A dinsional ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) monunt given by the man we t outside the city walls.
And the unknown land we crossed through that monunt, strikingly similar to the 9th floor Star Grave.
At first, I thought this place might be inside the labyrinth...
‘But I guess not.’
This place lies outside the city walls.
The high intelligence of the monsters here supports that, and the fact that when you defeat them, their byproducts remain intact confirms it.
The problem is...
‘It’s impossible to walk back around.’
This place is basically an ‘island.’
No, it’s even more isolated than an island.
Even if its location is sowhere on the continent, it’s completely surrounded by a gray boundary line, making it impossible to go beyond.
In other words, physical escape is zero.
“...Baron? What do you plan to do now?”
Ibaekho glanced at and asked.
I was sowhat dumbfounded.
After all the subtle power struggles to wrest command, now that things turned out this way, he suddenly pretends nothing happened.
“You’re the one who said we should take a big loop and that there must be a way out sowhere, Baron.”
“I think I said there ‘might be’ a way out.”
“Oh, isn’t that the sa thing?”
I wondered how such an annoying guy existed, but I’d heard it’s best not to get sensitive in tis like this.
So I just ignored him and got to the point.
“We did get so results, didn’t we?”
“Yes. We found out we’re properly trapped here. Right?”
Ah, should I just hit him once?
That urge surged up for a mont but I held back, thinking of patience and [Star’s Extinction].
“...Yeah, that alone is enough of a result. Besides, the map’s roughly complete.”
“But only the outer edges are drawn. The inside is still empty.”
“That ans now we just have to search those empty parts. Surely sowhere there is the dinsional monunt originally here or one connected to another place.”
I said this with confidence honed by many leadership experiences, but Ibaekho just glared at indifferently.
“Isn’t that just baseless confidence? How do you know there’s a dinsional monunt?”
Well...
‘[Dungeon and Stone] is that kind of ga.’
Of course, that might be a naive thought.
This place is the ‘outside of the city walls’—sowhere I’ve never been in the ga—and the reality I experienced here is definitely different from a ga.
But...
“So what do you want to do?”
That wasn’t just empty words.
Even if it feels like we’re trapped in a bottomless pit with no escape, there must be a way out sowhere in the world.
That’s my iron rule and belief.
“If you don’t have confidence, are you just going to sit here and rest?”
“No, that’s not what I ant—”
“Then just quietly follow . Even if you all say no and give up, I will definitely find a way.”
When I looked him straight in the eyes and said that, Ibaekho fell silent for a mont but then answered with a tone of admiration.
“Wow, Baron, you really have a way with words. Have you always hypnotized everyone like this?”
At Ibaekho’s words, the archer beside him added.
“That was a fascinating experience. For a mont, I really felt no worries at all.”
“Hahaha! I never thought the Baron would say anything wrong! We have to do sothing! Just staying still will only make us hungrier!”
When even Aures laughed heartily and stepped forward, the slightly tense atmosphere softened.
That’s why every team needs at least one positive warrior.
Having led many tis, I know the difference such a person makes is huge.
“Alright then, let’s set off again.”
...Let’s go.
From now on, we have only one job.
We have to personally explore every unexplored area to find the ‘dinsional monunt’ or any way out.
The problem is that we have to thoroughly check this vast area.
So our exploration thod was very simple.
“Under trees, cliffs, caves, small gaps, structures... anything noticeable, report imdiately. Got it?”
Not only the scout archer Briot, but every mber of the team carefully scanned the surroundings even while moving.
If anything was found...
“It looks like a shallow pond, but it’s very deep. It’s a perfect place to hide sothing.”
“Good, let’s stop for a mont and check it out.”
We used magic to detect, but still felt uneasy and went directly into the water to check.
So complained if we had to go that far, but I never compromised.
That dinsional monunt ‘Deilan’ claid to have found was also hidden in a difficult-to-find cliff crevice.
Only this much effort would allow us to draw conclusions later.
That there is no ‘dinsional monunt’ here.
So we must seek other thods.
“Baron! Look at this! Doesn’t this seem suspicious?”
“Where exactly?”
“Here, here! The flower petal is broken!”
“...Enough. Let’s keep moving.”
Of course, we filtered out and saved ti listening only to real concerns.
“Why! Didn’t you say to report even the smallest thing before?”
But still.
The flower petal is broken. What do you want to do about it?
How the hell am I supposed to verify this?
“Prince Ruin Genesis! Can’t you check this out?”
When I ignored it, Aures went whining to the old man of ruin.
Naturally, the old man didn’t grant that request.
“Co on.”
“Prince Ruin Genesis!!”
“Then let’s keep moving.”
So the search resud.
Because the search was thorough, progress was slow, but the map steadily filled.
‘We’ve finished about 70% of the Old Rock Grassland...’
The current layout of the area we’re in is simple.
Centered on the ‘Prival Land’ where we first teleported through the portal.
To the west lies the ‘Old Rock Grassland.’
To the north, the ‘Deadly Poison Lava Field.’
To the east, the ‘Dreamlike Waterfall,’ and to the south, the ‘Dragon Bone Mountain.’
Except for the Prival Land, all are cut in half by the ash boundary, creating fragnted fields...
‘The biggest problem is probably the Dreamlike Waterfall...’
The Deadly Poison Lava Field and Dragon Bone Mountain are both based on the 9th floor, so they’re difficult, but nothing compared to the Dreamlike Waterfall.
If we have to thoroughly search to find a dinsional monunt, it’s even harder—
“Soone! Human tracks!”
...Huh?
“It’s real. Definitely human footprints.”
While exploring the Old Rock Grassland, we suddenly found traces of humans.
And we, who were searching for ‘suspicious things’ without any basis, couldn’t just ignore it.
“Briot, you lead from now on and track those footprints. Full speed ahead.”
I gave the order quickly, and we chased the traces at top speed.
And after so ti...
“......”
In the middle of the grassland stood the back of a man.
He wore shabby clothes as if he hadn’t washed in months.
Based on this description, he shared traits with ‘Deilan’ who had lured us here...
But then.
As soon as the man sensed our presence and turned around,
We realized he was neither ‘Deilan’ nor human.
There was a black spider stuck to his face.
“...What, it’s a Bayon.”
A Grade 3 humanoid monster, Bayon.
A monster who is also the original owner of my [Transcendence] skill.
By the way, he mainly appears in the ‘Land of Immortality’ on the 7th floor Dark Continent.
But occasionally shows up in the 9th floor Old Rock Grassland as well.
“Hah, I was certain it was Deilan.”
“In the end, a wild goose chase...”
Our party seed disappointed knowing the true identity of the footprints, but honestly, I was quite glad to see this monster.
I had to keep my expression in check.
‘Finally found it.’
Bayon is one of the monsters you have to kill most often when training the shield barbarian.
Not only because you need to get [Transcendence],
But also because its byproduct ‘Parasitic Spider’ rarely appears in the auction house.
“Well, Baron, you’re lucky? It drops level 8 engraving materials.”
“......”
“I’m jealous. ans you still have a long way to go to get stronger.”
Ibaekho joked with a sharp bone-related pun, stretching his arms as if warming up.
Then...
Tada—!
He dashed imdiately toward Bayon.
If you’ve led before, such a sudden move can be infuriating.
“Wait!”
“It’s just a grade 3 monster, what’s the big deal?”
It is just a grade 3 monster.
Not wrong, but Bayon is quite dangerous.
Unlike other monsters, its combat power varies wildly by individual, and its abilities differ, so it’s standard practice to scout before fighting.
Kwahjik—!
...Well, maybe it doesn’t matter?
“Ah! That felt good!”
Ibaekho’s black aura-powered punch pierced Bayon’s heart, and it collapsed.
At the sa ti, I felt sothing rising within .
It was a feeling all explorers know well.
「Bayon defeated. EXP 7」
When I killed ‘Gigazeroth’ before, I was so frantic I wasn’t sure, but here the experience was definitely gained.
“Let’s see... let’s loot the Baron’s engraving materials... okay?”
Approaching the completely dead Bayon to remove the spider stuck on its face, Ibaekho suddenly froze.
“Baekho? What’s wrong... Ugh! What is this?!”
Seeing Aures approach startled too, it seed sothing unexpected had happened.
So I quickly checked Bayon’s corpse—
“...Huh?”
What is this?
When the spider was removed, revealing Bayon’s face, I was as shocked as the others.
“...His face is blackened, but isn’t this that person?”
The humanoid monster ‘Bayon’ we t in the Old Rock Grassland
Had Deilan’s face.
The situation increasingly slips deeper into the labyrinth.
Deilan, who lured us here, disappeared.
Why had he transford into a monster and wandered this place?
“...Could we get your insight?”
At GM’s cautious request, the ruin scholar spoke.
“I’m not certain, but I once read in an ancient book. ‘Bayon’ are said to be ancient explorers who died in the labyrinth.”
Coincidentally, I already knew this.
I studied the ga’s world setting every day hoping to find info about hidden pieces.
“Ah! So that’s why Bayon uses essence like explorers!”
“That may be, but there’s little evidence. It’s more like folklore for public entertainnt.”
“...Is that so.”
What exactly is our situation?
Becoming more and more unknowable, I forcibly took the byproducts from Ibaekho.
Curiosity is curiosity, but this is important.
‘Only one more material left for the level 8 engraving...’
Now there’s only one material left for the 8th-level engraving.
‘Well, I think I can get it quickly using the outside-of-city-walls characteristics...’
Still, encountering ‘Bayon’ here where the population is low, and where they rarely appear, ans we’re pretty lucky—
“Oh! Looks like it really is Deilan! I found an ID card in his pocket!”
At that, Aures excitedly stood up.
In one hand the size of a waterlon was a business-card-sized ID card.
“Let’s see, the na is...”
Thump—
“Hans...? Ah! Right! That’s it! Hans!”
Thump—!
My heart pounded violently.
I made a quick decision and shouted urgently.
“Prepare to move!!”
We have to get out of here.
As fast as possible.
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