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The Four Eastern Stars Ventures into the Labyrinth, While the Masked Boy Leaves – Part 03

Unsettling cries echoed from above.

Despite the clear sky, the area around this mountain was enveloped in a sinister miasma, casting a dim light. Winged demon-type monsters circled the sky incessantly, screeching non-stop.

The Holy City of Agiapole, the capital of the Theocracy of Bios, served as the seat of the Church, an organization that spanned the entire continent, and was home to many clergies. Just beyond this holy place lay a mountain emitting an evil miasma, with demonic monsters spilling from it.

Fortunately for Agiapole, the Beastmen army of the Confederacy of Einbiest was garrisoned on the outskirts of the city.

Until recently, Agiapole was in a state of conflict with the Confederacy. Their goal was to liberate their fellow Beastmen who were being illegally detained and treated as slaves in the holy city. Many of the rescued Beastmen were currently stationed in the encampment. Therefore, they had to fight to protect their comrades. Initially seen as harbingers of misfortune when invading the holy city, they were now celebrated as saviors holding the demons back.

However, the Church didn’t just stand by idly. After all, clergy members were particularly adept at subduing demon-type monsters. They joined forces with the Beastmen army to hold the front lines, and by now, they had mostly exterminated the monsters that came from the mountain.

Still, they had only been able to kill the monsters around the holy city, leaving those that had entered the forest on the opposite side untouched. If they were just rampaging in the forest, they could be left alone, but beyond the forest lay the main highway. This highway was vital, connecting the holy city with other major cities. If it were blocked by monsters, the flow of goods into the city would be disrupted. Another problem was that the forest facing this highway was vast, making it practically impossible to deploy troops everywhere along the highway.

The holy city’s reserves would last about six months. The task ahead was clear—they needed to crush the root cause of the monster outbreak.

In this sinister mountain that suddenly appeared, there was a dungeon. A stone monument placed at its entrance bore the following words:

“Those who walk the path of supremacy,
Those who seek wisdom,
Those who master the mystic arts,
Those who excel in cunning,
Those who possess bravery,
Accept my challenge.

The one who overcomes all shall learn the essence of magic—Runay-aas o Saak.”

It hinted at the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas, the stuff of adventurers’ dreams.

Yes, here lay the labyrinth of legends.

“What a tiny ass monument.”

A man kicked the front of the stone. He was tall, with a sturdy build. His curly golden hair resembled a lion’s mane, flowing down to his broad shoulders.

He wore a green jacket made of dragon leather, and at his waist hung what seemed to be a weapon—a menacing set of metal claws, each one as dangerous as a dagger.

“Kinga, please refrain from behavior that tarnishes the honor of Ponsonian adventurers,” sighed a man, a seasoned adventurer, around 40 years old or so. He had short gray hair, a tanned skin, and an uncharacteristically calm demeanor for an adventurer. His body, clad in reddish-brown leather mail, was well-toned, belying his age. Presumably, his armor was crafted from high-quality monster leather, faintly imbued with magic.

What caught the eye the most, however, was the longsword he carried on his back. Its scabbard was crafted using magic stones, making it exceptionally luxurious.

Kinga turned unapologetically. “Rank A adventurers sure talk different, huh? Tarnishes the honor. I thought you were some noble, oh Lord Marius.”

“That’s why you guys are stuck at Rank B. You’ll be interacting more with nobles once you’re A.”

“No thanks. If we have to bow our heads, I’d rather stay at B,” Kinga said bluntly.

The men behind Marius shot him a glare, but Kinga didn’t flinch at all.

“There you are, Lord Kinga!”

A group, about thirty strong, strolled in, predominantly women. They were all so lovely that one couldn’t help but think they cared more about their looks than their skills at adventuring. There were a few men among them, but they kept their gazes down, appearing rather glum.

“We’re the crew set to conquer this dungeon. Thought we’d make our presence known here for the time being.”

Kinga gestured at the stone monument he’d just kicked, smearing it with mud, then casually draped his arms around the shoulders of two approaching women, giving their chests a squeeze.

“Eek! Lord Kinga, not in public.”

“Weren’t you the one craving some excitement in bed? How about doing it in front of Rank A adventurers?”

“No way!”

The women feigned resistance, but Kinga’s arms held them firmly as his hands kept fondling their breasts.

“Feel free to do as you please, but we’ve got places to be. Whether this is the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas or not, we have a guild commission to fulfill.” Marius glanced back. “Selyse, are the Four Eastern Stars joining us?”

Selyse Lande, a blonde adventurer with hair tied up in a chignon, was standing nearby.

“I think it’s a good idea to collaborate early on,” she replied. “Plus, it’s a chance to witness the Azure Blade Nebula in action.”

“I see. Any objections, folks?”

Marius’s companions, a group of Rank A adventurers, nodded in agreement.

“I object!” said Kinga. “The Four Eastern Stars should stick with Kinga Wolf. How about merging with us, Selyse? With the Sun Maiden on board, we could shoot for Rank A.”

“Do you really need more members with a party of thirty?”

“You can never have too many beauties.”

Kinga continued playing with the women’s chests, but Selyse remained unfazed.

“We’re good with four members, and we’ve decided to reach Rank A as is.”

“So cold, yet so irresistible!”

While Kinga expressed disappointment, the women in his party gave disapproving looks to Selyse and Serika. Sara, with her keen ears, caught their whispers.

“Go away.”

“Get off your high horse, ugly.”

“Menless quartet.”

“Let’s get moving!”

At Marius’s command, the twelve members of the Azure Blade Nebula surged ahead, trailed by the four from the Four Eastern Stars. Finally, after some delays in preparation, the 30-strong crew of Kinga Wolf followed, a good ten minutes behind.

Observing this procession were monitoring officers dispatched from the holy city, including representatives from the Knights Templar and the Beastmen Army.

“Are they really up to this? They seem a lot more… colorful than the adventurers we’re used to from the city,” a knight remarked.

“Adventurers come in all shapes and sizes,” a Beastman soldier replied. “As long as they’ve got the skills, it should be fine.”

“True, but… I’m not entirely confident their search for the Beastman King will go smoothly.”

The Adventurers Guild had tasked them with placing themselves under the command of the Theocracy of Bios’s army in this newly discovered Great Labyrinth.

All of this had been set in motion by Gerhardt, the Leader of Einbiest.

“We’ll just have to trust them.”

Emerging behind the monitoring officers was a girl with luscious red hair cascading behind her.

“M-Miss Jillarte.”

“Hello, Deputy Leader.”

“Thank you for seeing them off,” she said.

The two gave their salutes and departed. It was a sight unimaginable just three months prior—Knights Templar and Beastmen soldiers conversing amiably.

She was Jillarte Kostenlos Jäger, Einbiest’s Deputy Leader and a human, the one who had commissioned the adventurers to search for Gerhardt.

When the sinister mountain appeared, Gerhardt had insisted on checking it out. Gathering a hundred elite soldiers, they ventured into the dungeon as an advance team, battling demon-type monsters along the way.

Messengers arrived sporadically to give reports. Each floor of the dungeon was vast, teeming with demon-type creatures, which they took down as they advanced deeper. Active traps slowed down their exploration. They had reached the 6th floor.

But five days ago, all communication ceased.

The final message relayed: “Hostiles on the 6th floor are remarkably powerful. We’ve suffered several casualties. Lord Gerhardt says the floor reeks of malevolence, so he wants to cleanse it. He intends to return after exterminating them all.”

Jillarte wanted to rush to Gerhardt’s aid, but the Deputy Leader had to stay to lead the Einbiest army. It was at that juncture that high-ranking adventurers arrived from the Kingdom of Ponsonia.

Both the armies of Bios and Einbiest were conducting the monster extermination and dungeon survey, but control rested with the Beastmen Army. Thus, Jillarte, as its commander, sought the aid of the adventurers. And she tasked them with finding Gerhardt.