114. Chapter 114
In a room with a group of goblins, the leading goblin, which throat was torn open with the halberd, was still trying to approach Walm while spitting blood. It was like a drowning man clutching at a straw. What a futile struggle
The other two also rushed at Walm. They all really had a lot of guts. Those he met outside the labyrinth weren’t like that.
Walm loosened his stance, swinging his arms down and moving his upper body as he pulled his legs back. The goblin’s arms encompassed the space Walm had just been in. He rotated his hips and struck the side of the goblin’s head with the lower part of his halberd
As the feeling of shattered bones transmitted over, Walm glanced at the goblin rolling backwards, not even moving, and immediately turned his attention to the other two goblins.
Walm swung the halberd up from the lower left as if to pick it up. One of the goblins was cut in half from waist to shoulders and fell helplessly to the ground.
The last goblin swung a club around, but it didn’t even graze Walm, who used the fresh corpse as a shield. Then he struck the head with his halberd, knocking it to the ground.
“To get such a welcome at the first room, you’re so enthusiastic about doing your job huh? What a troublesome fella.”
Walm descended to the fifth floor and received an enthusiastic welcome in the first small room. After dancing with three goblins, he looked down the passages. There were three forks, but he didn’t know which one to take yet. It wasn’t that he lost the desire to explore. There were just too many. Too many footprints, undigested flesh, and blood. Besides, voices echoed everywhere.
“This floor, must be the low-rank hunting ground.”
Many of the commoners who dived into the labyrinth and those who were new to the dungeon were probably staying on this 5th floor to earn daily money. After all, there would be not only umami, sweet, bitter, and unpleasantness to taste, but also different flavors to taste starting from this floor. There was no doubt that monsters other than goblins, who were regarded as having a worse taste than vomit, would come out and perhaps even drop something useful.
For the time being, Walm tried to seek out the quietest passage, but after a short time, he perceived footsteps amidst the noise. Walm focused on the further front and realized the true identity of the thing waiting in the small room and gave its name.
“Orc?”
Not only did it have a pig’s face, but it was a monster with a distended belly and height the size of a human. The orc growled at Walm, who entered the room, and hid its vital points with a club as it walked toward him. Walm lowered his back and waited. It seemed that the orc wanted to hit him with the mace, taking advantage of the weight difference.
Walm, changing his stance from a thrust to a slam, took a small step forward and slammed the halberd as soon as the orc was in range. It was a blow without 《Strike》, but it still severed the upper arm of the orc, which had risen to protect itself, and cut off part of its head. The body, which had lost control, slid inward following inertia.
Then, Walm carefully observed the corpse that sat neatly at his feet. Apart from the devastating hostility, it was no different from any normal orcs he saw outside. He had learned from his subordinates and fellow countrymen in the past that orc meat tasted delicious, but he had never tasted it, let alone had the urge to dismantle it. Never.
Roughly thinking about the procedure, it should be enough to just drain the blood and dispose of the internal organs. That much, should be able to let the meat be eaten.
Walm hesitated whether or not to dismantle it, but remembered that his purpose was to treat his eyes. In order to find the rumored cure, it was necessary to dive deep, and even maintaining the status quo required a large amount of money. The slower he progressed, the more money he would need. Besides, the hard work of dismantling the orcs in the lower levels, such a struggle, would only slow him down. He might not make it in time.
So, Walm tried to leave the room, leaving the corpse behind. But as soon as he took a step forward, he was stopped by a voice from the back. It was a party that had come into this small room during the battle with the orc. He ignored them, thinking maybe they would wait until the battle was over, but he couldn’t help but react when he was stopped.
“You’re not going to dismantle it? It’ll be swallowed by the labyrinth, you know?”
Looking at the members, Walm realized that it was that party with the greenhorn adventurer. Since when he passed them? He didn’t know.
“Yeah, I don’t need it now”
“Then, can I have it?”
Asked the adventurer holding a black bone. What a straightforward attitude.
“You, as always huh…”
“Shut your mouth, can’t you? You idiot.”
That was probably not the consensus of the party. The Bone Greenhorn was kicked in the shins, poked, and stomped on the feet. Truly, a wonderful collaboration. Even if they did it on purpose, it was much funnier than a story from a drunkard in the tavern.
Walm shook off the blood clinging to his halberd and faced them properly.
“We must’ve bothered you, right? We’re sorry.”
“Oi, you too, apologize quickly.”
“I’m sorry, I was tempted by a demon, I couldn’t control myself, please forgive me.”
Walm raised the corners of his mouth slightly at the people who stepped back apologetically.
“You can have it. Do whatever you want.”
Perhaps the words that Walm muttered were so surprising that they all froze with a look of utter astonishment.
“Oh, ah, umm, thank you very much.”
An adventurer who seemed to be the leader, who returned to reality faster than others, thanked Walm.
“Sure”
After Walm left the room, the party began dismantling the orc.
Glancing behind, he saw the spear bearer and sword bearer staring at each passage.
They’re good at using numbers…
Walm was convinced that it was a good move of using party members. And at the same time realized that although he would be going to challenge the labyrinth every day from now on, he had relaxed on day one.
Not good. I must be more vigilant…
Walm thought that if he couldn’t be as vigilant as before, he could have his flesh and soul taken away in the labyrinth. So, he increased his vigilance even more and went through the passage.
After crossing paths with several parties and fighting less than ten battles with monsters, Walm arrived at a strange large square. In a space where even 100 people could keep their distance, many people were sitting down and resting. It must be what they called the ’transfer room’, which was said to exist every five floors, also known as the ‘safe room’.
A similar passage extended on the opposite of the one which Walm passed.
Must be leading to the stairs to go down deeper…
Looking around the safe room, Walm spotted a door from which no one was coming out. He opened the door to confirm.
The black hole Walm had jumped into on the ground was enshrined in the center. It seemed to be the hole that would send anyone back to the surface.
In addition to the female receptionist’s suggestion, he had finished his initial inspection of the labyrinth. He was reluctant to dive into the black hole again, but there was no reason to stay.
With a small sigh, Walm jumped into the hole and entrusted himself to the jet-black.
Like before, the darkened field of vision cleared after a short time. But this time, Walm was welcomed by a guard. He had returned to the surface.
Passing the guard, Walm climbed up the slope and continued down the corridor. Several junctions and rooms of unknown purposes followed, but he continued straight ahead without making any detours.
The crowd of people gradually increased until Walm finally reached the waiting area. He immediately went to the female receptionist who gave him advice.
“So, it seems you are able to return safely. Welcome back.”
The female receptionist welcomed Walm with a carefree smile.
“Thanks to you. Your advice, was very helpful.”
“Thank you for being modest, but it must have sounded like an annoying nag.”
“My knowledge about labyrinths is scarce. I’m honestly grateful.”
“Fufu, to hear you say that, it makes me happy.”
After returning the tally and receiving the security deposit, Walm left the labyrinth. He had deepened his knowledge of the labyrinth and completed his initial inspection. The rest was just buying supplies for the next dive.
By the time the sun began to set, Walm had finished purchasing the necessary supplies and sought out the cheap inn favored by novice adventurers to rest.
The room was separated by an ultra-thin partition board, and it was a room where one adult could put luggage and lie down. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it had only depth but not width. The snoring of the neighbors and the laughter of drunk adventurers penetrated through the cracks of the partition.
Walm closed his eyelids to soothe his aching eyes. He had finally arrived here, even if he hadn’t gotten what he wanted. This, was only the beginning after all. From now on, he must dive through the black hole, and go deeper and deeper. The depth where countless challengers were defeated and dreamed of reaching and conquering in order to gain fame. There, might lay his aim. Both physically and mentally must be prepared, neither being weak nor being spoiled would be allowed.
Suppressing his excited self, whether his mind and body wanted it or not, Walm slowly forced his consciousness to be swallowed by the darkness.
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Thanks for the chapter.
“In a room with a group of goblins, the leading goblin, which throat was torn open with the halberd, was still trying to approach Walm while spitting blood.”
which –> whose