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Sieg took a moment to organize his pack and decided to rest.
He was utterly exhausted, and no wonder. He had been pushed to his mental limit. This was a different kind of exhaustion, one far deeper than simple physical weariness.
Sieg pulled out potions for both stamina and mana, drinking them one after another. He followed them with a light meal he’d prepared before leaving and washed it down with the water he’d brought, soothing his dry throat.
There was no danger of magical beasts or monsters invading from the outside. That barrier worked equally well on any creature with a degree of intelligence.
He closed his eyes and rested for a moment, focusing on his breathing to encourage his mana to recover. He sat cross-legged, placed his hands on his knees, and meditated. This posture sped up his mana regeneration.
This posture was known as the Mana Recovery Stance.
In slowly, out slowly. As he repeated the deep breaths, he sensed a shadow fall over him, even through his closed eyelids.
What’s that? Did the sky get cloudy…?
Sieg cracked his eyes open— “Wha—!?”
A massive black figure stood right in front of him. In a slow, ponderous motion, it was raising its arm.
Sieg immediately rolled to the side as a giant fist slammed down where he’d been sitting. The blow struck his pack directly, sending potions and food exploding outwards.
Damn it! I can’t believe one came out of the labyrinth!
The black giant was a Stone Golem. This labyrinth was a nest for inorganic-type monsters like it, a wicked place that would give even veteran adventurers trouble.
Sieg instantly activated [Concealment] and slipped past the golem’s side.
He had to abandon his pack. Fortunately, he had just eaten. He should be able to last two or three days without food. He had to believe it.
Smaller Stone Golems were now shuffling out of the labyrinth entrance. The only escape was into the labyrinth itself.
I had to go in anyway. I guess this just forced my hand!
He was mentally unprepared, but Sieg dashed into the labyrinth without a second thought.
He ran blindly down the corridor until he found a small, empty room and dove inside. He sat down, breathing heavily, and scanned his surroundings, trying to calm his racing heart. He’d been so panicked that he had sprinted down the passage; he was lucky there were no traps.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Sieg told himself, Calm down… the layout of this labyrinth isn’t complex… it’s just vast.
The monsters inside, like the Stone Golems, were enormous, and the labyrinth was built to scale.
True to its name, the Labyrinth of Obsidian, the floors, walls, and pillars were all made of gleaming black obsidian. It was cool to the touch, soothing against his feverish skin.
Like the corridor, the walls of this room had magic stones embedded at regular intervals, casting a faint glow. He could move without a magic lamp, which was a blessing.
Sieg checked his pockets, taking inventory. A few herbs, a cloth, an empty potion bottle, and the knife at his waist. That was all he had.
Losing my pack was a huge blow…
He sat in the Mana Recovery Stance and gathered his thoughts.
I know there’s water in here… I haven’t heard detailed reports, but there should be a channel running through it. Not having to worry about water is a relief…
This labyrinth was mostly a straight path. The number of monsters was high, but golem-type creatures had poor detection abilities. That was his only saving grace. With his high proficiency in [Concealment], he should be able to reach the deepest level without being noticed.
It’s okay… the plan doesn’t need to change much. I’ll suppress my presence with [Concealment], secure water if I find it, and proceed to the deepest level while recovering my mana. It’s a simple plan, but if I focus solely on that, I should be able to make it.
He had two and a half days until he awakened as the Hero. In that time, he had to reach the end, defeat the labyrinth’s master, Ascend, and then become the Hero.
This was the culmination of his three-year plan.
Alright. Let’s go!
Sieg opened his eyes, activated [Concealment], and stepped out into the passage.
Massive Stone Golems lined both sides of the enormous corridor. The sight was spectacular, but for an intruder, they were all enemies. The thought of being attacked from all sides by countless golems was terrifying.
He ran down the obsidian passage, his footsteps nearly silent.
[Concealment] created a cloaking barrier around him, preventing information from leaking out. At his current proficiency, not just his form, but also faint sounds, slight heat, and even the faintest scent should be completely suppressed. It was an incredibly reassuring power.
The corridor opened into a vast chamber. The ceiling was too high to see, and the walls were too far away. It felt more like a garden than a room, Sieg thought.
The floor was uneven, with small hills and dips. Rocks were scattered about, and the ground around them was covered in what looked like gravel. It was all obsidian, a sea of black.
He could hear the sound of flowing water. It seemed a river ran through the room.
I need to get water, but…
Sieg stepped into the garden, his senses on high alert.
There were no golems in sight. Was this area clear of enemies?
He moved cautiously, scanning his surroundings. He avoided walking on the gravel just in case. Even if [Concealment] silenced his steps, it was best to make as little noise as possible. The gravel seemed to be crushed obsidian, worn smooth and not unpleasant to the touch.
After a short walk, he saw a small, meandering stream. There was no sign of enemies.
Okay, I’ll get some water. That’ll be a relief.
The moment he took a step toward the stream, he froze. A black shadow was slowly emerging from behind a rock.
Sieg remained motionless, his eyes darting to the side. …N-No…! It was a dog. A hound made of obsidian—an Obsidian Hellhound. He gasped, his eyes wide.
There are other monsters besides golems!? I didn’t hear anything about this!
As Sieg stood frozen, more hounds emerged from behind the rocks. Four, five, six of them. Their round eyes glowed red in the dim light, and they were staring right at him. A chill ran down his spine, making his hair stand on end.
…Why? Why are they looking this way!? They shouldn’t be able to see me!
His mind raced. What are they sensing!? Sound? Movement!? …Damn it, I have to test it!
Sieg slowly turned, hiding one arm behind his back as he pulled a small stone from his pocket—he’d picked up a few earlier.
He threw it as far as he could behind him. A few of the hounds reacted to the clink and ran toward the sound, but several others remained, still staring fixedly in his direction.
Then it hit him.
Of course… heat. These dogs are reacting to the faint body heat I’m giving off! I have to get away! …But how!?
If he moved carelessly, they would realize an invisible intruder was present and attack.
What do I do? What do I do!?
He had to escape now, while their numbers were reduced.
…It’s a waste of the bottle, but I have no choice…!
Sieg slowly reached into his pocket, took out the empty potion bottle, and tossed it high into the air. It shattered on the ground, the sharp sound echoing through the garden. The remaining hellhounds all reacted to the noise at once.
—Now!
In that instant, Sieg bolted like a rabbit and dove into his target.
The hellhounds gave chase but suddenly seemed to lose their prey, looking around in confusion. Eventually, they gave up and returned to their posts.
Once the hounds were gone, Sieg finally surfaced, taking in a breath as quietly as possible. His body was freezing, chilled to the bone. And no wonder—he was in the water.
The moment the bottle shattered, he had leaped into the stream and submerged himself. The cold water had lowered his body temperature, making him invisible to the hounds.
If there had been monsters in the water, he would have been done for, but luckily, the stream was shallow and empty.
Sieg let out a sigh of relief and, shivering from the cold, carefully made his way along the stream.
The stream flowed near the garden’s exit. He quietly climbed out of the water and fled the area.
After that, he encountered other monsters, like gargoyle, and had to struggle to hide, but he managed to evade them. By the next morning, Sieg had finally reached the deepest part of the labyrinth.
─He had half a day until he awakened as the Hero.
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