Chapter 2: Never Say Die. ①
After Pulmy En Dynast confidently conveyed the dangers of the Sealed Domain before many fierce warriors at Skruld, a multitude of discussions unfolded during the meeting.
This was a matter of utmost priority, determined by the advice from the top leaders of Bordaf, who had already been tackling the Fog. Specifically, it revolved around efficient strategies for dealing with the Sealed Domain, effective party formations for Fog hunting, and the order in which parties would take their rest—practical matters indeed.
Typically, seeker parties or clans of a decent standing would argue for their own interests, each vying for recognition. However, among those gathered, there were no foolish individuals who misjudged the situation.
The members of the Honest magic guild, mostly composed of nobles, refrained from interrupting unnecessarily. While patriotism surely played a role, they were gathered at the behest of Chancellor Madison, who had promised them ample rewards. Above all, the prospect of gaining a favor from the esteemed Chancellor Madison was likely a significant factor.
For these reasons, preparations for the Fog extermination in the Virtuous region progressed smoothly.
Thanks to this, even after the Fog made its appearance, the operations within the Virtuous Front proceeded without significant issues. True to their professional caliber, not a single individual slacked off, even in what could be considered a mere monster hunt. Pulmy and her companions handled the ever-increasing numbers of Fog with remarkable composure.
However, as Yamada and the others stepped into the Sealed Labyrinth, the previously calm tide began to shift.
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Unbeknownst to Yamada and Sensei, the flow of time within the Sealed Labyrinth differed greatly from that of the outside world.
From their perspective, the time spent from diving into the Sealed Labyrinth to returning to the outside world felt like two to three days. Yet, in reality, over a week had passed since they entered the labyrinth.
And a week was more than enough time for the situation in Virtuous to change dramatically. As they progressed deeper into the Sealed Labyrinth, the previously manageable circumstances in Virtuous began to evolve.
The once abundant low-tier monsters within the Sealed Labyrinth were annihilated completely, and the number of monstrous bosses grew increasingly fierce, leading to a surge in the number of monsters appearing in Virtuous.
On the first day Yamada and his party entered the Sealed Labyrinth, those with keen instincts sensed something was amiss, but the change was so subtle that they kept their doubts to themselves.
However, by the following day, many felt the increased proliferation rate of the Fog. They became convinced that the situation had clearly changed and relayed this information to the clan’s upper echelons and Pulmy.
It was a simple matter—the frequency of Fog appearances had risen—but this alone brought numerous problems to those tasked with protecting Virtuous.
Fortunately, coordination was maintained, allowing for effective information sharing. The challenge lay in the need to shift the mindset of those who had previously thought, “This is a piece of cake,” back to a more serious approach. While seasoned veterans who had faced battles before could adapt, it was particularly difficult for the younger members and those lower in the clan hierarchy to make such a sudden shift in mentality.
Moreover, the abrupt increase in Fog led to changes in the rotation for extermination duties, placing a heavier burden on everyone. This was compounded by the complaints of those who, due to their abilities, had been coddled, as well as a number of nobles who began to grumble, “Why must I toil so hard with this dirty work?”
As is often the case, discontent spreads like a disease. Even those who had been working diligently could find themselves swayed by the grievances of others, thinking, “Perhaps they have a point.” Once they sensed that “everyone around me feels the same way,” that seed of discontent would flourish, leading them to eventually voice their own complaints of, “Why me?”
Fortunately, the summoned clans were all composed of professionals. The leaders of these organizations were renowned figures on a global scale. Those with a lackadaisical attitude were met with stern reprimands. For those who still refused to listen, sometimes violence was employed, and for those who remained obstinate, they were told to withdraw from the group.
Thus, the Virtuous side managed to navigate through this difficult situation.
However, the discontent was merely suppressed, smoldering within them. This ultimately led to a decline in motivation.
A decline in motivation—this can sometimes lead to critical mistakes.
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The root cause of this situation lay with a certain magic guild composed entirely of nobles. Their foundation was the Ambish family, rivals of the Honest family. Many members hired by Chancellor Madison were among them.
While their abilities were indeed genuine, their pure aristocratic mindset and the presence of arrogant individuals who had never known hardship posed significant issues.
They openly voiced their complaints within their assigned parties, continuing to behave haughtily.
At this point, it was clear that bringing such individuals into a battle for the survival of the nation was a grave mistake. The act of persistently exterminating the Fog, while seemingly mundane, was the best strategy to protect the country. Yet, these fools could not even grasp that.
Indeed, their abilities were exceptional. However, no one could have imagined that they would not only slack off but also drag down those around them.
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Within the Ambish family, there was a young man regarded as a prodigy. His name was Klein.
From a young age, he displayed extraordinary magical talent, unmatched even within the prestigious Ambish family. Originally from a branch family, he was so ambitious that on the very day his talent was recognized, he immediately sought to be adopted into the main family without even consulting his own family, severing ties completely.
After successfully joining the main family, he faced scorn from those around him, who labeled him as “branch family” and “tainting the Ambish blood.” Yet, he consistently demonstrated his power, silencing their criticisms.
Eventually, fewer dared to voice complaints directly to him, and many began to fawn over him.
Perhaps due to his inherent temperament and such an upbringing, he became an exceedingly self-centered and twisted individual.
Assigned to participate in the Fog extermination, he fortuitously found himself in a party composed entirely of nobles. Lacking any motivation, he frequently remarked, “This is boring,” “Let’s take a break,” and “If I really tried, I could take them all out in one go.”
And it was on the fourth day of their time in the Sealed Labyrinth that this attitude would manifest.
With the rapid increase in Fog, many felt a sense of urgency. This included the upper echelons, who recalled Pulmy’s prophetic warnings from the meeting at Skruld, wearing bitter expressions.
Many were engaged in the extermination of the Fog, yet they were not entirely overwhelmed. While it was true that the sudden changes had caused some loss of composure, the situation was still manageable if they approached it calmly and decisively.
However, there were those who could not grasp this reality—Klein and his party members were among them. The members of Klein’s party, the treasures of Ambish, were already under his negative influence.
They were consumed by the thought, “Even if we take a little break, there are so many of us. Someone will cover for us.”
Moreover, several parties, including some composed mainly of inexperienced members and nobles influenced negatively by them, thought to themselves, “Well, a little won’t hurt,” underestimating the situation.
At this point, it was inevitable that a critical mistake would occur. Eventually, they began to waste time without following the patrol routes decided upon by the higher-ups, or even if they did patrol, they rushed through it without conducting a thorough search.
And then, the following day───