Vol 2 Chapter 16 – The Lone Genius Witch【Vol 2: The Blazing Labyrinth and the Lonely Witch】 

After getting bounced around in that carriage for what felt like forever—seriously, half a day?

Finally, a ginormous city wall popped up ahead on the road.

The commercial hub Darius. Basically the Las Vegas of this region, minus the slot machines.

The merchant crew that hitched me a ride gave a super polite bow at the city gates before scampering off to their guild like they’d seen a ghost.

Gratitude? Nah, their backs were screaming “holy crap, get away from that freak” more than anything.

(Yeah, yeah, can’t blame ’em)

Ten years of grinding had turned my sword skills into something straight out of a cheat code—way beyond normal human stuff.

To them, I probably looked less like a bandit and more like some eldritch abomination from a bad dream.

Eh, no biggie.

I didn’t bulk up my power level to win a popularity contest.

Nah, I just wanted the chops to protect my precious peeps with my own two hands. Simple as that.

I shook off the vibe and dove into the city’s chaotic energy.

Folks hustled along the cobblestone paths, with street vendors hollering like they were auditioning for a reality show.

All sorts of races mixing it up—beastkin, dwarves popping up everywhere. Yep, classic commercial city chaos.

(Okay, operation: scoop up some intel, stat)

I beelined for the Adventurer’s Guild smack in the middle of town.

Shoving open those massive wooden doors hit me with a steamy blast of heat, boozy fumes, and dudes yelling like they owned the place.

Your standard fantasy guild setup—think rowdy bar meets job board.

I ignored the wall of quest papers like they were yesterday’s spam mail and parked myself in a corner at the counter, chugging an ale solo.

Mission: eavesdrop on the adventurer gossip grapevine.

“You catch wind of that Blazing Labyrinth drama?”

“Oh yeah, the one with the fire dragon salamander crashing the party?

Ugh, talk about a buzzkill.”

(…Bingo, incoming plot hook)

I sipped my ale like a pro spy, zeroing in on the guys’ chatter.

Blazing Labyrinth and fire dragon salamander.

Yup, that’s the exact side quest that dragged me to this dump.

“So apparently, this beefy fire dragon salamander woke up in the deepest bowels of the Blazing Labyrinth right by town. Now all the monsters are hyped up like they chugged energy drinks, and it’s spilling over to the roads with random attacks.”

“Yeah, guild slapped an A-rank kill order on it… but crickets on takers. Duh—who signs up for a suicide pact with a fire-breathing lizard?”

“Wait for it: one absolute madlad actually volunteered.”

“Whaaat? Who’s the idiot with a death wish?”

The dude dropped his voice like he was spilling state secrets, milking the suspense for all it was worth.

“—None other than the ‘Lone Genius Witch,’ Elmina-sama.”

Boom—that name hits, and the guild’s vibe does a tiny glitch.

A mix of “whoa, respect,” “ugh, jealous,” and “this’ll be good popcorn material.”

Eyes from all over laser in on their table like it was prime-time drama.

“Elmina…! The uber-mage herself?!”

“Yup. Town bigwigs apparently cried rivers at her feet, and she went full hero mode—solo run.”

“Solo?! Has she lost her marbles?! Even geniuses don’t tango alone with a fire dragon salamander—that’s just asking for a barbecue invite!”

“Totally. But hey, not our circus, not our monkeys. Let’s grab seats for the genius show, heh heh heh.”

Their sleazy chuckles bounced around the bar like bad karaoke.

I polished off my ale and slipped out of my seat like a ghost.

(…Right on script from the game, huh? Predictable as a noob’s first wipe)

My brain replayed the game’s storyline I’d no-lifed back in the day, crystal clear.

The Lone Genius Witch, Elmina.

Crimson-haired, red-eyed stunner with pride taller than a boss tower.

Darius’s homegrown magic prodigy— the kind history books drool over.

Her skills were so OP that folks worshipped her as a hero while secretly peeing their pants over her power.

In the game, her genius gig backfired hard: everyone piled on insane expectations, turning her into a total loner.

Cue the fire dragon salamander fiasco.

City fat cats, dodging their own mess, shoved the whole gig onto her solo.

“You’re a genius, lady—handle it alone, easy peasy!”

That BS poked her ego balloon until it popped.

(…What a pack of morons. Classic NPC logic)

She charges into the Blazing Labyrinth’s depths all by her lonesome, no backup, and—spoiler—meets a dumpster fire of an ending.

Fire dragon salamander’s raw power? She can’t even hum the first note of her big spells before it’s game over.

Her quick-cast mid-mags bounce off those tanky scales like spitballs, and she gets cornered like a cat in a roomba factory.

Final act: Ego overload, she brute-forces a chantless mega-spell.

Mana goes nuclear, toasts the dragon… and turns her into extra-crispy witch toast too.

Boom—tragic end credits roll in the original.

I bounced from the guild and eyeballed the sky.

Northeast, it’s got this faint red glow, like someone left the oven on.

Gotta be Blazing Labyrinth central.

(Lilia’s a beast with a blade, but even she can’t solo every glitch in the matrix)

I’d locked in that resolve before ditching Sera Village.

Lilia? Strongest swordswoman around. But swords have limits, folks.

AoE mobs, flying jerks, magic shield tanks… Eventually, blade-only runs hit a wall.

(Get a powerhouse mage on the squad, and boom—team’s untouchable. Lilia stays safe, everyone wins)

Hence, Operation: Save Elmina.

Sure, maybe it’s my warped hang-up from flopping on Misaki’s protection quest way back.

But screw it.

No way am I spectating another front-row tragedy.

I burned Lilia’s vow—and that killer smile—into my brain RAM.

(Hang tight, Elmina—cavalry’s en route)

I hit the town’s gear shop for basic noob kit, loaded up on grub and potions, then marched to the northeast gate like I owned the place.

Flashed my scrub-tier guild card (Sera Village special) at the guards, blew off their nagging, and stepped out.

“Oi, buddy! That way’s a death trap! Fire dragon salamander’s on the loose…!”

Didn’t even glance back at the guard’s freakout.

Sunset’s painting my road ahead all dramatic red.

Like it’s hyping up the epic boss rush incoming—or maybe just foreshadowing my inevitable wipe. Ha.

(Before you start hating on your own cheat codes and hit rock bottom despair, I’ll crash the party like a pro)

For Lilia’s glitch-free future.

And to yank this mystery lone wolf genius witch out of her scripted doom.

Solo mode engaged—I planted my foot firmly into the scorching badlands, ready for whatever clown fiesta awaited.