Chapter 70

D-Rank Dungeon 'Gorgo's Labyrinth' was named after C-Rank adventurer Gorgo Buffari, who discovered it 219 years ago. Until then, the only dungeon in the vicinity of the city of Kama was the B-Rank dungeon 'Enrio of the Rotting World,' and the city's adventurer guild had only a few high-ranking adventurers. After the discovery of Gorgo's Labyrinth, the guild began to attract aspiring adventurers from the countryside who aimed to make a name for themselves.

E-Rank adventurers attempting to challenge the boss on the 10th to 9th floors underground was considered suicidal. Even D-Rank adventurers often fell to the named monsters on the 10th floor, and the adventurer guild recommended that only D-Rank adventurers of level 25 or higher form parties of at least five members for floors 10 and beyond. Completing all 30 floors of the dungeon was recognized as a mark of a full-fledged adventurer.

On this day, a party that would conquer Gorgo's Labyrinth at the youngest age was born.

In the deepest part of Gorgo's Labyrinth, on the 30th floor, a battle was taking place. From the 21st floor onward, the majority of the monsters were orcs, and naturally, the boss on the 30th floor was also an orc.

"Roarrrrr!"

The named Orc General used the skill 'Roar,' but Nina and Marifa, who had already experienced the roar from an Ogre (Subspecies), covered their ears and kept their distance.

"Sorry."

Nina activated her unique skill 'Magic * Earth' and quickly slipped into the Orc General's guard, simultaneously releasing the Dagger Skill LV1 'Critical Blow' with both hands. She aimed for the gaps in the steel armor covering the Orc General's body, but the thick skin and muscles of the Orc General stopped the blades of the Mithril Dagger and Damascus Dagger.

"...Nina, get back."

At Lena's command, Nina tried to pull away from the Orc General, but the daggers were held in place by the muscles, so she released her grip and stepped back. As soon as the distance between Nina and the Orc General opened, Lena released the third-tier Black Magic 'Blazing Flame.'

"Grrooaaarrr!"

The Orc General was engulfed in flames, but after inhaling a deep breath, he unleashed the skill 'Breath,' extinguishing the flames, though black smoke rose from his body.

"...Persistent."

"Lena, don't burn my daggers!"

Nina's voice was pitiful, but the surrounding Orc Soldiers saw her unarmed and took the opportunity to attack. Marifa, however, fired arrows at the approaching Orc Soldiers. Thanks to the skill 'Strong Bow' and the effects of wind spirit magic, the arrows pierced the Orc Soldiers' skin without being deflected.

One Orc Soldier, ignoring the arrow in his body, swung a steel battle axe at Nina. The weight of the battle axe combined with the Orc Soldier's strength produced a loud sound, but Nina deflected it with her bare hands. Normally, even as a front-line class, a Thief and Assassin Scout would not have the strength to deflect such an attack, but thanks to Yu's blessing magic and the effects of the 'Oni's Bracelet' and 'Dragon's Bracelet' she wore, Nina had the strength of a Warrior.

The Orc Soldier, surprised to see a human girl easily deflect the battle axe, was grabbed by the neck and killed with the Assassin Skill LV2 'Twist' by Nina. The Orc Soldier's head spun around, and he fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

"Roarrrrr!"

Enraged by the death of their comrade, the Orc Soldiers attacked one after another, but Nina calmly retrieved a Sword Breaker and an Obsidian Dagger from her item pouch and began to cut them down methodically. One Orc Soldier, terrified by the sight of his comrades being cut down, tried to flee but was killed by an arrow from Marifa that pierced his brain through his eye.

"...Crunch."

"No, it's not."

"...I was just imitating."

"I wasn't."

"...You can call me Onee-chan if you want."

"I won't."

Marifa's technique of wrapping her arrows in wind was actually inspired by Lena's method of adding attributes to barriers. Marifa was grateful for Lena's consideration, but she resisted being treated like a little sister by Lena, who was only a year older.

"This isn't the time to be relaxed. The Orc General is still standing."

As Yu pointed out, the Orc General was still alive and enraged by the death of his subordinates. He pulled out the Mithril Dagger and Damascus Dagger from his side, and although blood flowed from the wounds, the thick skin minimized the bleeding. Ignoring the blood, the Orc General gripped his Obsidian Hammer and charged at Nina with a roar.

The Orc General activated the Hammer Skill LV3 'Crush' as he swung the hammer. Given the difference in strength between a named Orc General and an Orc Soldier, and the use of a level 3 hammer skill, Nina dodged and counterattacked instead of trying to block it. The ground where the Obsidian Hammer struck caved in and cracked within a five-meter radius. The power of the attack was such that if Nina and the others had been hit, they would have been instantly killed. This was evident from the cold sweat that ran down Nina's forehead.

"...Nina, fire and lightning won't have much effect as they'll just travel along the skin."

Lena calmly analyzed the Orc General's combat strength and considered what would be effective. Marifa's arrows were also deflected by the Orc General's armor and skin.

"Lena, prepare Thunder Crash."

Nina ran towards the Orc General. The Orc General swung his Obsidian Hammer horizontally at Nina, but she dodged by crouching and attacked. In close combat, the Orc General couldn't swing the Obsidian Hammer effectively and was forced to defend. Unable to withstand Nina's overwhelming number of attacks, the Orc General swung his hammer widely, and Nina took the opportunity to strike the wound on his side with the Dagger Skill LV2 'Dead Stab.'

The Orc General screamed in pain as the same wound was gouged by the Sword Breaker.

"Now!"

Although Nina's voice was somewhat off, Lena understood her intention and released the third-tier Black Magic 'Thunder Crash' at the Sword Breaker. Despite the thick skin, the Orc General couldn't withstand the lightning coursing through his body via the Sword Breaker and fell backward.

"Grrr... Aaaah..."

"He's still alive?"

Yu looked into the Orc General's eyes and stripped him of skills like 'Hammer Skill LV4' and 'Physical Enhancement LV3' before beheading him.

"Ugh, my weapons are all dirty."

Nina's weapons were covered in the Orc General's bodily fluids.

"...Nina's weapons are a sacrifice."

"Nina, that's so sad."

"It's fine. It's fine. They'll be clean after washing!"

While Nina and the others were talking, Yu stripped the Orc General of materials and magic cores.

"Yu, a treasure chest appeared. Can I open it?"

"Yes, either Nina or Lena can open it."

Today, Yu didn't open any treasure chests in the dungeon. He wasn't sure if the contents of the chests were predetermined or if they changed based on who opened them, so he let Nina or Lena, who had the highest luck, open them.

From the named Orc General, as expected, a complete Rank 4 magic core was obtained. As Yu was about to put it in his item pouch, he felt a gaze.

"What is it?"

"...Mithril staff with skills."

It seemed Lena remembered that Yu had only attached skills to Nina's weapons before and was now asking for skills to be attached to her own.

"I can attach skills that are suitable for a back-line class: Magic Power Enhancement, Chant Speed Increase, MP Consumption Reduction, MP Recovery Speed Increase, and Magic Resistance Increase. Which one do you want? If you choose MP Consumption Reduction, only one can be attached with a Rank 4 magic core. Otherwise, two can be attached."

"...Really? Is it okay?"

Yu had already decided to attach skills to Lena's weapon once he obtained a complete magic core, so there was no problem. Rarely, Lena blushed and excitedly handed her Mithril Staff to Yu.

"...Magic Power Enhancement is already attached. Chant Speed Increase and MP Recovery Speed Increase."

Yu immediately attached the skills to the Mithril Staff. When Lena received the staff with the new skills, she was so happy that she spun around on the spot.

"...I'll take good care of it."

"Having two expensive staves is quite luxurious."

Marifa's attitude seemed to be tinged with jealousy at the disproportionate weapons.

"Yu, the contents of the treasure chest were gems."

After stripping the materials and collecting the treasure chest, Yu and the others used a transfer stone to exit the dungeon and head to the adventurer guild.

"Everyone, good evening! What brings you here today?"

When Yu and the others arrived at the adventurer guild, it was already getting dark. Upon hearing that they had brought a large amount of materials, Colette led them to a large room used for large deliveries by clans, rather than the usual counter. Two receptionists also followed to help.

As they examined the quantity and quality of the materials, Colette and the receptionists' faces gradually tensed.

"Salmander scales, Poison Grizzly claws, and a large amount of Ogre skin, though it's quite tattered. This is Ogre (Subspecies) skin, and these are Orc Soldier skins... and a named Orc General's skin! Did you conquer Gorgo's Labyrinth!?"

The Ogre skin was tattered, so the amount was worth about 30 silver coins.

"We finally managed to conquer it."

"Finally? That's incredible! You've only been in the city of Kama for less than two months? You might have set a record for the youngest conquest."

Excited, Colette approached Yu, but Marifa intervened to stop her. The two receptionists behind Colette nodded in agreement.

"Sorry, I got carried away... The purchase price is: Ogre skin, Ogre (Subspecies) skin, Salmander scales, Poison Grizzly fur, claws, and liver, Orc Fighter skin and liver, Orc Soldier skin and liver, Orc General skin and liver, silver dagger, and finally, two Crystals, one Iolite, and one Aquamarine, totaling 45 gold coins and 4 silver coins."

Colette and the two receptionists were sweating profusely from the amount of materials. Yu realized that gems were highly valued in this world, as they made up half of the purchase price. Feeling bad for Colette and the others who had worked hard to appraise the materials, Yu took out strawberry jam from his item pouch.

"Here, if you'd like."

"Wh-What is this?"

"It's strawberry jam. Try it on bread. It's quite delicious."

Yu bowed in gratitude and left the room.

"Thank you, Yu... What are you doing! I was the one who received it!"

"Kyaa! Is this the Ruby Strawberry that can only be found in the Great Forest? Is it homemade?"

"No way! A jar of Ruby Strawberry jam costs at least 5 silver coins at the Monpet Trading Company."

Yu had no idea that a fight over the single jar of strawberry jam would break out among the three young women after he left.

Name: Yu Sato

Race: Human

Job: Magic Warrior, Enchanter

Level: 29

HP: 962

MP: 1399

Strength: 308

Agility: 234

Vitality: 312

Intelligence: 264

Magic Power: 305

Luck: 1

Passive Skills:

Sword Mastery LV7

Axe Mastery LV5

Dagger Mastery LV3

Staff Mastery LV2

Body Mastery LV4

Spear Mastery LV6

Hammer Mastery LV4

Shield Mastery LV4

Throwing Mastery LV4

Brute Strength LV3

Physical Enhancement LV6

Agility Enhancement LV2

Detection LV6

Leadership LV5

Intimidation LV2

Night Vision LV3

Fire Resistance LV4

HP Recovery Speed Increase LV4

MP Recovery Speed Increase LV5

Dark Resistance LV2

Trap Detection LV4

Stealth LV2

Status Resistance LV2

Skin Hardening LV3

Stripping LV2

Chant Speed Increase LV1

Magic Dragon Eye LV2

Regeneration LV3

Cooking LV1

Active Skills:

Sword Techniques LV5

Combat Techniques LV5

Dagger Techniques LV3

Staff Techniques LV1

Fighting Techniques LV3

Magic Fist LV4

Spear Techniques LV5

Shield Techniques LV4

Axe Techniques LV5

Hammer Techniques LV4

White Magic LV5

Black Magic LV6

Necromancy LV2

Enchantment LV4

Spirit Magic LV4

Time-Space Magic LV3

Magic Sword LV3

Blacksmithing LV2

Alchemy LV5

Stealing LV2

Stealth LV2

Appraisal LV4

Roar LV5

Lockpicking LV4

Trap Disarming LV4

Barrier LV2

Magic Power Awakening LV1

Breath LV3

Unique Skills:

Interdimensional Magic Eye LV3

Plunder LV3

Follower Subjugation LV3

Beast Killer

Enhanced Hearing

Regeneration

Brute Strength

Equipment:

Weapon: Spirit Sword (Rank 4): Increased damage to ethereal beings

Headgear: Flying Hat (Rank 5): None

Armor: Damascus Armor (Rank 4): Enhanced confusion resistance, enhanced sleep resistance

Gloves: Damascus Gauntlets (Rank 4): Enhanced instant death resistance, enhanced charm resistance

Boots: Damascus Boots (Rank 4): Enhanced magic resistance, enhanced status resistance

Shield: Magic Shield (Rank 4): Enhanced magic resistance, enhanced status resistance

Accessory: Mirage Ring (Rank 3): Displays false information when analyzed

Name: Nina Reba

Race: Human

Job: Thief, Assassin

Level: 28

HP: 406

MP: 200

Strength: 167

Agility: 308

Vitality: 136

Intelligence: 82

Magic Power: 62

Luck: 22

Passive Skills:

Detection LV3

Trap Detection LV3

Dagger Mastery LV4

Stealth LV4

Dual Dagger Mastery LV2

Assassination Mastery LV3 (UP)

Evasion LV2 (UP)

Agility Enhancement LV2 (UP)

Active Skills:

Stealing LV1

Stealth LV4

Trap Disarming LV3

Stealth LV4

Combat Techniques LV3

Dagger Techniques LV4

Assassination Techniques LV2

Lockpicking LV3 (UP)

Unique Skills:

Magic * Earth

Equipment:

Weapon: Mithril Dagger (Rank 4): None, Damascus Dagger (Rank 4): None

Headgear: Steel Helmet (Rank 6): Enhanced paralysis resistance

Armor: Wyvern Leather Jacket (Rank 5): None

Gloves: Serpent Dragon Leather Gauntlets (Rank 5): Enhanced poison resistance

Boots: Hard Leather Boots (Rank 6): Enhanced agility, enhanced strength, enhanced defense

Accessory: Oni's Bracelet (Rank 3): Enhanced strength

Fairy Earring (Rank 4): Enhanced charm resistance

Sisya's Pendant (Rank 5): Enhanced stealth, enhanced disguise

Dragon's Bracelet (Rank 4): Enhanced all abilities

Name: Lena Forma

Race: Human

Job: Mage, Witch

Level: 26

HP: 207

MP: 1023

Strength: 42

Agility: 58

Vitality: 55

Intelligence: 294

Magic Power: 402

Luck: 16

Passive Skills:

Staff Mastery LV1

Chant Speed Increase LV4 (UP)

MP Recovery Speed Increase LV3 (UP)

Magic Power Enhancement LV2 (UP)

MP Consumption Reduction LV1

Active Skills:

White Magic LV3

Black Magic LV4

Barrier LV3

Magic Power Awakening LV2

Unique Skills:

None

Equipment:

Weapon: Mild's Staff (Rank 4): Reduced MP consumption, enhanced magic power, Mithril Staff (Rank 4): Enhanced magic power, enhanced chant speed, enhanced MP recovery speed

Headgear: Triangular Hat (Rank 6): Enhanced HP recovery speed

Armor: Mithril Robe (Rank 4): Enhanced magic resistance

Cloak: Sticker's Mantle (Rank 5): Enhanced fire resistance

Boots: Ogre Boots (Rank 5): Enhanced magic resistance, enhanced poison resistance, enhanced paralysis resistance

Accessory: Ygg's Amulet (Rank 5): Enhanced defense

Life Ring (Rank 5): +50 HP, enhanced HP, enhanced MP

Gordba's Necklace (Rank 4): Reduced MP consumption

Rock Dragon Ring (Rank 4): Enhanced defense

Name: Marifa Nagts

Race: Dark Elf

Job: Trainer

Level: 15

HP: 138

MP: 93

Strength: 40

Agility: 53

Vitality: 38

Intelligence: 39

Magic Power: 59

Luck: 3

Passive Skills:

Bow Mastery LV2

Magic Eye LV1

Active Skills:

Bow Techniques LV2

Spirit Magic LV1

Unique Skills:

None

Weapon: Elven Bow (Rank 6): None

Armor: Leather Jacket (Rank 6): Enhanced defense

Boots: Leather Boots (Rank 6): Enhanced agility

Gloves: Leather Gauntlets (Rank 6): Enhanced HP

Accessory: Leather Choker (Rank 6): Enhanced strength

Leather Bracelet (Rank 6): Enhanced magic resistance