"Huekk…" An agonizing cry echoed across the blood-soaked area.
It was a vast expanse within the Grand Helios Labyrinth, and several mangled corpses could be found littering the glowing field.
The man coughed out blood, and his missing hands were oozing out the crimson liquid like uncontrollable dams.
Drowning in his pool of blood, this Adventurer knew that his life had co to an end.
Still…
'Damn it… I'm going to die like this? Why!
Damn! No one told … no one said this thing would be in a single-digit Layer!'
All his life, he had played it safe. Even as an Adventurer, he had always been cautious.
The dying man knew his job was risky, which was why he made sure to restrict his activities to single-digit Layers—foregoing the riches and glory awaiting him in the more dangerous regions.
Still, he had survived for so long, thanks to his discretion.
Yet… yet…
'This beast… this monster…!' His despondent eyes gazed upon the hulking figure that was munching on one of the several Adventurers it had killed.
The massive creature showed no compassion as it broke the bones of its al, like twigs, and swallowed the human whole.
It the reached for another, and then another.
Its scaly brown skin was extrely tough and practically impenetrable, and its massive figure commanded power.
Its powerful jaws crushed the humans as its sharp teeth sank into their unresisting flesh, causing deoxygenated blood to leak out as it swallowed everything whole.
The monster's horns and gem-like green eyes were an aesthetic that only one race possessed.
It was a Dragon.
'E-Earth Dragon… this monster is…' That was the man's final thought as he lay there dying.
Regret and agony saturated his mind, but a final emotion was evident in his eyes as he drew his last breath.
Pity.
He pitied the next group that would approach this Floor.
'… This monster is… impossible…'
And then death arrived.
****************************************
"Alright, I'm done." Byron and Sarah said, showing kegs full of rcury.
'That's at least fifty liters! Should be enough to last a few months. It shouldn't be exhausted before I co here next.'
I had better not get too greedy with mining. Just getting enough to restock the supplies would suffice.
"Perfect!" I grinned internally, but as usual my face displayed a composed façade.
Of course, we couldn't just carry the kegs around, so I decided to use my INVENTORY to handle them.
"H-hueeee??!!" A sharp cry pierced the air as I did this, nearly scaring to death.
My eyes darted in the direction of the voice, and it ca from none other than the Ranger herself, Asa.
"What is it?" I asked, placing the final keg of rcury into my INVENTORY without any issues.
"Y-you… what is that skill… is that so special grade Space Magic?!"
Ah, so she was observing my INVENTORY, wasn't she?
'I forgot that sothing like this was uncommon here. I guess I've been too used to Sarah and Byron's company.'
It wasn't like I couldn't bullshit my way out of this one, but would that really be okay? Unlike one gullible village, if Adventurers got a wind of this stuff, they would most likely beco ddleso to deal with.
I had to be smart about things.
However…
"Sothing like that."
… I decided to give a vague answer.
"A-amazing! Simply amazing!" The girl's eyes seed to be shining diamonds at this point, so I simply left her to herself and focused on Sarah and Byron.
"Where to next? We need to get the Mana Chalk next, right?"
"Well, to get a good concentration of it, I'd recomnd the ninth floor."
"Yeah. It has an open space, so it's going to be an appropriate location for comfortable mining."
"Hmmm… I see."
This was why it was good to have industrious subordinates. I was so glad they had done this before, else I would be stranded so badly.
"Alright. Let's go."
As we walked, I thought about various things. My two predominant thoughts were the Quest concerning Asa, and also sothing far more important.
'I can get a Class now!'
After checking my Stats the last ti, I realized that I could get a Class, finally.
In this world, it was possible to obtain one once a person exceeded Level 10. Both Sarah and Byron had classes as well.
Even though I didn't want to ask Asa, it was also quite obvious that she had a Class as well.
'Hold on, don't I have her na in the Character List? Might as well check that out too.' I wasn't doing anything particularly important, after all.
And so, I summoned the broad system panel in front of and consud the information displayed.
****************************************
"E-eh…?"
I was nearly dumbstruck by what I found out. My neck was so stiff that I could barely turn them in Asa's direction as my eyes bulged in shock.
'Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!'
I had no idea until I checked her full information. Now that I knew, there was no going back!
'Asa… you—!!!'
"Hm?" She suddenly glanced in my direction, causing to swiftly look away.
Hopefully, I wasn't giving any creepy looks.
"GUUUUAAAAARRRKKKKKK!!!" As I was contemplating, while the rest of my Party progressed, a loud scream echoed through the air.
The scream was blood-curdling and desperate, as though the person was in terrible pain.
My heart skipped a beat, and I instinctively knew danger lurked wherever the sound ca from.
"What's that? It's coming from the ninth floor!" Sarah's eyes widened as she looked on ahead.
Sweat appeared on Byron's face as he prepared himself.
He was a monk-like warrior and relied mostly on his fists—sa as that Gu guy I t during the Assessnt, so he brandished his fists and looked ahead as well, ready for combat.
"Wait, everyone!" Asa quickly beckoned the rest of our party while I was still trying to get a grasp of the situation.
"I'm a Ranger, so would you leave the Recon to ?"
Asa must have realized how bothered we all were by the terrible scream we had just heard, and the devastating sound that followed.
There was no way I was going to refuse her generosity.
"Please do." I said smoothly.
And so, we changed our formation, with Asa at the forefront, watching the rear, then Sarah and Byron at the center.
'It's not because I'm a coward or anything…'
Asa held her hand in the air, pausing as we were closely approaching the ninth Floor.
"There's sothing going on down there… it's…" She muttered.
The eighth floor ended in a cave opening, and beneath it was a wide expanse—as big as an outdoor field—that consisted the ninth floor.
At least, that was what I was told.
I could see Asa's body shaking, as though she was trying her hardest to remain composed. She was currently the only one who could see what was happening beyond the cave.
Since the girl was also at the forefront, I couldn't see her clearly. But, her trembling body showed that she was either scared, or just overwheld.
"That thing… what is it doing here…?"
"What thing? What's going on, Miss. Asa?"
"Could it be—?! It's what we were asking about yesterday!"
Suddenly, all three of them looked at with joint gazes.
"Eh?"
I was so lost, but of course, I couldn't show them that.
'But, if I didn't even know what it was, how could I key into the conversation?'
"S-Sam…" Asa called out my na stuttering badly, glancing at with eyes wide in fright.
"Our fellow Adventurers are down there—so are already dead, but I can spot a few that are alive."
'Okay…' I honestly didn't like the direction things were heading.
Looking back now, I should have just called it quits at that point.
I should have turned back and run ho.
But… I didn't.
"Their opponent is sothing I've only ever seen once… and I've never fought it before." The shaky tone in Asa's tone told that I was in for a very deadly surprise.
Why didn't I pick the hint and just leave?
"It's…"
"GUROOOAAHHHHH!!!" A roar interrupted Asa's words.
"Shit! It's going to eat them!" The Ranger looked at desperately.
It was at this mont that I reached a crossroad. I had to pick one of the two.
"S-Sam, she's right!"
"S-Sam, what will you do?"
Even Byron and Sarah now stared at with pleading gazes, hope sparkling in their eyes. Their gazes were akin to puppy dog eyes, and it was obvious what they wanted.
'Adventurers are dead because of whatever made that sound… and you expect to fight it?!'
I was struggling with maintaining composure myself, but it wasn't as though I could turn a blind eye to the incident occurring right in front of .
Especially when I had witnesses around .
'Maybe I should take a peek too… who knows, it might not be too big a deal.' I smiled to myself, signaling Asa to let have a look.
Big mistake on my part.
'E-eh? No way! NO WAYYYYYYY!!!'
The sight that greeted my eyes upon looking made realize at long last that I—Samuel Peterson—had the worst luck in the entire world.
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