The maze was built starting with the mother skeleton replenishing its magic.

A naive and arrogant noblewoman, and her servants who indulge her whims.

Martin, drinking in the tavern, felt increasingly uneasy.

He knew he had given all the necessary instructions, and it was none of his business if the two died in the maze.

But no matter what, he couldn't rest easy.

Perhaps it's because their spirit is similar to that of Martin's team back then.

A fearless and passionate girl, and a boy who follows her whims.

Just like Elena and him.

With that thought in mind, Martin finished his last drink and told the carriage outside the tavern to wait for him a while longer. He then walked silently toward the "Kru Labyrinth".

result.

It was a close call.

Young people these days are truly fearless; two of them dared to challenge a level 20 lord!

After confirming that the two were still alive, Martin turned his attention to the skeletal hound and the other monsters around him.

Staring at the monsters, Martin quickly went to Glenn and checked his injuries.

"Can you still walk?" he asked.

"Barely," Glenn said with a wry smile, adding, "but it's a bit strenuous."

Anna was clearly exhausted from her magic, her face was pale; Glenn's injuries were not too serious, but his mobility was greatly reduced.

in front of you.

The lord has gone berserk, and other monsters are also eyeing him covetously.

This situation is no longer just difficult, it's hopeless.

Unless Martin can block the room's exit by himself until Glenn and Anna are safely evacuated from the maze.

It is impossible to achieve.

Even if he could hold off the lord, he would be powerless to stop the other monsters. Once the skeletons and zombies caught up with the two slow-moving figures, their chances of survival would be slim.

Just like when Duke was killed last time, the dangers of this labyrinth extend far beyond the lord.

The only good news is that it seems all the monsters are here.

Martin's eyes kept flashing.

At last.

He seemed to have made up his mind.

"I warned you before, beginners shouldn't push yourselves too hard," Martin said calmly. "Leave the rest to me, you guys get out of here."

"Mr. Martin..."

"Hurry up and leave, don't bother me."

As Martin spoke, he fired [Explosive Arrows] to stop the lord's offensive.

Then, he took out a magic scroll from his pocket: "This is a scroll of the fourth-tier magic Flame Storm. I bought it for 800 gold coins. Don't forget to pay me back later."

Upon hearing that there was something really good, the two little ones were finally completely relieved.

Anna even promised, "I'll give you an extra 1000 gold afterwards!"

"Pleasant to work with you," Martin joked, then pulled a badge from his pocket and tossed it over. "Keep this safe. If you ever need a commission, just bring this badge to the guild and I'll give you a discount."

Glenn reached out and caught the badge, which depicted two small figures raising longswords, crossed together.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, Mr. Martin," Glenn said thank you.

Martin did not answer, but turned his back to the two men and silently fired arrows to cover their retreat.

Supported by Anna, Glenn left the lord's room looking somewhat disheveled.

While the two men were facing away from each other, Martin turned around and gave them a deep look.

He did have a magic scroll, but it wasn't a fourth-tier spell; it was a third-tier spell, so its power was naturally insufficient to kill the Bone Hound.

But that's enough.

boom--

No sooner had Anna and Glenn left than a huge explosion rang out from the cave entrance.

Then, the rubble began to roll down until it blocked the entrance to the hole.

"Mr. Martin...?"

Anna and Glenn stared in disbelief at the blocked entrance.

Inside the lord's room, Martin closed his eyes.

He asked himself if it was worth it.

It's not worth risking your life for two little ones you've only met once.

He died long ago on the day he killed Elena with his own hands.

Five years have passed; it's time for him to move on.

Anna and Glenn are still alive today, and they will continue to live on with that badge.

Just like he and Elena back then.

Thinking of this, Martin opened his eyes.

Explosive Arrow LV3

Three arrows were fired in succession, but none of them hit the skeleton hound in its sword-wielding stance. The arrows exploded in mid-air, blasting away any nearby skeletons and zombies.

What puzzled Martin was that these monsters didn't seem to have much of an appetite for him, but instead showed great hostility towards the skeleton hounds.

This is good news.

The bad news is that the Bone Hounds have little appetite for these monsters and are extremely hostile towards Martin.

Fortunately, the lord's room was spacious enough that Martin was able to fight the skeleton hounds while pulling and tugging at them. However, without a vanguard to restrain him, the arrows were difficult to hit when the lord was on guard.

Until the worst happens.

Martin ran out of arrows in the quiver behind him.

The attack paused for only a few seconds before the skeletal hound, in a sword-wielding stance, closed in.

【Rotation LV5】

The slash came, and even though the rusty broken sword wasn't very sharp, the blade still severed Martin's left hand, which he couldn't dodge in time, and blood gushed out instantly.

"Ah!!!" Martin screamed in agony.

The immense impact sent his body flying like a cannonball, crashing heavily against the wall.

He lay sprawled on the ground, wounded in multiple places, with blood oozing from the edges of his body.

half an hour.

Martin struggled to his feet, his body trembling, the pain briefly bringing him back to his senses.

His body swayed precariously as he watched the skeletal hound charge at him again, his blood-red eyes estimating the distance between them.

Getting closer.

Ten steps.

Five steps.

step!

Martin rolled to the left to avoid the fatal blow, and in the process picked up an arrow stuck in the ground. He held the bow in his right hand and bit the bowstring with his teeth.

This is the last arrow.

Explosive Arrow LV3

boom!

The explosion at extremely close range blasted him and the skeleton hound into the air, the former crashing into the wall.

After a bout of coughing, Martin weakly propped himself up and sat up against the wall, his vision blurred by the sight of blood.

Before me lay a sea of ​​fire, the aftermath of an explosion.

The Bonehound had several ribs blown off, and although it looked disheveled, it was still alive.

As expected, one person still cannot defeat a level 20 dungeon lord.

Martin let out a long sigh, feeling unwilling, but mostly relieved and liberated.

Just as Martin awaited his death.

"call out--"

A black sword sliced ​​through the air and plunged straight into the skeleton hound's face.

Amidst the sea of ​​fire, a skeleton knight with black paint and crimson soul fire flickering in his eyes strode out.

Immediately afterwards, the skeleton knight gripped the black sword, turned around with ease, and slashed out, beheading the skeletal hound.

The cloak, which had been billowing, slowly drifted down.

The lord is dead.

The arrogant Bonehound, who had completely overwhelmed Martin throughout the entire battle, was thus defeated.

And it was just one sword strike?!

After that sword strike, the lord turned into a pile of white bones and scattered, utterly dead.

Martin instinctively shuddered when his eyes met those of the Skeleton Knight.

He remembered the skull, and the crimson hue that lingered in his mind.

It was the same skeleton that killed the wanted criminal Duke that day, but it wasn't this powerful that day.

They've evolved... The monsters are evolving!

Martin then coughed violently, coughing up blood mixed with shattered internal organs, and looked up as the skeleton knight slowly approached.

Beside the Skeleton Knight was an ordinary little skeleton, just like the one a week ago.

This further convinced Martin of the skeleton knight's identity.

Fear and despair are magnified infinitely at this moment, and after reaching the extreme, what follows is the relief after the emotional breakdown.

Martin actually laughed.

He tried to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, but he no longer had the strength.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Lance looked at Martin, his feelings a mix of emotions.

Not only because Martin had worked for him for free for so long, but also because Lance could now understand human language.

He saw the whole thing clearly from the shadows.

Naturally, they also knew that the adventurer before them possessed remarkable conviction and courage.

He was willing to blow up his own escape route to cover his comrades' retreat, a stark contrast to Lance, who waited in the shadows to finish them off...

"Mr. Lance," Angelica said somberly, "his injuries are too severe; he's about to die."

"I know," Lance replied.

"He sacrificed himself." Angelica turned to Lance, her voice pleading. "Mr. Lance, could you please not kill him? Let him have some dignity."

It seems that Martin's spirit resonated with Angelica, who was once human.

Courage is always a hymn to humanity.

Lance sighed, lightening his tone slightly, and reached out to touch Angelica's head.

"You know, I've always liked humans."

"Doesn't Mr. Lance prefer human priestesses...?"

Angelica muttered to herself.

Lance crouched down to look at Martin, and under his gaze, extended his slender skeletal fingers and crookedly wrote the two human characters for "name" on the ground.

That should be respectable enough, right?

Martin lowered his head, forcing his eyelids open as he watched the monster write human characters.

The shock caused another violent coughing fit.

He slightly opened his mouth and met Lance's eyes.

"What exactly are you?"

Lance mimicked Angelica's movements, tilting his head in confusion to indicate that he didn't understand anything.

"Never mind." Martin chuckled to himself.

He then used his only remaining, bloodstained right hand to write his name, "Martin," beside him.

"King of the Labyrinth," Martin's voice was almost a whisper, "one day, an adventurer stronger than me will come and defeat you."

Unfortunately, he won't live to see that day.

Behind him, a small skeleton held the broken elm bow aloft, seemingly happy to have acquired new equipment, and was running joyfully around the room.

Several skeletons were chasing after him with outstretched arms, trying to snatch the new weapon.

Lance glanced back at them, beckoned with his finger, and the little skeletons reluctantly handed over the broken bow, giving Lance the middle finger to express their dissatisfaction.

Lance handed the elm bow to Martin, who was on his deathbed.

Martin's vision was already blurry, and he instinctively took the broken bow.

He held the elm bow across his chest, gently stroking the broken bowstring as if caressing a lover's hair.

He tilted his head and slowly closed his eyes.

In my imagination, the rain of regret stopped at this very moment.

As the sun sank into the distance, he turned around and, looking at the long shadow stretching out in front of him, he seemed to see the farm far away in Auckland.

Golden wheat fields, a gentle breeze rustling the ears of wheat.

Irina patted the feather blanket, and the feathers she parted were as white as snow.

A gentle breeze stirred her skirt as she stood there, smiling and waving to him.

I'm so glad to see you again.

Martin leaned against the wall of the maze and slowly smiled.

He felt as if he had returned to that afternoon many years ago, when the sun was shining brightly, a salty sea breeze was blowing, and he was leaning against that elm tree.

Holding his loved one, he fell into a deep sleep.