S23 Entry into the Elro Great Labyrinth

Rode atop the Light Dragon for a full day.

Reached the vicinity of the Elro Great Labyrinth’s entrance.

The straight path through forests and mountains allowed us to arrive much faster than on foot.

We focused our千里眼 on the distant entrance of the Elro Great Labyrinth.

"Indeed, Imperial troops are present."

Numerous Imperial soldiers stood within the fortress built at the entrance of the Elro Great Labyrinth.

The Elro Great Labyrinth is nearly the sole passage connecting continent to continent.

Thus, if the Demon Clan launches an invasion, they must pass through this labyrinth.

The fortress ahead, visible through千里眼, will serve as the final defensive line should the Demon Clan breach the labyrinth.

Nevertheless, it is nearly impossible for the Demon Clan to cross the Elro Great Labyrinth.

The Elro Great Labyrinth possesses a scale so vast that escape without guidance would take a lifetime, and a structure so intricately convoluted it resembles a maze.

Additionally, it hosts numerous hazardous monsters, making military assault prohibitively difficult.

In fact, the mere presence of the Demon Clan at the labyrinth’s entrance implies that the Casanagara Continent is nearly entirely under Demon control—placing the Human race in a dire strategic position.

Throughout recorded history, no era has seen the Demon Clan wield such overwhelming force.

Whether the future will bring similar circumstances remains uncertain. Yet, immediate escalation to such a level is unlikely. The crossing of the Elro Great Labyrinth by the Demon Clan is not a frequent occurrence.

Thus, the fortress’s primary function is focused on neutralizing monsters that emerge from the labyrinth.

The Great Labyrinth harbors numerous unique monsters exclusive to its depths.

The fortress’s current function is to prevent these entities from emerging into the outside world.

Within the fortress, soldiers from a foreign empire exist—entities that should not be present.

The implication is singular.

They are surveillance, placed here to ensure we are not allowed into the Elro Great Labyrinth.

“What shall we do?”

Kathia’s words prompt hesitation.

Frontal assault is not impossible.

Yet it remains a last resort.

Preferably avoided.

“Can we sneak in and bypass them somehow?”

The teacher offers the suggestion, eyeing me.

He is relying on the effect of my skill—Concealment.

Concealment is an evolved form of Camouflage.

Its effect is literal: to hide something.

Camouflage functions similarly, but this skill does not alter appearance when used.

It reduces detectability by the five senses of other organisms.

Combined with stealth, it becomes significantly harder to locate.

The skill’s advantage lies in its selectable target.

It can be applied not only to oneself, but to other individuals or objects.

Even to other skills.

I continuously apply the concealment skill to a specific entity.

That entity is the Taboo skill.

This prevents the presence of the Taboo skill from being revealed if unexpectedly examined.

It may still be discovered, but it is far better than having no concealment at all.

I shake my head and reject the teacher’s proposal.

Concealment is detectable when detection is possible.

If the opponent possesses a sensory ability surpassing my concealment skill, they will detect us effortlessly.

The old mage from the capital is a clear example.

That elder clearly perceived our concealed position, even though we were hidden high above in the sky.

It is unlikely that there are many individuals of that caliber, yet if Yugo intends to seriously obstruct our actions, stationing skilled operatives at the fortress would not be unreasonable.

Relying solely on skill for a stealth infiltration seemed perilous.

"I have a lead. Follow me."

Hylins presents a new proposition to our trapped situation.

No alternative comes to mind. We follow Hylins's instructions in silence.

We are brought to a small village near the entrance of the Great Labyrinth.

As we travel, Hylins explains that this village was formed by merchants and inns catering to those entering the Great Labyrinth.

From outside, the village clearly contains shops selling supplies necessary for the Labyrinth—preserved food, antidotes, and similar items.

A large inn, disproportionate to the size of the small village, stood visible.

We moved quietly along the village’s outer edge, avoiding notice.

Someone in the village might be allied with the Empire. More importantly, we were fugitives.

After sneaking our way, we arrived at a single house on the village’s outskirts.

It was considerably larger than the others.

Hailins lightly tapped the door.

“Hai. Who is it?”

The middle-aged man who answered looked up and, upon seeing Hailins, showed a startled expression.

“Long time no see.”

Hailins bowed.

The man glanced around, noting Hailins’s demeanor, then gestured.

“Come inside for now.”

We followed the man’s invitation and entered the house.

"This is Goief, the labyrinth guide. He has assisted Julius and others on multiple occasions."

"Goief, at your service. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Goief, this is Schrein, Julius's younger brother."

"Schrein. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Following Hailins’s introduction, all present exchanged greetings.

Goief listened with a gentle smile, but this man was far from harmless.

Though obscured by clothing, his physique was clearly well-trained. The eyes beneath his calm expression narrowed slightly—assessing, calculating.

Hailins’s careful demeanor toward him became understandable.

This was no simple individual.

"Then, Lord Goief. I shall speak directly. At present, we are falsely accused and pursued by the Empire. We seek to cross the Elro Great Labyrinth and reach the Kasanagara Continent to resolve this matter. However, the entrance is surrounded by Imperial troops, preventing our passage. Is there no way, with your assistance, to get us inside the Great Labyrinth?"

Hailins’s words made Goief pause, his expression unreadable.

"I understand the situation, to some extent. I have long thought it suspicious since I first heard that Hailins-sama was plotting national overthrow."

A collective breath of relief followed Goief’s words.

It seemed Goief held no hostile intent toward them.

"However, I regret—I cannot assist."

The words brought disappointment.

"Please, find a way..."

"I regret—I cannot assist. My own life and livelihood are at stake. I cannot risk drawing the Empire’s attention by aiding you. If I were to help, the danger might extend to my family as well."

"Is that so."

Though unseen, the presence of several individuals—including children—was clear within the house.

Goief had a family too.

He could not become our ally, not even at the cost of involving his family.

I understood this already. But facing it directly, here and now, made me fully realize the weight of the label—national traitor—that had been affixed to us.

No, in fact, merely listening to us speak was already a kindness.

Worst case, they might have drawn weapons the moment they saw us.

"What’s this? You’re just a coward who won’t guide us? Then let me show you the way."

The old man spoke, kicking open the door as he appeared before us.

"Father!?"

"Really. This cowardly old man. What empire is there to fear at your age?"

The old man appeared, bottle in hand, and stepped directly between us.

"I'm Basgas, your spineless father. Shall I take over as guide in his place?"

"Wait, Father!"

"Be silent."

His voice was not loud, but carried force enough to silence Goief without protest.

Basgas possessed a physique far more imposing than one would expect from an elder, radiating an unmistakable aura of dominance.

A presence so compelling it nearly triggered a status scan.

"If you're satisfied with an old retiree like me, I'll guide you. What say you?"

Hailins hesitated. My instinct suggested trusting this man.

I relayed the thought in a brief mental transmission.

I did not miss the slight reaction from Basgas.

This man can intercept mental transmissions.

"Please take care of us."

"Sure thing. Though I won't be doing anything special."

Not true.

"Then let's discuss specifics."

Following Hyrlins' suggestion, we proceeded to discuss our schedule going forward.

Goief seemed to have given up halfway through, but offered backup support instead.

One day was spent preparing. Then we arrived at the seaside.

According to Basgas, a submarine cave connected to the great labyrinth was located nearby.

It was unused due to the proximity of the Water Dragon's lair. Even among guides, only a select few knew of this secret passage.

"Listen. If the Water Dragon appears, do not engage. You'll only be killed. The priority is escape. The cave entrance is just beneath the surface. Inside, the passage is narrow—too narrow for the Water Dragon to follow. Once submerged, enter the cave immediately. Understood?"

We nodded in agreement to Basgas's instructions.

We changed into swimwear, carrying almost no belongings.

All our gear is stored in Basgas’s spatial storage pouch.

A magic item imbued with the skill known as "Void Storage," allowing objects to be kept within a separate dimension.

Though I still felt uneasy entrusting all my possessions—including my current weapons and armor—to another person, once I decided to place my trust in Basgas, I resolved to do so completely. I entrusted everything to him.

"Then, I will distribute the Wind Orbs. Please do not bite into them by mistake."

The instructor handed out small orbs, no larger than a palm.

These are compressed air sealed within a wind magic construct.

Holding one in the mouth eliminates the need to worry about air supply.

Essentially, a miniature oxygen tank.

However, as the instructor warned, if one accidentally bites into it, the compressed air contained within will explode instantly.

Convenient, but extremely dangerous.

"Then I'll lead. Everyone follow me."

Busgas placed the wind orb in his mouth and descended into the sea.

One by one, we followed. I was last.

Upon entering the water, the shallow area vanished abruptly, plunging into deep darkness.

Thanks to the skill, the underwater environment was clearly visible without goggles.

At the edge of my vision, a massive form approached leisurely.

Water Dragon Clag.

Level: 8.

Its form resembled a Nessie from a dinosaur encyclopedia—long neck, serpentine body.

I examined its status and recoiled.

All values exceeded 3,000.

Moreover, its skills were far more advanced than any monster we had encountered before.

Problem.

We had just reached the cave entrance, led by Busgas at the front.

The others had not yet detected the presence of the Water Dragon.

The Water Dragon braced itself.

That was the preparatory motion for its Breath attack!

I instinctively stepped in front of everyone and activated magic.

Holy Light Magic.

A spell acquired alongside the title of Hero.

The Water Dragon’s Breath clashed with my magic, generating a surge of water.

We were drawn into the cave by the current.

I continued to be carried, avoiding biting down on the wind orb in my mouth, while scraping against various surfaces.

A moment of weightlessness.

Then, impact with the ground.

It appeared we had been carried to the end of the cave.

"Everyone, are you alright?"

I removed the wind orb from my mouth and looked around.

My companions lay scattered, bruised and exhausted.

No one appeared to have sustained fatal injuries.

Yet, while the petite teacher was acceptable, Catia and Ana had their swimwear torn in places, exposing more skin than before.

Their hair clung to their bodies, accentuating curves in ways that were undeniably provocative.

Extremely distracting.

"Kaa! If this is how it starts, the rest of the journey is already unbearable!"

I silently agreed with Busgas’s outburst in my mind.

For now, they were all scraped in various spots—treatment was required.

"Still, we made it inside unharmed. Welcome. This world’s hell—the Elro Great Labyrinth."

Busgas’s dramatic narration left me weary. I began treating everyone without delay.