Chapter 21 - Red Zone

Chapter 21 - Red Zone

「Ooh… we are saved. I didn’t know what to do if they were monsters」

「Are you alright!?」

Ally and I rushed up to the four adventurers.

The four were injured and the only difference between them was the how much they were injured. The most injured seems to have broken their foot, and was able to come up here in that condition while using the shoulder of one of his friends.

The person who is lending the shoulder has been dyed in red blood because a cut on his forehead.

「We are not so well. I’m sorry but don’t you have a healing medicine? We have already used all」

「Yes, I have. Please!」

Ally and I draw from ours space bag the medicine.

If I use the【Healing hand】 that I have learned from the Shinto Priest class, I can cure specially any serious injuries.

Even though it’s an excellent ability that let me use magic to cure any injuries quickly, it has the nature of making the effect decrease the more you use it, so perhaps it may not have much effect on them now.

But even so, I was able to cure them to some degree,

While thinking it would be difficult to completely cure them I continued treating them, but then, the adventurer’s leader came to stop our treatment.

「Thank you, this is enough」

But even if he says that, it’s not like they were completely cured.

We asked him if it wouldn’t be better if we heal them more, but the man shook his head.

「Just having done this it’s enough for us to return by ourselves. This is the first layer. Right?」

When the man asks to his adventurer’s friends, the adventurers that were sitting on the ground, even though they were extremely tired, everyone nodded.

「You two will are going inside? If it’s so, please leave something for us. If not, I will cry」

「Ah, that’s right. We are going to the place where you were defeated」

「It’s not like we have so much time to spareー」

After the man finished talking, now the others adventurers continued talking.

Even though they have a splendid injury they have guts, as expected ofーーWait, what it’s dangerous is what it’s ahead. Saying things like they don’t want to be healed, rather, I’m starting to be a little afraid.

「Um, it’s really dangerous what lies ahead?」

「It’s dangerous」

A immediate reply.

「If you continue advancing from here, what lies ahead is the second layer of the labyrinth. Thought we tried to challenge it, it was still too early for us. We were trashed, we barely escaped with our lives to the first layer. We thought that because the first layer was easy that we had a chance, but I was wrong」

The man turns around towards the place he came with a bitter face, but as if the others adventurers didn’t want to remember they didn’t turn around.

「So, please think about your safety. It’s thanks to you that we could recover the enough to barely return. If we rest a little, it will be enough to be a match for the monsters in this layer. It will be enough with this as thanks?」

The man takes out money.

ーーBut, Ally quickly stopped him.

「Such thing is not necessary. Because this was an emergency」

「But, the medicine that you gave us it wasn’t free for you, isn’t that right?」

「We are adventurers as you, if there is an emergency then it’s obvious to help each other. This is one way of maintaining everyone a safe even if it’s a little. We are equal, so you don’t have to worry」

That’s right.

If we join hands in the face of danger, then as comrades in the same profession it’s not good if you don’t help each other.

To Ally’s word, I also talked.

「That’s right. But if you still want to pay us, then you only have to help us if you find us in trouble. That’s what I would most appreciate」

「You… There are not many people like you. Though it was a misfortune being defeated by monsters, it was a fortune to be able to meet all of you. I’m indebted」

The man looked as if he was impressed.

If I’m frank, I thought it was a little wasteful, but, well, let’s not say something so stingy.

Thus, we were about to go after finished the treatment, but the one with the shallowest injury, the female adventurer opened her mouth.

「It will be probably ok, they still look full of energy. Hey, you all」

「Yes, we still have considerable strength to spare, so we have the intention to go a little deeper」

「Yes, yes, as I assumed. I wonder if unlike us, your way of training is different to us, you look as if your were a considerably resourceful person. Your posture is far from normal, it seems to be that of an expert. At glance, you look full of gaps and also seems to be absent-minded, but the feeling is the opposite 」

But I believe that I’m always absent-minded.

However, the female adventurer directs her gaze towards me and nods in admiration.

「Yes, yes, I’m sure they are going to be fine. Besides, there was someone else who had advanced towards the second layer」

「Towards such dangerous place alone?」

The female adventurer nods.

「Ahaha… Far from being able to go alone, it seems that us who were defeated are the novices. When I asked, the person entered inside as a way of training to get used to his/her strength, isn’t that amazing?」

「Really? There is such a person?」

「If were me, I would be so scared that would have been impossible」

The female adventurer stuck out his tongue jokingly and said 「Then, be careful, especially against the ogres that defeated us. Thank you」and then she waved her hands as she was glued to the floor.

We too said goodbye to the adventurers and then we continued advancing further.

Immediately, the long passage changes and now we have to descend, the road gradually begins to darken making it seem that it will continue forever descending.

While we were descending, I asked Ally.

「The deeper we go, the more it will change?」

「Yes, and it will also increase the monster’s strength. But even so, it will increase the chances to find something good. Because if there are strong monsters, then that means that the dungeon it’s filled with an magic element, and therefore it’s likely that the tools are inside the dungeon are filled with a strong power. But if you defeated the Cocytus Wolf, then you will be alright」

I understand.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh?

Thought I was a little uneasy, Ally said knowing my achievements that I would be ok, so for me it wasn’t yet a dangerous place.

Then, it will be alright to move forward? Even if this were really a tiger’s den and what is there is only a tiger cub, even so I want to give up and turn back. Of course, I’m that type of personーーWow.

「It’s amazing」

Suddenly, and unexpected spacious room appeared.

It’s likely that to the ceiling there are at least dozens of meters, and in all directions, the diameter is so wide that you can’t see the end of the room.

ーーIt’s so wide that it’s not like you can see the end.

There, are standing stone pillars everywhere, and they are so wide that they act as walls, so it’s impossible to see completely the inside.

There are also stone pillars like they were trees and shrubs, so this place is as it were a jungle.

「This is the second layer of the Paienne Labyrinth. The visibility and mobility are obstructed, the monsters will be powerful in their home. But we’ll be fine, let’s advance without relaxing our guard」

I brace myself after hearing Ally’s words, then we move even more further leaving behind stone pillars as we walk.

The second layer of the Paienne Labyrinth.

Immediately after continuing advancing through the jungle of stones like layer, we heard again footsteps.

But this time, is evidently that is not from a human. But that sound is the one that is emitted by something that has a considerable mass.

Immediately after having taken a stance as the sound was approaching, what appeared from the stone wall was an ogre that was covered densely in hair, and it didn’t lose even with the height of the many stone pillars.

Though I don’t know what exactly is, it has a gigantic femur as a club in its hand.

「Ally, Ally. This monsters it’s completely different from the others in the first layer, this monster」

「It’s like those adventurers said, they are in a completely different league」

No, they clearly said that, but, isn’t it the norm to advance with small steps?

This has the same feel as when you start fighting in the surroundings of the village at the beginning of a game and suddenly dungeons filled with monsters appears.

But contrary to me who was completely on guard, Ally remained completely on calm.

「This is an ogre」

「A ogre, that’s what the others said」

「Yes. Though I remember that the monsters in this layer are strong… Let me handle this place, Eiji-sama」

「You? Don’t tell me, alone?」

「Yes. I wanted to see the fighting figure of Eiji-sama in the first layer so I held back and left all the hard work to you. It’s about time for me to work, isn’t that right?」

Ally quietly approaches the ogre.

She will be alright? From what I see, she doesn’t seem to be extremely strong.

「【Magic enhancement】」

Along with her voice, Ally’s body is wrapped for an instant in light.

That skill is really similar to the enchanter skill, perhaps it’s a type of skill that improves your magical power.

That she has raised her voice, it must be to let know to her comrades what type of skill is she using, if it’s a strengthening type or a weakening. Thought you said that you were going to handle it, please stick to the basics.

Ally who used the skill approached even more towards the ogre.

The ogre howls recognizing Ally as its prey, then it raised the bone club.

「Spirit Gnome-sama, please come」

The club is swung downwards.

However, it was stopped by the appearance of a wall of earth.

Ally slowly rotates her finger making a circle, then the wall started to move by itself, and not only stopped the club, also It started to return it.

The ogre began to retreats gradually while its arm starts to shake.

While Ally directs a calm glance, she muttered.

「Well then, please pierce it」

Half of the wall of earth changes of shape, and began to condense, until it becomes a stake of rock.

Then, it was easily pushed from the wall penetrating the the staggering ogre’s chest.

Hyuuu… With a groan the ogre started to collapse onto the stone pillar while from the hole on its chest blood together with the sound of the wind began to sprout out.

When Ally turns around, a smile is slowly formed in her face.

「It has been settled, Eiji-sama. Well, let’s advance further」

As I was overwhelmed, I nodded silently.

Thought I was already aware that she was strong, it seems that Ally is more skilled than what I thought.

Without moving even an eyebrow, she ended defeating easily the ogre.

「What you just did, is Ally’s special technique?」

「Yes, I fight borrowing the power of the spirits. Just now, I called the spirit that rules the earth, Gnome. Thank you very much for earlier, Gnome-sama」

Ally directs her face to her side looking at the sky and when she spoke, in an instant, the fairy that looked like a mole, appeared dimly and then disappeared. So that one is Gnome?

「It’s something like the magic of a mage?」

「Basically they resemble. But what’s different is that the spirits rule the power of the nature, so a spirit user likes me mainly uses a magic that manipulates the nature, while a mage mainly uses the magic power as it is. I often use Gnome, the spirit that resides in the ground and Sylph, the spirit of the wind」

【Spirit user 3→5】

【Skill　Spirit Magic has been obtained】

【Enchanter 3→6】

【Skill　Magic enhacement and Attack enhacement has been obtained】

Just at that time, I was informed of my level up.

Because Ally defeated a powerful enemy in the second layer that I leveled up in one go. Moreover, I have defeated four monsters, you know? It was worth coming here. If I rejected her, Ally also could have stopped the exploration.

By the way, why I leveled up in such simple way was because I climbed one more layer.

The energy that I obtain when I defeat monsters, in other words, something like experience, it goes towards the person who defeated it, but it seems that to some degree the little that is scattered is divided between the fellow travelers.

Therefore, the energy that Ally obtained from the monsters I defeated in the first layer, it also came to me thanks to the power of the parasite skill, A mysterious cycle.

「It’s useful, the power of the spirits. I will count on you」

「Please don’t hold back and rely on me to your heart contents」

Ally and I saying jokingly, then we began the exploration in the second layer.