Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 16 (Part 2): Let’s Fight (3)

Meanwhile, at a fast-food joint in the training grounds. S-tier Ryu Yeon-hwa, Lee Jun-ho, and Seo Ji-woo had ordered burgers together.

“Hey, mix it up.”

As soon as they got their meals, Seo Ji-woo cheerfully mixed the fries. Ryu Yeon-hwa frowned and asked, “Why mix them?”

“That’s how you’re supposed to eat them. They’re all large anyway.”

“Ask before you mix.”

“Ugh, fine. I’ll separate them again.”

As Seo Ji-woo started to use her magic to restore the fries—

“Forget it. Just eat.”

Ryu Yeon-hwa stopped her. Seo Ji-woo glared and cursed under her breath.

Lee Jun-ho chuckled as he watched the two. They hadn’t changed a bit.

Seo Ji-woo narrowed her eyes. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing~ Just reminiscing.”

The three were alumni of Seoul Special Exploration High School. Of course, Ryu Yeon-hwa and Seo Ji-woo had shown early talent in magic and transferred to the Magic School, but Seoul Magic School and Seoul Special Exploration High were right next to each other.

They’d practically spent their school years together.

“Reminiscing, my a*s. All I remember is getting chewed out.”

Seo Ji-woo busily ate her fries while looking out the window.

Suddenly, her hand stopped. Her gaze fixed on something. Ryu Yeon-hwa and Lee Jun-ho followed her line of sight.

There was the 96th-ranked mage.

Seol Ha-woon, limping down the mountain with his cane.

Seo Ji-woo watched his awkward gait for a long time.

“Don’t mind him.”

Lee Jun-ho picked up his burger and spoke. Seo Ji-woo’s eyes quietly shifted.

“He’s rank 96. He’ll get, what, five minutes of airtime?”

“…You don’t get it. There’s something about him.”

Seo Ji-woo had checked the level test records. Seol Ha-woon had taken over three hours, but his number of hits and trap exposures were zero.

That’s no small feat.

Lee Jun-ho scoffed. “What’s so special? The guy’s got a limp. Classic rank 96.”

He took a bite of his burger.

Seo Ji-woo shook her head. “That’s why you’re a blockhead. He’s the only one who didn’t trigger any traps in the level test.”

Blockhead. Lee Jun-ho’s lips twitched. He put down his burger and muttered, “Isn’t that just because he’s ex-UDT?”

Seo Ji-woo’s expression hardened. She glared at him sharply. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing much.”

Lee Jun-ho shrugged, but Seo Ji-woo’s smile deepened. It was a habit when she was angry.

She leaned forward. “Nothing much, huh? You meant something by that.”

“……”

Lee Jun-ho scratched his head silently, and Seo Ji-woo looked like she was about to start a fight, whether on air or not.

“Oh?!”

Ryu Yeon-hwa suddenly extended her smartphone.

“The profiles are up.”

“…Profiles? What profiles?”

Seo Ji-woo asked. Lee Jun-ho pulled out his phone and answered instead.

“The PDs said they’d start releasing the explorers’ profiles today, remember?”

—

* * *

[Labyrinth Exploration NaN Explorer Profiles Released!]

Some people didn’t even know about the release schedule, while others had been waiting eagerly. The profiles of the explorers were finally uploaded.

Not all of them, just 15 for now.

“…Finally.”

Isia, ID: RollingShuttleCock. A core fan of the *Labyrinth Exploration* series, she had refreshed the page 580 times before finally accessing the profiles.

—

**The Space-Burning Warrior**
◇ Lee Jun-ho
Blood Type: B
MBTI: ENFP
Height: 184.3 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Hobbies: Composing, reading, boxing
Specialty: Justice Execution
Pledge: I will move forward without looking back.

[] Lee Jun-ho’s 1-minute self-introduction video

—

**The Swordsman Who Stepped Out of a Manga**
◇ Kang Hyun
Blood Type: A
MBTI: INTJ
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 84 kg
Hobbies: Hunting, fishing
Specialty: Drawing
Pledge: I will do my best.

[] Kang Hyun’s 1-minute self-introduction video

—

Usually, the explorers revealed on the first day are the main ones. The profiles included Lee Jun-ho, Kang Hyun, Seo Ji-woo, Ryu Yeon-hwa, Yoon Hwa-rim—all of them stunning, skilled, and outstanding.

But then.

—

**Ex-UDT Mage**
◇ Seol Ha-woon
Age: 27
Height: 187 cm
Weight: 63 kg
MBTI: ISTJ
Hobbies: Shooting
Specialty: Staying still
Pledge: I will show you potential that overcomes my handicap.

[] Seol Ha-woon’s 1-minute self-introduction video

—

Seol Ha-woon?

Even Isia, who was well-versed in the exploration scene, didn’t know him.

His background was unusual. An ex-UDT mage. His profile picture had a certain vibe—long, untamed hair and a raw, unfiltered look.

“……”

Isia, with her dark-circled eyes, played Seol Ha-woon’s self-introduction video.

—

“Greetings. I’m Seol Ha-woon, a mage. Due to an accident during active duty, I was discharged from service, but I’ve come here to start the second chapter of my life. ──

—

He was good-looking, but not exceptionally so. His proportions were solid but skeletal-thin, and he leaned on a cane.

—

──Of course, nothing comes for free. I came here to earn everything through my own efforts. I won’t shy away from any challenge.”

—

Not exactly fandom material. Why was he on the first page?

—

──”To all the national scouts out there.

—

Just as she thought that, he pointed a finger at the camera.

—

──Please vote for me.”

—

*Bang.* Mana shot from his finger like a real bullet, hitting the lens. Isia jerked her head back.

“…Whoa.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately logged into the community.

Core fans don’t overthink. Typing comes first, uploading comes next. They’ve long passed the stage of thinking while fanning.

—

[Labyrinth Exploration Explorer Profiles: 15 Revealed]
1. Lee Jun-ho
The Space-Burning Warrior https://ieonet.cadbridg1
2. Kang Hyun
The Swordsman Who Stepped Out of a Manga https://ieonet.cadbridg2

She wrote about Lee Jun-ho and Kang Hyun first, but the third one was…

—

3. Seol Ha-woon
Ex-UDT Mage https://ionet.cadbridg15

She posted about Seol Ha-woon.

The order of these posts matters. There’s a reason why “TL;DR” exists.

*Click.*

Isia uploaded the post.

About two minutes later.

—

─Who’s Seol Ha-woon?

—

A comment popped up immediately. Isia replied from another account.

└He’s ex-UDT, but he has issues with his left leg. He walks with a cane.
└Huh? Can someone like that even clear a labyrinth?
└If he’s here, he must be capable, right??

—

More comments followed.

─Lee Jun-ho is such a hottie lol
─Kang Hyun has the best looks though?
└I was shocked when his video started.
└Heart attack material
─Super hyped
─What was that thing Seol Ha-woon shot at the camera?? I was so Freaked out
└He used magic to shoot, lol. Ex-soldier vibes haha.

—

“……”

Most buzz was for the already-famous prospects, but Seol Ha-woon got a decent share too.

Isia replayed Seol Ha-woon’s video.

—

──I’m Seol Ha-woon, a mage. Due to an accident during active duty, I was discharged from service, but I’ve come here to start the second chapter of my life.…

—

Maybe it was because he was a first-of-his-kind character in this scene. Or because she had no immunity to someone so new.

His weary, broken vibe struck a chord.

Isia chewed her lip and played the video again.

Dangun

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