Chapter 61

We held a strategy meeting before entering the [Guardian]’s room.

“It is the first boss battle so brace yourself.”

“Boss? Isn’t it the [Guardian]?”

“Well, it could be said that it is the ruler (boss) of this floor.”

“It is the group leader.”

When I let Zir investigate the interior, I knew that there would be a monster which stood guard in the depths of the room to protect the stairs.

Though I tried to put it in an abnormal state as an experiment, but it didn’t seem to be effective. As expected it seems difficult to have an effect on an individual that has some degree of intellect.

“For now, Ayla and I will take a look inside. We will come back as soon as the opponent is confirmed.”

Since there was no door, it seems like people can freely enter and leave. I brought along a whisper ghost just in case we were separated.

When I entered inside it was a square room approximately 100m (~328ft). The interior was bright enough that I could look around. And, the most characteristic thing was…

“The ceiling sure is high.”

The height of the ceiling was approximately 20m (~65ft). When I entered this labyrinth, there was no sense of descending downward, was the whole upper layer slanted?

And, the essential boss…

“Is it that?”

The stairs, which connected to the middle layer, in the depth of the interior could be seen. *Ta-da* in front of the stairs, an impressive monster was sitting.

A mythical beast having the head and wings of a hawk, and the body of a lion. The monster which was as famous as the dragon. (EN: they are supposed to be part eagle but that is what the author wrote)

It was a [Griffon]. When the griffon noticed us, it flapped its big wings and flew to the ceiling in a dash.

“Fast!? Ayla, make sure that we can withdraw at anytime!!”

The purpose was to scout the place, but I want to collect as much information as possible. The status of griffon was confirmed.

Griffon LV.20

Skill

【Guardian】

Able to give protection to a target. In addition, it can grasp the target’s state.

Present target→ stairs

The upper limit of the target that can be protected depends on the level.

“I see, if he is not defeated, it is prohibited to proceed lower.”

Though LV. 20 is not too high, perhaps the three dimensional movement with its wings may be troublesome.

Ayla and I gradually withdrew without showing our backs to the griffon.

The griffon kept circling around the vicinity while intensely staring to appraise us.

Just a little more and we will arrive at the pa.s.sage.

Did the griffon detect the relaxation of such a mind?

It abruptly nose dived.

I pushed Ayla into the pa.s.sage and intercepted it immediately. I tried to counter at the moment of that fellow’s attack.

“Eat this!!”

As for the timing, it was on the dot. If the griffon doesn’t change the orbit suddenly…

“Gugu~”

The wings that folded for the nose dive suddenly expanded for an emergency brake. My sword cuts the sky.

Bad swing!? The speed considerably declined, but in the end it doesn’t matter if I don’t aim.

“Master!!”

“M’ Lord!!”

When thinking that, I heard Amy and Zir’s voices, immediately flame wrapped in front of me. Can griffons spit fire!?

However, the griffon was wrapped in flame and suffered. When I looked at the pa.s.sage, Amy and Zir pushed out their hands which was equipped with rings.

Apparently, the flame was caused by Amy and co.

“Master!? Are you safe!?”

Ayla who I pushed into the pa.s.sage with much effort came back to me.

“I will take you to the pa.s.sage immediately. Because Amy’s protection will not last much longer.”

As Ayla said, the griffon already made wind from its wings to scatter the flames.

We withdrew to the pa.s.sage at once.

“Haa, that was very surprising.”

Because there was a difference in level, I might be able to cause injury even if I can’t kill it in one blow.

“You saved me. Thank you, everyone.”

“Eh, it is only natural.”

“We desire a reward.”

“No, I’ll consider it. For Ayla and Amy too.”

“Ah, thank you very much.”

“A reward? I wonder what it is.”

“Kufufu, I shall be antic.i.p.ating it~”

Well, the reward was something to think about in the future, for now let’s capture the griffon.

The griffon kept staying in the center of the room after the fire was completely gone and continued to look towards us.

It doesn’t seem to chase to the point of going out of the room. As expected of the [Guardian].

“Now then, I was made to look a terrible sight, I have to get even.”

I explained the anti-griffon strategy to my companions.

First, I entered the room with Ayla like a while ago. The difference was my equipment.

In order to oppose the rush from the nose dive, I had a buckler in my left hand and a secret weapon in my right hand.

The griffon which noticed our invasion immediately flew up to the ceiling again.

I fixed my eyes on the fellow who had begun to circle around in the sky again, then I directed my sight towards Ayla.

I saw the signal of preparation completion from Alya, and I rushed over close to the wall and dashed at full strength aiming for the griffon.

The griffon looked at me patiently. Was it telling me that it will come if I arrive there? It stopped turning and fixed its eyes on me head on.

I, who didn’t mind, kept on das.h.i.+ng, [Ruby] was right under the targeted griffon.

“Here I go!!”

I vigorously stepped onto Ruby and made a large jump using its elasticity.

At first the griffon had a dumbfounded face, but it immediately took an evasive action.

The griffon did not avoid the obstacle. I, who had reached the highest point, threw out the secret weapon which I had on my right hand at the griffon.

“Gugyuua–!?”

The griffon’s body got entangled with the rope. There were several lumps of large fist sized metal fastened to the end of the rope.

It was a weapon for capturing, [Bola]. They seemed to be used against people too, but the capturing of the griffon would be the closest to its original purpose.

The slack in the rope disappeared as the metals pulled against each other and tightened the rope.

From here out was my original goal.

In the lump of magic ore at the end I installed 【Shock Magic】 and the capturing power was strengthened with magnetism.

In addition, there was a gem acting as a second defense which let out a electric shock directly to the body if it still acted violently.

Apparently, the griffon seems to have eaten an electric shock.

It toppled to the ground and its whole body was coiled up.

“Well, are you alive?”

The reason I used Bola was that I wanted to capture it alive.

As there seemed to be a monster tamer who captured a griffon according to the [Book of wisdom] I thought of making it my subordinate.

I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to get a desirable flying monster.

Even if it fails, if you just pa.s.s the time for a while it seems like another guardian will appear so be prepared to play around with it a few times.

From looking at the results, it succeeded with this one.

Though the griffon woke up instantly to threaten us, but after several times of persuasion it was convinced.

“Good, then should we try once more?”

Now, when it was decided we would go to the labyrinth, I scrounged around inside the house and excavated the [Book of Summoning] to take it out.

The Book of Summoning was an item which could call a partner on the spot whom I made a contract with.

Specifically, a path seems to connect with the written sign on the Book of Summoning to the engraved mark on the partner’s body whom you would like to summon.

Because I did not use it until now, I carved the mark onto the griffon.

“Isn’t it painful?”

“Gugya?”

Apparently, it doesn’t seem painful. It seems to only need to press a page of the book to engrave the mark. As expected, it was convenience of fantasy.

“For the time being, should we take this fellow outside?”

Even though we just cleared the upper floor, it would be hard to keep going. So we ended up going back to the road we pa.s.sed before, but for me the adventure this time was satisfying.

The second time we cleared the upper floor was easier. We found paths and rooms we missed on the first time, so now the upper floor map was nearly finished

“However, we seem to rarely meet other adventurers.”

I got a feeling during our first entry, but it’s seems we’re the only ones in this labyrinth?

“Isn’t it because right now the nearest adventurer town near this labyrinth is already exhausted because of the monster attack and the absence of the main force?”

I see, currently it would be hard for Welburg’s adventurers to make money by using this labyrinth.

Because in the upper floor there’s only a few groups of orcs and insect type monsters sp.a.w.ning.

The received magic stones and materials were insignificant. It’s said that if you want to gain something from this labyrinth, it’s better to dive to the middle layer and onwards.

In other words…

“Do you mean Yakuu’s big bro is on the middle layer or lower?”

“Most likely yes. Perhaps, it’s wrong to a.s.sume that there are few people inside the labyrinth?”

“Alright, should we advance to the middle layer?”

I have already known the position of the stairs to the middle layer. I decided to go to the middle layer to search the surroundings.

As for the second battle with the boss, I defeated it from the start with my full strength. I tried to seal up the griffon movement with wind magic but it couldn’t completely stop it.

As there was no helping it, I dumped water over the griffon which had become a little dulled by the wind and threw 【Shock Magic】 at full strength towards it.

As expected of 【Shock Magic】’s power, the griffon become charred and fell from the ceiling.

I obtained the material [Griffon’s Flight Feathers].

As for this, it seems to have an effect of raising the power of wind magic, even leaving it as is will exert some sort of effect, and if it was made into equipment, it will have a decent effect.

Let’s have Amy make proper accessories when I return.

The middle layer that I went triumphantly to was a place that can surely be called a [Labyrinth]. (EN: as in a maze)