According to Yuika, the lowest floor of a Labyrinth had a unique atmosphere that was clearly recognizable just by stepping foot into it.
Rowe found that this was exactly right.
Even without being particularly conscious of it, he could keenly feel a powerful presence that was producing a vast amount of magic particles through his skin.
The lowest floor of a Labyrinth consists of a passageway and a room. Like a whirlpool, the passageway converges towards the inside from the outside and in that centre was the room where the lord of the Labyrinth was.
Given that the Luminescent Moss changed colour, it suggested that the recommended level was now 17, but that number was already meaningless.
The reason being that there are no monsters other than the Labyrinth Boss on the lowest floor.
With the final battle drawing close right before their eyes, there was a tenseness hanging about in the air — or so you might think, but this was a party of Adventurers who had risen to the position of Hero of the East. They were filled with curiosity about the unknown and excitement at the prospect of facing a strong enemy, not a single member was choked up with tension or worry.
As they walked down the long passageway, Rowe asked Yuika.
“Is it possible to test fight against the Tyros Dragon, pull back once, and then plan countermeasures?”
“Hm, that’s a very Darling-like way of thinking.”
But Yuika continued that this would be difficult to execute.
Labyrinth Bosses are generally intelligent labyrinth masters are generally intelligent and so they understand that letting Adventurers escape would increase the chances of their own defeat.
The two Labyrinth Bosses that “Twilight’s Sword” had fought — the Karakuya Dragon and the Ugal Dragon, both first blocked the passageway.
“And like in the battle with the Dark Smith, the Labyrinth Boss’ attacks are unpredictable, so if we hide in the passageway, it might have methods to attack us with monsters. In the worst case, there’s a risk the entire passageway might be targeted.”
Certainly, enclosed in a narrow space and receiving a powerful range attack would definitely result in them being caught in one fell swoop with no place to escape to.
“Besides…….”
Yuika’s eyes had a confident gleam.
“The battle against the Labyrinth Boss will be a battle to the die. If you fight even with the slightest feelings of withdrawing, you will be overcome in the end — you will lose.”
“Indeed.”
Nuuk agreed with a grave tone.
“The Labyrinth Boss does not possess a magic core. In other words, Princess’ [Phantasmagoric Needle] will be ineffective. It may be conventional, but the key will surely lie in using attack magic at the right time in conjunction with the movements of the vanguard.”
“Hyohoho. I am itching to put my skills to use.”
In the shallow or middle layers, Magikan’s enthusiasm was never seen, and he often stayed in mid-air and yawned, but now he had a large amount of mana potions attached to his belt, and he looked fully prepared.
“I hope it’s a soft one.”
Berii blurted out her desires.
Her weapons were light and excel at cutting. She wasn’t good with rock-type monsters with high defence, and she suffered a terrible defeat against a Gargoyle in their previous exploration.
This problem of compatibility was one where nothing could be done, so she could only pray to the heavens.
“I thought the magic core is the core from which a monster’s body is formed, or the thing that gives a monster its will, but this doesn’t seem to apply to the Labyrinth Boss, huh?”
Although Rowe did have some knowledge about Labyrinths due to his profession, there were still many things related to Labyrinths and monsters that he didn’t know about.
Since they were on the topic , he decided to ask about the Labyrinth Core.
“H~mm. Similar, but different to magic cores, I guess.”
According to Yuika, they first differed in size and colour.
Magic cores are dark purple, and generally speaking, the stronger the monster, the larger the magic core. For deep layer monsters, they’re about the size of a child’s fist.
But the colour of the Labyrinth Core is black.
Pitch black, reflecting no light, and by some unknown principle, spun around in the air while releasing massive amounts of magic particles.
The size of the Labyrinth Core was…….
“About, this big?”
Yuika made a large circle with both hands.
“Yeah, yeah. It was very tiring to [Accept]. It took much longer than beating the Labyrinth Boss. And it took 4 of us doing it together.”
The happy look on Berii’s face while recollecting was probably due to her sense of accomplishment at having overcome such a big ordeal.
There is a theory as to how monsters are generated in the labyrinth.
It is said that the Labyrinth Core releases an enormous amount of magic particles, and where that flow of magic particles settles is where monsters take shape.
If this theory is correct, the Labyrinth Core and magic cores might have a parent-child relationship.
As they discussed and exchanged their opinions as though in a class solving puzzles, they walked peacefully and eventually arrived at the end of the passageway.
“Berii, please cast ‘Enveloping Winds’ on the Minotaurs and Ogres.”
“Okay, leave it to me!’
This was to guard against breath attacks.
Currently, Yuika had 20 monsters under her command.
5 Minotaurs, 4 Ogres, 3 Skeleton Knights, 3 Basilisks, 1 Evil Eye, and finally, 4 Imps.
Although this group tended slightly towards physical attacks, it was a balanced composition that could also use magic attacks.
Moreover, they were also equipped with the powerful weapons left behind in the Demon Atelier.
When Berii finished casting the spells, Yuika looked at all the members of “Twilight’s Sword” and Lowe, then nodded reassuringly.
“Now, let’s slay the Dragon!”
With unwavering conviction and confidence.
Those words quietly ignited the members’ fighting spirits.
The final room was circular and narrower than Lowe had expected.
The entire space could be kept in sight.
Normally, the walls of rooms would be covered with Luminescent Moss, but the walls of this room appeared to be overgrown with a kind of green ivy. The ground was also covered with what looked like roots and stems.
This looks a little hard to move around, Rowe thought.
In advanced Adventurers’ battles in the deep layers, they relied heavily on using their Explosive Power to take evasive manoeuvres and to coordinate attacks with Clutches and Combos.
If they lost mobility, they might find themselves falling into unexpected predicaments.
The ceiling was high and only dim lights could be seen. There was only one passageway, the path from which they entered.
And there was a strange object growing in the centre of the room.
Its precise size was uncertain, but it was probably about as large as an adult human.
Its shape was a gnarled cylinder, green.
On its surface, something like small particles of light were moving up and down, tracing the surface of the object.
On its top, there were numerous faintly glowing leaf-like things growing that looked like hair.
–Plant-type, monster?
This seemed outside of Yuika’s expectations, and she did not immediately issue an order to attack, but instead, through a gap in the wall of monsters she controlled, she cast a piercing gaze.
<My……>
Two rounded, hollows appeared on the front of that cylindrical object.
In human terms, like eyes.
<Interfering with the duty of the Supreme Being, who dares?>
The voice was thin and high-pitched, like a young child’s.
It was unclear where that voice came from and it echoed fuzzily.
“I am Yuika. A human Adventurer.”
Undaunted, Yuika announced herself.
<Abominable wedge of the surface — puny insect that has received the power of the Earth Mother Goddess Galatica.>
A mysterious brown light injabited those two hollows.
<This one is the Undying Curse World Leaf Shambler…..>
The ground around its body cracked, and dozens of blue vines sprouted, writhing and squirming.
<Worms. You shall not escape.>
Countless vines appeared behind Rowe, blocking the path to the passageway.
If it had not been for their earlier discussion, they might have fallen into a mild panic. However, of course, Yuika had already thrown away the option of retreat.
“‘Oga 1’ to ‘Oga 4’, surround the enemy, focus attacks!”
Separately, Berii and Nuuk ran along the walls of the room. They looked to be carrying out the strategy of flanking the Labyrinth Boss.
Magikan rode on the shoulder of a Minotaur, and while holding a horn with a hand, waited for the right moment to use his magic.
The trigger for the final battle was now being pulled.
–
