NBAA Vol. 7 Chapter 6 Part 2
“The Tower’s Great Labyrinth?”
“If you’re an adventurer, you know this, right? It’s about the ruins that are said to have been created by the first generation of heroes. It’s a place where adventurers who aim to get rich quickly are constantly challenging themselves.”
Reito had heard the words “Great Labyrinth” several times. For example, the ancient ruins in the Abyssal Forest the other day. According to Dain, that place was also a kind of great labyrinth.
In this world, structures called “Great Labyrinths” exist all over the world, and it was said that the first generation of heroes created them. Every labyrinth was said to be inhabited by monsters, and at the same time, a large amount of treasures were hidden in them.
Some people traversed the Great Labyrinth and earned enough money to live out their lives, but in reality, far more people had been killed by the ferocious monsters that inhabit the Great Labyrinth.
According to Shizune’s prediction, this Great Labyrinth was the perfect place to increase her and Reito’s powers.
“Can we become stronger if we go to the Great Labyrinth?”
“It’s just that you have the potential to become stronger. However, rather than staying in this city and continuing to train, I think you’ll have a more meaningful time if you come with me.”
“Even if I refuse, will you go alone?”
“Of course.”
Reito thought about Shizune’s immediate answer. Since he had promised to cooperate with her, he decided it would be better to accept Shizune’s proposal at this point, and he agreed to go along.
“Okay, I’ll go with you.”
“That’s a good decision. I’ll pick you up around this evening. Please be ready by then.”
“Ah, wait!! Isn’t it okay to bring someone else along?”
“I don’t mind…but do you want to take your girlfriend that lives with you?”
Shizune looked toward the house and remembered Kotomin’s presence.
“Also, I would like to add a few more people…”
“I don’t mind. However, the Great Labyrinth is a dangerous place. People with only weak abilities won’t survive, okay?”
“It’s okay…maybe, definitely, maybe…”
“I’m sure you’re okay…well, it’s fine. I’ll come pick you up in the evening, so be ready by then.”
After telling her what she wanted, Shizune left early.
Reito, on the other hand, pondered who to invite. Gonzo and Dain were obvious, but he wondered if there was anyone else who could accompany him, and then remembered Hanzo.
Her covert abilities would be very useful in the search. She was currently supposed to be staying at the Hailstorm Guild, and Reito decided to head to the Hailstorm Guild, thinking that he could show his face to Maria while he was at it.
Around noon, Reito went to the Hailstorm Guild for a walk with Ullr. He had visited the guild so often that the adventurers and the receptionist knew his face.
As soon as he entered the guild, Mina, an adventurer who knew him, ran up to him.
“Huh? What’s the matter, Reito? Are you off today?”
“Oh, it’s Mi-chan.”
“I-I still can’t get used to being called Mi-chan… Mina is fine, right?”
“Tch, what are you talking about…?”
Behind Mina was her party member, Gallow, who became overtly unhappy the moment he saw Reito’s face. Today, Morimo, another party member, had something to do, so Gallow was spending some time alone with Mina. He felt his happiness was destroyed when Reito, who had recently become friends with Mina, showed up.
“Gallow-kun, it’s been a while.”
“Don’t call me by my name! You’re younger than me!”
“Well, well, it doesn’t matter. You look like Ullr, so I feel close to you.”
“The only similarities are the ears and the tail!”
Gallow was irritated, but Mina calmed him down.
“Hey, calm down, Gallow… So what’s your business today? I think the guild master is in the guild master’s office…”
“No, I’m here to see Han-chan today.”
“Han-chan?”
“It’s about me, that it is.”
As Mina tilted her head at Reito’s words, a woman’s voice echoed from the ceiling.
The three looked up to see Hanzo, dressed in black, looking down at them with her feet on the ceiling as if defying gravity. A rag was clutched in her hand.
“What are you doing there?”
“Cleaning, that I am. In fact, this morning, I stepped on Maria’s foot and made her fall, so I was told to clean the ceiling as punishment, that I did.”
“You made her fall…”
Reito thought it would be a little funny to imagine Maria being knocked down by Hanzo.
Hanzo stopped cleaning the ceiling and landed on the floor, then she took the cloth around her mouth to expose her bare face.
“Huh… it’s really hot in this outfit. I’m sure Shinobi-dono spends a lot of time dressed like this.”
“I think Hanzo’s normal attire is unusual, too…”
“What are you doing to Maria-san…?”
Mina and Gallow said with disgusted looks on their faces.
“Do you want me to ask my aunt to forgive you?”
“No, I’m almost done, that I’m fine with, that I am. What more can I do for you, that I can do for you?”
“Actually…Kukukakushikajikawafuwafu~ (explanation of circumstances)”
Reito told her that he was going to a place called “Tower’s Great Labyrinth”.
Then, Mina was the first to react before Hanzo.
“Hey, wait a minute!! Is that true!?”
“Oh, hey Mina? What happened all of a sudden…”
“Gallow, shut up! Reito, are you really going to the Tower’s Great Labyrinth?”
“Y-Yeah, but…”
“Mina-dono, what’s going on, that it is?”
While everyone was confused by Mina’s state, she thought about something and grabbed Reito’s arm as if she had made up her mind.
“Reito-kun!! Add me to your group of adventurers!!”
“Eeeeh!?”
“Wait!? Mina!?”
Reito and Hanzo were surprised by Mina’s sudden statement, and Gallow sounded extremely irritated.
Perhaps due to Mina’s strong will, she gripped Reito’s hand tightly and did not let go―
~
―A few hours later, when Shizune arrived at Reito’s house, several men and women were waiting for her. Among them was someone she had seen at a match.
“So, what’s this all about…”
“No, because everyone wants to go…”
“Sleepy…”
“I am Hanzo, that I am!”
“Reito, who is the last one?”
“N-Nice to meet you! My name is Mina!”
“B-Blue Swordmaster!? Why are you here…”
“Woof!!”
““Purupuru.””
In front of Shizune stood Reito patting Ullr’s head, Kotomin holding Suramin, and Hanzo with Hitomin on her head. Shizune recognized these three, but the others, Gonzo, Mina, and Dain, were new to her. Mina was in a two-person match with Reito, but Shizune’s interest was focused on Reito, so she did not remember her face clearly.
Shizune looked around at the unexpected number of people. She could tell from their equipment and appearance that they were not all ordinary people, but it was a bit of a bad idea to bring along the monsters as well.
“It’s a shame, but that wolf and slime-chan…”
“Slime-chan?”
Reito was caught off guard by the cute way she said it.
“I-I misspoke!! Ehem, you should leave those two slimes and wolf behind. You can’t bring them into the Great Labyrinth.”
“Woof!?”
“Huh? Why?”
“That’s how the Tower’s Great Labyrinth works. Only humans can enter the Great Labyrinth, not monsters.”
According to Shizune, Ullr, the white wolf species, and the slimes, Suramin and Hitomin, could not challenge the Great Labyrinth. There was a town near the Great Labyrinth they were headed to, and if they were to take the monsters, they would have no choice but to leave them there, and someone would have to stay in the town to protect them.
“I can’t leave you behind… But it can’t be helped, I’ll have someone take care of you when we get to town. You guys should be good boys and girl.”
“Kuuuuu…”
““Purupururu…””
“Don’t look at me with those round eyes…”
Ullr and the slimes looked at Shizune forlornly, and Shizune turned her face away from them in distress. In doing so, she happened to meet eyes with Mina. Shizune finally remembered here that Mina was a spear-using adventurer who had competed in a match with Reito, and asked her a question.
“You were the adventurer from… Hailstorm, weren’t you? I believe your name is Mina?”
“Ah, yes!”
“If I remember correctly, you must have been a famous adventurer in your own right. I think you were in a party of three, weren’t you?”
“Well, that’s…”
Reito helped Mina, who was at a loss for words.
“I invited her as a temporary member just for this time. It was difficult because she kept on begging that she wanted to go with me no matter what.”
“I was surprised when she hugged Reito’s waist and cried, that I was surprised.”
“Hey, don’t say that…!”
Mina’s face turned red as she flustered at Hanzo’s revelation.
“What do you mean? Why did you leave your party and follow him?”
Shizune didn’t understand Mina’s purpose, and her eyebrows furrowed.