Labyrinth Chapter 21/25

Chapter 21: The Probationary Hero

"Isn't that the mentally ill Crusader?!"

"She... why is she there?!"

The people gathered at the city gate didn't catch what Darkness had said earlier.

They only heard her final line.

"I will not yield to you!"

That scene, paired with those words.

It was easy to jump to a conclusion:

Darkness had stepped forward to battle one of the Demon King's army leaders to protect the town.

Chishiya rubbed his eyebrows.

His perception was far keener than the average adventurer.

He had heard everything Darkness said.

There was no hope.

She was already this far gone...

But...

No wonder the number of commissions had dropped lately.

Even the Chamber of Commerce's carriages stopped running.

So it was because of a Demon King Army executive?

Right then, someone in the crowd muttered:

"Damn it..."

"But still, Hans is a cadre with a 300 million Eris bounty..."

"We don't stand a chance..."

Chishiya's eyes widened.

He turned sharply toward the speaker.

"How much did you just say?"

"Eh?"

"Th-three hundred million... why?"

Chishiya turned back.

He stared at the purple-black slime, and his eyes lit up.

Three hundred million...!!!

With that kind of money, he could upgrade the Labyrinth, launch new product lines, and expand his staff.

He could keep scaling up his corporate empire.

"Hey, calm down," the man warned him.

"The bounty might be high, but he's still a Demon King's Army executive!"

"Guys like us have zero chance! Don't be reckless!"

Chishiya didn't bother replying.

He wasn't being reckless.

It was simple fact.

With the protection of Vanir, Wiz, and Aqua.

And his own magical perception constantly pinging.

The enemy across the field...

Was ridiculously weak.

—

Outside the city.

Hans took a long breath.

"You've really pissed me off now."

"If you want to die so badly, I'll be happy to oblige."

Darkness gritted her teeth.

"You think I'll beg for mercy in front of everyone?"

"If you're so confident, why don't you try it right now?!"

The more she yelled, the redder her face got.

Hans was sweating heavily.

"You're absolutely nuts!"

"Why is a lunatic like you even a Paladin?!"

Suddenly—

The sky darkened.

Hans looked up.

Above him, countless red magic circles layered on top of each other in the air.

Hans: "Huh?"

"When did th—"

"Explosion!"

As Chishiya's voice echoed.

A fireball surrounded by vibrant, multicolored light dropped from the heavens.

BOOM!

A red wave of fire burst across the sky.

A thunderous explosion rang out, leaving a massive crater in its wake.

Nearby trees were torn from the ground by the blast.

Everyone's sleeves flapped in the wind.

They all stared, dumbfounded, at the young man who had just stepped out from the crowd.

"???"

"Wha... what just happened?!"

SPLAT!

Hans's massive body was vaporized on the spot.

Chunks of foul-smelling slime splashed everywhere.

Darkness's armor was completely corroded.

Darkness: "Eh???"

She stared at the scorched battlefield.

The light faded from her eyes.

The poison had eaten through her defenses.

She collapsed backward and lost consciousness.

Chishiya strolled over to the blast zone.

After confirming Hans was truly dead, he grabbed Darkness by the legs—

And dragged her back.

After all, even Aqua had felt the sting of Hans's poison in the anime.

If she felt it, then someone like Darkness, even with her high defense, wouldn't hold out.

Which meant it was faster to haul her to Aqua for healing.

The crowd could only watch him in confusion.

"Wh-what just happened?"

"Was that Explosion magic?!"

"He took out a Demon King's general in one hit?!"

"When did such a powerful master come to our town?"

"Wait..."

Someone suddenly recognized him.

"I remember now!"

"He's that newbie adventurer who registered a few days ago!"

"You're joking, right?!"

"A newbie?!"

—

Inside the Guild Association

Aqua examined Darkness, who was still twitching from the venom's corrosion.

"Don't worry, Chishiya-san. I'm a goddess. This is nothing."

"Heal!"

As green light poured from Aqua's hands, Darkness's pained expression began to relax.

Aqua put her hands on her hips.

"Alright! She should wake up by tomorrow."

Chishiya gave her a thumbs-up. "You really are a goddess."

Aqua beamed with pride, giggling foolishly.

Chishiya thought to himself: For a so-called goddess, she's surprisingly easy to handle.

Just then.

Luna jogged over and handed him an adventurer's certificate.

"Chishiya-san! Thank you for defeating a Demon King Army executive!"

"On behalf of the entire town, thank you so much."

"As for the reward, I'll notify the Guild Association. It'll be transferred to your certificate soon."

"Once again, thank you!"

Luna bowed deeply to Chishiya.

If he hadn't been here today, who knows how much destruction Hans could've caused.

—

Thanks to this incident, Chishiya became famous among adventurers overnight.

Rumors even started circulating.

That he might be one of the chosen heroes destined to defeat the Demon King.

After all, someone with that much power... right after registering?

There could be no other explanation but that he was a hero candidate.

Naturally.

As his reputation skyrocketed, the items in his store completely sold out.

"My dear hero! Just one bottle of potion, please!"

"Please, sell me one too!"

"Me three!"

There were even excited female adventurers screaming from the crowd.

"Chishiya-san! Can I get your autograph?!"

"Chishiya-san, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Please let me join your hero party!"

—

Inside his shop, Chishiya sat silently.

He stared at the noisy crowd outside in confusion.

Why the sudden rumor about him being a hero candidate?

He had zero interest in fighting Demon Kings or any of that nonsense.

All he wanted.

Was to make money, expand his business empire.

Then lie around all day while earning passive income.

Wiz peeked out the window, blinking in curiosity.

"Chishiya-san? What's going on?"

"Why are there so many people outside today?"

"Did yesterday's potion work that well?"

Chishiya rubbed his temple.

"No... probably just the star effect."

"Huh?"

Wiz tilted her head, completely lost.

Chishiya looked at her. "Actually... I just killed your coworker. Hans."

Wiz blinked.

"Oh~, I see."

"Then of course everyone thinks of Chishiya-san as a hero!"

Chishiya: "???"

Hold up. That's... not the kind of reaction I expected.

He asked cautiously.

"Wiz, I killed him. Aren't you angry?"

Wiz looked surprised.

"Eh? Why would I be angry?"

Chishiya: "You two were coworkers, weren't you?"

Wiz replied calmly:

"We may have been colleagues, but I didn't really get along with Mr. Hans."

"We actually fought a long time ago."

"And besides, all I did in the Demon King's Army was help maintain the barrier around the castle."

"The only person I considered a real friend there was Mr. Vanir."

"And—"

Wiz suddenly straightened up, her expression turning serious.

"I'm now Chishiya-san's employee!"

"Chishiya-san helped me turn the store around when we were in the red."

"You also taught me a lot about business management."

"I'm really, really grateful."

"How could I possibly be mad?"

She spoke with such sincerity that.

Thanks to her naturally affectionate personality.

She ended up standing very close to Chishiya.

Close enough for him to catch the subtle scent of flowers on her.


(To be continued.)

Chapter 22: We Rich

Chishiya smiled.

Realized he might've been overthinking things again.

But still, to be honest... that was massive.

"Alright, let's open up for business," he said.

Then turned back to look at Wiz.

"Wiz, write this down in your notebook. I'm teaching you a new trick today."

Wiz perked up, excited.
"What is it?"

"Product promotion."

Wiz blinked.

"Product... promotion?"

"What does that mean, Chishiya-san?"

"You can think of it as a kind of publicity."

"Just watch and learn."

Wiz nodded, still confused.

—

Outside the store.

"My lord, I need a potion!"

"Please, just one bottle!"

"No wonder Miss Wiz's gear suddenly started working. Turns out the hero's helping behind the scenes."

"Please, give me a bottle!"

Chishiya stepped in front of the crowd, casually waving at the surrounding adventurers.

"Please be patient, everyone."

"The ingredients for this potion are extremely rare. I harvested them myself from deep within underground labyrinths, so quantities are limited."

He lied without flinching.

An essential quality for a successful businessman.

"What?! He collected them himself?!"

"Forget it, I'll take them all!"

"Quit showing off! You already bought yours! Leave some for the rest of us! I want five bottles!"

Perfect reaction.

Chishiya frowned slightly. "This is going to be tough..."

He rubbed his temple.

"Well... since everyone is so passionate..."

"I have no choice but to make a decision... that goes against my ancestors!"

The crowd went still.

Huh?

Going against your ancestors? That serious?

Wiz's eyes went wide.

Is... is this what he means by 'product promotion'?

Something feels off...

But she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Meanwhile, Chishiya's grin nearly reached his ears.

If these people had ever watched late-night shopping channels, they wouldn't fall for something this basic.

"Everyone here today is like family to me," Chishiya declared.

"Today's offer is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Miss it, and it's gone forever."

Then he pulled out a potion from his coat pocket.

"This formula is from my homeland."

"Exceptionally effective against powerful monsters. Great for leveling up."

"If you've used it, you know I'm not lying."

"Last time I gave them away... because I consider you all my family."

Someone in the crowd chimed in.

"It's true! I used one and it worked like magic!"

"I even managed to hold off a Horned Crocodile for a whole minute!"

"Same! I was wondering why he'd give away something that valuable."

"Chishiya-san is a great guy!"

People in this world were so easy to deceive.

You think you're making a deal?

No. I never lose money.

Chishiya pointed at a man in the crowd.

"Do you think 100,000 Eris is too expensive for this potion?"

The man shook his head.

"Not at all! The bounty for a Horned Crocodile is 300,000 Eris!"

"What about 150,000?"

The people nearby also shook their heads.

With this potion, their odds of completing monster subjugation quests had gone way up.

A single minute of solid crowd control was enough to take out a high-level monster.

And those bounties started at 300,000 Eris.

So even 150,000 was cheap.

Chishiya nodded.

"In other livestreams... ahem... I mean, in other stores, it might cost 100,000 or 150,000 Eris."

"But today..."

"In our store, I'm giving an exclusive deal... just for the family."

Chishiya raised his voice with conviction.

"Only 60,000 Eris!"

"I'd never cheat my own family!"

"Eh?!"

Wiz dashed out and grabbed his arm.

"Chishiya-san, that's way too cheap!"

"You'll go bankrupt!"

Chishiya: "???"

He stared at her.

Wait... what?

You're not in on it?

Did you seriously just improv that?

Were you born with the natural talent for sales?

I haven't even taught you yet...

Wiz was dead serious.

She had been completely fooled.

She still didn't know what the actual ingredients were.

Chishiya had never told her.

So she just assumed it was some rare, expensive herb blend.

"How could you sell such a valuable potion for only 60,000 Eris?!"

"Chishiya-san, are you sacrificing profit just to help me break even?"

He's doing this all to cover my losses...

I can't let him carry the burden of the shop anymore...

Her unintentional outburst.

Ironically made Chishiya's plan even more effective.

The crowd was hyped up now.

Sure, 150,000 Eris wasn't a bad price.

But Chishiya was selling it for just 60,000!

That was more than half off!

"60,000?! That's a steal!"

"Unbelievable!"

"As expected of our brave hero! He really treats us like family!"

"I want one!"

"Give me five!"

Chishiya brushed off Wiz's objections.

"Family!"

"We've got 200 potions in stock, 200 orders for air conditioners, and 200 magic crystals ready to go!"

"3... 2... 1... ready, set—uh... I mean, go!"

The moment he finished.

Chaos erupted.

"Chishiya-san! I want one!"

"Magic crystals, please!"

"Preorder me an air conditioner!"

The crowd rushed into the store like a tidal wave.

It was packed wall to wall.

In under an hour, every potion was sold out.

The magic crystals too.

Over 130 air conditioners were preordered.

A modern livestream sales tactic.

Totally foreign to people in this world.

Wiz slumped behind the counter.

Pearl-like tears welling in her eyes.

So many other products had sold too...

But thinking about how Chishiya had willingly taken a loss for her...

She couldn't hold back anymore.

Meanwhile, Chishiya was off to the side, happily counting money.

"I'm rich~, I'm rich~"

Between the product sales and the bounty from Hans.

He'd earned more than 30 million Eris.

Enough to clear the shop's debt.

Plenty left to upgrade the Labyrinth.

And still a huge surplus.

Chishiya turned around.

Ready to compliment Wiz.

After all, today's success was thanks to her accidental sales pitch.

But the moment he turned.

He saw Wiz secretly wiping tears from her eyes.

Chishiya froze.

"Wiz, why are you crying? We just paid off the debt. No need to get emotional..."

Wiz sobbed quietly.

"Waaah... Chishiya-san, thank you so much... You're such a good person... and such a good boss..."

"You sold such expensive potions... at such a loss... just to help me..."

"I don't even know how to thank you..."

Chishiya finally caught on.

She... actually believed it.

He rubbed his temple.

"What expensive potion?"

"That thing is made with herbs you can buy anywhere."

Wiz looked up, stunned.

"W-what? But you just said..."

You believed the lie?! Chishiya waved her off.

"Don't worry about the details."

"The important part is that my refining skills are top-tier."

Wiz wiped her tears, still unsure.

"But Chishiya-san... you said you were going against your ancestors..."

Chishiya muttered under his breath.

God, the ancestors again...

Did I say that out loud?

"Anyway, just remember one thing."

"I never run a business at a loss."

"Here, I'll show you."

Chishiya walked over to the workbench.

Pulled out two herbs from the system inventory.

Then, right in front of Wiz, tossed them into the cauldron.

Used the Labyrinth System's refining module.

Let it cook for about 30 seconds.

He handed Wiz a bottle of glowing purple potion.

"See? I wasn't lying."

"It really is made from ordinary herbs."

Wiz's eyes widened. She took a tiny sip—

And was hit with that familiar zap of energy.

"R-really..."

"Wow... incredible..."

"Chishiya-san, how do you do it?!"

The whole process looked like standard potion-making.

But the result was on another level.

Wiz stared at the potion, overwhelmed.

"It's unbelievable..."

Chishiya smiled.

"Oh, it gets better."

"Wanna guess how much we made today?"

Wiz shook her head.

Chishiya held up his hand with a smug look.

"Wiz, 32 million!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 23: Royal Capital Banquet

"Ehhhhhh—!"

Wiz stuttered when she heard the number.

"S-So much money?!"

"We… we're rich?!"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Chishiya-san, we're rich!"

Chishiya smirked.

Seriously.

As far as business goes—

He now had enough capital to get truly started.

Next step: expand his business territory.

Go big, go strong.

Make more and more money...

And finally enjoy a life of lying around in heaven, doing absolutely nothing.

He handed a portion of the profits to Wiz.

An extra 40 million Eris.

Then, Chishiya said solemnly:

"Wiz, this money is a corporate subsidy for you and Vanir."

"You can only use it if both of you agree."

"Got it?"

Wiz nodded, eyes serious.

"Don't worry, Chishiya-san."

"I'll follow whatever you say."

"Because you're a powerful boss, and I believe in you!"

Chishiya smiled.

Then opened a portal.

"I'm heading back."

Wiz nodded eagerly. "Yes! See you tomorrow, Chishiya-san!"


---

Ancient Kingdom of Belzerg

The royal capital was still lively, even at night.

The streets were full of pedestrians celebrating something.

Both sides of the city gate were packed with people holding bouquets.

"It's the Sword Saint! The Sword Saint has arrived!"

"As expected of the Sword Hero, he defeated the Demon King's army!"

"So cool!"

A blond-haired boy in blue armor walked through the crowd, waving with practiced charm.

"Sword Saint-sama!"

A shy young girl rushed out of the crowd, holding out a bouquet.

"Sword Saint-sama, please accept this…"

The boy accepted the flowers with a charming smile.

"Thank you very much."

He sniffed them and said gently, "This flower is as beautiful as you."

"KYAAA!!!"

The girls around him went into heart-eyed hysteria.

Mitsurugi Kyouya smiled and headed toward the palace.

A celebration banquet was being held there.

As soon as he arrived, a wave of nobles swarmed in to flatter him.

"As expected of the Sword Hero, your strength has grown immensely."

"Your technique is peerless. That strike earlier was unforgettable."

"It's incredible how you took down an entire Kobold army with just a single slash."

"Shame the Demon King's officers showed up. Otherwise, the rest would've been finished too."

"Yeah... those cadres really are on another level."

The thief girl standing next to Mitsurugi scoffed.

"Hmph."

"Mitsurugi-sama was caught off guard! If it was a head-on fight, he could've easily one-shotted that Demon King officer."

"Exactly," the pink-haired girl beside him chimed in.

One-shot a cadre…? If he could really do that, why was he almost killed?

The watching nobles twitched their lips in discomfort.

But they held their tongues to stay in the good graces of the "hero."

They raised their wine glasses and smiled politely.

"Yes, yes... of course, you're absolutely right."

Mitsurugi took a sip of wine and scanned the hall, as if looking for someone.

At that moment.

A commotion broke out behind him.

A blonde girl in an elegant gown walked in, escorted by two court instructors.

"Mitsurugi-sama, thank you for your service."

The girl bowed slightly.

She looked to be only around 12 or 13 years old.

So beautiful... Mitsurugi snapped back to reality and swallowed.

"No, it's nothing, Princess Iris. It's simply my duty as a hero."

The woman in a beret beside the princess stepped forward.

"Thank you for the rescue."

"The Demon King's army officers are incredibly strong. The fact that you managed to protect the troops and retreat safely... we're deeply grateful."

Mitsurugi quickly set down his glass and waved his hands.

"Ms. Rain, you're too kind."

"It's just unfortunate that the Demon King's officers appeared. Otherwise, I could've wiped them all out."

He clenched his fists, clearly frustrated.

Truthfully, he'd barely escaped last time, even with the Cursed Sword in hand.

His companions quickly jumped in to console him.

"Mitsurugi-sama, it's alright. You're already incredibly powerful."

"You might be the only adventurer who can even try something like that."

"The Demon King's leaders may be strong, but next time, we'll be ready."

"Yes, exactly!"

"Everyone…" Mitsurugi's voice cracked a little.

That's right... Kyouya Mitsurugi, you're a hero.

If anyone can defeat the Demon King, it has to be you.

You can't be discouraged over something like this!

He clenched his fists, ready to say something inspiring to Princess Iris.

"Report—!!!"

A knight burst into the banquet hall.

"Princess Iris! Something terrible has happened! Axel has been attacked by Hans of the Demon King's Army!"

"Miss Lalatina has been seriously injured and is currently unconscious!"

"What?!"

The banquet fell into silence.

Commander Claire instinctively gripped the hilt of her sword, her wrist trembling slightly.

"H-How can that be? Isn't Axel just a beginner town?!"

Iris began to panic.

"How's Lalatina?!"

Mitsurugi's expression darkened.

Hans... One of the top four on the bounty list?

Even he wouldn't stand a chance against him.

Damn it...

But even so—

As a hero, he couldn't back down now! Mitsurugi stood up and declared firmly:

"Please rest assured. I will leave immediately and ensure no one else is harmed!"

He turned toward the knight.

"How many troops did the Demon King's army send? How long has the attack been going on?"

"Take me there now!"

"Ermm..."

The knight hesitated, then slowly raised his head.

"You... don't need to go."

Mitsurugi froze.

Edgeworth clenched his teeth. "What... Don't tell me... Axel has already..."

Fallen...

The knight replied calmly.

"Because Hans has been eliminated."

"...Huh?"

Mitsurugi and the others stared at him.

"NANI——?!"

The knight continued, "Though Miss Lalatina was injured, her life is not in danger."

"She has already been returned safely to her home."

Not your bro?

Why are you breathing so hard while talking?

If the guy's dead, just say he's dead! This dramatic delivery is giving people heart attacks!

Edgeworth sighed and wiped his forehead.

"Phew, thank goodness he was taken out…"

"Taken out…"

Mitsurugi casually lifted his wine glass.

"That's good to he—"

PFFT!

"Cough— Wait a minute!"

Mitsurugi suddenly choked and spat out his wine.

His eyes shot open.

Taken out?!

A top-four ranked Demon King officer was actually killed?!

Everyone in the banquet hall froze as realization hit.

"Hans is dead?!"

"That poisonous slime?!"

"My gods... Who on earth could do that?!"

Iris's eyes were wide in shock.

Mitsurugi stroked his chin, trying to analyze.

"To defeat a Demon King cadre... this person must be extremely powerful."

"And they were active in Axel again…"

"Could it be some powerful human warrior who's been hiding from the world all this time?!"

Yes!

After hearing Mitsurugi's theory, the nobles began nodding in agreement.

It was entirely possible that a hidden elder warrior had made their move.

Claire asked, "Have you identified who it was?"

"We must treat them with the utmost respect."

"We must not tarnish the royal family's image."

"This..." The knight hesitated before speaking slowly.

"The person who defeated Hans is... an ordinary adventurer who just registered."

"Seems... like a complete newcomer…"

"WHAT!!!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 24: Darkness Shocks

"The one who eliminated a Demon King's Army officer was a newcomer? Are you serious?"

"Is that information even reliable?"

"This is absolutely impossible!"

"Even Mitsurugi-sama can't guarantee a win against Hans. A newcomer? Come on!"

"Hey, hey... shhh, look at Mitsurugi-sama..."

Someone quietly reminded the group.

Everyone followed their gaze.

Mitsurugi stood there, frozen in place.

His eyes were full of disbelief.

Newcomer?

The word hit him like thunder, making his scalp go numb.

It wounded his young hero heart.

The one who defeated a Demon King Army officer... was a newbie adventurer???

How could that be?

If that were true, where was the dignity of a brave hero like him supposed to go?

No, no, no. There had to be some other explanation. Maybe Axel's adventurers worked together?

No way he did it solo...

As if reading his thoughts, Claire asked, "A newcomer? Are you sure? Were there any witnesses?"

"What was the situation on-site?"

Yes! What happened on-site?! Mitsurugi asked mentally, hopeful.

The knight responded, "Captain, almost all the adventurers in Axel witnessed it."

"As for the situation..."

The knight paused, carefully choosing his words.

"One hit. According to eyewitnesses, the boy used a single Explosion Magic to blow Hans to pieces…"

Ah?

Mitsurugi's eyes widened.

He understood every word, but somehow, strung together, they made no sense.

Blown to pieces in one hit?!

Do these people think Demon King Army officers are made of paper?

"How amazing!!!" Princess Iris clapped excitedly.

"Claire! I want to meet him!"

Claire had just managed to collect herself.

"Your Highness, the celebration banquet for Mitsurugi-sama isn't over yet."

Iris shook her head. "It's boring and no fun. I want to meet the person who did that!"

Claire kept trying, "Your Highness, as a royal, it's important to build ties with nobles and heroes."

"Even if you're not enjoying it, you mustn't act willfully."

Mitsurugi's eye twitched. Huh?

That... hurt.

Sorry my celebration banquet was so boring.

Claire continued, "And Lady Lalatina is still recovering."

"How about inviting her to bring that adventurer to your birthday party?"

Iris thought about it, then nodded. "Okay! Let's do that!"


---

Dustiness Family Estate

In a luxurious room, on a silken bed.

Darkness slowly opened her eyes.

"Lalatina, you're finally awake!"

She turned her head.

It was her father, Ignis, holding her hand, looking deeply concerned.

"Lalatina, you can't keep doing this. It's far too dangerous!"

"If an adventurer hadn't stepped in, you would've died! Do you understand that?!"

Darkness blinked.

Fragments returned to her memory.

Someone grabbing her by the legs… dragging her back…

Ignis gently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"You were rescued from the Demon King's Army. You really ought to thank him."

"And the princess even sent a letter. She's been worried about your condition."

Darkness sat up and lowered her gaze.

"I'm sorry to have worried Her Highness Iris."

"Father, please write to her and let her know I'm recovering well."

Ignis nodded. "Of course. I'll take care of it."

He walked to the window and drew open the curtains.

"But there's something else important."

"It's about the adventurer."

"Did something happen to him?"

A flicker of worry crossed Darkness's eyes.

Despite her, uh... tastes, her desire to protect others was genuine.

She never wanted someone else hurt just to save her.

Ignis shook his head.

"No. He wasn't even injured."

Darkness exhaled in relief.

"That's good... I'm glad no one got hurt."

"Wait..."

A realization hit her. She shot upright.

"Father... wasn't the enemy a Demon King Army officer?"

"No one was injured. Did the Royal Army arrive in time?"

"..."

Ignis hesitated, as if carefully choosing his words.

"Lalatina, by the time the Kingdom Army arrived... it was already over."

"What?!"

"Because that adventurer took down Hans, one of the Demon King's Army generals."

Darkness: "?"

Suddenly, she remembered.

That moment facing Hans.

An unbelievably powerful Explosion Magic had rained down from the sky.

It had shredded Hans to bits right in front of her.

That... was unleashed by an adventurer from Axel?

"I didn't realize Axel had such a powerful adventurer…"

"Was it a high-ranking one just passing through?"

Ignis shook his head.

"We investigated. He registered as an adventurer only three days ago."

"Even though his stats are exceptionally high, technically speaking, he's still a newbie."

Thunk.

Darkness froze.

She didn't even know what kind of expression to make.

"He killed a Demon King general in one shot without taking damage."

And he's a newcomer?!

Seeing his daughter's expression, Ignis sighed.

That was exactly how he looked when he first heard the news.

"Lalatina, do you understand now?"

"With that kind of strength, he's very likely a hero candidate."

"Princess Iris wants to meet him at her birthday banquet."

"And I'm assigning you the task of escorting him there."

Darkness: "Eh? Me?"

"Yes. He saved your life. You're the most suitable person to accompany him. Any objections?"

"No... Father."

Darkness shook her head, slightly dazed.

A brave...

"Indeed... only someone like that could be a brave."

"He might even become Her Highness Iris's future husband."

The Kingdom of Belzerg had long encouraged marriages with powerful heroes to enhance the royal bloodline's potential.

Ignis stepped forward and handed her a glass of water.

Darkness accepted it.

"Father, what's this adventurer's name?"

She took a sip to soothe her dry throat.

"His name is Chishiya Shuntaro. Ever heard of him?"

PFFT—!!!

Water sprayed everywhere from Darkness's mouth.

Who?!

Wasn't that the guy I ran into in the woods?!

Oh my god!!!

I was seen like that by the potential future consort of Princess Iris?!

AHHH—!!!

Darkness grabbed her head, face beet red.

She desperately wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

"Lalatina, what's wrong?"

Darkness forced a stiff smile.

"N-Nothing... Father. Please, just... leave me alone for now."

"I want some time to think..."

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything."

The door closed behind him.

Now alone in the room—

THUNK!

Darkness slammed her head against the wall.

I need to erase that memory!

He saw me like that... That's the guy I'll probably serve as a knight one day...

There's nothing more socially devastating in the world!!!

But it wasn't my fault! I was under illusion magic!

He'll believe me...

"..."

"LIKE HELL HE WILL!!!"

THUNK THUNK THUNK!

She banged her head against the wall repeatedly.

Five minutes later—

Darkness slumped onto the bed.

"Well... he does seem like a decent guy."

"He'd suit Princess Iris quite well."

"I need to thank him properly when I meet him."

Darkness smiled faintly.


---

The Labyrinth

Several days passed.

The surface structures were almost complete.

What was once an empty plain.

Was now shaping into a proper small town.

Yellow lines had been drawn across the ground for reserved building areas.

There were residential zones, commercial zones, research sectors...

As long as resources kept flowing, construction could continue.

There was a time when Chishiya believed in science.

Until he saw a group of ants build an entire city.

Without blueprints, without schematics, without structural calculations.

Chishiya opened his control panel.

[Chishiya Shuntaro]
[Core Employees: Megumin, Queen Ant, Wiz, Vanir, Kazuma, Aqua]
[Account: 300 million Eris (convertible to Reputation Points at 100:1)]
[Reputation Points: 2,000]
[Labyrinth Level: 1]
[Special Abilities: Explosion Magic Lover, Leadership, Lich's Blessing, Demon King's Blessing, Goddess of Luck's Blessing, Goddess of Water's Blessing]

"300 million Eris."

"That's enough to upgrade the Labyrinth."

"System, convert 200 million Eris into Reputation Points."

[Confirmed]
[Conversion in Progress…]
[Conversion Complete]

[Current Reputation Points: 2,000,000]
[Upgrade Requirement for Labyrinth Level 2: 500,000 Reputation Points]
[Proceed with Upgrade?]

"Yes."

[Confirmed. 500,000 Reputation Points consumed. Labyrinth Level Up successful.]

(To be continued.)

Chapter 25: Labyrinth Merge

As the system prompt echoed—

A series of glowing screens unfolded before Chishiya Shuntaro.

[Labyrinth is upgrading…]

[A large number of B-grade Magic Crystals and a small number of A-grade Magic Crystals have spawned below the fifth underground floor.]
[All herbs upgraded in tier. Effects increased by an additional 30%.]
[With increased magical power, certain monsters in the depths have evolved.]
[Labyrinth Ants have evolved into a superior species: Armored Army Ants.]
[The Ant Queen has evolved into a quasi-Demon Lord-level monster. Entire colony now possesses mimicry abilities.]
[Remaining monsters have been enhanced…]
[Murlocs have evolved into advanced monsters: Murloc Priests, Murloc Chieftains, Murloc Warriors…]
[Undead have evolved into higher forms: Skeleton Mages, Skeletal Horses, Skeleton Warriors…]

Chishiya raised a brow.

One Labyrinth upgrade, and now even the Ant Queen was at quasi–Demon Lord level?

A monster at that level could flatten an entire city.

This was a major boost to the company's defensive assets.

[Labyrinth Level 2 Upgrade Complete. New feature unlocked: Voice Transmission Network.]

"Voice Transmission Network? What the hell is that?"

[Voice Transmission Network: The host may now communicate with core employees remotely at any time.]

Now that was useful.

No more running around just to micromanage. He could check in without lifting his butt off a chair.

Truly, the ultimate management tool for any black-hearted company CEO.

Time to try it out.

Chishiya cleared his throat and tapped Vanir's portrait on the panel.

"Vanir-san, can you hear me?"

—

Somewhere in a southern kingdom…

Vanir, who was casually chatting with a bartender, suddenly froze.

Chishiya's voice echoed in his mind.

"Vanir-san?"

Chishiya repeated.

Vanir: ???

This time, he heard it clearly. It really was him!

Vanir excused himself and stepped into a quiet corner.

"How the hell are you talking in my head?"

Chishiya blinked.

It actually worked?

His lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

"Vanir-san, how's the progress on securing new sales channels?"

"I've already opened up Axel's market. You need to pick up the pace on your end."

Vanir twitched.

"You're contacting me just to rush production?"

"Tsk, I'm just checking in."

Vanir sighed. "Don't bother lying. I can smell the desperation."

"I never thought I'd see the day when someone could boss me around…"

Chishiya cut in. "So? What's the status?"

The reason he was pressing—

Summer was ending in about two months.

More importantly, Axel's consumer market was clearly plateauing.

Last time, during the big product push—

Even though he had prepared an entire inventory of bestsellers, profits barely hit 30 million Eris.

Axel was still a starter city, after all.

There was only so much spending power available.

No matter how great the product, they had hit the ceiling.

Which meant branching out to new regions was essential.

But time was running out.

Once summer ended, air conditioners would stop being a hot item.

Vanir's laughter came through the line.

"I'm not that useless shopkeeper."

"I've already got sales handled."

Chishiya's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Vanir replied, "We're in a small southern kingdom right now."

"The king owed me a favor."

"After I showed him your products, he was very interested. The temperature here is scorching year-round."

"We reached a deal. He placed an initial order of 500 units."

"If they perform well, there'll be a larger follow-up order."

Chishiya was stunned.

500 units?!

That was huge!

He'd worn himself out for days to push under 200 units in Axel.

Vanir had casually secured five hundred with a single deal.

That was easily a 100 million Eris contract!

Chishiya suppressed the glee bubbling in his chest.

"When will you be back?"

"I left 40 million Eris with Wiz as an investment."

"You'll handle the mass production."

Vanir raised an eyebrow.

"You made up for the losses in just a few days... and even profited 40 million?"

"Not bad."

Vanir's curiosity toward Chishiya deepened.

Then he suddenly paused.

"Wait…"

"Who did you say you gave the money to?"

"Wiz? Why?"

Vanir's tone turned frantic.

"WHAT?!"

"You gave the money... to that hopeless shopkeeper?!"

"Are you insane?! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!"

"Give her money and you'll go bankrupt!"

"WAIT. I'M COMING BACK IMMEDIATELY!!!"

—

The voice cut off.

Back in the Labyrinth, Chishiya had already reached the entrance of the old wooden shack.

Just as he was about to enter.

He stopped dead.

"What… the hell?"

Before him stood a four-story classical villa.

Its manicured courtyard bloomed with flowers.

It looked like something a noble lord would live in.

Way bigger than the previous cabin.

"Welcome back, Master."

Chishiya turned.

The Ant Queen had appeared behind him.

Something about her felt... different.

Stronger. More refined.

Probably a side effect of the Labyrinth upgrade.

She had evolved too.

"Master, the mansion you requested has been completed."

"It's a bit crude. Please forgive us."

Crude?

Was her sense of simplicity broken?

Chishiya stared at the "modest home" before him.

How the hell was he supposed to live in a place this massive—alone?

He thought for a moment.

"Let's have Megumin, Rim, and the others move in too."

The Ant Queen nodded.

"Lady Megumin and Lady Rim have already moved in."

Chishiya: "Huh. They work fast."

"Then you should move in too."

The Ant Queen blinked.

"Me?"

"Yeah." Chishiya nodded. "It's more fun with more people around."

(And frankly, she was great for eye candy.)

The Ant Queen dropped to one knee.

"Thank you, Master!"

Chishiya waved it off and stepped inside.

"Finally, time to redeem that teleportation anchor."

[Teleportation Anchor: Price – 50,000 Reputation Points]

[Confirm purchase?]

[Note: Purchasing this item will cause the Labyrinth world to merge with the Konosuba world. Proceed with caution.]

Chishiya already understood what this meant.

The anchor would create a portal between the two worlds.

Merging them into one.

Like popping the membrane between two soap bubbles and fusing them.

"Confirm."

[Purchase complete.]

[World is merging...]

BOOM BOOM

The Labyrinth began to shake.

So did the Konosuba world.

From the sky, one could see a new landmass appearing next to the Suqing continent.

It slid into place like a puzzle piece.

The tremors lasted ten minutes before finally stopping.

[World Fusion Complete]

[Optimal merge location has been selected via big data.]

[Location: Crimson Demon Village, 10 km away]

Chishiya: "???"

Wait, what?

Crimson Demon Village?

You mean the one crawling with female orcs and high-level monsters?

Where even horse-drawn carriages can't reach?

Chishiya rubbed his temples in frustration.

Sure, he had start-up funds.

And the Labyrinth's core infrastructure was coming together.

But—

They were short on reception staff.

Short on facilities.

Short on everything.

And he couldn't just hire random nobodies.

He needed people on the same wavelength.

People he could trust.

Chishiya laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Still, if it was near the Crimson Demon Village…

Maybe he should visit that girl's parents sometime.

(To be continued.)