Chapter 10: 10

Depths of the Otherworldly Labyrinth

Chapter 10: Finally Rechallenging the Labyrinth

Early in the morning, I went to buy the essentials and such, then ate my breakfast in the tavern.

Then, with plenty of time to spare, I made my way to the church where we were to meet. 

There I saw a priest reciting what seemed to be their version of Holy Scripture and a huge group of people praying; Dia was one of them. 

I found out that many people prayed to God in this world.

A majority of them were simply religious, but even non-believing adventurers were praying fervently—that was because the very act of praying itself was part of the magic, «Level Up». Other than their usual teachings, the priest’s chanting had the ‘Level Up’ techniques within them too, and people with various circumstances visited the church for that reason. 

It was quite different from the God of my world, who did nothing.

If the religion offered you to ‘Level Up’ for free, it made a little more sense that the five nations allied with each other under the same religion. 

After finishing his prayers, Dia talked with the priest for a bit before seeing me and then walking towards me.

“—Christ, you’re here already?”

“Good morning. You’re early, Dia.”

“I was just hoping I would level up… but that didn’t happen. Haah.”

“I see. That’s too bad…” 

While I responded to his words, I off-handedly checked Dia’s status. 

【Status】

Name: Diablo Sith

HP: 39/52, MP: 431/431

Class: Swordsman

Level: 1

STR: 0.59, VIT: 1.12, DEX: 0.92, AGI: 0.88, WIS: 1.34, MAG: 23.25, APT: 5.00

Constitution:

Divine Protection: 1.00

EXP: 89/100

From what it looked like, he was 11 EXP away from leveling up.

And, as usual, his statue Perimeters were ridiculous.

…Especially in his ‘Magic Power’ department. 

We headed into the Labyrinth, conversing about how we would work together inside. 

“So I just need to get the monsters’ attention?”

“Sorry, but please do. I’m not strong enough to deal any real damage to the monsters with a normal attack. That’s why… I’m going to use magic this time.” 

Apparently, Dia’s sword couldn’t kill any monsters.

Perhaps that was why he was so obsessed with finding a companion. It made sense since he had the magic that could deal with monsters but couldn’t effectively use it solo. 

But that’s not being a swordsman? Shouldn’t you leave your sword behind? I thought about it, but I wouldn’t vocalize it. It seemed like Dia was serious about aiming to become a swordsman. 

“Got it. But I will focus on evading them as a vanguard, okay? …I’d rather not get hurt.”

“Yeah, that will do. As long as you can play the vanguard, the hunt will be ours.”

“…Well. I guess that’s our best formation. I’m good at scouting and distraction, after all.”

“Once my level rises, I will be fighting with my sword, so please bear with me until then.”

No, I think you really should focus on your magic, though. Of course, I wouldn’t say it out loud. After all, if I did, he would ask me why I said so, and then I wouldn’t be able to answer without explaining the ‘Display’. 

“Okay, I’ll be in the front and look for some enemies.”

As we talked, we reached the entrance to the Labyrinth.

Unlike the neat entrance that I had seen in the Whoseyards, the entrance there was in a state of disrepair. There was no guard standing by, either. 

“Okay, let’s go.”

Thus, I tackled the Labyrinth for the second time.

My mind was in turmoil.

Anxiety and fear swirled out of control.

I tried my best to cover them up. 

I have gathered as much information as I could until today.

I have researched all about monsters from the books.

I’ve heard many stories about them from the adventurers in the tavern.

I have the necessary equipment and tools.

I have an ally who is talented and trusted, if a bit insecure.

I can do a number of things even with the ‘Display’ up now.

I’m used to magic and can apply it how I wish.

I am ready for the challenge—

I calmed my psyche by reaffirming things I had accomplished until that day before I proceeded to step into the depths of the Labyrinth. 

* * *

The first monster I saw was a Ripper Beetle.

I encountered it after we stepped off the Main Road and went a bit further away.

I had expected to see that monster, as there were many insectoid monsters in the northern part of the Labyrinth, Varte included. 

Using the «Dimension»’s ability to search for enemies, I faced the flying monster using ‘Applied Magic’, «Dimension Gladiator». The magic was the combat-specific version of the image of «Dimension», which basically lowered the range and the other aspects of its scouting ability while greatly increasing the perception of distance and other attentions needed for battle. 

Magic changed as the visualization of it changed.

That’s a good way to put it.

Using this applied magic, I would never lose sight of any of the monster’s moves.

“Dia, this one is on its own. Stick to the formation.”

“Got that!”

We moved in accordance with the coordination we had agreed upon beforehand.

Dia began the chant to unleash his magic while I stood in front of the monster so that it couldn’t see Dia, holding my sword to its face. 

I used my sword to repel, deflect and dodge the monster’s attacks.

While I concentrated on doing this, I was careful not to let the monster move towards Dia. 

As I did, the Ripper Beetle rushed at me.

In response, I brought my sword down with all my might to stop its rush.

Its movement was perceivable thanks to my magic.

The monster’s lethal twin horns didn’t even manage to graze me.

It had been a while since I fought that monster, but since I had fought it before, I managed to deal with it without getting nervous. 

Moreover, it felt like it was much weaker than before.

Perhaps it seemed slower because my AGI had increased when I leveled up. With my STR increased, I also managed to crack its shell, whereas before I couldn’t even scratch it. 

I wasn’t as scared as I was before.

But at the same time, that was the exact moment I realized just how abnormal the leveling system in this world was. 

“Christ! I’m shooting!!”

The signal came.

I immediately moved off to the side so Dia could see the monster. 

“—«Flame Arrow»!!” 

Dia completed his magic, and something flashed in the air.

«Flame arrow».

According to what I had read, it was the rudimentary fire attribute magic. It was Dia’s one and only offensive magic, and it should be magic that shoots a magical arrow with heat properties.

When I heard about it from him, what I imagined was an arrow made of fire being shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. 

—The truth was far from that. 

That was no arrow; that was a beam.

In that instant, a white line was drawn in through space—a so-called laser light.

Obviously, I couldn’t follow it with my eyes.

Just when I thought I saw something flash, the white line had vanished.

And then… the Ripper Beetle already had a gaping hole in the center of its body.

All in a single blow…

“Yosha!” 

Dia celebrated at the success of his shot while I was dismayed inside. 

He continued his cheerful celebration behind me while the Ripper Beetle that had been fatally wounded vanished in front of me. 

“I defeated it! And so quickly, too!”

It seemed like he couldn’t see how taken aback I was. 

“C-congrats…”

I congratulated him in a monotone voice. 

“Yeah, thanks! It’s the first time I defeated a monster so big!”

“Good for you, then…”

Cold sweat wouldn’t stop pouring.

Dia didn’t seem to understand just how out of the norm he was. 

I had never heard of a magic like that, not from the books or from others.

As I recalled, Dia’s MAG should be 23, and his Magic Attribute was 2. 

Perhaps there were other factors at play, but I couldn’t hide my concern that numbers of that magnitude could cause such a phenomenon. 

At any rate, for the upcoming battles, I would have someone with a laser gun behind me.

Although I could trust his character, Dia and I had only known each other for a couple of days. I couldn’t tell what he would do. Even if he had no malice against me, a stray shot would leave a gaping hole in my stomach as it did to the Ripper Beetle. 

I could feel my chicken heart starting to tremble. 

“All right! Thanks to you, Christ, I can focus on my magic! Let’s go at this pace!”

“…Yeah. Let’s. But… be careful when you’re unleashing your magic. No, really, I mean it. Be careful.”

“Yeah, I know that! Leave it to me!” 

Dia seemed very excited after having defeated a single monster.

My anxiety only accelerated at the sight of him. 

“…Let’s go then. I’m going to look for an enemy, so please be quiet. Also, in case of unforeseen circumstances, follow my instructions. Do not shoot magic on your own. Don’t ever do it, ever.” 

Before I expanded «Dimension», I repeatedly reminded him not to let his magic go out of control. 

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’ll follow your instructions. It doesn’t seem like it will ever go wrong if I go by your words, Christ.” 

Dia dutifully agreed.

It seemed like he put a certain amount of trust in me. 

Reassured by his words, I moved on to look for an enemy as I checked up on our EXP and the MP consumed. 

The EXP that we got was distributed between the two of us, even though it was Dia who ended the battle. I had consumed about 5 MP in total for the search and the fight, while Dia consumed about 3 MP. 

Dia-san… truly terrifying.

Such a low cost for such a high firepower.

It was so scary since that single laser seemed to contain much more energy than a human being should be able to have within their body.

It defied the law of conservation of mass by a wide margin. 

“Ah, Dia. We will encounter another battle once we turn that corner.”

“Got it.”

I perceived a large monster through «Dimension» and reported it to Dia. 

I checked the monster’s name and rank on the ‘Display’ and compared it to the information that I had. After simulating how the battle would unfold in advance, I faced the monster. 

It was a spider-type monster. 

“Dia—!”

“Yeah! —«Flame Arrow»!!” 

With the same strategy as the last battle, Dia’s magic was once again unleashed—that was all it took to defeat it without any danger.

“Ooh, Christ! We defeated another one!”

“S-so quick…” 

It was so easy it made my past self, who was scared shitless of the Labyrinth, look foolish. 

I used «Dimension» for combat, so it didn’t feel like I was even under attack.

In game terms, it’s like I had a buff to my abilities, giving me a huge correction to hit and evade. 

And Dia’s «Flame Arrow» was sure-fire since not only was it overkill, it really was lightspeed.

I took the lead and scouted for an enemy; then, I positioned us in the most optimal position I could find.

If the enemy didn’t notice us, we’d snipe it using «Flame Arrow». Even if he missed, the enemy wouldn’t be able to reach our artillery (Dia) since I was there. 

If there were to be any shortcomings in our formation, that would be when I faltered in close combat.

However, perhaps because there was a gap in level between the monsters and me after I hit level 4, I didn’t feel like they could catch me off guard. 

Thus, we steadily defeat the monsters, one after another. 

“—Aah. We safely defeated another one.”

“H-hey… Christ… Is the Labyrinth supposed to be this easy once you team up?” 

Dia, who was overjoyed before, finally expressed his doubts as he could no longer continue watching the monsters just be massacred one-sidedly. 

“No, it can’t be. There are casualties even on the first floor… and from what I heard from the adventurers at the tavern, we’re the abnormal ones.”

“Does that mean we are strong?”

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Damn right.

It was probably due in part to the fact that Dia’s magic packed too much firepower. 

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However, if I praised Dia so openly like that, I couldn’t pitch my usefulness.

If possible, I wanted a long-lasting relationship with Dia. 

“Yeah. You have the talent for magic, Dia. There’s no doubt about it.”

“…I see. But that is—”

“But… I believe it’s more because the compatibility between us is too good.”

“Compatibility…?”

Dia looked surprised.

Exactly.

Above all else, the chemistry between us made our tactic seamless. 

* * *

* * *

“I’m a magician with Skills specialized in searching for enemies; that is why our encounters have always been so easy.”

“Now that you mentioned it…You kept finding more and more enemies, even in this darkness, Christ. You even found ones that were pretty far away, too…”

“The truth is, I am using my magic to find enemies. That is the reason why monsters never initiated an attack on us, and that is also why enemies cannot target the artillery-type magician of our party, you, Dia. Not to mention, we can begin the battle once I get you in a tactical position. In some cases, we were even able to snipe them down first. While you need to take time to fire, I am there to perfectly cover you. I believe that is what has been the formula to certain victory.”

“Right, when I was alone, the monsters always found me first; there never was a chance to fire my magic… But how did you even find the enemies, Christ? This is the first time I’ve heard of a magic like that.”

He would understand for sure if I told him everything.

‘Dimensional Magic’, «Dimension»; the ‘Display’ that popped up in my eyes…

It was all thanks to those two things that I managed to find monsters—not missing a single one. 

However, my ‘Dimensional Magic’ was something that I couldn’t find any mention of, even after several days of digging.

Not to mention the ‘Display’, an ability unique to me.

I didn’t want to get into hot water if people were to know about those abilities, and—above all else—it was hard for a coward like me to reveal potentially fatal information about myself. 

“Well… it’s an ancient magic from my hometown. It’s considered a secret, so I can’t give you the details, but it makes it easier to spot monsters when hunting.”

“Heeh, I didn’t know. So it’s a Rare Skill.”

Dia seemed to be satisfied with that explanation.

It’s natural for people who make a living off fighting to be against disclosing their cards to begin with, so maybe that’s why Dia didn’t pry further. 

“But because of the high MP consumption, I’m actually a hundred times more tired than you are, Dia.”

“I’d bet. You constantly use that magic even when we’re not fighting an enemy, and in battles, you need to kite the enemy for me.” 

Dia seemed apologetic.

Good.

It seemed like I’d successfully pitched my power and usefulness. 

“I’ll tell you when I’m about to run out of MP. Well, it’ll reach rock bottom soon anyway, but I can’t stay in the Labyrinth too long in the first place. I have my work in the tavern, so this was a good time to bring it up.”

“Okay, I got that. Let’s go a bit deeper and hit one that looks strong!”

“Sounds good. I’ve heard about the monsters’ allocation in the tavern, so I know where the strong ones generally are.”

“All right. Off we go.” 

Not to mention, I could see their ranks with ‘Display’.

Seeing little chance of us meeting a monster above our capacity, I agreed with Dia’s proposal and resumed our journey deeper into the Labyrinth. 

* * *

After that, we repeated our formula over and over again, exploring the Labyrinth for about two hours.

Then, after defeating 30 or so more monsters, my MP was finally running low.

“—Ah. I don’t think I can keep the magic up too much longer.”

“Eh, already?” 

It wasn’t even late afternoon yet.

However, my MP was already low due to the continuous battle.

“I’m getting out of here, but what about you, Dia?”

“Eh… Wh-what do I do? Do you think I can do it without a magic scout and a vanguard?” 

A big NO! Or so I wanted to yell, but I spoke to him softly instead. 

“Hmm. Since there will be a higher chance you’ll get injured, I don’t think it would be as efficient. I’ve actually been burning through my MP during the fights, which means I was weakening during the close combat encounters.”

“Eh… Christ, you’re using your magic and a sword at the same time?”

“Yeah. It’s an application of ancient magic, and I can sharpen my senses using it.”

“That means you’ve been using magic this whole time… I thought you were a swordsman since you’re so fast when using your sword, but you’re actually a magician at heart.”

“Yup. So, a magician who’s run out of MP (aka, me) is no more than a sandbag now.” 

To be honest, I’d rather not fight with zero MP. 

The probability of getting injured would increase, and the possibility of not being able to protect Dia would arise. Without the use of magic, it would take a great deal of time and energy to kill even a single monster. The more drawn out a battle, the greater the possibility of an unforeseen event occurring. The more opportunities you give the enemy to attack you, the more likely you are to be rendered defenseless by their special abilities and whatnot, making the battle completely unprofitable. 

“I understand. I’ll walk you out, Christ. I’ll be on my own after that…”

“Eeh—” 

Dia, however, plunged headfirst to the opposite conclusion.

I strongly opposed it in my heart. 

Wh-what is he even saying…

You’re a magician who’s too specialized in artillery, don’t get cocky…!

I’m the one who’ll be troubled if you die…!

Burying those selfish thoughts, I stepped in to stop him. 

“Hold on. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Dia, don’t tell me you want to fight in the Labyrinth alone?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said. I’ve got time, and I’d always been alone until today; it won’t be too different.”

“On that account, how many monsters have you defeated alone?” 

“Uu…”

Dia instantly clammed up.

“If you really can do it on your own, I won’t say anything.”

“Uu… Technically, I’ve defeated a monster before.”

“I am sure you have. But… how many? You’ve challenged them time and time again, right? How many monsters had you defeated until yesterday?”

“O-one monster…”

“Don’t do this alone. I’m worried.”

A fast rebuke from me.

It might sound harsh…

But I couldn’t afford to lose someone who was willing to cooperate with me. 

“But I defeated a lot of them today! I have the gist of it now!”

“You did, with magic. You struggled to defeat a monster since you didn’t have the time to use magic, right? You should have known that better than anyone.”

“I have my sword!!”

“Again, I’m reminding you, you couldn’t defeat a monster since you can’t use that sword.” 

I could see Dia’s Status.

That’s why I knew more about Dia than Dia himself.

Diablo Sith was a man who specialized in magic, so him using a sword would never produce a result. 

“But I have no time… I need power, fast… I need money…”

Dia muttered those words; his face looked grim.

To which I responded just as seriously.

“I will be frank. No matter how much you swing your sword around, you will never be able to defeat a monster, Dia. I can understand if you’re going to use your magic. If you’re in a situation you can freely use magic, then I agree. But… now is not the time.”

“No, magic won’t do… I had to resort to it today, but I want to be strong with the sword. Fighting with a sword in hand is my dream…! That’s why I want to train the sword…!”

Honestly?

You have no talent with a sword!

I really want to break his heart by saying those words. 

But I endured that and continued talking with Dia. 

“…Why the sword? If what you want are power and money, you can just hone your magic and go around slaying monsters. You can make it big as a magician and get some decent money.”

“That may be true… But I have to use the sword!” 

What a hassle.

Dia was not a logical thinker, not even an ounce.

He seemed to be attached to the sword on an emotional level.

Our relationship would be too tenuous if I tried to convince him any further. 

“No matter what?”

“Yeah, no matter what. I will train the sword.” 

I scratched my aching head and checked Dia’s Status.

He had already accumulated enough EXP to level up, but his HP had been reduced somewhat. 

“…Haah, fine. If you have to use the sword no matter what, then I’m not stopping you. Being good at sword and magic doesn’t sound too bad either. But surefire preparations have to be made, so we should leave the Labyrinth and rest for now.”

“S-sure…” 

Dia seemed surprised. 

“What?”

“No, I didn’t think you’d just agree like that… No one has ever approved of me using the sword, after all…”

Dia’s swordsmanship must have been that terrible.

I was the vanguard the whole time, so I couldn’t confirm just how terrible he was with the sword, but by all accounts, it seemed to be at the level where everyone told him to stop touching the sword. 

“…Maybe. I can’t say I don’t understand how you feel.” 

I, for one, often chose to use swords when I played video games.

It was partly because I found the charm of the sword as a boy and partly because, in this kind of world, those who use swords tend to be the main characters of the story. I understood the childish desire to be the hero and use a sword, even if that meant I had to push myself too hard. 

The truth is, I wanted him to fight using his magic.

But if I forced him to do so too hard, I was afraid of losing his affection. Maybe it was because of such a dirty-minded calculation that my tone to him came out sounding condoning. 

“Thank you… Christ…” 

Hearing that, Dia scratched his cheeks in embarrassment.

His reddish cheeks looked cute in contrast to his golden hair. And then, that cutesy gesture. I had an inkling suspicion that Dia might be a girl, but I decided against prying it. Finding it out wouldn’t get me anything.

Either way, I couldn’t just ask him about it.

For me, Dia was a collaborator in conquering the Labyrinth.

Nothing more, nothing less. 

I used my remaining MP to avoid enemies on our way out.

On the way, we talked about the monsters’ drop loot. 

“Come to think of it, how should we divide these magic stones?”

“From what I read in most party recruitment notes, it seems like loot is generally divided equally…”

“We’ll divide it in half, then.”

“Mu. But you’re the one who did the most—”

“That’s how troubles stem. We saved each other, so we go with 50-50—for now and from now on. It’s easier that way, and it won’t cause any trouble.”

“Mu…” 

If anything, I would have liked to give some of my share to Dia.

I wanted him to eat well, rest well, and make sure his equipment and tools were ready to go. That would be the best, but a 50-50 split would be reasonable at that point.

“Also, when we’re out of here, you should try going to the church.”

“Eh, I went there this morning, though?”

“You might have leveled up due to the series of battles, right? I think you should go to church frequently while your level is still low.”

I knew for a fact that Dia would level up, so I strongly suggested that he go to the church. 

I also advised him to buy the necessary armor and tools for the Labyrinth and to keep himself in good physical condition. I recommended that he should refrain from going to the Labyrinth alone if possible and that he should try forming a party with someone other than me. After all, if he told others he had reached level 2 and displayed his achievements by showing the magic stones we obtained in the Labyrinth, he might be able to find more companions. 

“—I-I got it, I got it! I understand that you’re telling me all that stuff for my sake… But don’t tell me the whole load of it at once. I can’t keep up.”

“Remember it all. If you want to challenge the Labyrinth on your own, knowing all that I just said is the most basic of basics.” 

Dia gave me a bitter look for nagging him.

However, he seemed to sense that every word that I said was a warning to keep him from dying. He listened to me seriously, even if he didn’t want to. 

As we talked like that, we finally slipped out of the Labyrinth.

Even after that, I continued to look after Dia until the time my shift at the tavern started.

It was regrettable that I couldn’t help him in the Labyrinth since I had no MP, but I still did everything I could think of to keep Dia from kicking the bucket. 

—Speaking of personal benefits alone, what I did was excessive and completely wasteful. 

Dia was an extraordinary human resource.

However, it would be a mistake for Kanami Aizawa to spend too much time catering to Dia’s interests.

And I painfully understood that. 

It was simple.

Perhaps I’d grown attached to him.

If I thought about it astutely, Dia was just someone for me to use. I might even end up using him as a decoy, as he was a mere tool to survive. 

—But Dia was the first acquaintance of the same age I had found in this other world.

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Above all else, I felt a sense of closeness with him after we overcame the dangers of exploring the Labyrinth together as a party. For me, Dia had become my first ever friend. 

In other words, in this alien world full of abnormality, I had, for the better or for worse, found a place I could anchor my heart onto. For the better, or for worse——

____

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