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The Legendary Labyrinth in the Skies – Part 01

The floating island soared above the mountain ranges at an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 meters. Despite standing at over 1,000 meters high, Hikaru and his group still found themselves far below the island.

How would they bridge that altitude gap?

Hikaru turned the leather pouch upside down, releasing its contents. With a splat, a soccer ball-sized object landed on the ground along with a large amount of liquid.

“A hairball?” Selyse asked, puzzled. It did indeed look like a mere hairball.

“That’s right. It’s a hairball that was stuck in the Fire Drakon’s throat.”

Hikaru shared Selyse’s skepticism, but he had to trust this peculiar object for now.

The hairball, made of long intertwined fibers, had patches of red light. It resembled the hair wrapped around Lavia’s short wand but was more vivid.

“Because it spent a long time inside the Fire Drakon, it’s said to be very conductive to mana,” Hikaru explained. “When you pour mana into it, it generates a powerful updraft in the surrounding area.”

“Really?” Selyse’s doubtful expression mirrored Hikaru’s initial reaction when he first heard about it from the Fire Drakon.

“The Fire Drakon guaranteed it, so it must be true. It’s supposed to be able to launch any number of people into the sky.”

The Fire Drakon, rarely interacting with the world of man, just happened to cough up this hairball and said they were free to use it however they wanted.

Of course, Hikaru had been skeptical at first. But if the Fire Drakon—which flew through the sky and breathed fire that could scorch the heavens—said it would work, then it probably would. It could only be used once, and the lack of a rehearsal was unfortunate.

“Well, we just have to trust it.”

Having come all the way to a remote region in the north, Selyse might have felt a bit let down to see just a hairball.

“I understand your doubts, but let’s do this,” Hikaru said, looking up at the approaching floating island. Its dark belly loomed overhead. “If you would, Paula.”

“Okay!” Paula touched the wet hairball without a second thought. “It’s cold and stiff.”

“Sorry about that.”

“No problem. Here goes.”

“All right. Everyone, gather around!” Hikaru called out, and the Four Eastern Stars gathered.

Mana flowed from Paula’s body. Her body glowed golden, and light transferred from her hands to the hairball.

As it was infused with magical energy, red light spread from fiber to fiber, like blood flowing through veins.

A brilliant light burst forth. Hikaru had to look away.

Suddenly, it became warm. The wind started to blow. A warm wind. It turned into a vortex, a gust, then a gale.

“Oh.”

Hikaru’s body floated up, his feet leaving the ground.

“Ooohhh!”

A spiraling updraft formed, and Hikaru’s body soared into the sky at an incredible speed. Being carried by the vortex, he rose in ever-widening circles until he was ascending along a circumference about 50 meters in radius. It felt like being inside a gigantic washing machine.

Paula shrieked.

“Wh-What is happening?”

Paula’s and Selyse’s arms and legs flailed as they rode the wind.

“Wow, this is amyazing!”

“What the heck?! My skirt’s flipping up!”

“Eek!”

The rest of the Four Eastern Stars were also being lifted up.

The ground quickly receded into the distance. Their horses looked up in bewilderment.

Conversely, the floating island approached rapidly. The air mixed with the cold upper atmosphere, and the temperature dropped.

Before they knew it, Hikaru and the others had reached a height above the floating island.

Hikaru glanced down at the labyrinth and noticed something. It looked different now.

Previously, only a small part of the labyrinth’s entrance was visible on the outskirts of the Holy City Agiapole. But now, cobblestones spread out, stone pillars stood tall, though there were still a few mountains in the center. A dried up fountain and scattered stone buildings gave it the appearance of a religious facility housing a temple.

What really caught his attention were the mysterious towers placed at regular intervals around the island. Each tower stood about three meters high with observation windows facing outward.

It looks like those towers stabilize the island… and serve as defensive structures. You could fire through those observation windows.

It was merely conjecture, but Hikaru believed he was almost correct.

In essence, this floating island was both a moving dungeon and a mobile fortress.

“Gather together! We’re landing!” Hikaru shouted, twisting his body to get closer to Paula and Selyse.

“Lord Hikaru!”

“Give me your hand!”

Paula grabbed his left hand.

“A-Are you sure about this?” Selyse asked.

“What are you talking about? Just hold on!”

Selyse grabbed his right hand.

“Once we’re all together, use wind magic!” Hikaru told Serika, who was right behind Selyse.

“Leave it to me! But if you look up my skirt, you’re dead!”

“I won’t.”

“Why are you weirded out?!”

“I’m surprised you can joke in this situation,” Hikaru thought sincerely.

“Song of an eternal journey, o’ constant traveler of the wind, lend me power. Air Wall!”

Serika cast a basic wind spell that created a layer of compressed air, powerful enough to deflect arrows in narrow passages.

In such an open area, it would only create a strong wind, which was exactly what Hikaru and the others needed.

“Whoa!”

Serika was highly proficient in elemental magic. Her wind magic exceeded expectations, pushing everyone out of the vortex like a giant cushion.

“Serika!”

Once out, they were in free fall, descending diagonally toward the cobblestones of the floating island, about a hundred meters below.

“You sure love working people to the bone!”

Serika’s group followed closely behind Hikaru.

“Air Wall!”

She cast the spell again, creating another air layer in their path.

“Ugh.”

The condensed air made it hard to breathe, like being underwater. Their speed slowed, but the air in their lungs was being forced out.

At this rate, they would still crash hard onto the cobblestones. Due to the air layer, Serika couldn’t chant another spell.

“Damn it!” Hikaru cursed.

What to do?

Should they accept the injuries? Paula could heal them. But what if Paula got seriously injured and couldn’t use her healing magic?

What now?

“It’s my turn,” Selyse spoke calmly in the thick air.

She pulled Hikaru’s hand closer, swapping positions with Hikaru and Paula, then took the vanguard.

“Haaaaaa…”

She drew a red magic sword and swung it in one motion. They were less than twenty meters from the cobblestones.

Hikaru saw the slash clearly. The red blade seemed to extend, and when its tip touched the cobblestones, they exploded.

A shockwave followed. Neither the Blue Flash nor the White Ray Blade had this capability.

Without waiting to see the explosion, Selyse turned around and embraced Hikaru and Paula with both arms.

Hikaru gasped. The blast had slowed their descent, but fragments of cobblestones flew everywhere. Selyse took the brunt of it.

“Selyse! Are you—”

“Watch your step. We’re landing.”

Hikaru’s feet touched the hard ground. His legs gave out, and he fell to his knees. The same happened to Selyse and Paula.

Pushing himself up with his hands, he asked, “Selyse! Are you hurt?”

Her cloak was torn, revealing cuts on the leather mail beneath. Blood oozed from a deep gash on her arm.

Paula quickly used her healing magic, and Selyse’s wounds began to heal. Meanwhile, Serika and the others landed and rushed over.

“That was so reckless!”

“This whole plan is reckless.” Selyse laughed, as if saying these injuries were nothing.

“Selyse,” Hikaru said. “I should have taken the hit back there. Please, don’t put yourself in harm’s way like that.”

“…”

“Selyse? Are you listening?”

“Uh, you’re too close.”

Hikaru’s face was right in front of Selyse’s. You’re the one who pulled me in close, he thought.

“It’s done!” Paula said.

“Th-Thank you, Paula.” Selyse stood up and quickly moved away from Hikaru.

“Hikaru!”

“Ow!”

Someone suddenly smacked his head. It was Serika.

“I know you have a lot to say, but there’s something you need to say to Selyse!”

“Huh? Oh…” He sighed. “Thank you, Selyse.”

“I-It was nothing. It’s the job of the frontline to protect their comrades.”

Ah, I see, Hikaru thought. Selyse had acted without thinking twice. Her movements were so smooth that Hikaru couldn’t say no. As an adventurer and leader of the Four Eastern Stars, protecting her comrades was her role, a role ingrained in her.

“It’s incredible how you’re able to do what you should do so naturally,” Hikaru said.

That’s why Selyse, who had her life saved by Hikaru—Silver Face—became so strongly conscious of him. Hikaru had no idea about this, though.

“Really, it’s nothing.”

“No, it’s amazing.”

“It feels weird to hear you compliment me. So please, stop.”

“I’m just saying, it’s—”

“Stop.” Sara stepped in. “That’s enough flirting.”

“F-Flirting?!” Selyse turned red.

“Enough, both of you. Get serious. We’re in enemy territory.”

Sara was right.

Looking around, the cobblestones were dirty with dust, and there was the entrance to the dungeon. But it looked different from the last time they saw it.

“Yeah… let’s go.”

Hikaru steeled himself.

This was the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas.

About ten minutes later after they entered, there was someone else who had been swept up by the updraft. But Hikaru failed to notice their presence.