Madness of the Blue Blood Labyrinth - Chapter 28

“Hope I’m not intruding.”

—

A few days had passed since my third dungeon attack.

With no classes at the university today, I decided to visit a hospital in the city.

—

“Oh… Tōdō-san…?”

—

A private room for patients with serious conditions.

Sitting on the stark white hospital bed was a girl about middle school age. Tubes and cables connected her to machines that beeped in steady, cold rhythms.

Her name was Kohiruimaki Tsumugi.

She’s the younger sister of Kohiruimaki Amagi—the boy who sold me his Slot.

—

“How’re you feeling? Your brother’s not here today?”

“I’m doing well today. My brother’s at school—it’s a weekday.”

“Oh, right. Makes sense.”

—

Since quitting my part-time job, my sense of the days has been all over the place.

Starting as a Explorer hasn’t helped either—my daily routine’s gotten a little messy.

The dungeon doesn’t care about day or night.

…Well, whatever. I’ll manage. When you’re young, you can get away with anything.

Besides, with the side effects of Twin Blood, I don’t age anymore. Truly the invincible Iron Man.

Of course, of the three other people who’ve ever acquired Twin Blood since the event revolutionizing the world, all have died in battles with creatures. So I’ve no clue what aging—or a lack thereof—really means for me.

—

“‘Old soldiers never die; they just fade away. If so, then for a warrior like me who’s lost the joy of growing old, perhaps a glorious death is the only fitting end.’”

“…? Is that a famous quote by someone?”

—

Zangamine Hōji.

A legendary Explorer who upheld the frontlines for over thirty years, back when the dungeon exploration death rate was dozens of times higher than it is now.

He was also the first Explorer to acquire an immortality-granting skill.

Those words were his, spoken a few weeks before challenging a creature deemed impossible to defeat.

He lost, leaving behind only two fingers as remains.

I’d been a huge fan of his since I was a kid. When I heard he died, I couldn’t eat for three days and nearly collapsed.

—

By the way, Zangamine Hōji was just his handle as a Explorer.

His real name? Hekota Bonjirō.