Elro Great Labyrinth Anomaly Investigation Unit ②

Continuing from uncle's perspective

Eight days since entering the Great Labyrinth.

Approaching the area where anomalies are beginning to manifest.

The knights, who had not expected much, proved functional—only their heads were lacking, but they performed adequately in combat.

At first, I thought they were just a noble’s spoiled squad, and indeed, this unit appears to consist of younger sons of nobles.

But as expected of the powerful Lengzant Empire.

They were not merely decorative.

"Indeed, we are a collection of nobles, but our training and combat experience are comparable to other units. We are composed of those who cannot inherit titles. Each of us fights desperately to earn recognition and reclaim a title through achievement."

That was their explanation.

The arrogance of the former noble remains, but he appears to have weathered enough trials to adapt with unexpected flexibility.

Evidence of this: before entering the labyrinth, he paid little heed to my orders. Once inside, however, after experiencing the severity firsthand, he openly apologized for his prior conduct and complied without hesitation.

"Truthfully, I underestimated the Great Labyrinth. The lack of common sense is a known flaw among former noble units. Perhaps future training should allocate additional time to general education."

The knight captain proves to be a capable man.

Yet, while it is a pleasant surprise that he is more useful than expected, an unpleasant foreboding persists.

We have not yet reached the reported area, yet the number of monsters exceeds normal levels.

No fatalities so far. But several injuries have occurred.

Healing specialists are present, so that’s not an issue. But the unpredictability of what might happen is what makes the Great Labyrinth dangerous.

Poison antidotes have been brought in large quantities. Some knights have also gained Poison Resistance through continuous combat up to this point.

It shouldn’t reach a critical situation. Still, an unpleasant feeling lingers.

Is the Queen making a personal appearance nearby?

Not impossible.

If Taratekt hunting is spreading on the opposite side, that means the Queen has laid eggs.

Which means she’s already arrived at the upper levels.

Queen Taratekt is an Over-S Rank mobile disaster.

Only one recorded instance of defeat exists—by an ancient Hero who traded an entire army and their own life for the kill.

Five remain in the world, excluding that one.

One of them resides within this Great Labyrinth.

She normally resides in the lower levels, but ascends to the upper stratum when laying eggs.

It would be fine if she returned downward promptly, but she occasionally lingers in the upper levels. One cannot afford to be careless.

Even if unlikely, encountering such a creature would consume more lives than one could possess.

Should the large passage accessible to the Queen be avoided?

Another concern: the entrance to the middle layer lies within the area experiencing anomalies.

Logically, something powerful might have emerged from the middle layer, forcing the original inhabitants to flee?

But is there truly something powerful residing in the middle layer?

The middle layer is a scorching hell, its surface entirely covered in magma.

An area of flame utterly impossible for humans to traverse.

Yet, the strength of the creatures there should not differ significantly from those in the upper layer.

This is the testimony brought back by adventurers who once challenged the middle layer.

The adventurers had spent years cultivating flame resistance, then equipped themselves with fireproof gear before confronting the middle layer.

Eventually, overwhelmed by the layer’s vastness, their rations ran nearly dry, forcing them to abandon further exploration.

They became the first adventurers to explore the middle layer of the Great Labyrinth and return alive.

The Great Labyrinth is said to consist of an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer.

Several massive holes connect the upper layer to the lower layer.

Some adventurers descended through these holes, but most never returned.

The few who did return testified that the lower layer teemed with monsters ranked C or higher.

It is said the Queen uses the lower layer as her stronghold, though this remains urban legend—but even lower still, a final layer is rumored to exist.

Whether true or false remains unconfirmed. But unless one deliberately approaches, the lower layer and below are irrelevant.

Or perhaps this anomaly originated from something crawling up from below, bypassing the middle layer entirely.

Such idle speculation.

"Thinking of resting here for now. What are your thoughts?"

"Ah, fine with me. It’s about time the sun sets outside, isn’t it?"

"Time intervals distort within the labyrinth. It’s surprising you can sense the passage of time so precisely."

"True enough. After spending your whole life entering and exiting the labyrinth since childhood, you eventually get used to it. Guides are all like that."

"Hmph. Guides are far more formidable than I imagined."

"Not really. In direct combat, knights are far superior. It’s simply a matter of appropriate placement. We specialize in navigating the labyrinth. Knights specialize in combat. That’s how it works."

"I see. Incidentally, if I may ask—what is your current skill set?"

"Aah? Skills, huh?"

"Apologies. I couldn't help but wonder. If you're unwilling to share, there's no need to speak. If it's caused offense, I'll apologize."

"No, no. That's not it. For someone like us, seeing skills via鉴定石 is rare. It's been so long since I last checked that I don't remember what mine are."

"Indeed? Skills are Life lines. Shouldn't one know their own skill set?"

"True enough. I remember Dark Vision and Danger Sense both reached Level 10, but the rest... I've forgotten."

The captain looked back at me with a dry expression.

Well, half of that was a lie.

I don't know all my skills by name, but I have a general sense.

Still, no need to volunteer the details to others.

It's Life, after all. Of course.