"Name, Li Han Su. Age - 29 years. After a month of absence without a valid reason, his company declared him missing, right? And what about the family?

"Only his mother. When she heard the news, she said she didn't want to be involved.

The man listening to the report was sipping coffee. It wasn't a special case. It was not uncommon for people to have complicated family histories.

"So, Detective Puck. Why did this case get into our team?

"Because... CCTV footage shows him entering the house, but no signs of leaving are confirmed. All the windows are also locked.

"That's definitely... questionably.

The man put down his coffee and began to read the report seriously. During his 15-year career as a detective, he saw a variety of cases, but even in his opinion, this one was very unusual. No trace of intrusion, no missing money or valuables. All credit card transactions ended a month ago. Most importantly, the clothes worn by the missing man were found in the bedroom.

From the way they lay, it looked like he hadn't taken them off himself, but as if his body had simply disappeared.

"I don't know what kind of guy he is, but it sounds completely crazy.

The detective already had a premonition that this was not a simple disappearance. It could even be a crime brutal enough to shake the Republic of Korea.

"Did you save the scene?" Make a request for an examination. Let's see the results first.

Detective Park hesitated for a moment, listening to the man's instructions, then carefully opened his mouth.

"Oh, chief... Before that, I want to show you something.

Why not include this in the report?

The chief doubted it, but when he nodded, Detective Park returned with a monitor.

"It's a computer monitor found in the missing man's room.

"What?" Why do you have it? You couldn't stand it, did you?

The chief raised his voice as if it was absurd, but when he found something, he was stunned.

"Wait, Detective Park, why is the monitor on?"

— ... I have no idea.

Letters floated on the monitor on a black background, despite the fact that the wires connecting to the main body and even the power line were not connected. The update was even accompanied by sound.

*Beep, beep, beep*

[The coming-of-age ceremony has been successfully completed.]

[New Equipment Equipped]

[General item level +12.]

[Bjorn Jandel].

[…]

[…]

[…]

What were these letters that kept popping up?

"Chief, I've done a little bit of research on this and—" There were similar cases abroad.

"Abroad?"

They still couldn't know for sure.

***

[The labyrinth is closed].

[You have been transferred to Raphdonia].

***

The darkness dissipated, and the light became brighter. When I habitually lifted my head up, I was able to see the overcast sky, as usual. I let out a long sigh.

... This time I came back alive again.

In fact, to say that I returned alive was not entirely true. I lived every day nervously, thinking that something was going to happen soon, but as a result, nothing happened, and twice in a row.

Hmm, I really thought something was going to happen this time.

To be honest, I was still amazed. The previous expedition went too smoothly. Thanks to a good starting point, we reached the Rocky Desert through the 2nd floor portal connected to the Dwarven realm in just 9 hours. I didn't get any achievements for opening the portal because there were already visitors. However, there were many rank 9 monsters such as Mutant Dwarves and Kobolds, as well as various rank 8 monsters, including Stone Golems.

[You killed a Mutant Dwarf. Experience +1]

[You killed the Kobold Shield Bearer. Experience +1]

[You killed the Stone Golem. Experience +2]

[You killed the Megalith Soldier. Experience +2]

[You killed the Sandman...].

Despite the fact that at my request we hunted all kinds of monsters, on the 4th day we were able to climb to the 3rd floor.

The same thing happened on the way to the Witchwood.

On the 8th day, we reached the center of the Witchwood without any problems.

How many looters did we meet along the way?

Any.

After entering the Tower of Heaven on the 4th floor, we didn't encounter any explorers at all.

[Challenge passed.

It's time for the official hunt. We continued to climb the stairs and fight the monsters. All the creatures that appeared on the 3rd floor of the Pilgrim's Path spilled out in random groups, and once every 3 days we met a 6th rank monster.

[You killed Vitol. Experience +3]

[You killed the Scout Lizard. Experience +2]

[You killed Dullahan Experience +3]

[You killed the Banshee Queen. Experience +3]

[You killed Ilatrek. Experience +3]

[You killed a Dragoon. Experience +4]

[You killed the Living Armor...].

We spent 23 days in the labyrinth until the 4th floor closed.

What about the rank 6 monsters that I was so worried about? Perhaps due to the fact that this was the first battle, I made a few mistakes, but thanks to the sudden increase in combat power, I was able to defeat them all without too much trouble. Experience points began to accumulate.

It is not for nothing that it is called the Tower of Learning.

All the monsters that appeared on the 3rd floor went outside. There were also rank 6 monsters, but only the ones that appeared here. However, this wasn't enough to reach level 4. In any case, the result of such a focus on hunting...

"Dvalki?"

"So... If each of us takes a share, it will be about 720,000 stones.

- 780,000 jewels.

"Huh?" Bjorn, what are you talking about?

"Uh, uh... now that I've counted, Bjorn is right.

"What!?"

Each person was allocated 780,000 stones. This was due to Mimic's passive skill [Greed], which increased the rate at which mana stones drop by 30%. Otherwise, it would be about 600,000 stones.

"Hmph, it's definitely not a small number... But it still seems that it is not enough. Methinks?

"For some reason... I feel the same way.

"Hahaha!" After all, it's only natural that we've started earning so much more! Now that I see it, Bjorn, it seems that your absurd luck has come to an end.

I don't know about luck, but since there were no difficulties, the income was small. Even though the looters were damn annoying, each of them carried equipment. After all, it made a lot more money than mining mana stones.

... For some reason, I made less money than when I first entered the maze.

I thought I understood why the marauding bastards didn't go extinct. Humans were easier to catch than rank 6 monsters, and they were worth much more money. They had no choice but to follow people like moths, especially if they were efficient.

Let's not get too disappointed. In fact, everything has been just a special scenario so far, and that's okay.

Thinking about the game, I barely had time to erase my regrets.

Spending on consumables, various expenses in the city - it is quite natural that at the beginning there was no significant income. It was for this reason that the newcomers did not even have a million stones, so they could not live the 1st or 2nd year and were executed for non-payment of taxes.

... Even going up to the 4th floor in a few months is ridiculously fast.

That's what I said to myself and spent my busy days in the city. I met periodically with other team members and planned the expedition, and visited the tower every week to carry out Raven's research assignments.

This time she said:

"Hmph, there's only 4 left."

"So, when can I meet this senior?"

"Ah, there was a little problem. If you don't mind, I want to postpone it until next month...

— ... Of course.

Research, library, communication, collection of information. It was really the first time I had such a quiet day.

I was so nervous that it made my arms and legs shake, but when I entered the maze again, I was not approached by evil spirit hunters, Hans, or anyone else. I thought there might be something this time.

In the end, nothing happened.

Going through the Goblin Forest and climbing to the 3rd floor, catching additional monsters that we couldn't catch before, and finally leveling up in the days I spent on the 4th floor was all that was different from the previous expedition.

"Bjorn!" What have you been thinking about for so long? Come along.

I woke up from my thoughts when Misha pulled me by the waist.

"Come to your senses. If we are late, we will have to wait a long time.

No, we wouldn't have to. Maybe if we were still a rank 9 nobody, but the rank 6 researchers had a completely different checkpoint, so the waiting time was 2 times less. And the employees there were much more polite.

"Well, then let's go!" Hahaha!

Shortly thereafter, we passed through our checkpoints and gathered in one place. Then we quickly finished the distribution.

"Each person must take 790,000 stones.

"Bjorn?" That's right?

At Misha's question, Dvalka's pupils trembled.

What kind of magician was so weak in numbers?

"I don't know either. If he says it's right, then I'm sure it is," I replied.

This time the calculation turned out to be correct, so everything went without fuss. As a result, 790,000 stones ended up in my pocket.

Does the world really consist of pluses and minuses?

As simple as this study was, the pay was the same as last time.

"Then let's drink together tomorrow to the return, and today everyone will go home and rest!" Hikurod suggested.

— Of course.

As soon as the distribution was over, we disbanded and went home.

But what was it? Today the room seemed dirty and cramped.

It seemed that only yesterday I was glad that the room had become larger and a window appeared in it.

Even after washing and lying in bed, there was no sense of reality. Previously, at this moment, I always felt with my whole body that I was alive. Suddenly a thought arose. How long would it take to move to a place like this inn with such earnings?

Recently, my growth has also practically stopped.

As the peacetime continued, the impatience inside me grew. So I could only laugh.

... I forget how lucky I am.

On the first day I woke up in this body, I was making plans for the future for the next few years, maybe even a lifetime. However, thanks to a few coincidences, it was possible to shift this time by at least 2-3 years.

Don't be impatient. Everything is going as it should... Damn, what am I thinking now?

I slapped my cheek hard.

*Flop!*

Does it work well enough? The more true it was, the more dangerous it was. It can't be that the days when everything was going well would last forever in my life.

Don't forget that the shittest thing always happens when you let your guard down. Evil spirit hunters? Guild? Mozlan? Nobles?

Who will it be this time? Or maybe I'll be fine until I enter the maze next time?

I remembered the experience engraved in my mind as an injury and tightened the loose screws.

No, no way.

I couldn't stop.

I have to get stronger.

Only then will I be able to survive.

To anyone who saw me, I might have come across as paranoid, but I hadn't really changed at all since day one.

I always thought about the worst.

If I had to be crazy anyway, I wanted to be a madman who would survive.

***

"Bjorn?" Did something bad happen?

— No, I don't. Why did you think so?

"Your eyes look angrier than usual..." That was the first thing Mike said to me the next day.

I decided to loosen the screws a little bit, since I would need so much free space in my brain to make rational decisions.

"Do you want to touch my ears?"

— ... A what?

For a moment, I thought I had misheard because I hadn't noticed, but I wasn't.

"Well... My brother told me that touching my ears lifts his spirits. Although it was a long time ago...

A what? Did this idiot say that?

As young as he was, I couldn't have imagined that.

"Oh, by the way, I was talking about my elder brother!" My older brother still takes good care of me.

Caring or not, what kind of pervert was he?

That's why the home environment is so important in childhood. Look at those genuinely pure and benevolent eyes. Perhaps she didn't even know what was wrong with it.

"Misha, don't tell anyone about it. They can misunderstand your intentions and take advantage of you.

If I hadn't known that Misha's ideal type was a thin man, I might have misunderstood it too, thinking something nonsense, like that she might be flirting with me.

"But you're not just anyone.

Here, you and your conversations are behind your back.

"Just say good."

— ... Ok. Anyway, if you don't want to do it, do you want me to cook you meat?

— ... Then I will eat with gratitude.

That's how breakfast turned into grilled pork. Even if you cooked it yourself, it was still meat, which means it was expensive, but I was quite rational about it. If I eat this meat and grow even a little taller, it won't be a loss.

"Eat slowly!" Give me some food too!

— ... Didn't you say you didn't like meat?

"You are an insensitive barbarian!"

Even though there were small things going on at the breakfast table, I started the day with a full stomach. In the evening I was supposed to meet with the others.

"I'm not going away for long."

"Oh, then can I rest tonight too?"

"If you're bored, go and wave your sword." From the way you dropped it last time, it looks like you're still lacking in skill.

"This...!" I just don't have enough strength!

"Then you should practice.

"You're a muscular idiot!"

In general, I left Misha and went outside.

"Bye!" Come back as late as possible!

Well, I didn't think she would really spend her time training like I said, but it was her choice.

*Top! Top!*

Stepping heavily with two strong legs, I quickly made it to my destination: the place I always went when I had time: the library.

"Nothing seems to have happened.

Now that I knew her name and after all this, Ragna was even talking to me now. Of course, it wasn't all that friendly.

"As you can see, I have nothing. And you?

— Of course, nothing.

"Then I'll need your help again today."

When I was about to get the advanced magic [Book Discovery] after exchanging greetings, Ragna hesitated for some reason. She may not have known it, but it was her habit when she was thinking about something.

"If you have anything to say, say it."

— ... How can you know that?

"In your eyes.

My frank answer seemed to hurt her pride. Hearing this from the barbarian, she was obviously in a bad mood. However, as an intellectual who values rationality, she moved on to the main theme without further ado.

"I tell you this beforehand; This is not the final information. But since you're a researcher, I thought I should warn you.

"Warn him?"

It was a word that I did not expect at all, but which suddenly woke me up. Even if she was convinced that this was not the final information, I was sure that she would not talk nonsense with her character.

"What is it?" Tell me.

At my prompting, Ragna opened her mouth carefully.

"In the near future, the Dimensional Collapse may occur in the labyrinth.

As soon as I heard this, I had reasonable doubts. The collapse of the Dimensions was a real catastrophe in the labyrinth, which could not be compared to an ordinary one.

No wonder it was so quiet these days...

Is it because of this?