episode_0048

Originally, we took a strategy to climb from the 1st floor to the 3rd floor in one go.

Naturally. Because there’s nothing you can get from the 1st or 2nd floor that’s worth the time invested.

For that purpose, it’s most efficient to enter a few days before the labyrinth resets when the number of monsters is lowest and climb as high as possible.

But this plan was different.

We weren’t specifically looking for monsters to hunt, but we decided not to just pass by monsters we encountered on the way.

The reason is simple.

Ding!

『Status』

『Current Deck: Thief’s Deck』

『Energy 4/4』

We had to farm the Thief’s Deck, which was essentially at ground zero.

But unfortunately, we couldn’t get anything from the 1st floor.

Because we had already met the farming limit of 20 monsters per type.

So where should we farm?

From the monsters we meet from the 2nd floor to the 3rd floor.

And if we’re lucky, farming on the 4th floor wouldn’t be bad either.

That was our goal before going to the 5th floor.

But at this point, there’s one thing to consider.

Do we really need to include low-floor cards?

It might be much better to just farm while getting a boost on the middle floors.

If we couldn’t farm properly on the middle floors, couldn’t we just farm the Thief’s Deck when we enter the labyrinth next time?

It’s a perfectly reasonable thought, but there’s a pitfall here.

Because all decks’ cards must be in harmony.

Therefore, even if you don’t use the cards obtained from the low floors, it’s very important to check what those cards are.

A deck won’t function just by stuffing it full of high-cost cards.

Furthermore, some cards can show better performance than high-cost, high-grade cards.

Take the [Elementalist Deck] for example, weren’t there many useful 0-cost cards?

The conclusion is that the key is to mix low-floor, middle-floor, and high-floor cards as harmoniously as possible and use them.

To do that, it’s important to see as many cards as possible.

Originally, to do this, I obtained requests and indirectly induced farming as much as possible.

Because I couldn’t tell my companions about my ability.

But now it’s different.

My companions already know about my abilities.

So I could buy time to farm without necessarily taking low-floor requests.

We quickly broke through the 1st floor and reached the 2nd floor.

As always, we climb through the forest and hunt the monsters we see ahead.

I didn’t even need to step forward.

Because the level of my party members was already close to that of middle-floor explorers.

Excluding Kailek, whose attack power already exceeded the 5th-floor level.

Luca also got a few cards and changed equipment with the money he earned this time.

And Grace has become quite high-spec for a pathfinder.

Ding!

『Please check the card rewards.』

It felt like automated hunting.

I was just getting carried without doing anything.

Anyway, there was nothing I could do right now with the Thief’s Deck.

But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t doing anything.

From now on, I had to figure out what the Thief’s Deck felt like, roughly, and how to build the deck with the cards I obtained.

[Poison Spit(1)] – Spits poison to attack an enemy.

[Assassination Blade(2)] – Delivers a slash. Damage increases when in [Stealth] state.

[Restrain(0)] – Restrains an enemy.

I roughly get the feeling.

It wasn’t normal from the start that two [Stealth] cards were included in the basic deck, and I think this is the core.

Of course, I can’t fully understand with just this.

For now, I closed the status window without choosing a reward.

It was okay to get it later anyway, no need to get it now.

“Well, did something good come out?”

Grace approached.

She said she used to think it was strange seeing me stare blankly into space every day.

She just brushed it off as something unique to mages.

But now that she knows I’m choosing cards when I’m spaced out, she’s even gotten to the point of asking me various questions first.

“Well, I need to see more for now.”

“There are more on the way. Let’s go!”

Since we weren’t in a hurry, we slowly climbed the 2nd floor, hunting monsters.

It didn’t take much effort, but the rewards were certain.

Ding!

『Please check the card rewards.』

[Betrayal(1)] – When in [Stealth] state, draw 3 cards.

[Trap(0)] – Install a random trap that lasts for 3 turns.

[Shuriken(3)] – Create and attack with numerous mana shurikens.

『Please check the card rewards.』

[Shadow Step(1)] – Move behind an enemy within sight.

[Deadly Poison(3)] – Apply a fatal poison.

[Blind(0)] – Momentarily blind 1 target’s vision.

『Please check the card rewards.』

[Escape(1)] – Quickly flee. Enter [Stealth] state.

[Mangle(3)] – Attack an enemy with numerous slashes.

[Meditate(0)] – Gain 2 Energy.

Fortunately, there were no overlapping cards, so I could check quite a variety of cards.

I felt like I was beginning to understand the Thief’s Deck.

A deck centered around [Stealth] that requires synergy with numerous cards, that’s the Thief’s Deck.

The Elementalist Deck was simply strong in the individual value of each card.

If the Paladin’s Deck was characterized by defense and healing with an Exterminate synergy.

The Thief’s Deck feels like building a deck tailored to the keyword [Stealth].

Of course, cards related to poison and slashes also appeared frequently, but they were merely means to attack in the [Stealth] state.

‘Okay, then what should I choose from these?’

While I was looking at the status window and having various thoughts.

Grace looked at the monster in front of us and said.

“Let’s catch this one and then prepare to camp!!”

Listening to her, I realized the forest had already grown dark.

Roughly 10 hours had passed since entering the labyrinth, so it was about time to sleep.

“…End.”

Watching Luca tear apart the plant-type monster, Rafflesia, in front of my eyes, I quietly sat down.

『Please check the card rewards.』

[Into Darkness(3) – Power] – Gain 1 [Stealth] every turn. The cost of [Stealth] becomes 1.

[Clone(3)] – Summon one controllable clone.

[Finishing Blow(2)] – If you defeat an enemy with this, enter [Stealth] state again.

“Follow me!!”

We found a spot to camp in a space among the trees.

I used the [Ever-burning Campfire].

I had used it a couple of times in the labyrinth city, but there were no issues. If it didn’t work properly in the labyrinth, I would find the seller at the auction house and get a refund.

Whoosh.

Fortunately, it lit up quickly.

“It’s warmer than I thought?”

“It should be worth the money, considering the price.”

I placed a pot over the campfire and simply boiled soup.

Behind me, Grace was crunching on wood.

Luca and Hans were cooking.

“I’ll keep watch!!”

Seeing Kailek heading outside, I also found a suitable spot for myself.

I checked the 5 reward windows again.

After all, which of these would be useful even when we go to the middle floors later?

The criterion for choosing them is simple.

First, avoid low-cost attack cards as much as possible, especially those without secondary effects.

Even in the current Elementalist Deck, I hardly use early-game cards like Fireball or Wind Blade.

In gaming terms, it’s often called playing for late game.

You need to draw early-game damage cards to push through the early game, but if there’s something to support that, you aim for the late game while enduring early pressure.

I can do that now.

Because I’m not alone.

Then what cards should I prioritize next?

Naturally, it’s draw and energy. The current Elementalist Deck is powerful, but draw is so important that if it gets messed up, I immediately become a 1st-floor explorer again.

That’s why the first card I chose was this one.

[Betrayal(1)] – When in [Stealth] state, draw 3 cards.

Since I’ve already decided the deck’s direction is [Stealth], I must choose this card as well.

[Into Darkness(3) – Power] – Gain 1 [Stealth] every turn. The cost of [Stealth] becomes 1.

Lowering the cost of [Stealth], which is 2, to 1 is good,

and gaining [Stealth] every turn is also good.

Although it’s heavy at 3 cost, I think this card is essential.

Comparing this to the [Vortex] or [Tidal Wave] of the Elementalist Deck, its value might not seem as high. But it will provide powerful synergy in combos.

There are 3 reward windows left.

[Shadow Step(1)] – Move behind an enemy within sight.

[Deadly Poison(3)] – Apply a fatal poison.

[Blind(0)] – Momentarily blind 1 target’s vision.

[Poison Spit(1)] – Spits poison to attack an enemy.

[Assassination Blade(2)] – Delivers a slash. Damage increases when in [Stealth] state.

[Restrain(0)] – Restrains an enemy.

I’m actually hesitant about the first two.

They feel ambiguous.

I have a hunch that I’ll easily get better cards when I go to the middle floors.

So I decided not to choose them for now.

Anyway, I can choose them later.

Of course, assuming I don’t change decks.

If I switch decks here, the accumulated reward windows will all disappear.

The last reward window.

[Escape(1)] – Quickly flee. Enter [Stealth] state.

[Mangle(3)] – Attack an enemy with numerous slashes.

[Meditate(0)] – Gain 2 Energy.

I’m conflicted.

[Meditate]. With 4 Energy already, do I need 2 more energy?

If it were a deck like the Elementalist Deck where the value of high-cost cards itself was sky-high, maybe.

But the Thief’s Deck, as I feel it now, doesn’t seem like that.

Conversely, [Escape] has various effects, but if I just see it as a simple 1-cost [Stealth], I think it’s very good.

Since I decided to build a deck highly reliant on [Stealth], it would be good to include many cards that grant [Stealth].

I’ve decided.

To put [Escape] into the deck instead of [Meditate].

Swish.

The cards returning to the deck.

3 cards were added to the deck.

At this rate, I should keep adding cards that are somewhat useful.

That resolve didn’t last long.

Because hardly any useful cards came out until we reached the 3rd floor.

『Please check the card rewards.』

『Please check the card rewar….』

『Card rewar…….』

28 card rewards.

I checked all of them.

There were overlapping cards and new cards, but hardly any useful ones appeared.

Since I resolved not to include low-floor attack cards as much as possible, there wasn’t much to choose from.

And they weren’t useful enough to keep as triggers for adding cards, like on the 4th floor last time. So I decided to clear them all.

The status windows disappeared as if emptying a mail inbox filled to the brim.

It was unexpectedly tedious.

We immediately entered the 3rd floor.

The place we were heading to this time was the [Orc Sanctuary] in the northern part of the 3rd floor.

The most frequented hunting ground by explorers on the 3rd floor.

Simply put, it’s a super popular hunting ground.

It’s said that 3rd to 4th floor explorers usually stay here.

Didn’t some old explorer say they lived in the Orc Sanctuary for 20 years?

Anyway, there are several reasons why the [Orc Sanctuary] is popular.

To list them roughly.

The density of monsters is high, so the rewards are good.

Orcs and Goblins can be easily defeated by anyone.

Unlike other places, monsters respawn even if the labyrinth isn’t reset.

Just hearing this would make it a popular hunting ground, but.

The reason there are so many people here is that the safe zone leading to the 4th floor is very close.

In other words, there are two types of people in the Orc Sanctuary.

Explorers who want to hunt Orcs and explorers who want to quickly ascend to the upper floors.

And that could be inferred from the 3rd floor maze.

Unlike the path to the [Great Cemetery] we took when we first entered the 3rd floor, there were numerous explorers on the way to the [Orc Sanctuary].

Crowds of explorers filling the maze.

If we follow the person in front, we will reach the Orc Sanctuary.

“With this many people, we don’t even need a pathfinder?”

“It’s easy for me here too. I just have to follow the person in front. Besides. Look at this.”

Grace pointed to a place where there was a wooden signpost.

As if guiding the way.

Even as we continued through the maze, signposts were erected that accurately showed the way.

“They even have things like this. Were those all installed each time the labyrinth resets?”

“It’s not for nothing that people flock here. To put it extremely, you can climb to the 4th floor even without a pathfinder.”

“Certainly, you can go to the 1st floor with just a compass, and on the 2nd floor, you just need to head upwards.”

“In such a situation, if you go to the Orc Sanctuary, ta-da, you can fill your party with 5 combatants.”

Indeed, in this situation, there’s no reason to choose a hunting ground other than the Orc Sanctuary.

That’s why Lyman keeps talking about meteoric iron.

While exchanging various stories and following the line of people. We reached the end of the maze before we knew it.

“Too easy.”

“Right?”

“So, is that the destination?”

I immediately pointed a finger at a location.

A huge red building that stood out even in the widely spread forest.

“Yes, the portal is there.”

“It really is very close.”

Unlike the other 3 areas, the distance to the portal was close enough to be seen from the maze.

“Didn’t they say there wasn’t a separate safe zone?”

“Yes. To be exact, the portal and the safe zone are in different locations, aren’t they?”

Well, it’s not a big deal.

The purpose wasn’t to keep hunting here anyway.

On the way to the portal.

Surprisingly many explorers can be seen.

If we just follow them, we should be able to go to the 4th floor.

“Then let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Just as we were about to move.

Someone blocked our path.

5 explorers.

Among them, the female warrior at the very front looked at Kailek and smiled.

“Huh, isn’t that Kailek?! Been well?”

The friendly female warrior approaching.

Kailek turned his gaze away.

Who on earth is this person being friendly towards Kailek?

Just as I was wondering. The female warrior approached me before I knew it.

“You’re Kailek’s new party member? Nice to meet you. I’m Erika, the former leader of Kailek’s party.”

Erika extending her hand to me.

I accepted the handshake.

By the way, Kailek’s former party, does that mean the party that expelled Kailek?

I distinctly remember him saying he was kicked out after getting a cursed card.

Huh? But she approached so friendly like this? Isn’t something strange?

I wasn’t the only one with this question.

Grace was looking at me out of the corner of her eye, asking with her eyes what we should do.

But I couldn’t easily bring up the topic.

Expulsion.

It wasn’t a situation where that word could be easily brought up.

But there was one person in this situation who didn’t care about social cues.

“…Didn’t you guys expel Kailek?”

Luca said with a blank expression.

“…”?!!!”

Grace and I were flustered, desperately racking our brains to somehow smooth over the situation.

I even had extreme thoughts like, will this lead to a fight?

But the situation that followed unfolded differently from our expectations.

Erika had a puzzled look, then suddenly realized something and started laughing loudly.

“Hahahaha!! What, did Kailek perhaps go around saying he was expelled?”

“…Ex-expelled!!!”

“No, you said you were leaving yourself because you were sorry for getting a cursed card!!!”

“No!!!”

Kailek shouted, his face red.

Seeing him like that, Erika’s party members laughed loudly.

Kailek turned his head with an expression of not knowing what to do.

After laughing for a while, Erika wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at me, saying.

“Well, I roughly get the feeling. Despite his size, he’s a weak-hearted guy, so treat him well. He probably worried a lot on his own.”

At that moment, I caught a glimpse of the explorer’s tag hanging around Erika’s neck.

Gold.

The mark of a high-floor explorer.

I hadn’t heard the details about Kailek’s former party from him, was it this level?

Then, Erika, noticing my gaze, smiled faintly and took out her gold explorer’s tag.

“Ah, I just got this, and everyone else besides me is a 6th-floor explorer. Maybe you’ll catch up soon. Witch Slayer, Ivan.”

It seemed she already knew who I was. Well, it was natural that they’d be curious where Kailek went after leaving the party.

“…It’s not that much.”

“So modest. Well, we’ll be going now.”

Erika’s party left.

Our gaze immediately focused on Kailek.

“Cough, cough!!!”

Kailek, who was looking into the distance while clearing his throat.

It didn’t take long for him to return to his original state.

Just 3 seconds.

Kailek put on a poker face and maintained a serious expression again.

Looking at Kailek like that, Luca nudged him in the side and said.

“…You said you were expelled.”

“……”

Luca kept nudging him and talking, but Kailek remained silent.

“Well, it’s not really important information.”

“If the person concerned doesn’t want to talk about it, don’t pry.”

There was no reason to ask further when he clearly didn’t want to talk about it.

He would tell us someday, wouldn’t he?

“Then let’s go!”

Following Grace who was leading the way, today too, we moved our steps towards the upper floor.