Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 62 (Part 2): Let You Down (10)

From years of experience, the most terrifying thing on a battlefield is a bombardment. Whether it’s a muscle-bound warrior boasting their strength or a martial artist honed in defensive techniques, a hypersonic missile strike levels them all equally. Their mana and body explode in unison.

My skills can’t yet replicate a missile of that caliber.

But I can mimic something close.

A self-destruct sequence sending dozens of drones into the fray. To enemies without air superiority, it’s a catastrophe.

*Snap.*

I flicked my fingers. Drones lurking in the darkness of the night sky froze. Sharpened steel blades glinted as if peering down at the enemies below.

And then—

*Shweeeeek─*

They plummeted at near-sonic speeds, bombarding the enemy. Mana explosions set the air ablaze.

*Boom─ Boom─ Ka-boom─*

The simultaneous airstrike threw the enemies into disarray, and Kate didn’t miss her chance.

Her spear pierced through their scattered ranks. Kim Doo-gyeom’s sword knocked enemies unconscious.

For the record, Kim Doo-gyeom wields a reverse-blade sword. I don’t know what manga he’s been reading, but he insists he won’t kill, even if they’re labyrinth dwellers.

What a ridiculous concept for a ridiculous bastard.

“…”

I surveyed the battlefield alone. Suddenly, I felt a gaze.

Down below, someone was staring at me.

The distance was vast.

Absurdly far, yet we were undeniably locking eyes.

Kang Hyun.

He crouched, ready to sprint. Mana rose from his body like steam.

Dangerous.

I aimed my sniper rifle at him and pulled the trigger. The motion was fluid, seamless.

*Bang!*

A bullet infused with maximum mana fired. At the same moment, Kang Hyun’s form shot forward.

His speed was that of a bullet.

A mere human charging like a projectile. Enveloped in a blue aura, he flew toward me like a flash, a meteor.

*Shwooooosh…*

Kang Hyun narrowly dodged my bullet, passing it like a crosswind.

I’d anticipated this. Against an overly agile opponent, large-caliber rounds often miss, so I’d added an option.

*Ka-boom!*

The bullet exploded at Kang Hyun’s side. He staggered briefly, but that was all. His speed didn’t falter.

In the blink of an eye.

He reached me.

A broadsword gripped in both hands surged toward me. *Krrk-krrk.* The blade, spinning in reverse, burned vividly into my retinas.

I looked at Kang Hyun beyond the sword.q

One last move remained.

I knew you’d make it this far.

*─Snap.*

The diagonally slashing sword halted near my waist. The wind from the blade broke my ribs. Blood trickled from my mouth.

One step.

Close enough for our noses to touch.

At that minuscule distance, Kang Hyun stared into my eyes. I gazed back impassively. His eyes brimmed with suspicion and wariness.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“…You managed to stop.”

People don’t realize. More important than acceleration is deceleration.

Speed doesn’t matter. Control does.

In that sense, Kang Hyun maintained his rationality perfectly. He heeded his instincts’ warning and stopped his blade.

I grew curious.

If Kang Hyun had sliced through my waist, my body would surely have been cleaved in two.

Would I have died, or would the system, in that near-zero moment as the blade cut me, forcibly teleport me to safety?

“You’ve linked a spell.”

Kang Hyun spoke.

“Yeah. I set up a trap. If I take serious damage, it’ll activate.”

The spell woven into this entire rocky hill is tied to my sequence. The moment my nervous system detects unbearable pain or near-death danger, the hill explodes.

“The trade-off’s pretty nasty.”

Spell casting roughly follows the principle of equivalent exchange. That’s the nature of its power.

The human heart grows stronger in sorrow than in joy, and stronger still in pain. The same applies to mages, so a spell fueled by my body as a catalyst could easily consume Kang Hyun.

“Too late now. The moment you chose me, it was over.”

The enemy’s main force is already half-destroyed, thanks to Kate’s skill.

Kang Hyun’s winning formula was to cut me down in one stroke, without wasting a moment, and return to subdue Kate.

That was likely his plan. But to do so, he couldn’t afford to be delayed by me for even a minute.

“…….”

“…”

Kang Hyun stared at me silently. His eyes were clear. Not a speck of dust marred his skin.

In contrast, the me reflected in his eyes was a mess. Blood in my mouth, covered in dirt.

*Shrring.*

Kang Hyun sheathed his sword. Without a word, he turned.

*Crunch, crunch.* His steps down the rocky hill were slow.

Was he avoiding a fight with no chance of victory?

Abandoning his allies seemed cold, yet oddly not calculated.

“…Ugh. This really hurts like hell.”

Once Kang Hyun was gone, I clutched my side. Judging by the pain, three or four ribs were broken.

To think a mere sword’s wind did this. What a pathetic body.

“Ah…”

I looked up at the sky.

A memory for one star, love for another, loneliness for another. Counting the stars, I rose.

“Now…”

I have to go back.

I should go back.

“…Tch.”

I thought of ‘Sier.’

If I return now, the mission is complete, and I’ll earn WP.

But something feels off. A professional paranoia, a nagging suspicion, keeps poking at my brain.

No choice, then.

I drew my combat knife. I sliced open my forearm. *Drip, drip, drip.* Blood flowed.

When enough pooled on the ground, I used blood spell. The blood bubbled, deepening into a puddle.

A deception.

I lost to Kang Hyun, and Kang Hyun fled.

A sort of playing dead… well.

It’ll do.

After staunching the wound, I limped down the rocky hill.

Dangun

I'm currently Translating the following novels: "Labyrinth Exploration 101" & "The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring " If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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