Chapter 202: Should We Try… Becoming the Rulers of This Dungeon?

The abrupt answer extinguished the fragile spark of hope that had just flickered in the adventurers’ eyes.

Not only was the Adventurers’ Guild utterly unaware of their predicament, but they had even dispatched a second wave of adventurers into the depths?

“How are we supposed to get out of a place like this?”

“Are we… stuck here forever?”

Despair settled over the group like a suffocating fog.

Selm Labyrinth—the infamous super labyrinth—was a name that struck fear into the heart of anyone who had ever worked in The Empire or the Northern Countries. Counted among the world’s ten great labyrinths, it remained largely unexplored despite thousands of years of effort. Some claimed there were twelve layers, but even that was just speculation, pieced together by survivors of the upper floors, relying on their Skills and whatever hints the labyrinth itself begrudged them.

No one truly knew what horrors lurked in the deeper reaches.

And now, they had been cast into one of those whispered-of depths—a place whose very name sent chills down the spine.

Could they really hope to see the surface again?

Sooner or later, their strength would fail, and they would be trampled beneath the claws of passing monsters—everyone could see it, plain as day.

The mood was so bleak, it felt as if the world itself were ending. The first adventurer to speak—his face streaked with blood, eyes wide with panic—stumbled backward, mumbling, “We’re dead… there’s no hope…” again and again.

Yet for one among them, this was nothing short of… a perfect opportunity.

“Is that all it takes for you to give up on survival?”

Oshu, sword in hand, regarded them with righteous indignation.

A brilliant radiance burst forth from his body, an aura of pure, holy power enveloping the chamber. For those still suffering from grievous wounds, an almost imperceptible lightness seeped into their limbs, as if a crushing burden had been lifted. They stared at the Hero Oshu in disbelief, as though a ray of hope had pierced their darkest hour. However faint, they clung to it desperately.

“Your Grace…”

In that moment, every adventurer sensed a subtle shift in the air.

Confronted by those stunned, even reverent gazes, Oshu’s spirits soared. Without hesitation, he turned to his companions.

“Krulu, introduce me.”

Normally, Eileen would have handled this, but compared to her, Krulu’s admiration was far more sincere. At a moment like this, it was better left to her.

“This is the Hero, recognized by both the Holy See and The Empire,” Krulu announced stiffly, forcing herself not to choke on the words. “He is the one destined to defeat the Demon Lord and save the world.”

She managed it by sheer force of will. Orders were orders—she had to keep an eye on the Hero for the Demon Lord, no matter how much it grated on her nerves. If that meant swallowing her pride, so be it.

“H—Hero…?”

The name Selm Labyrinth was infamous, but the title of Hero was just as legendary. The moment Krulu spoke, something changed in the room. Where a moment ago the adventurers had been waiting for death, numb with despair, now, with Oshu’s identity revealed, the will to survive surged back. They rushed forward, hope rekindled.

“You’re the Hero from the stories?”

“I’m Brody, captain of the Stonewall Squad—Level 70, Blackrock Swordsman, on the verge of inheriting a Legacy!”

The first adventurer to speak earlier was also the first to step up now, eager to make a good impression. The sight of Oshu’s dazzling party had scrambled his wits—he had barely survived a gauntlet of brutal battles. The Adventurers’ Guild always reserved the strongest squads for the second and third waves; his team’s mission had been to secure the Seventh Floor, gather intel, and establish a temporary base. It was pure misfortune that they’d been ambushed by a spatial anomaly and thrown down here.

In theory, the later waves should have been stronger than the first. Even if Oshu’s group wasn’t official reinforcements, just cooperating with them would dramatically increase everyone’s chances of survival.

And besides… this was the Hero!

“Captain Brody. Good to meet you.”

To be respected by the strong and admired by the masses—Oshu could practically feel his soul soaring. He nodded with practiced coolness, just as he had when the subjugation squad first set out, basking in the adoration of Imperial nobles.

“We’d heard rumors the Hero’s Party had come north,” Brody said, “but I never expected we’d meet so soon… Did you rest at the Fifth Floor base last night?”

Most squads had only arrived at the City-State of Brook that morning. Once the route to the Seventh Floor was found, the rest of the journey—whether hunting demons or braving the labyrinth’s hazards—was a true test of every team’s mettle. To avoid accidents, the early floors had been left to other groups, while his squad conserved their strength for the deeper levels. Anyone who had blitzed through the first five floors and plunged straight into the depths had to be a monster.

Oshu simply nodded, savoring the respectful tone.

But then, from somewhere in the crowd, someone muttered, “Heard the Hero got into a fight at the base last night… Lost to some guy over a woman, didn’t he?”

The words hung in the air. Eileen, always alert to the party’s reputation, stepped in before Oshu could lose his temper. She flashed a wry smile at Brody and spoke in her gentle, lilting voice.

“Best not to mention the Fifth Floor base, Captain Brody.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

Brody had been too busy gathering intel and exploring to pay much attention to gossip. But judging by the looks and the Hero’s suddenly sour expression, something serious had clearly happened.

“A certain someone used some underhanded tricks to steal away our mage,” Eileen explained, still smiling. “Our mage is the Hero’s childhood friend—a noble heiress, spoiled since birth. We let her join the party hoping she’d toughen up, but some penniless adventurer tricked her away… Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing for the Hero, so let’s keep it between us, shall we?”

Noble heiress, childhood friend… then stolen by some deadbeat adventurer? Classic drama. Brody’s mind raced through every cliché he’d ever heard. No wonder she told him not to bring it up. That kind of humiliation would be hard for anyone to swallow—let alone the Hero. Wait—who was the mage in the Hero’s Party again? Wasn’t she a princess? Of course—a naïve noble girl, easy prey.

“I see… My apologies, Hero. I was out of line!”

“But for an adventurer to do something so shameless… that kind of scum doesn’t deserve to live in the Northern Countries. Tell me his name—Stonewall Squad has some clout, you know. We’re on good terms with the legendary teams, the ones with Legacy-level Transcendents. If we get out of here, we’ll hunt that bastard down and teach him a lesson for you!”

With all hope pinned on the Hero, Brody didn’t hesitate to curry favor. Beating up some random adventurer to win the Hero’s gratitude? Who wouldn’t seize the chance? As for that guy… Lin Wei? Why did that name sound so familiar?

Never mind. After the beating, I’ll have one of our healers patch you up.

Bagging a princess? That’s talent!

“Hmph… I won’t stoop to his level,” Oshu finally declared. “But for the sake of adventurers’ honor everywhere, a good thrashing might serve as a warning.”

“In any case, let’s stop wasting time and focus on our next move.”

As much as the praise pleased him, Oshu knew what was expected of a Hero. He raised a hand to silence further gossip and addressed the room.

“So—what’s your situation? How many squads, how many people, and what are your Classes and Levels?”

“We’re from five different squads,” Brody replied crisply. “But aside from myself, all the other captain-level Transcendents and most of their teams were wiped out when we landed—ambushed by monsters.”

Brody had clearly kept careful count. “As for Levels: besides me at Level 70, there’s a Level 70 Thunder Mage, a Level 68 Flame Mage, and two Level 66 archers. Plus a handful of Level 60 adventurers, with various Classes…”

It was actually better than Oshu had expected. Counting Brody, there were ten adventurers left. The Adventurers’ Guild took member safety seriously—even the squads assigned to guard teleportation gates and explore the first wave were required to be Level 60 or higher.

“A solid lineup, decent numbers. How did you end up in such bad shape?” Oshu asked, frowning.

The two waves had entered barely an hour apart. How could things have fallen apart so quickly, with even captain-level experts dropping like flies? They might not have matched Brody, but they shouldn’t have been wiped out so easily.

“It was the monsters,” Brody admitted, after a moment’s hesitation. “Right after the teleport, we were surrounded. They were too strong—and some could decapitate you before you even saw them. The other captains died covering their teams’ retreat. If I hadn’t decided to break through, you might not have found us at all. And we lost almost all our support Classes on the way out.”

Oshu finally noticed how dire things were. The adventurers were battered and bloody; only one support Class remained, slumped against the wall.

“So there’s only one healer left?”

If he’d been paying attention, he would have noticed immediately. Was saving the world really so exhausting it was making him slow?

“That’s right. And he’s just hit Level 60—hasn’t even advanced his Class yet. We’ve been relying on potions and his Skills to keep the worst cases alive, but even so, some died on the way here.”

Even those still standing looked like hell.

“Hmm…”

Ten floors deep in the labyrinth, anything could happen. But these survivors could be a huge asset in the coming battles. Even if Iresha had left the party, this group could make up for the lost firepower.

“Iresha bought a bunch of healing potions from the Holy See, didn’t she?” Oshu remembered suddenly, glancing back at his party. Kokoxi nodded, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I… I have some left…”

“Hand out a few,” Oshu ordered. “Everyone needs to be in top condition if we’re going to survive this place. And give an anti-fatigue potion to the healer—get him back on his feet.”

The generosity was met with a roar of gratitude. Brody himself, nearly trembling with excitement, took half a vial, sipped it, and felt his wounds begin to close before their eyes. The subtle Holy Light in the potion soothed both body and mind.

“Thank you, Hero… and the taste…” Brody smacked his lips, savoring the lingering sweetness. Holy See potions really were something else.

“Once you’re all recovered, it’s time to decide our next move,” Oshu said, scanning the room with an authority he’d never quite managed before. “Do we stay put and wait for rescue? Try to find the path to the Tenth Floor? Or split up to gather supplies?”

“Or…” Eileen interjected, smiling slyly from the sidelines.

All eyes turned to her as she continued, perfectly at ease.

“Or should we try to seize control of the entire labyrinth?”

She let the question hang in the air. “Have any of you ever heard the legend of this dungeon?”

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