Chapter 4: Hero Candidate

“How will he move?”

It was fun to imagine.

Was it because she had recently killed a pest who claimed to be her friend?

Or was it something else entirely?

Erme was in high spirits.

“He’s making me curious for no reason.”

As Erme twisted the neck of a charging enemy, she pondered.

From the moment she first saw him, she thought he was no ordinary person.

He was different from the rest.

Just by looking at him, she could sense danger, as if he might strike her most critical point the moment she let her guard down.

“The kind of person who could stab my most fatal weakness.”

The phrasing felt awkward, but it was the most accurate description of the man called Yuseong.

Even with his hood pulled low, his handsomeness was a bonus.

“It would be good if he could kill Han Ul.”

Even while distracted by her thoughts, her sword continued to move.

What a nuisance these enemies were.

Judging by their swordsmanship, they seemed to belong to that particular school.

“Scavenger scum.”

With a look of disdain, Erme began to move.

Her movements were graceful as she evaded the reckless, self-sacrificing attacks of her foes.

Their extreme swordsmanship focused solely on offense, completely disregarding defense.

Effortlessly dodging another attack, Erme sliced through another neck.

Slash.

The figure crumbled as blood sprayed into the air.

Even as blood splattered against her orange hair, Erme remained unfazed.

“If he kills Han Ul…”

She thought it might be worth recruiting him as an ally.

Someone who hunted saplings was stronger than they seemed.

“His level is probably around 2.”

A level considered an entry point for labyrinth explorers.

Even with his clumsy mana control, which seemed to have just reached level 2, his potential couldn’t be overlooked.

But even setting aside that consideration.

Someone who hadn’t leveled up through the labyrinth had virtually no chance of victory.

This was why people were so obsessed with the labyrinth.

The labyrinth’s peculiar energy could elevate one’s power to an entirely different level.

This was also why most of those called “heroes” were weaker than even seasoned adventurers.

Leveling up was only possible within the labyrinth.

“Die, you monster!”

“Who are you calling a monster?”

To Erme, scavengers—those who lived off the corpses of others—were far more monstrous.

With a playful smile, she effortlessly cut through another enemy’s neck.

In the labyrinth, finding trustworthy allies was rare.

Even fewer were those capable of cutting down the Demon King, who lurked in hiding.

This was why gathering the right companions was essential.

Strength alone wasn’t enough; only the very best would do.

“It’s too dangerous.”

Currently, the Empire and Kingdoms were underestimating the Demon King.

They placed too much faith in the abundance the labyrinth provided and the powerful warriors it produced.

But the Demon King had become a being capable of effortlessly killing them all.

“So, Yuseong? What are you going to show me?”

Twenty seconds.

That was how long it took Erme to eliminate the most dangerous enemies with her current body and secure her safety.

The moment that time ended, Erme saw it.

“What the…?”

She saw Han Yuseong, who had already killed Han Ul and was now running away.

“Run.”

Han Ul’s ridiculous bravado, his overly confident defense, and his quick death—it was all hilarious in hindsight.

I didn’t focus on any of that.

Who was the most dangerous person here?

“Erme.”

She was someone featured in the title screen and undoubtedly a key character in the story.

But more importantly, I had realized something else.

“The character in this story? She’s seriously beautiful, I’m telling you.”

“Oh, she does look pretty.”

“Right? But what makes her even better is her obsession.”

“Obsession?”

“Yeah, she’s incredibly possessive of her party members. She has this traumatic past, so if one of her people tries to leave, she’ll stop them by any means necessary.”

“That’s… intense.”

“And if they leave anyway, they usually turn up dead a few days later.”

“That’s terrifying.”

“And if she marks someone as hers, she harasses them endlessly until they break.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It’s just her personality. She has this thing where she gets really mean and overbearing sometimes.”

“That sounds awful.”

“That’s what makes it great, you pleb.”

This was the kind of conversation I’d had with my friend.

Back then, I hadn’t paid much attention.

After all, as someone addicted to web novels, that kind of trope was more of a bonus than a problem for me.

Sure, her personality wasn’t ideal, but why would I care if I wasn’t the one being targeted?

At least, that’s what I had thought.

“But now I’m the target?”

Being a part of her team might not have been a bad idea, but the way Erme looked at me felt… unsettling.

And I had a knack for picking up on danger in situations like this.

That was why I’d decided to run.

“How far do I have left to go?”

Just then, I felt something strange.

It was as if something hidden was calling out to me.

“What is this?”

A strong sense of foreboding swept over me.

Was it a trap?

Quickly scanning my surroundings, I spotted an area that felt distinctly out of place.

There was some kind of nail driven into the ground.

[Sub Quest]

The Two Paths

Chapter 1. Light and Darkness

You have discovered an item belonging to a shadowy faction.

This item offers you two choices:

1. Report it to an adventurer clan to gain fame and fortune.
   • However, you will become a target of concentrated attacks by the shadowy faction.
2. Take the item to the shadowy faction.
   • This location is extremely dangerous, as their goal is to completely overthrow the current system.
   • However, success could grant you control over half the world.

“Quite a grandiose quest, isn’t it?”

The first option promised a secure future but would draw the wrath of the faction.

The second option would mean going against the faction while also navigating internal conflicts for power.

“Simple.”

As I’ve said before, my motto is to live quietly and for a long time.

There’s no reason to choose the second option.

“Of course,” I thought, there’s no reason to choose the first option either.

Why? Because if I picked the first option, the shadowy faction would attack me anyway.

That left only one choice.

I’d give it to her—the woman staring at me so intensely from behind that I could feel the pressure.

“When did she even get here?”

It was downright supernatural.

She had taken down all fifteen of those enemies and appeared behind me in the blink of an eye.

“I’d better not provoke her.”

With that thought, I pointed toward the nail with my hand.

“So, you weren’t running away after all,” Erme said with a faint smile.

“I just stumbled upon something strange,” I replied.

It was true.

Please believe me.

As I gave her a pleading look, Erme glanced at me before stepping closer to the nail.

“Well, well. You’ve done something impressive here. I didn’t think those lunatics had started their schemes this early.”

“You know about them?”

“If you promise to join my party, I’ll tell you,” Erme said.

I felt like I needed some time to think about it.

Internally sighing, I reluctantly nodded.

“Oh? You’re really joining?”

“I don’t know what makes you so sure about me,” I replied, staring at Erme with a deadpan expression.

“I’ve come this far, so there’s really no other choice.”

I needed to distance myself from the shadowy faction.

I didn’t want to be targeted by them, so I had no choice but to cooperate.

“Sure, dumping everything on her and walking away might be nice, but…”

Looking at those eyes of hers, it seemed impossible.

Erme’s gaze had already turned predatory, filled with greed as she looked at me.

“Objectively speaking, I’ve done a lot to stand out.”

I killed Han Ul, found something strange, and now I was about to join her party.

My path couldn’t help but take a different turn.

“I don’t know much about the labyrinth. Can you teach me?” I asked.

“Of course! I’ll teach you everything, from A to Z,” Erme replied, her face lighting up with a cheerful smile.

“She looks like a delicate flower raised in a greenhouse, but honestly, she’s more like something that’s been nourished on blood.”

If vampires existed, wouldn’t they look like her?

I hadn’t tried to escape her for no reason.

How else could someone handle ten opponents and slaughter three of them in the blink of an eye?

And she smiled while doing it.

She was truly terrifying.

“So, what are we going to do about this?” Erme asked, pointing at the nail.

Her tone made it clear she was leaving the decision to me.

“Take it with you.”

“Why don’t you take it?”

“How kind of you,” she said with a voice laced with curiosity, her gaze full of intrigue.

Ha.

Someone who could handle “them” so nonchalantly.

I ignored her gaze, pretending not to notice.

“Anyway, let’s get going. Staying here much longer feels off, and we need to prepare for camping ahead,” Erme said.

“Camping.”

What a dreadful word.

Even in modern times, camping was an annoying task.

It might sound romantic, but at night, bugs swarm around you, and there are countless inconveniences to deal with.

“Well, the carriage looks clean enough, so how about staying there tonight?”

Erme’s meaningful smile made me hesitate.

Sleeping in the carriage with her alone…

“That sounds… unpleasant.”

But it’s not like I could refuse to sleep.

If my guess was correct, we’d be walking the rest of the way to The Cradle starting tomorrow.

“I’m really unlucky, aren’t I?”

All I could do was sigh inwardly.

The Demon King.

An unholy king born of darkness, leading demonic forces for personal conquest, invading the mortal realm.

Because of this threat, humanity was forced to unite.

Humans and other races joined forces, along with the legendary figures known as heroes.

Warrior Hero.

Mage Hero.

Thief Hero.

Priest Hero.

“Now, they’re named differently depending on the weapon they use—like Sword Hero or Saintess.”

But back in the day, that’s how they were categorized.

“At some point, though, the narrative started to change.”

This shift coincided with the appearance of the labyrinths.

The labyrinths had suddenly emerged, vast and brimming with magical energy, right in the heart of the Empire.

“Although ‘heart of the Empire’ is a bit misleading—it was far enough from the capital that it wasn’t a major issue.”

At the time, every mage headed toward the labyrinth.

Warriors followed suit.

While researching the labyrinth, they made an extraordinary discovery.

“Leveling up strengthens the soul,” Erme explained.

“Strengthens the soul?”

“Yes. To put it simply, your vessel expands,” she said with a slight smile.

So leveling up was designed to work like that.

“The Empire established a village near the labyrinth. Over the centuries, it grew into what is now known as the Labyrinth City.”

“Labyrinth City, huh.”

“It’s a real city. Population-wise, it might even surpass the Empire’s capital.”

It was hard to grasp what she meant, but comparing it to memories from my previous life, it was like saying Busan had more people than Seoul.

“That’s kind of shocking.”

It truly was a startling notion.

“And because it’s such a place, you’ll see plenty of unpleasant things there,” Erme added casually.

“Unpleasant things?”

“The ugly side of people who’ve hit rock bottom. Like the end of those who failed to receive any blessings. Or those who were granted incredible Gifts, grew arrogant, and ruined their lives.”

“…….”

Well, that made sense.

The labyrinth was a place where one could chase after wealth and glory.

But on the flip side.

“It’s also a magnet for desperate people willing to gamble their lives.”

As we continued our conversation, we quickly arrived at The Cradle.

At the entrance, there was a long line of people waiting.

“Like moths to a flame, they’ve all gathered,” Erme said with a smirk.

“Of course,” I replied, nodding.

After all, the Adventurer’s Guild had been recruiting heavily for those who’d be entering the labyrinth.

“Oh, right. I forgot to introduce myself properly,” Erme said.

“Introduce yourself?”

“I gave a fake name yesterday. My name is Erme. I’ve been chosen as a Sword Hero candidate and am destined to become the owner of the Sacred Sword. Nice to meet you,” she said, smiling confidently.

“Isn’t that a bit too much information?”

“Well, you don’t seem like the type to blabber about it, at least,” Erme replied casually.

That’s true.

There’s no way someone would reveal such dangerous secrets unless they were on the verge of death.

“I’m Yuseong. Han Yuseong. My profession is thief, and I’m not a hero candidate,” I said.

“Really? I’d prefer it if you were a hero candidate.”

“So, how does one become a hero candidate, anyway?”

“It’s simple. You need at least two A-class Gifts, or a single S-class Gift,” Erme explained casually.

“…….”

I thought about my Gifts.

Two S-class Gifts.

One A-class Gift.

“Am I… a Thief Hero candidate?”

Come to think of it, it made sense.

From the beginning, I had chosen the Thief Hero and set the difficulty to “Very Easy.”

I had even heard that difficulty settings came with some adjustments.

“I picked ‘Very Easy’ just to play comfortably…”

And this was the result?

I wore a look of dismay.

“Please, don’t do this to me.”