GILF Hunter

Ian’s party unpacked their belongings at the camp and received a detailed explanation of the situation.

’When our exploration team found this place... these people had already taken up residence here.’

Attending the meeting inside the tent was Ellen from the exploration team.

And there was a blacksmith named Zeke, who possessed an appearance typical of a Southerner—someone anyone would immediately recognize as a blacksmith.

This meant that Zeke hadn’t been a local collaborator hired for the search, but had already been established here first.

’Were you also looking for ruins?’

’Ruins? We’ve been coming here since long before you lot. High-purity mana crystals come out of here, so we frequented the place.’

Zeke spoke with a look of displeasure, glancing toward Ellen.

’These folks started poking around a while ago. They said they wouldn’t interfere with our work, so I just let them be. But then they went and touched something they shouldn’t have! Now the cave’s in that state! Because of that, we haven’t been able to work for a long time!’

’...We agreed to provide as much compensation as possible.’

’It’s not about the money, I’m telling you we can’t get the materials! All our work has ground to a halt!’

Zeke pounded on the table, venting his temper at Ellen.

To be honest, it was true that there was no excuse once his anger was directed at the exploration team, so Ellen quietly averted her gaze.

It was a common occurrence during ruin explorations. In times like these, it was best to stay quiet without making excuses.

Once Zeke finished speaking, Ellen took over the explanation.

’We went deep into the interior of the cave. Besides traces of mining work, there were artificial marks leading further in. We were certain those were traces of ruins. Eventually, at the deepest end, we found a sealed door.’

’So you did discover the ruins.’

’Yes. We set up a temporary camp in front of it and began our investigation.’

Ellen explained while showing a simple map of the cave’s interior. A red circle marked the deepest part of the cave.

’No threats were detected in the preliminary hazard assessment. So we decided to open the entrance... but as soon as the seal was broken, erosion poured out from inside. It seems it was perfectly contained within the walls, to the point it couldn’t be picked up by detection magic.’

She explained that the moment the wall was opened, the erosion that had filled the interior gushed out.

The exploration team had fled immediately, and they hadn’t been able to re-enter, with the situation remaining the same until now.

Hearing that, Mika asked with a puzzled face.

’You’re saying it poured out when the door was opened... was erosion something that could be blocked by a stone wall like that?’

’Exactly, that’s the interesting point about this place.... Was there some technology or a special material capable of blocking erosion?’

At least among the technologies and materials discovered so far, none existed. There might be items with such properties, but none with meaningful economic feasibility for actual use.

If such a method existed, it would have been actively utilized in Labyrinth first.

’We couldn’t check because we fled in a hurry.... But perhaps technology similar to the Labyrinth’s was used.’

’Technology similar to... the Labyrinth?’

’Yes. We don’t know when or who built the Labyrinth, but... isn’t it perfectly containing the erosion inside?’

She suggested that the ruins might have been built around the same time as the Labyrinth.

Ian asked the two of them.

’By any chance, did any monsters come out from inside?’

’No. We’ve been watching from this camp, and at least no monsters have emerged from the cave.’

’Monsters never appeared around here to begin with.’

Zeke joined Ellen in confirming that no monsters had been seen.

If that was the case, this phenomenon... was more likely caused by an object inside the ruins rather than monsters.

Rin, who had been listening from the side, whispered to Ian.

’Then could there be a Magic Sword or something? It feels a bit similar to that place.’

’I’m not sure. We’ll have to go down and check for ourselves.’

Ian shook his head, as nothing particular came to mind this time.

While there were many dungeons hidden in cave-like terrains... he couldn’t recall a dungeon where erosion flowed out in this manner.

In any case, given the situation, there was only one way.

Rin and Ian, sharing the same thought, looked at each other and nodded.

＊　＊　＊

The day after arriving at the camp.

After briefly grasping the terrain using the map, Rin immediately put on a small backpack and set off into the cave.

’Then, I’ll head inside.’

’Be careful, as there might be traps inside the ruins. Just check the entrance, and if it looks strange, just come back out.’

’Yes. I’ll be back!’

Rin said that, waved, and entered the cave.

’What did you say...?’

Watching that scene with a stunned face, Zeke hurriedly approached Ian, tapping him as he asked.

’No, wait. You mercenary brat. You’re sending a person in bare-bodied without any proper protective gear?’

’There is no protective gear that properly blocks erosion anyway.’

’Do you think I’m saying this because I don’t know that!’

Zeke shouted at Ian, who gave such an obvious answer.

’I’m asking if you’re really sending her in there with nothing.’

’I can’t explain the details, but....’

The sound of that conversation drifted behind Rin.

Truthfully, it would be a shocking sight to those who didn’t know.

Listening to the kind of talk she had heard so often she was bored of it, Rin walked into the cave.

She had been slightly worried since it was a cave, but the structure wasn’t very complex.

The path didn’t branch out into a tangled mess but stretched straight in one direction, and even at the occasional forks, there were markers that made it easy to find the way.

They were left behind by the exploration team that had been working in this cave earlier.

Following the guidelines left by Ellen’s team as they went deeper, Rin reached the inner depths of the cave.

How far had she walked? Rin arrived at a somewhat spacious area.

This seemed to be the end of the cave Ellen had mentioned.

Perhaps because it was used as a camp by the exploration team, luggage was piled up. Because everyone had fled in a hurry, various pieces of equipment and data they couldn’t pack were scattered inside.

Rin took out a lighting orb from among the equipment and activated it.

The interior of the camp, which had been completely dark due to the cessation of work, was brightly lit once more.

’And... is it this way?’

The wall of the ruins that they said was opened was right near the camp.

A gap in the wall that had been cleanly cut open. Erosion was flowing out from there.

Rin stopped in front of it and pondered for a moment.

...The density of the erosion was quite high.

She had thought it was unusual when sensing it from the outside, but confirming it personally after coming down here, it was much worse.

Even in the deep floors, the only place with this level of density was where the boss had been at the end. Just what was inside here for things to be like this?

In the worst-case scenario... could a monster of a similar level be sealed here? Rin even had such thoughts as she swallowed hard.

With a tense expression, Rin held her breath and carefully poked her head inside.

’...Huh, what’s this?’

Looking inside the opened wall, Rin muttered those words to herself unconsciously.

It was a peaceful place where flowers, bushes, and trees were growing.

She had seen this kind of terrain a few times inside the Labyrinth, but the feeling here was different.

While plants inside the Labyrinth were a new ecosystem adapted to the Labyrinth environment, this place looked as if a part of an outside grassland had been lifted and moved directly here.

Rin discovered the form of something suspicious there.

Below a large tree in the center.

Something like a female silhouette was faintly emitting light.

’Is that... a person?’

It was a blurry shape. Rather than a living person, it was a ghost-like figure. It looked similar to the banshee she had seen before, but... it lacked the gloomy feeling unique to undead monsters.

And its appearance was also somewhat strange.

At a glance, it looked human, but looking closely, the appearance was slightly different from a human’s.

Long ears protruded through the long blonde hair.

Is it a spirit...?

Since it didn’t feel like a monster for now, Rin approached it cautiously while thinking that. She was ready to flee at any moment if necessary.

’Excuse me? Are you alive? Or are you a monster?’

’...Have you come?’

Hearing Rin’s voice, the translucent figure slowly opened its eyes.

’If you have broken through to this place, you must without a doubt be the hero of this era....’

Opening its eyes and seeing Rin, the mysterious figure suddenly faltered and stopped mid-sentence.

’The hero....’

...Hero??

The woman of that blurry form, who had been staring intently at Rin with a serious face, carefully asked her.

’...Hoo. Excuse me, but do you happen to have any other companions?’

For some reason, Rin felt slightly offended.

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