Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139844414118669/episodes/2912051595692958615
The moment I stepped through the entrance to the labyrinth, the air changed.
It was a cold, slightly damp air, unlike the crisp air outside. The scent of earth rose from the ground, and a sickening flow of magic seemed to cling to my entire body.
It wasn’t as intense as the Primordial Labyrinth, but I had a vague feeling that I was being watched.
“Be careful. It gets really steep down here.”
I hear Rio’s voice from the front of the group.
When I look ahead at her words, I see a steep downhill slope just as she described. There’s nothing like the spiral staircases of the Primordial Labyrinth; it’s a rough, steep incline with exposed strata and bare rock.
There was no proper footing to speak of, and in some places, the soil had crumbled, making it look like my shoes might slip.
“Somehow, this feels more like a cave than a labyrinth…”
“Hahaha. After the Primordial Labyrinth, I guess it does feel that way.”
Rio replied in a lighthearted tone to Liene, who was walking a little ahead of us.
“D-rank labyrinths are just like this. In older labyrinths from B-rank and up, the passages are usually laid out much more like proper pathways.”
Saying this, Rio descended with practiced ease.
There was not a hint of danger in her stride. In the blink of an eye, she reached the bottom of the slope and leaped down into the small clearing at the foot of the hillside.
She turned around on the spot and looked up at us,
“That spot’s a little slippery, you know!”
Rio’s warning came flying at me.
I looked down at the spot her slender finger was pointing at, and sure enough, the soil was crumbling. It looked unstable enough that if I stepped on it, my foot would likely get caught.
“That rock protrusion over there. You should step on that!”
Speaking in a light tone, she pointed to a small rock halfway down the slope.
When I moved my foot as she said, it was indeed more stable there. I could shift my weight onto it much more firmly than I could on the loose soil.
And so, relying on Rio’s advice, I made my way all the way down the slope.
After clearing the final step and landing on the floor with a small bounce, I turned my gaze toward Rio.
“Thanks. You really saved me…”
“Hehe. You’re welcome!”
After I thanked her, she puffed out her chest proudly.
“Rio, you’re really used to this. You’re quick to judge the footing.”
Liene, who had come down behind us, remarked with admiration.
Rio smiled broadly, clasping her hands behind her head, and said,
“I used to come to places like this with my grandpa all the time.”
“For magical artifact research?”
“Yeah.”
Nodding lightly, Rio traced the walls of the labyrinth with her finger.
“We were also gathering materials for magical artifact research—”
She stopped speaking for just a moment.
The tip of her finger, which had been tracing the wall’s surface, slowed its movement slightly.
“…I used to tag along on Grandpa’s surveys, too. We’d often explore places like old ruins, crumbling caves, and other spots with rough terrain like this.”
Saying that, she shrugged her shoulders and smiled cheerfully with her usual “heh heh” laugh.
“So I got used to it.”
“…I see.”
I replied briefly, deliberately looking away from Rio.
It was only for a split second, but I’d noticed her words had faltered. Her fingertips, which had been tracing the wall, paused slightly, and the tone of her voice had grown faintly subdued.
But pointing that out would be tactless.
She’d just had a falling-out with her grandfather, so it was only natural she’d have a lot on her mind.
That’s precisely why I chose not to press the matter further, instead letting my gaze wander around the surroundings as if nothing had happened.
“I suppose this is where the real maze begins…”
At the bottom of the slope lay a space resembling a small cavern.
The ceiling was low, with rocks jutting out here and there. Damp earth clung to the walls, and the sound of droplets—likely groundwater—plopping onto the floor echoed through the space.
The sunlight filtering in from above was faint and distant.
Instead, the labyrinth was illuminated by the pale blue moss growing from the ceiling and walls. Its faint, hazy glow was a bit too unreliable to depend on.
(Come to think of it, weren’t the lower-level labyrinths pitch black in the game, too…?)
As I looked around, lost in such thoughts, someone tugged lightly at my sleeve.
When I looked, Rio was holding onto my sleeve, and in her free hand, she was clutching a magical item that resembled the coordinate stakes I’d seen outside.
It was a long, slender rod-shaped magical item with a white magic stone embedded at the tip.
“Rai, try infusing a little magic into this.”
“What’s this…?”
“Hehe, it’s one of the magical tools I invented! The Light-Guiding Staff! Just like the name says, when you infuse it with magic, the magic stone at the tip glows and lights up the area around it! —Oh, but don’t put too much magic into it, okay? It’ll shine too brightly and make your eyes hurt.”
I infused a little magic into it as she said, and just as she explained, the magic stone began to glow.
The dimly lit labyrinth was suddenly bathed in light as if illuminated by the sun.
The white light emitted from the magic stone at the tip spread rapidly outward from the rod-shaped magical tool. The faint, feeble glow of the moss was instantly overshadowed, and the damp rock walls, the stalactites hanging from the ceiling, and even the fine gravel at my feet all came into sharp relief.
“That’s amazing…”
“Yes… It’s brighter than a magic stone lamp, let alone a torch.”
Hearing my words slip out involuntarily, Liene also looked around and let out a gasp of admiration.
I could see the condition of the ground at a glance, and I’d be less likely to overlook monsters lurking in the shadows. Besides, it would probably be useful for discovering traps and treasure chests as well…
As a magical tool for exploration, it was undoubtedly excellent.
(There wasn’t an item this convenient in the original story, was there…)
I chuckled wryly as I thought that.
In the dungeon exploration of CHOICE//MAZE, torches or dimly lit magic stone lamps were the norm. Visibility was always dim, forcing us to proceed with constant caution.
Just as I was lost in thoughts about the original game, a series of “thudding” sounds, like multiple footsteps, echoed from deep within the labyrinth.
When I turned my gaze in that direction, I could make out several shadows lurking in the shadows behind the rocks at the far end of the passage.
Lizard-like monsters the size of dogs, and spider-like monsters crawling along the ceiling.
There were also some weaker monsters, like slimes—but most of them were shaking their heads as if dazzled, frantically thrashing about on the spot.
“Lord Rai, what are those…?”
“…I suppose they were planning to ambush us.”
I answered Liene, who looked confused, with a wry smile.
As far as I could tell, most of the monsters in my field of vision were the kind that specialized in so-called “ambushes,” striking their prey while hidden in the darkness. I’d often run into them while exploring in the game, and back in the early days, they’d attack from the shadows, making me scream in sheer helplessness.
And right now, right before our eyes, those very creatures were making fools of themselves.
The lizard-like monster that emerged from behind a rock narrowed its gleaming yellow eyes and swiveled its head around, while the slime crawling on the floor wriggled its body as if trying to avoid the light. As for the spider-like monster crawling on the ceiling, it was flapping its legs and about to fall.
It’s safe to say they’ve completely missed their chance for a surprise attack.
“Liene. Are you ready?”
“Y-yes…! Leave it to me.”
When I spoke to Liene, who looked slightly dazed, she immediately regained her composure and materialized her weapon.
“…Haaah!!”
Then, she kicked off the floor and charged straight toward the horde of monsters.
She sprinted down the light-filled corridor, closing the distance between herself and the monsters. With that same momentum, she swung her greatsword down, mercilessly shattering the head of a lizard-like monster that still seemed dazed.
The impact shattered the floor, and the surrounding monsters were blown away.
“Liene!”
“Yes!”
At my call, Liene leapt back from where she stood.
Just as she vanished from my line of sight, I cast a wind attack spell. Blades of wind shot from my cupped palm, slicing through the monsters’ necks, torsos, and limbs—without mercy.
In just a few moments.
That was all it took for every shadow writhing in the passageway to vanish.
All that remained was blood and bodily fluids caked onto the damp rock walls, and the quiet sound of dripping groundwater.
“…It’s over.”
Liene, who had leaped back, landed and announced this while keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings.
I, too, looked further into the depths while still holding up my light-guiding staff, but I could detect no new signs of life.
“Yeah. We’ve got them all.”
Upon hearing my reply, Line let out a small sigh and lowered her greatsword.
In the passageway illuminated by the light, there was not a single moving thing left. The monsters, who had likely intended to launch a surprise attack, ended up unable to mount a proper counterattack.
“……Wow.”
From behind me, I heard a voice that sounded impressed.
Turning around, she saw Rio staring at her with wide eyes. Then, shifting his gaze to the fallen monsters, his face immediately lit up.
“You two really are something else!”
“……No, it’s all thanks to Rio’s invention.”
Upon hearing this, Rio blinked in surprise for a moment—and the next, his face beamed with joy.
“Huh, really!? Hehehe… O-oh, I see. I’m glad it was useful!”
As if trying to hide her embarrassment, she rubbed the bridge of her nose with her finger, but she couldn’t quite hide the smile spreading across her cheeks. She was probably happiest of all that her invention had actually come in handy.
“Yes. Without that light, we might have been caught off guard by them by now.”
Liene nodded in agreement as she sheathed her greatsword.
“Having a clear line of sight is a huge advantage in itself. It lets us check the terrain, and it makes it easier to deal with traps or monsters hiding in the shadows.”
“See? I told you! my invention really is the best!”
Seeing Rio puff out her chest and snort triumphantly, I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
It was as if her expression had never clouded over even slightly when she mentioned her grandfather just a moment ago; right now, she was in high spirits.
“At this rate, it looks like we’ll be able to make good progress further in.”
“Yeah! Leave it to me, Rai! The Light-Guiding Staff still has plenty of power left! It won’t disappear as long as your magic doesn’t run out, so don’t worry!”
I nodded at Rio, who stood with her chest puffed out, clearly satisfied with the performance of the magical tool she’d created, and increased the magical power I was channeling into the Light-Guiding Staff slightly.
The white light stopped flickering and stretched straight to the far end of the narrow passageway.
The eerie atmosphere emanating from the labyrinth itself remained as strong as ever.
But just having that light pushing back against the darkness, along with the presence of my companions walking beside me, somehow made my heart feel lighter.
“Alright, let’s keep up the good work and explore!”
Rio, who had taken the lead, said this in her usual cheerful voice and started walking.
Following her, we too moved deeper into the labyrinth.
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