{"id":3625,"date":"2025-10-11T12:39:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T12:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/?p=3625"},"modified":"2025-10-11T12:39:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T12:39:23","slug":"chapter-4-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/?p=3625","title":{"rendered":"CHAPTER 4"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TOTAL VICTORY<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>A full week had passed since the labyrinthine invasion began. One by one, the gate took in all those Empire soldiers\u2014and still it remained silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caligulio had to bide his time seething to himself over the unannounced news, the undelivered reports. That frustration was his body\u2019s way of disguising the fear his instincts were manufacturing for him. Even at this late stage, he still had no contact with the other troops\u2014and on top of that, all contact with the rest of the labyrinth was gone. At first glance, they seemed completely isolated behind enemy lines, which unnerved Caligulio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo one\u2019s returned yet? Still?!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was no answer to his ranting\u2014and that, in a way, was the best answer they could give him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Caligulio and his staff officers knew the situation wasn\u2019t looking good now. On the first day, they had sent squadrons of soldiers inside on multiple occasions, and they had brought intel on the labyrinth back for him. Nobody could get back out, but they could still initially communicate with the people inside, at least. Compiling what they relayed to him, he was able to get a rough idea of their status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon entering the labyrinth, soldiers were required to confirm that they wished to remain inside. Once they did, they were presented with the conditions for beating the labyrinth:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>DEFEAT THE TEN MARVELS WITHIN AND COLLECT THE TEN KEYS IN THEIR POSSESSION. DOING SO WILL GRANT YOU THE RIGHT TO CHALLENGE THE KING OF THE LABYRINTH. DEFEAT THE KING, AND YOU WILL HAVE BEATEN THE LABYRINTH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They all thought it\u2019d be easy at first, but now they had to admit it was a bad decision on their parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the information they managed to gather, the labyrinth contained at least fifty floors. Troops coming in would be transported to different floors in turns, a thousand at a time. That allowed new soldiers to eventually reach out to those who entered earlier, but these contacts didn\u2019t begin to happen until over fifty thousand soldiers had stormed in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the repeated sorties over three days, there were probably going to be fifty-four or so floors down there. The report from Shinji\u2019s party, as given by Yuuki, stated that the labyrinth contained sixty floors, but it had become clear fairly early on that this intel was shaky at best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, the strength of the monsters inside was far different from what they had heard. Shinji\u2019s claim that the wight king was the boss of the labyrinth pretty much destroyed any shred of his credibility. The wight king\u2019s floor was discovered on day two, judging by the reports, and apparently he was but one of the so-called Ten Dungeon Marvels. Some among Caligulio\u2019s staff still feared that the rumors were true\u2026but either way, nobody was smiling now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven for our finest elites, it must be a great challenge\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed, sir. If we don\u2019t do something, I fear this entire invasion might end in failure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caligulio shuddered. This was not acceptable to him. \u201cMission failed\u201d was easy enough to say, but it translated to the deaths of five hundred thirty thousand imperial soldiers. Those were granted to him by Emperor Ludora, and every single one of them was a valued asset\u2014there was no way he could simply abandon them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But they were still just seven days in. They had plenty of time before their scheduled limit; they must\u2019ve still been fighting away inside the <\/a>labyrinth. All Caligulio could do was trust in that and wait. That should\u2019ve been the right option, but Caligulio\u2014really, his entire staff, too\u2014felt they were traversing a path straight to failure like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the Ten Marvels who made them think this way. Currently, the imperial soldiers had obtained four of the \u201ckeys\u201d mentioned in the rules\u2014specifically from the four Dragon Lords, who would apparently revive themselves again and again if beaten. As for the remaining six Marvels, however, nobody on the field had any idea how to even hurt them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was certainly true for the wight king, but even the Death Paladin by his side was a menace. Then there was the queen of the insects, the mistress overseeing a pack of magical beasts, and the attacking golem nicknamed the ghost of Gadora by the troops. And they didn\u2019t even know the identity of the tenth and final one at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless they could defeat these six, beating the labyrinth was a pipe dream. And both Caligulio and his staff unanimously agreed that it simply wasn\u2019t possible with the fighting force currently in the labyrinth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt this rate, we could put everything the Empire\u2019s got in there and achieve nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat would be a waste of resources. It\u2019d also affect our defenses here on the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what were they to do? There was only one answer. They\u2019d have to conquer the labyrinth the way it was always supposed<\/em> to be conquered\u2014with a small team of elites. But if that was their option, the question became who they would pick for the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After stewing over it for a little while, he decided to gather the best people who remained among the surface forces, a total of one hundred men and women. Only those who were truly elite (or at least, powerful and ready to show it) were recruited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sitting in the front row was an elegant-looking gentleman, wearing a neatly starched uniform despite being in a military field camp. This man\u2019s name was Minitz, a high-ranked major general. Caligulio trusted him more than anyone else, making him his pick to command this operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Next to Minitz was a man smoking a cigarette, looking like he was pondering the sheer futility of life. His fearless gaze, as if staring down his prey, and his well-kept beard instilled a sense of awe in anyone who encountered him. Fortunately for him, he also had the talent to ensure that he never betrayed the expectations of anyone who challenged him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was Colonel Kanzis, a true champion with countless glorious achievements to his name\u2014most notably, the notorious Operation Mystic Sweep, which he had personally commanded. He always kept a dignified demeanor, perhaps a sign of his supreme self-confidence; even when dealing with superior officers, he never showed a hint of fear. Very few people warned Kanzis about this, and they had no right to\u2014he reported directly to Minitz, and Minitz tolerated his attitude well enough. Caligulio had his thoughts about this, but not to the point that he\u2019d complain about one of the Empire\u2019s most famed heroes. He left Kanzis\u2019s handling entirely to Minitz, so if Kanzis went out of line here, there\u2019d be no one to stop him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the rest of the group of one hundred, Lucius and Raymond stood out in particular. They were both otherworlders. Lucius possessed the unique skill Fusionist, letting him set off highly explosive attacks that were the talk of the imperial army. Raymond, on the other hand, had the unique skill Combatant. As a former martial artist, this was basically his old job taking skill form\u2014it made him a first-class fighter, mastering any weapon, fighting style, and Art he had learned in this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those were the four most famous names, but the others were also walking armies of their own. They all ranked at least an A, and even among the Empire\u2019s illustrious ranks, each was a one-in-ten-thousand talent. These one hundred people alone could destroy the knight corps of entire nations, and now Caligulio was entrusting the entire operation to this set of champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right. You understand the situation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They all silently nodded. Some\u2014like Kanzis, of course\u2014smirked at the question, but most were earnestly listening to Caligulio\u2019s words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur comrades in the labyrinth are currently awaiting relief. In <\/a>order to leave, we must satisfy all the conditions, and that includes defeating the demon lord. My Armored Division is the strongest in the Empire, and I know they\u2019re up to solving this most difficult of tasks. But ah, there is no time to waste!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The labyrinth was not the kind of place you could overrun with human-wave tactics. Caligulio understood that now, although he could never honestly say so, lest he torpedoed his army\u2019s morale. So he embellished things a bit as he spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou must defeat these so-called Ten Marvels and retrieve the ten keys they possess. That will apparently give you the right to challenge the demon lord himself. This is exactly what I expect you do to. The demon lord must be taken down!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was the mission he gave to the best the Armored Division had to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe accept, Lord Caligulio. The demon lord is no enemy of ours, for we are the glorious army of the Empire. Now it is time to prove that to you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Minitz, highest ranked among the group, who answered on the division\u2019s behalf. With a graceful bow, he promised complete victory for his side, and no one around him had a single discouraging word. These were the brave heroes who would challenge the demon lord in his own domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But they were ignorant, and that ignorance was what kept them hopeful. They were unaware of the dangers the labyrinth held. Now would have been the perfect time to retreat\u2014but it was too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caligulio\u2019s decision had simply come too late. The battle inside the labyrinth was already over. Nobody was left alive. But not realizing any of that, the chosen heroes marched into this dreadful labyrinth in the highest of spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

After being enthralled with the big screen for a fairly extended period of time, we had finally decided to take a break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just\u2026 I dunno. I guess I saw this coming. The Empire definitely ignored the warning on the gate, that\u2019s for sure\u2014and in epic <\/a>fashion, too. In fact, they sent even more soldiers into the labyrinth than we anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAmazing. Better than I ever thought it\u2019d go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benimaru nodded at me. \u201cIndeed, and none of them were strong enough to cause particular concern. The Ten Dungeon Marvels must truly be that powerful, yes, but perhaps this is<\/em> going to be easier than I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even so, he wasn\u2019t being careless. In fact, his attention was already back on the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLooks like there\u2019s some more movement,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. I think they\u2019re selecting a group this time, rather than relying on sheer numbers. I wish they could have reached that conclusion sooner, though. Then maybe the labyrinth forces would\u2019ve had more of a struggle\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, hang on, it\u2019s still turned out real good for us, hasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, true enough. But when things go this well, I suppose I can\u2019t help but feel uneasy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not exactly what I wanted to hear from Benimaru, but based on his attitude, I imagined he saw all this as a foregone conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I think I saw the problem. He wanted the Empire to try harder so he\u2019d<\/em> have a chance to join the fray, didn\u2019t he? I guess I kinda understood that feeling\u2026or maybe not\u2026 No, I mean, if I did, I\u2019d turn into a battle maniac like all these guys, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not like Benimaru and the rest. I\u2019m satisfied with these results. Besides\u2014like I\u2019ve said tons of times\u2014in this world, quality counts for a lot more than quantity. This specially selected force must have been the enemy\u2019s main war power. There was a decent chance they could beat the Ten Marvels individually, so now was no time to be playing around. Our objective was to thin out the enemy forces, and we certainly succeeded there. The Empire had one hundred thousand or so troops left, and in terms of size alone, they were now winnowed down to a point where the Western Nations could handle them solo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know how it is. It\u2019s like at the gambling table: having your opponent win big at first, then taking advantage after they lose <\/a>sight of when to fold. You\u2019re picturing yourself as such a winner that even if you lose big later, you\u2019re suckered into believing you can make it all back. Even if you know it\u2019s a logical fallacy, it can be really hard to stop, you know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was exactly what happened to the Empire this time, and thanks to continually deploying their forces in there, their army was now well past the point of no return. For us, that was great\u2014mission accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was super happy with how well everything had gone so far, but we still hadn\u2019t achieved our secondary mission\u2014finding the most powerful members of the imperial army. There were a few decently strong individuals, but nobody who looked like they could take me down. Still\u2026 I dunno. The Rimuru who Chloe talked about in her story hadn\u2019t become a demon lord. His strength was probably about where I was when I lost to Hinata\u2014sorry, tied<\/em> with Hinata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But either way, I didn\u2019t detect any real threats here so far. Maybe that guy with the Legend-class weapon Testarossa killed? Maybe Davis, that eleventh-ranked dude, had a shot at doing me in\u2014again, not the current me, but the me from back when I fought Hinata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, I had to conclude that this threat to my life hadn\u2019t quite shown up yet. There was no point stewing over it, so I put the topic on hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I was really curious about right then were the thoughts of the enemy commander. If the situation was this dire for them, I\u2019d think they would opt to retreat, normally. What could he be thinking?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understood. Since communication is cut off with the rest of their forces, he likely lacks adequate awareness of the current situation. Presumably, they are clinging to a nonexistent hope to bring them victory.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow, way to lay on the sarcasm, Raphael.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That sounded legit to me, but in that case, maybe we were winning the information war a little too<\/em> much. If their commander had a proper grasp of the situation, maybe he would\u2019ve retreated a lot sooner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Negative. If you do not hit an enemy thoroughly when you can, you will leave behind enmity that may come back to haunt you later. There is no need to show mercy to the intruders.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yikes. Rough. It was brutally rational and ruthless, but it seemed like the right answer, too. If we left a sizable enemy force behind, the Empire probably wouldn\u2019t give up on its ambitions\u2014but if we kept hitting \u2019em hard, we could probably avoid further war, at least for the time being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe it\u2019s best to do everything halfway instead. The enemy has families, too, right? Their next of kin are bound to be sad about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Ah, but if we\u2019re thorough with making them realize their own stupidity here, maybe that\u2019ll help deter future wars. Maybe it\u2019s not the good-guy approach, but in terms of eliminating little flare-ups in the future, it\u2019s the right thing to do. Bit late for that<\/em> now, but still.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, unlike Raphael here, I have kind of an indecisive streak. If the enemy flees, I let them do what they want; if they come back to attack me, I crush them. I\u2019m letting the other side take the initiative with decision-making, and maybe that\u2019s a little naive of me. It\u2019s something I\u2019m aware of, but honestly, it\u2019s just part of my nature, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be fixed too easily. I really don\u2019t want<\/em> them to attack me, deep down\u2014the least amount of trouble in my life, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I internally whined about this, Ramiris sent me a Thought Communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Got a moment, Rimuru?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Sure, sure. This is Rimuru. I\u2019m open.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tone of her voice suggested it was nothing urgent. What could it be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Right, so um, another hundred or so are coming, right?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Looks that way, yeah. Real strong ones this time, too.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Mm-hmm! So the Ten Marvels just sent me a couple of requests.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramiris laid them out for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Request number one was proposed by Gadora. Apparently he knew a couple of the people in this elite group: Lucius and Raymond, both otherworlders. He wanted a chance to talk with them and maybe have them defect to our side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Request number two was from Kumara. She recognized another familiar face, but unlike with Gadora, this guy wasn\u2019t an acquaintance so much as a target for revenge. This was the very person who had destroyed the Mystic Village that was home to Kumara and her friends, then sold the young Kumara (she was already nearly three hundred years old by that point, but still) to Clayman. I had no idea some bastard that vicious was working for the Empire. Eesh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So those were the two requests. Now, what to do about them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you think, Benimaru?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, the human-wave approach is a good shortcut to victory, but it\u2019s not exactly pretty. I realize there\u2019s no such thing as a \u2018pretty\u2019 or an \u2018ugly\u2019 war, but I think we\u2019re safe in granting Gadora\u2019s wish. If he gets them to join us, then great; if not, it won\u2019t hurt us very much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seemed legit to me. It\u2019d help us spread the enemy around, besides. I\u2019ll let Gadora reach out to that pair, then. As for Kumara:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo one seeking vengeance wants to be stopped in their quest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benimaru putting it that<\/em> way sure made it sound heavy. And come to think of it, hadn\u2019t Kumara been under the thrall of Clayman\u2019s Demon Dominate skill? If the man who brought her to that fiend was back here at the labyrinth, it was only natural that she\u2019d be out for revenge. They say that nothing fruitful actually comes from revenge, but personally, I think it can bring closure. If you\u2019ve got a lot of mixed-up feelings, it\u2019s better to let them all out and free yourself, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Okay, Ramiris, you\u2019ve got my approval on both.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Oh, great! Thanks so much, Rimuru! You\u2019re soooo understanding!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(We\u2019d like to get the enemy spread out anyway, so why don\u2019t we do this? You can send Lucius and Raymond over to Gadora, and Kumara can have that, um\u2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>(The bearded dude! We don\u2019t know his name, but he\u2019s sure got a nasty face, doesn\u2019t he?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something told me Ramiris was really<\/em> favoring Kumara here. But I was with her on that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Yeah, send him over to her. And tell her I said good luck!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Okay! I\u2019m on it!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I accepted the requests. Now, where should we send the rest of the Empire\u2019s elites?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think that man over there is the commander. I\u2019d suggest we give him to Apito to execute, Sir Rimuru. Alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benimaru could really stand to phrase things a little more lightly. Wasn\u2019t he just talking about fighting \u201cpretty\u201d and \u201cugly\u201d and stuff? I was amazed he was so eager to aim for a murderous strategy like that. But\u2026yeah, I\u2019d accept it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Also, Ramiris, that well-dressed middle-aged dude over there is the commander, I think, so can you send him alone over to Apito?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Him, huh? Taking away the commander so the whole team loses cohesion, eh? Great idea, Rimuru! I tell ya, you come up with the dirtiest tactics!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Pardon? Why was I<\/em> the bad guy now?! And here Ramiris, completely ignoring my surprise, was remarking about how devious I was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(And as for the other hundred-ish\u2026 You wanna just let \u2019em at Adalmann?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Roger that! My Dragon Lords all lost, but everyone else put in a real big effort. Let\u2019s have \u2019em keep up the good work right to the end!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She seemed a little peeved about it, but I couldn\u2019t help her much with that. The Dragon Lords just didn\u2019t quite have what it took to deal with a rushing army. Unlike with the other Dungeon Marvels, they resided in large arenas with lots of floor-type debuffs\u2014great for hassling small parties, but if you had an army that could share information with each other and take countermeasures, that killed the advantage in no time flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering those circumstances, I still thought they fought pretty well. We may have had four keys taken, but the remaining <\/a>six Marvels remained unbeaten. Hopefully we\u2019d see them keep that up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Sounds great! But whatever you guys do, don\u2019t let your guards down. There\u2019s a chance they\u2019ve got some really dangerous folks in there.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Oh, we\u2019ll be fine, we\u2019ll be fine! Besides, everyone\u2019s itching to go hard now that they know you\u2019re watching. And we\u2019ve always got Master Veldora as king of the labyrinth, right?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good point. The idea here was to collect ten keys and beat the \u201cking of the labyrinth,\u201d after all. I found it hard to imagine Veldora taking a dive, so at least we could always rely on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Right, right. Okay, best of luck out there!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(You got it, Boss! See yaaaaaa!!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that excited farewell, Ramiris shut off the Thought Communication. Just a little bit more effort now, I supposed, and we\u2019d be done. I turned my eyes back toward the big screen again, excited to watch the final battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Lucius and Raymond sat down on the stairway, breathing hard as they drank some water. The reports indicated that there were never monsters on the stairs, and while it\u2019d be dangerous to take that for granted, it seemed safer than anywhere else, hence why they chose that for a resting spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being summoned by Commander Caligulio and ordered to enter the labyrinth elicited no complaints from them. Just like Shinji and his band, Lucius and Raymond were otherworlders picked up by Master Gadora. He had kept them fed and protected back when they didn\u2019t know right from left in this world, and they owed him a debt of gratitude for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But now Gadora was missing. He had led a special team on a mission to the territory of the demon lord Rimuru. He had come back <\/a>once, although none of the other team members did; he told Yuuki they had been killed in battle. Then, not long afterward, Gadora himself vanished. There were a couple plausible rumors going around that Gadora had ventured back out to rescue his teammates. Those who knew Gadora\u2019s personality found that a little farfetched, but if it was true, they couldn\u2019t ignore that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides, the people who joined Gadora\u2014the ones said to have died in battle\u2014were all very well-known to Lucius and Raymond. They were Shinji Tanimura, Marc Lauren, and Zhen Liuxing, and they had all become good friends after traveling to this world. Their deaths were hard to swallow, but the fact was that they hadn\u2019t been seen in the Empire since. They had been sent to investigate the labyrinth, and Lucius was sure something happened between them and the demon lord Rimuru. It was reasonable to think that they tried taking him on, then died in the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the otherworlders like him were sad to see Shinji and his friends gone. Lucius and Raymond were no exception, and many others expressed their sorrow as well. Being from the same place had a way of instilling this sort of solidarity like that. Besides, Shinji was something of a leader type, a kind young man who never abandoned those in need. He could be a bit insensitive, but a lot of people looked up to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucius and Raymond both owed Gadora. They also wanted to find out if three close friends of theirs were safe. So after some discussion among their peers, it was decided that the two of them, having the most combat power out of their group, would go undercover on this campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They immediately proposed the idea to Yuuki, who promptly rejected it. \u201cIt\u2019s really dangerous to act right now,\u201d he said. \u201cAll kinds of things are getting jumbled together, so I\u2019d keep laying low if I were you. I can\u2019t go into details, sadly, but I\u2019m sure Shinji and his friends are fine, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Yuuki called it dangerous, it must really<\/em> have been dangerous. But not everyone was willing to accept that. If their fates remained uncertain, some Empire otherworlder was bound to take matters into their own hands and take off for the Forest of Jura solo. And if <\/a>it was gonna come to that<\/em>, they all figured, they might as well send the combat specialist of the gang first, so they could deal better with whatever came along. Lucius was originally going to act on his own, but Raymond wound up joining him; they both secured transfers from the Composite Division to the Armored Division to join this operation, and neither of them told Yuuki about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With those motivations in mind, both Lucius and Raymond were waiting for Caligulio to give them the order sooner or later, and yet\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cY\u2019know, I\u2019m startin\u2019 to think going in was a big mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. Maybe. I didn\u2019t think the opposition would be this<\/em> strong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They had both been dropped into Floor 59. They were originally going to be tossed right into Floor 60, not that they were aware of that\u2014but there was a chance this duo was hiding their true abilities or that they were someone else entirely disguised as these two, so they wanted to test them out first. (This was the strategy proposed by Rimuru\u2014or Raphael, really\u2014and Ramiris accepted it, although she remarked about how oddly wary a move it was.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the pair were exposed to intense combat all across Floor 59. There was a litany of variable lasers, sonic cannons, and various other science-driven weapons. Isolation doors would come crashing down on them, locking them into rooms pumped with tasteless, odorless poison gas. All these weapons crafted in the lab on Floor 95 (currently Floor 100) had been implemented on Floor 59\u2014and the icing on the cake was the attack golems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These were based on materials Rimuru retrieved from the Puppet Nation of Dhistav, as discovered in the ruins of Amrita. After extensive research, they had re-created the ruins\u2019 extensive defense systems, all of which were being put into thorough use here. Weapons that didn\u2019t even need to be turned on at 10 percent to wipe out the imperial soldiers were now being used to test out Lucius and Raymond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was an offensive like none before, and the two of them had to <\/a>expose all their deepest inner skills to survive. Raymond kept point, buying enough time for Lucius to unleash his killer blows. Lucius\u2019s Fusionist skill did what it sounded like\u2014it could mix materials and extract energy from them, and when used right, it could unleash attacks akin to nuclear magic. Gadora had discovered that skill and taught him how to harness it; that old debt of gratitude was still on Lucius\u2019s mind as he fought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The battle itself, luckily, ended in an overwhelming victory for them both. Despite all the destructive force they were faced with, neither the golems nor all the advanced techie weapons could finish them off. The sheer numbers, though, were absolutely off the charts. Breaking through all these traps was a huge challenge for just two people, and Lucius couldn\u2019t be blamed for being so exhausted after a single day of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey\u2026 So what now? Wanna go on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou kidding me? We\u2019ve only made it down one flight of stairs. We need a plan for this, or else it\u2019ll be way too dangerous to take on that onslaught again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. But we ain\u2019t got no other choice, do we? The moment we walked in, we got separated from the group, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raymond was right, and Lucius knew it. But there was nothing they could do. Proceeding on would be dangerous, yes\u2026but was there any better option available? Going up instead of down sure didn\u2019t guarantee they\u2019d ever escape the labyrinth\u2014besides, if that question when they came in was to be believed, it was impossible to leave anyway until they beat this thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s totally impossible to beat this labyrinth\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. Maybe if we had more time\u2026but like, even if we did one floor a day, it\u2019d still take at least a month. And if we take that long, we\u2019re definitely gonna run out of food.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was the main problem. Lucius and Raymond hadn\u2019t undergone imperial augmentation surgery, so they needed to eat regularly. Water they could manage themselves, but they had just two days of food on them\u2014and if they kept running into floors with no monsters like before, they couldn\u2019t rely on monster meat to <\/a>supplant their diet, either. At this rate, lasting even three weeks was out of the question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was just one day after they went in, and already things were starting to look hopelessly bleak. But they weren\u2019t giving up. They had come here because they wanted to find out about their mentor and friends. If they were going to give up and run at this point, they never would\u2019ve volunteered for this in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, you think they can trust these things they gave us before we went in?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucius pointed at his neck as he asked Raymond. This item was something Caligulio had given them before this operation, a prototype made at their R & D labs\u2014a replica of the revival item Gadora had brought back. The commander told him that if he died in the labyrinth, this thing would resurrect him, although Lucius didn\u2019t believe it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow can I trust him on that? And even if it does<\/em> work, where\u2019s it going to revive me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, \u2019cause if you wake up on the spot, it\u2019s gonna be right next to the monster that just killed you. They didn\u2019t test that<\/em> part out yet, did they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah. They want us to instead. But why a necklace, though? Didn\u2019t he bring back a bracelet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGuess it shows how far the Empire\u2019s lagging on that tech.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was, in essence, a knockoff made on a rushed timetable, so it wound up a little larger than the original was the explanation given to him. It only added to the sheer distrust. Who\u2019d ever want to put their lives in the hands of a shoddy imitation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis, you see, I can only give to the truly special ones. And I firmly believe that you two are worthy enough to be entrusted with this!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, Caligulio had framed it as something special, but turn it around, and he was basically admitting they had no idea if it worked. They didn\u2019t make any for the rank-and-file soldiers, so it was up to them to see what would happen. Maybe they could trust it more if they had some experimental data or something, but involuntarily testing subjects like this was ridiculous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cWell, at least I\u2019ll<\/em> find out what happens when you die first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, man, don\u2019t even joke about that,\u201d replied Raymond, ever the realist. \u201cNo way I\u2019m<\/em> gonna rely on this anyway. Besides, don\u2019t the Resurrection Bracelets this is based on run on the power of the demon lord Ramiris? If we try using a fake based on something we basically shoplifted from her, isn\u2019t that gonna piss her off?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucius shrugged his agreement, his thoughts largely the same. To them, the conclusion was obvious. They had to act as if resurrection wasn\u2019t at all possible. All they could rely on were their own strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So they stood up, sarcastic smirks on their faces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou ready?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. If we\u2019re here \u2019n\u2019 all, might as well go all the way. If it doesn\u2019t work out, at least we\u2019ll be forgiven for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou think? Like, maybe Shinji would just laugh it off, but her<\/em>, you know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t even start. I just managed to forget about her, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry, sorry. I\u2019m more scared of her than I am of this labyrinth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhoa, don\u2019t spill your guts just because she ain\u2019t here, man. You\u2019re right and all, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight? I can\u2019t believe how insensitive Shinji can be. All that enthusiasm pointed his way, and it goes right over his head.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTotally. But that\u2019s Shinji for you. And her, too, like\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. He\u2019s a good guy. Maybe he\u2019s survived all this, even.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. He had to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They both smiled. Even in these dire straits, they still held hope in their hearts, and they knew the path they had to take. So still smiling brightly, they started down the stairs, not even knowing what awaited them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cH-hello there, Lucius\u2026and Raymond, too! Listen, there\u2019s something I\u2019d like to discuss with you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, something really good, y\u2019know? So hear him out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Yes. Give him a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encountering Shinji, Marc, and Zhen\u2014the targets of their <\/a>rescue op\u2014immediately past the stairs made Lucius and Raymond freeze on the spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, it seems they might be a tad shocked. Well, allow me to ask you as well. Will you listen to what I have to say?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A familiar voice boomed out from the gigantic golem looming before them. It was undoubtedly Gadora, the one Lucius and Raymond owed their lives to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre\u2026? Are you alive?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd\u2026like, can you explain this, man?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so the battle of persuasion between the two sides began. It would take just a little more time before the two thoroughly confused would-be heroes saw things Gadora\u2019s way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

All told, the job went surprisingly easily\u2026and surprisingly successfully, too. Even Shinji\u2019s gang, who announced previously that they wouldn\u2019t join the war, volunteered for this particular mission\u2014and thanks to them, the two sides reached an agreement with hardly any trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucius and Raymond were apprentices of Gadora and friends to Shinji\u2019s gang, but after that workout up on Floor 59, Lucius was the clear standout. His skill was just off the charts. All it took was a little tap on something in his hand, and it\u2019d trigger a small explosion in front of him\u2014one with nuclear-level force but limited to just a tiny range. The smallest motions seemed to let him produce the most amazing results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unique skill Fusionist let him transform matter itself, fusing it with other matter in the process. This let him, for example, throw a pebble or something at an enemy that caused the foe to blow up on impact. Even if a barrier of some sort warded off the pebble, it\u2019d still explode the moment it hit the ground. It\u2019d be neat if he could ricochet shots for situations like that, but since the \u201cpebbles\u201d Lucius preferred were small enough to flick with a single finger, that was a lot to ask of him. Besides, having a pebble ignite on this<\/em> target and not that<\/em> one was also tough to manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Still, this was one evil skill. Get the timing wrong, and he could easily end up burned. But Lucius had thoroughly researched. Exactly what kind of research, nobody besides him knew, but he certainly seemed to have perfected his craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raymond, as his partner, demonstrated superb combat skills. His shield, meant to symbolize his own fighting spirit, was just as impressive; the way he used it to block all frontal attacks was a sight to behold. It even deflected the shock waves from Lucius\u2019s explosions without complaint. As a team, they meshed really well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So these were the real things, no disguises or whatever. They weren\u2019t under any sort of mind control, and it seemed they really were here to find out what happened to Gadora and Shinji\u2019s gang. They both seemed pretty trustworthy, and honestly, I was glad they were on our side. Now that they were on board, I\u2019d have them work under Shinji\u2019s group for a while as a kind of training period. I didn\u2019t think we needed to worry about them betraying us, but it was just a precautionary measure. Once I saw how they did, I could upgrade them to the same status as Shinji and the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So all was well on Floor 60. But what about Floor 70?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around a hundred people were huddled together in that hilly wasteland\u2014confused at first, but a day later, they were calmer. They had pitched their tents on a hilltop with a good view, and a few of them had been sent to scout the area. There was no sign of any immediate offensive; clearly they were being very cautious. Their composure was quite impressive, especially considering we tossed their commander on an entirely different floor. These truly were<\/em> heroes head and shoulders above the rest, I supposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought they\u2019d be more upset about this, really\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, this is about what I\u2019d expect. They\u2019ve established a clear chain of command, so they can maintain order even if they lose their commander.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benimaru, unlike me, was pretty indifferent about it. A disjointed chain of command makes it impossible to carry out any sort of mission. Any force needs someone in charge, after all, and I <\/a>can sympathize with anybody who wants that role clearly defined. But wasn\u2019t this just a hodgepodge of heroes who\u2019d never worked together before? If they could get themselves organized this<\/em> quickly, then hats off to them, I guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre we, uh, good in that respect?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course. Gobwa is always around if I\u2019m not, and she has many fine people under her as well. Tactical theory is a required subject for all members of Team Kurenai, so any one of us could feasibly serve as commander.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whoa. Nice confidence there. I never learned any of that. When did they<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh. Well, great. So if they aren\u2019t making any moves right now, what\u2019s up with them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I decided to leave our chain of command in the capable hands of Benimaru and our other corps leaders. There was no point in me worrying about it, so I brought the conversation back to our current reality\u2014the army camped out on Floor 70.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor now, they\u2019re likely investigating whether there are any survivors on the other floors. Along those lines, I\u2019m afraid it\u2019s hard luck for them. They might\u2019ve found some on other floors, but there won\u2019t be a trace here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benimaru sounded almost like he pitied them. That made sense to me, too. I knew there were no survivors among the imperial army in the labyrinth, but they had to be down here in part to find their friends. I could understand if they wanted to track down survivors to help beef up their ranks. We all knew that was pointless, though\u2014and in the meantime, it wasn\u2019t much fun to just sit and wait for them to do something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShould we have Adalmann attack them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shion nodded at my casual suggestion. She must\u2019ve been getting pretty bored, not to mention eager to kick some ass\u2014but as long as we had ample forces in the labyrinth, she still had to bodyguard me here. She understood that, of course, but she still wanted to get this over with and join in the battle outside, I\u2019m sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm\u2026 Well, I doubt we\u2019ll get anything more on them by watching them like this, no\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Benimaru chuckled at Shion\u2019s reaction as he said that. Then I sent an order to Adalmann, who promptly responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBehold my grand actions, my master!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Huh. Sounded like Shion wasn\u2019t the only one itching for a fight. Adalmann had his forces at the ready for the Empire, too. They had certainly enjoyed a long streak of victories, and it sounded like they wanted to keep the momentum going and round things out with one final victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, best of luck!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, Master!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That bit of encouragement was the one signal he needed. Like a raging current, Adalmann\u2019s army opened the gate and set off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One hour later, we were greeted with a fairly astonishing sight. There were only three survivors left in the imperial force\u2014but only three survivors on our<\/em> side, too. Adalmann, Alberto, the death dragon, and that was it. So now it was three on three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other hundred or so had already fought the undead forces, killing them but losing their lives in the process, so there were no reinforcements for Adalmann\u2019s side. His regular army of undead would revive themselves in three hours, though, so I figured victory was in the bag by then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 What an interesting person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, very impressive fighting. I\u2019d love to take a crack at him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was some rare praise from Diablo and Shion. The enemy had some real winners among them after all\u2014three, even. One was a dashing swordfighter, currently locked in combat with Alberto. One was a beautiful wizard, matching Adalmann blow for blow in a magic battle. Finally, one was a burly warrior, holding the death dragon back all by herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They had some familiar-looking glowing armor that they summoned out of nowhere, so I assumed they were in with the Legend-class dude that Testarossa killed earlier. They were all of the same design, so they must\u2019ve belonged to the same organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cThat swordfighter is fiendishly strong. An even match for Alberto, I\u2019d say,\u201d Benimaru remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alberto and the dashing man were exchanging god-tier blows at a level one almost never saw. Both fought with sword and shield, and both were definitely making a good fight out of this. Like Benimaru said, an \u201ceven match.\u201d In fact, the guy seemed even stronger than the one Testarossa beat; maybe he was higher up in that ranking of theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 I think Adalmann\u2019s faith in you is slipping. Failing to keep up with someone like that<\/em> in magic\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo need to be so harsh, Diablo. That armor protects him from magic of all elements, whether holy or evil. It\u2019s no wonder Adalmann\u2019s at a disadvantage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shion\u2019s commentary was correct. Adalmann had the skill Holy-Evil Inversion, but that Legend-class armor was just totally cheating. In terms of resisting magic, it offered almost complete protection, and you\u2019d need something as powerful as Disintegration to take it out\u2014a spell in Adalmann\u2019s wheelhouse, but his opponent wasn\u2019t letting him break it out. He was trying to use some smaller magic to leave his opponent open and strike him there, but I think both sides were thinking the same thing there, and so it looked like they\u2019d be struggling for a while to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I definitely couldn\u2019t forget about the last guy, either. A real piece of work, him. I mean, he was taking on a death dragon all by himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his<\/em> case, it seemed like he had abandoned any hope of actually winning. The death dragon\u2019s regenerative abilities were so impossible to counter, he knew he didn\u2019t stand a chance of offing it entirely. So he continued humbly fighting on, trusting that his companions would see themselves to victory. Really, if it wasn\u2019t for that behind-the-scenes effort, this would\u2019ve been over long ago. The death dragon was too much for even Soei to defeat, so if this dude was decently keeping his own against it, he was more trouble than I thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo how do you think it\u2019ll turn out?\u201d I asked. Everyone replied in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cAlberto is the superior fighter, but given his gear disadvantage, he\u2019s going to lose this battle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAdalmann is trying to grab victory too quickly. If he could approach this with a cooler head, he would have won by now, but as is, he lacks much of a decisive factor. If Alberto is defeated in the meantime, he\u2019s going to be overwhelmed fast, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no such thing as defeat! Only victory shall be ours!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That all made logical sense, except for Shion. Benimaru and Diablo had similar opinions; they both saw Adalmann and Alberto losing. As for Shion\u2026 Well, I guess she was attempting psychological warfare or something? That sounded more like a wish than an opinion to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, so we\u2019ll lose this round? Is that trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, even if they do lose, we still have the other Dungeon Marvels on hand. Besides, I<\/em> can beat them, so we should be just fine,\u201d said Benimaru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course!\u201d Shion added. \u201cAnd I can beat them, too, so please don\u2019t worry, Sir Rimuru!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benimaru sounded really confident, so I figured we\u2019d find a way out of this. Shion, meanwhile, was Shion. I\u2019d have liked to ask her for some evidence to back that up, but I doubted she\u2019d have an answer. It was certainly in character for her, so I was glad for all that spirit anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no need for concern, Sir Rimuru. Among the Marvels, we still have Zegion, Sir Veldora\u2019s disciple. As long as he remains in the game, I believe you have nothing to be bothered about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo added a \u201ckeh-heh-heh-heh-heh\u201d at the end for effect. It was rare for him to offer praise to other people. It reassured me a bit. Maybe everything was<\/em> going to be okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we spoke, the match seemed to be approaching its climax. I was hoping maybe they\u2019d find a way to win if they were given more time, but unfortunately, the enemies must\u2019ve had that same thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was hoping we could push right through you, but apparently <\/a>now when you die, you can boast in hell about how much you riled me up!\u201d the dashing man shouted at Alberto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did he have some kinda secret move he was keeping under wraps until now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBefore you die, allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Krishna, a knight of the Empire\u2014the seventeenth-ranked Imperial Guardian!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am Reiha, ranked ninety-fourth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am Bazan, ranked thirty-fifth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahhh, so they are<\/em> Imperial Guardians. Gadora told me about them, but they really did have a great lineup, I guess. The man Testarossa beat was ranked eleventh, but I really thought Krishna was a better fighter than him\u2014maybe your number wasn\u2019t directly correlated with your actual ability. Given how Reiha acted a lot more upper-crust than Bazan, I think my hunch was correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But back to the battle. After that pause to give out their names, Adalmann\u2019s side seemed to have rallied a bit. I thought it\u2019d help them get back on track, but sadly, no dice. Krishna versus Alberto was the decider here, especially once Krishna broke Alberto\u2019s Cursed Sword. Broke\u2014or shattered? Maybe more the latter. It was a huge difference in weapon performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That Cursed Sword was a fine piece of work from Kurobe, you know. It was the best weapon Alberto could wield, although no average person ever could. But he was pitting it against a Legend-class blade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Krishna\u2019s fighting style, it seemed, involved waging extended combat to gradually damage his opponent\u2019s weapon until he had a chance to smash it fully apart. Hindsight is twenty-twenty and all, but at least we learned a bit about his strategy for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the loss of his weapon, Alberto was defeated\u2014and with his stout partner gone, Adalmann was now at a disadvantage. He proved surprisingly able to hold his ground, pulling off some brilliant defensive maneuvers you wouldn\u2019t expect from a rearguard fighter, but soon he was overpowered and brought to his knees. Now it was three on one against the death dragon, and before long, he was gone, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>If Alberto\u2019s sword didn\u2019t break like that, I\u2019m sure it would have turned out differently. It\u2019s absurd to expect a magician to compete against a warrior in physical combat, so I\u2019m gonna pin the blame for this on him. In fact, I should praise all of them for drawing out all their enemy\u2019s inner workings for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, though, things worked out as Benimaru and Diablo predicted. The enemy now had two more keys, but no helping that now. The opponent put up a good fight, and they deserved to be applauded. So Krishna\u2019s three-person party dealt us the first truly bitter defeat of this campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, we can do a postmortem on that encounter later. Let\u2019s move on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big screen was now displaying a dual simulcast of the battles on Floors 79 and 90, and in both cases, they seemed to be reaching their climax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kumara, I have to say, was really<\/em> taking this to extremes. I suppose she was out for revenge against that bearded guy, though, so it only made sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apito, on the other hand, was duking it out in another surprisingly close match. I\u2019d put her strength as about the same level as Hinata\u2019s, but without the magic\u2014and if this guy who looked like the commander was fighting on an even keel with her, he had to be good<\/em>. Real lady-killer, too, I bet\u2014but absolutely on par with Krishna before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how would it turn out? We all had our eyes glued on the big screen, watching with bated breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Major General Minitz, dressed in his most prized of tailored suits, strolled through the labyrinth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The design of his outfit was the same as any regular officer\u2019s, but the fabric was different. Every thread of it had been carefully selected, with magic force woven right into the cloth. A single suit would cost as much as a colonel\u2019s annual salary, but it offered luxury <\/a>on a level even Minitz would be satisfied with. Elegance, in a word, was what Minitz was all about\u2014and that was what made him so dissatisfied with his current situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

War was supposed to be fought with overwhelming force, intimidating the enemy and aiming for victory without a fight. Sacrificing lives was out of the question\u2014and if your own troops were making that sacrifice, that called your commander\u2019s competence into question. It was precisely because of this that Minitz had declared this operation a failure before it even began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I suppose it\u2019s the curse of the servant class, not being properly able to state the obvious out loud\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with that complaint, Minitz smiled boldly. He usually didn\u2019t receive much attention, as Kanzis serving under him had a tendency to hog the spotlight, but Minitz himself was one of the imperial army\u2019s greatest heroes. Just because it went against his fashion sense didn\u2019t mean he was soft enough to abandon a war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026This Rimuru character, though\u2026 He does<\/em> enjoy making life difficult, doesn\u2019t he? And I suppose anyone would if they had the chance\u2026 But sending me, the commander, alone to some random place? Now our small gathering of brave men and women might be scattered and picked off, one by one. I\u2019m sure Kanzis will find a way to survive, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz was talking to himself, not caring who heard him, and in spite of all the vitriol, he looked pretty content. It was the first time in a while that he felt his heart soar like this. Not once in his life had he ever felt exposed to so much danger. Typically, his rank ensured he was rarely, if ever, allowed on the front lines. He was an upper-class nobility, not some upstart, and once he retired from the military, he\u2019d have an even loftier career track than Caligulio waiting for him. He already had enough connections in politics that he had built up his own faction among the government\u2019s lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason someone like Minitz was still in the military was simply because he had a deeply instilled passion for fighting. He loved to see blood, and now that he had this opportunity, he could <\/a>go wild to his heart\u2019s content. It was easy enough to take the tension off his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had been transported to Floor 78, one above the floor controlled by Apito. This was meant to help with analyzing Minitz\u2019s abilities. So he pressed along through the empty field, swatting away the insect swarms as he searched for the stairs leading down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just hate bugs\u2026 Just the sight of their legs flitting around all over the place disgusts me. I\u2019ve got to get out of here, posthaste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that arrogant remark, Minitz swung his hand over to his side. That alone summoned a mighty gust of wind, breaking down hundreds of insects into dust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was Oppressor, his unique skill, and it was a pretty straightforward one. From psychological oppression to physically crushing matter, it affected everything in his line of vision. There was no way to escape it\u2014anything caught in its grasp was turned into scrap, organic or not. He didn\u2019t even need to do that theatrical arm wave, either; just a glance could destroy most anything. The power had made Minitz undefeated in battle up to now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese guys are pretty fragile, aren\u2019t they? I\u2019m hardly seeing any resistance at all here. So<\/em> boring. Wish they\u2019d try a little harder for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literally nobody could stop Minitz. He ran into a swarm of over-A insects on Floor 78, but he killed every single one of them. They were no match at all for him; it was over in an instant. Truly, he was invincible, and if you had that kind of power, you\u2019d probably be just as arrogant as him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a few hours, Minitz found the descending stairwell. Figuring they led to deeper floors, he decided to take a leisurely break atop them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leather bag slung around his waist was a fancy (and expensive) magical tool. From it he produced a hot, freshly prepared meal to enjoy. The bag also contained a magic-warding bedding set, tent included, allowing Minitz to sleep as soundly as a baby. To him, this labyrinth wasn\u2019t even a fun diversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, he casually strode into Floor 79\u2014and there, he\u2019d finally meet a worthy enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>The attacking army wasps, \u201csilent killers\u201d as they may have been, were mown down in an instant by Minitz. No matter how tricky the monster he faced, as long as he could lay eyes upon it, the jig was up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh\u2026 The monsters here are no match for me, either. What a disappointment!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz\u2019s bold words were enraging someone else on the floor. It was Apito.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given his knack for catching enemies no matter how they snuck up on him, Minitz clearly had a keen Magic Sense ability. In which case, there was no point setting any more army wasps on him\u2014and so the queen herself came on to the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re acting well beyond your abilities, human.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, am I? Can you<\/em> put up a bit of a fight, then? Because you don\u2019t seem too different from the rest of the bugs here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stepped upon the mounds of wasps on the ground as he spoke. It made Apito\u2019s rage amp up several degrees further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to see you try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so the fight was on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz began with a casual approach, giving Apito no credit at all. He wasn\u2019t being careless; it\u2019s just that he thought Oppressor could easily smash this foe to pieces. It didn\u2019t take long to realize how naive this idea was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waves of interference poured over Apito as she entered his eyesight, placing intense pressure on her. This was actually an invisible gravitational force, one Minitz could arbitrarily apply to surrounding matter to give the pull force direction. Using this force\u2014on par with the kind a massive star exerts\u2014he could apply pressure from any direction he pleased, manipulating the pushing and pulling forces to make any object explode or implode. The only way to oppose it was to have a body strong enough not to be affected or to release some kind of directional force that could cancel out the forces acting upon you. Minitz had never run into anyone who could do that\u2014and therefore, he was invincible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>It was with that absolute confidence that Minitz unleashed his skill. But the scene he was rewarded with wasn\u2019t exactly what he expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Hmph! Too late?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz had successfully shattered only the afterimage of Apito. It wasn\u2019t that the queen had stumbled upon the true nature of his power; she did, however, notice the directional nature of it. If she moved quickly enough, she surmised, she could escape its area of effect\u2014and it worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh! Just as I thought, then. Now, can you keep up with my movement?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apito kept going faster and faster, making it hard for Minitz to effectively attack her despite his keen Magic Sense. But if anything, this inspired Minitz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow interesting. This would be so boring<\/em> otherwise!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unleashing his abilities to the fullest, Minitz established a force field around himself, walking forward in order to block Apito\u2019s way. The queen was forced to fall back. The passageways in this labyrinth were a good five yards wide, but attempting to slip past Minitz would get her caught in his force field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNgh. Nasty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I<\/em> was going to say!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neither side gave an inch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After extensive training from Hinata, Apito\u2019s moves were sharp and refined. She could even make the paladin captain sweat trying to keep up with her moves\u2014but it didn\u2019t mean much if she couldn\u2019t come close enough to Minitz to attack. If she ever stopped, she was instantly in danger\u2014one exposure to his pressurizing waves, and she was bound to pay for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe making myself known wasn\u2019t such a good idea after all. If we could retreat back to my royal chamber, I\u2019d be able to fly around much more freely. I don\u2019t know how long this man\u2019s stamina will hold out, but if I\u2019m going to find a way to win this, I have to drag him back there.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apito\u2019s mind was thus made up. There was no shame in retreat here; Apito\u2019s basic policy was always to greedily aim for the win. And Minitz didn\u2019t mock her at all when she ran away. Realizing it <\/a>was a strategic retreat, he cautiously gave chase. No need to hurry. Better to conserve his strength, rather than overreact here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heh-heh-heh\u2026 Battle must always be done with a certain elegance\u2026 But if someone\u2019s going to lose, better to struggle in vain than give up the fight.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz sensed something beautiful in Apito. Unlike the other monsters, this<\/em> was someone who fought with true grace. It\u2019s only natural for a fighter to choose a battlefield advantageous to them. He\u2019d never chide her for that\u2014in fact, he was grateful she was doing everything she could in this fight. So he came after her, never underestimating her, always thinking about how he could hunt her down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They eventually arrived at a large, wide-open space, a chair placed atop a dais on one end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The queen\u2019s throne, I presume? Well, fine, then. A fitting place for you and me to settle our score.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was ready and willing to take the enemy\u2019s offer\u2014 But please<\/em>, he arrogantly thought, just make this entertaining for me<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight. Is the game of tag over now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. By my name as Apito, the Insect Queen, I will do my very best to entertain you here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds enjoyable. I am Major General Minitz, and I am here to kill you. Ready for round two?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that bit of bravado, Minitz accelerated. He was taking a wait-and-see approach with his moves before, but now he was serious. He couldn\u2019t surpass Apito\u2019s speed, but he still wasn\u2019t falling behind her at all. But it didn\u2019t faze Apito. Rising high into the air, she laid on even more speed, making Minitz look like a fool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That, too, was within Minitz\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo you don\u2019t! You should never underestimate my power!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shout came after he released it. From the very top of the dome-shaped space they were in, an invisible force field descended, trapping Apito. Controlling the gravity within, he kept her flat against the ceiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGnh\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz snorted at the distressed Apito. \u201cHeh-heh\u2026 Oh, does it <\/a>hurt? Well, I\u2019d like to crush you to death right now, but you\u2019re a little too strong for that. Any ordinary monster would\u2019ve been easily flattened at this distance, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He came closer to Apito. His power varied depending on the distance away from him, but as he approached, the pressure kept getting higher and higher\u2014easily enough to crush someone as tough as her. Now that Apito was in his sights, he no longer had to unfold his power in every direction. Focusing it all on her, he was practically guaranteed a quick victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was a trickier fight than I anticipated, but I guess she was nothing special after all. Although, she did entertain me. I suppose I could repay her with a painless death.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz wasn\u2019t a fan of tormenting his foes. All he wanted was the rush of the fight and the thrill of the ensuing victory. That was why he wanted to show some mercy to Apito, out of a sense of pure goodwill. But:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t count me out yet, human! I told you I\u2019d give you my very best<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that shout, Apito\u2014surely suffering under the pressure\u2014flew back into the air. Her wings were torn, her arms and legs bent in odd directions, and from antennae to stinger, she looked like a wreck\u2014but her will to fight hadn\u2019t faded in the slightest. She, too, wanted victory more desperately than anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSir Rimuru is watching this battle, too. No matter how pathetic I look doing it, I must expose my enemy\u2019s skills, at least!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 How funny. You think you can expose my power? You\u2019ll be dead long before that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once again, Minitz generated a force field covering himself. With his powers of repulsion and attraction, he could drive away anyone who tried to approach him, keeping them planted to the ground. This was his approach to finishing off Apito, but Apito wasn\u2019t going to stay down forever. Soaring up faster than Minitz could perceive her, she kept her distance, trying to avoid being caught in his waves. Having no way to attack him was terribly frustrating, but his opponent didn\u2019t have infinite stamina. The limit <\/a>would have to come sometime, and Apito was just waiting for that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would Minitz get exhausted first, or would Apito run out of steam first? Thus the battle of endurance began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things only started changing several hours into the contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following Hinata\u2019s teachings, Apito tried every possible means of attack. Her broken limbs now gone, she continued to desperately fly around on her torn wings, searching for some kind of opening from Minitz. She shot poison stingers at his blind spot; she vibrated her wings to unleash razor-sharp shock waves; she summoned her army wasps to attack him from all directions\u2014all so she could find something to weaken Minitz\u2019s power of interference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What that did was completely wipe out her army wasps. They might have been lower in caste than her, but Apito still summoned them herself. It was impossible not to be disappointed\u2026 But even so, she kept on making them continue the suicide attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to all that, Minitz was hardly unscathed. The expensive suit he had been wearing was in pitiful shape. All his elegance was stripped off, revealing the increasingly desperate evasive maneuvers he was taking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHee-hee-hee-hee-hee\u2026 You seem tired.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026You too. Honestly, I\u2019m surprised you\u2019ve held out this long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t I tell you? No matter how pathetic I look doing it, winning is all that matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I agree\u2026except I\u2019m<\/em> the winner here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both were showing amazingly contrived stoicism. They were both so utterly exhausted that they could barely keep standing\u2014but despite that, they still boasted their strength to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got a lot of strength. I\u2019ll admit that. But you\u2019re not completely flawless. Let me promise you this\u2014with my next attack, you\u2019re going to die!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apito, floating in midair, made that declaration to Minitz. Her face was stained with her own blood, but she made the statement with a beautiful, radiant smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Squinting at her, Minitz\u2019s lips curled upward. \u201cI look forward to that. In that case, let me promise you<\/em> that my next blow will make all your pain go away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neither had much strength left. If they both wanted to end it with the next shot, that indicated just how little stamina remained within either of them. So they went back to full speed, not thinking at all about the consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apito\u2019s plan was to anticipate which way Minitz\u2019s pressure waves would go and change her trajectory just before they hit her, landing a bruising tackle right before he could react. Minitz, meanwhile, anticipated this. The question in his mind was: How much did Apito know about his remaining power? Could she really see when his invisible pressure waves would be launched? If she could, he\u2019d have to change his response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, Minitz decided to believe in himself. There was no way she could see through all that. And at that moment, the battle was decided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The instant Minitz released his power, Apito changed direction\u2014not based on his waves, but on her own intuition, just as Minitz predicted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I win<\/em>, Minitz thought, smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m dead<\/em>, Apito thought, doing the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her attack had been predicated upon her death from the very start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s over, Queen Apito!\u201d Minitz gleefully shouted. And the moment she felt the invisible surge of power enveloping her entire body, Apito opened her mouth wide and attempted to launch her final move. This was Queen of the Needles, a barrage of all-powerful poison needles she would only release upon the risk of death. They were created not from mystical, magical force, but from a part of her own body, making them tough enough to easily pierce magisteel. Enough of these, fired at point-blank range, ought to penetrate Minitz\u2019s force field\u2014was the conclusion she made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minitz\u2019s own force compressed her body in the meantime, even as the needles stabbed through his defensive force field. The decisive moment was here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The end result was a double knockout. Although unhappy about <\/a>failing to score a complete victory, she was still more than satisfied that she had done her part. Death, after all, was not the end\u2014the labyrinth would resurrect you as many times as you wanted. So Apito disappeared from her throne room, awaiting her imminent rebirth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TOTAL VICTORY A full week had passed since the labyrinthine invasion began. One by one, the gate took in all those Empire soldiers\u2014and still it remained silent. Caligulio had to bide his time seething to himself over the unannounced news, the undelivered reports. That frustration was his body\u2019s way of disguising the fear his instincts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tak-berkategori"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3625"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3626,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3625\/revisions\/3626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}