(Third POV)
With the sunrise behind them, the rescue team geared up, packed their provisions, and listened intently as Roxy briefed them on crucial precautions for navigating the Labyrinth.
A short distance away, Ruijerd, Elinalise, and Roxy stood aside, allowing Paul and Zenith to say their goodbyes to the two young girls and Lilia. Meanwhile, Ghislaine was doing her best to convince Eris to stay behind with the others, but the fiery young woman refused to budge, her voice rising in defiance.
"I can see why Ghislaine took her as a student," Elinalise observed. "Straightforward and impulsive—a perfect fit for the Sword God Style."
"Indeed," Ruijerd agreed. "I trained her myself, and I can see the potential for her to become a master of swordsmanship."
"But that same impulsiveness could lead to trouble. We can't afford reckless behavior in the Labyrinth if what's written in the notebook is true."
"Indeed," Ruijerd nodded.
"Mister Ruijerd?" Roxy interjected, having remained silent until now.
Ruijerd turned to her. "What is it?"
"... did you get into conflict with Nokopara?"
Ruijerd hesitated before answering. "He often approached us during our stay at the guild, giving us advice on which jobs to take, but knew he was up to no good. He even tried to speak with Eris alone, so I had to give him a lesson. On that note, my apologies. You two didn't part on the best of terms."
"It's his fault, really," Roxy said begrudgingly. She felt a twinge of pity for her old acquaintance, but knowing his nature, she suspected he was bound for a life of shady dealings.
Before long, Paul, Zenith, and Ghislaine rejoined the group.
Paul and Zenith each wore new gear provided by Kagami, like Roxy did.
Paul had new silver armor like his old one, with the same fitting effect as Vierra's, and a special sword on his right was paired with his longsword on the left. It was a curved double-edged shortsword with three different-sized holes going through the flat side and a crossguard and bow that covered the wielder's hand. This particular weapon had the ability to get sharper the harder the object it hit was. It was a perfect fit for Paul to use his offhand to break through the defenses of sturdier opponents and then use his longsword in his dominant hand to finish them.
As for Zenith, she received a blue robe, boots that were sturdy on the outside but coushined from the inside, a mantle exactly like Roxy's over her robe, two bracelets that let her summon Light Spirits, and another two bracelets that held advanced ranked Healing Magic and Saint rank Detoxification Magic. Since Zenoth received the same boost in ability Paul did, her manapool has expanded to the point where it even surpassed Roxy's, accommodating her high-rank Healing Magic itself. However, due to the lack of boost in Attack Magic, her role in the group stayed unchanged, like in her old adventurer days.
Elinalise, Ghisaline, and Ruijerd did not intend to take anything made by Kagami's hands because they didn't trust it or require it in the first place. Each of them had their own gear that they felt perfectly comfortable with.
Kagami predicted their resignation to the tools he provided and marked the list of gears he offered the three of them as 'recommended' (a word that Ghislaine hates to hear coming from Kagami specifically), unlike some of the others whose designated gears were each written and marked as 'obligated to equip!' in red ink, all in caption, and twice the font size of the rest of the letters, practically ordering them to use it.
"Alright, let's move out," Paul declared, beginning their journey to the White Fire Coffin.
***
Led by Ruijerd, the team of six made their way toward the Labyrinth. He was the most familiar with these lands, making him the natural guide.
Despite the Labyrinth attracting monsters from all over the region, it was decided that those staying behind at the hut should at least have capable fighters with them for protection. As for the giant lizard Ruijerd and Eris had arrived with, securing it outside the entrance proved difficult, given the unpredictable amount of time they would spend inside.
After several days of travel, they finally reached the Labyrinth's entrance.
"That's the place?" Paul asked, his gaze—like everyone else's—locked on the thunderous storm clouds swirling close above the mountain.
"Amazing," Zenith murmured. "I always heard the Demon continent never had rain. I never thought I'd see a single cloud here, let alone this big of a cloud."
"Why hasn't a lake formed around it?" Ghislaine questioned. "With that constant rain pouring down, shouldn't the water have gathered on the surface by now?"
Paul, Zenith, and Elinalise turned to her, wide-eyed in shock. In all their years of knowing Ghislaine, they had never expected her to ask such an insightful question.
A realization dawned on Paul.
"Did my son teach you that?"
"Yes. What of it?" Ghislaine asked, unimpressed.
"...Nothing," Paul muttered before turning to Roxy. "So, is there an explanation for this?"
"Well," Roxy began, "Like Zenith already said, it never rains here, so the brittle soil lets the water leak down, seeping underground and gathering in the lower floors of the Labyrinth. Apparently, some floors flourished with the water source, which some of the monsters down there are nourished by. But the mountain's surrounding terrain is still muddy, so we must be careful."
"Is the rain really Rudy's doing?" Zenith asked.
"The thunderclouds are drawn from his memories—specifically his graduation ceremony, when I taught him the Saint-class Water Magic spell, [Cumulonimbus]. It became such a core memory that he formed it without knowing where. The mana fueling this phenomenon isn't Rudy's; it's drawn directly from the ambient mana in the air while the Labyrinth is stabilizing it."
"Is there a safe path inside?" Elinalise asked.
"According to the notebook, the safest route is near the mountain's north side. It leads to the top, where the entrance is located. No rain falls through that opening, and multiple sets of stairs lead downward from there to the first floor."
"Stairs?" Elinalise repeated, surprised. Then it hit her—it must have been Rudeus's doing... somehow.
Without further discussion, under Ruijerd's guidance, the team pressed forward toward the Labyrinth's entrance.
The group pressed forward, the wind howling around them as the storm raged above. The climb was brutal—thick mud clung to their boots, and every step risked slipping on the loose, wet rocks beneath them. The incessant rain chilled the air, and the distant rumble of thunder resonated against the mountain's cliffs.
Paul gritted his teeth as he pulled Zenith up another steep incline. "Damn it… this terrain is worse than I expected."
"You and me both," Elinalise muttered, shaking mud from her boots. "We haven't even reached the entrance yet. This Labyrinth must be really something."
"Let's keep moving," Ruijerd said firmly. He led the group with steady steps, and his warrior instincts kept him focused despite the punishing conditions.
Suddenly, Ghislaine, who had been scouting ahead, stopped in her tracks. Her ears twitched, eyes narrowing. "Something's coming."
The group immediately went on high alert. Even through the downpour of rain, her beastfolk senses were at a level only someone of her own race could match.
Then, a guttural growl rumbled through the air from the swirling rain before them.
A massive, dark-furred creature emerged from the darkening area—easily over three meters in length, its sleek body resembling that of a dire wolf. But there was something unnatural about it. Its fur was patchy and burned in places as if it had been infected with some disease. Most striking, thick saliva dripped from its fanged mouth, sizzling against the rocks where it landed. The air filled with the stench of burning stone.
"That doesn't look normal," Elinalise murmured, her grip tightening on her rapier.
Ruijerd's expression darkened. "It's an Acid Wolf… but it looks different from the ones I've seen before." His sharp eyes studied the creature. "Its body… its fur… this is not normal. And that fluid… it looks far more dangerous than usual."
Before anyone could react further, the Acid Wolf reared its head and snapped forward, spitting a caustic liquid toward them.
"Move!" Ruijerd barked.
The group barely had time to scatter as the acidic spit struck the ground where they had been standing. The rock hissed and melted instantly, leaving a bubbling, blackened pit in its place.
"Yeah, definitely dangerous!" Paul shouted, rolling to his feet and unsheathing his longsword.
The Acid Wolf growled, muscles tensing as it prepared for another attack.
Ghislaine was the first to strike. She dashed forward in a blur, her sword flashing as she aimed for the creature's legs. But the beast was fast—it jumped back, its glowing yellow eyes locking onto her. Snarling, it spat another spray of acid directly at her.
"[Water Wall]!"
Just before the acid could strike, a thick water barrier materialized between Ghislaine and the attack. The caustic liquid splashed against the water, diluting before it could reach her.
Roxy stood a few paces behind, her staff raised, eyes locked onto the wolf. "I'll provide support! Just focus on attacking!"
Ruijerd nodded. "Understood!"
The wolf snarled but didn't have time to react before Ruijerd lunged, spear in hand. He feinted left before thrusting right, forcing the creature to dodge—but just as he predicted, the wolf moved directly into Paul's waiting strike.
Paul slashed downward, his blade cutting into the wolf's side. The beast howled in pain, black blood sizzling against the ground where it dripped.
"Got it!" Paul grinned—until the Acid Wolf snapped its jaws at him, nearly taking off his arm. He barely managed to pull back in time.
"Don't get cocky," Ruijerd warned.
Elinalise took advantage of the distraction, leaping from behind and driving her rapier deep into the creature's exposed flank. The Acid Wolf thrashed wildly, nearly throwing her off, but before it could recover, Ruijerd drove his spear straight through its skull.
The beast shuddered, then collapsed.
For a few moments, the group remained silent, catching their breath. The acrid smell of melted stone still lingered in the air.
Zenith glanced at the corpse, frowning. "That was… unlike anything I've seen before. Are Acid Wolves supposed to be that big?"
Ruijerd shook his head. "No. And their acid isn't usually that strong." He knelt beside the beast, studying its wounds. "Something is affecting the monsters here. Changing them."
"Maybe it has something to do with the Labyrinth?" Roxy suggested. "But I didn't think there would be monsters outside the Labyrinth as well."
Paul exhaled. "If the monsters outside are like this, I don't even want to imagine what's waiting for us inside."
"We don't have time to dwell on it," Ruijerd said, rising to his feet. "More might come."
The group pressed on, but Paul couldn't help but ponder why he hadn't reacted in time, but he kept the thoughts for later.
The higher they climbed, the worse the terrain became. The muddy ground gave way to jagged rocks, and the relentless wind threatened to push them off balance. Roxy nearly lost her footing again, but Elinalise caught her arm just in time.
"Careful," Elinalise warned. "One slip and you're done for."
"I noticed," Roxy muttered, shaking.
Not long after the grueling ascent, they reached the mountain's peak.
Before them stood the entrance to the Labyrinth: a gaping, dark hole in the rock, framed by crumbling stone pillars. Just as Roxy had described, a set of ancient stairs led downward, untouched by the rain.
The group descended carefully, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone walls. Though the rain didn't reach inside, the air still carried a damp, earthy scent. The deeper they went, the more the natural light from the entrance faded, replaced by an eerie blue glow emanating from patches of bioluminescent moss clinging to the walls and ceiling.
After nearly half an hour of careful descent, they finally reached the bottom. The chamber they'd reached was larger than they expected, its ceiling high enough to give an unsettling sense of openness despite being underground. Four separate tunnels branched off from the chamber, each one leading into shadowy unknown depths.
Paul exhaled, adjusting his grip on his sword. "Alright… now what?"
Roxy flipped through Kagami's notebook, her brow furrowing as she read. The flickering glow of the bioluminescent moss cast eerie shadows across the chamber, making the words on the page seem almost alive.
"There's no set path," she finally said, closing the notebook with a sigh. "The Labyrinth's first floor continuously changes. New floors emerge as it expands downward, shifting the tunnels and passages above. What may have been a safe route yesterday might not even exist today."
Paul let out a groan. "So what you're saying is... we're going in blind?"
"Not entirely," Roxy clarified. "The notebook provides some information about past layouts and common trends in how the Labyrinth shifts. We just need to stay vigilant and adapt as we go."
"That makes things more complicated," Elinalise muttered, resting a hand on her rapier's hilt. "Navigating an unstable terrain is already a challenge, but if we can't even rely on maps... Geese would have been very reliable from here on out."
Paul sighed, running a hand through his hair, internally agreeing with the Elf woman.
Alright. Then we move cautiously and stick to a formation that maximizes our strengths."
After a brief discussion, they settled on their formation: Ghislaine would take the front, using her Magic Eye to look out for any Magic Traps while acting as the vanguard. Her speed and keen senses would help them avoid immediate dangers. Paul would be behind her as a second vanguard and frontline tank, using his agility, offense, and defenses to hold the line.
Behind them, Zenith and Roxy would stay in the center, in between those capable of close combat. Zenith's Healing Magic and support spells were crucial for keeping the team alive from any unpredicted surprises, while Roxy's Attack Magic could provide cover and counter enemy attacks should they break through the frontline.
Elinalise and Ruijerd would take position on the rear. Their job was to ensure no threats ambushed the party from behind. With Elinalise's agility and defenses and Ruijerd's experience, they were well-equipped to handle any ambushes from behind.
With their formation set, Ghislaine stepped forward, her gaze sharpening as she activated her Magic Eye. The world around her shifted slightly as her enhanced vision detected traces of hidden traps, although the density of the mana in here made her vision somewhat blurry. She scanned the four tunnels ahead of them before finally pointing toward the leftmost one.
"This way," she said. "No immediate traps that I can see. But stay sharp."
With a final nod between them, the group advanced into the unknown depths of the Labyrinth, their footsteps echoing softly against the cold stone floor.
The true test had only just begun.
The tunnel widened as they ventured deeper, its walls stretching into a vast underground passage. The air grew heavier, thick with moisture and an eerie silence. Every step forward echoed faintly, making the space feel even more immense.
Then, without warning, Ghislaine halted, her ears twitching once more. "Something's coming again. It's a pack this time," she whispered, her hand already on her sword.
A moment later, a chorus of guttural growls filled the tunnel, followed by the rapid pattering of clawed feet against stone. Emerging from the darkness were a dozen Pax Cayotes—canine monsters that typically moved on all fours and hunted in packs. But something was wrong.
These canines ran on two legs, their elongated bodies hunched forward as they wielded crude metal weapons in their paw-like hands. Their tongues lolled out of their mouths, eyes bulging unnaturally as if driven mad by something unseen.
"They're not supposed to be like this, right?" Paul muttered, raising his sword.
Before he could think further, the creatures lunged.
Ghislaine was the first to strike. She cut down the leading Pax Cayote mid-leap with a flash of steel, sending its twitching body skidding across the stone. Paul followed up, his blade carving through another as it swung its rusted cleaver at him.
The battle intensified as more of the creatures swarmed them. Ghislaine moved quickly, dodging wild strikes and retaliating with deadly force. Paul, on the other hand, held his ground, blocking and countering with sheer strength. Their combined assault cut through half of the monsters in moments.
Then, one of the remaining Pax Cayotes let out a deranged yelp and lifted what appeared to be a crude, jagged wand with a small crystal at its end. Without an incantation or any words to begin with, it pointed at the group and unleashed a blazing [Fireball].
Elinalise raised her shield, which shimmered with protective energy just in time. The ball of fire exploded against it, flames dispersing harmlessly as Zenith and Roxy stood protected behind her.
From the shadows, Ruijerd seized the opportunity. He darted from the flank, spear in hand, and drove it clean through the spell-casting monster's chest. The creature gurgled, its bulging eyes widening in shock before it slumped lifelessly.
Ruijerd wasted no time, swiftly moving to take down another Pax Cayote attempting to cast a spell. His spear found its mark once more, silencing the threat before it could strike.
By the time he finished, Paul and Ghislaine had dispatched the last of the creatures.
The tunnel fell silent once again, save for the heavy breathing of the party.
Paul wiped his blade clean and frowned. "How the hell were they casting Magic? They didn't even chant."
Roxy took a step forward, her expression grave. "The monsters in this Labyrinth are changing due to the exposure of Rudy's blessing manipulating the mana inside these tunnels, granting them new abilities akin to his own. The deeper we go, the more unnatural they'll become."
Before anyone could respond, a strange phenomenon occurred.
The bodies of the slain Pax Cayotes suddenly ignited with eerie white flames. Yet, instead of burning away, their corpses remained untouched, the fire flickering without consuming their flesh, almost as if it was burning something else entirely.
The group instinctively stepped back, watching in uneasy silence as the unnatural flames danced upon the remains of their fallen foes.
"I already heard that every living being that dies in here is ignited in these white flames," Elinalise muttered. "But seeing it for myself makes it all the more unsettling."
Roxy and Ghislaine would have agreed with Elinalise if they had not already witnessed someone use this type of Magic.
Paul was unsure what to think. These flames were the work of his son, whose powers are to manipulate the souls of living and dead beings.
Something was very, very wrong in this Labyrinth, where the bodies of the dead are being set on fire.
///