Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

This is Satou. I played around imitating transformation heroes when I was little, but I never thought I’d actually end up doing something like a real transformation hero.

◇

I have returned to the labyrinth, wearing a blond wig and a mask in a hero style (laughs).

The beast girls are resting at the inn, so I’m alone. Since Pochi and Tama aren’t here, I activate the trap disarmament skill.

I open the map and mark the route to where the Arm Demon should be.

Alright, this saves me the trouble of reading the map at every branching point.

After moving forward for a while, the trap detection skill alerts me to a trap. Even before the AR display shows it, I somehow sense where the trap is.

I leap forward with momentum and jump over the trap.

In the room ahead, there seem to be about five skeleton soldiers. Drawing my sword seems like a hassle, so I just kick them away.

The skeleton soldiers fly apart and scatter against the walls, but they quickly reassemble as they were.

“Damn, did I have the skill disabled?”

I open the menu and tap “Martial Arts” in the skill screen—not the level, but the name. The “Martial Arts Lv10” changes from gray to white. I had kept it disabled since learning the abduction skill so I wouldn’t beat people to death in town. The abduction skill apparently has a no-kill effect, so it’s handy.

I kick the first skeleton that approaches. The torso I hit scatters like buckshot and crashes into the wall behind. The skeleton, now missing its torso, is dragged backward after a short pause. A few skeletons nearby were caught in the blast and destroyed.

Only one skeleton soldier remains. I kick it lightly. It doesn’t scatter like before, but it breaks apart and is slammed against the wall without bouncing.

“When I get back to town, I have to remember to disable the martial arts skill again...”

Since fighting carefully would take too much time, I decide to just take down enemies blocking my path.

Jumping over traps, kicking away enemies, I dash through the labyrinth.

At one point, I was hit by a life drain trap, but it only took some stamina from me.

However, there was a spot where I had to stop.

◇

“Answer the question if you wish to pass through the door.”

That’s what was written on the gate. A riddle, huh? Another classic labyrinth staple.

“Shonimu offers wood, Dareson eats fruit, Yurato plants seeds. Arrange us in the correct order.”

Hmm, I have no idea.

So I decide to force my way through.

I take out my great hammer from storage and start pounding. Pound. Pound. Pound.

“No good? Oh right, I hadn’t activated the hammer skills.”

I allocate points and activate the “Two-Handed Hammer” skill.

...Still feels like pounding won’t work. Is this the skill’s effect?

Ignoring that, I slam the great hammer with full force!

The handle breaks, and the tip flies across the room. The door dents slightly but seems intact.

“If I took this door off and brought it back, I could probably sell it.”

I considered digging through the wall, but judging by the map, it would take too much time.

“Should I rely on some magic item with unclear effects?”

I’m talking to myself more and more.

Unfortunately, there’s no detour. I checked vertical shafts, but none lead beyond this door.

Reluctantly, I return to the riddle, but it’s the kind of puzzle you can’t solve without prerequisite knowledge.

“Wood, fruit, and seeds... There are suspicious creature pictures, but nothing indicating plants.”

I’m at a loss.

“‘Morning has four legs, noon has two legs, evening has three legs. What is this?’ Even that requires knowing about humans to answer.”

Wait, that’s it!

I take out a pick from storage and carve on the wall:

“Morning has four legs, noon has two legs, evening has three legs. What is this?”

“That is a human.”

] “Riddle skill acquired.”

Thanks, Sphinx! I don’t know who answered, but thanks to you too!

I allocate maximum points to the riddle skill and activate it.

I still don’t understand what Shonimu, Dareson, and Yurato are exactly. But I can recognize the suspicious creature pictures linked to those names.