Chapter 1

In a small space centered around the labyrinth spring, a heavy atmosphere lingered.

Sitting on the ground to rest were four men, ranging from their late twenties to early thirties. Clad in metal armor, leather armor, and thick cloaks, they were a party of adventurers known as "The Rough Gang" — their most formidable member being a powerful magician.

Their tense expressions were deeply etched with frustration and fatigue.

The exploration of the labyrinth was not progressing as they had hoped.

"Damn it, we can't afford to waste time here."

The heavy warrior spat out a curse along with a tongue click.

"Why did he cast a spell on such a small creature!"

During the battle with the monster earlier, their party's most powerful magician had used an attack spell.

While the magic was powerful, it consumed a significant amount of mana. To recover, one had to either drink a mana potion or rest.

Mana potions were much more expensive than other potions and were also hard to come by, making it difficult even for intermediate adventurers like them to obtain them.

"That's ridiculous."

The magician, wrapped in a dark cloak, raised one eyebrow in rebuttal.

"It was because the vanguard couldn't stop the monster that I had no choice but to use it. I don't appreciate the blame being shifted to me. This—"

He snorted, spitting out words of contempt.

"Cheese guy"

This was a slang term meaning "a wall full of holes," indicating that the heavy warrior, who was supposed to protect the rear, had failed in his role.

"What did you say, you bastard? Are you challenging me?"

The agitated heavy warrior and the magician, who wore a sneer, were about to clash.

The remaining two members of the party, a light warrior and a skirmisher, were lying down, seemingly indifferent to the conflict.

They were resting in the twentieth underground level of the Tyros Labyrinth, in a corner of the vast level — a safe zone where they had fled in a hurry.

Monsters dislike water, so the chamber with the labyrinth spring is an ideal resting place for adventurers. The abundant light moss makes it as bright as daytime, despite being deep underground.

"Shouting loudly is dangerous."

The tense atmosphere was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps and a somewhat relaxed voice.

"Even by the water, there are still monsters."

The four adventurers reacted instinctively, but upon seeing the young man in a leather long coat, they quickly relaxed their guard.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with wheat-colored hair tied into a ponytail at the back of his neck. Tall and slender, he did not appear to possess the strength and endurance that are essential qualities for a guide.

Perhaps his timing was bad. The heavy warrior's anger was directed at the young man, Rau.

"I thought you were missing. Where have you been, you damn Sherpa!"

Looking down at the basket he was carrying, Rau calmly confessed.

"There's a place nearby where medicinal herbs grow. They can make a powerful restorative."

"Restorative? Can you sell such a thing?"

The skirmisher, who had been lying down, asked.

With a smile, Rau picked up a crimson leaf from the basket.

"Yes. With this much, it's worth one silver coin."

An amount that would cover a night's stay at an inn with meals included.

The heavy warrior, the leader of "The Rough Gang," did not look pleased that their hired Sherpa was earning extra money during the job.

However, they had just been saved from near annihilation by the young man's guidance and directions. Hesitant to complain, he only groaned in frustration.

Instead, the light warrior, who prioritized attack power and speed, spoke up.

"Isn't it part of a Sherpa's job to show where medicinal herbs grow?"

"That's one of the services, but 'The Rough Gang' has contracted for the shortest route to the thirtieth underground level and guidance to the labyrinth spring only. Changes cannot be made until you leave the labyrinth."

The members of "The Rough Gang" fell silent. They had chosen the cheapest guide service as a group decision.

Rau put the medicinal herbs in the large backpack's pocket and started arranging several ceramic vials on the ground.

Red, yellow, green, blue — quite a colorful assortment.

The skirmisher, known as a "jack-of-all-trades" and responsible for distributing potions during battles, was interested.

Rau explained the effects one by one.

A healing potion to mend wounds. A cure potion to remove fatigue. A mind potion to boost morale. And a mana potion to restore magic power.

"I believe 'The Rough Gang' has been quite exhausted from the recent battle. I think you might be running low on supplies."

For a party without healing magic, potions were literally a lifeline. The members of "The Rough Gang" became serious and gathered around Rau.

"Of course, it's not free, right?"

The magician, eyeing the mana potion, confirmed.

Nodding, Rau took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"This is the price list. The unit is silver coins."

It was a table with grid lines. The prices were not fixed and increased as the levels went deeper.

The heavy warrior shouted.

"Don't joke around! This is highway robbery!"

At the twentieth underground level, the prices were about double what they would be on the surface. A mana potion cost ten silver coins — one gold coin.

"The price of potions changes based on the availability of the medicinal herbs used. Two years ago, the herbs needed for cure potions were in short supply, and the prices tripled. In other words, the market price changes based on supply at a given time and place."

Without potions, they couldn't advance deeper into the labyrinth. Returning to the surface to prepare would cost more time and money.

"I don't think it's expensive at all."

Perhaps disarmed by Rau's innocent smile, the heavy warrior turned away with a "Hmph."

In the end, despite their complaints and curses, "The Rough Gang" bought several overpriced potions from Rau and continued their exploration of the labyrinth.

Their final record was the twenty-fifth underground level.

Though they didn't reach their goal of the thirtieth level, all members, including the Sherpa, returned safely.

After converting the monster loot into cash and deducting expenses, the party made a profit of about one gold coin.

For the free-spending adventurers, this was a meager amount that would be spent within a week. They would then have to decide whether to challenge the Tyros Labyrinth again or set off for another labyrinth.

Incidentally, Rau's profit from the Sherpa's fee and the sale of overpriced potions was one gold coin and two silver coins.

This was a good earning for him.

"You, I'll never hire you again!"

Rau calmly brushed off the heavy warrior's parting words.

"I look forward to your future use of my services as a labyrinth guide."

He said this with a polite bow.

When Rau returned to the guide guild after coming back from the Tyros Labyrinth, he was greeted by an old woman with white hair who was smoking a cigarette at the counter.

"Welcome back, Rau."

"Thanks, Gima."

It had been three days since they last met. The old woman, Gima, tapped her pipe to knock out the tobacco and first praised him for returning safely.

"Did you have any trouble?"

"No. We encountered a swarm of monsters once, but we managed to escape to the labyrinth spring."

"How was 'The Rough Gang'?"

"I think they are well-balanced in terms of combat power. They are experienced adventurers, and their retreat was well-timed. However, they said they would never hire me again."

"That makes three. If Rau isn't good enough, they won't be satisfied with any other Sherpa. Good job, though."

"I'll submit the report tomorrow."

"Sure, that's fine. Get home quickly and reassure Marin."

Rau put his belongings away in the warehouse and headed to the lounge. He thought he would greet his colleagues if they were there, but Gabo was just about to pick up a large backpack.

"Going down again, Gabo?"

"Hey, Rau. Just got back."

Gabo was broad-shouldered and well-built. He was the same age as Rau but had been a Sherpa for a short time, with a restriction to guide only up to the fourteenth underground level. He earned less and often complained to Rau.

"Weren't 'The Rough Gang' terrible? They have a bad reputation at the adventurer guild."

They had come to the town about a month ago. When they first entered the shallow levels of the Tyros Labyrinth for a "warm-up," Gabo was their first Sherpa.

"They were tense even during breaks. They said I was a bad guide and useless! Typical Sherpa bullying. Should we all gang up and ostracize them?"

If a party was listed in the Sherpa's refusal registry, they would be reported to the adventurer guild and would not be able to hire a Sherpa in the town. This would make labyrinth exploration almost impossible, so even the rough adventurers would not easily antagonize a Sherpa.

However, Rau believed that adventurers and Sherpas should have a mutually beneficial relationship.

"Well, they'll probably move on to other labyrinths eventually."

"Before that, I think they'll dissolve due to differences in adventuring styles!"

Rau didn't think Gabo's prediction would come true.

While the party wasn't particularly friendly, as he reported to Gima, they were well-balanced in terms of combat power. Even if they dissolved, there was no guarantee they would find a better party. Even if a group of high-level adventurers came together, an unbalanced, hastily formed party would not improve their survival rate in the labyrinth.

Given that the members of "The Rough Gang" would reach the average retirement age for adventurers in a few years, they would likely continue, despite their complaints.

While Rau was thinking this, Gabo's conversation took a different turn.

"By the way, have you heard, Rau? About the hero's party?"

"…The hero?"

It seemed a rumor had spread during the three days Rau was in the labyrinth, and Gabo proudly shared the latest information.

"The high-level adventurer party 'Sword of Twilight,' who has been making a big impact in the capital, is coming to our labyrinth. They've apparently contacted the adventurer guild!"

"Really?"

Famous adventurers and their parties are of interest to everyone. The monthly adventurer party ranking list is very popular among the residents.

At the top of the list, in the position of the Eastern Hero, is the party "Sword of Twilight."

They have already cleared two labyrinths in different regions and obtained their cores.

Their record in the infinite labyrinth in the capital reaches the seventy-eighth underground level.

The leader of "Sword of Twilight" is a beautiful black-haired woman who is not yet twenty.

They are not only powerful but also the most popular adventurer party.

"Such a famous party is coming here."

"They will aim for a quick clearance, so hiring a Sherpa is a certainty."

Gabo's breathing was heavy.

The current record for the Tyros Labyrinth in this town is the forty-seventh underground level. Based on the concentration of magic, the deepest level is estimated to be around the fifty-second or fifty-third level.

"Five or six more levels, and they have the confidence to break through."

Rau muttered to himself.

Their purpose could be for further glory. However, as a party that has rapidly risen to the top of the rankings, they wouldn't come to the border labyrinth of Tyros just for glory.

So, it must be for the labyrinth core.

Adventurers have a concept called levels.

By absorbing the magic cores found in the bodies of monsters, they gain experience points, which increase their level when they reach a certain amount, enhancing various abilities.

For example, adventurers are classified as beginners from levels 1 to 4, intermediates from levels 5 to 9, and advanced from level 10 and above.

The average level of an adventurer with ten years of experience is 7.

To become an advanced adventurer, one must continuously hunt monsters at their limit level. However, there is another method.

This is to obtain the labyrinth core.

The labyrinth core exists at the deepest level of the labyrinth and is the source of the monsters.

It is said to provide an incomparable amount of experience points and can instantly level up the entire party.

Clearing relatively easy labyrinths in different regions to obtain the cores and level up, then clearing the infinite labyrinth in the capital.

This is likely the true goal of "Sword of Twilight."

"Damn, I'm still a beginner Sherpa with restrictions. I can't go on the expedition. But I'm sure Rau will be chosen."

Gabo, who looked envious, suddenly changed his expression.

"O-Oh, right."

Rau added calmly.

"My father died just six months ago. I can't make my sister cry."

With a calm expression and tone, Rau added.

"Unless the reward is worth risking my life, of course."