TM-Chapter 47

[ Necromancer ]

Stairs.

There are several ways to go down to the lower floor in a labyrinth, and among them, the most common and most representative method is using stairs.

It’s the same as the 1.5 floor.

If you go down the stairs for about 10 meters, you’ll come to an enclosed space about the size of a boiler room, and there’s a gate floating in front.

Unlike exit gates, stair gates don’t close no matter how many people pass through them.

“If we cross this, it’s the 2nd floor.”

We, who are far beyond the standard power level for the 1st floor, progressed at almost walking-on-flat-ground speed and found the stairs in no time.

But the party’s atmosphere, which had been full of confidence until now, suddenly sank like a lie.

Because of the following important fact.

“You have to cross the stair gate one by one at 3-second intervals.”

Even someone like Yernil, who has flowers in her head, would naturally think of someone.

Sally.

“What if there are raiders waiting on the other side?”

It’s quite possible.

We came here after farming several pieces of magic equipment.

Remember how the receptionist at the Labyrinth Association talked to us, saying we must be going to the 2nd floor?

The raiders probably thought the same thing when they saw us.

Those are the 1st floor Caleb party, right? At that level, they’ll go to the 2nd floor today.

And if they have access to the 2nd floor elevator, they could go first, hide, and wait in ambush.

“So there’s definitely a possibility that raiders are hiding on the other side.”

And they’ll probably target the moment when our team inevitably gets split up as we cross one by one at 3-second intervals.

“Then… Who goes in first?”

Yernil asked with an anxious expression.

It’s the question that was stuck in everyone’s mind.

If raiders are lurking in front of the 2nd floor gate, the first person to enter will inevitably become a target.

Of course, whether he crosses and dies or not, the second batter can’t know.

Message Transmission doesn’t work between different floors in the labyrinth.

Therefore, in the end, they’ll all be slaughtered like sheep entering a crocodile’s mouth one after another without knowing anything.

“The first one…”

Still, the earlier you go, the more dangerous it is.

Why?

Because against the first batter, the raiders’ skills are in perfect condition without any cooldowns, and they’ll have plenty of Health left.

“Aimus goes in first.”

I gave what seemed like a somewhat cold-hearted order.

This is the standard method when crossing floors.

A frontline adventurer with high vitality and good defense gets protective magic cast on them by a wizard or priest.

Of course, we don’t have such things, but Aimus himself has defensive skills.

“Use Steel Parasol as soon as you enter. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Understood.”

“After 3 seconds, I’ll enter second. You don’t need to be too nervous.”

I said that, but honestly, I’m the one who’s nervous.

It’s definitely different from the first or second labyrinth expedition.

The responsibility and burden.

The first time, both Yernil and I were just desperately trying to survive.

The second time was a mission to just sneak into the 1.5 floor and steal a urn, so I was confident it wouldn’t be dangerous. Though it ended up being extremely dangerous.

But now it’s different.

I’m the leader of this party, and I’m the one who convinced everyone and is taking them to the 3rd floor.

If an accident happens, it’s all my fault.

“But since I’m the frontline, it makes sense for me to go first, but is it okay for Caleb to come second? Don’t wizards usually enter last?”

Aimus asked.

Right.

I did that in the game too.

But here, me entering second is…

“Is it the party leader’s… Sense of responsibility? Bro!”

Backstab  was moved.

It’s not that.

It’s just that if any accident happens, it’s easiest for me to handle it if I’m second.

Let’s assume the first batter Aimus gets attacked.

Unless the Labyrinth Master came up to the 2nd floor to greet us, Aimus won’t die in 3 seconds.

If I enter during that time, I can save Aimus.

But if Yernil or Backstab  enters, I can’t be sure.

Maybe they’ll die together with Aimus, and then I, entering third or fourth, would also be in danger.

Rather than that, it’s better for me to enter second, and if there’s an emergency, I can turn back the hourglass and struggle.

“Then I’m going in.”

Aimus took a deep breath and jumped into the gate.

The edges of the gate rippled once greatly and started flickering.

3 seconds from now.

“…”

The hellish wait begins.

3 seconds feels like 3 hours.

Is Aimus okay?

He should be, right?

No matter what kind of accident within reasonable limits happens, it’s not easy to kill Aimus who has Steel Parasol.

I prepared Aimus with complete countermeasures for any unexpected accidents that could occur when crossing the gate.

What if something beyond common sense happens?

I can’t say the possibility is zero, but thinking about such things is endless. Frankly speaking, even the possibility of the real Labyrinth Master climbing the stairs and sitting in front of the 2nd floor gate isn’t 0%.

I can’t think about such things. Time and mental strength are limited resources. It’s better to review and prepare for realistic problems.

2 seconds.

Even if raiders exist, there’s a possibility they won’t touch Aimus.

It was like that in the game when the difficulty increased.

That is, if a frontline player with good armor and tanking ability comes over first, since they can’t kill him anyway, they won’t even touch him to save their skills.

Instead of making their main skills go on cooldown, they’d save them and pour everything on the dealer who enters second to take them out.

This is Developer difficulty, so if there are raiders, they could use such strategies.

1 second.

It doesn’t matter anyway. Even if they try to attack me as soon as I enter, it’s hard to break through Aimus’s skill.

And since I have the hourglass, if Aimus isn’t hurt, I can turn the tables on them instead.

0 seconds.

The gate’s flames stabilized.

“I’m going.”

I jumped vigorously into the gate.

***

I didn’t expect this?

“What is this?”

“I didn’t do it.”

Of course not, Aimus.

How could you make this alone in 3 seconds?

“Four corpses.”

There are four corpses in front of the gate.

They’re probably raiders’ corpses. Judging by their position, it looks like they tried to rob someone and got completely destroyed instead.

Kwangwang!

Yernil, who crossed third, also seemed shocked when she discovered it.

“Wh-what is this!”

“It’s a raid…”

“It’s a Parasol!?”

Ah. That’s what surprised you?

“It’s Steel Parasol.”

Aimus explained calmly.

The skill granted by the armor he’s wearing, Steel Parasol.

Just as Yernil’s Triple Shot requires a bow, Steel Parasol requires a ‘staff’ or ‘spear’.

Then a giant magical circular shield with a 3-meter diameter appears at the tip of the long weapon, and from the side, it really looks like a parasol.

“That’s why the skill is called Steel Parasol.”

“I see… Eh? Kyaaak! Corpses!”

“…”

This time she was startled by the corpses.

You’re sensitive to sounds, but a bit slow with dead-quiet corpses, or rather, corpses that are quiet because they’re really dead?

“Are they raider corpses?”

Backstab, who crossed the gate last, frowned.

“Seems like it.”

Aimus replied nonchalantly while folding his parasol.

“Or corpses killed by raiders.”

Well.

I don’t think highly of the second possibility Aimus suggested.

Because raiders’ purpose is to strip items and sell them on the black market, so they’re obsessed with ‘killing adventurers cleanly’ as much as possible.

It’s similar to being careful not to damage the hide too much when hunting animals.

That’s why the raiders, Sally party, used strategies of using undead or battle dolls to scare naive adventurers and approach them pretending to help.

But these guys got mercilessly destroyed.

Victim 1, a Fighter-looking wizard.

I’m guessing he was hit by something like a giant axe and got sliced through his armor. Probably used a skill like Cleave.

Victim 2, a human female who looks like a Ranger.

Her carotid artery was severed by a sharp blade. And judging by the torn back, she probably got hit by a Leap Ambush from a rogue type.

Up to this point, I understand.

But victims 3 and 4.

‘Erosion Tumor.’

It’s a 2nd-grade necromancy that makes tumor masses grow wildly in the body, eating away and destroying normal body tissues.

And…

‘Soul Echo.’

The 4th corpse has pupils that are out of focus with each other like cross-eyes.

The possibility that this corpse was originally cross-eyed? Not likely. Because it’s a Birdman race. Especially famous for good eyesight among birds of prey.

This is because they got hit by Soul Echo magic and went crazy, losing focus. In that state, probably…

‘Cell Suicide.’

They got hit by 3rd-grade necromancy. Since they were in Soul Echo state, they probably also got Soul Harvest.

Wait, hold on.

‘There’s someone with 3rd-grade necromancy on the 2nd floor?’

Necromancy itself isn’t bad. I also used necromancy to go on labyrinth adventures with undead Backstab .

The Magic University actively researches necromancy and encourages it as a branch of magic.

Of course, temples that deal with resurrection as their main business don’t like it, but it’s not legally prohibited anyway.

And if the corpses are raiders, the necromancer must also be a proper adventurer.

However, what’s strange is…

‘Why are they on the 2nd floor?’

With this skill level, they could go to the 4th floor.

“Caleb. Aren’t we departing?”

Yernil asked.

“…Let’s go.”

Ominous.

Something is extremely ominous.

Right now, those battle traces are definitely ‘beyond common sense.’

***

If the 1st floor is an old castle-like place composed of stone floors and walls, the 2nd floor is a ‘swamp‘.

The monsters that appear also fit that theme perfectly.

‘Vodyanoy.’

Anthropomorphized frog-like bipedal monsters.

They’re strong and have good jumping ability, so even if Aimus blocks them as the frontline, they can jump over and approach right behind me, making them troublesome enemies.

Still, they’re not threatening enough for our party.

And right now, far from being threatening, no combat is happening at all.

‘I understand how Meldini felt when he followed behind me during the game at Berten’s mansion.’

The Vodyanoy were all annihilated in the direction we were heading.

Similarly, they were either sliced by axes, had their vital points severed by daggers, or were completely destroyed by tremendous-level necromancy.

A procession of floating amphibian corpses continues along the swamp.

“It’s… Quite gruesome.”

“What the hell is this situation?”

“I’m scared.”

Our party’s tension level is naturally rising.

Same here.

I can’t even imagine what kind of crazy 4th-floor wizard came down to the 2nd floor to commit amphibian genocide.

What on earth is the purpose?

Maybe their purpose isn’t the 2nd floor. Maybe…

‘Shit.’

The amphibian corpses lead all the way to the stairs.

My ominous speculation is getting very close to the truth.

“Let’s hurry in.”

I actually urged my team members who were anxious from seeing one disturbing scene after another.

“We need to go quickly.”

I need to catch that crazy bastard necromancer. Who knows what kind of accident this guy will cause.

***

“Uwaaak!“

“Wh-what is it!”

When we crossed the 3rd floor gate, living people appeared instead of corpses.

But they’re not raiders.

“Virtanen!”

Was it you?

When I crossed the gate after Aimus, Virtanen, Zikal, and Emma appeared.

With Aimus pointing his parasol at them with sharp vigilance.

Thanks to that, Virtanen’s party was a bit startled, but soon felt relieved when they saw me entering.

“Caleb! You made it to the 3rd floor!”

And I solved a small puzzle.

Among the corpses that appeared earlier, the ones sliced by axes were Virtanen’s work.

The ones killed by daggers were Zikal’s doing.

And Virtanen’s party had been thirsting for a wizard supplement from before, and the new one who joined is that crazy necromancer, right?

“Virtanen! Zikal! Emma!”

As soon as Yernil entered, she hopped around happily.

“Long time no see, Yernil!”

“Hey! I hardly recognize you!”

Emma and Zikal were also happy to see her.

“What? Do you all know each other?”

Backstab, who entered the scene last, was also interested.

I’m not interested in any of that.

Only one thing. That necromancer bothers me.

“Caleb! This is the wizard who newly joined our team. His name is Antonelli.”

He was a neat-looking human male. He looked to be in his early 30s.

“Nice to meet you, Caleb. I heard about you. They say you’re a Chantless and Ultra-high-speed caster?”

I didn’t shake his hand that he thrust forward and asked.

“Why is a wizard who uses necromancy with Emma?”

“Ah…”

My question was somewhat aggressive, making Virtanen flustered.

“I became interested in necromancy after seeing the report Sir Bernard submitted before. The temple also gave permission to research necromancy, and we happened to need a wizard for our team.”

Emma quickly answered.

“And Antonelli doesn’t use magic that turns corpses into undead. As long as he’s not traveling with undead, I can adapt to it reasonably well.”

“He doesn’t use undead magic?”

“No.”

Antonelli smiled broadly.

“I don’t have such magic.”

How ridiculous.

Who are you trying to bluff right now?

“Soul Echo and Erosion Tumor. If you combine these two magic in a duo, you get Raise Up Dead Body.”

Antonelli’s mouth corner twitched.

“Why are you hiding magic you have, claiming you don’t have it, and joining Virtanen’s party?”

“…”

“…”

“Eh. W-wait a minute.”

As the atmosphere turned serious, Virtanen panicked and squeezed between us.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding, Caleb, just calm down for a moment.”

“This isn’t the time for that! Virtanen!”

I shouted at him in frustration.

“Anyone can see he’s extremely suspicious!”

“It’s true that Antonelli was a 4th floor wizard! But he couldn’t find a new party…”

“Do you think that makes sense? At a time when the university is throwing slave laborers into labyrinths because there’s a shortage of wizards?”

“Hmm…”

“You were desperate to find a wizard and couldn’t think carefully! You wanted to get down to the 3rd floor quickly, right? So you made a mistake!”

You foolish dwarf!

You’re incredibly calculating when it comes to money, but why did you make a mistake here?

Understandable.

You don’t have magic equipment, your money situation is ambiguous, and you were in a bind because you couldn’t go to the 3rd floor, right?

Probably rich kid Abisson was the last chance for this party to grow into a 3rd floor party.

When that failed, you probably became anxious thinking that Emma might get recruited by a 3rd floor party and the party could be disbanded.

So you were trying to somehow come to the 3rd floor and make money, when that crazy bastard came and gently shook the bait, so you bit it!

“Common sense says if a 4th floor wizard finds a new party, they should go to the 4th floor. At worst, they’d go to the 3rd floor. But why did they join Virtanen’s party!”

“That… That’s…”

Virtanen hung his head as if ashamed.

“He said with our skills, the 3rd floor seemed doable… let’s try it together…”

You need to be most careful of guys who approach with such kind words.

And even if Virtanen doesn’t know, I know the real reason this guy approached.

“Antonelli! Shall I guess?”

The reason why a wizard building necromancy would bother joining a 2nd floor party and bring them to the 3rd floor.

“You want to go to the 3.5 floor.”

Judging by his expression, I’m right.

Damn.

If this guy joined a 3rd floor party, those party members would likely refuse to proceed to the 3.5 floor.

Because they know it’s dangerous. Plus, they don’t desperately need a 4th floor wizard.

But Virtanen’s party would have no choice but to be dragged along. If he strongly persuades them to go down to the Inter-floor Village, they’d have to follow reluctantly.

And I can predict the reason for wanting to go to the 3.5 floor.

“Hijikata said so. That his friend went missing on the 3rd floor, captured by the Labyrinth Master.”

That’s why that swordsman tried to interview for the frontline position in our party.

Antonelli would know this fact too.

And he would also know about the Soul Sanctuary in the Inter-floor Village. Whether through the Magic University, the temple, or Remus’s party.

There are reliquaries containing adventurers’ souls in the 3.5 floor sanctuary!

“If you’re a necromancy wizard, you couldn’t help but covet them, right? You’re trying to harvest the souls from those urns, aren’t you?”

Of course, necromancy isn’t bad, and it’s not illegal either.

The problem is…

“If you do such a thing, a monster wave will break out.”

“…”

“All the 3rd floor adventurers will die. Are you doing this knowing that? When attempting such special operations, you need permission from the Adventurer’s Guild. Did you get it?”

There’s no way he got it.

Why would they give it to a crazy person?

“Did you consult with the university or temple? Are you doing this after properly conducting result prediction research?”

Of course he didn’t do anything.

I pointed my wand at Antonelli.

“Answer me.”

Both parties froze at the suddenly deadly atmosphere.

And Virtanen, Zikal, and Emma looked like they’d been hit hard in the back of the head.

Behind me, Yernil quietly nocked an arrow on her bowstring.