Chapter 458: Solving Riddles and Penalties

Solving Riddles and Penalties

* * *

Thump… thump… thump…!

I’m currently running down the corridor that leads to the deepest part of the labyrinth, kicking off the floor rhythmically.

Of course, it’s jump running, using the technique of 【Grasshopper】.

I can cover a lot of distance with each step, and I’m probably faster than a car.

And right now, I’m seriously jump running.

The reason is simple.

This corridor…

Is simply… incredibly long.

Right?

If I walked like before, it’d be nightfall before we reach the end.

Why is it so long?

It’d just be tiring, and you’d start overthinking things, like whether you’re even going the right way.

Hmm, I’m getting bored.

I yawned, while running.

That thought is rapidly growing in my mind.

But as I said earlier, the Three Knights of the Royal Guard went through the trouble of preparing all this for me, and I’ve come this far.

I’ll continue to follow the rules until we reach the goal.

I’m not going to cheat, like breaking through walls, like before.

……Oh

After a few minutes of talking like that, we finally reached the end of this long corridor.

It’s a large, empty hall, just like the Trial Rooms.

On the wall opposite the entrance, there’s a large, magnificent door, glittering and gaudy, almost too ornate.

What’s with this door?

There’s a mural on it.

At the top, people are fighting each other, holding strange weapons.

In the middle, people are playing happily with a giant with a clown-like face, holding hands.

And at the bottom… people are prostrating themselves, in a dogeza-like posture, in front of a glowing, humanoid something.

…What is this?

Mythology?

History of Neverfall?

Wait, then, who is that giant with a clown-like smile in the middle?

A giant was the mascot character?

It looks huge though?

It’s at least 1.5 times the size of an adult?

And those extremely large hands, because of the deformation, could probably easily crush a child!

Hmm…?

Then, what does the bottom picture represent?

The way they’re prostrating themselves in front of that glowing something looks like a religious painting.

Well, if time flows from top to bottom, that makes sense.

You sound unsure?

Well, whatever, who cares about the mural.

I left Extra-sama, who started thinking, and pushed the door.

But it won’t open.

I mean, if I put my back into it, I could probably force it open, but that’s a last resort.

No cheating!

So, I looked around.

There must be a mechanism somewhere… to open this door.

Ah.

Extra-sama also became interested in my discovery and stopped thinking.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It’s a small, board-shaped device, installed on the wall next to the door.

Looking closely, there’s a liquid crystal display at the top of the board, and what looks like a keyboard with super ancient magical letters at the bottom.

And further to the right of that device, a long sentence is written in super ancient magical letters.

And then, as soon as she realized what this device was, Extra-sama suddenly got excited!

Ehhh?

But Extra-sama, I have this image of you being bad at deduction and stuff…

No, hey, don’t sulk, Extra-sama.

Can you read that question for me first?

I can’t read super ancient magical letters.

What’s wrong?

Eh?

Isn’t that too short?

Extra-sama became happy again, and started groaning as she tried to come up with the answer.

I’ll do my best to think too.

It’s irresponsible to just leave it to Extra-sama.

…But.

‘What is convenient?’… I mean…

Isn’t the question too vague?

What is it convenient for?

Convenient for who?

I don’t get it at all.

Hmm…

Extra-sama, did you figure anything out?

Um… I see…

Good luck…

I understand that I need to try harder too…

Now then…

It seems that Extra-sama is, once again, unreliable, so let’s think about this more seriously.

…………

…………

…………

Even if I think about it, the answer isn’t going to magically appear…

What should I do…

Extra-sama is still muttering, lost in thought in a completely wrong direction…

Hmmm…

To begin with.

Why am I being forced to solve a riddle at the bottom of a labyrinth?

What would the labyrinth gain by making intruders solve riddles?

Hmm?

Maybe it’s not a riddle, to begin with?

Hmmm…

I don’t get it…

‘What is convenient?’…

………….

Ahh, I’m…

Getting irritated…

Why do I have to think about this…?

Convenient…

Convenient…

………….

“Ah.”

The next moment!

I had an epiphany!

The irritation and fog in my mind cleared, like after a gust of wind!

Yes, I did, Extra-sama!

If you ask me ‘What is convenient?’!

There’s only one answer!

“The answer is…”

I took a deep breath, and faced the keyboard for entering the answer.

I pulled my right foot back, put my left foot forward.

I lowered my hips a little.

I circulated mana throughout my body.

And I clenched my right fist.

“…‘Violence’!!!”

And then, I slammed my right fist… with all my might, into the keyboard attached to the wall!

Mekyo!!

Bogun!!

My right arm, easily smashing the keyboard, was buried in the wall up to my elbow, and a muffled explosion-like sound came from inside the wall!

I probably destroyed the control mechanism for the door!

Alright!!

Ehhh?

‘Violence’ is definitely the correct answer!

The proof is that I feel great right now!

Bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-beeーーー!!!

And then, the next moment!

The large hall where we are was suddenly lit up red by magic lamps, and a high-pitched alarm started blaring!

Wh-What’s this!?

Before Extra-sama could finish her sentence, a large hole opened up in the ceiling.

And from that hole… a giant lump of metal fell down!

ZUSHIIIIIIIN!!!

That lump of metal seems to have been incredibly heavy.

The moment it landed on the floor, a roaring sound echoed, and the room shook violently!

And, surprisingly!

“BUSHUWAWAWA!!”

That lump of metal, emitting steam from a tube extending from its lower back, stood up… and held giant swords in both of its hands!

That’s right!

That lump of metal… is humanoid!

To put it simply…

It’s a giant robot in the form of a warrior wearing full body armor!

A humanoid weapon!?

Why is something like that falling from the sky!?

Ehh!?

What do you mean!?

I don’t know what you’re talking about!?

While I was talking to Extra-sama, the magic robot seems to have finished preparing for battle.

It glared at me, the two lights that look like eyes on its face glowing red.

It started running straight towards me!

Zun, zun, zun!!

Every time the magic robot took a step forward, the room shook violently, because of its mass!

Extra-sama sighed wearily, but I want to sigh too.

Why am I being penalized, even though I got the right answer?

What a malicious labyrinth!

Anyway, well.

Let’s switch gears.

Battle mode.

I’m sorry, but.

I’m going to take out all this frustration on this magic robot.

This is going to be stress relief

I’m going to crush it.

Of course, ‘violence’ isn’t the right answer.

There’s a proper answer.