the green vista before me. To think the interior of a labyrinth could host such a space... If anything, this area was indistinguishable from the grasslands and forests above.

No one knew who or what made these labyrinths, and even to this day, many questions remained. One could not, however, deny the abnormality and magnificence of the sight before them.

Perhaps the existence of this space wasn't too strange, given the fact that the pouch on my tool belt defied the laws of physics with the aid of magic. Be it magic or magecraft, it was entirely possible to enchant a space to behave in rather strange ways. Even a space like this could be woven from magic, assuming the wielder had enough skill to perform such a feat.

But this would be nigh impossible for people that lived in this modern age.

There were many reasons for this, particularly the amount of magic needed, the incomplete nature of some ancient magic techniques, and the like. Although I wasn't exactly familiar with the rules and laws of magical landscaping, I could list many reasons as to why such a spectacle would be impossible to duplicate by the hands of man.

Even so, magical places like this one did exist, scattered wide across the lands. In addition, they were known for appearing and disappearing—in seemingly random intervals—repeatedly as the seasons passed.

A mysterious phenomenon indeed...

Perhaps there was once a god who made such magical spaces within labyrinths; or at least humans who worshiped a similar being capable of such miraculous feats. Some have said the labyrinths were forbidden grounds, places that could never be truly comprehended by the knowledge of man. Some have even said that merely entering the labyrinths was an act of unforgivable trespass.

Even so, labyrinths were an unmistakably core part of humanity—of human culture and life. The reason being that ingredients and materials gathered from the labyrinths, and the monsters that inhabited them, were used to create complex magical tools. In rare cases, adventurers even found ancient treasures.

In addition, as long as the labyrinths were left undisturbed for a short amount of time, said monsters reappeared once more, again with useful ingredients available for harvesting. I could almost say that labyrinths were an almost inexhaustible, renewable source of resources and materials. Some would go even further and claim that labyrinths were eternally self-renewing.

In reality, however, proponents of the labyrinths often found themselves arguing with those who felt these ancient structures threatened the existence of humanity. Both arguments had their merits, and there was certainly no denying the number of adventurers who had lost their lives exploring the labyrinths for fame and glory, not to mention treasure. But if a new labyrinth suddenly appeared and was left alone, monsters would eventually spill forth from its depths, causing large-scale destruction to human settlements.

Even taking all those points into consideration, though, labyrinths were still an important part of people's lives. If labyrinths were to completely disappear one day, many aspects of trade and industry would just suddenly cease—such was the situation humanity had found itself in.

Everything came from the labyrinth: materials for weapons, armor, medicine, and even a most fundamental need, food.

Take, for instance, a certain humanoid, pig-like monster: the humble Orc. Amongst the many food ingredients collected from the labyrinth, the flesh of an Orc was the most prized; truly, a name synonymous with delicious cuisine.

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It was incredibly easy to describe an Orc's visual characteristics: they were rotund, stood on two legs like a man, and had the head of a pig. If one were to describe them that way, even a child would be able to imagine how they looked. In fact, they were somewhat popular amongst children—at least, that was the popular image of an Orc for the people that lived in these lands.

They looked slow and stupid, to the point one would assume they could be easily defeated even if one was lacking in technique, skill, or strength.

I was now facing that very same monster; however...

The Orc before me hardly trotted in a leisurely fashion. On the contrary, it was rushing at me with great form, aiming to close the distance between us swiftly. A single look informed me of the muscles in its limbs, and an equally savage gaze in its eyes. It was plain to see that a single blow could easily reap the life of a grown man.

While the Orc in question did not hold a sword or spear in its arms, it did hold a roughly hewn, stick-like club; it was probably salvaged from the odd branch of a tree in the surrounding forests. It wasn't difficult to imagine the sort of impact that such a weapon would have on the human body, as perhaps a single strike was enough to fell an adventurer.

The Orc, however, seemed to effortlessly wield its wooden stick-club, a testament to its brute strength.

Taking all the above observations into account, I could confidently say that Orcs were not weak monsters in any shape or form. If one were to simply treat an Orc as an oversized Goblin, one would surely lose their life almost instantly. I, for one, was no stranger to such tales.

While Orcs were often portrayed in children's picture books and the like as rotund beings with large, bulging stomachs that trotted slowly on tiny legs, reality was not quite as forgiving. A caricature of an Orc, perhaps; nowhere near as threatening as the real thing.

A real Orc was, at the end of the day, a warrior. Even if the quality of its equipment left much to be desired, it would be foolish for one to lower their guard. That folly could easily kill the most skilled of adventurers.

With that being said, it was perhaps worth noting that I had just dodged a savage blow from the Orc's club.

Quickly propelling myself to the monster's unguarded rear, I held my sword up high, bringing it down in a wide arc upon its now-exposed back.

Orcs were indeed strong; that was a point I would not contest. But as long as one was aware of a monster's strengths, and if one took the appropriate cautions and prepared accordingly, victory would always be within one's grasp. This rule applied to all kinds of monsters in the labyrinth.

The Orc, however, quickly understood that I had attacked it from behind, immediately turning around and swinging its club violently in a horizontal swipe.

Perhaps one would question why my attack did not seem to instill the slightest sense of fear into the Orc. But that answer was clear: my blow most likely did not cut very deep.

At a glance, an Orc may appear to be nothing more than a fat, walking pig; however, its round shape belied the true nature of its body, namely its intensely honed musculature. If one did not fully commit to the blow, its muscles would simply stop most types of blades, causing the weapon to leave little but a shallow flesh wound. It was not a very damaging attack at all. One could think of it as a natural kind of armor that all Orcs had been blessed with at birth.

But that alone was not enough for me to concede defeat, however.

Dodging the Orc's horizontal swing, I channeled forth my reserves of mana and spirit. If this dragged on, it would surely become a long, pyrrhic skirmish.

Enchanting myself with the Shield spell in case my plans went awry, I converted my spirit into physical stamina. It was clear to me that I had to land a killing blow with just a single strike.

A normal Orc such as this did not come equipped with metal armor or shielding of any kind. If I had to say, more than half of the normal Orcs also did not have any reserves of mana or spirit. Even so, this particular Orc sensed my changing aura, raising its club and staring at me with its beady eyes. Before I could finish my enchantments, the Orc pounded the ground with its feet, rushing toward me with its club raised and without a second thought.

One could almost feel the intimidation; the sight of an Orc running at full speed toward oneself was indeed one to behold, and perhaps one that many would run from. Adventurers that did run from a charging Orc, however, would eventually be overtaken by it, losing their lives in the process.

The method by which one secured victory over an Orc was astonishingly straightforward: to not be intimidated by its charge, and strike at its weak points with whatever abilities one was blessed with. Simply put, one watched for openings, then exploited them. But for such a strategy to be successful, one needed the appropriate knowledge and experience, in addition to being able to read the flow of battle.

As for myself, I possessed knowledge. Experience, however, barring the fact that I was currently in combat with an Orc, I had little to none.

A thin line divided victory and defeat. Compared to when I was alive, I now wielded a sharply-honed sense of combat. Of course, comparing myself as I was now to how I was in life was one thing; it was quite another to compare myself to adventurers who were Silver-class and above. But I was confident that I had enough strength in me to defeat an Orc; on that point I was certain.

It was neither a declaration of pride nor folly, but simply a fact that I had become aware of.

Trusting in my own capabilities, I readied my blade, steeling myself to intercept the Orc's charge.

A chance will surely reveal itself. Of that, I am certain.

Yes... Those words resounded in my mind.

Before long, I could see the whites of its eyes. In that moment, time itself seemed to slow down as I found myself clearly observing the Orc's actions and movements.

Charging toward me, the Orc raised its club, intending to ram straight into me while swinging its weapon for good measure. Unfortunately for the Orc, the decision to raise its club while charging created a particularly large opening at its torso.

With my blade held out behind me, I slammed my foot down on the ground, swinging my blade into the Orc's exposed chest in a grand, spinning arc.

In a moment of what seemed to be pure silence, the Orc and I passed each other. Turning around, blade still in hand, I glanced at the Orc that was now silently standing as copious amounts of blood spurted from its body. Slowly, and with its hand still grasping its club, the Orc fell forward face-first into the ground with a resounding thud.

Observing the scene before me, a single, simple thought crossed my mind:

It seems I've won.

And that was exactly what had happened.

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While it was all well and good that I had defeated the Orc, my job was far from over. Even though it would have been easy to dig around the carcass of the Orc and extract its magic crystal from near its heart, the request I had taken on specifically asked for materials to be gathered from the Orc directly.

More specifically, it was for the delivery of Orcish flesh, not its magic crystal. I suppose the guild's client intended to use its flesh as a culinary ingredient.

A variety of meats were consumed across the lands, the most common ones being pork, beef, and chicken. Needless to say, cattle and the like did not possess mana or other abilities, and they were much safer to domesticate and breed. Their meat, in turn, was more affordable as a result. These meats tasted relatively satisfying, and with the appropriate techniques and adequate effort put in by the farmer, products made from said meats could potentially be of exceptional quality. Cattle were useful creatures indeed.

But there still existed a type of meat that stood above what most people subsisted upon: Orc meat. While there were many reasons as to why this was the case, the easiest and most straightforward reason was the fact that it was well known that Orc meat simply tasted great.

I should perhaps dispel a common misconception by the masses: many assume that the taste of Orcish flesh could be attributed to its musculature, but they are very much mistaken. The reason for this was, as I am fond of saying, relatively simple: the flesh and muscle of an Orc was reinforced by mana, with said mana dissipating upon the Orc's untimely death. This would, in turn, cause the flesh of the Orc to return to its original soft state.

It is said the taste of Orcish flesh is vastly superior to that of the most well-bred pig, so much so that any who tasted it would be loathe to consume other types of meat.

Perhaps one would find it strange that such a delicious ingredient was not more common, but it was a simple case of supply and demand. To begin with, adventurers that could actively hunt Orcs were few and far between. At the very least, no adventurer to my knowledge was capable of delivering a shipment of Orc meat large enough to sustain an entire town on a regular basis.

It was a rare ingredient indeed, commonly found gracing the dinner plates of rich individuals and nobles, or on the tables of slightly pricier restaurants. Such was the nature of its supply; perhaps it goes without saying that it would command a high price due to its scarcity.

In other words, if one could defeat an Orc and successfully return with its flesh, one would be rewarded handsomely for their efforts.

Approaching the very same fallen Orc that was to become part of my fortunes, I promptly cut deep into its neck with my blade. Blood once again began spurting forth from the carcass's new wound. This, combined with the already large cut in its chest, allowed me to quickly drain the body of its fluids.

During the process, however, I remained silent and deathly alert. There was always the risk of other monsters appearing and attacking me, for Orcish meat was not only favored by humans, after all. Even other monsters lusted after its supposedly heavenly taste.

As such, it was with much relief that I completed the process without encountering another monster.

Continuing on with my grisly task, I sliced off what parts of the carcass I needed, wrapping the freshly-harvested meat in large, soft leaves. These leaves were from a plant known as the Maalt-Hoonoki found in the forests around Maalt. It was specifically known for its preservative effects, and it was commonly used to wrap up fresh meat. It was indeed a useful plant.

I, for one, often carried a good supply of them with me. Much like the fluid-flasks I had used to collect the bodily fluids of a Slime, these leaves were similarly useful tools that every adventurer carried.

The parts I cut from the carcass were the loin, filet, and brisket, as well as large cuts from its thighs. Although I would have much preferred to toss the entire body into my bag, my pouch could hardly contain it. A pity, really.

With those oft-used parts removed, I made some cuts for myself, namely its heart, intestines, and trotters. This was as much as I could carry.

It was a good haul; if nothing else, this amount of meat would fetch a fair sum. Having properly dissected the carcass, I would be able to sell it to a butcher for good coin. In fact, if I somehow delivered more than what was asked for, I would even be able to eat or sell the rest. Due to the nature of the request, I did not have to deliver a specific part of the Orc as it had only asked for certain cuts from the carcasses. It didn't exactly hurt to collect more than what the request asked for, since that way, the flesh would not go to waste.

It was worth noting, however, that the guild did offer dissection services, in addition to having a dedicated dissection room. If possible, I would have liked to transport the carcass wholesale, but I suppose there was little I could do with the physical constraints of my pouch.

Having finished my harvest, I left the Orc's body where it lay; it would eventually vanish given some time, as yet another unanswered mystery of the labyrinth. Perhaps it fed the other monsters of the Labyrinth, or was simply absorbed by the structure—either way, one of those two natural means would claim it. So it was not exactly harmful for me to leave the carcass as it was. If anything, it would be put to good use as fertilizer or food for whatever came after.

With the present possibility of a fresh carcass attracting monsters, that too was merely a fact of life; nothing much could be done about the natural order of things.

Well, then, I suppose I should move on.

As I set out on my journey once more, I was reminded of the fact that the request specifically asked for cuts of meat from three Orcs.

Before I could call it a day, I would have to defeat and collect ingredients from two more Orcs. While I felt repeating two more similar battles would be taxing, I could not help but feel stronger after absorbing the life force of the slain Orc. Indeed, I found myself looking forward to my next battle.

With those thoughts in mind, I continued my journey, venturing deeper into the Labyrinth of the New Moon in search of such an elusive culinary ingredient.

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After quite some hard work, I finally gathered the required ingredients. With specific cuts of meat and other organs harvested from the carcasses of three Orcs, I began venturing forth once more, this time headed toward the steps that would take me back to the previous level. While monsters had attacked me on the return leg of my journey, I hadn't strayed too far from the stairs, fulfilling the details of my request in the general vicinity. In fact, I only crossed paths with Slimes, Goblins, and the like, so I found myself easily progressing without incident.

If anything, I felt relaxed enough to think of opening the Map of Akasha that I had received from that strange woman.

Even so, the risk of an Orc suddenly appearing was still ever-present. In light of this, I found myself still somewhat cautious, as I was not exactly confident enough to stand in the middle of a clearing and stare at a self-drawing map. If I had companions keeping an eye on my surroundings, things would have been different, but of course, reality was somewhat different for a solo adventurer such as myself.

I would really only consult a map if I could be absolutely sure of my safety, or if I was completely and utterly lost. In fact, even if I did have a choice, I would still feel conflicted. What a conundrum.

I could not help but think of the convenience the map brought to me, however. To think it was capable of charting the paths I had walked along as long as I channeled mana through it!

And so, it was with the thought of filling out as much of the map as I could that I chose to take a different path as I made my way back to the steps. But the Labyrinth of the New Moon was larger and wider than any other Labyrinth I had set foot in before. Mapping it, in turn, would certainly not be an easy task. At the very least, I would have liked to completely chart one floor of it, if only due to the fact that it would enable me to use the map's adventurer-tracking function. But on the other hand, this restriction was particularly troublesome for labyrinths with large floors.

Under normal circumstances, it mattered little to me if I could discern where my fellow adventurers were, but this only held true under said circumstances. If anything, I would only be depending on this function if I were searching for someone, and I suppose that was not the case for now.

My ponderous trek was soon interrupted by the faint, but definitive sounds of battle.

In situations such as these, there was no singularly adequate response, with adventurers typically having varied viewpoints. While some adventurers felt it was a courtesy to not pass by and potentially distract a fellow adventurer in combat, others felt it was better to observe silently, offering aid should the situation prove dire.

Many things could be said about both viewpoints and courses of action, but it was indeed difficult, if not impossible, to say that one was more correct over the other.

As for my case, I belonged to the latter group. Much like how I had behaved during my first encounter with Rina, I slowly approached the source of the sound. Keeping adequately silent, I slowly walked in the general direction of the commotion, eventually coming to a quick stop.

Peeking out behind some cover, I spied two adventurers putting up quite the good fight with a few Goblins and Slimes. From their movements and techniques, I suppose they were Iron- or perhaps lower-Bronze-class adventurers of roughly 15 to 16 years of age.

With that being said, however, they displayed considerable skill despite their youth. The boy was a swordsman of sorts, and the girl, probably a practitioner of the healing arts.

It was a simple but effective formation: the boy held the front line, and the girl supported him with magic from the rear. Frankly speaking, this formation was a little risky for just two people. While they did a good job of holding out against the Goblins, the Slimes seemed to pose a bit of a problem.

Just as that thought flitted across my mind, the girl launched a fireball at the Slimes. Such magic was one of many lower-class attack spells, and those with the talent for spellcasting were often quick on the uptake.

Unfortunately for me, I possessed no such talent or affinity with spells. The only thing I could do was reinforce my body with shielding magic. While I could not cast spells, that girl was throwing fireballs with quite an impressive velocity; I suppose she had studied and practiced quite enough on her part.

These Slimes were, as usual, weak to attacks of a magical nature, and they were immediately felled by the girl's blasts. The Slimes, catching fire and dissolving, eventually left only their magic crystals upon the grassy ground. At the same time, the Goblins that the boy had been fighting fell, slain by his blade.

I supposed these two were fine on their own.

Satisfied, I turned around and walked away, once again heading for the steps.

"...Oh, do excuse me."

While I had run into some other adventurers on the way back, they had not so much as looked at me, nor had they very much to say at all. For some reason, this filled me with a sort of joy, and I soon found myself out of the labyrinth, with a good day's worth of hunting now behind me.

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"...Gaahh! Y-You..." was the sound that greeted me as I entered Lorraine's abode. Lorraine, who had been drinking some tea before my entrance, was apparently startled enough to spit it all out, with the tea now hanging in the air like a fine mist. Upon closer inspection, she seemed hunched over some documents—documents which bore my registered name with the guild. Specifically, that of a certain "Rentt Vivie."

"Are you... All right?" I asked, getting down on all fours with a rag to clean up the small puddle of tea-colored fluid on the ground. Lorraine, however, did not seem to be doing too well, as she was holding her head with both hands, looking positively exasperated.

"...In some ways I would say, no, I am definitely not all right. Which brings me to the point... Why did you register with such a name? Did you not think for a moment that using my family name would be strange, given our history together?"

It was as Lorraine said. While what she said had merit, there were other problems to me being here in general, problems that had been a long time coming since my untimely arrival and subsequent entrances into Lorraine's abode. Me stubbornly using the name of "Rentt" did indeed make things a little worse; I could have used another name, no doubt, but things were not that simple.

If I had used another name, I would perhaps not appear as suspicious in this context. However, rumors of a strange man visiting Lorraine's home on a regular basis would soon spread, and I did not wish for that to happen. Lorraine was a woman of age, after all. Such a thing would be most undesirable for her reputation. This was specifically why I had chosen to use her family name and pass myself off as a distant relative instead.

With all that in mind, and the history of my first name being that of a Saint's and all, combining both that and Lorraine's family name did not seem too strange. In fact, I had gotten used to it relatively quickly, and I was now using it on a regular basis.

Concluding my explanation, Lorraine's expression slowly lightened up. Her previously incredulous stare soon faded, eventually being replaced with one of understanding.

"...A relative... A relative, you say... Hmm... I suppose that would be somewhat believable, yes..."

"You see?"

"...Well, even so. You did not have to go out of your way to consider my circumstances, yes? I really do not mind.

"To begin with, the fact that I am a woman and a scholar in these rural parts already gifts me with a questionable reputation; at the very least, I am surely regarded as strange."

Just as Lorraine said, a female scholar in the faraway, rural frontier town of Maalt was a strange thing indeed in the Kingdom of Yaaran.

There were, however, no laws prohibiting Lorraine from doing what she had been doing all this time. While there were some contrary opinions and the like, the protests did not center around her gender or profession, but more on the physically taxing nature of operating out of a border town. After all, many monsters walked these lands, so it was almost an occupational hazard for a scholar to cross paths with more monsters than most other professions.

For the sake of research, many scholars traveled far and wide; I supposed one had no choice but to travel after leaving behind a large-scale academic institution. As such, most scholars in her line of research were often men with higher physical abilities—at least, that was how most people saw them.

Of course, such generalizations did not really apply to a Silver-class adventurer like Lorraine, but society would always have its opinions.

Even so, there had been a notable rise in female scholars as of late, albeit in fields of study that did not require too much fieldwork. In Lorraine's case, however, her study of monsters and magic often meant that she had no choice but to personally set off on exploratory journeys. Such was the nature of her work. I suppose one could say that it came with the job.

But with that being said, Lorraine never was the type to be bothered about details like these. This was precisely why she had continued doing what she loved.

While Lorraine could have easily avoided the gossip and judgment of the narrow-minded if she had instead presented herself as an adventurer first and foremost, the fact that she still adamantly insisted on being a scholar first goes to show just how much she was dedicated to her research. Adventurers were judged on their capabilities, after all; gender was nary a consideration.

Although there was no shortage of adventurers who would find fault with Lorraine simply because she was a woman, their behavior perhaps said more about themselves.

All these points made adventuring a more woman-friendly occupation than being a scholar; such was the state of affairs in this land.

In reality, though, Lorraine was trusted by many at the guild, with her titles not being just for show.

"I can't... Simply. Keep imposing. I am already... Causing you a fair amount of... Trouble, Lorraine. I would not... Want to be any more of... A burden."

"Yes, yes. Just like you to say something like that. You should not worry too much about such things. To start, I am indebted to you in more ways than one. Do you not cook and clean? You do all that and more, no? If anything, we should be on equal footing now—well, I suppose I would still be in your debt, considering all that you have done for me in the past..." Lorraine said, smiling.

I found those words heartwarming; indeed, they were kind words for one such as myself. But reality was quite different; if anything, I was the one indebted to Lorraine.

Under normal circumstances, one could not exactly justify turning up at a friend's home as a member of the walking dead and summarily live with them just because one had helped said friend with a fair number of chores. There was also the ever-present problem of potentially dangerous developments, seeing how I had once taken a bite from Lorraine's shoulder and eaten it. There was no other way of portraying what I did.

Under normal circumstances, one would be terrified of me—at the very least, they would be unwilling to remain in close proximity to myself. Even so, Lorraine continued to interact with me normally, treating me as an ordinary person and allowing me to live in her home.

I was truly thankful from the bottom of my heart. And that was why I said:

"That... Is not... True. I am only able... To remain human now... Because of your help, Lorraine..."

"Rentt... Well, if that is all there is to it, I will happily stay where I am. If the latest developments are to be believed, you are a relative of mine, are you not? Such formalities have no place amongst family and kin."

To think that Lorraine had quickly utilized my made-up setting to her advantage—an impressive woman, as always.

"Then... I suppose I will... Gladly continue accepting... Your aid, then," I said, nodding as I did so.

◆◇◆◇◆

After that conversation, Lorraine and I sat down and I gave her my report, detailing my achievements in the labyrinth today, as well as my thoughts on the capabilities of my new Thrall body. The Map of Akasha was discussed, as well, particularly how I felt about actually using it. Unfortunately, our conversation on those topics did not reveal anything new, and I instead moved on to discussing the current progress of my adventuring career.

It was a simple affair, really, with me informing Lorraine of my Orc-slaying quest, what had occurred during the hunt, and my spoils for the day.

The results of the hunt were just as cut-and-dry: next up, I would be accepting a class progression ranking test. To be more precise, I would be taking the test to rise to Bronze-class. This development did not surprise me very much, especially considering the fact that most adventurers did not merely start hunting Orcs successfully from the get-go after immediately signing up with the guild. The fact that I had returned with spoils from not one, but three Orcs relatively unscathed was perhaps more than enough to convince the guild that my adventurer class should be revised.

But good adventurers were not merely defined by martial prowess: an adequate set of knowledge was required as well, hence the ranking test. Basically, it would be a written exam of sorts, with the topics in question being the guild's rules and information on monsters, materials, and the like. Within reasonable means for a Bronze-class adventurer, at the very least.

The test was, of course, reasonably difficult. For one such as myself, however, the test was frightfully easy. I could say that I was fully prepared, and would most likely score full marks on said test.

The problem rested with the practical section of the test; this particular section usually differed with each candidate.

Commonly, a Bronze-class quest would be handed out to the adventurer in question to test their mettle, but of course, this was not guaranteed. The nature of the task at hand was completely up to the whims of the guildmaster.

This part of the test was not varied for the sake of variation. It was most likely to prevent cheating and other kinds of undesirable behaviors. With that being said, however, it was common knowledge that some particularly talented individuals would find one way or another around that veil of secrecy. That act in and of itself was commonly taken as a fair indicator of their skills, and they weren't usually reprimanded too harshly.

In any case, looking into the details of the test would involve too much time and effort, so I instead decided to take the test normally, passing it with my own ability.

I could not help but wonder what trials awaited me tomorrow, and it was with these thoughts in mind that I sat, eagerly anticipating the next dawn.

◆◇◆◇◆

"I have come... To take. The rank advancement test..."

Having arrived at the adventurer's guild on the dot, I promptly walked right up to Sheila, announcing my intent without uncertain terms. Sheila, for her part, understood what I was here for immediately.

"Ah, yes, Mister Rentt. You're right on time! I am most grateful," she said, a smile on her face.

It was perhaps strange that Sheila would be grateful for my timeliness. Considering that many adventurers had a unique perception of time, however, her feelings were not too hard to understand.

For one thing, a fair number of ruffians and the like ended up as adventurers; it was a problem of attitude, really. While one could say that being late was not a big deal, small details like that easily distinguished a professional from a run-of-the-mill adventurer. Tardy adventurers would eventually find their bad habits catching up with them, usually in the form of a formal penalty from the guild, no less.

In addition, adventurers often had to deal with human clients as they climbed their way up the ranks, since adventuring wasn't all about beating up monsters, after all. As such, having a large number of tardy adventurers milling around was not good for the general reputation and public opinion of adventurers in general, hence the guild's efforts at cultivating some semblance of punctuality in its members. In fact, showing up punctually for the test was part of the test in and of itself.

But with that said, tardiness was not defined by a few late minutes or seconds, as such precise timekeeping instruments were not readily available to the masses, and were commonly owned by royalty or rich merchants and the like. I could possibly go out on a limb and say that top-class adventurers kept a timepiece on their being, but on that I was not certain.

In any case, the candidate in question would basically lose points for showing up overwhelmingly late to the test. Due to me already knowing this fact, I had no qualms about showing up on time.

Although Lorraine's perceptions of time were painted in somewhat broad strokes, she did own a personally-crafted timepiece of sorts, if only so she would not be late for her own appointments.

While clocks and the like were installed in public spaces for general use by townsfolk, I was able to tell the time from the comfort of Lorraine's abode, largely due to Lorraine's tinkering habits.

"Of... Course. Is the... Written test... First?"

"Yes, that is indeed the case. However... Are you sure of this? There are opportunities to take the test tomorrow, or the day after. You certainly don't have to take it today. Have you considered taking some time off and studying for the test, at least? I would advise you to do that much..."

I understood Sheila's concerns; she had merely informed me of my right to take the test the day before, and was probably not expecting me to show up for it the very next day. Perhaps there was some merit in that, as it was indeed uncommon for one to apply to take the test during the next available time immediately after being informed of the right to take it.

To begin with, more than half the questions that were commonly featured in the written test would be unanswerable by most Iron-class adventurers. In turn, most of these adventurers would take weeks, or sometimes even months off to study and gain the required knowledge to take the written part of the test.

In my case, I had proven myself to be worthy of taking this test immediately after registering. So naturally, the guild staff wouldn't have had the time to warn me of the knowledge required for the test.

But I had taken the test previously in life, so while the test now might not be identical, I had firmly memorized the general types of questions and topics that awaited me: guild rules; monster information; material information; the general knowledge expected of a Bronze-class adventurer... I had more than enough time to ready myself for this test.

In addition, the tests were not held daily, instead held usually on a monthly basis. If I were to stagnate and continue drifting about as an Iron-class adventurer, I would never fulfill my dreams. This was why I had to act when the opportunity presented itself.

With those thoughts in mind, I offered Sheila my response: "There is no... Problem. Where should I... Go?"

If memory served, the test was held on the second floor of the guild, in a meeting room of sorts. Even if I had known the answer to my question, I had to ask either way.

"It will be held in the meeting room, on the second floor. This way, if you would..." Sheila said, stepping away from her counter to guide me to the relevant location.

Upon entering the room, the eyes of a handful Iron-class adventurers glanced at me, before immediately shifting back to various papers in their hands. Each paper looked to be filled to the brim with various notes and handwriting. Some of the adventurers mumbled under their breath as they did so, as if reciting ancient spells.

Notes, perhaps, written to aid in their test-taking efforts. The guild did loan these out to test candidates as the day drew near, but with the scope of questions having been relatively broad, the relevant information and knowledge could be squeezed onto one piece of paper as long as a smaller writing style was used.

This knowledge, of course, expanded proportionately to the rank one aspired to: a booklet for the Silver-class; a book for the Gold-class; an encyclopedia for classes beyond; so on and so forth.

Unfortunately, the candidates were unable to use said papers during the test, but perhaps they should consider it a blessing that the guild would loan them such resources in the first place. There was, however, a penalty to pay should they lose it, with the piece of paper in question costing one silver coin; an affordable price for even Iron-class adventurers. After all, if one dedicated at least a week or two's worth of time to studying for the Bronze-class test, one would naturally obtain enough knowledge to score a passing grade.

Honestly speaking, it wasn't too much to worry about.

It was worth noting, though, that for the greater half of the adventurers in this room, written tests such as this one would be a first in their lives. This fact perhaps accounted for the tense atmosphere—to think that I was once amongst their number! Any individual who did not take the time to prepare would surely be nervous.

On another note, while I had decided to take the written exam, there were other methods of testing available, such as an oral question-and-answer format. In fact, in kingdoms and countries with a lower literacy rate, that was the more common format of testing.

This was the reason as to why there were only a few adventurers in this room: due to the nature of the oral testing process, it was conducted in a separate area, with higher waiting times as well due to the fact that participants had to be tested individually. And so, those who did not enjoy waiting often took to the written version of the test instead.

After I made myself comfortable at my seat, Sheila, who had left the room after guiding me here, returned with a sheaf of roughly-hewn papers and quill pens in her arms.

"Well, then, let us begin the test. I am under the impression you are all literate and capable of writing, so I will not engage in unnecessary explanations. However...as a reminder, this set of papers contains the questions that candidates must answer. Candidates are to write their answers on this answer sheet, with the provided quill pens. The test will formally end when the sand in the upper chamber of this hourglass runs out. Are there any questions?"

I suppose what Sheila said made sense: all the candidates in attendance could indeed write. Even I had used a quill pen before.

As expected, there were no questions from the gathered adventurers in the room.

"Then I will now hand out the question and answer sheets, as well as the quill pens. I will also be retrieving the test revision sheets loaned to you by the guild.

"The question and answer sheets are one-sided only, and will be placed face-down on your tables. Please only turn them around when I instruct you to."

Saying so, Sheila began making her rounds, distributing the appropriate pens and papers as she did so.

A strange aura of muted tension filled the air. For me, it was a nostalgic feeling. I did not have much time to reminisce, however. Sheila was already done with her rounds, and she now stood at the front of the room.

With a deft motion, Sheila turned a large hourglass over, setting it back down gently on her desk.

"...You may begin."

And so the test began.

◆◇◆◇◆

As expected, the test progressed smoothly, ending on a relatively inconsequential note. It was a given by this point, perhaps—after all, I had taken this test once before in life.

With that being said, however, the questions themselves were different, but the relevant area of knowledge largely stayed the same. It would have been quite strange if I did poorly.

The other candidates in the room, while looking uneasy, would probably pass the test without too many issues, as well. This was plain to see from the fact that they could read and write. They were clearly blessed with a fair amount of education in their lives.

In turn, it would not be too difficult to memorize the required facts for this test, given the narrow scope of tested knowledge. Empirical evidence to back up my observations did exist: it was public knowledge that the oral test had a much lower pass rate than the written one.

My literacy was gifted to me by my village elder and herbalist, as they were the ones who taught me how to read and write. My motivations back then were far simpler, as to me, a proper adventurer should at the very least be literate. This, too, contributed to my unchanging dream, that of becoming a Mithril-class adventurer.

We did not wait very long for our results to be published. The test papers were sent back after a short while, perhaps due to the smaller pool of candidates. If one's name was read, one would be among those who passed. I, of course...

"Rentt. Mister Rentt Vivie," Sheila continued as I stood, walking up to her desk in the front of the room. "...You have passed the written test. Well, actually, you received full marks! While it's not exactly a difficult test, a result like this is somewhat rare. You're something else, Mister Rentt."

I suppose my performance was worthy of praise. Sheila's choice of words suggested that other candidates had received full marks from time to time, too. Personally, I would not consider it such a great achievement.

Thinking back upon it, I realized that I had not scored full marks when I first took the test. I lacked experience, forgot the answers to some questions, and made some stupid mistakes. I kept all that to myself, of course, as one could not exactly tell the guild's administrative staff that one had taken the test before.

"...I see. It is... Great. That I passed. What should I do... Next?" That was my relatively subdued answer as I asked Sheila about the next step; mainly, the practical, hands-on segment of the test.

◆◇◆◇◆

"...Next up is the practical assessment, where you will cooperate with some of your fellow candidates and reach a certain point in the labyrinth. This will still be a competition of sorts, however, and the first group of candidates to reach the designated point wins."

I nodded in response to Sheila's words. I vaguely remembered collecting medicinal herbs and the like for my first practical assessment all those years ago. While the assignment sounded relatively simple in passing, I ended up having to defeat a fair number of monsters while making my way to the area where the herb grew. The entire time I took great pains to not get lost in the dense undergrowth of the forest I had ventured into. All in all, it was mostly an unpleasant experience, to say the least.

Come to think of it, quite a few candidates had gotten lost, and had to eventually be retrieved by guild staff. Unfortunately, it goes without saying that those poor saps failed their practical assessments.

Compared to that, the goal for this assessment seemed easy enough. Monsters would definitely be present in the labyrinth, and one could easily reach the designated spot quickly if one just purchased a map and took the shortest path...

At least, that would be what an Iron-class adventurer taking the test for the first time would think. Judging from my past experiences with the guild's tests and trials, it was plain to see that they were up to no good—behind the cover of a simple request surely lay traps and other insidious devices.

"I... See. Are there... Any. Restrictions?"

Perhaps it would be the prohibition of maps, or other little details of a similar nature. But Sheila just smiled, somewhat faintly.

"Mm... Not really, no. Everything is permitted."

Something was off about the way Sheila delivered her answer. The guild had definitely planned something. Of this, I was certain. If I were to go out of my way to avoid this, it would be used against me, or worse still, disqualify me outright.

"I... Understand. So... Where is the... Adventurer I am cooperating... With?"

"Hmm... Right, it would be these candidates here. Candidates Raiz, Laura!"

At Sheila's call, two silhouettes separated themselves from the throngs of adventurers on the first floor of the guild. Slowly, they made their way toward us: a young boy and girl. They were strangely familiar; familiar faces indeed...

It did not take me long to remember that they were the pair who were locked in combat with Goblins and Slimes in the Labyrinth of the New Moon.

That very same swordsman-cleric pair.

I had assumed they were Iron- or Bronze-class when I first laid eyes on them, and I suppose I was not too far off the mark. The fact that they were here, however, meant that they were Iron-class adventurers, much like myself.

"If I may introduce you to Raiz Dunner and Laura Satii. And this here...is Mister Rentt Vivie," Sheila said, introducing us to one another.

Raiz and Laura. Hmm...

Raiz was a short youth, with a head of short-cropped red hair and an energetic gaze. Laura, on the other hand, was a seemingly quiet girl with tresses of soft, faded brown.

The two adventurers lowered their heads at me as their names were called, and I did the same. It would seem like they had come to the table with the most basic of manners. That gesture brought me some degree of relief. There were, after all, many ruffians and the like who ended up as adventurers. Among them were a few who had strange notions about never so much as bowing to their fellows, all in a misguided show of strength. In fact, a cursory look around the room revealed more than enough of those fools. Yes, they were everywhere.

Each team had a member of the guild's staff assigned to them, presumably to explain the relevant procedures, but also to monitor each group for unsuitable behaviors.

...It did not take much to see that those certain individuals would fail the test since they were, after all, fools who could not even be half-decent at greeting their peers. I, however, kept my observations and opinions to myself.

More importantly, I had to find out more about my teammates; this much was necessary, given that we would soon be headed off into a labyrinth together. Failure to share adequate information would lead to deaths, and wherever possible, I would like to avoid dying a second time.

"I am... A swordsman. I can only use... Enhancing magic... And the Shield... Spell. Nothing... Else."

Raiz and Laura were quick to respond to my simple introduction.

"I'm a swordsman, too. I reinforce my body and stamina with spirit in battle. And Laura here..."

"I'm a mage... But I can use healing magic, too. I will work hard from the back lines. I hope we get along and work well together, Mister Vivie."

Hence concluded our simple exchange of pleasantries, if one could call it that.

Sheila continued her explanation:

"Well, then. I suppose you are all acquainted, so I will now proceed to explain the details of the test."

Her words were enough to draw our undivided attention, for if one ignored something as crucial as the guild's instructions, one's life would easily be forfeit. I strained my ears, listening closely.

"As I have mentioned previously, the objective of this assessment is to reach a designated point in the labyrinth. To be precise, it will be this point, right here on the map. Is this understood?"

Saying so, Sheila pointed to a single point on the map detailing the Labyrinth of the New Moon.

"The guild will be providing you with this map, so please use it as you see fit. This concludes the explanation. But one note: you may engage in conflict with other adventurers. Otherwise, the first group that reaches this point wins. That is all."

Raiz and Laura both nodded. I had my suspicions—something had to be afoot. Even so, I remained silent.

"There is a time limit for this assignment, namely until sunset today. Do keep that in mind as you progress.

"Well, then, I hope the three of you give it your all. I'll be cheering for you!" Sheila said, smiling innocently.

◆◇◆◇◆

"Well... Should we head off to the New Moon? Maybe by carriage, as usual? Oh...have you been there before, Rentt?"

I nodded at Raiz's query.

It would seem like Raiz had seen fit to act in a leader's capacity for our motley crew. This worked out in my favor, mainly due to the fact that I did not have much of a grasp on team mechanics. I had, after all, been adventuring on my own this whole time, so I suppose it was fine to leave things to Raiz. If there was a problem, I would raise it; otherwise, I fully intended on staying as silent as possible.

With regards to Raiz's preferred mode of transport... Well, I suppose there was no problem with it.

Probably.

As it turned out, our horse carriage made it safely to the entrance of the New Moon. There was always the possibility of the carriage veering off-course and heading somewhere else. For my part, I stared at the coachman, and was rewarded with what seemed to be a bitter smile. There was no telling what could happen on occasions like this, and I certainly would not be smiling if I really did end up somewhere else instead of my intended location.

The coachman's bitter smile itself was a good indicator of this—one of the guild's traps, perhaps. Raiz and Laura, on the other hand, did not seem to suspect a thing. After all, who would suspect a trap in such a simple, everyday activity?

This, however, was exactly the sort of tactic that the guild was fond of using, and I, for one, knew this very well.

Upon reaching the entrance of the labyrinth, Raiz and Laura immediately began their preparations, eager to set off. I supposed they weren't doing anything wrong, but I should probably say something, and so I did.

"...Hey. The two... Of you."

"What's up, Rentt?"

"What is it, Mister Vivie?"

I didn't have too much trouble attracting their attention, at least.

"...We should... Buy new maps."

The two looked surprised at my words, before eventually pulling out the supplied map from their packs.

"Well, we have a map right here, Rentt."

"That's right... Can't we simply use this one?"

I shook my head. "...This... Map. Was drawn... Almost 15 years... Ago. There is no... Guarantee. That this map is... Still accurate, now."

"Eh...? Ah! You're right! Why'd they write something this important in such tiny letters? It's even in this tiny corner, too!" Raiz said as he finally made out the fine print on the corner of the map.

Labyrinths weren't static structures. It was all too common for the chambers and interior structures of a labyrinth to collapse and reshape themselves, eventually forming new roads into the unknown.

With that being said, however, labyrinths typically changed their interior structure once every ten to twenty years. Given that this map was 15 years old, I could not help but have my doubts about its accuracy. It would be best for us to purchase the newest edition of the New Moon's map.

I, of course, had the Map of Akasha, so other maps mattered little to me. The problem in this case, however, was the fact that the designated location was only on the guild-provided map. Unfortunately for me, a route to the designated location was not charted on the Map of Akasha—a road yet to be traveled, perhaps. Hence my suggestion, for all the reasons above, that we were better off purchasing a new map altogether.

"Who should we buy it from, though...?" Raiz questioned, craning his head as he took a good look around.

Map merchants were a common sight in the streets of Maalt, and they were, of course, present in large numbers near the entrance of the New Moon. The problem, in this case, was not one of quantity, but of trust: who should one believe? Anyone could scribble some lines on a canvas and call it a map.

With that in mind, I took a good look around myself, and almost immediately settled on a single peddler in the distance.

"...We will buy... Our map. From that... Person."

Looking at the individual I had pointed out, my teammates both raised their eyebrows.

"...He looks super suspicious, you know?" "Yes, he does... Looks a little out of the ordinary..." was what they had to say.

I could not fault them, however. The person I had pointed to was a man dressed in black robes, seemingly emanating a strange, unreadable aura. Upon closer inspection, the corner of the man's lips curled up in a sort of twisted half-smile; it almost seemed like he would attempt to sell us dangerous herbs.

...Perhaps I should not be commenting on the appearances of robed individuals. What made me so different from that other robed man? My teammates did not seem to distrust me as much...

In any case, I made a beeline for the robed man. The two of them, still relatively unconvinced, quickly followed after me, having apparently set their doubts aside for the time being.

◆◇◆◇◆

"...Oh? What is this? Do you have business with me?" a small, hunched man in black robes said, his beady eyes immediately coming to rest upon me as I approached. He seemed amused; genuinely amused, if I may say so.

Around me were other Iron-class adventurers, all purchasing maps from one merchant or another, having noticed the discrepancy within their guild-provided maps. With that being said, the very fact that the only person who had approached this robed man was none other than myself was a reasonable indicator of his suspicious appearance.

Map merchants were a breed of their own. Yes, they were mainly present in droves on the streets of Maalt, but at labyrinth entrances, as well. Many of them hawked their wares, some claiming to have maps with intricate notes and otherwise hard-to-obtain information. The robed man before me, however, was nothing like the rest. In fact, he simply stood there, occasionally swaying like a stick in the wind. Needless to say, he stood out, as one would expect him to. Anyone who took so much as a glance at him wouldn't think he sold maps.

"...Sell me. A map."

The man seemed somewhat impressed at my sudden declaration.

"Hmm...? How very perceptive of you, to know that I sell maps. Look at your peers! No other adventurer has approached me."

"I do not... Care about your... Observations. Please sell... Me a map."

But of course I had to be curt, for I knew the quirks of this man far too well. If he were to speak to someone he did not know, he would branch off in various pointless segues, before finally disappearing like smoke, not leaving a single trace.

Perhaps this behavior would come across as strange from a supposed map merchant. While many theories had been proposed, I suppose the man simply was not in the business of selling maps to people he did not know. There were, after all, adventurers who would not hesitate to use violence to achieve their means. With that in mind, the man's behavior was perhaps not too difficult to understand.

"...Heh heh... So, you want a map? Here you go... And that will be two silver coins."

Saying so, the man withdrew what appeared to be a scroll made of roughly-hewn paper from the depths of his robes. I, however, was having none of that.

"...I only want a map... Of the first floor. Also... That is far... Too expensive for a map. Let us... Be fair. I will pay... five bronze coins. A fair... Price, no?"

He seemed surprised at my interjection, but immediately withdrew another scroll from his robes, offering it to me.

"...Ho. So, you'll probably make the cut after all... You two little ones there. You'll listen to this man if you know what's good for you...

"Heh. Five bronze coins it is, then."

And so it came to be that I handed the man my coins with one hand, taking the map with my other. Almost immediately, the robed man disappeared before our very eyes, almost as if he was never there in the first place.

Raiz and Laura, who had been standing wide-eyed behind me all this time, finally decided to give their opinions on the matter.

"Hey, Rentt... Is this map really gonna be okay?"

"I've never seen someone as strange as that before..."

I could hardly blame them for having their doubts, but in any case, I held out our newly-purchased map, displaying its details to my companions.

"...We should... Compare this map... With the one the guild... Gave us."

The two were quick to cooperate, at the very least. Swiftly retrieving their maps from their bags, we began comparing the two scrolls in detail. The differences were remarkable, to say the least.

"...So, this passageway is caved in? And...this path here has just...changed? Labyrinths can do that?"

"Umm... The cloaked man seems to have written down the locations of many traps and the like... Oh. It would be bad if we took the shortest path to our marked location; it's a dead end now."

Such was the continued stream of muttering and relief from the two. Eventually, they both looked up from the scrolls, staring at me instead.

"You're pretty good, Rentt! If we didn't have you with us, we'd have surely run in with that old map and gotten lost!"

"Yes! With this map, the test will certainly go smoothly!"

They seemed convinced of my capabilities, if nothing else.

While I did not say it out loud for fear of dampening Laura's spirits, obtaining a map was only the first step; this alone was not enough to pass the guild's trials. We had safely sidestepped the first of many gates that barred us from our goal. Perhaps that would be a more accurate image of our situation.

"...The guild is... Known for pulling... Tricks like this. There is no knowing... What is in the labyrinth, as well. Let us advance... Carefully."

The two nodded eagerly at my words. It seemed that I had been blessed with relatively honest and straightforward teammates.

I could not help worrying about their future, however; a little bit of doubt was a healthy thing to have. While I meant them no ill will, the same could not be said about their future encounters.

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"HAAAAA!!"

With a loud shout and a quick swing of his blade, Raiz made short work of the Skeleton before him. While it was by no means a forceful swing, it was accurate, cleanly cleaving into and shattering the Skeleton's skull. The Skeleton, for its part, did not seem very satisfied at this, and instead continued to amble on, headless.

Jumping out from behind Raiz, I gave my own sword a good swing, bringing its edge through the Skeleton's remaining bones, making it rain bone fragments.

"...Huff... Puff..."

Raiz seemed somewhat out of breath after our engagement. This was, of course, not the first Skeleton to bar our advance, as we had felled countless of its brethren on our way here.

Our formation was a simple one: Raiz was the vanguard, and Laura was the rear. I stood between them, protecting Laura while assisting Raiz with what attacks I could.

The two of them, however, seemed close to their limits. While I could have progressed myself without as much difficulty, that was not the point here: the goal of this test was to clear the guild's trials as a team.

"...Raiz. Are you... All right?"

"Don't...worry. I mean...I probably shouldn't say that. It's getting to me, yeah... For starters, did this part of the New Moon always have this many monsters?!"

Raiz's observations had merit, as there were indeed more monsters in this area than usual. Although the Labyrinth was inhabited by a fair number of monsters, the concentration of said monsters in this area was quite unnatural.

If I had to guess, this was more of the guild's efforts—guild staff must have gone through the trouble of leading monsters to this location. Demonstrating one's combat prowess and stamina was, after all, part of the requirements for becoming a Bronze-class adventurer.

"While the guild... Cannot control... The monsters of the labyrinth, they can... Use fragrances or... People. To lead, concentrate monsters... Into a certain location. That is probably... The reason."

Laura was the first to respond.

"Fragrance...? Ah, yes. Fragrances... Incenses and such, to lead monsters to a specific location..."

"The guild doing it... Is part of the test... Perhaps. But there are... Also people. Who use these methods... To entrap their fellow candidates. We should... Be careful."

Laura's previously innocent and cheerful expression turned dark upon hearing my words of caution.

"There are people who do that sort of thing...?" Surprise and sadness tinted her voice.

I suppose she had not wanted to believe that such individuals existed—oh, but they did indeed exist. Death was a force of nature in the labyrinths, after all. Even if an individual had lured or entrapped another to his or her death, the discussion would end then and there as long as they were not caught. There was also the option of letting the labyrinth's monsters do the job. That way, one did not have to dirty their own hands.

In fact, the use of fragrances to lure monsters to another location was one of those methods, and individuals who specialized in this ability did exist. These events occasionally occurred on a much larger scale, with villages and towns assaulted and summarily wiped off the map; a tragedy of national proportions, indeed. To think that such events were possible if one hired the right individuals...

If memory served, the fragrances in question were originally developed to make monster hunting easier. Somewhere along the line, however, someone had seen fit to pervert its purpose. It was human malice at its purest. But of course, evil existed any and everywhere.

"...Stop," I said to my two companions just as we were about to turn a corner.

The two of them looked to me, confused. In response, I whispered softly:

"There is... An enemy. There, waiting to... Ambush us."

With adequately surprised expressions, the two of them whispered back to me.

"...But Rentt...I don't sense any monsters!"

"That's right... And monsters on this floor shouldn't have the intelligence required to do such a thing..."

Laura and Raiz both raised fair points. Skeletons, Goblins, Slimes—all these monsters were only present in their weakest forms on the first level of the New Moon. No monster on this floor would even be capable of such tactics.

In the most dramatic case, a monster would reappear right before a passing adventurer, but that was all there was to it. I, however, warned my companions of a different danger.

"...The ambusher... Is not a monster. They are... Human."

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"H-Human...?!"

"Why would a human lie in wait for us? Do they want something from us?"

Raiz and Laura, both equally shaken, turned to me for answers. I answered them to the best of my ability.

"There is the... Possibility of that. Yes. But this is... Something else... Altogether. If they really... Needed the two of you for some reason... They would not. Hide their presence... Like that."

It was a simple observation: if they really did have something to ask of us, they would not be lying in wait in some corner; they would instead approach us normally, as anyone else would.

Among the rules of the labyrinth, there was one in particular that governed monsters and kills should adventurers cross paths, namely that they should not hunt monsters engaged by others without permission. There were, however, no rules on approaching or speaking with fellow adventurers. The very fact they were hidden meant that what they were about to do could only be done if they were hidden—in other words, it was unmistakably an ambush.

My two companions seemed to have reached the same conclusion.

"Hey... You don't mean..."

"You... You really think...?!"

I suppose we had all come to the same image, and my words of caution had served their purpose. If I had to guess, the two probably assumed that another adventurer was lying in wait to ambush them, but this was not always the case.

There was no denying the fact that there could be other unknown factors at play. It would be foolish to assume that the individual lying in wait for us was not hostile, but I suppose it would be equally unbecoming of us to strike first.

"...Should we... Find out?" I said, my voice still a soft, raspy whisper.

My two companions promptly nodded.

"How...are we gonna do that?"

"Do we just...ask them?"

My response was simple: "We will... Advance in combat formation. You two... Get ready for anything. I will... Go up to the corner myself."

Saying so, I put one foot forward. My definition of "finding out" was relatively simple: I would approach the place where the ambusher laid in wait, and see if they struck out at me.

I could not exactly leave this role to Raiz or Laura; although they were skilled adventurers in their own right, they did not have enough experience, and they might hesitate when fighting human opponents.

The biggest and most significant reason, however, was that the two of them would die if they were wounded in the ambush. This was, of course, no joke. Taking all factors into consideration, I would probably not die very easily even if I was wounded.

I was, after all, an Undead.

Thralls in particular were known to not die even if their heads were chopped off; they had a strange tendency to cling on to life. In my case, I suppose I would be unable to move if my head was chopped off, but at the very least, I wouldn't stop moving just because I was stabbed in the chest. Me being a member of the walking dead in this instance played out to my advantage. This was why I volunteered.

The two of them reached out in protest, attempting to stop me, but I was already out of their reach, walking rapidly toward the corner of the hallway. Upon seeing that, the two gave up on trying to stop me, instead readying their weapons for combat.

A wise choice.

Although they could have cried out or raised their voices in protest, they instead chose to respond in a manner adequate to the situation at hand.

That was an important trait for adventurers to have—all things considered, this world was not a kind place. Death came quickly, often at the heels of carelessness and a single moment of gullibility.

—Just like how it came for me.

I suppose that would be a bad joke.

With those thoughts in mind, I soon reached the corner in question—

"WRAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"

With a loud shout and large movements, an adventurer-like man sprung at me from the side, having hurled himself straight at me. In his hands was a sword, already raised well above his head. The blade was probably meant for me, as his actions spoke for themselves.

Behind him was a man with a bow, and another who looked somewhat like a mage.

As I thought.

A smile flitted across my lips as I narrowed my eyes. My predictions had been spot-on.

Swiftly drawing my sword, I parried the incoming adventurer, deflecting his blade harmlessly.

"...The two of you. Be... Careful," I said, addressing my companions behind me.

My warnings were, perhaps, not needed after all, for Raiz and Laura's expressions were now adequately hardened. They were the very images of adventurers; there were no longer any traces of the doubt and apprehension that had been on their faces mere moments ago.

Their gazes were steeled. To them, all that mattered was defeating the enemy before them. I suppose I still did have my good eye, as these two held great potential.

With that in mind, I, too, steeled myself for combat.

Signaling to Raiz with a nod, I left the enemy swordsman to him, instead rushing toward the archer and mage in the distance. In a well-practiced notion, I slammed my foot down upon the ground. Now blessed with several times the physical ability I had in life, I soon found myself right before the enemy archer.

"...Wha—"

All he could do was stare at my mask as I appeared before him in a flash, an expression of shock and disbelief on his face.

The encounter, however, did not end there. In a defiant display, the archer aimed his previously nocked arrow, intending to shoot it into me at point blank range. I suppose he had some degree of skill. But I simply sliced through his bowstring with a sharp turn of my wrist before he had the chance to release his shot. Steadying myself quickly, I slammed the flat side of my sword into the archer's chest, decommissioning him. He ended up sprawled out on the ground.

The mage, apparently in the middle of a spell, was not prepared for my assault. I repeated what I had done with the archer, and soon, he, too, was incapacitated.

Only one enemy remained.

The sight of Raiz and Laura locked in combat with the enemy swordsman greeted me as I turned around. He was probably the leader, or at least looked the most skilled among his number. A quick inspection of their skills led me to believe as such.

Raiz and Laura, on the other hand, were by no means weak. The fact that they weren't overwhelmed by the man was a testament to their skill. While the thought of assisting them crossed my mind, this was a valuable experience for them: their first fight against a living, breathing human.

Deciding that this experience was crucial to their growth, I threw out all notions of assisting them, instead silently observing their battle. In the meantime, I made a note to tie up the fallen enemy adventurers, laying them flat on the ground. With this, I no longer had to worry about them waking up and continuing their attack.

Of course, leaving them in such a state raised some other questions... But I suppose they would find their way out of their own mess.

At least, that was what I thought as I stared into the darkness of the labyrinth. There was a presence somewhere out there, silently observing this entire situation.

A short while later, Raiz finally scored a hit, deflecting his opponent's blade with a smooth riposte. Seizing his chance, Raiz lowered his stance, rushing the man's chest with a shoulder tackle. The enemy swordsman, unable to defend against Raiz's momentum, promptly lost his balance.

Laura, not to be outdone, sent a series of earthen projectiles at their foe. Although it would seem like her projectiles would hit Raiz in the back, this was all part of a well-choreographed dance, with Raiz rolling out of the way at the very last second. To the swordsman, it probably seemed like hurtling pieces of stone and earth had simply appeared out of nowhere, with a few pieces cleanly catching him in the gut.

And that, if I may say, was probably the last thing he saw.

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"You... Did it," I said to the two, after they had defeated their foe.

"Yeah... Somehow."

"I was so surprised... But why would other adventurers target us...?" Laura asked, still somewhat shaken.

In response, I offered an explanation.

"You were... At the guild, yes? It would be a... Competition. The team that reaches the... Goal first, wins."

There were many ways of interpreting that statement: on the surface, it would seem like simply reaching the goal first allowed for a team to achieve victory. However, that would also mean the teams that came after the first would lose.

In turn, it would not be above the thoughts of certain individuals to assume that reducing the number of participating teams would result in higher chances of victory. At least, that would be how certain candidates would think.

"So...basically, these people were candidates...and they were trying to disqualify us?"

"Unfortunately... So."

Unknown to Laura and Raiz, individuals like these were common during every test. The guild, for its part, ensured that this remained true for each test with their strangely-worded conditions.

In fact, it was fair to say that the guild's terms and conditions for rank progression tests were engineered to goad delinquents on, if only because they would be educated and put in their place by more capable adventurers afterward.

I supposed I would leave those points for the end of the test; for now, I would let these two be.

"...In any case. There will be... More. Incidents like this in... The future. Let us advance... Carefully. Do not... Hesitate."

The two nodded deeply at my words before once again setting off for the darkness of the labyrinth.

Seeing that they were some distance ahead, I stopped where I stood, turning around to address the presence I had felt just now.

"...You should... Take them back, quickly."

With that, I felt some shadows behind me shift. Satisfied, I ran after the two, soon catching up with them.

◆◇◆◇◆

After Rentt and his group distanced themselves from the corner of the hallway, a figure emerged from the shadows. Dressed in black trappings, it seemed to fade into existence from the darkness of the labyrinth itself, looking in the direction that Rentt and his group had departed in.

"That one... He noticed, huh? That's something, isn't it? Isn't he a new adventurer...?" the figure muttered, somewhat softly. From the sound of their voice, it was safe to assume the figure was a man.

Saying so, the man in black walked toward the three fallen adventurers, and was soon addressed by the fallen swordsman.

"You can mumble about your observations later. Get these ropes off me first..."

"Ah, right. Sorry about that.

"But, yes, even though it is your job, you deal with quite a lot, don't you?" the man in black said, almost as if he were chiding the fallen swordsman.

"Don't we all? Well, he noticed you, though," the swordsman said, swinging back with a jibe of his own.

The man in black chuckled, looking at the swordsman with a condescending expression.

"You speak as if you three were not found out yourselves. That robed fellow probably knew, you know? The fact that the three of you were hired by the guild, I mean. The other two... Well, I don't know about them."

At that, the swordsman's eyes opened wide. "Huh...? Are you serious...? Just who is that guy?"

The man in black tilted his head in response, his expression one of contemplation.

"...Who knows? I do have a slight inkling...an image, I suppose. Perhaps it is as she said..."

"Huh?"

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. Just something I was thinking about.

"Well, then, shall we retreat? Aren't we down a few teams?"

"Yeah, two teams. To think we were gonna go easy on them... The young ones recently, they're really something else.

"That guy just now... Think he'll make the cut?"

With that, the group walked off into the distance, all the while continuing their conversations.

◆◇◆◇◆

"...In the end... It was unexpectedly... Smooth. The Journey."

After that attack, we continued defeating monsters as we journeyed on, eventually reaching the area before the designated point without incident.

Even if this was only the first floor, this was the wide and maneuverable Labyrinth of the New Moon. There was a sense of achievement for having come this far, despite the fact that we were only one floor deep.

What stood before us, however, was not a cheer of congratulations or a bouquet of flowers—instead, it was a cold, heavy stone door.

"This door is...that sort of door, isn't it?" Laura asked, looking in my direction apprehensively.

"Ah... Have you not... Been through this sort... Of door before?"

"Not yet." Raiz was quick to respond to my question. "It would have been pretty tough, considering it's only the two of us..."

That, in and of itself, was a wise choice.

The doors they had not been through before, doors that guarded the secrets and eventual progression of an individual through a labyrinth... Those doors were none other than...

"A boss... Room. I have heard... That there were quite a few... On the first floor. This must be... One of them."

Indeed, this was none other than the boss's chamber. The layout of boss rooms in particular differed among labyrinths, with some only having one per floor, and others having multiple rooms. Sometimes one would have to pass through these rooms to descend to the lower floors, and sometimes they could be avoided to no detriment whatsoever.

This time, however, the doors that stood before us did not lead to the lower floors. Instead, it was just one of the many on the first floor of the New Moon.

Yet the area that we were headed for was through these very doors. There was no other way to get to the designated spot, so our course was set. The guild's intent was plain for all to see: to pass this test, one had to pass through this room, defeat the monster within, and head on to the goal.

It was an ornate door, very different from the various doors we had passed through up until this point. The guild, in choosing such a task, was clearly stating that those without the appropriate strength could not become adventurers. Although the statement might seem condescending, it was very much true. As such, even if the test's implications were in bad taste, one couldn't say very much about it.

"What about you, Rentt? Have you passed through boss room doors before?"

Perhaps he was curious about just how much experience his fellow candidate had. I answered Raiz's question plainly.

"Yes, a few... Times."

The room where I had encountered the Giant Skeleton before was exactly one such room. In addition, it was a special type of boss room from which there was no escape until its inhabitant was defeated. Certainly not a type of room that most adventurers would enjoy coming across.

With that being said, I had close to a decade's worth of experience under my belt, and as such, I had more than enough experience with boss rooms in general. Raiz, not knowing this, had asked me such a question, all the while not realizing that it was a mistake to do so.

As expected, Raiz's expression soured upon hearing my response, perhaps feeling that his experience was inadequate. I could not help but ask Raiz a question in return.

"...Are you uncertain...? If so... We could... Bow out."

There was, of course, always a choice. While I wanted to rise through the ranks quickly and did not want to withdraw, I found myself worried about exposing these youngsters to danger. Although I am in a rush, I was not callous enough to trade their futures for some savings on time. I am, after all, only 25. Surely I have a fair amount of time left...

I paused, wondering a little about how my lifespan had been affected by the fact that I was now undead. There were, of course, no ready answers, and I shelved those thoughts for the time being.

Raiz raised his head at my query.

"I can't do that, not now. If I run away now...I have this feeling that I'll never be able to come back..." he said, an audible edge of resolve in his voice.

I suppose Raiz had a point, as adventurers who had their wills broken just once become weak. In some cases, the adventurers did become stronger after steeling themselves once more, but there were also instances where such a thing simply could not happen. This was perhaps why Raiz said what he had, instinctively realizing this somewhere deep in his heart.

From what little I had seen of his character during my time spent with him, I could already tell that turning back was not an option; me asking after him was just a courtesy. If he didn't want to run and had prepared himself for the trials ahead, then that was all there was to it.

I nodded at Raiz. "I see... Then that... Is enough for me. But... If you are worried. I have... An idea."

"Eh...?"

Tilting my head back slightly, I directed Raiz's attention to the hallway that we had just approached from. Turning, Raiz's jaw dropped—behind us were four adventurers, slowly walking toward the stone-colored doors.

"Those guys..."

"Probably... Other. Adventurers. We just have to... Let them. Go first."

At my words, Raiz's eyes opened wide once more. His jaw, of course, had still not closed.

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