Chapter 126
It was a quadrupedal Magic Beast.
Its unusually long forelegs were covered in sharp-looking claws, and the muscles in its limbs seemed capable of easily tearing a human apart.
Not just one or two, but hundreds of these creatures, clustered together, were charging towards us.
They seemed to have been Ambush-ing from about 300 meters away, suddenly bursting from the bushes and then galloping towards us at a terrifying speed.
And as if on cue.
The Hunters' Counterattack began.
A massive Bear Beastman roared, lifting a Portable Heavy Machine Gun with arms as thick as a woman's waist, and began firing.
A Portable Heavy Machine Gun.
I questioned if such a term could even exist, but the Bear Beastman's sheer size and strength made that impossible word a reality.
Auto Shotguns and Automatic Rifles continuously spat fire, and the Magic Beasts, unable to do anything, simply dropped... but they didn't fall.
As their kin fell one by one to the bullets, the Magic Beasts, who had been charging forward at terrifying speed, suddenly began to Teleport left and right in an unpredictable, off-beat rhythm, performing Evasive Maneuvers as they ran.
My eyes widened.
“What is that?”
“They're creating simple Magic Phenomena using the Magic Stones within their bodies.”
Lu's calm explanation followed.
The distance the Magic Beasts Teleported wasn't very far.
Barely 2 meters, perhaps?
Compared to the Magic wielded by the Mages of the Magic Tower, it was an insignificant phenomenon, almost a Minor Skill.
However, it was as if they had honed this single Magic Phenomenon for hundreds of years.
The Magic Beasts' Evasive Maneuvers were terrifyingly fast and precise.
But the Hunters, as if it were nothing, were shooting down the evading Magic Beasts one after another.
Even though the Magic Beasts were dodging left and right in an off-beat rhythm, completely different from a straight run, the Hunters seemed to know exactly where they would move.
As the 300-meter distance rapidly closed to within 100 meters.
Hundreds of Magic Beasts were thus reduced to dozens in an instant.
The problem, however, was that those dozens of Magic Beasts had closed to a distance where they were sufficiently threatening.
*At that moment.*
A 10-gauge Auto Shotgun stepped forward.
Along with a rough Northern accent, a heavy gunshot, distinct from rifles and Heavy Machine Guns, erupted.
A shotgun.
Just a gun that sprays a bunch of lead pellets, like for Clay Shooting.
As if mocking my common knowledge.
The moment the Magic Beasts were hit by the shotgun, their torsos exploded in a spectacular fashion.
“How? Weren't shotguns supposed to spray lead pellets?”
Priest Mathieu chuckled at my words and replied.
“Those are Anti-Magic Beast 10-gauge Slug Rounds. They're pointed at the tip, so within 100 meters, their penetration power is quite sufficient.”
“What's a Slug Round?”
“It's a lead lump. A single solid lump of lead is packed into one Shotgun Shell. That's what they're firing, Saint.”
Not being a military enthusiast, it was the first time I learned today that there were Shotgun Rounds that fired a single solid lump of lead.
And that their power was immense.
I learned that for the first time today.
“Situation Concluded.”
“It's over.”
Thus, the Magic Beasts, unable to do anything, danced under the Bullet Barrage of Auto Shotguns, Heavy Machine Guns, and Automatic Rifles until they were annihilated.
The claim that these were the most skilled Hunters in the Labyrinth was no empty boast.
Any ordinary person, even with a gun in hand, would have undoubtedly died after wildly Barrage-ing without hitting a single shot when the Magic Beasts performed their off-beat left-right Evasive Maneuvers.
After a quick regrouping, the Hunters drew the massive jungle knives from their waists, approached the Magic Beasts, tore open their bodies, and began collecting the Magic Stone Fragments from within.
Some Hunters even inserted these Magic Stone Fragments into sockets on the chest plates of their armor.
I watched the entire process with interest.
“What are they doing?”
Priest Mathieu explained.
“There's no law saying only Magic Beasts can use Magic Stones. Each Magic Beast's Magic Stone contains a Magic Phenomenon they've honed for thousands of years to survive. The Magic Beast we caught today, called a Tagore, has the ability to Teleport short distances.”
The Priest tapped his own chest.
“If you insert a Magic Stone into a socket on the chest plate of your armor, Hunters can also wield the same Magic Phenomenon until the Magic Stone's mana runs out. It's the exact same principle as the Psychic Amplifier you wear around your neck, Saint.”
*[...I must have died like that too, right?]*
Kon replied in a somewhat chilling tone.
To reassure him, I simply tapped the Necklace with my right hand.
“Moving out again!”
After the butchering of the recently caught Magic Beasts was finished.
The Expedition Team began to move again.
Even with just one simple skirmish, I was certain.
This Expedition Team was an unprecedented Dream Team, composed solely of experts capable of hunting down any High-Risk Magic Beast.
If there was a variable, it wasn't the Magic Beasts.
*'Demon Worshippers.'*
Followers of Lucifer.
The problem was that these damned bastards could pop out anywhere, at any time.
***
Evening.
The Expedition Team set up a Campsite near the Passage leading down to Labyrinth Floor 2.
After the tents were pitched and fires lit, dinner was prepared in an instant.
Everything was prepared by Cecilia.
What I noticed during dinner was that Old Man Ban was incredibly popular.
Hunters constantly approached him, striking up conversations.
Ban, too, burst into laughter and warmly greeted the Hunters.
Among them, some Hunters, seemingly dissatisfied, handed their guns to Old Man Ban.
Watching Ban from a distance as he skillfully disassembled a rifle with simple Repair Tools and fiddled with its internal parts, I suddenly felt curious about him.
“Mr. Ban. That rifle you're repairing now.”
“Yes, Saint. Speak your mind.”
“Doesn't it look too much like a Bolt-Action Rifle to be called an Automatic Rifle?”
Old Man Ban burst out laughing.
“It is indeed a Bolt-Action Rifle. However, a Gas Piston is attached to the outside, which automatically moves the bolt backward during firing to Reload. Everyone uses it because of the advantage of Semi-Automatic Fire, but it's prone to breakdowns.”
After the repair was finished, Old Man Ban returned the rifle to the Hunter and wiped the oil from his hands.
“Although it's called an Automatic Rifle, it's not a proper one. My Grandson is developing a truly proper Automatic Rifle. One that's much cleaner and more reliable. The moment it's developed, the history of Labyrinth Exploration will change once again.”
“It seems John is quite a skilled Gunsmith.”
“That boy is a genius, Saint. A genius. The idea of attaching a Gas Piston to the outside of a common Bolt-Action Rifle to automate it was his. He's my pride and joy. The problem is... he doesn't want to inherit our Family's mission.”
Ban poked at the burning campfire in front of him with the jungle knife from his waist, making it easier to burn.
“My son—John's parents, that is—died on an expedition. Since then, he seems to have grown utterly sick of all this talk about 'missions,' “Descendants of the Hero,” and so on. He declared he would never go down into the Labyrinth, that he would live and die as a Gunsmith his whole life. I should have nagged him, but well, I had no limbs and couldn't speak.”
The campfire blazed.
The fire, for some reason, possessed a Magic that softened the atmosphere.
I gazed at Old Man Ban.
“Why are you so determined to go down to Labyrinth Floor 7? In a situation where no one believed you, sacrificing your body and your life, why did you go to such lengths?”
Descendants of Hero Karim.
But they were Descendants who did not possess the mysterious Blue Eyes that could be considered his symbol.
Even the Cult of Heroes ultimately didn't believe them, and the Hunters of the Great Labyrinth regarded Ban's Family as capable Gunsmiths and excellent Hunters, but never as Descendants of the Hero.
Literally, no one believed them, and it would have been normal for them to even doubt themselves.
Yet, Ban's Family stubbornly sought to descend to Labyrinth Floor 7 and secure proof for 300 years.
“Seems foolish, doesn't it?”
“Not at all. I'm just curious. What was the motivation to go to such lengths, despite everyone's disregard?”
Old Man Ban tapped his chest.
“You'll understand once you become an adult. What kind of bloodline this Family has. There's something boiling inside your chest. A compulsion, perhaps. And that feeling ultimately leads to one thing.”
“What is it?”
“'I must save the World.' “I must bear a great mission.” That thought takes root. I find it hard to explain, but this Family has simply been like this for generations. Even if they rebel and resist, it's just how it is. Eventually, when they're old enough, they all throw themselves into their mission.”
Ban laughed heartily.
“To bear a great mission and silently sacrifice one's life. Isn't that what a Hero is?”
His laughter made me laugh too.
“Let's definitely retrieve Lord Ponemkin. If we do that, we'll save the World, Mr. Ban.”
“Of course. Our Family has lived for 300 years, hoping for that very thing.”
As soon as he finished speaking, other Hunters approached Ban and said something.
Respect.
And worry.
Ban continuously smiled and waved his hand.
I couldn't understand the Northern language, but it seemed he was saying that even though he was old, he wasn't useless.
Just by that, I could tell what kind of life Ban had lived.
Dinner was over.
The first day in the Great Labyrinth passed uneventfully, if one could call it that.
There were no Wounded, and no losses.
The Hunters unilaterally took down the weaker Magic Beasts emerging from Floor 1 and safely protected the Expedition Team.
I entered the tent assigned as my quarters.
“Please rest, Saint. We will guard you.”
“Thank you for your hard work. I'll leave it to you.”
The Golden Company Members and Old Man Ban decided to take turns guarding my tent.
I lay down on the Cot and pulled the blanket over me.
Since there were no Wounded, there was no need for me to act.
*[I hope it's just like today from now on.]*
“I agree, Kon. I really hope we can just descend to Floor 7 as uneventfully as today. I hope nothing happens.”
*[I keep getting an Ominous Premonition. It feels like too uneventful a day, and it would be strange if it just ended like this.]*
“Are you scared? Kon, the legendary virgin who impregnated dozens of Mares in his prime?”
Kon didn't laugh at my joke.
*[You get some good sleep. I'm just a Psychic Amplifier with no need for sleep, so I'll keep an eye on our surroundings. If any problems arise, I'll wake you immediately.]*
“Alright. I'm counting on you.”
My body was tired from marching all day.
Before long, I fell asleep just like that.
And I had to open my eyes after barely an hour of sleep.
*[They're coming!! They're coming from all directions!! It's the enemy!! The enemy!!]*
Kon's Psychic Power scream didn't seem to have been heard by me alone.
“Enemy attack! Prepare yourselves!”
The Golden Company Members guarding outside my tent also seemed to have heard the warning, as they began to shout.
And less than five seconds after that shout.
“These goddamn Demon Worshipper bastards!!”
Along with Old Man Ban's coarse curses, the sound of his Auto Shotgun spitting fire was heard.
I quickly rushed out of the tent to check the situation.
“They're in the Sky!! Flare!”
Something was shot into the Sky, then began to emit light, and I and the Expedition Members could see Humans riding on Wyvern-like Magic Beasts, aiming Sniper Rifles.
On their chests, the clear Emblem of Pride was engraved.
“Begin Anti-Air Fire!!”
The Followers of Pride began Rifle Fire.
And the Golden Company Members' and Hunters' weapons spitting fire happened almost simultaneously.