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The Four Eastern Stars Ventures into the Labyrinth, While the Masked Boy Leaves – Part 01

Prologue: The Mythical Labyrinth of Legends

When Hikaru pressed his palm against the smooth surface, it felt cool. Though he could feel the flow of some magical energy on the other side, his Mana Detection failed to pinpoint any traces of spells. Someone had definitely vanished from there just moments ago—Sasakura Ayano. Or rather, Soaarunay Saak.

Hikaru had never heard of a spell that allowed the caster to melt into walls.

Perhaps if he had employed his Mana Detection right at that moment, he might have gleaned some insight, but amid the whirlwind of rapid changes, he was too preoccupied to focus. Try as he might to discern where Soaarunay had vanished, there remained no trace.

“Unknown sorcery,” Hikaru murmured, attempting to organize his thoughts.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Sasakura Ayano, the journalist he had met in Japan, harbored the soul of Soaarunay Saak, a sorcerer from another realm. And that Soaarunay was not only a descendant of the esteemed Saak family of sorcerers but also the researcher responsible for devising the very magic formula that enabled Hikaru’s journey to Japan.

Soaarunay had met her demise in an accident involving magic, her soul adrift until finding refuge within Sasakura Ayano’s body. The phenomenon of souls gravitating toward one another was real, as evidenced by the spell for crossing worlds. Hence, it seemed almost inevitable that Ayano would reside in the apartment where the Four Eastern Stars, people from another world, had settled.

But now was not the time to think about all that.

“Calm down,” Hikaru told himself.

He had to reassess the situation. Before taking any action, he needed to ascertain his current whereabouts.

“This is a dungeon. Soaarunay referred to it as the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas.”

The walls were sleek, the floor sturdy—a clearly man-made, square chamber.

An artificial dungeon. Had the Saak family constructed this labyrinth?

Hikaru was familiar with the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas. It was the stuff of legends, often talked about by adventurers over tankards of ale.

The Sage of the Abyss, Runay-aas, created a dungeon that contained treasure rivaling a kingdom’s treasury. A sprawling maze fraught with magical traps, from which none returned, leaving its existence shrouded in mystery. The entrance consisted of gilded pillars, and an adventurer was the first to unveil its existence by peeling some gold off and bringing it back.

“I don’t see gold or treasures anywhere,” Hikaru muttered.

It didn’t feel like it had been emptied out of loot either. It was impeccably clean and spotless.

This enigmatic labyrinth had briefly made its existence known, yet no adventurer had ever found it… supposedly.

“Supposedly” because in this world devoid of cameras and the internet, information disseminated slowly, subject to the whims of those in power. Perhaps it had indeed been discovered and cleared, and the rumors simply took on a life of their own.

Though Soaarunay had spoken of the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas with conviction, Hikaru found himself hesitant to fully believe her.

He recalled his final exchange with the sorcerer.

“You gained mana at Mt. Midori because I helped Mr. Doyama. Am I wrong? You could at least show some gratitude.”

“…I can’t.”

“You can’t?”

“We’re done here. I’ve finally made it back. There’s so much I have to do. As for my gratitude… well, I’ll give you choices. One, the way back is this way. Two, if you wish to go to the depths of the labyrinth, it’s this way. This small room we’re currently in is at the center of the labyrinth.”

Soaarunay had gestured toward two diverging paths as she spoke.

“Soaarunay discovered the means to return to this world atop Mt. Midori, likely due to my efforts. But when I requested she cast the spell for crossing worlds in return, she claimed she couldn’t. What did she mean by that? Was it due to a lack of magical power? I can’t say for sure. There’s too little to go on.”

Hikaru’s gaze drifted. Narrow passages flanked him on either side, while faint blue numerals adorned the central wall.

37.

A simple enchantment.

“Maybe this is the 37th chamber or something,” Hikaru mused aloud, striding forward. “Well, be that as it may. My objective remains the same. I will use the spell for crossing worlds again to reunite with Lavia.”

There was only one option to take.

Hikaru chose the path back to the surface. Up ahead was a long, ascending staircase.

Lavia hadn’t realized she was this weak.

After Hikaru and Ayano vanished beyond the rift in Mt. Midori‘s cave, leaving her and old man Doyama dumbfounded, all that remained was a high-density mana crystal that had stopped glowing.

Lavia’s memory of her return was hazy, but after sipping tea brewed by old man Doyama in one of his rooms, warmth gradually seeped back into her body.

To witness Hikaru vanish before her very eyes—it was like being struck with a hammer, momentarily darkening her vision.

The warmth of the tea helped her regain composure, and she began to piece together the situation.

Sasakura Ayano wasn’t really Sasakura Ayano. And she used the spell for crossing worlds, without any diagram or catalyst. She was a sorcerer. Hikaru got dragged into the spell and disappeared.

Considering Ayano spoke the common tongue of Lavia’s homeland, they must be connected to the same world. Thus, Hikaru would be in that world.

Hikaru was alive, and Paula was there too. The thought eased Lavia’s mind.

I have things I must do.

Lavia found strength.

First, she briefed old man Doyama—what had occurred, which she herself didn’t entirely understand, the magical nature of Mt. Midori, and the uncertainty of the ore regaining mana. Doyama mentioned that the ore had stopped glowing in the past, advising her not to dwell on it.

“So, there was some magic going on in there, huh?” Doyama said.

“That was sorcery,” Lavia replied.

“I don’t really get it. Will you wait here until his return?”

“No, I think I’ll head back.”

There was a throng of reporters outside, so she needed to find an opportunity first.

“Oh, before that, I need to make a call.”

Lavia realized something crucial. Tonight marked the 10th day since her arrival in Japan, the designated time for the execution of the spell for crossing worlds.

Serika was the caster, so the rift should appear in front of her friend, Hazuki, not Lavia. Lavia, unfortunately, was unaware of events in the other world. Due to the destruction of the warehouse in Ponsonia’s capital, the spell’s version that used the Four Elementals Fusion Theory couldn’t be executed. Moreover, Serika was en route to the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas at the Adventurers Guild’s behest.

In any case, Lavia anticipated the execution of the spell for crossing worlds tonight. She needed to meet up with Hazuki to tell her about Hikaru and return to the other side.

When Lavia told old man Doyama that she had to make a call, he graciously left the room.

Alone in the spacious tatami-floored parlor, Lavia retrieved her smartphone, unlocked it, and accessed the calling app.

“Hazuki… This should be it.”

Before she could press the call button, Lavia’s fingers stopped.

She had encountered Hazuki once in the apartment hallway. With her flowing black hair, Hazuki was a strikingly beautiful girl, her thin lips and fair skin giving off a somewhat melancholic aura.

Hikaru exchanged words with Hazuki back then, but Lavia hadn’t learned Japanese, so she couldn’t grasp their conversation.

Later, Hikaru said, “Hazuki. Someone who has been very, very helpful to me in this world.”

Recalling Hikaru’s expression upon seeing Hazuki exit the elevator—a mix of surprise, joy, and perhaps even a hint of tears—Lavia realized she had never seen Hikaru make such a face.

Lavia felt an unfamiliar tightening in her chest. It was a sensation she had never experienced before, leaving her finger suspended. She didn’t know what to do.

Lavia.

She thought she heard Hikaru’s voice by her ear. She was clearly just hearing things, given the oppressive silence filling the Doyama residence.

“Hikaru.”

But even an illusion was enough to settle Lavia’s emotions and calm her down.

“No matter what happened in the past, Hikaru is Hikaru. He accepted me for who I was regardless of my past.”

Lavia pressed the call button. After a few rings, Hazuki picked up.