Shadowed Gaze: The Highserk War Saga - Chapter 133

Merrill rose from his bed, stretching his stiff body as he reached toward the ceiling. As he stood and opened the window, the bustling sounds of the city poured into the room alongside the morning air. People chattered like birds, hooves clattered against stone pavement, and merchants called out to customers in their rough voices. It had been 18 years since Merrill was born and raised in the walled city, and the sight had remained unchanged.

“Today’s going to be a great day.”

He pulled a chair closer and sat lightly, drinking a cup of water from the pitcher on the table. Normally, he would conjure water using his magic, but even the smallest use of mana had to be conserved. Today, they would challenge the depths of the labyrinth. Everything he had gained as an adventurer and explorer would be tested. Merrill reflected on his days within the labyrinth, his thoughts drifting to the mercenary who had recently joined them. Day by day, his presence grew larger both inside and outside the labyrinth.

Their first encounter had been in the labyrinth’s middle floors. It was rare to see a lone explorer navigating the depths, which naturally caught Merrill’s attention. That was the first time he had learned of the mercenary’s existence. Their eyes had met only for a brief moment, yet that was enough to make Merrill shudder. The atmosphere surrounding him was something Merrill had never encountered before. He exuded both a burning strength and an air of decay, as though he rejected human connection. To Merrill, he resembled a starving wolf.

The next time they met was in a sea of blood. The mercenary had battled against one of the oldest and most infamous parties in the guild, his body battered, cut, and broken as he spat blood onto the floor. Yet even with such grave wounds, the dull gold of his eyes remained unwavering. If Merrill had not intervened and started his exchange with Faust, the fight would have continued until one of them fell to the floor lifeless.

At that moment, Merrill knew this man was the missing piece their party needed. Their front line had always been lacking, and this mercenary could fill the void. The only miscalculation was how little time the mercenary spent resting after his release from the guild’s confinement. Even labyrinth fanatics took time to recover. Yet he had thrown himself into the labyrinth as if every second above ground was a waste.

Fortunately, their destination was the same. Following his trail, Merrill and his companions delved into the labyrinth once more. Just as expected, when they reached the depths only few had dared to tread, they found him standing there alone.

Feigning coincidence, Merrill had approached him and extended an invitation to join the party. He must have looked quite foolish—a man inexperienced in romance, desperately trying to persuade another man to join him.

That moment was almost ruined when the dwarves interrupted them, forcing Merrill to hold his forehead in frustration. Still, despite the setbacks, he had managed to pull the mercenary into their usual tavern. There he had found out their goals aligned, and the deal was sealed. That had been a stroke of pure luck.

Fighting alongside Walm in the labyrinth, he had performed beyond expectations. Before close combat, he used two elemental spells to suppress and weaken enemies. Once engaged, his halberd techniques kept monsters at bay, showcasing a tenacity forged in countless battles. And when the need arose, he crushed enemies with brute force using Strong Strike. If his eyes were in perfect condition, he would’ve been capable of unleashing an even wider range of skills. The thought made Merrill sigh in amazement.

However, the mercenary who had first seemed like a lone wolf had turned out to be unexpectedly sociable with those who earned his trust. He had a sharp sense of humor even in the gloom of the labyrinth, and his relationships with the party members had been harmonious—Hari being the most obvious example.

Merrill suspected Walm’s distrust toward strangers was rooted in the great collapse of the Northern Nations. But that was merely speculation. Despite his reputation within the guild, Merrill had never experienced war firsthand. Therefore, even though he was curious, he couldn’t recklessly ask Walm directly.

Now that Walm had joined them, Merrill could conserve more of his mana. His Three Magic Attack skill alone devoured half of his reserves in a single use. In the labyrinth depths, where powerful foes awaited, managing the resources was the key to survival.

Then, a sudden scream echoed through the hall.

“Uwooooooh?!”

“Walm?!”

Startled from his thoughts, Merrill rushed out. Mariante and Yuna peeked their heads from their respective rooms, concern evident in their eyes. The only ones missing were Walm and Hari. Their party’s rented house had spare rooms, and since joining, Walm had been staying under the same roof.

“Hari and Walm are missing,” Mariante murmured.

“No way… don’t tell me it finally happened,” she continued, her voice trembling.

Even Yuna, usually unreadable, seemed uneasy. As party leader, Merrill had to check. Bracing himself, he pushed open Walm’s door. The hinges groaned, making the moment all the more ominous.

Inside, the two men were rolling across the floor, tangled together. Merrill’s mind blanked. Mariante shrieked, and Yuna’s mouth hung open.

“WHAT are you two doing?!”

“Guh…uughh… help me, it’s a misunderstanding!”

Hari tried to claim innocence, but given his history, no one was willing to defend him. The three onlookers exchanged glances, unsure of how to proceed.

“Ugh… can’t… breathe…”

Merrill finally noticed that Walm had Hari in a chokehold, one arm around his neck and the other pressing against his head in a tight sleeper hold.

“Walm, that’s enough!”

“Even Hari will die from that!”

Merrill and Mariante rushed in to pry them apart. Once they had separated and sat them down, Merrill began his interrogation, his head already aching.

“Alright, Walm, you first. What happened?”

Looking guilty, Walm hesitated before speaking.

“I woke up and saw Hari’s face right in front of mine… I panicked and instinctively strangled him.”

“GUILTY! You were doing something after all!!” Mariante accused.

Merrill turned to Hari with a mix of pity and suspicion.

“Hari… please tell me you didn’t.”

“It’s a misunderstanding! I heard groaning, so I went to check, and Walm was having a nightmare. I only shook him to wake him up!”

Realizing the truth, they all exhaled in relief. Yet frustration simmered beneath the surface. Why did this have to happen on such an important day?

“It’s true,” Merrill admitted. “Walm does have frequent nightmares.”

“Still, you need to respect personal space, and Walm, strangling someone isn’t exactly normal!” Mariante scolded.

The men seated on the floor hung their heads, their voices tinged with remorse as they apologized.

“Sorry, I got ahead of myself. We ended up making a scene. I’ll be more mindful of the distance next time. My body just moved on its own.”

“Yeah, my reflexes kicked in. My bad.”

Merrill couldn’t quite shake off a lingering sense of unease about Hari’s apology, but for now, it was settled. On the very day they were setting out to conquer the labyrinth’s lower floors, the last thing they needed was for their party to fall apart.

“I’m hungry,” Yuna muttered in a lax tone.

At Yuna’s sudden remark, Merrill chuckled.

“Haha, yeah, let’s get breakfast. Today’s an important day. Well, at least it ended as nothing more than a funny story.”

“Really. I thought things were about to get ugly. Oh, but I did learn something—chokeholds work on Hari too. That’s good to know,” Mariante added.

As they headed out, Mariante mimicked Walm’s chokehold, clearly taking notes for future use. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down, but they also couldn’t let tension make them stiffen up too much.

Before plunging into the labyrinth, taking a moment to loosen up was necessary. Merrill kept those thoughts to himself as a warm breeze swept in through the open window, sunlight streaming in.

It was a good day to challenge the depths of the labyrinth.

Translator – Lyxxna