Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN)

2-11. Labyrinth of Demon (4)

Satou's here. Labyrinth from classic series usually has treasures, monsters and mysterious traps.

While the danger is immense, the returns you got from easy level up are also huge, these can be said to be the real thrill of the labyrinth.

A party consisting only of warriors sure have pretty bad balance isn't it?

◇

After two more rest along the way, we're finally around 80% of the way out of the labyrinth.

Since the rest before the last one, we haven't seen any more victim's corpses.

Pochi and Tama's equipment have changed to the ornamental short swords. That's the extent of the equipment change, but the three people are now level 13. It seems that their stats are about 3 level higher than the average human kin.

Pochi has [Enemy Search], [Throwing], [Dismantling], and [Short Sword] skills, Tama has [Dismantling],[Collecting] and [Short Sword], Liza has [Cooking],[Dismantling], [Spear] and [Thrusting] skills.

It can be said that their strengths are now world apart from when I first meet them.

If the enemy has no abnormal status attacks then even if it's level 20, the three can handle it. Although it could be dangerous to fight several enemies of the same level since there are no shield users...

"That wall~ is strange?"

Tama senses a strange sensation from the wall inside the room.

When I stare at it, I found a [Hidden Door]. Checking the map, there's certainly a passage behind.

However...

I change the map view point to bird's eye.

About 5 meter from this room, there's a perpendicular shape with 100 meter diameter right below. A pit, or rather, since it's 3 meter depth, a pitfall trap?

I warn Tama and co not to get close to it.

There's a crossroad after this, beyond that, there seem to be a room with 3 survivors inside. Since they've been resting for 1 hour, it's probably a safe zone there.

Although there are only 5 room left before the exit, because they don't have a map, it can't be helped.

"Everyone, stop!"

The radar indicate a red dot indicating enemy approaching with great speed. Since it's only 1 enemy, I wonder if it's attacking the room earlier?

While falling back I check the enemy's info.

Undead Beast, undead kin, 5 meter length, 2 meter height. The bite can paralyze, attack include the claws. Very agile. Weakness: Holy element.

"Level is... 40 you say?"

The labyrinth's sweeper huh...

It really does feel like the game of old. An abnormally strong enemy will appear to kill the player who's running out of time.

Before we come into contact with the enemy, we get back to the room.

I evacuate Pochi, Tama and Liza to the corner of the room. As expected, the enemy is dangerous. If they're careless, a single blow could kill them.

The enemy casually appear from the passage. Exerting force only when it's necessary huh...

It's a jet black panther-like beast with a red horn on its forehead.

The Undead Beast disappear from views!

I hurriedly look at the radar, but its position hasn't changed...

The enemy attacks from above!

It jumps and kicks the ceiling to plunge its body!

Behind my back, I feel that the floor below cracks.

To be so quick even though it's an undead... If it begin to jump around the three beastkin girls could be in danger.

Fighting it frontally is no good.

Seemingly to harass me, the undead beast opens its jaw before starting its bite attack leaving its open.

I overhead throw it to the wall.

The Undead Beast lands on the wall,

I put power in my foot and attack,

...It then breaks through the wall and fall (to the pit). Amen~.

◇

Now then, why don't we join with the survivors?

Beyond the crossroads, the floor is plastered with sticky white threads.

"Stickystick~"

"My feet is sticky~ no desu."

"I wonder if it's spider's silks?"

Tama and Pochi clear it with short swords.

In the room, there are 7 cocoons. The 3 survivors are among them. We should rescue them while the spider is gone.

When the person inside the cocoon realize that we are closing they begin to wriggle.

Just in case, I check the contents inside before we help them.

Nidoren. Slave trader, 40 years old, level 11, [Negotiation], [Torture], and [Arithmetic] skills.

Viscount Jin Belton. Noble, 33 years old, level 15, [Fire Magic], [Flame Magic], and [Social] skills.

Viscount's daughter Tana Belton. Noble, 14 years old, level 3, [Social],[Etiquette] skills.

The viscount is a good potential force.

Even so, why was a noble in that square?

We're splitting the work to save them.

I handle the viscount, Liza the daughter, Pochi and Tama are responsible for the trader.

Halfway through the rescuing, a spider coming from below are perceived by the radar. Just like with the undead beast earlier, there seems to be a pit here too.

"It's the enemy! Pochi, Tama, Liza, stop the rescue for the moment and prepare to intercept!"

The beastkin girls ready their weapon for interception.

After series of battles, these cooperations are to be expected.

Fortunately the victim's mouths are clogged up, a blessing in disguise. No noisy things are good.

A spider is crawling out from the hole on the floor.

First I hit its head with stones to deprive its consciousness. Then Liza skewers its head with her spear, while Pochi and Tama slice the joint of its body.

I thought it'd die with the first attack but... To not die even after its head has been pierced, truly a monster.

Liza receives the overhead sweep of the spider's leg, Pochi and Tama slice and dice with the short swords during that gap, shaving off the spider's health.

Since it seems that it would take some time, I throw a pebble in secret to give the finishing blow.

I leave the magic core recovery to Tama, and get back to rescuing with other members.

"I'm saved. I come from the the distinguished family of the founder Yamato-sama, the current head of Belton Viscount, Viscount Jin Belton. Expect rewards after we get out of here!"

"Thank you very much, Viscount-sama. I'm Satou, a merchant."

Just as we finished introductions, the viscount's saving is finished. The viscount goes to her daughter's place, takes the knife from Liza and continues the rescue by himself.

Is it because he doesn't want demi-human to touch her daughter, or because he's thinking of saving her himself.

"Thank you for saving me, I'm Nidoren, a merchant. I'd be disliked by the girls, since I deal with slaves trading."

"I'm a fledgling merchant, Satou."

"A merchant... is it? I thought that you're surely an adventurer."

While listening to Nidoren-shi, I present him cold waters.

"Do you know about adventurers?"

"Yes... ah! It's explorers in Shiga kingdom isn't it. Killing demon in the labyrinth, salvaging magic cores and treasures, it's a high risk high return job."

Tama returns with the magic core and I receive it.

"Putting aside the size of the magic core here, probably because the labyrinth is young, its purity is low."

According to Nidoren-shi, refined magic cores are used in the creation of magic tools, and the higher the purity the more efficient its magic operation is resulting in more advanced magic tools creation.

"Still, it was a brilliant cooperation, the training was certainly long isn't it? Such good slaves can easily fetch 20 gold coin each. I'd love to deal with you even once."

It seems to be better to not tell him that they're not officially my slaves. Since it looks it'd just come back at me.

I'm leaving mementos recoveries from the cocoons to the beastkin girls.

I pass foods to

viscount Belton and Nidoren. Of course, it's not the frog meats. The viscount heartily eats even while complaining the poor foods. The viscount's daughter only eats the cheese, and sips the water. Surely, she's exhausted.

◇

3 room left before the exit. The viscount has been shouldering the viscount's daughter this whole time. Should I carry her in my back? I suggested that, but it was rejected.

The problem is the next room. Like a dungeon made by a bad GM, located in unavoidable position is a monster house.

Leading the pack is a level 35 demon, then level 30 Skeleton Knight, Skeleton Deathschyte and Skeleton Warrior. The others are level 10-15 regular Skeleton Soldier.

Should I job change to masked hero?

Checking on the map, the handsome middle-aged priest is 10 rooms apart from here. I intended to join up with him, but the viscount's daughter exhaustion is extreme. Furthermore, each room is inhabited by 3 monsters from undead type. If we are to join up then the breakthrough would probably requires 2-3 hours.

If we manage to breakthrough the next room then the next after would be a vacant room with no enemy but...

Liza and Tama who were sent for scouting come back.

"Lots of bones~"

"Something spherical with wings is flying in the room. The others are approximately 20 skeleton monster. I think it's better to search for a detour..."

It's a sound assessment, but the exit is just ahead~

Well then, it's time to exhibit my special deception skill! ...orz.

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