Chapter 70 – The Spiral Labyrinth

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After the collapse of one of the major guilds, countless smaller guilds sprang up in its wake. Their primary goal?

Expansion.

High-level players became prime recruitment targets—even those already in guilds received offers.

Smaller guild leaders were shamelessly propositioned for mergers.

Our Tenant Farmers guild was no exception. A measly four-member team made us an easy target.

“Lately, way too many people keep trying to poach us…”
“That was the Present World Guild, right? They came to me too. Told them to get lost. Ridiculous.”

It wasn’t just me, the guild leader. Gladie and Isolin had also been approached.

And of course, Rain—our highest-level member—must have gotten offers too.

It was infuriating. The sheer audacity to ignore me and try to snipe my members outright.

But I held my temper. For the sake of our long-term plans, we needed to maintain decent relations with other guilds.

A knife from within hurts far worse than one from outside.

Still, the recruitment attempts weren’t bad offers.

Just annoying.

I forced a smile.

“Don’t take it too hard. It just means we’re that good.”

Any leader would want to recruit top talent. If I were in their shoes, I’d be doing the same.

“Everyone got their supplies and sleeping bags?”

I double-checked with the girls. We’d leveled up, upgraded our gear, and were now prepping to tackle the Spiral Labyrinth—a dungeon Rain had cleared before.

“All set!”
“Ready!”
“I’m good”

Isolin, Gladie, and Rain answered in turn.

Rain had changed a lot since renaming herself.

Her speech was softer, her mannerisms more fitting of a petite girl. The masculinity she once carried was fading.

It was startling how much a person could transform.

But knowing how deeply she’d rejected her past, I said nothing.

“Alright, let’s move out!”

With everything prepped, we set off. Rain took the lead—having cleared the Spiral Labyrinth before, she knew the way.

The four of us raced across sprawling fields, through wind-swept grasslands, over towering mountains, until we reached a vast river.

There were multiple ways to cross: swim, take the long detour, or rent a boat.

For major rivers, NPCs offered ferry services.

We paid one and boarded a small canoe—rowing duty fell on us, of course.

The breeze was cool, the water calm. Occasionally, a large bird would soar overhead, briefly blotting out the sun.

We weren’t the only ones on the river. Other players drifted by, each with their own goals.

The days of rarely seeing players outside Foxtail were long gone.

As levels rose, so did exploration range. Quests led players farther, and those seeking growth had no choice but to venture out. That was how this world was designed.

Like any RPG, crossing regions meant shifting seasons. The warm spring of Foxtail gave way to a chilly autumn.

Grass browned in preparation for winter. Lush green leaves turned fiery red and gold.

Beyond the river lay an endless plain—and at its heart, the Spiral Labyrinth.

“That’s the Spiral Labyrinth?”
“Yep. That’s it.”

Rain pointed toward the center, where a bizarre structure spiraled deep underground.

“We’re not gonna fall in, right…?”
“Gravity works differently there. You’ll see when we step in.”

Rain strode forward without hesitation. Swallowing hard, we followed.

We weren’t the only party attempting the labyrinth. Others descended the spiral or lingered nearby.

Present World. Return. Heavenly Rebellion.

Most players bore one of these three guild tags—the dominant factions of the vanguard.

Then there was us. Tenant Farmers.

Our arrival drew stares—curiosity, intrigue, faint hostility. If Rain hadn’t changed her name, someone might’ve recognized her.

Nyongmom (old name)  had been a standout even among the elite.

I walked under their scrutiny. As a guild leader, I had an image to uphold.

Rain had briefed us earlier, but she recapped as we approached:

“The Spiral Labyrinth defies common sense. Most ‘food’ here is inedible. A harmless-looking rabbit can turn into a monster in seconds. Stay alert”
“Got it.”
“Day and night don’t exist here. Monsters roam endlessly—if one spots you, hide or kill it. Running won’t shake them”
“Got it.”
“Oh, and some monsters mimic players. That’s why parties set a passphrase before entering”
“What’s ours?”
“When asked your favorite food, say ‘delicious watermelon bar.’ Only players would call something that doesn’t exist here ‘delicious’”

The labyrinth sounded treacherous, but Rain flashed a confident smile.

“Relax. With our specs, we’ll blaze through. I can solo the final boss—no problem”

I really hoped she was right.

Her words held weight. At the entrance stood a stone slab with faded carvings and charcoal-scrawled warnings:

!BEWARE DOPPELGÄNGERS!
Favorite food?
→ Delicious watermelon bar

“Those who seek power, challenge the Spiral Labyrinth.”
“When your efforts reach its depths, great rewards await.”

With a mix of unease and anticipation, we stepped inside.

Immediately, I understood what Rain meant about gravity.

The ground wasn’t consistent. Some paths required walking up 90-degree walls. Others flipped upside-down entirely.

The sun shifted positions randomly. In some areas, the moon rose instead.

Monster types changed with every step—beasts, humanoids, insects—all spawning relentlessly.

“Combat positions!”
“Hyaaaah!”
“Hiyoooot!”

The monsters weren’t particularly strong, but their endless waves wore us down mentally.

We pushed forward, carving through the labyrinth’s depths.

Then—rustle.

Three players emerged from the undergrowth.

[Lv. 41]
[Present World]
[CucumberCarrot]

[Lv. 44]
[Heavenly Rebellion]
[IsoLim]

[Lv. 39]
[MonsoonMold]

They were in bad shape—bloodied, reeking of iron. Spotting us, they lit up.

“Thank god! Help us!”
“We got ambushed! We need healing!”
“We’re saved…”

My hand twitched toward my staff—but I hesitated.

Rain had warned about doppelgängers.

She stepped forward, frost-tinged sword drawn.

“Favorite food?”

The three froze. Then, in unison:

“Delicious watermelon bar!”

The passphrase matched. I nearly cast Heal—

Whoosh!

Rain’s blade flashed.

Sschk!

Blood sprayed. Frozen droplets hung in the air as the “player” collapsed—their form writhing before the system updated:

[Lv. 37]
[Doppelgänger]

“What the hell?!”
“Attack! They’re monsters!”

We reacted fast. I backstepped as Isolin’s wind blades and Gladie’s arrows tore through the remaining two.

Thunk!
Splat!

Both revealed as doppelgängers post-mortem.

Rain sheathed her sword, expression grim.

“I thought only players knew the passphrase…”
“So did I…”

A eerie wind howled through the trees.

Something in the Spiral Labyrinth had changed.

Vrslop_translator