Chapter 102 - Qualifications (2)

Countless competitors were racing toward the deepest part of the labyrinth, but just as Aiden had expected, a few stood out above the rest.

And the first prince was certainly someone who would make that list.

Alester Pansius Craven sighed and wiped away his sweat.

Around him lay the remains of artificial life-forms made from a mixture of special materials to resemble real magical beasts. They were part of the “traps” encountered along the way through the labyrinth. Killing them all should earn him a fair number of points.

'This is exhausting.'

A feat like this would have been nothing difficult with his usual divinity at his disposal. With his reserves restricted so severely, however, even this was tremendously taxing.

... In truth, simply accomplishing such a feat under the circumstances was beyond reproach.

The magical beasts here had never been placed with the intention of having contestants openly slaughter them all as they advanced. They were meant to be bypassed or cleverly distracted.

In short, with only an apprentice paladin's reserves of divinity, he had slain this many beasts through sheer personal skill—beasts that would each require several paladins to bring down.

Once the quantity of supernatural power was taken out of the equation, all that remained was the wielder's own ability. It proved that his combat skills had already reached an extraordinary level. His performance was entirely in keeping with the assessment others gave him: “perfect.”

A monster rather than a man, and the frontrunner for the succession for good reason.

Had the candidates for Pontiff this time not been such a collection of unusual characters, everyone would have predicted Alester's victory in the succession ceremony.

And the voice that rang out next could be said to embody all the uncertainties surrounding this particular ceremony.

“You really are a monster. I could never do that with my power restricted this much.”

Alester started and raised his sword toward the voice.

'I didn't even sense anyone approaching?'

Among his many strengths, Alester's combat prowess in particular was considered to be in a league of its own among the royals of his generation. Someone capable of concealing themselves from his senses—

“It's been a while, Brother.”

—did exist.

Recognition settled over Alester's face as he saw the man emerge from the darkness.

“Julius.”

“How many years has it been since we last met? Not since the Demon-Sealing Rite, surely?”

Alester looked Julius up and down as the man addressed him with an easy, friendly drawl.

'... I can never tell what he's thinking.'

That was why things had always been uncomfortable between them.

Julius's abilities were every bit as unfathomable as his thoughts. This was no exception.

Alester could say with confidence that his own pace through the labyrinth placed him ahead of everyone else inside.

He was not an arrogant man, but it was difficult to imagine anyone else making their way through the labyrinth with a performance like his.

And yet, what was this man, that he could reach this point at the same pace without any apparent difficulty?

... He had even caught up without a single drop of sweat to show for it.

For Alester himself, getting this far had been an ordeal that tested his abilities to their very limits.

“Oh, I just had an easy time following the trail you blazed, Brother. We may have started at different points, but all the paths leading here merge into one, don't they?”

... A lie.

The attempt to pull the wool over his eyes was so blatant it was almost ridiculous.

Different starting points meant different ways of reaching this place. Julius had arrived at a pace rivaling Alester's through strengths of his own.

“More importantly, Brother.”

The man, who clearly had no intention of revealing what he was truly capable of, spoke slowly.

“Why don't we talk for a moment?”

“Talk?”

“We have a little time to spare, and it'll clearly be a while before anyone else gets here. Besides, the organizers can't listen in on our conversations.”

Julius twirled a finger beside his ear as he continued.

“We don't often get the chance to talk without all those bothersome people around, do we?”

Both men held exceptional standing even among royalty. They were always busy, surrounded by crowds of people.

“...”

Alester watched Julius for a moment, then quietly nodded.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Have you ever wondered why we're doing any of this in the first place, Brother?”

“... What?”

Alester responded with a disbelieving laugh. It was far too weighty a subject to raise out of nowhere.

Regardless, Julius continued in the same slow voice.

“Her Holiness is far too hale and hearty to be retiring already, isn't she? In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she's enjoying her prime.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“That perhaps she has something rather different in mind than simply retiring and finding a successor.”

The corners of Julius's mouth curled upward as he spoke.

For all his smiling, of course, there was not a trace of amusement in his eyes.

“It seems she's planning something quite enormous.”

“That's blasphemy, Julius.”

Alester's reply was immediate and stiff, but once again, Julius merely shrugged as he answered.

“It's just some personal advice, Brother. That's all.”

What he had to say remained utterly grave.

“This succession ceremony... I wouldn't put too much effort into it. Something about it stinks. I've been hearing rumors, too.”

“...”

Normally, he should dismiss it as nonsense meant to mislead a rival.

But when Julius was this open about it, it was difficult to assume that was his only intention.

There was a chance that he genuinely meant it as heartfelt advice.

“... Thank you for the advice.”

There was no way to know for now, so Alester gave a noncommittal answer and turned away.

One thing was certain, though.

“But for someone who isn't trying too hard, didn't you get here awfully quickly yourself?”

“...”

“That makes it difficult to take your advice as sincere.”

“... Well, there is something I want out of this ceremony myself. It would be a bit difficult without the results to back me up.”

Deflecting the question, Julius whistled and turned to look ahead.

“Still, that looks like a bit much for just the two of us.”

Indeed, the enormous barrier before them was billowing with more power than even they could handle, despite having raced through the labyrinth so quickly.

It was probably an obstacle set up to hold them until enough qualifiers had gathered to proceed to the next stage.

The labyrinth's interior changed constantly according to the methods and abilities of those traversing it. This was likely a device to buy time to redesign the remainder to suit the traits and abilities of those who had made it this far.

Well, their scores would be calculated according to their order of arrival and methods anyway, so it didn't matter.

“We won't get past it unless Her Holiness removes it herself. I doubt I could break through that even without the restriction on my power.”

“Yes. It seems designed to make that impossible in the first place.”

Alester and Julius stood quietly gazing at it as they spoke.

“Well, shall we just wait, then? We'll have to wait for a certain number of people to gather before we can move on—”

Julius broke off abruptly.

Alester's expression was turning strange as well.

Clearly, they had both sensed the same thing at once.

“... Brother.”

“... Yes.”

“... I'm not the only one hearing that, am I?”

“...”

Alester silently confirmed that he was not.

Something was rumbling.

An explosion? Something collapsing? They couldn't tell what it was.

But the rumbling kept coming, louder and louder, until the entire structure shook.

BOOM!!!

This time it sounded closer. Like a bomb going off.

The impact was stronger, too. The entire structure heaved, sending dust raining down everywhere.

It was unmistakably a thunderous crash, as though a war were raging nearby.

They could sense it instinctively.

... That sound was coming from something tremendously powerful. Something so terrifyingly powerful that they wanted no part of encountering it.

“Do you think the organizers prepared something?”

“I'm not sure. Bringing out something that powerful right at the start would be a little—”

And in the midst of their conversation—

CRASH!!

Someone burst straight through the wall beside them.

He was a man with strikingly tired eyes, and he was looking around for the way forward.

“...?”

Julius and Alester both went blank.

Wait.

'He came through the wall?'

Even they, who were surely among the highest-scoring participants, had at least followed the paths to get here.

Wasn't that wall a solid mass of rock at least several meters thick?

... Even with their normal powers available, they would never have imagined simply smashing through the entire thing.

“...”

“...”

As though on cue, they looked behind the man who had broken through the wall.

... A series of holes stretched out in a straight line, as though he had come all the way here like that.

“...”

“...”

Alester and Julius fell silent together, looking as though their souls had left their bodies.

'What the hell is this...?'

Anyone watching someone do this to a labyrinth they had navigated using every last ounce of their respective talents would have had much the same thought.

Was this guy's power really restricted?

Why was everyone else tackling a labyrinth while he was off in a completely different genre...?

“What are you doing here?”

The man who had burst through the wall tilted his head as he asked.

“Which way do I go? To the next destination, I mean. It'd be a problem if I'd gone the wrong way.”

“... Beyond that.”

Julius let out a hollow laugh and pointed at the barrier.

He meant that the man should wait here for a while, since even someone capable of that feat would have trouble breaking through it.

“Really?”

The man tilted his head as he spoke, then charged straight into the barrier with exactly the same momentum that had carried him here.

“Wait, what are you—?!”

Horrified, Alester tried to stop him, only to snap his mouth shut a moment later.

“—?!”

The barrier they had said would require the Pontiff herself to remove now had a gaping hole in it, centered on the spot where the man had hit it.

“Well, I'll be going on ahead.”

“...”

“Take your time catching up.”

“...”

Alester and Julius stared blankly as the man disappeared with those parting words.

Both were probably thinking the same thing they had before.

'... What the hell is that guy?'

After a moment, Alester spoke, gazing at the hole in utter deflation.

“Julius.”

“... Yes, Brother.”

“I suppose there's no need to try too hard after all.”

“...”

“I wouldn't blame anyone for losing heart at the thought of competing against a monster like that from now on.”

“...”

... Sadly, Julius could not disagree.