113. Restrain Them First

“Shall we head back up now?”

“Yes. Did everyone check they’re not leaving anything behind?”

“I don’t have anything.”

“Me neither…”

“Then let’s go.”

After butchering the giant’s corpse and stashing all the pieces in my inventory, we decided to ascend again.

The Garden Section was already devastated, making it easier than expected to find the Transfer Stone. While sifting through the burned-out buildings, I spotted the stone amidst the rubble.

There seemed to be a Transfer Stone beneath the floor split in the Spire Section that connected to the Labyrinth City’s sewers, but since we didn’t have the energy left to conquer the Spire Section and the areas below, we opted to take it step by step and climb back up.

“Looks like we’ve emerged near the breeding grounds.”

“That rabbit poop smell…”

Paramelle grimaced and pinched his nose.

We had transferred to the 4th floor of the breeding grounds.

This place was crawling with rabbit-type monsters, filling the air with the stench of animal musk and rabbit droppings.

Perhaps because it was where I had fought alongside the Young Lady months ago, memories of Lady Leah surfaced the moment we arrived.

What might Lady Leah be doing now? Before entering the labyrinth, she mentioned she was starting her training.

Not having seen her or Yuria for nearly two weeks made me miss them terribly.

“Huh? There’s a Bopal Rabbit over there.”

“You can see it?”

“Ah, not exactly. I just… sensed it.”

Was it because of the Giant’s Fruit? My senses had sharpened to an extreme degree.

I detected the Bopal Rabbit’s presence before Logie noticed it. My perception had improved to almost Raphael-levels.

Tap tap tap tap.

The faint sound of the Bopal Rabbit’s tiny feet kicking the ground reached my ears.

Whoosh!

“Gotcha.”

“Squeak?! Squeaaaak!!”

I grabbed the leg of the Bopal Rabbit as it lunged for my neck.

A shallow cut formed on my hand, but it healed instantly. My skin had become so tough that what should have been a deep gash was reduced to a minor scratch, and even that closed up right away.

Who would’ve thought I’d be able to catch a Bopal Rabbit-a notorious killer of novice adventurers-barehanded without any trouble?

“Hey, hey, stop struggling.”

With its bladed leg caught, the Bopal Rabbit was effectively neutralized.

I immediately slammed the rabbit onto the labyrinth floor, smashing its skull.

“…”

“Um… Porter-nim… Did you just… snatch a Bopal Rabbit barehanded…?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. It just happened.”

“…That guy ate giant meat yesterday. Has he turned into a monster or something… Hey, Porter.”

“Yes, Saintess-nim.”

“You should undergo a thorough examination at the Church once we get back. Suddenly gaining strength, eating monster meat raw-these are all precursor signs of someone corrupted by a demonic pact.”

“Uh, Saintess-nim.”

“Yes, Logie?”

“What do you mean by ‘eating monster meat raw’?”

“Ah, you didn’t see it, so you wouldn’t know. But this Porter was digging into the giant’s flesh yesterday. When I got closer, I saw him tearing off chunks and eating them.”

“No, Saintess-nim. That was, uh… a side effect of an accessory.”

“No amount of excuses will work. No matter how you look at it, it’s suspicious. Frankly, I should’ve killed you the moment I noticed.”

“Huh? Wait-Logie! Why are you grabbing me?! Do you suspect me too?!”

“Sorry, Shion. Possession or pacts with demons often happen without the victim realizing. Let’s get you a purification ritual at the Church. This is all for your own good.”

“No! That’s not it! It was an accessory side effect!”

“A typical excuse from the possessed… Hey… Porter-nim… Considering the worst-case scenario… You’ll quietly undergo purification, right?”

“Uwaaah! Hail the Goddess! The Goddess is the best! I love the Goddess! See?! I praised the Goddess!”

“Lacks sincerity.”

“You crazy Saintess!”

“Your anger only makes you more suspicious. Logie. Knock him out.”

“Understood, Saintess-nim.”

“Wait! Logie! Are you serious?!”

“This is all for your sake, Shion.”

Thud!

Logie struck the back of my neck.

It was clearly meant to knock me out.

“Huh?”

“Wait.”

“Why isn’t he unconscious?”

“Not sure why you’re asking me…”

I’m… not passing out?

‘What the hell? Just how much stronger have I gotten?’

If this were before, I’d have blacked out instantly and woken up three days later.

But now, even after taking Logie’s full-force strike to the back of the neck, I didn’t even get stunned.

“Huh? Why isn’t this working? Let me try again.”

Thud!

“Oww?”

“Uh, that kinda hurts.”

“Ah, sorry. One more time.”

THUD!!!

“Gah…! That hurts!!”

“Why… isn’t it working?”

“Hmm. Logie, step aside. Let me try.”

“Uh… Yes, Saintess-nim.”

Finally, the Saintess herself stepped in.

Logie moved aside, and Saintess Fria positioned herself behind me.

“Alright, then.”

“W-Wait! Your hand is glowing! Is this a hit?!”

“Saintess-nim! You’ll kill Shion at this rate!”

“Will I?”

Total chaos.

If she held back, I wouldn’t pass out. If she didn’t, I’d die.

These crazy people. There’s no middle ground.

As they debated what to do, Paramelle timidly raised his hand.

“Um… Why don’t we just tie him up and take him with us?”

“Ooh! That’s a great idea, Paramelle. Hey, Porter.”

“Yes?”

“Could you hand us some rope or chains?”

“…”

Asking the person to be restrained to provide the restraints? Is this how it’s supposed to work?

Still, I took out some rope from my inventory.

“This should hold tight enough that he can’t easily break free.”

The Saintess tightly bound my wrists before handing the rope to Logie.

“Make sure to pull him along properly.”

“Yes, Saintess-nim.”

And so, we resumed our journey through the labyrinth.

“Uh… Are we seriously doing this?”

“Yes. This is the only way. Since we can’t knock you out, this is the next best thing for my peace of mind.”

“Ah… Uh, you need to go right, not left.”

“Oops. Thanks, Porter.”

With my hands tied, I guided the party using my mapping ability.

This whole situation felt absurd.

But if this was what it took to ease the Saintess’ mind, I’d just go along with it.

–You’re really having a rough time, huh.

‘Well, it’s my fault for being suspicious.’

–Heheh. Still, you’ve earned quite a bit of trust from the Saintess.

‘Me?’

–Yeah. That woman used to smash heads at the slightest suspicion. The fact that she hasn’t killed you despite you acting like a blatant demon-possessed freak shows how much she trusts you now.

‘Huh.’

So, this restraint is only happening because she does trust me.

Aside from my wrists hurting a bit, it wasn’t really hindering my movement, so it wasn’t so bad.

But Logie… Why is she sticking so close?

“Ahem. Cough cough.”

“Uh, Logie.”

“Yes, Shion? What is it?”

“Aren’t you… a little too close?”

“Too close? What do you mean? Isn’t it natural to stay close while keeping watch?”

Isn’t this way too close?

She’s practically glued to me.

“Even so, this is…”

“Just assume this is how it’s supposed to be.”

Logie tightened her grip on the rope binding my wrists.

Her expression looked like she was barely holding back a smirk.

Just then, Paramelle, who had been eyeing us from the side, grinned and asked:

“What’s this…? Are you two… in your springtime…?”

“No.”

“Heh… Even the wild beast that is Logie-nim has her season, huh…”

“I said it’s not like that, Paramelle.”

“Fufufu… Does Raphael know about this..?”

“Paramelle!”

“Eek! Don’t hit me!”

“You brought this on yourself.”

“P-Porter-nim.”

“Yes?”

“This woman… is scary-oww!”

Logie ended up flicking Paramelle’s forehead.

His head looked like it had caved in slightly.

“Guhk… Damn… That hurt…”

“Stop being nosy, Paramelle.”

“Yessir…”

“What are you all doing?! Hurry up!”

“Ah, sorry, Saintess-nim.”

Urged on by the Saintess, we resumed moving.

Since we already knew the direct path to the Transfer Stone in the breeding grounds, we easily made our way out. The Saintess swept away any monsters with a wave of her hand, and we took the shortest route up via the Transfer Stones.

“We’re out..!”

“Haaah… Feels good to breathe freely again.”

“Good work, everyone. Shall we head straight to the Church?”

“Uh, just a moment.”

“Hm? Ah, right. Mana adaptation.”

“Yeah…”

Exiting the labyrinth brought a refreshing clarity to my chest-along with pain. The others, likely due to their high levels, didn’t seem to need mana adaptation, but as a low-level, I still had to go through it.

‘This makes Level 10.’

Most Silver Badge adventurers supposedly undergo mana adaptation at least ten times.

Meaning I’ve now officially become a Silver Badge-level adventurer.

In terms of pure physical ability, I might even surpass the average Silver Badge.

At this point, I could probably deal solid damage even against Gon.

–Ahh… The surface…

–Thank you… Thank you…

–Ah… Outside…

As I lingered in the aftereffects of mana adaptation, the souls of the novice adventurers I’d collected in the upper floors ascended, finally at peace.

Since I’d gathered them before obtaining the Soul Chain, I couldn’t bind them.

Besides, they were weak souls who wouldn’t have been much help anyway.

I simply let them go.

‘Did I not gain an ability?’

Disappointingly, it seemed I hadn’t acquired one… Wait.

A headache began.

Once in the labyrinth, and now here-two abilities in a row?

Either incredible luck or an effect of the Ability Fixation Bracelet.

Maybe it had an ability acquisition rate boost.

[Eternal Domination]

‘This is…’

I had gained a new ability.

This one allowed me to extract the souls of slain monsters and turn them into my familiars.

“Insane.”

The power to bind the souls of killed monsters and summon them as minions. Not even shamans who commune with ancestral or beast spirits can do this. To pull out a monster’s soul and control it…

With this… I could create an army of spectral monsters.

If I could manipulate human souls with the Soul Chain and monster souls with Eternal Domination… wouldn’t the labyrinth practically be in my hands?

‘But… there’s a penalty.’

Dreaming of claiming the labyrinth was premature-this ability came with a clear drawback.

‘Using it… draws the attention of the Loa in the depths.’

Activating this ability would make the ancient beings slumbering in the labyrinth’s depths take notice of me. I had no idea what that entailed. Maybe I’d get mentally violated by some insane elder god or flung into another dimension.

From what I’d heard, few of the Loa in the labyrinth were friendly toward humans.

And I already have the Three Evil Sisters to deal with.

If even more Loa start paying attention to me-do I have to face them all?

This requires serious thought. I need to talk to the Evil Sisters.

“Shion, are you alright?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. I’m fine.”

“Then let’s hurry to the Church for your purification ritual.”

“Sure.”

For now, let’s head to the Church.

I need to undergo the ritual and hand over the corpses.