81 47"Serious Labyrinth Search"





Do you want me to shoot ......?

 Mize said, holding up his black sniper staff and recognizing the enemy's presence.
 It's like asking - do you want to kill it? It was like asking, "Do you want to kill him?

 Kill a human being. It's an act I've taken for granted, but not everyone is like me. For some people, crossing this line can even cause trauma that drags on until death.

"Take your finger off the ...... trigger. I'll take care of that.

I don't want Mr. Toate to have to carry that burden alone.

 The words that came out quickly seemed to have hardened Mize's resolve.
 For example, Elysia ...... would probably be able to maintain her sanity even if she crossed the line. She has the mental strength to do so.
 For example, Gran, ...... that man was once a soldier on the battlefield. At that point, he has a high tolerance for death.
 However, Mize is ...... probably a person who holds things in.

 This is not a matter of discrimination. It's a matter of suitability.
 I blocked the farsightedness crystal on my sniper stick with my palm and looked at Mize.

The enemy probably hasn't spotted us yet. If we shoot now, it's like we're telling them where we are.

 He continued to speak to Mize, whose lips pursed in disapproval.

"There may come a time when you will have to pull the trigger. But now is not the time.

"...... I understand.

 To be honest, it would be very helpful if Mize could shoot people without hesitation.
 I can handle it by myself now, but you never know what might happen in the future. Do you want to shoot? I'm sure that her determination will not be wasted.

If I'm in a hurry, it will look suspicious. I'll keep my distance as naturally as possible.

But where should we head? We can't go back to the village if there are enemies in that direction. ......

 I look at the map I got from the guild and answer with a sigh.

The labyrinth is the only way.

 I dared to ignore the fact that Mize's eyes lit up for a moment.
 Well, it's a good thing if it relaxes the sweltering atmosphere.

 The receptionist at the guild told me that she didn't recommend approaching the place unprepared, but I couldn't turn my back on her.

Labyrinth: ...... "Roots of the Spirit Tree

 Mize muttered as we reached the entrance to the labyrinth, the cave.
 Apparently, Mize knows about this labyrinth.

"Do you remember the Wisdom Road?

"Yes. It seems that the previous owner knew about this labyrinth. He has never actually explored it, but he has seen the ...... map and has some memory of the structure inside. Leave it to me to guide you.

 That's a useful power. It's a handy power that Mize is becoming more and more proficient at using, and is becoming a reliable presence in situations like this, if not in combat.

"The enemy will be searching this area for a while. They will probably enter the labyrinth to some extent. I'd like to dive as deep as I can.

"Yes, sir. I'll show you the way.

 There's no need to engage them this time.
 We just have to get past them.

 The cave continues diagonally downward, and as soon as you enter the labyrinth, a number of forked paths appear.
 The Labyrinth of Tree Roots. As the name suggests, it's a labyrinth with countless narrow paths that look like tree roots.

"Oh, this. These are medicinal herbs, aren't they?

 On the walls of the labyrinth, there were plants that I rarely saw outside.
 Is this another feature of the Path of the Spirit Tree? There are many plants that can be used to prepare medicines.

...... Let's do that. 

 It reminded me of my experience as a soldier in the agency.
 I'm sure the labyrinth exploration know-how I learned back then will come in handy.

"Mise. The red herb, the green moss. And some purple flowers.

All right. ...... Is that what you're going to use it for?

I don't know. I don't know if I'll need them. ......

 I thought the combination of herbs I specified would give you an idea of what I was planning to concoct. ...... Apparently, Mize's Path of Wisdom has no knowledge of this concoction. Since the study of pharmacy is ever-evolving, the memories of the past are often unreliable.

 After the two of us gathered up the herbs, we headed for the depths of the labyrinth.

"There are many demons ahead.

...... Looks like it.

 I nodded, sensing the presence of demons as well.
 At the end of a narrow passage, there is a large room. There were at least ten demons in that room.



"We could go around, but then it would be quite a detour. ......

...... No, I'm not taking a detour.

 If we go back and look for another way, the enemy won't be able to find us at our current pace.
 But this is a labyrinth where demons lurk. There is a good chance that an unexpected accident will occur, so I'm not afraid to approach the enemy without caution.

I'll just keep going. Even though it's ......, there's no need to fight demons foolishly.

Do you have a plan?

Yeah. There are many ways to get into the labyrinth. ...... This time, I'll use a method I learned at a place I used to work.

 In other words, the labyrinth strategy I learned at the agency.
 This is where the medicinal herbs you collected at the entrance come in.

"Mize, can you make a mask with alchemy?

A mask?

Yes. The shape should be something like this.

 Draw a diagram on the ground and tell Mize the image.
 Mize, who had acquired a high level of magical control through the Path of Wisdom, was troubled, but created exactly what she wanted.

"Mr. Toate. This is a mask, or rather .......

 Looking at the finished product, Mize made a complicated face.

"It's a gas mask.

 While Mize was making the mask with Alchemy, I was mixing the herbs.
 I mix and grind everything, paying attention to the proportions. I used a small magic tool to create fire and vaporize the clear liquid I had extracted.

It's not ......

"Sleeping gas. Wait until it fills.

 A thick white smoke fills the room at the end of the passage.

Okay, ......, let's get going.

 I put on my mask and waited for a few minutes. I entered the room without making a sound.
 While countless demons were asleep, we went on.

"I didn't know there was such a thing as a strategy .......

The labyrinth is a subterranean ...... room, small or large, but it's a locked room. Gas can be an effective weapon.

 Whenever I entered the labyrinth on agency business, I usually had a gas weapon at the ready.
 I had estimated that there were close to a dozen demons lurking in the room, but there were more than I expected.
 As I walked through the white smoke, I saw two demons asleep, blocking the exit.

"You're in my way, I'll kill you.

"...... wretched.

 The sound of "magic bullets" being shot out from his fingertips echoed.
 I walked over the dying demons and headed for the exit of the room.
 Mize looked like she wanted to argue the whole time.