A rustling noise echoed in the distance.
This often happened when following the traces of others.
Slowly, I approached the source of the sound, radiating magical energy to signal that I wasn’t hostile.
They had probably noticed me already, as a few scouting spells brushed past my turtle.
In a wide-open area formed by the intersection of several paths, a group of swordsmen had gathered.
Stepping out from the turtle, I greeted them.
Most were engrossed in honing their swords with magic and paid me no attention, though a few waved in acknowledgment.
Among them, a muscular man who stood at least three heads taller than the rest was particularly enthusiastic.
When we’d exchanged introductions before, he had called himself Goro.
Stepping forward from the group, Goro laughed loudly.
The thick stench of iron emanated from him.
“Hey there, good to see you!”
“It’s good to see you too. Meeting swordsmen like yourselves here puts me at ease.”
I glanced over the group.
Originally numbering over twenty, their ranks had been halved.
They, too, seemed worn down by the challenges of the labyrinth.
Even the once-formidable woman in their group appeared to have fallen behind, as she was nowhere to be seen.
“You must have had a rough time getting here,” I remarked.
The man offered a bitter smile.
“We had a few ambushes along the way. In the chaos of fighting, some other mages attacked us, dragging monsters along with them. It’s clear those beasts were under their control. Everyone got scattered in that mess, but we managed to regroup here for now.”
He smiled—a chilling, razor-sharp smile that seemed to dangle off the edge of his sword.
Within the metallic scent surrounding him, a faint undercurrent of blood lingered.
“Of course, we made sure to deal with those mages properly. At first, we tried to hold back, but after spending time in this labyrinth, I realized something. If they’re going to die anyway, they may as well disappear now, right? That way, we’re less burdened.”
“Oh, is that so? I’m glad to hear my suggestion to the professor proved useful. It seems it worked well for you.”
“No wonder I liked you from the start, Ron! Thanks to you, I feel so much better,” Goro said with a hearty laugh.
“I simply aim to make life easier for all participants,” I replied, forcing an awkward smile.
“Anyway, thanks are thanks. Just know that we’ve already decided to kill any of those attackers we come across. My group and I even agreed to hack off their limbs every time we encounter them. With that in mind, I wanted to ask you—do you think there’s any problem with planning ahead for the next lecture in this way?”
“There shouldn’t be any issue. We respect the choices of all participants,” I said diplomatically, though unease lingered in my mind.
‘I really hate making enemies,’ I thought.
Especially when those enemies are swordsmen.
They loved to gang up and attack, unlike the individualistic mages.
For swordsmen, grudges were collective matters.
‘Who were the fools who decided to attack these swordsmen? Did they underestimate them just because they couldn’t use magic to kill outright?’
Of course, I hadn’t anticipated how much freedom the labyrinth’s “dropout system” would give them.
Judging by the strong killing intent that lingered in their eyes, they must have endured quite a few hardships.
Still, it wasn’t my concern.
All of this was just part of the lecture.
***
While they rested, I explored the area cautiously.
Although it seemed safe for now, it was always better to be prepared.
I remembered a similar time when I’d rested among mages, only to have a horde of monsters suddenly swarm us.
The chaos had been overwhelming, and I barely managed to escape on my turtle, leaving everything behind.
Positioning my turtle discreetly near the group, I felt reassured.
These swordsmen seemed more than capable of handling any such situation.
I checked the turtle’s condition.
Surviving thus far had been largely thanks to the turtle.
Maintaining a constant connection with it had become so natural that it felt like an extension of my own body.
Gently, I stroked its shell.
Its body was covered in scars—a testament to the countless traps and monsters we’d faced.
Though I had followed paths others had taken to avoid the worst dangers, some threats couldn’t be avoided, like traps deliberately left behind to hinder those following or hidden monsters lying in wait.
Using magic, I began to mend the turtle’s wounds.
It was a painfully inefficient process; even using all my magic wouldn’t heal half of its injuries.
But there was no other choice.
The materials that had once filled my spatial pouch had all been used up just to make it this far.
This was the only way I could keep the turtle going, even a little longer.
***
After some time, I felt a signal from one of my coffin dolls.
Slowly, it approached from the direction I’d come, looking battered and worn, with cracks running through its structure.
The coffin dolls had suffered greatly as well.
Only about fifty of them still wandered the labyrinth, while more than twice that number had been lost.
Roughly fifteen had been irretrievably lost to areas I couldn’t reach or had vanished due to the labyrinth’s shifting nature.
Thus, I didn’t expect much from the approaching coffin doll.
Still, when I opened it, I was surprised to find a living person inside.
It was Jun—a familiar face.
This was the fifth time he’d survived.
‘What an incredibly tenacious person,’ I thought, feeling a mix of admiration and exasperation.
Feeling generous, I casually mentioned a bit of information about potential treasures, careful not to overstep my boundaries with the professor.
Just a few vague hints.
As expected, Jun eagerly set out in search of the treasure, only to return like this—carried by a coffin doll.
The cycle repeated itself.
He would borrow another doll and rush off again, seemingly tireless.
It was, in its way, a perfect cycle: beneficial to both of us.
Once, I’d asked him why he kept risking his life like this.
He had replied that merely observing the traps’ magic circles and studying them was immensely rewarding.
That explained his reckless persistence.
But this cycle, too, would soon come to an end.
Time was running out, and there were less than two hours left.
Dropouts had dwindled, and the arrival of coffin dolls became increasingly rare.
Most people were conserving their energy, huddled in safe spots.
Everyone knew the labyrinth was about to undergo another massive change.
This would be the third transformation.
The labyrinth had almost been fully explored.
I could feel it in my bones.
Most traps were gone, and many paths led toward what seemed to be the endpoint.
Reaching that end would undoubtedly trigger the transformation, as the previous two had demonstrated.
And there would be many ready to seize that moment.
***
“So, are you heading to the clearing too?” Goro asked, watching as I tended to my turtle.
It seemed he also knew what was coming.
After all, anyone who had sensed the battle during the last transformation could guess the location of the treasure.
The second transformation had been intense.
Hong Ryeong and her group had taken over the clearing, driving out all other mages.
When the transformation began, an enormous surge of magic erupted from the clearing, continuing until the transformation ended.
The entire labyrinth had felt it.
When it was over, the labyrinth’s scale had significantly shrunk, likely due to the aftermath of the battle.
Since then, Hong Ryeong’s group had held the clearing, allowing no one else inside.
Thus, everyone else had been left to wander the labyrinth.
But, like these swordsmen, it was clear they’d all make their way to the clearing when the next fight began.
That was just the nature of mages.
“Haha, not at all. Someone like me wouldn’t dare. I plan to quietly observe from this corner until it’s all over,” I said, waving my hands dismissively.
“That’s a shame,” Goro replied. “Well, we’ll be heading out now. It feels like it’ll start soon.”
He glanced toward the clearing’s direction, his expression steeling for the battle ahead.
The blue aura of killing intent radiated from his sword, as did the other swordsmen’s weapons, now prepared and sharpened.
I watched them leave, bidding them farewell, and continued adjusting the turtle.
‘Would I be crazy to head to the clearing? If I go there now, I’m guaranteed to get crushed by some trap. I’d rather die than go there. No, not even death could make me go.’
In the end, I went.