Shoving a sword into a creature that looked like a grotesque mix between a butterfly and a giant centipede, Hans casually pulled his blade free before activating an Attribute that lit it on fire, evaporating all the blood from its surface in the process.
Despite having wandered the Labyrinth for a while now, the number of Monsters they had come across was extremely low. Which, considering where they were, was an oddity in itself.
The place was mostly covered with rocks, sparse vegetation, and patches of dim glowing moss covering much of the ground and walls, providing a bit of visibility throughout the area.
Not to mention, the place resembled a giant warren, as many of the caves along the walls interconnected with one another, while others led to entirely new locations.
Yet, they still hadn’t encountered many Monsters roaming around, causing most of them to wonder why this was the case.
*******
A Grand Labyrinth was a deadly maze-like structure said to house the Upgrade Crystal required for one to Rank Up their Class to a higher one.
However, it was also known to be inhabited by a variety of vicious Monsters that resided within its depths, killing anyone who dared challenge it.
A Grand Labyrinth was said to be divided into several known Tiers based on the difficulty required to clear it. These were primarily the Low-Tier, Mid-Tier, and High-Tier Labyrinths.
The difficulty of each Tier varied greatly, with each one housing a different level of Upgrade Crystal capable of increasing one’s Rank.
The Low-Tier Labyrinth, for example, was said to house the Upgrade Crystal required to Rank Up Lower-Ranked individuals to C-Rank. Some were even capable of attaining C+ Rank upon usage.
But due to the limited information available regarding Grand Labyrinths, there wasn’t really much known about them.
*******
The Grand Labyrinth they were currently exploring was said to be a Low-Tier Labyrinth, though one with a difficulty around D+ Rank or so. However, with Hans and the Vice-Leader present, they were able to cover a significant amount of distance in a relatively short period of time.
Yet, a major reason they didn’t have to worry about suddenly being surrounded or trapped was surprisingly due to the weakest member of the group, Felix.
Placing a hand on the moss-covered ground, Felix closed his eyes and concentrated as he subconsciously activated an Attribute.
[Flora Echo has been activated.]
Taking a little longer than usual, as Hans had advised him to stretch his perception to its maximum due to certain Monsters possessing acute hearing and senses of smell that allowed them to detect prey long before it entered their field of view, Felix eventually cancelled the Attribute after accomplishing his objective.
“Other than about two or three Monsters, there’s not really anything worth worrying about up ahead either.”
Opening his eyes as he spoke, Felix rose from his crouched position, dusting moss particles from his hands.
Due to Felix’s Attribute, he was able to guide the group, ensuring they didn’t cross paths with anything they couldn’t handle.
Hence one of the reasons Hans had specifically sought someone capable of scouting ahead without being detected.
Pausing briefly after saying this, Felix recalled what Hans had told them before they entered the Grand Labyrinth.
Standing before the entrance, Hans addressed the group.
“Due to this Grand Labyrinth being above the difficulty of a regular Low-Tier Labyrinth, there’s a slight possibility that we may encounter multiple Grade-7 Monsters...”
Upon hearing this, the group was immediately thrown into turmoil, becoming visibly agitated as panic threatened to take hold.
After all, it had taken both Hans and the Vice-Leader, the two strongest fighters among them, to defeat a single Grade-7 Monster, with Hans nearly losing his life in the process.
And now there was a possibility they might face more than one?
The thought alone was enough to make anyone uneasy and begin having second thoughts about the entire expedition.
However, Hans’s next words quickly settled some of their fears.
“...However, we’re currently within the period when Grade-7 Monsters tend to enter a sort of hibernation. So long as we stay as far away from them as possible and avoid doing anything that might wake them, we should be able to clear the Labyrinth without ever crossing paths with them.”
Glancing briefly at Felix as he said this, Hans soon shifted his attention back to the group, continuing his explanation for those still uneasy after hearing his earlier declaration.
Sighing slightly at the memory, Felix had made it a point to avoid any solitary Monster, or anything that appeared idle or asleep, assuming it was most likely one of the creatures they were meant to avoid at all costs and ensuring the group stayed as far away from it as possible.
As they explored deeper into the Labyrinth, Felix was tasked with making sure there was nothing dangerous ahead while also lighting the way whenever the glow from the moss wasn’t sufficient.
Meanwhile, Hans and the Vice-Leader dealt with any Monsters they couldn’t avoid, while Hans himself led the group from the front, walking some distance ahead to ensure no unexpected surprises awaited them as they searched for the Upgrade Crystal that could change their lives forever.
As they continued moving, Felix couldn’t help but wonder.
Though the Monsters they had encountered so far were few in number, their Grades far exceeded what a Low-Tier Labyrinth was supposedly meant to contain, at least according to the research he had done on the subject back in his former world.
But considering how limited information regarding Grand Labyrinths was, coupled with the fact that most people who challenged one often ended up dead alongside the rest of their party, while the few who successfully conquered them refused to share their experiences with the public for some unknown reason...
Most of the information available was based on speculation or fragments of knowledge that had actually been released to the public, leaving very little means of separating false information from genuine facts.
Yet, despite all that, he couldn’t shake the constant feeling of unease lingering in the back of his mind.
‘Something about this place just doesn’t seem right.’