Saturday, November 16, 2019

ICFTL | Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka? Nightmare of the Labyrinth 1

Nightmare of the Labyrinth 1

Translator's note: This is from the perspective of the "Summoner"


I certainly lucked out this time.
When they announced this mission, I was really taken aback.

Tame the mysterious monster that has appeared in the Great Elroe Labyrinth. If it can't be tamed, then exterminate it at once.
That was the full mission briefing.

The request asking for assistance was sent by the country of Ohts, a modest country where the entrance to the Labyrinth lies.
The Labyrinth is the only practical way to move between continents.
A teleportation point does exist to connect the two continents, but only Nobles or the very wealthy are allowed to use it.
As for commoners, they have to hire professionals called Labyrinth guides.

To hire a guide in the first place, you need a group with a minimum number of people.
And the only people who dare pass through the Labyrinth regularly are merchants who trade between continents, adventurers with the skills to cross, and those that are desperate enough to cross by any means. Even with a guide, it can take several days to traverse through the Labyrinth.

But recently monsters have been showing up in the Labyrinth more than usual. That news wouldn't be good to hear if you were any of the aforementioned parties. Ohts, however, is a small country. They barely have the force needed to defend their borders, let alone to solve whatever's happening in the Labyrinth, there's just not enough manpower available.

There's concern that if the situation is left as is, the monsters will overflow from the labyrinth and attack the Ohts's territory.
Ohts had no other choice but to send the Empire a request for assistance.

The Empire agreed to this request, and a unit that was already posted near the border was dispatched immediately.
The dispatched unit was formed by the territory noble's second and third sons, but their expertise is no less than other units.
The objective was simple.
Find out the cause behind the sudden increase in monster activity and return.

The unit completed their mission, they found the cause behind the increase in monster activity, it was a mysterious spider-type monster. They retreated, and returned in a sorry state.

According to the report, a decision was made on the spot that this "spider-type monster" was far too dangerous to be left alive.
They withdrew immediately and stated that it would be necessary to create a special subjugation unit.

At first, I laughed off the report 「You can't be serious!」.
Nevertheless, from the testimony to the detailed report and the guide's statement. By all accounts, this monster's threat is continuously reinforced.
The danger is at minimum A-rank.
Worst case, it could even be S-rank.
If such a dangerous creature was let outside the Labyrinth, the casualties would be immeasurable.

Yet, at the same time, a peculiar rumor started to spread.
There is a spider-type monster that saves people in the Labyrinth.
The local investigators immediately looked for the source of this rumor.
Apparently, when a group of adventurers were attacked by a dangerous snake-type monster called an Elroe Baladorado in the Labyrinths Upper Layer, a spider-type monster defeated the snake and even healed their companions who were on the verge of death.

Absurd.
While monsters are not unthinking creatures, in all my years as a monster tamer, I have never found a monster capable of such acts.
However, the story of an intelligent monster directly helping another human, I have only heard such tales among Legendary high-class monsters.

If that story is to be believed, then this spider-type monster would be elevated to Legendary class.

And I'm the one tasked with the subjugation of such a monster.
Still, it has helped people in the past, so it might be friendly towards humans.
And if things go well, it might be possible to tame it.
That's my role.

If the spider-type monster really is legendary class, then there's no winning.
It's at least A-rank, so it was already going to be difficult to tame.

The "Creature Training" skill forms a contract when either the monster acknowledges it, or make them submit.
Since there aren't many monsters who'd acknowledge a contract, you have to beat them into submission.
And, the monster this time is at least A-rank.
A-rank monsters are already hard enough to defeat even without requiring you to beat them close to death while making sure not to overdo it and accidentally kill them.

If they're any higher than A-rank, there's no winning.
It's crucial we all stick together and communicate.

Yet.

「Haa, getting asked to help explore the Labyrinth, Good grief」

The person next to me is the empire's greatest magician, Ronandt-sama.
While he is an excellent mage, his personality is questionable.
He ignores orders constantly and slacks off.

「Ronant-sama. If this monster is truly S-rank, then we'll need you, please bare with it」
「No matter what happens, with me around, there's nothing to fear! Continue onwards with the knowledge that you're safely under my protection!」

While Ronandt-sama is usually friendly and eccentric, he doesn't change, even in the midst of battle.
Still, his strength is the real deal.
He has earned the right to be called humanity's strongest magician.

Our squad consists of me, Ronandt-sama, 30 empire soldiers and 4 guides.
I asked the previous guide who encountered the monster if they could personally lead us, but he lashed out and refused "As if I'm stupid enough to go back, it's probably still there!!!".
It's unfortunate but understandable.
On the bright side, I gained new information!
This monster can scare even the most hardened guides.
Though I guess that's not great information.

At any rate, we must find this monster.


Translator: Lain
Proofreaders: Esper, Maureen

No comments:

Post a Comment