Unlike Alje’s usual approach of smashing bugs to death with sheer force, this time there wasn’t even a splatter of bug fluid — a clean and efficient job.
As Hans kicked several more of the immobilized creatures out of the nest like they were nothing more than balls, the area outside the nesting ground soon filled with overturned Executioner Bugs, squirming helplessly on their backs.
Alje’s admiration for Hans’s skill only lasted a moment before the sheer disgusting sight overwhelmed her.
She recoiled, stepping far back from the growing pile of writhing insects.
Still, she managed to show remarkable restraint — she didn’t stomp on Hans’s hard-earned “catch.”
That, in itself, was significant progress.
“We’re in luck.”
Hans’s voice called out in satisfaction as he kept moving through the nest without a pause.
The Executioner Bugs had already burst out in full force, and yet they still couldn’t catch the nimble human dancing through their midst.
Now, even their larvae were starting to wriggle their way out from underground.
The larvae looked like grotesquely enlarged maggots — a hundred times bigger than they had any right to be.
Despite their sluggish appearance, they were surprisingly quick both above and below ground, and their teeth were the precursor to the fearsome jaws of their adult form.
Even without the help of the larger bugs, they could slowly gnaw through stone, and compared to that, human flesh was far easier to rip apart.
Of course, if the adult Executioner Bug’s jaws caught you, there wouldn’t even be enough left to rip apart.
But for all their speed, the larvae still weren’t much of a threat.
Thwack!
Unlike the armored adult bugs, the larvae’s flesh was soft and vulnerable.
Hans’s sword pierced through one with ease.
It writhed for a moment, then went still.
A little bug fluid splattered this time — unpleasant, but worth it.
With one final thrust through the last larva, Hans hummed a cheerful tune as he stepped out of the nest.
The labyrinth was harsh, but it was also a treasure trove of resources.
Today’s haul: eight immobilized Executioner Bugs and one larva corpse.
“Ugh. What are you even going to do with those?”
Alje’s question was a reasonable one — but in the end, anything could be useful in the right hands.
Hans left the nest behind.
These creatures focused more on survival than pursuit, so they didn’t chase him far.
Even after losing their kind — perhaps even their siblings — the bugs’ simple minds had no concept of revenge.
“Huff… Huff…”
Once they were a safe distance away, Hans took a moment to catch his breath.
Dodging the relentless attacks of so many Executioner Bugs had been an impressive display of agility — but it had also taken serious focus and stamina.
Only after his breathing steadied did he finally answer Alje’s question.
“Oh, right. You’re still here. Alje, could you give me a hand?”
“Huh?”
That wasn’t really an answer at all — but Alje was too earnest to get annoyed about being ignored.
She just followed his lead.
“We need to break off their jaws. It’d be a pain if I did it myself — takes too much time and effort.”
“…Fine.”
“Thanks. Just make sure you only take the jaws, nothing else.”
If Hans did it, it would mean carefully prying at the joints with a dagger — a slow and painstaking process that would take hours.
But if Alje did it?
The girl clearly hated the idea of getting anywhere near the bugs — but her desire to help Hans won out.
Scowling fiercely, she lifted her foot.
Her boots were already a mess of blood, bug fluids, and filth from their journey — so it hardly mattered anymore.
They’d been through rough terrain.
Once they got back to the city, she’d definitely need to buy a new pair.
But that very mess made it easier to do what needed to be done.
Crunch!
Crunch!
Crunch!
Crunch!
One kick per bug.
Alje’s perfect control of her strength made it look effortless as the Executioner Bugs’ powerful jaws shattered under her heel.
Even more impressive than her precision, though, was her raw strength.
Among high-level monsters, there were certainly those with similar or greater power — but none of them were this… small.
Still, Hans shook off that unsettling thought and instead offered sincere gratitude.
“Thanks. You’re amazing, as always.”
“Eugh…”
But Alje was too busy recoiling from the sticky sensation clinging to her soles to properly enjoy the compliment.
As she furiously scraped her foot against the ground, Hans started gathering the now jawless Executioner Bugs.
They were small, but heavy.
Carrying all eight at once would be a challenge even for Hans.
He could ask Alje for help — but seeing how much she despised the bugs, that would just be cruel.
“So… what are you collecting these things for, anyway?”
“Huh? I didn’t tell you?”
“No, you didn’t!”
Scratching his head sheepishly, Hans realized he’d completely forgotten to explain.
He’d been so focused on his own thoughts that it slipped his mind entirely.
Years of working alone had left him unused to teamwork.
Not that things were any different for those who worked in groups — in that world, betrayal and deception were commonplace.
It was that very reality that had driven Hans to leave and go solo in the first place.
“Alright, alright. My bad. I’ll explain the plan.”
But Alje was different.
Even if humans couldn’t be trusted, maybe — just maybe — a demon could.
It was ridiculous, sure.
But if Hans hadn’t trusted her even a little, there’s no way he’d have brought a monster into a human city.
Besides, if Alje had ever wanted him dead, she’d had plenty of opportunities.
And yet Hans was still alive.
So why not trust her with something as simple as this?
“We can’t hunt the First-Winged Angel on our own — you know that, right?”
“Yeah… but there’s gotta be some way, right?”
“Cheap tricks won’t work. That thing’s a real monster.”
Even the Executioner Bugs were terrifying enough when fully grown — but the First-Winged Angel was the kind of creature that could casually lift one of those multi-meter beasts with its bare hands and tear it apart like paper.
Hans had seen it happen — and the trauma had been so intense, he spent the next month giving up hunting entirely, settling for the much safer life of a forager.
Of course, his spending habits didn’t quite agree with that lifestyle, so in the end, he was forced to return to hunting.
Still, the sheer strength of that creature had left its mark.
“But our goal isn’t to kill the First-Winged Angel, remember?”
“Huh?”
“We just need to collect its feathers.”
If you can’t win a fight, the simplest solution is not to fight at all.
As realization dawned on Alje’s face, Hans flashed a grin and gestured toward the still-squirming Executioner Bugs.
“These guys? They’re the First-Winged Angel’s favorite snack.”
*
Of course, that was just step one of the plan.
There was still much more to prepare.
The Executioner Bugs, their once-formidable jaws now shattered and useless, twitched and writhed before finally curling up into tight, ball-like shapes, tucking their eight legs close to their bodies.
They were far slower in this state — but their monstrous vitality and regenerative abilities were already starting to kick in.
From the broken stumps of their jaws, new growth was beginning to emerge.
But because they hadn’t fully matured yet, their regeneration came with a cost — they entered a near-dormant state while their bodies repaired themselves.
In their nesting grounds, their fellow bugs would have protected them through this vulnerable period…but Hans had dragged them out into the open.
There was no one left to guard them.
One by one, Hans began rolling the ball-like creatures across the rocky terrain, moving them a few at a time.
He placed them in an area between the mushroom-shaped rock formations and the cave they were using as their base.
It wasn’t a wide-open space, but it offered just enough cover to keep the bugs mostly hidden.
And since they were in their defensive state, their hardened shells would protect them from most ordinary monsters.
If something strong enough came along to break through those shells… well, that would just be bad luck.
“Next up…”
Naturally, the preparations weren’t finished yet.
Hans pulled out a map and gave the area a quick once-over.
It wasn’t the kind of map made by professional guides — just a rough, hand-drawn sketch based on his own observations.
Messy and barely legible to anyone but the one who made it.
But since that person was Hans himself, there was no issue.
He already had the local terrain committed to memory — the map was just a reminder.
Their next destination lay to the east, following the border between the forest and rocky terrain, and up toward the marshlands.
There, they needed to gather a few Sticky Fistvine Fruits.
Nothing too difficult.
A simple errand, really.
But.
“Okay! Where are we off to next, Hans?”
Hans really did prefer working alone.
It wasn’t just because he’d grown unused to teamwork after so many years — though that certainly played a part.
The bigger issue was Alje herself.
Not that there was anything wrong with the girl.
If anything, the problem was entirely on Hans’s side.
“Alje.”
“Huh? Why the serious tone all of a sudden?”
The labyrinth was a dangerous place, where death lurked around every corner.
Survival demanded constant alertness — and in turn, that sharpened instinct often dulled reason.
Even for someone like Hans — a man with an unusually strong survival instinct — there were limits.
Of course, this part of the labyrinth wasn’t so dangerous for a seasoned hunter like him.
Not until they encountered the First-Winged Angel, anyway.
But the real danger right now… was the girl standing beside him.
Alje was breathtakingly beautiful.
The stark contrast between her and the bleak, corpse-strewn battlefield they had crossed only made her shine more.
And in the end, Hans was still just a man.
The only reason the higher-ups back in the city treated him differently from the other hunters was because, when faced with a deadly fall, Hans had just enough self-control to stop at the edge of the cliff.
But even he was still a human of the labyrinth.
“…Why don’t you wait here?”
When something beautiful catches your eye.
When it’s close enough to touch.
The natural instinct is to reach for it.