[Daily Task for Participant Kang Joo-yeon's Physical Strength]

  [Kicks - (100/100)]

  [Punches - (100/100)]

  [Pull-ups - (99/100)]

  [Running - (10/10km)]

  “Right. Last pull…and I'm done!”

  I let go of my grip from this big metal frame, landing elegantly on the sandy ground inside this abandoned factory. I coincidentally came across it when I decided to go further than the park where my fate was sealed when I met that ponytailed woman. I'm wearing a blue-and-white sportswear that I stored in the Guideline’s storage. It's also the reason why my 10km exercise was completed first. To think this factory existed in Uijeongbu, I occasionally wonder how much money was wasted in building this huge.

  It’s the perfect spot, though earlier on, I scanned to make sure there was really nobody around when I was changing my office clothes and heels there into my chosen sportswear along with a pair of special combat boots made of a Sigbin’s skin. These boots were some recommendations from the Guideline that popped out of nowhere three days ago. I saw no harm in agreeing to make them for myself even though I'm still cautious of when that unknown man’s voice will be heard again. But more importantly…

  “I wonder how Jung-han and Ms Han will react if they find out…I'm not the same… Regardless, I wanna meet them again… before something happens to me.”

  I'm about to leave this abandoned factory when I hear two young men talking aloud nearby. I stop my tracks, hiding myself behind the factory’s rusty front door. I peek out to see them dressed in flashy medieval combat outfits. One of them has a regular-sized sword on his back. The other is carrying a medieval lantern. It's no doubt that those two men are Slayers and the words they speak has my ears perked up, retaining my full attention.

  “You didn't forget anything, did you?”

  “You mean the Explosion Potion from my meeting with an alchemist Slayer a few minutes ago? Here it is.”

  “Woah! Careful! Don't just take it out like it's a water bottle. Especially when you're carrying that lamp of yours!”

  “Oh, right! Sorry. I put it back in my pouch…”

  “You know what? Don't do that. Here comes our sorceress teammate.”

  A petite young woman, who's dressed in a brown cloak and gloves, runs towards the young male Slayers. She catches her breath when she stops in front of them. I can tell she's already tired herself under the scorching summer weather.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting! Is that the Explosion Potion? How long have you been holding it?”

  “At least a few minutes. This is at least a mid-grade one. We've got thirty minutes to hold it.”

  Ah…That's quite risky unless…

  “It's a good thing the D-rank Labyrinth we're gonna raid in front of Slayer Lee and Slayer Hong is just one kilometre away.”

  “Here. Put inside your space storage. Do be careful with it. Also, let us know when you're feeling drained…”

  “Alright, alright! Don't be such a worrywart! I know this is our first time raiding a Labyrinth, but do know this is a simple exam we can ace through.”

  “You better hope you're right because I really wanna get my Slayers license as soon as possible.”

  “Right! You two! Enough chatting! Let's go!”

  As the three young examinees, I presume, immediately leave their standing spot after the sorceress puts away the dangerous potion in her space-like storage, I decide to follow them. To do so, I take out my Invisible Cloak, which the Guideline also made out of another Sigbin's skin and was soaked in its blood for one whole day. I proceed to wear it. Its invisible effect immediately activates once I start running stealthily behind them.

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  “You don't have to come all the way here, Ran. Don't you trust me? I understand your concern, but I can handle supervising our trainees in becoming Slayers officially. Fine, if you insist, but if we don't come out within an hour, then you'll inform Slayer Yoo for her help, okay? She should be around this city according to the schedule Ms Chun told me about. I've to go soon. But we'll be safe, okay? See you soon.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  And that ends Slayer Hong Ki-joon’s phone call either with his sister or girlfriend having that nickname. He passes the phone to a man in a black-and-white suit who's possibly part of the working staff at the Alliance's building. Just like I always did, it's pointless to bring fragile valuables inside the Labyrinth, especially a smartphone where all your loved ones’ contact numbers are in there.

  As I stay still behind a large tree that's a few meters away from them, Slayer Hong turns towards his examinees which includes three more whom I think are healers since it's common for them to not carry any weapon besides a life-draining dagger. The last one is probably either an assassin or a thief based on the way his thighs have two daggers placed in sheaths.

  “Captain Hong, was that Vice-captain Lee? Should we wait for her or…”

  “Does she not trust us all?”

  “Is this because recently she's been going through every Hidden Ranker’s personal file?”

  Hidden Ranker? Was there a recent incident…

  “Ahem! I don't know what you've been hearing such rumors at the Alliance HQ or anyone from other guilds, but Slayer Lee shouldn't be our concern at this moment. Now! Is everyone fully prepared to go inside?”

  “Yes, we are, Captain!”

  As they all go through the sea blue-colored portal, I, invisibly passing a few of the working staff regardless if one or two are lower-ranked Slayers, follow right behind Slayer Hong. I feel my heartbeat beats at a fast pace, but somehow I feel pleasure when I smile like an exciting kid for the very first time. I admit that I think I'm slowly losing my sanity.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  The sounds of harpies and kobolds getting slayed by newbie Slayers echo throughout this Labyrinth’s cave. Three of them, whom I first saw at the abandoned factory, are able to move and respond in a coordinated manner with each other. I can see why one of them needs to carry the lantern. He's a D-rank elementalist as I invisibly witness from afar that his left hand shoots out high-pressured water-made arrows while his lantern does the same; except the difference is that his right hand shoots out fire elemental magic.

  His other friend is supposedly a D-rank knight. It’s said that Slayers of this subclass are as flexible as ballet dancers to move in heavy armor. That's why it's often unnecessary to carry a shield like what the tanker subclass needs. It feels like the mana output one can apply varies for certain subclasses that one can say is a DNA trait that'll never change with the subclass you're assigned with. However, I'm able to see that this can be a downside for the rest of your life like what Slayer Ban has to live with her subclass. As I experience flashbacks of the various looks she gave on the day I killed our enemies, I hear Slayer Hong's clapping hands.

  “Good work! Especially you three! I was a bit worried when I saw your body's trembling.”

  “Well…we admit we got scared…but we got our resolve in no time.”

  “I see. Scared that you three will be killed? You do know that I'm the strongest B-rank tanker?”

  “No, Captain. We're scared that we hurt you by making you feel a lot of guilt… if we're unable to defend ourselves.”

  “...”

  “Oops! Sorry! It's not that…it's because slaying the Beasts in the Labyrinths is quite a dangerous place and we were always thinking how difficult it is for the leader to move…”

  “So that’s how you think of me?”

  “...”

  “If that's the case, thank you for your worries about me, but as your assigned examiner, I request that you let me be responsible to bring all of you back safely.”

  What was once a somber atmosphere has turned into one that's brightened with reassurance that the newbie Slayers will ace this raiding exam without any casualties. I watch them resume their talk about what they want to eat for lunch when Slayer Hong announces that he'll treat them to it later on, and each of them gives an enthusiastic reply. Watching them having a carefree conversation has put a gentle smile on my face, but at the same time, I realise that there'll be a day when my family finds out that I'm not a good person.

  I guess… since I'm keeping so many secrets now, I'm not nor…

  Suddenly, a loud avian cry interrupts my inner thoughts, nearly shattering my eardrums. I cover my ears as protection and I can see Slayer Hong and the newbies are doing the same as I am. It lasts a few seconds before that awful cry eventually quietens down. All of us remove our hands from our ears at the same time. Slayer Hong looks as confused as his young trainees, eyeing around what kind of Beast would make such terrifying noise.

  Then, we hear something is running towards us. I see Slayer Hong and his team turn to stare at the area in front of them. It's the sound of heavy running footsteps. One huge figure is out of the darkness. In fact, it's a number of three Beasts that are revealed to be ogres; the ones as a D-rank Labyrinth's common final Beasts and the ones I had to keep running away from when I was an F-rank. I can hear the sound of fear and panic in the newbies’ voices as they talk about these two-legged monsters.

  “Why are they here? I don't remember ogres knowing how to navigate out of their territory…”

  “Yeah…they're not good with directions from the reports Ms Chun briefed us about, right?”

  “Guys! Focus! Let's coordinate once more! They're heading towards us!”

  As the six of them, including the two healers who form a defensive barrier in front of the team. Something’s not right when I look at the ogres’ faces looking so terrified as if they saw something stronger than them. That’s possibly the reason they're running away from. Otherwise…

  “Wait! The ogres…look afraid.”

  “Afraid? Of what, Slayer Hong?”

  “Everyone! Let's run…”

  I'm unable to keep a cool mind once something fast flies by the raid team, smashing the healers’ defensive barrier. The next moment sees me and Slayer Hong widening our eyes when the healers got violent slashes in their heads before their heads got beheaded. It all happens under a second or two that the fast creature does another quick slash attack, passing by the frightened four newbie Slayers. The ogres are killed in the same way as the healers.

  The fast-moving creature finally comes to a halt, standing right in front of the newbie Slayers. It's a new-faced Beast that’s not even talked about as a rumor back at the Alliance. Its height of being twice taller than the ogres isn't what makes the whole team’s faces turn pale. It's the overall physical appearance that's making them feel their sweat colder than usual. Its face is made up of two halves of different facial features. Ite left side is that of a kobold; its right side belongs to a harpy.

  The Guideline’s notification is another proof that the Beast was never seen before in any Alliance's past records. The last sentence shocks me even though it's expected that my unknown nemesis would come back to haunt me via sending these digital messages.

  [ Chimera Prototype I - Upper D-rank ]

  [ You have a 45% chance of slaying the new Final Beast of this D-rank Labyrinth. ]

  [ How do you like my bridal gift, Kang Joo-yeon? ]

  That bastard…

  [ I'm using the Guideline because when we met the last time, my corporeal form took up a lot of my mana. ]

  [ I'm surprised how your self-appointed mentor Amergin managed to sustain himself when he used his telepathy skill on you. ]

  He…knows that old man? How…

  [ I wonder if Amergin ever mentioned his involvement in making… ]

  [ Tch! I guess my time here is up. ]

  [ I'll see you soon, my dear bride. ]

  [ Oh! Don't worry if you ever get killed by one of my experiments now. ]

  [ I'll make sure to choose an obedient Dybbuk to put inside of you while you're still half-alive. ;) ]

  That's the end of the messages given by that sadistic Moderator. The kobold-harpy chimera makes another avian roar. Everyone in this chamber has their bodies shaking a lot with fear. As for me, I can only feel rage welling up inside of me, and yet, my eyes focus on this final Beast as calm as the coldest winter. That's when I realise the sense of normalcy is beyond my reach as I let the chimera start its first attack upon the newbies.