Dorn fell back from the hobgoblin’s corpse, breathing hard.
There was a pool of blood incomparably larger than when he had killed ordinary goblins.
One glancing swing of his club had struck the blood puddle, splattering his face and his yellow quilted armor with red.
Dorn, who had only intended to easily kill some small goblins and collect magic stones, felt that something had gone wrong.
The dead hobgoblin looked horrific.
A skull like a smashed watermelon, fingers bent every which way, a broken arm bone, legs stretched out stiff, and blood everywhere.
His eyes went to the exit portal that had opened in the corner of the clearing.
Objectively, it had been an easy victory.
Aside from the struggling hobgoblin’s nails scratching his quilted armor, Dorn had suffered no damage whatsoever, and the hobgoblin that had charged in so boldly had exchanged only a single clash with him before toppling over and being beaten to death.
Psychologically, however, it did not feel easy.
When Dorn had thrown himself into the first floor of the labyrinth, he had not been prepared to kill something this huge, something about the size of a human, so brutally.
He had done it himself, but the sight of the hobgoblin being killed while unable to properly resist, flailing its limbs, was chilling.
Of course, even if he encountered another hobgoblin right away, he would beat it to death without mercy.
But there was no need to.
An exit portal had appeared right beside him at just the right time, and if he left, he could reenter whenever he wanted.
It cost no money to enter the labyrinth.
There would be no problem with going out as he was, checking how much two magic stones were worth, and then coming back in.
“Inhaaaale…… hoo….”
After taking a deep breath to compose himself, he wiped the blood from his face with his leather glove.
Then he wiped the bloodied glove on his quilted armor.
“Good. Hobgoblin, you’ve got talent. You just couldn’t beat me.”
Dorn hurriedly took a dagger from the bag he had thrown aside while stripping off his gear.
“Still have to do what needs doing!”
He scratched at the hobgoblin’s chest with the tip of the blade.
“As expected, it’s tougher and thicker than a regular goblin.”
After more than ten scrapes, a sturdy-looking sternum and a magic stone half the size of a finger were revealed.
“Good. Let’s get out for now. I’ll go out, sell the magic stones, sort my thoughts a bit, then come back in.”
Dorn put the hobgoblin’s magic stone, vastly larger than an ordinary goblin’s, into his wallet—a leather pouch—and checked his belongings.
He shook off his shield and club and secured them at his waist, rubbed the dagger clean against the hobgoblin’s skin before putting it into his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, then took the lantern illuminating the gruesome murder scene in one hand and patted the bloodied quilted armor.
He headed straight toward the faintly glowing exit portal.
“Hm… It was a short time, but shouldn’t I have earned an ability by now? I even killed the hobgoblin, the boss of the first floor… They said hobgoblins almost never show up, so how did one appear right away? Doesn’t the labyrinth city have a lottery?”
According to the booklet, it was certain that one could obtain abilities by killing monsters, but there was no telling how many one had to kill.
Dorn glanced at the dead hobgoblin sprawled on the ground and placed his free hand, the one not holding the lantern, on the portal.
Together with the portal, Dorn’s form broke apart like sand and vanished.
◆ ◆ ◆
The blue light that had filled his vision began to sparkle from the outer edges and fade.
The place he arrived through the exit portal was a clearing a short distance away from the portal used as the labyrinth’s entrance.
Explorers who had left the labyrinth like Dorn were walking toward the street where the Labyrinth Guild stood.
“Ugh!”
Dorn grimaced as the back of his head grew hot.
It felt as though someone were drawing on him with a branding iron.
‘Do tattoos appear on the scalp too?’
It was a phenomenon he had never read about in the booklet.
According to the booklet, within the domain of humanity there were four labyrinths centered around the capital, one in each of the cardinal directions, and each labyrinth granted only abilities of a set role.
These were called “specialized abilities,” and they were engraved only on the torso below the neck.
Abilities granted commonly in all labyrinths were called “common abilities,” and they were engraved only on the limbs.
Thus, the neck, face, and head were known as areas where abilities were not granted, yet Dorn had just received an ability on the back of his head.
“Ugh… This hurts more than I thought. Still, probably not as much as a real tattoo.”
When the burning sensation disappeared, Dorn blinked and rubbed the back of his head.
Then something flickered.
Feeling that something was strange, Dorn slowly closed his eyes, and Korean letters appeared in the darkness.
●
Name: Dorn
Stamina: 20/50
Mana: 10/10
Condition: Slight Confusion
Abilities Possessed: 【Self-Observation】
●
“Ha… Finally, the status window appeared….”
Dorn closed his eyes, raised both arms in triumph, and let the blazing sunlight wash over his face.
‘To think I’ve finally received the status window that I, as a reincarnator, rightfully deserved… No, that’s not it. Thank you for granting it to me even now….’
Dorn suddenly came to his senses, moved to a corner of the clearing, and slowly closed his eyes again.
●
【Self-Observation】
●
The true nature of the status window was likely the newly acquired ability called 【Self-Observation】.
When he focused his mind on the words 【Self-Observation】, an explanation appeared.
●
By closing your eyes, you can observe yourself.
A person possessing the 【Self-Observation】 ability may choose one of three options when obtaining an ability.
●
‘It’s heeeeeeeere!’
Having received his reincarnation perk a little late, Dorn trembled at the surge of pleasure rushing through him.
Not only could he view his own status window, but unlike others, he could choose, albeit within limits, the abilities he obtained. That alone made it more valuable than any other ability.
A brilliant future seemed to flash past behind Dorn’s closed eyelids.
With objective and clear indicators, he could easily decide the direction of his growth; with the choices offered whenever he obtained an ability, he could avoid shabby ones and cherry-pick the ones he needed, becoming a labyrinth explorer with a perfect combination of abilities like a game character. The future unfolded before him like a dream.
‘I’ll just dispose of the magic stones and explore the labyrinth again. I can see it now—the future where I become a veteran explorer.’
◆ ◆ ◆
Dorn took only his former wallet, now magic stone pouch, from his bag and headed back toward the Labyrinth Guild where he had received the booklet.
‘According to the booklet,’ the Labyrinth Guild was directly operated by the royal family of the capital, which had the four labyrinths placed to its north, south, east, and west.
In Earth terms, it was KingDonald’s.
(Strictly speaking, it would be more like a community service center, but the fact that KingDonald’s only had company-owned stores was still embedded in the reincarnated Dorn’s brain.)
As he had seen before entering, they seemed to produce and distribute booklets for beginner explorers, purchase magic stones—the main byproduct of the labyrinth—use them for maintaining various facilities that required magic stones, and circulate the surplus.
Dorn entered the Labyrinth Guild building, which was fairly crowded, and stood at the end of a line of explorers carrying thin bags.
“Hm… A beginner? You a beginner explorer?”
The man in front of him, who had his thick forearms folded across his chest, spoke to him.
Perhaps this was fitting for the guild of a labyrinth city that granted warrior-specialized abilities.
“Ah, yes. You look like you have quite a bit of experience, senior.”
“Wahaha! Senior, huh? No need to go that far.”
Apparently pleased by being called senior, he patted Dorn’s bag with his large, rough hand.
When the line shortened and split toward the purchasing counters, the two of them ended their conversation for the time being.
“Hey, junior. Let’s have a beer later. I’ll buy a drink for a budding explorer.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
When he handled things by reviving his modern-person memories like this, unexpected good fortune often came his way.
Dorn entered a counter booth with walls on three sides and a cloth covering the entrance.
Inside the booth were a built-in table made to fit the exact width of the space and a scale, and beyond them sat a guild employee.
“Magic stones are 50 copper per gram. Please place them on the scale.”
Without saying much, Dorn turned the leather pouch upside down over the scale.
Without even shaking it, one slightly large magic stone and one small magic stone dropped out with a thud.
“The magic stones weigh 4.2 grams, for 2 silver and 10 copper. Was this your first labyrinth exploration?”
“Yes. It was my first.”
The guild employee asked while counting silver and copper coins from the money box.
“Then I assume you do not yet have an explorer’s tag issued by the Labyrinth Guild. If you have an explorer’s tag issued, from now on low-denomination settlements such as copper can be stored, and when they reach silver or gold denominations, you may receive them together with your next settlement. Please keep that in mind.”
“Ah, thank you.”
The guild employee handed the silver and copper to Dorn, and Dorn checked the number of coins, gave a nod, and left the booth.
After coming out of the booth, Dorn put the counted coins into his current wallet—the leather pouch—and slipped it into a pocket inside his quilted armor.
After waiting a short while, the senior with the thick forearms who had promised to buy him beer came out of the booth beside him.
“Oh! Junior. Let’s go have that drink. Do you have an inn you’re staying at?”
“No. As soon as I arrived in the city, I only read the booklet and went straight into the labyrinth. Now that I think about it, I entered around evening, but it’s morning now that I’ve come out.”
“What? This is the first time I’ve seen a beginner explore like he’s roasting beans over lightning! Your first impression was pretty docile, but you’ve got a surprisingly reckless side, don’t you?”
Dorn and the explorer with thick forearms walked side by side out of the guild building.
He could have made this or that excuse about the explorer calling him reckless, but instead of explaining every little detail, he simply nodded.
“After experiencing it once, I do think I was a bit rash.”
“Anyway, I know an inn with decent food, rooms, and prices, so I’ll introduce you. I got some help there when I was a beginner too.”
“Thank you. I was actually worried about that.”
Dorn and his companion headed from the city center, where the labyrinth entrance and guild building were located, toward the outskirts.
“Usually, good-quality goods and facilities are clustered around the Labyrinth Guild, while cheap or reasonably priced goods and facilities are on the outskirts. It’ll be good for you to know that.”
“I see. Thank you for the advice.”
After they walked for a while, their destination began to come into view.
The senior explorer pointed at the inn’s sign with his finger.
The words written on the wooden board stood out.
—Newbie Furnace
“Newbie Furnace? That’s an unusual name.”
“I asked the owner, and he said it’s because they provide beginner explorers, regardless of race, with reasonable service at reasonable prices. That’s why it’s the Newbie Furnace.”
On Earth, race referred to skin color, but here, it was different.
Humanity in this place was a term encompassing fantasy races.
Ordinary humans, beastfolk who combined human and animal traits, long-eared and long-lived elves, and stocky dwarves—all of them were part of the One Team called humanity that fought against vicious monsters.
Skin color was, in Earth terms, about as significant as having double eyelids or dimples.
Thus, Newbie Furnace carried the implication of being a place of harmony where humans, beastfolk, elves, and dwarves were all placed together and melted down.
The senior explorer grabbed the doorframe of the wide-open entrance to the Newbie Furnace and met the eyes of Dorn, who was following behind him.
“Anyway, in this Newbie Furnace, discriminatory remarks about race and fistfights are forbidden. Keep that in mind.”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
The senior explorer entered the inn, exchanged nods with the owner, and ordered two stews and two beers.
Perhaps because it was morning, the inn dining hall was quiet. There were six tables for four, and along the wall were narrow tables and chairs.
“The roast chicken here is good. Try it when your pouch has some room.”
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I’m Kerolf. What’s your name? How was your taste of the labyrinth today?”
“Nice to meet you, Kerolf. I’m Dorn. Today’s labyrinth was… It required more resolve than I expected. I encountered a hobgoblin today.”
Interested by the story of a reckless beginner explorer who had entered the labyrinth as soon as he arrived in the labyrinth city, encountered a hobgoblin on his first day, and came out alive, Kerolf slapped the table.
“You met a hobgoblin on your first day and lived? You’re something. What happened?”
Dorn calmly explained to the interested Kerolf how the battle with the hobgoblin had unfolded.
After listening to the story to the end, Kerolf looked at Dorn with new eyes.
“Hm. For someone reckless, you’re quite calm and decisive. You’re made to be an explorer.”
“Kerolf, there’s something I’m curious about too. May I ask?”
“Sure. What are you curious about?”
Kerolf answered as he picked up the beer mug that had arrived before the stew and wet his throat.
“Go on, ask. What do you want to know?”
“I’m curious about how explorers descend to the lower floors. If it’s as written in the booklet, the inside of the labyrinth seems extremely vast, which means finding the fixed portal connected to the next floor must be very difficult and time-consuming. Do you simply leave it to luck? Even if one makes up one’s mind to go down to the lower floor, it seems difficult to carry enough drinking water to endure that long.”