episode_0033

I wanted an easy hunt.

An easy and simple hunt by manipulating the terrain of the labyrinthine canyon to my liking.

But there was a hidden monster that reacted to terrain manipulation.

The Canyon Master, who looked quite strong for a monster coming out of the 3rd floor, clashed once again with Hans, who held a massive shield.

Kwaaaang!!

A strong shockwave spread sideways, pushing Hans back significantly.

This time, Dayback supported him the same way.

But the result was different.

Crack! With the sound of breaking bones, Hans’s posture collapsed.

“Aaaaaa!!!”

The Canyon Master, having stepped over Hans, approached me.

At this rate, I’ll be eaten.

“Barrier.”

The auto-defense golem, reacting to my voice, popped out and created a sturdy barrier.

Of course, this wouldn’t be enough, but it would at least buy me time to escape sideways.

Jjaenggeurang!!!

The golem’s weak barrier easily shattered upon impact.

But here, the golem made a great choice.

[Death imminent. Self-destructing.]

Peeeoong!!!

A powerful explosion greatly struck the Canyon Master’s head.

Thanks to that, I was able to dodge sideways.

Paaaat!!

The Canyon Master burrowed into the ground where I had been.

At the same time, countless rock fragments and soil soared up and rained down on me.

[Ice Shield]

I blocked it all with a spinning ice shield.

Though that let me breathe a sigh of relief.

The Canyon Master had somehow hidden underground again.

I didn’t know where it would appear.

『Until next draw 39…』

“Are you okay?!!”

Kairek urgently ran towards the fallen Hans.

“Ah, I can’t move.”

Kairek easily lifted the fallen Hans by his shoulders alone.

Just as I was relieved by that sight.

Oodoodoodoo.

The ground began to rumble again.

Its position was directly beneath me.

Surely, it wasn’t targeting me?

I quickly rolled sideways by a large margin.

Paaaaat!!!

The Canyon Master shot up from underground.

Dayback, Kairek, and Hans were right beside me, but it paid no mind to them and fell towards me.

A blatant attack aimed at me.

Even an idiot could tell what that meant.

A special type designed to eliminate mages who exploit terrain manipulation for easy hunts.

That was the Canyon Master.

“Iban!! It’s targeting you!!!”

As if it would kill only me even if the world fell apart, the Canyon Master thrust its massive head towards me.

If Luca were here, he would’ve drawn aggro with taunt.

No, if Grace had been here in the first place, she would’ve told me the Canyon Master’s information and stopped me from manipulating the terrain.

What should I do now?

“Run away!!!”

Koong!!!

A powerful impact shook the Canyon Master’s head.

Looking closely, Kairek had used a body slam.

Thanks to that, the Canyon Master grazed me and fell sideways.

But the impact made my body greatly float.

“Caught you.”

Dayback caught me, who was floating in the air.

He immediately started running.

Kuaaaahaaa!!

Letting out a bizarre cry, the Canyon Master began chasing me.

I wanted to fight it, but.

『Until next draw 28…』

There was too much time left.

I decided that waiting was not the answer.

I quickly spread my senses wide.

I felt a group of monsters.

Perhaps because the Canyon Master appeared, I could feel them trembling in fear.

“Dayback, I can use magic faster if I kill monsters.”

“Oh? There’s such a strange mage?”

“To the right from the position you see now.”

“Got it.”

The Canyon Master had somehow gotten right behind us.

It approached, crushing the canyon walls.

At this rate, we’d be caught.

“Hold on tight.”

Dayback’s feet turned red.

His speed significantly increased.

We rounded the corner just in time, and the Canyon Master crashed into the spot we had just been.

We continued forward, cutting through the rising dust.

“I don’t necessarily have to kill monsters with magic, right?”

“Yeah. With this dagger…”

Huh?

No matter how much I rummaged through my pocket, I couldn’t find the dagger.

Surely, I didn’t drop it from the impact earlier?

“I have a good idea.”

“What?”

Just then, his sword shone.

An immense amount of mana was instantly contained within the sword.

This was Dayback’s signature card.

[Mana Aura]

Unlike the real aura knights used, it was a fake aura made from a card, so it was weak compared to what Karin used.

Nevertheless, the shimmering mana was threatening.

“Hold this.”

“What?”

Suddenly, Dayback thrust the sword filled with aura into my hand.

“From now on, you are the sword.”

“…What?”

“There they are!”

Dayback charged towards the wolves hidden in the darkness, ignoring me who was panicking.

He immediately swung me rapidly.

“Ugh…”

My weak body struggled just to hold the sword.

But Dayback’s bizarre action of swinging me to slice the wolves even when I just stayed still.

Since I was essentially holding the sword, it seemed the judgment was that I was killing the wolves.

Diring! Diring! Diring!!

『[Butcher’s Gauntlet] feeds on blood.』

『Energy increases by 1, and you draw 1 card.』

『[Butcher’s Gauntlet] feeds on blood.』

『Energy increases by 1, and you draw 1 card.』

『[Butcher’s Gauntlet] feeds on blood.』

『Energy increases by 1, and you draw 1 card.』

The status window kept rising.

Cards began to fill my hand.

After killing about 7 wolves like that.

The wolves looked around and began to run away.

“Should we follow?”

“This is enough…”

Only then did Dayback put me down on the ground.

But unable to bear the dizziness from moving around so much, I stumbled and fell.

I also dropped the sword from my hand.

“Hey, it’s coming soon!!”

Oodoodoodoo!!!

The ground rumbled again, and the Canyon Master burst out from underground.

Dayback, having recovered the sword I dropped, seemed tense,

and stood in front of it.

“Quick, do something?!!”

Tak!!

I slapped both my cheeks to focus and immediately checked my hand.

『Energy 7/4』

[Strike(1)] + [Charge(1)] [Telekinesis(1)] [Lightning(3)] [Strike(1)] [Barrier(1)] [Darkness(1)] [Earth Wall(1)] [Fireball(1)]

Good. At least 4 Strike cards weren’t drawn.

With 8 cards in hand, I thought of a way to change this situation.

First, I activated [Charge].

The next card to use would ideally be [Lightning].

But even if I killed that wriggling thing charging powerfully now, it wouldn’t stop and would rush towards us using its momentum.

Therefore, I had to stop that thing’s movement first.

[Telekinesis]

Something purple rose around my body.

I immediately sent the purple towards the Canyon Master approaching in front.

“…?!!!”

Hesitate.

The Telekinesis strengthened by the effect of Charge stopped the massive Canyon Master.

Even if only temporarily.

The Canyon Master quickly shook off the power of Telekinesis and charged again.

But the accumulated acceleration was already gone.

Chwaaaat!!!

A powerful sword strike passed across the Canyon Master’s head.

Green blood painted the sky.

Dayback’s attack had properly hit, causing the Canyon Master’s body to violently writhe.

Not missing the opportunity, he attacked consecutively.

[Lightning]

I gathered the electricity at my fingertips and threw it towards its long body.

Pajijijik!!!

The lightning burned away the moisture throughout the Canyon Master’s body.

Writhing in intense pain, the Canyon Master broke the surrounding canyon.

But this wouldn’t be enough.

[Fireball] [Strike]

I used the remaining energy thriftily and sent them towards its gaping wound.

Kuaaaahaaa!!!!

The Canyon Master let out a spine-chilling scream.

Its body was torn by Kairek’s arrows, which had arrived, and Dayback’s sword.

Green blood and soft flesh colored the canyon.

It should be dead by now, but it was still alive.

As expected of an anti-easy-hunt monster, it was needlessly tough.

But now it was over.

『Your turn. Draw 5 cards.』

[Temporal Pause(1)] [Freeze(2)] [Ice Arrow(1)] [Wind Blade(0)] [Ignite(0)]

The energy matched perfectly.

I used all 5 cards.

A harpoon-like arrow pierced the Canyon Master’s body, stopped by the power of [Temporal Pause].

Dayback’s sword sliced the body frozen by [Freeze].

The Canyon Master’s body, wherever the [Ice Arrow] touched, gradually froze.

[Wind Blade] sliced its body, causing copious green blood to pour out.

Tak!!

I activated [Ignite] between the wounds and set it ablaze.

It burned its internal organs and burned its body.

Hwarrrrrruk!!

Flames had somehow attached to its entire body.

Intense flames began to engulf the Canyon Master.

It didn’t take long for it to die.

Diring!

『Congratulations! You have defeated the Canyon Master.』

『Confirm card reward.』

The declaration of victory that always welcomed me.

This time I caught a strong one, so will a 4-cost attack card appear?

[Fireball(1)] – Fires a fireball.

[Static Electricity(0)] – Causes static electricity.

[Tree(0)] – Creates one tree.

What, why is the reward like this?

Then did a card or magic stone appear?

Shwaaaah.

I watched the Canyon Master disappear, but nothing came out.

“Did anything good come out?!!”

Kairek ran up, carrying Hans on his shoulder.

“Nothing came out?”

“What do you mean?! We caught such a strong monster!”

Perhaps it was because it was a monster that appeared under special conditions?

But a rare monster should naturally give good rewards.

I couldn’t understand it.

Just as I was racking my brain.

Turbuk turbuk.

Footsteps were heard from behind me.

“Excuse me, did you manipulate the terrain? Mage?”

Turning my head, I saw the knight order.

Knights protecting the safe zone in Blade Canyon.

They seemed quite old, with impressive long beards.

“That’s right!!!”

As soon as Kairek answered.

My arms were instantly restrained by the knights.

“What school are you from?”

“I am a wandering mage.”

“I see.”

I was released.

“Sometimes wandering mages who don’t know Blade Canyon well do this. But since no one died, we won’t make an issue of it.”

“What is that worm-like thing?”

“That is the Canyon Master. It is a creature that appears when you change the structure of the canyon using magic or cards. Because of that, all mages in the Magic Towers receive education, but I understand that a wandering mage might not know.”

As expected, the creature called the Canyon Master was a special monster created to punish exploiters. So it made sense that there was no reward at all.

“Haa…”

To go through all that trouble and gain nothing.

But there was more important news.

“You cannot enter the 3rd floor until this month’s labyrinth is reset. Because a [Punishment] will befall explorers who break the [Rule of the Labyrinth].”

“Does that mean the Canyon Master will respawn?”

“That’s right. It will likely follow you again tomorrow. Anywhere in the labyrinth where there is ground.”

It seemed it would follow me anywhere in the labyrinth except the 2nd floor.

I won’t be able to farm in the labyrinth this month.

“…I will leave tonight.”

*

I continued hunting until the red portal opened, and then left the labyrinth at midnight.

The spoils were a terrible situation.

It was the worst of the worst among the rewards I had ever obtained in the labyrinth.

Fortunately, I had solved the quest, so I decided to be satisfied with that.

Hans, who had blocked the Canyon Master’s attack twice, had injured all the bones and muscles in his body.

So as soon as we came out, we headed to the healing center where Luca was staying.

“I’ll recover quickly and rejoin!”

He answered cheerfully. But I didn’t feel good.

In the first place, if I hadn’t used terrain manipulation, this wouldn’t have happened.

After returning to Sector 11, I parted ways with Dayback.

“Well, hope we meet again!!”

Although the earnings from this exploration were poor. Dayback brushed it off as nothing, saying it was something explorers always experienced.

So it was just Kairek and I left.

“How about a drink?”

“Good!”

When you’re lonely, you might as well drink.

It didn’t take even an hour to regret this thought.

Because Kairek drank alcohol by the barrel.

I was thrown into the inn, completely knocked out.

When I woke up, it was already lunch the next day.

I stared blankly at the ceiling.

“……”

I am a fortunate person.

I got useful people from my very first party members.

Even if they have flaws.

Still, a balanced team of 5 people.

I felt the absence of Grace and Luca, whom I had thought were nothing special.

They say you don’t know it’s spring until the flowers are gone. That’s exactly my situation.

“……”

I got up from my seat.

I opened the closet and put on my robe.

A robe that becomes hard when mana is infused into it.

So it’s a garment I only wear when entering the labyrinth.

I have separate everyday clothes that I wear normally.

But this time, I wore the robe instead of my everyday clothes.

Just in case there was a fight.

‘Green Apple Pub.’

Let’s go to that place connected to Grace.

I had vowed never to get involved with them again.

But wouldn’t it be okay to just check what’s going on?

And if the circumstances are good, I’ll drag Grace back.

That’s a good idea.

I stepped out of the house.

When I opened the door, the unpleasant sound unique to old houses echoed.

Creak.

Thud.

The door wouldn’t open further.

It felt like something heavy was blocking the doorway.

Just then, the thing blocking the doorway fell over.

Snore, snore.

Kairek was sleeping, snoring loudly.

No, I remember him throwing me into the house and leaving. Why is he here?

Let’s wake him up first.

Tap tap.

“Wake up.”

“Ah, got it!!”

Kairek jumped up quickly.

His tall stature reached the ceiling of the inn.

“You weren’t sleeping here all night, were you?”

“Of course! I’m not good at keeping appointments!!”

We didn’t make any appointments. Did I say something while I was drunk?

“Then couldn’t you have just slept in the room with me?”

“Ah.”

He didn’t seem to have thought that far.

I need to quickly get his business done and go get information about Grace.

“So, what brings you here?”

Just then. Kairek grabbed my shoulder.

This time, he didn’t slip.

“Are you planning to go alone?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Iban said yesterday while drinking. That Grace is involved with gangsters!”

Did I say that?

I was so drunk I don’t remember.

Let’s just play dumb for now.

“You must have misheard.”

“Iban! I will go with you! I know. The fact that you burned down a mansion. That you have a bad history with those gangster guys!”

“How did you know that?”

“Do you think an explorer living in Sector 11 wouldn’t hear such news?! I may be stupid, but I’m not an idiot!”

“……”

“Aren’t I your companion? You don’t have to bear everything alone!”

“……”

“We’re going to retrieve the stray cat that ran away together!”

…I was speechless.

Kairek was right.

He was stupid but not an idiot.

At least more sensible than me.

Much more than me, who was planning to charge into enemy territory alone without knowing anything.

Swoosh.

Kairek extended his fist.

There was no reason to refuse.

Tuk.

“Barbarians sharing fists is an expression of strong friendship!”

“…Really?”

I hadn’t thought of that.

“Let’s go! To pick up the stray cat!”

“…Okay.”

*

[Green Apple Pub]

The door of an ordinary pub, no different from any other time, opened.

“We are not open yet. We open in 3 hours, would you like to come back then?”

But ignoring the manager’s words, two men walked in and sat down in front of him.

One was a scrawny human male wearing a robe.

One was a gigantic barbarian male.

Both were famous people.

At least in Sector 11.

Two low-level explorers who would lead the next generation.

They hadn’t even been explorers for half a year yet.

Two explorers who had already earned nicknames.

[Madman] Kairek Macal.

[Witch Slayer] Iban Arcana.

Seeing them, the blonde manager couldn’t help but smile.

“…I have been waiting. Customers.”

As if he was already prepared, the manager quickly offered two drinks.

One was a massive beer.

One was a small whiskey.

Watching the two lightly down them in one gulp, the manager said,

“Are you looking for a missing child who left home?”