[Sinseki Era – Year -21]
[Central Lands – Fur Basin]
"The path ahead is blocked. Let's turn back."
Feeling the feedback from her own magical probe, Serie stopped the others from advancing further.
As a great magic user, even though her magical detection was significantly limited in this environment, illuminating the path ahead before others arrived was still within her capabilities.
"So it seems we've taken the wrong path," said Himmel, the Hero, still leading with no hint of disappointment, his tone even carrying a trace of excitement.
Mut looked puzzled at his idol and eventually asked:
"Hero, do you... enjoy exploring labyrinths?"
"You seem a bit... excited since entering."
"Eh, you caught on that quickly?" Himmel scratched his head sheepishly. "Yes, I truly enjoy exploring labyrinths. Or rather, I enjoy the process itself."
"Adventuring happily with companions, fighting monsters, and discovering treasure—just thinking about it gets my blood pumping."
As Himmel shared his fondness openly, memories stirred within him. He and his old party had explored labyrinth after labyrinth during their journey to defeat the Demon King.
Though the number of monsters they defeated or treasures they found had become hazy, one particular recurring scene stayed vivid: the elf mage in their party Frieren—insisting on opening every treasure chest and repeatedly falling into the traps of mimics.
Every time he rescued Frieren from a mimic's mouth, Himmel couldn't help but laugh. Such memories were treasures themselves.
"Oi, Hero," Gut interjected with a smirk, "you're grinning so much I'm starting to worry your face will split open."
"You're such a cheeky junior," Himmel muttered, eyes twitching.
"I'm fine with that," Gut shrugged. "Anyway, which path are we taking next? The main one in the center?"
"Hm?" Himmel let out a questioning hum. "As adventurers, shouldn't we explore every path? That's just common sense."
"Seriously? Since when?" Gut scoffed.
"Let's just try the second path on the left," Himmel said, pointing confidently. "If it's a dead end, it won't take long to check. And who knows, maybe at the end lies the path to that mystical spring or even a rare spell book."
Hearing that, Mut's eyes gleamed with excitement, while Serie and Gut remained indifferent.
Serie, having lived since the Mythic Age, had collected a vast repertoire of magic through disciples and networks. Rare spell books weren't particularly tempting for her.
Gut, on the other hand, had all the resources he needed—his problem was not the lack of magic, but the overwhelming volume he still hadn't mastered. Just one [Spell Reflection Magic] alone could take him years.
Still, since they had nothing better to do, both followed Himmel's lead without protest.
...
Elsewhere, at another entrance of the labyrinth in the Fur Basin—
"Clang!!!"
A stone gargoyle ambushed its target after lying in wait, only to be stopped dead by an instantaneous Defense Magic.
It tried again and again, then launched into the air for a final strike—but before it could descend, a blast of dark energy pierced straight through it.
The creature disintegrated into ash.
Frieren, unshaken, simply frowned. The anti-magic ore embedded in the walls was clearly interfering with her usual detection range.
She stowed her staff and pressed deeper into the labyrinth.
If a guardian like that was stationed here, then whatever lay at the end of this corridor was likely valuable.
"Could there be... a rare spell book?" she murmured, recalling Himmel's tempting words from the past.
Her pace quickened.
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Powerstones?
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