had reached even the great city.

　Having acquired prior information to teach Nanami before being transferred to this world, I was not surprised by the cityscape, which resembled a medieval fantasy world.

　It was crowded with people, chaotic, smelled strange, and filled with loud voices.

　Vitality and life.

　That was something absent in the forest.

　Yet I felt no emotional pull toward it.

　I couldn't even explain why I had been drawn to the city.

　Like a moth drawn to light, there was something here.

　—A sense of darkness. I couldn't describe it any other way.

　Here, I could blend into the shadows beyond sight.

　The bottom of the darkness I sought was right here.

It was an odd certainty.

The town was brimming with spirit energy.

Was this what places where people gathered were like in this world? Both humans and monsters carried spirit energy within them. When gathered, they might create a place overflowing with such energy.

I hadn't opened my status board once since then.

It was inconvenient not being able to use the map, but I was stubborn about it.

Nanami's album was tucked away in the shadow bag. I’d probably never open it again, not even until I died.

Seeking out darker places, I eventually ended up in a shop-like stall tucked away in an alley, where I managed to exchange my remaining spirit stones for money.

I managed to exchange the spirit stone of the wolf and that of the little monkey for several dozen silver coins, and with that money I bought clothes, a cloak, and a short sword. That was all I could afford—there was hardly any money left.

I didn’t know the market value, so I might have made a bad deal, but I didn’t have the luxury of worrying about such things.

I asked for directions to the cheapest inn and stayed there.

Even the cheapest private room cost a fair amount, and the room was dirty and plain, with a bed made of wooden planks and only a meager mattress laid on top. Still, it was a proper bed after a long time.

Unaware of it myself, I must have been exhausted—I slept deeply, almost too soundly.

In the middle of the night, I woke up and headed toward the city center, taking advantage of the darkness.

The shopkeeper had said something earlier: this place was a labyrinthine city.

The town center houses a vast labyrinth, and it's said that resources drawn from it sustain the town.

The location of the labyrinth was quickly identified.

A massive crystal, spirally twisted into a conical shape, towering at the heart of the town.

Yesterday, I had seen it from afar—it reflected sunlight, dazzling and unapologetically bright, asserting its presence as an unmistakable landmark. Back then, I never imagined it was a labyrinth.

It stood about eighty meters tall. How it was created remains unknown, but perhaps that crystal is, in fact, a single enormous spirit stone.

After all, the aura of spirits was extraordinary. The town itself was saturated with the presence of spirits, yet even stronger and denser spiritual energy poured out from the entrance of the labyrinth.

In the city, spirit magic was likely prohibited—perhaps due to its dangers or other reasons—effectively treated as a banned technique.

Though dark spirit magic was generally difficult to use, near the labyrinth it seemed to work in reverse, especially at night, making it feel like its power could be multiplied several times over.

At the base of the crystal, the labyrinth yawned open like a gaping mouth.

It appeared to plunge deep underground, and from here, only a large staircase descending into darkness was visible, while beyond that point, the space seemed blurred, as if space and time themselves were warped.

Even with my dark vision, I couldn’t see through it, so it might truly be a gateway to another world.

The entrance was enormous—about thirty meters wide and ten meters tall—evoking the immense scale within.

Several humans were gathered at the labyrinth’s entrance.

A group seemingly consisting of dungeon explorers, clad in imposing gear.

Four men resembling sentries standing with a campfire behind them.

It might require money to enter the dungeon.

I didn't want to get bothered if they stopped me.

"Darkness Fog"

With its rank now at four, Darkness Fog had gained the ability to adjust the amount of darkness it emitted. At maximum output, it could envelop an area up to ten meters in radius with darkness.

However, depending on the situation, this would mostly draw attention.

I used the technique only over a span of about one meter, slipping into the dungeon unnoticed by stealth.

No one detected my presence.

(Stay calm...)

Inside the dungeon, spiritual energy was abundant—so much so that it seemed I could cast spiritual magic endlessly.

I walked through the darkness, using both night vision and dark fog.

Whether because it was a confined space, or because it was saturated with darkness, I couldn't tell. Probably both. In any case, I didn't feel the gaze of the viewers here.

Of course, that was just my imagination.

Even now, they're watching me, wishing I'd die faster, hoping I'd collapse in the labyrinth. That's what they must be thinking.

But being here in the darkness, I could forget all that.

The loneliness. The fear. I didn't have to face them.

"Darkness Fog"

In the darkness, no one could notice me.

Even in the deep darkness of this labyrinth, neither people nor monsters would pay it any mind. That's just how it is.

(……Is this really a labyrinth? A strange place. Was it built by someone?)

――At that time, he did not yet know that this labyrinth was called the Meltyia Great Labyrinth, with each layer bearing its own name.

The name of the first layer was "Twilight Underworld Street."

Its characteristic was ――

(It's so wide...)

Beyond the narrow, labyrinthine passages typical of such places lay an expansive space.

Wider than an open baseball field, the ceiling glowed red like the sky at dusk.

Stone ruins stood in rows across the ground, and in the distance, a castle-like structure could be seen.

And the inhabitants of this town ――

(Skeletons... so that's what they're called)

shuffled about, their bones clattering with a peculiar rhythm.

Varieties of skeletons—some wielding weapons like swords, some large, some small—were scattered about, making the place resemble a skeleton-filled town.

A group of explorers could be seen fighting about 300 meters away.

Would defeating skeletons yield spirit stones?

Information was overwhelmingly scarce.

"Darkness Fog"

I wrapped myself in darkness, cautiously approaching a single skeleton.

Darkness Fog blocked visual perception.

Sounds would still reach me, and smells too.

Until I knew how skeletons recognized their enemies, I couldn't be sure I was safe even in the shadows.

I wasn't afraid to fight if needed. These were monsters from the first layer of the labyrinth.

They weren't likely to be overwhelmingly strong.

In any case, if I don't earn some money soon, I'll be broke in just a few days.

It had come quite close, but the skeleton showed no reaction toward me.

When I stepped back a little and released the spell, it instantly reacted toward me, so it's definitely being blocked from sensing me by the Darkness Fog.

Even from within the fog, it reacts to sound, so I can't afford to be careless.

The opponent is a skeleton with no weapon—neither fast nor particularly strong.

I hadn't realized it before, but I must have been exhilarated, being in my first dungeon.

In the darkness, I couldn't feel the viewers' gazes.

That's why I found myself thinking,

"Should I try fighting...?"

― Haha

― Hee hee hee

― Hee hee hee hee

I heard laughter.

From somewhere. From a distant place. Or perhaps right next to my ear.

　

A piercing gaze that stabs through my entire body.

I’m being watched.

I feel a billion eyes upon me.

The viewers are watching every move I make, laughing along.

In this other world, I’m finally going to do what an otaku boy would dream of doing.

I’m going to fight my first monster battle.

The curious gaze of countless spectators.

Countless eyes from Earth are focused on me.

Nausea rises in my throat.

――Hehe

――Kya kya

――Aha ha

I hear the viewers’ laughter.

They’re laughing at me.

going to fight? Be cool and defeat that monster, Hero-kun (lol)>.

and fight, die quickly, preferably in a clumsy way>.

"Yeah, you're right—since we're in a fantasy world, you wanna go monster hunting, right? (Laugh) Defeating skeletons and shouting 'I'm

TUEEE?' Is that really what makes you feel like you're truly

experiencing another world? A short sword in one hand, a dark magic swordsman? Wow, that's so cool... I'm gonna

puke, lol, lol, lol." He knew all of this was just the voice of his own thoughts.

But it wasn't just self-absorption—everyone really was watching him. Every single move he made. How awkwardly

he fought. How he got drunk on his first

victory. He'd deliberately hidden in

the shadows, trying to ignore it all. "Darkness

Fog...!" Suppressing nausea, he shut himself in the darkness and ran.

Fighting? Absolutely not. He didn't want to be

seen.

I wanted to be forgotten.

I wished my very existence would vanish.

I ran and ran, and by the time I realized it, I had descended the stairs and reached the second level.

The second level was narrower than the first, a true labyrinth, and I had advanced deep inside, crouching in the darkness.

I saw small humanoid creatures, dog-like monsters, and demon-like beings, but none seemed able to detect me in the darkness.

Here, in this deep darkness, if I blended into an even deeper shadow, no one’s gaze could reach me.

My voice has stopped now.

"Haa... haa..."

　

A faint dripping sound echoed—like groundwater trickling down the walls of this ancient, filthy underground maze.

For someone without dark vision, navigating this place would be extremely difficult.

For a while, I crouched there.

Several monsters that didn't seem particularly strong passed by, but none noticed me, walking right past.

The next monster did the same.

And the one after that.

In the darkness, I could vanish completely.

So, by remaining embraced by the shadows for a while, I finally managed to calm down.

(…Wait, what was that?)

After several hours, I noticed it.

I hadn't realized it earlier because I'd been so utterly out of control.

In the small room across from me, which had a prison-like shape, something dullly glowing caught my eye.

I rose to my feet.

As I approached, it looked like the husk of a traveler.

A crude leather armor, a coat, leather gloves, shin guards, and short boots.

The explorer's equipment lay scattered in the shape of a human form.

There was no corpse to be seen—instead, a small red spirit stone rested alone where the neck should have been.

It looked as though the body had turned to smoke and vanished, leaving only the spirit stone behind.

(…Did he die? What happened to his body?)

I don’t know.

In a place like this labyrinth, abnormal things might just happen.

The sword was broken, and the armor was cheap and flimsy.

Probably just a novice explorer.

I placed the fallen explorer's gear and belongings into my shadow bag.

"…Hunting corpses… So I’ve sunk to this level too."

If I can’t fight, this is the only way to earn money.

All of it done in darkness.

They probably can't see it.

Strangely, I could accept myself growing dirtier and dirtier.

I had lost the luxury of caring even for those who had died.

With my childhood friend, my family, my home, and even my personal dignity gone, there was nothing left to lose but my life.

Even so, I keep living.

That’s all I can do right now.

　

—And so, I continue living in this labyrinthine city today.

◇◆◆◆◇

I found comfort in this darkness.

Hiding within the labyrinth filled with silence and death, I’d strip the gear from the lifeless bodies of explorers who had fallen, barely managing to survive on what I could sell.

In this narrow, dangerous passage, in the quiet tomb,

I wrapped myself in shadow, crouching here today, holding my breath once more.

So no one can see me.

So no one pays attention to me.

And.

So everyone forgets about me―