[VOL. 3] CHAPTER 8 STONE LABYRINTH I

You, youre handling of the horse is poor. I suppose youre just as skilled in handling women.

Please stop talking, good grief

The pretty priestess of darkness Kitora who was sitting behind Bass-senpai was throwing insults at him as she sulked.

Crescent Moon also kept her eyes closed as much as possible, how adult.1

Soon well be close to Kouga village.

After a long time, Crescent Moon opened her mouth and spoke with a low voice.

Hm?

Could it be that this dark corps has some connection to the God of Darkness?

Kitora, do you know about the dark corps?

I do. They are the ones believing in one of the Gods of Darkness The Wolf God Skoll. Those guys are gloomy

So its like that after all, huh?

Well, I wonder if itll be fine cause Kitora and they might be comrades.

Though I thought like that and advanced cautiously nothing really happened.

A narrow road leading through a dark forest.

It should be around here2

Although Crescent Moon was looking on the map she held in one hand with this poor light one wasnt able to read it properly.

The only clue we had were the trails left behind by adventurers but we were hesitant to follow them as around here every one of them got lost.

I go scout a little

Pick got off her horse and began to run lightly.

At some point, Pick came running back.

I found some kind of opening

As expected of a thief girl, she got a good nose or should I say shes sharp-eyed?

We led our horses to said opening.

This is a dungeon, right? Its my first time seeing one.

Knopf admired the entrance.

Honestly, though I pretended to be calm this was my first time as well and I was a little impressed looking at it.

The Dungeons entrance was considerably different from what I imagined.

My seniors were looking inside fearfully while still admiring it.

Hmpf, I see

The dark priestess Kitora muttered as if she understood something and Crescent Moon who seemed to have regained her pace wore a joyful expression.

Thats what one would expect of an S-type Dungeon. I can already smell the money

It seems like shell vigorously rub her hands together at any moment.

At that moment I decided to ask her some things.

Crescent Moon, why do you think so?

Well, it looks like it already. Common dungeons are naturally formed caves even if someone made one artificially they would disguise them as such. They dont give you the feeling of Heres a dungeon.

Kitora continued Crescent Moons words.

This isnt something depending on intuition and physical strength and we dont know what we might gain from this. In other words, theyre inviting you

Inviting, you say, you mean us?

Thats why Im telling you, youre stupid. Its like they are waiting for people like us to enter.

Crescent Moon who got bluntly insulted opened her mouth but no retort left it.

Its not like they plan to take an entrance fee, right?

Then isnt this like some overpriced theme park?

Well, isnt it fine? Well see what the other party is planning when we go inside, right? Hey, Akatsuki.

Well, thats right.

Honestly, this would be the time where I would send someone like F inside first but I never talked about Akatsuki with F.

Alright, shall we enter then? Pick an Crescent Moon, please go first. Watch out for enemies and traps. Next will be I and Kitora and the rear guard will be Knopf together with Bass and Drum. Dont be careless either.

As soon as we entered, it was completely dark.

Soon a bright fireball was floating in the air and illuminated the area.

You, you can use fire magic. Isnt that convenient?

Looks like only I thought that this fire ball looked like a will o wisp, everyone else didnt think its wierd.

Knopf also used the same fireball spell and illuminated the back while I illuminated the middle.

Inside the dungeon the ceiling, walls and every road was made out of solid stone.

I took something like a notepad and a writing utensil out of my pocket.

Whats the matter, Akatsuki?

Ah, no, I just thought about sketching a map.

I liked plenty old games so I bought old consols as well as old sofware and played some older RPGs.

Though the graphics were naturally shitty it had a certain charm.

Unlike in recent games, mapping is absolutly necessary in those old games so Im used to it.

Mister sure is diligent. I always made sketches based on my memory after I left the dungeon.

Thats because youre too careless.

Its not easy to draw with ink and a quill in a place like this.

Theres still room for improvement but its enough to draw a simple map.

Shall we first take the right way?

I tried to use the basic maze capturing methode, keeping your right hand on the wall.

After taking four sharp turnes to the right we suddenly reached a large room.

This room is so large I cant see the wall on the other side.

As Drum-senpai said, the light didt reach the other side of the room so its a considerably large room.

According to the basic capturing method I went along the right wall.

Heres nothing special, wha?!

Just as Crescent Moon said there wasnt anything a black, long thing suddenly fell from the ceiling.

It seems like the floating fireball scorched it while it was sticking to the ceiling resulting in it falling down.

Furthermore, it seemed to be aggressive as it put up its head threateningly.

I could see its big fangs at its mouth.

A large centipede, huh? Its not a big deal but be careful, it has poison. If it bites you the place will swell and hurt.

Kitora reacted to Crescent Moons words.

Its fine, if you get bitten Ill cure you.

As they saw Kitoras strange smile Crescent Moon and the men swore in their hearts to be careful not to get bitten.

Pick carefully skewered its head and after Crescent Moon cut its still moving body in chunks it finally stopped.

Phew, well, that wasnt that bad, right?

Bass-senpai said this in relief as he looked at this scene weirdly.

Well, I do understand that feeling though as I wouldnt want to face such an enemy as well.

We just went around the room along the wall before we arrived at our starting point again.

There was nothing

Knopf said.

As it couldnt be helped, we decided to explore the middle with all members.

We were also careful of the ceiling this time

What the hells with thaaaaaat!!

As we looked at the ceiling in the middle of the room it seemed to be painted black for an instant.

The moment Crescent Moon spotted them they dropped down all at once.

A staggering number of those centipedes from a while ago were crowding the ceiling.

Uwaaa!!

Hiii!

Its just pandemonium.

The best they could do is to prevent getting hit.

Knopf, use magic!

As I shouted that I chanted the incantation for Fire Wall.

The centipedes caught in the wall struggled while they burned then one could smell the stench of burning insects.

Then Knopfs successive chants of fireball exploded on the centipedes which fell and made them wriggle on the floor.

I, is it over?

Crescent Moon lowered her weapons as she was relieved.

The seniors were also disheartened.

My, nobody got bitten? Youre unexpectedly skilled.

Nobody reacted to Kitoras joke.

Head, if this is what happens in the first room, what will happen inside the others then?

Even if you ask me, I dont know!