Let's Aim For The Deepest Part Of The Otherworldly Labyrinth

Chapter 1

It’s dark.

So dark that there isn’t any sense of light at all.

I began to feel uneasy as I smelled something rank. The smell of blood is so strong that it hurts my nose. I almost felt like throwing up.

I jumped up with wide eyes shocked by the nastiness.

[-tsu!!] (1)

A dark corridor comes into view.

Even though it shouldn’t, light vaguely seems to radiate from the stonework.

Surveying the area there was a small altar enshrined behind me. Looking carefully I can see that the altar is so weathered it’s on the verge of collapsing.

It is a small stone table that has the remains of two candles on it. It appears an animal hide has been placed as an offering, stuck there by an arrow.

[What’s this … …]

I muttered.

As I often speak to myself, the words spilled out naturally.

[I don’t understand … … Something feels wrong … …]

Repeating the words my heart rate changes greatly. It rises.

I literally don’t understand. I can’t understand this situation.

I went to sleep, didn’t I?

However, there is no warm bed here, neither is there a noisy mechanical alarm clock nor any morning sunlight spilling through the curtains or light from a lamp’s light bulb.

Only a cold, unsanitary stone floor. A stench that hurts the nose and a few creepy stones that faintly emit light.

I feel sick … …

I covered my mouth and waited for the nausea to pass.

I heard a roaring sound in the distance.

[-Uoaaa!!](2)

It was a senseless wailing.

It seemed like a sound a wounded beast filled with killing intent would make.

[– Wait, wait, wait.]

I remarked unable to understand. Because I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t even know what I’m saying. (Maybe I don’t know what to say.)

In a panic, I begin to run in the direction opposite to which roar was heard.

I run through the stone corridor.

I turned several times, annoyingly the scenery doesn’t change no matter how far I run away.

Along the way I feel something strange and hear a squishing sound.

I feel something squish into the tread of my shoe, so I check the sole of my sneakers.

There is a fist sized insect in it’s death throes —

[U, Uaaa tsu!](3)

I cry out at the terrible sight.

It’s not that I am especially afraid of insects. But in a city surrounded by concrete I have never run into such large ones, so I retreated from such a viscerally disgusting insect.

The insect cries out. In the same way a dolphin cries out for help.

I feel a chill and look up. My gaze turns towards the next corner.

Something with the visage of a person sized insect peeks around the corner.

A size common sense says is impossible.

It’s body makes a ‘gichi gichi’ sound, as it’s angular insect-like limbs move. At first sight it’s near a stag beetle in appearance. However it’s abnormal size and shape push my sanity to the edge.

[–tsu!](1)

I can’t make another sound. If I do, the monster is likely to jump me, my only choice is to run the other way immediately.

I run and run and keep running.

Without thinking about where I am going I just keep moving.

I keep running until I run out of stamina and breath.

Then I come to my sense a little.

[-Uoaaa!!](2)

A beast’s angry roar.

It’s closer this time. I had foolishly returned to where I had escaped from.

I suddenly go pale, as my body stiffens.

However, being closer to the roar, I was able to pick up other sounds too.

It was the sound of people speaking.