So I'm a Snake, So What? (Kumodesu x OC)

18 - Chaos Outside the Labyrinth!

It didn't take a genius to realize that Hiiro actually knew where she was going, as if she had mapped out the whole Labyrinth. Every one of the movements she made were deliberate and calculated, without a single thought of a U-turn or a stutter in her step.

Before I knew it we had made a HUGE transition. One second, we're running through a cave system, then we're going through what was basically an active volcano; hopping over pools of lava and ducking under literal fireballs; and then, again, we're in a cave system... Seriously, the terrain in this place is a mess!

But, anyway, all throughout that journey, Ryoshi's speed didn't whittle. Bits and pieces of his body, including most of his claws, had been taken off, in part to both Rot Attack and Araba's unnecessarily powerful attacks, and yet he still kept pushing. Honestly, it's kind of admirable!

I've been able to pull off that kind of determination and stamina when my life was on the line and I couldn't afford to rest for so much as a second, but Ryoshi's just doing this on his own, just because... I should probably think up some kind of reward for him... Do they make rat treats in this world?

'Although, he seems to have almost human-level intelligence, so maybe that would come off as derogatory...'

I'll figure that out later.

But, regardless of that, it seemed like it was about time for this journey to come to an end, as a bunch of distant, yet oh-so familiar sounds came into range. Birds chirping, wind blowing - all clear signs that the outside world, something that I took for granted in my past life, was finally back in my reach!

Obviously, Hiiro was first to break into the light of day, with her being ahead of both me and Ryoshi, but then came our turn! Ryoshi took one final jump, leaping out of the Labyrinth and letting me bathe in the warm light of the sun!

...But then I saw that, this place a lot more dangerous than I initially realized. See, what we had come out of just now, wasn't the entrance to a cave on the side of the mountain, but instead a hole in the ground. It makes sense, I guess. The Great Elroe Labyrinth is a dangerous place, filled with monsters just as, so, of course there'd be people monitoring one of its exits and/or entrances...

A lot of people monitoring it... Humans, on a massive freaking wall, completely surrounding it... With bows, spears, mages and a bunch of other stuff... Shit...

'Oh, come ooooon! First second out of the Labyrinth and I'm already in this kind of situation, my luck is nothing but horrible!!!'

The humans immediately got to chucking a variety of things at both us and Hiiro, mainly spells and spears, but luckily for me Ryoshi was quick to take counter maneuvers, swiping away all the magic sent our way and snapping the spears in half. Huh, I guess these guys are a lot weaker than I thought... Nevermind the fact that I'm not the one swatting their stuff away! They're weak, and that's all that needs to be gathered from that sentence!!!

But, seriously, what do we do about this? If they've got this area walled off they gotta be part of some sort of community that has authority over who goes in and out of the Labyrinth... So, maybe a kingdom?

Yeah, uhm... I'm pretty sure we don't wanna start anything with an entire kingdom. At least, I don't...

'What to do, what to do... Man, why'd this have to be the exit those people Hiiro marked took-- actually, no, it makes a lot of sense that this was their exit...'

While I was still debating on how to approach the situation - luckily with Ryoshi not going postal cause they tried to attack me - something, a spell, flew past me...