Monster Taming Broadcast

The transferable return ticket is 10 coins.

That’s equivalent to 100,000 won in Korean currency.

So, I couldn’t give it away for free.

I’m not a volunteer.

If something goes out, something has to come in.

“Hmmm, what I have…”

Rize nervously patted himself down.

I hoped he’d hidden something in his clothes, but it seemed like he was completely broke.

“I’m sorry. I was dragged here just before execution, so I have nothing. The only thing I could give is this worn-out outfit I’m wearing.”

Rize began to slowly take off his clothes.

I carefully examined Rize’s outfit.

It looked like an ordinary robe with nothing special.

But you never know, so I asked.

“Is the outfit you’re wearing made of special material?”

“This is just ordinary clothing.”

What a pity.

If it’s ordinary clothing, I have no use for it.

The design isn’t really my taste either.

“Well, the clothes are fine. Please put them back on.”

Rize put his clothes back on.

Scratching his head, he spoke.

“I have nothing else to offer…”

If Rize has nothing to give me,

Then I can’t hand him the transferable return ticket.

I’m not a sucker who’ll give unconditional goodwill to someone I just met.

‘That said, the thought of telling him to just die wandering the labyrinth doesn’t sit well with me.’

Rize didn’t show any hostility towards me.

He was quite polite and didn’t do anything to offend me.

His first impression wasn’t too bad, so I decided to offer a little goodwill with conditions.

“Rize, do you need to return to your original world urgently?”

“It’s not urgent. If I return now, the government will catch me and I’ll end up dead, so it’s better to take my time before going back.”

“So, you plan to stay in this labyrinth for a while even if you can return right away?”

“Yes.”

“Then help me out a bit. If you assist me with my labyrinth exploration for a few days, I’ll return you to your original world whenever you want.”

I decided to accept labor as payment.

Rize, having no other options, gladly accepted my proposal.

*

【Pururu】─ Hip Hop Shake~ What should I write with this cute little butt~

【Mysticism】─

【Pururu】─ Let’s draw little dreams with a cute dance~

【Mysticism】─

Ignoring the chat from the not-so-helpful assistants, I was in the midst of deciding which passage to explore, when suddenly Rize mentioned he might have a gift for me.

“The executioners that came with me had execution swords. They were eaten by monsters, but the swords should still be there. Monsters wouldn’t have eaten the swords.”

“What’s different about an execution sword compared to an ordinary sword?”

“It’s a special sword that can cut down opponents stronger than oneself. It will surely help you.”

I’m not particularly skilled with swords.

But it wouldn’t hurt to have one.

Maybe I’d be able to tame a monster that uses a sword someday.

Anyway,

After our discussion, we decided to re-explore Passage No. 8.

We also need to recover the execution sword.

And we have to find the two Revolutionary Army officials presumed to have crossed over with Rize.

“To be honest, I don’t expect those two to be alive. If they faced the monsters here, they’d already be dead. The creatures living in this labyrinth seem to be on a whole different level than us.”

Rize, walking beside me, said.

When I glanced at him, he looked quite gloomy.

“Don’t make that face. Those two officials are still alive.”

“…How do you know that?”

“I can see the number of drifters that fell into this labyrinth.”

I stared into the air.

The number of drifters is three.

The two officials have not died yet.

They’re lucky enough to have not encountered any monsters.

“Can you find out their locations too?”

“I can’t locate drifters.”

“That’s too bad… But I’m relieved to know they’re still alive.”

Having conversed with Rize, we kept choosing the left path every time we reached a fork in the road.

*

“From here on, let’s explore separately. Here, take this.”

After walking a bit, I handed Rize a piece of paper.

It was paper for mapping out the area. Naturally, I handed him a pen as well.

Then,

After receiving two wristwatches from Pururu,

I kept one and handed the other to Rize.

“Take this too.”

“No way, a watch just appeared out of nowhere! What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain later, it’s too annoying. Anyway, you know what a watch is, right?”

“I do. This is completely identical to the watches we use in our world.”

“Well then, let’s meet back here at 9 o’clock, Jellyfish.”

I shifted my gaze and called the Jellyfish.

It let out a pii, slapping against my cheek.

“As long as you’re not far from me, the buff magic you cast on me won’t wear off, right?”

［Pii!］

“Good. Then enhance the buff magic on me again, and cast the same buff magic on Rize next to me. And today, stay with Rize and protect him.”

In this labyrinth, Rize is weak.

His danger level is only C-rank.

That’s why I attached one of my monsters as a guard.

Thus, we decided to proceed with exploration in two teams.

Rize and Jellyfish would head left to recover the execution sword and continue exploring afterwards. I decided to explore the central path with Dog Spider and Black Magma Slime.

Before setting off on our respective paths,

I stopped Rize, who was about to leave.

“Ah, wait a moment.”

“What is it?”

“I just want to ask you one thing. Rize, do you have any abnormalities with your body?”

“Abnormalities?”

“Like, feeling weaker?”

“How did you know?”

Rize answered, surprised.

Looks like my assumptions were spot on.

“I don’t know why, but I started feeling weaker from some point onward. It’s not due to injuries, as the injured parts have completely healed.”

It seems both drifting monsters and drifters are affected.

Since drifters can also become a threat, it makes sense.

Rize is presumed to be C-rank.

His actual danger level would probably be around A-rank.

“Your strength hasn’t been declining since you first came into the labyrinth, right?”

“At first, I was fine. As I remember, I felt suddenly weak after crawling through a certain point while injured…”

Among the two hypotheses, the moment one of them became true.

Monsters in the labyrinth aren’t always in a nerfed state. Only the monsters around my vicinity were being nerfed.

“Do you know why my strength has decreased?”

“It’s probably because of me. It seems coming near me weakens your strength.”

“Remarkable and amazing ability to weaken all surrounding creatures…”

“It’s probably a power that only manifests in the labyrinth.”

“Can’t you lift the weakening?”

At Rize’s question, I shook my head.

This doesn’t seem to be a power I can control.

Anyways, thanks to Rize, my guesses turned into certainty.

I’ll have to reward him after the exploration ends when we return to the hideout.

With something other than the return ticket.

*

After parting with Rize, I continued exploring the central path.

［Kirik!］

Something swiftly brushed past me.

At that moment, I felt pain in my left hand.

I looked up to check and saw that I was missing the index and middle fingers from my left hand.

I lost two fingers while awake.

I couldn’t react.

Neither I, nor Dog Spider and Magma Slime.

［Kiki Kik!］

The monster that stole my fingers was sneering at me from afar.

It was too far away to see clearly.

But it looked roughly human-shaped.

Considering it got past Jellyfish’s protection magic, it’s presumed to be a ‘nerfed B-rank’ monster or higher. And since it didn’t aim for my heart or head, it didn’t seem like it wanted to kill me either.

［Sii!!］
［Srrr!!］

Realizing my injury late, the enraged Dog Spider and Magma Slime tried to chase it, but the figure vanished from view in an instant.

I looked down at my left hand blankly and muttered.

“Well, at least it wasn’t my right hand.”

“Of course it hurts. I lost my fingers.”

The concerned messages from my assistants popped up, and just as the monsters were anxiously watching my hand, a strange sound echoed from somewhere.

［Beeeeee!］

The sound was getting closer.

［Beeeeee!!!］

The sound grew increasingly near.

［Beeeeeeeeeeee!!!］

A monster appeared from ahead.

It was a pink mushroom-shaped monster.

［Sii!］
［Soo!!］

What is it?

The monsters were not on guard.

They seemed rather welcoming instead.

‘Is this monster not dangerous?’

The mushroom monster quickly floated close to me, examined my body from top to bottom, and then grabbed my left hand, applying a sticky liquid to the spot where my fingers were severed.

Instantly, my two fingers regenerated.

［Bee!］

The mushroom monster smiled broadly as it gently patted my head.

And then it quickly flew off to another location.

…What on Earth was that?

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