Chapter 8 – Labyrinth Libarintos (2)

Jin-hyuk decided to take a peek at her status window.

—

Name: Park Hana
Age: 22
Level: 1
Strength 4 Agility 5 Stamina 5 Magic 10
Stat Points: 0
Coins: 100
Occupation: None
Unique Ability: Communion
Skill: Lv1 Fast Step Lv1 Weak Healing
—

The feeling of communion.

Even if it was their first meeting, the person they met would feel like they have known them for a long time and erase any wariness.

It was an ability that he needed to break people’s guards and copy their abilities.

Furthermore…

‘It will be a great help for taming ‘that guy’ later.’

At first, he thought about using them to get rid of the traps inside the labyrinth, but now he changed his mind.

‘This skill cannot be missed.’

He had to get this skill, so Jin-hyuk confirmed the conditions needed to copy it.

[Copy Condition: Stay with Park Hana for at least 240 hours. However, once 240 hours have passed, there must be no one other than you and Park Hana.]
240 hours.

In other words, they had to be together for ten days to satisfy the condition.

‘I don’t need the other five…’

There was no need to kill them, though.

‘I am no bloodthirsty killer.’

If they didn’t cross the line, he would use them in moderation, and then they could leave in their own way.

But if they crossed the line.

That would be a different story.

‘Because I am determined to survive in this world as well.’

Jin-hyuk, who had read the conditions carefully, then said,

“So why did you come to me instead of going to the hunting grounds?”

“Before I answer that, maybe I can ask you a question?”

“Ask away.”

“The place you’re entering now is a labyrinth, right?”

“Yes.”

“As I thought…”

Park Hana bit her lips and then said

“We want to join in.”

“We… join?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t it be better to go together as a group than alone? There is a saying that sharing the risk is better.”

She smiled brightly.

Well, it was good that she had said it first, even as her hand went to the needle on her waist.

‘That is the sting of the bumblebee from the museum’s insect room.’

Everyone else flinched and moved.

This was fun.

So…

‘So she plans to use it on me inside?’

Jin-hyuk pointed to the entrance.

“Do whatever you feel comfortable with. “

Want to enter the labyrinth?

Do it.

Once you entered, you wouldn’t be able to leave on your own anyway.

—

[You have entered the labyrinth ‘Libarintos’]
[The number of challengers is 7.]
They could feel the moist, sticky air sticking to their skin as they entered the labyrinth.

The smell.

The feeling.

Now he really felt the truth that he was really within the tower.

Jin-hyuk looked at the wall. There were bright lights in place shining from inside them.

There were hundreds of Luminous Moths within the walls.

They were widely known for providing light for vision in underground dungeons, but…

There was an exception here.

Jin-hyuk moved his five fingers at regular intervals.

He slowly folded them and opened his palm again.

As if he was mimicking their wing movement.

Once.

Twice.

And thrice.

And then…

A moth sat on Jin-hyuk’s hand.

The dust quickly covered his hands, making them emit a bright light.

‘Right, nice to meet you.’

A gentle smile appeared on his lips. And it was then.

“Ah, I couldn’t get your full name.”

Park Hana spoke from his side. Jin-hyuk placed the moth back on the wall and said.

“Ah, I must have forgotten.”

All of them had entered inside, and the labyrinth was closed. There had been no time to properly greet each other.

Now that they were inside, they could now talk leisurely.

“I am Park Hana, 22, and have been to the second floor of the Tower of Trials before.”

Park Hana introduced herself, and the rest of the people began to speak.

“I am Hang Cheol-sik. Only ended up on the first floor a long while back.”

“Lee Haemin. Only till the first floor.”

“Jang Mina. Till the 3rd floor…”

“I am Cheon Min-guk. Never played the game.”

“Do Kwang-woo. My first time too.”

Everyone was speaking words, but…

It all sounded strange to Jin-hyuk’s ears.

“Extra person to die in traps!”

“Backup plan to be used as bait for emergencies for running away!”

“Haha! Every night we will work hard to have delicious meals done!”

Like so.

At the last minute, he was sure they would all aim to stab him in the back, so knowing their names wasn’t worth it.

Jin-hyuk smiled lightly.

‘A raiding party with people trying to kill each other.’

He didn’t think he could get bored here.

“Kang Jin-hyuk.”

“Mr. Jin-hyuk… I see. So has Mr.Jin-hyuk been inside the labyrinth before?”

As they exchanged their names, Park Hana stuck closer to him.

[Park Hana activated her unique ability ‘Communion.’]
In an instant, ticklish energy made his body feel tired.

His mind became at ease.

‘So this is how it works.’

He would have felt friendly towards her if he didn’t know about her ability.

Good compatibility or someone to be trusted.

It was like a good first impression.

“Fortunately, I knew about this labyrinth from before.”

“Wow. You are more amazing than I thought. It is an honor to be with you.”

Park Hana slowly looked at him as she was trying to break down his walls

It might work on those with shallow minds, though.

Jin-hyuk smiled and shook his head.

“I know it well. Probably no one knows it as well as I do.”

“Ah… I see.”

“No, I mean it. A player who knows the whole place’s layout will also fall short in front of me. There are 12 laps around, and people who can listen to me once in a while are enough.”

“…”

Park Hana had a surprised expression.

A blunt answer.

Not a single one of her praise for him was working.

“Well then, could you please tell me what kind of monsters are in the labyrinth and what characteristics they have? Would that be possible?”

“That won’t be too difficult.”

Let’s see…

What to do?

“First of all, the labyrinth changes its interior at regular intervals.”

“Uh? What is that supposed to mean?”

“This place is also called the ‘Labyrinth of Change.’ Ah, the time has come.”

Jin-hyuk stood still, and at that moment.

Kukuku!

The entire labyrinth began to violently shake. Dust from the ceiling fell as cracks opened on the floors and walls.

“Ack!”

“What is this?”

“Ackkk!”

Panicked screams erupted from the group. The ground was rising up and going down. The boulders inside the labyrinth also moved in every direction.

“M-Move! Don’t stick close to each other!”

“Shit! If we fall, we die right away!”

“Right side! To the right!”

Bang!

Bang!

The stones of the labyrinth were moving quickly, fitting together like blocks in Tetris.

Kwaang!

Everyone was moving quickly to avoid getting caught between the rocks.

They scratched their knees, causing blood to flow, but they didn’t have time to care about that.

Kukukuk….

The vibrations stopped, and the paths changed entirely from before. If there was a small fortune, it was that the team didn’t get split up.

“Ugh!”

Their hearts were pounding.

“Ugh, this is the labyrinth on the first floor!”

“Nonsense. Wasn’t there supposed to be nothing here except for ruins?”

As everyone breathed heavily with pale faces, Jin-hyuk simply stood up and brushed the dust from his body.

“Have you all experienced a labyrinth with changing terrains at least once?”

“W-who would want to experience such a thing!”

Park Hana shouted with a pale face.

“Well, fine.”

Jin-hyuk shrugged.

Once again, he called over a luminous moth and collected its dust.

The humming from it was a bonus for him.

At his carefree appearance, Park Hana felt the urge to curse.

But she held back as she had more important things to do.

“We need to get out right now. Haemin. Can you find an exit?”

“That… the ability got canceled when the labyrinth changed.”

Lee Haemin shook her head with a dark face.

Unique ability ‘Compass.’

The ability to show the safest route out of a dungeon or labyrinth

Park Hana had confidently entered the labyrinth because of this ability.

But…

That ability had now become useless.

Because the labyrinth had been recreated.

And that changed everything.

“So you mean you cannot find a way out?”

“In this… place we are locked up?”

—

‘I did wonder how she could enter the labyrinth that confidently.’

Was it because there was a navigation ability?

Jin-hyuk, who overheard their words, swallowed a laugh.

Guess the newbies didn’t know that going into a labyrinth wasn’t like going to their local supermarket.

‘Even so, what can we expect from fools? The time for it to appear has come…’

Jin-hyuk glanced at the moth dust on his hand.

When body odor and the dust mixed together, a special substance was secreted, letting out a unique scent.

Ah, it appeared promptly.

Thud! Thud!

A faint sound could be heard from afar, though everyone else was panicking, so they couldn’t hear it.

But Jin-hyuk felt it.

Something that roamed in this place was approaching them.

—

“The labyrinth changes? Why the hell didn’t you tell me such an important thing in advance?”

Park Hana raised her voice.

It hurt his ear a bit.

And…

“Did I ask you to follow me?”

“…what?”

“No, you were the ones who said you wanted to come. I never forced you.”

They wanted to come.

That’s right, speak up now.

“T-that is true…”

Park Hana stuttered.

She wanted to retort back, but she had nothing to say.

“This bastard is saying this only now! I already feel like a beggar being confined to this one place. If you mess around one more time, I’m gonna kill you.

Cheon Min-guk shouted.

Well, he would let Park Hana speak as he needed her, but this guy?

Jin-hyuk scratched his head and stood in front of Cheo Min-guk.

“You are free to squeal like a pig, but you better keep your voice down in here.”

“What?”

“Ah! You don’t understand human language? Then. Oink oink oink oink. Oink! Oink oink! Did you get it now? I said to be quiet.”

“Y-You fucking bastard!”

Cheon Min-guk, whose face was flushed red, swung his fist.

It was an attack that flew towards his chin.

Puck!

Jin-hyuk turned his head and avoided the punch. At the same time, he tapped his opponent’s foot to break his balance.

“Uh…Uh?”

Cheon Mun-guk struggled to maintain his balance and fell forward.

Clench!

And Jin-hyuk trampled on Cheon Mun-guk’s fist.

As he placed weight on it, the eerie sound of breaking bones could be heard.

“Ahhh!”

“Shhh! Be quiet. Don’t you know the saying, ‘Do not shout in a labyrinth’?”

“Ughh…you bastard! Why are you breaking my wrist while telling me to be quiet!”

“Because you didn’t come to your senses when I said it with my mouth.”

“What?”

“Your mouth seems like it’s tough to keep it closed.”

Jin-hyuk’s expression turned cold.

From above.

To below.

Puak!

His foot dug into Cheon Mun-guk.

Since he had added weight to it, the impact was more noticeable.

“Kuak!”

His front teeth were all smashed as blood spurted out of his mouth.

“Aren’t you being too much? It was just one swing of a fist.”

“R-right. Who in the world…”

“Is that cruel?”

Park Hana and the rest of the people seemed a bit shocked.

Of course, they were.

Do you all think it was too much to smash someone’s face after they first attacked you?

There was no such thing as ‘come back stronger.’

Why care about others?

‘I was never a righteous person.’

Besides, this wasn’t the time to judge humanity’s morality or anything else.

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you.”

Actually, there was no need for that.

Jin-hyuk looked into the darkness in the passage.

‘After hearing this commotion and smelling the blood, it’s now his turn to appear.’

Thud! Thud!

Loud footsteps could be heard.

Unlike before, the sound was clear enough for everyone to hear.