Return of the Former Hero Chapter 51

51. Former hero・rushes down the underground labyrinth

The pathway of the underground labyrinth is larger than I thought.
Is the width about 3m?
There are ornaments that makes me think of the castle in some places, and a dim glow is s.h.i.+ning from the objects similar to a hanging lantern embedded in the wall.

There isn’t a fire.
Is it lighted by something like magic?

Thanks to it, it seems that different from a cave, a torch isn’t necessary, .

[Search]

I use my magic to check things out.

However, the wave of magic I discharged was engulfed by the wave of magical power circulating inside the labyrinth, and I am not able to verify my surroundings.

Is it impossible after all?

When I felt something strange in the morning, I had tried to investigate and search the underground, but I couldn’t understand the circ.u.mstances below the ground at all.

Although I should be able to grasp it roughly if I release it with all my power, I think I should avoid using too much of my magical power.

Therefore, I had requested Rithina to borrow a map.

The map was unfolded.

I, it’s wide.

Even the stairs to go down to the underground 2nd floor is quite far, and it seems to be in a complicated place.

In addition, there are stairs in various places and not just a single place, and there seem to be many spots that would result in a dead end when one advance in it.

The stipulated number of floors for the final exam is 20.

I see.
It looks like it would take a considerable time if one advances while searching without this map.

Besides, there are a lot of omissions on the map.
The lower floors are buried as expected, but the floors leading towards the lower floors that I totally could not grasp catches my eyes too.

Although I said that it was understood till level 50, it must be remembered that by understanding, it appears to be the situation where it can’t be said that it’s completely explored at all.

What should I do?
Although I’m in a hurry, it’s bad to just punch through the floor.
It wouldn’t be a joke if it collapses.

I know the location of the stairs to descend to the lower floors by the map.
Let’s make the 20th floor the target.

Since search doesn’t function well, a.s.suming that I’m careful to not get lost and advance, hmm…., can I reach there in 2 days?

While I am thinking about the plan, a demon appeared immediately.

Oh, it’s a slime.

It’s the familiar slime that looks like a syrupy liquid monster, but this is quite a tricky fellow.

After all, ordinary physical attacks are almost nullified.

If it isn’t magic or magic-loaded weapons, it isn’t an exaggeration to say that it can’t be defeated.

On the contrary, it can be said to be a suitable prey as a sparring partner for magic loaded weapons.
It’s something I often played with in the past too.

And when I was reminiscing the past and such, the slime spring at me.

Once it clings to me, it will also be difficult it off.

I want to capture and take it home if there is the characteristic that melts just the clothing, but flesh is also dissolved unfortunately.

I cut the slime that flew at me with a sideways sweep.

Although its characteristic is repeated at length, it’s a slime after all.
A demon to the extent of appearing in the first floor of the underground. It’s not an opponent.

The slime is cut into pieces by me, and scattered on the wall with a gooey splash.
And, it disappears after emitting smoke.

Then, the density of magical power increases just slightly.

I see, I see.

Circulating the magical power with this, is yet another demon born in other place?

It’s my first time for a dungeon of this type.

Usually, even demons doesn’t gather in the depths of dungeon.

Food is difficult to secure, and it’s also because they do not want to live in the depth of the dungeon that makes it hard to go outside.

Therefore, I have not done exploration of a labyrinth that is just like a game.

I can’t enjoy myself thoroughly because the situation is so, but it’s inevitable that I got just a little excited.

Okay, then, I’ll aim for the stairs while continuing to be careful to traps.

———-

I took a glance at my watch.

18:38

It’s the evening already, no, can I say night?
The outside might be pitch-black already.

Currently, I am at the 12th floor.

I was able to advance more than I thought.

It’s largely due to the demons not being able to be my opponent.

Once, when I came across a monster house, I was a little surprised.

Somehow, there are a lot of gross demons appearing in this labyrinth.

Insect-like ones, sinuous tentacles, those with a lot of eyes and so on.

That is a room they are wriggling in.
It’s simply disgusting.

Instinctively, secret・straight cut was used.
Although it’s called secret, but it’s just a ranged attack that fires magical power in a horizontal line from the sword.

What helped minimally, was the situation that dead demons were converted into magical power.

If the body and smell of that amount of disgusting demons remained, I might have refused to pa.s.s through and make a detour.

I sat in the corner of the room that was emptied a little, and ate my dinner.

And then, I took a brief nap.

I cannot afford to have a lack of sleep by moving till late night as it is, but on the other hand, I cannot sleep soundly in the labyrinth where demons appear.

Lightly, I nap a little and move.
Thus, the night is spent this way.

If it’s this pace, I am likely to be able to catch up by tomorrow afternoon.

The next morning.

I’m somewhat rested, although it doesn’t mean that I’m feeling refreshed.

Well even say so, I can move for around 2-3 days even if I stay up all night.
There is no problem.

There was a slightly mysterious enemy when I proceed through the labyrinth.

It isn’t particularly strong.
It’s magical resistance was a little strong.

If that is the case, why is it mysterious? First of all, its appearance.

Among the many disgusting demons, the current demon was a frightening machine.
And it doesn’t disappear even if it was defeated.

When I try knocking it down, it’s still like a machine.
This means, is this not a demon of the labyrinth?
Why would such a thing be loitering around?

Furthermore, when I advance, there are objects similar to the machine previously?
This time, it was fighting with another demon.

That seemed different from the demons of the labyrinth after all.
I barge in from the side somehow, and defeated the labyrinth’s demon first.

Although it doesn’t mean that I’m helping it, for some reason, it’s that.

But the machine demon struck at me without any unnecessary dialogue.

The enemy of an enemy is an ally, it doesn’t seem to be able to say that.
I crush it as there is no other way.

It doesn’t disappear as before.

What on earth is this?

I am worried about its ident.i.ty, but it’s not time to investigate it now.

I push my doubts to a corner and head down.

When I moved to 17th floor underground, it’s noisy in front.
I advance my steps in that direction.

There, was a group of around 20 black teruterubouzu. (TN: Suns.h.i.+ne dolls)

That’s the uniform of the school.
Then, are these the students that is undergoing the graduation exam?

Just in case, for the sake of pa.s.sing through if an issue doesn’t arise with the students, I enter the shadow and lie low.

The students are arguing over something.

Let’s return to above quickly.
We should standby here.
We should go and help the people who remained below.

…….

There is an adult who is supposedly a teacher among the students, but he couldn’t take control at all.

Going to help, talking in such a way or so, I’m certain that there were some problem.

I took the school uniform borrowed from my backpack, and put on the black robe produced.

To the staff of the school, it isn’t something dodgy, it’s appeal.

And, I walk out in front of the group.

“h.e.l.lo, good day.”

Raising both hands, I appeal without any hostility.

I wonder if it isn’t necessary to go so far?

“W, Who!?”
“What, this guy? Why is there a student in such a place?”

The group becomes noisy to the sudden visitor.

I’m treated as a suspicious person to the utmost.
Well, it’s because it would be impossible for other people or such to exist originally.

Thanks to the friendly greeting and the school uniform, it’s already preferable that they are not making a racket going kyaa kyaa.

After that, I uttered a suitable lie of being told by the school staff to see how things are going, and they let it rest.

And, I asked about what there was.

Everyone began talking in their own way, crying and yelling, it’s truly pointless.

But still, when the contents are connected, I understood the rough situation.

They arrived without trouble to the stipulated 20th floor of the exam.
In fact, there was plenty of leeway.

And capitalizing on that leeway, it seems to have become a talk to search for an undiscovered section of the 20th floor and return.
And then, during the search for the undiscovered section, a door that was locked was discovered.
Because it has happened on occasions that valuable items were discovered in various places within the labyrinth so far, they started the unlocking operation and unlocked it wonderfully thinking that it must also be so here.

Entering the place within, huge golems are activated and started attacking, that’s the situation.

Sacrificing several people, the teacher and lord remained.
And the rumored genius magician.

While they acted as the decoy and fought, this group somehow managed to ascend to here now.

However, the teacher who had the map of the labyrinth is down in the lower floor, and the students do not know the way as the map the students filled out along the way is lost.

And thereupon, should they go and help and worrying about being a drag, or should they stay here, or aim for the surface a.s.sisted by just the memory seem to be the place where they were having trouble.

It may be more serious than I thought.

No, considering that it won’t be strange even if they were annihilated if they were careless, should I call the damage minimal?

“If I am to search for the remaining people underground, is there someone holding a map of this area?”

I asked the boy who seem to be the calmest while speaking.

“Y, yes.
The lord-sama who came to inspect should have an in-depth map……”

“Is that so, I got it. Thank you.”

It was yesterday morning that I felt the unusual phenomenon.
Then, a full day or more have pa.s.sed.

Is it already too late, or……

Although I do not know, I will have to go.

I separated from the group a little, and took out my smart phone from the backpack.

The battery is 20%. (TN: What kind of battery life is this, nokia?)

I basically don’t use it, and it can’t be helped because it was neglected as it’s troublesome to recharge with the hand crank.
For the time being, I should manage somehow even if it was exhausted as I brought the charger along.

I take a picture of the map I borrowed with the smart phone.
For now, just in case.

Although it can’t be checked clearly, it’s better than nothing.
I should manage with this even if a map is not found in the lower level.

I put the smart phone away and returned to the original group.

“I will go to the lower layer to help.
You all must return to the surface. I’ll hand over the map in my possession.”

Saying so, although he is a little unreliable, the map is pa.s.sed to the only teacher who remains.

“And then, for the sake of helping others, please split a little food and give them to me.
Since I can produce water with magic, it’s fine.”

Although I have about 1 week share for now, I don’t know how many people it can help.
Just what I have on hand would not be enough if it’s a large number.

Telling the matter of the existence of the map and that it’s fine to not return to the lower levels, cheers broke out.

I think it doesn’t mean to say that people who stayed back below doesn’t matter.
However, it cannot compare to one’s life.
I think it’s inevitable to rejoice about being saved.

Seeing off the group that begins moving towards the stairs, I shouldered the food that was received.

And, I used search.

It’s with all my power this time.

Even with all my power, the range my magic reaches is still small as expected.
However, it reaches up to 20th floor underground.

I do not see it clearly, but there is certainly people.
There is…..humans who are alive.

Confirming the structure and the road to the stairs, I began running.