GILF Hunter

Ian unfolded the map of the labyrinth he had drawn so far.

Most of the major passages had been checked, and thanks to that, the overall layout of this floor had been revealed.

In the middle of the map, there were a few places left unexplored and put on hold.

A few locations remained where he suspected the boss might be.

’Let’s check just one more place before we rest.’

Perhaps because they heard Ian say there wasn’t much left, everyone nodded with faces full of half-anticipation and half-worry.

Ian set his course for the nearest room among the places marked as ’on hold’ on the map.

It was a room he had deferred entering because its nature couldn’t be determined from the outside.

Passing through the labyrinth’s darkness, which they still hadn’t gotten used to even after several days, everyone walked through the passage in silence.

Since it wasn’t that far, they were able to arrive in front of the target room before long.

’It was here.’

Rin said, looking at the door at the end of the passage.

They opened the door slightly to peer inside, but a thick darkness hung over it that the light of the lantern couldn’t penetrate at all.

Hostile, neutral, or friendly.

It was a so-called ’Unknown’ room, whose nature couldn’t be known until one stepped inside.

Everyone looked back at Ian, made eye contact, and cautiously nodded to one another.

’Let’s go in.’

Opening the door that made unpleasantly no sound, everyone stepped inside while staying alert.

The room, after a quick look around, was completely empty.

’It’s an eerie place….’

Mika, who followed in last, whispered.

At a glance, it looked like just another empty room.

However, it felt different from the rooms they had used for resting; a mysterious, bone-chilling sensation lingered here.

Ian also instinctively realized that this wasn’t a simple empty room, but an event room where something was bound to happen.

’There might be traps. Be careful.’

As Ian gave the warning, the members, who were feeling the same strange vibe, nodded and drew their weapons.

If possible, he tried to avoid rooms with such unnecessary variables, but this place was on a route that couldn’t be bypassed; they had to pass through it to proceed.

Clack.

It was when everyone was slowly taking a step forward.

Suddenly, with an ominous mechanical sound, an iron gate slammed down at the entrance.

Ian, who had been prepared, immediately lit a torch.

’It’s a trap!’

Soon, the walls on all sides crumbled, and countless bones poured out.

Bone fragments swept down like a wave, forming small mounds and covering the floor.

’Ugh….’

Seeing that gruesome sight, everyone flinched and took a step back.

Immediately, within those piles of bones, moving skeletons began to rise one by one.

Skeletons, the most common monster in this labyrinth terrain.

They were at least the weakest and easiest monsters to deal with, but their numbers were far greater than what they usually faced.

Skeletons were rising from all directions.

’Everyone, this way! Take your positions!’

Ian, who retreated immediately upon confirming the trap, took a position first in a corner away from the bone piles with his back to the wall.

Lia and Rin blocked the front, and the rest pulled out their weapons as well.

Ian kept a close eye on the monsters rising from the bone graves.

A summoning-type trap.

The main monsters were, fortunately, the weakest skeletons.

It would be a relief if they had just luckily triggered the lowest difficulty trap.

But if not, there was a possibility that something dangerous was mixed in.

One skeleton rose quietly.

On the surface, it looked like a normal skeleton.

Viciously enough, there were often traps designed so that one would eventually be caught even while knowing they existed.

The skeleton that rose in the distance held up a staff instead of a rusted sword like the other monsters.

In a surprise situation where the initiative had been lost, this monster was notorious for firing off a preemptive spell immediately without any casting time. It was a Skeleton Shaman.

Black smoke drifted from the staff and engulfed Ian’s party.

’Watch out….’

’Kyaa!’

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

– You have been eroded by the aura of the labyrinth.

– You have received the Labyrinth’s Curse due to erosion.

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The shaman’s wide-range debuff didn’t cause direct damage, but it significantly increased erosion.

Because erosion had accumulated from the exploration so far, a new curse was eventually added.

Ian hurriedly traced the source of the black smoke from just now.

Atop a mound of bones, a skeleton holding a staff was shining with an eerie glow in its eye sockets.

A Skeleton Shaman.

No wonder things had been going so smoothly with erosion management and the expedition.

There was no time to check exactly what the curse was right now.

Ian shouted urgently through the smoke.

’Tanya! Get out all the remaining Holy Water!’

No answer came to Ian’s command.

Ian turned his head to look back and called Tanya’s name again.

’Tanya?’

Tanya heard the voice of someone calling her name.

The voice felt distant, as if she were submerged underwater.

A dangerous situation with a battle ahead.

She thought she had to move, but her trembling hands wouldn’t budge at all.

Tanya, rendered unable to move as if suffering from sleep paralysis, barely managed to let out a breath with a small groan.

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[Curse: Panic]

– Chance to be unable to act

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Ian, seeing Tanya’s state, shouted urgently to Rin standing in front.

’Rin! Go forward and take that thing out first!’

’What? If I pull out now….’

’It’ll cast another spell if we leave it! Before that!’

Rin, who had taken her position in front to block the approaching skeleton horde, hesitated for a second before dashing out as Ian commanded.

Only Lia would be left in the front line, but it was an unavoidable situation.

’Be careful, I might not be able to block them all.’

As Rin moved out of the front, Lia stepped further forward.

The skeletons weren’t exactly a threat to Lia, but there were too many for her to cover the entire area alone.

In the end, Ian stepped up with his sword to fill Rin’s spot.

Ian took out the Holy Water he was carrying for emergencies and poured it over his sword.

Meanwhile, the skeletons that had come right in front of them charged at Lia first, as she was further ahead.

However, eventually, the skeletons Lia couldn’t draw in approached the rear.

Ian blocked their path, and a skeleton immediately swung its sword at Ian like a machine.

The rusted, old sword flew in at a speed faster than expected.

Fortunately, skeletons had no combat-related traits and were monsters with low stats compared to their level.

They were fast and aggressive, but their movements were far too simple.

Though his swordsmanship was only at a level he’d raised bit by bit on his own in his spare time, it was enough to dodge a single skeleton’s blade.

Ian’s sword slashed the skeleton that had drawn near.

As the blade struck the bone, the sword—now coated in Holy Water—reacted with a faint light.

Vivid golden sparks flew up, and the skeleton was knocked back.

’Mika! Get the Purifier out of the bag and give it to Tanya!’

’Wh-where is it?’

’It should be in the third slot!’

The th-third slot….

Mika hurriedly rummaged through Tanya’s bag.

The contents were quite reduced because they had been used, but finding an unknown item among the tightly packed supplies was no easy task.

Mika, whose hands were fumbling as she panicked while moving urgently, stammered.

’Wou-wouldn’t it be better to prepare a barrier first?’

’Heal Tanya first!’

Mika soon found the desired item in the potion slot of the bag.

’Found it….’

Mika picked up the potion bottle.

Erosion Purifier.

Mika approached Tanya with it.

’Tanya! Drink this!’

Tanya was still frozen, unable to move at all.

Mika grabbed Tanya and forced her mouth open to make her drink the potion.

’Ugh… *cough*.’

As the liquid from the small bottle flowed down her throat, Tanya flinched for a moment before coughing and hunching over.

’Tanya! Are you back to your senses?’

’Now prepare the barrier!’

Ian had been watching Rin the whole time.

Rin had made it near the Shaman, but her feet were tied up because of the skeletons blocking her path.

Meanwhile, he saw black smoke gathering again on the staff of the Shaman, who had prepared its next spell.

’Tanya! Sonic Bomb!’

The suffocating trembling had stopped.

Upon hearing Ian’s voice, Tanya immediately activated a Sonic Bomb and threw it into the air.

The flying sphere burned with a piercing sound before exploding.

As the noisy sparks burst out, a deafening explosion erupted, enough to tear one’s ears.

Under the influence of the Sonic Bomb, which hindered concentration, the Shaman’s prepared spell failed to complete and was briefly halted.

In that very short moment when even the normal skeletons stopped moving.

Rin, who dashed forward, thrust her sword at the Shaman.

Rin’s blade tip accurately pierced the Skeleton Shaman’s vital point.

A skeleton’s health was on the lower side anyway, and a mage-type Shaman lost its form and crumbled instantly with that single attack.

From that moment on, the number of skeletons rising without rest began to decrease gradually.

Except for the Shaman, the rest were just simple skeletons.

The skeletons lunging at Ian and the party were easily cleared, and before long, no moving skeletons remained.

Everyone surveyed the surroundings while staying alert to the bone mounds piled like mountains in the room.

They watched for a long time, but no more skeletons rose.

Only after the sound of the mechanism operating was heard with a click, and the iron gate blocking the door opened again, did everyone let out a long sigh.

’Phew….’

’Tanya, you okay?’

Tanya, whose hands were shaking slightly, was startled when her name was called and looked at Ian.

Then, with a flustered face, she lowered her head deeply and apologized.

’I’m sorry. It’s… because of me…. We only had a few bottles of that potion left.’

’I brought it to use in times like this. Don’t worry about it.’

Because the situation was urgent, he was late to check, but Ian belatedly checked the members’ statuses.

Rin and Lia’s stats had dropped slightly, but they hadn’t been hit by any major curses.

It was thanks to him obtaining a few pieces of equipment with erosion resistance, though not very effective, and giving them to the two of them first in preparation for when they entered the labyrinth.

’You two drink this beforehand as well.’

Ian handed a bottle of Erosion Purifier each to Rin and Lia.

Even if they were fine for now, they could be cursed at any time if more erosion accumulated.

It would be a disaster if a situation like just now happened during combat for the two frontliners.

He had to drop their levels now in advance.

’Mika… I’m sorry, but later for you. You don’t look like you’re in danger.’

’Yes. I’m perfectly fine.’

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

[Curse: Insomnia]

– Stress and health recovery are significantly reduced during sleep

– Gain additional stress during sleep time

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Mika’s curse… would have been a serious problem at the start of the expedition, but they were almost at the end now.

It would be tough for a bit, but it was better to save the Purifiers just in case.

’What about you, Captain?’

’I’m fine too. It’s nothing much.’

Ian also checked the curse placed on himself.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

[Curse: Anxiety]

– Gain additional stress whenever stress is received

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This belonged to the category of very mild curses.

Ian likewise decided to leave his curse uncurred.

Since he had already been cursed, he could endure erosion for a while longer.

If he carelessly cured the curse only for erosion to build up and cause a more troublesome curse immediately, the result could be worse than doing nothing at all.

Once Rin and Lia drank the Purifiers and things were sorted out, everyone stood up.

Mika took a look around the nearby mounds of skeletons.

The trap had stopped, so no more monsters would rise, but it was just an unpleasant place.

’This place feels gross, let’s get out of here quickly.’

’Right. In the next room… there’s probably a place to rest.’

Ian said, looking at the overgrown passage connected to the other side of the trap room.