It's more common than you'd think for barbarians to team up with humans.
Even with their natural high physical stats and combat senses, they need companions from the 2nd floor onwards.
In fact, forming a team and heading to the 2nd floor after 2 or 3 months is the standard route.
'The problem is that it's almost impossible to find decent people.'
Fairies, dwarves, beastmen, etc.
Other races are in a relatively better situation.
They're less naive than barbarians who only hone their 'combat skills' in the sanctuary...
...and their hearts aren't sold at high prices as magic materials.
[What about the others? Most of them are dead.]
Less than one-third of the barbarians who went through the coming-of-age ceremony with me are still alive.
Was it really because of the 'monsters'?
'No way.'
Because of that reasonable suspicion, I focused even more on eavesdropping on their conversation.
But...
"Then I'll get some rest too, I'll leave it to you."
"It's my turn next, right?"
They all fell asleep one by one, and the topic of the baby barbarian didn't come up again after the initial mention.
Of course, it wasn't a big problem since I had a rough idea of what kind of people these three were just from those three lines of conversation.
'It seems like they're not planning to do anything today.'
They're probably thinking of exploiting him and then killing him on the last day.
That's much more efficient.
'...What should I do?'
I was troubled.
As a fellow barbarian, I had no intention of ignoring a baby barbarian in danger.
But I couldn't just follow them around forever and keep an eye on them until they revealed their true intentions.
'Should I just go and kill them all?'
I chuckled and shook my head.
It's an easy and convenient method, but it's not the best.
It wouldn't matter if there was no evidence that these three are marauders. I'm confident that I could persuade Misha and the baby barbarian with a plausible story.
But...
'It would just be the same thing repeating itself.'
Sometimes, there are things you only truly understand after experiencing them firsthand.
'Training was the main goal anyway, so it wouldn't hurt to invest one day...'
After much deliberation, I came up with a plan and woke Misha up.
"Misha."
"Hmm…?"
I signaled her to be quiet with my hand and then moved to a place where we couldn't be heard.
Then I briefly explained the plan.
Misha listened without a word of complaint, even while rubbing her eyes.
"Hmm... so you're saying those guys are probably marauders?"
"Yeah, I'd like to confirm it if you don't mind."
"I don't mind. He's not a stranger since he's a barbarian."
"...Not a stranger?"
"Ah, no! I mean... he might be someone I've met before."
It seems like she's referring to the times when I acted as a guide for the young warriors every time I entered the labyrinth for the past few months...
Hmm, maybe he's one of them.
I warned them countless times to be wary of humans, but it's hard to truly understand until you experience it firsthand.
"Then it's settled. Go change your clothes."
There were things we needed to prepare for the plan.
_______________________
I put my mace, Laetium breastplate, and shield into the bag.
'As for the weapon... I can just say I lost it.'
After finishing my preparations, I checked my current state one last time. I was a perfect baby barbarian, without any metal equipment except for the helmet.
And next to me was a ground-dwelling beastman.
"Ugh... this is uncomfortable..."
To make the plan perfect, I had her wear Jensia's beginner-level equipment set instead of her usual gear.
But Misha keeps fidgeting with her chest area.
Geez, it's distracting.
"What are you doing?"
"Huh? It's just that my chest feels really tight..."
"Chest?"
Misha punches me in the solar plexus as I glance at her.
I can feel the cold damage, as it chills me to the bone.
"Where are you looking? It's definitely not because I'm fatter than that woman, okay?"
No, I didn't say anything.
In the first place, I looked because it was an unexpected complaint. The armor she was originally wearing must have been the same size.
When I point out the inconsistency, Misha answers nonchalantly,
"The one I was wearing was also small, but at least it didn't have metal plates."
Hmm, if that's the case...
Although both Jensia and Misha have figures befitting agility-based characters, there must be some differences if you look closely.
For example, their bone structure.
She's quite tall, even though she doesn't look like it.
I haven't measured, but she's probably around 170 centimeters.
And her expression is a bit cold, so I initially thought she was the prickly type.
"It's just that the chest area is tight, but the rest is actually loose and baggy. Got it?"
"Got it."
I roughly answer her because I don't know what she wants.
Misha sighs deeply, sensing my lack of understanding.
"Phew, right... how would you know about a woman's body?"
"Yeah, you're right about everything."
"Are you going to keep answering so half-heartedly?"
"Let's go if you're ready."
I didn't want to waste time on pointless arguments, so we ended the conversation and moved to the previous location.
We intentionally made a lot of noise so that our presence would be noticeable.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
"Kyaak! Why are you shouting all of a sudden?!"
"I just felt like it!"
"What?!"
Misha looks at me with a dumbfounded expression, but the effect is great.
"Wh, who's there!"
I hear a shout from beyond the darkness.
"Hey! There are people over there!"
I shout innocently and run towards the source of the sound.
Soon, the labyrinth's limited visibility ends, and four explorers with a bonfire come into view.
Three humans and one baby barbarian sleeping soundly.
"Stop, don't come any closer."
The three humans are already awake and wary of us.
"Royce, wake that guy up quickly."
The archer called Royce kicks the baby barbarian awake.
"Wh, what is it? Monsters?"
"Explorers."
"Explorers? But why did you wake me up? I was sleeping soundly…"
"I told you before, didn't I? We need to be just as cautious of explorers as we are of monsters."
"Ah! I remember! But… isn't he one of our own?"
The baby barbarian nods at the archer's words, then sees me and waves excitedly.
"I'm Karon, son of Tarson!"
"I'm Bjorn, son of Thor!"
I approach him and shake his hand, then even bump shoulders. While doing so, I glance at the others, and their expressions are priceless.
The three humans, and even Misha, who was briefed beforehand.
'What the hell are these barbarian bastards doing?'
They're looking at us with that exact expression.
And did the baby barbarian sense it?
He looks at me as if to say 'don't worry' and then says to his companions,
"Put down your weapons! Bjorn, son of Thor, is not a bad explorer!"
"That's right! I'm not a bad explorer!"
At our words, the archer and the spearman's gazes turn towards one man.
It seems like this guy is the leader…
The men all lower their weapons as the man sighs and nods. It seems like he judged that it would make them look foolish to remain wary.
"So, barbarian—"
"Bjorn, son of Thor."
"Right, Thor—"
"Thor is my father's name."
"Ahem, Bjorn—"
"We're not that close yet, so I'd like you to call me by my full name."
The leader, whose words were cut off three times in a row, looks quite pissed off, but he exercises his patience and forces a smile.
And he speaks to me again.
"Right, Bjorn, son of Thor?"
"Speak."
"If you have no business here, I'd like you to leave. We were resting, you see."
The leader's words are reasonable and common sense.
It's etiquette and custom for explorers not to approach each other unless necessary.
But…
So what?
Right now, I'm a big and important baby barbarian who doesn't know about such things.
I exclaim as if it's a good thing,
"You were resting? What a coincidence! We were also looking for a place to rest!"
"So… what does that have to do with us?"
"Let's rest together since we met! That, night companion? Right, there's something like that!"
"Night companion?"
As if they heard something they shouldn't have, the expressions of the three humans distort strangely.
It's understandable.
Finding night companions is a culture limited to the 1st floor.
They wouldn't have imagined receiving a night companion offer from some random barbarian on the 2nd floor.
"Ha…"
The leader rubs his forehead as if he doesn't know where to start explaining.
But in the meantime…
"Oh, that would be good. Come here, I lay down earlier, and this spot is a bit less hard."
The baby barbarian nods as if it's a good idea.
It's a total mess.
The leader exercises superhuman patience and explains the customs of explorers.
To summarize, it's simple.
"So you're saying… you don't make night companions from the 2nd floor onwards?"
"Yes, that's right. If you understand—"
Well, understanding is something you do if you have the intention to…
I speak with genuine disappointment,
"You guys are so stupid! If we sleep together, we can sleep more!"
"Huh?"
"Use your brains if you have any. There are four of you and two of us, right? If seven people take turns keeping watch, each person can… anyway, we can sleep more!"
It's a barbarian-style argument that makes no sense from start to finish.
Everyone is dazed as if they've heard a hallucination.
Ah, except for one person.
"That's… true…! Why haven't explorers done that before?"
Did the sight of the baby barbarian nodding vigorously at my argument make him realize that further conversation is pointless?
"Excuse me. We'll handle things on our end, so please take your things and leave—"
The leader turns his gaze from me to Misha and then suddenly stops.
It seems like he finally saw her face.
His voice, which was only filled with annoyance, has also changed.
"Ahem, that would be the usual course of action, but… what do you think?"
His gaze, scanning her from head to toe, seems to have made her uncomfortable.
Misha freezes, but as I subtly give her a hint, her expression changes.
"Well…? I don't know… there's a barbarian on your side too, so you don't seem dangerous…"
"Haha, the same goes for you."
"Anyway, I was worried about having him keep watch alone since he lost his weapon. So if it's okay with you guys, I think it would be fine to just spend one night together…"
"Oh, he lost his weapon?"
The man looks at me with a strange expression at Misha's words.
It seems like he finally realized that I'm unarmed and empty-handed.
"Ah, weapon? I lost it by mistake while fighting a monster!"
"I see?"
The man seems to accept my roughly made-up excuse.
As expected, barbarians are OP.
'Anyway, I think we've thrown enough bait…'
I make the final offer in a clear voice.
"So are we going to be night companions or not? Decide quickly. I'm getting sleepy."
For reference, if they reject this offer here, I plan to leave immediately.
If they refuse after I've done this much, it's much more likely that I misunderstood these three.
However…
"Well… it's not a typical situation, but…"
The leader exchanges glances with the three humans and then smiles brightly.
"Since you say you're in a difficult situation, it would be too cruel to just send you away."
"I don't understand when you speak so complicatedly."
"…You can stay for one night if you want."
I barely hold back my laughter since his intentions are so obvious.
Everyone has a plan.
______________________
Somehow, we've entered into a one-night stand.
Hmm, that sounds a bit strange, but anyway…
First, we briefly exchange names.
"This is Royce, Victor, and I'm Briol."
Royce the archer, Victor the spearman…
…and Briol, the leader and hammer warrior.
'…There's no Hans.'
Could it be a pseudonym?
No, if he used a pseudonym, that baby barbarian would have found it strange.
Feeling a strange sense of unease, Misha and I lie down together in a nearby spot.
I desperately want to at least lay down a blanket…
…but then they'll see us using the expandable backpack.
"You two get some rest. We'll put you in the last shift."
"Ooh, you guys are really nice explorers!"
"Hahaha… this friend is something else."
Anyway, as soon as we lie down, Misha whispers in my ear,
"Bjorn."
"Be quiet."
"Do we really have to do this?"
Although she's following my instructions, Misha doesn't seem to like the situation very much.
Well, no matter how weak they are, it would be uncomfortable to lie down defenselessly, both physically and mentally.
But…
"Just bear with it for a bit. I'll do you a favor later."
"…Really? You promise?"
I throw Misha a new carrot to keep this plan going.
It's worth it.
Today, the baby barbarian, Karon, son of Tarson, will be reborn as a true warrior.
One who is wary of humans and defeats marauders.
-x-X-x-
Snore, snore!
How much time has passed since I pretended to be asleep with the baby barbarian's snoring as background music?
Rustle, rustle-
I hear a rustling sound from the direction of the bonfire. It seems like they're whispering to each other…
…and I can roughly guess what they're talking about.
[What are we going to do?]
[What do you mean, what are we going to do? We have to kill them now.]
[Who first?]
They must be plotting who to kill first.
If they're proper bastards, there's no way they would miss this opportunity.
It's practically a double jackpot.
They can get two barbarian hearts worth 1.8 million stones each.
[The woman last. Let's take care of the barbarians first.]
I can even guess what kind of conclusion they reached.
They'll probably try to kill either me or Karon first.
Therefore, I focus even more on my hearing.
Thud.
The sound of small footsteps slowly approaching.
Two of them are moving towards me, and the other one is moving towards Karon.
'They're planning to take them out at the same time.'
It's not a bad choice.
Although they have to split up, it's a way to minimize variables by attacking simultaneously.
But the outcome will be the same.
Thud.
The moment the two figures stop right next to me…
…I get up abruptly.
"I'm hungry… Huh? What are you guys doing there?"
"Heup!"
The spearman and the leader, who is holding a hammer, gasp in surprise. I glance to the side and see the archer aiming his bow at the sleeping baby barbarian.
I pretend not to see and ask nonchalantly,
"Ah, did you guys also wake up because you were hungry?"
When I even rub my stomach, they seem to think I didn't see the archer. They exchange glances for a moment and then smile awkwardly.
"Th, that's right. We were hungry. How about we go over there and eat together?"
"Meat?"
"…Of course. I have some jerky in my backpack."
"Jerky!"
"Be quiet. Everyone's sleeping."
"Alright…"
Just as I'm nodding and about to take the lead…
Thwack!
…I feel an impact on the back of my head.
It seems like the leader hit me in the head with his hammer…
"Huh?"
But there's no way my head, which was fine even after taking an axe hit from an Orc Warrior, would be hurt by that.
"What?"
I turn around nonchalantly and see the two of them frozen in shock.
It's understandable.
They hit me in the head with a hammer, but I didn't even flinch, let alone groan.
"Uh, uh…"
The leader just stands there, frozen, without even thinking of attacking again.
His mind must be racing right now.
For now, it would be reasonable to assume that I was hiding my identity…
…but it's too despairing of a truth to believe.
I grin and say,
"Ah, did your hand slip?"
"Uh, uh?"
"Even if you're hungry, how can you make a mistake like this?"
Even I think it's a ridiculous line, but surprisingly, the leader smiles awkwardly and nods.
"Ah, ah! I'm sorry."
Sorry my ass.
Does he really think barbarians are idiots?
"I just made a mist—"
Thwack!
"ake…."
Thud.
Since I don't have my mace, I deliver a straight punch to his face.
The result isn't much different.
The leader collapses to the ground with his facial bones caved in.
"Uh…?"
The spearman bastard next to him just stares at me with a confused expression, as if he still doesn't understand the situation.
"Ah, my hand slipped because I was hungry."
I say as if I'm genuinely sorry, but it seems like he has no intention of accepting the apology.
"Royce! What are you doing! Shoot him!!"
The spearman gives orders in place of the unconscious leader.
Whoosh!
The archer then shoots an arrow.
But was there a miscommunication?
Although he clearly told him to shoot me, the arrow is aimed at Karon, the baby barbarian.
Thump!
Fortunately, Karon, who woke up after hearing the spearman's shout, twists his body and avoids getting hit in a vital spot.
"Keugh, Royce! What are you doing!"
Karon, with an arrow stuck in his shoulder, gets up quickly and grabs the archer by the neck.
"Keu, keugh!"
"Speak! Speak! Aren't you going to ask why I shot you!"
"Keugh, that is… please let go… keugh!"
"You won't talk!!"
I guess I don't have to worry about them anymore.
I turn my gaze towards the spearman and see him subtly retreating towards the darkness.
Even in this chaotic situation, his will to abandon his companions and find a way to survive is commendable…
But would that work?
"…So they really were marauders."
Misha, who had been watching silently the whole time, ends the situation by striking the back of the spearman's neck with the back of her blade.
_______________________
"What's going on?!"
Karon asks in confusion.
However, there's no way the archer, who fainted from being choked, would answer.
"These guys are marauders."
I kindly explain that barbarian hearts are sold at high prices and that I snuck in because I suspected these guys.
However…
"What? That's impossible! They're my companions…!"
Our pure baby barbarian doesn't believe it. No, to be precise, he doesn't want to believe it.
"Karon, son of Tarson, grow up."
"…Are you trying to insult me! I'm already a warrior!"
"Then why are you trying to deny reality?"
Karon shuts his mouth at my question.
Because he knows too, right?
That everything I said is true.
"...."
The barbarians I've seen aren't particularly unintelligent. They just haven't learned anything besides combat skills, and they're overly pure because they've only been in the sanctuary.
"That sneaky archer bastard shot an arrow at you. If you hadn't dodged in time, it would have pierced your neck, not your shoulder."
I say that and pull out the arrow stuck in his shoulder.
Karon doesn't even groan, even though it must be quite painful.
Therefore, I continue speaking.
"These guys are marauders. They're the scum of the labyrinth who tried to kill you and take your heart."
"…I want to hear what they have to say."
Could it be that he still has some hope that there was a misunderstanding?
Karon requests a conversation with the three, and I have no reason to refuse. I just take away their weapons and wake up one of the guys who were gathered together.
"Hi, eek!"
The chosen one is the archer.
Since he only fainted from being choked, I judge that he probably took the least damage compared to the others.
"Pl, please spare me!"
I take a step back as I see the archer kneeling in front of me.
I wasn't the one who wanted to talk.
"Royce, are you really a marauder?"
"Ka, Karon…? There's a misunderstanding. I'll explain everything, so first, let this guy—"
"Just answer the question. What misunderstanding?"
"That is…"
The archer can't answer Karon's question.
It's only natural.
Because there is no misunderstanding.
To save time, I throw the notebook I found while taking away their weapons to Karon.
"What's this?"
"Read it yourself."
"I… can't read."
Ah, right.
"Then ask him to read it for you."
"That's… true."
Karon then hands the notebook I gave him to the archer. It's the notebook where they wrote down their secret conversation while we were pretending to sleep.
"...."
The archer, who was sweating profusely as soon as he saw it, hangs his head low.
It seems like he's finally reached the stage of resignation.
Geez, who gave him permission?
"If you don't read it, I'll kill you."
"...."
"And very painfully."
"I, I'll read it…"
The archer then starts reading the text with trembling lips.
"Briol, why did you accept that guy? Don't tell me you're going to kill him too?"
"He's practically begging us to kill him, is there any need to let him go?"
"I find him suspicious. That night companion nonsense on the 2nd floor… even for a barbarian, there's no way he's that stupid."
"Suspicious? I'm in. After killing so many barbarian bastards, you still don't get it? They're just walking…"
The archer stops talking and clenches his mouth shut.
So I break one of his fingers.
"It seems like my words sounded like a joke."
"Aaaaak!"
"Continue."
"Th, they're just like walking monsters! Th, their intelligence is about the same, and especially since the one who kills them first gets to keep them."
The archer finishes one sentence and glances at Karon.
Karon is trembling.
"That… who said that?"
"…Victor."
"So it was… that guy… alright, continue."
Karon, after confirming that it was the spearman's line, tells him to continue.
"And besides, the reward is enough even if they're not barbarians. He seems as stupid as a barbarian, but his, his face is… quite handsome, so…"
"Continue."
"I admit his face is good. But he's a guy who's been rolling around with a barbarian, who knows about the other parts—"
"Stop!"
Misha intervenes and snatches the notebook.
And after quickly reading through it, she asks the archer,
"This and this and this. Who said these?"
Her voice is as cold as ice.
This is the first time I've seen her like this.
The archer trembles and points to the leader, and Misha looks at me and says firmly,
"Bjorn, I'm going to kill this one."
"Do as you please."
Anyway, I had her skip the sexually suggestive parts to avoid making Misha even angrier.
Afterwards, the notebook continues with their discussion about who to kill first and how.
And…
"I'll ta, take care of Karon. I was an, annoyed that the archer looked down on me. He doesn't even know he's about to die after the hunt…"
The archer's line is the last entry in their written conversation.
After a moment of silence, Karon breaks the silence and speaks.
"I… don't understand at all."
His first words are a question.
"…What did I do wrong?"
He first seeks his own fault.
There is none.
It's just that the world is too barbaric for him to live with his innocence.
"Bjorn, son of Thor…"
"It's Bjorn, son of Yandel."
"Right. You're the famous… that's good. Tell me. Bjorn, son of Yandel, are these kinds of people common in this labyrinth?"
"They are."
The dark side of the labyrinth that wasn't taught in the sanctuary.
The young warrior who is facing it for the first time asks me…
"Then… what should I do?"
…as if he truly desires an answer.
As if he'll definitely follow the path I show him.
Therefore, I answer,
"Suspect everyone, whether human or other race. Just like how I deceived them, hide your axe within your innocence. Always think and act, even if it's troublesome and a bit difficult."
"…Can I do it?"
"It's not about whether you can or not, it's something you have to do."
I speak firmly.
If you can't distinguish between those two, you'll be stuck in a world of childish naivety forever.
"Remember. Every time you find and kill one of them, another young warrior's life is saved."
The young warrior clenches his teeth at my words.
"I see. So that's why you…"
It seems like he finally understands my actions.
"So what are you going to do now? I'll follow your lead."
I ask one last time, and…
Clench.
Karon, son of Tarson, the young warrior…
…simply grips his axe tightly.
And…
Slash-!
…he finally becomes a true warrior.
______________________
The archer's head flies off with a rough cut.
The leader, who had been plotting, is woken up by Misha stomping on his crotch and then beheaded, and I snap the remaining one's neck.
Well, there was a small incident where he woke up and begged for his life…
[Pl, please spare me! I'll live a good life from now on…]
[You mean you'll become a good marauder?]
[Go, good marauder? Ah, ye, yes! I'll definitely… keugh!]
…but nothing changed.
There's only one way to become a good marauder.
"Here, a potion."
"Thank you."
After things are roughly settled, I hand him a potion, and Karon pours it on his shoulder wound.
However…
"Why aren't you pouring more?"
"Then it will heal completely. Scars are proof of inexperience. I want to remember it so I don't forget."
"If that's the case…"
I don't say anything else since I know that barbarians consider scars as badges of honor.
"Thank you, Bjorn, son of Yandel. I understand a bit better now what I need to do."
His eyes are already completely different from before.
And seeing that, I'm certain.
"It will be difficult for you, but I will smash their heads whenever I see them… no, I'll even seek them out and do it. And if I see a young warrior, I'll tell them what I experienced today and offer advice."
With his current state, he should be able to warn them clearly about most marauders.
"Just like you did today. For the sake of our tribe."
From now on…
…anyone who messes with a baby barbarian is fucked.
-x-X-x-
First, I gathered the equipment of the three.
And I gave Karon priority in choosing.
"Take anything you need."
"I'm not that shameless."
"Don't refuse. You killed one of them, didn't you?"
"If you say so..."
As if there were some items he wanted, Karon took a few things from the loot.
A good quality leather bag and a few potions.
And...
"A two-handed hammer? Is that all you're taking?"
"It's too small, I don't think it would fit me anyway."
Hmm, that's true.
Karon then holds an axe and a large hammer in each hand and smiles brightly.
"If it's hard to kill them with an axe, I can just kill them with this!"
Although his way of expressing it is unrefined, the content itself is quite rational.
Blunt weapons are more effective against monsters like Stone Golems.
And most importantly...
'Damn right, barbarians are all about dual wielding.'
Seeing Karon's barbarian look, which has become much more convincing, makes me happy.
Therefore, I hand him a few more pieces of equipment.
"Even if you don't need them, just keep them and sell them later."
"But...!"
Geez, what do you mean 'but'?
Why are barbarians so kind?
If he were human, he would have shown a greedy look.
"Don't forget that the stronger you become, the easier it will be for the young warriors."
"...Alright. I'll definitely sell these and turn them into equipment that will help me."
The reason I forcefully gave him the equipment while even instilling a sense of duty is simple.
Well, I could have pocketed about 200,000 stones if I had kept everything myself...
...but in the long run, this will benefit me more.
"Become stronger, Karon, son of Tarson."
"I will. Definitely, for the sake of our tribe."
Among the six races, barbarians are the weakest. It's because most of them die in the early stages, even though they have enough individual potential.
Of course, one person changing won't bring about a sudden shift, but...
What if the numbers gradually increase, starting with him?
And if a virtuous cycle is created where young warriors survive and become high-ranking explorers?
'Then the power of barbarians will also gradually increase.'
Whether I like it or not, I'm currently a barbarian.
The more influential my tribe becomes, the more I'll benefit from the trickle-down effect.
Just look at the mages.
If it weren't for the massive community called the Magic Tower, would they be able to act so arrogantly?
"Then let's get moving. It could be troublesome if someone sees us."
In that sense, I escort Karon to the 1st floor and give him various advice while we have time.
That he should choose teams with at least one member from another race. That he should be even more wary of those who act friendly, but not show it outwardly and pretend to be vulnerable.
"I think I understand a bit better now what you meant by hiding your axe within your innocence!"
Perhaps it's because I showed him a good example today with the three bastards?
Karon accurately grasped the main point of my words.
"I think it would also be a good idea to intentionally find a human as a night companion and then pretend to sleep. If they have ulterior motives, they'll definitely reveal their true intentions!"
Ah, uh, hmm...
I didn't tell him about that...
"...That's also a good method."
Was today's incident that shocking to him, being betrayed by his companions and treated like a monster?
It's a truly frightening level of application.
_________________________
[23:49]
Around the time Day 5 was about to begin.
After dropping off Karon on the 1st floor, the two of us returned to the Land of the Dead. And we increased our speed a bit and focused on searching.
We ended up wasting almost a day unintentionally.
The 2nd floor closes on Day 10.
In other words, if we're not going to finish this expedition on the 2nd floor, we need to move more quickly. And besides, we also have something to do before going to the 3rd floor.
"Hmm? You're going to catch a Death Knight? Will that work? I heard they're hard to find..."
The 6th-grade monster, Death Knight.
It's one of the biggest assholes you can encounter in the 2nd-floor Land of the Dead, with a very low probability.
Even I had to create new characters several times before figuring out the conditions for its appearance.
"Don't worry, encountering it isn't a big problem."
I guess I've gotten used to this kind of conversation now.
Misha doesn't bother asking where I got that information from.
She just expresses a different concern.
"Hmm, but even if we find it, I'm not sure if we can actually defeat it just the two of us."
It's not an unreasonable concern.
Although we encountered 6th-grade monsters occasionally on the 4th floor, this time we're not a full party, but just the two of us.
'And she probably doesn't even know how strong she's become since we've only been hunting 8th-grade monsters until now.'
Misha was able to operate on the 4th floor with just two essences before she met me.
Although her specs were lacking, she made up for it with her martial arts skills honed through hard work.
But in the meantime, she made a contract with a Spirit Beast, which was her lifelong dream, and this time, she obtained two essences.
And one of them was even a guardian's essence.
'And if we add the synergy from the combination… she's practically several times stronger than before.'
I make a calm judgment from a gamer's perspective.
With our combined strength, we can definitely hunt it down successfully.
But there's no need to explain it in detail.
There's a way of speaking that's suitable for barbarians.
"Misha, trust me."
"When you say that... I can't say no."
"Then it's settled."
Now that I have Misha's consent, we continue searching the surroundings.
Death Fiends, Chimera Wolves, Ghoul Lords, etc.
We defeat any 8th-grade monsters we encounter, expanding our search radius.
And...
"Let's call it a day and camp."
Day 5 ends without any results.
And the next day, Day 6, is the same.
[22:40]
A little over an hour left until Day 7 begins.
I let out a long sigh.
'I can't believe we haven't found it even after two days.'
When the labyrinth opens, a stele is randomly generated somewhere in the Land of the Dead. And on the 7th day, it summons a Death Knight.
In other words, if you just find the stele, you can easily encounter a Death Knight by waiting in front of it.
But...
'Phew, as expected of me.'
We searched like crazy for two days, even neglecting hunting, but we couldn't even find a trace of the stele.
It was an unexpected situation.
Even though the 2nd floor is vast, we only had to search the 8th-grade monster area, not the entire floor, right?
I thought two days would be enough to find it.
'Tsk, should I just give up on the Death Knight?'
As I'm clicking my tongue in disappointment, Misha approaches me.
"Don't be too disappointed. It's not like every book is always right? A large stele in the Land of the Dead? I've never even heard of that before."
Hmm, I guess this is also meant to be a consolation?
"So stop holing up in the library all the time and go out and have some fun with me."
"...Why does the conversation go there?"
"Th, that's! Hikurod said the same thing. It's more helpful to have a few conversations with explorers at a bar than to read a few books!"
It seems like the dwarf has only been teaching Misha the bad things...
But it's hard to criticize him.
Actually, most explorers are like that.
They prefer to gather information by socializing at bars rather than reading books.
There's even a guy who says that drinking and having fun is an extension of work, so that says it all.
"...Why aren't you saying anything?"
"I just had nothing to say."
"Why didn't you have anything to say?"
"Let's stop this conversation and just keep moving."
I didn't want to waste time on meaningless arguments, so we resumed our journey.
And after some time...
[23:59]
I check my watch and let go of any lingering thoughts.
Day 7 is about to begin.
And since Death Knights start roaming around as soon as they're summoned, it's practically impossible to find one on this expedition.
'In the first place, experience points were the goal...'
I put aside my disappointment and take out the compass.
"Oh, are we finally going to the 3rd floor?"
"Yeah."
Instead of wandering around aimlessly looking for the stele, I turn north.
That's when...
"Huh? Bjorn?"
"You feel it too?"
"Yeah, I felt a chill down my spine."
The air has changed.
It's hard to describe, but it's a distinct change that my body reacts to as soon as it happens.
'Could it be?'
A possibility comes to mind, and I borrow Misha's knife and cut my hand.
Drip.
As I press the blade down and drag it across my skin, acidic blood flows from the open wound.
"Ack! What are you doing! You're going to damage the blade!"
Anyway, regardless of Misha's grumbling...
I focus on the wound and count the time.
'One, two, three, four, five, six...'
The more I count, the wider my smile becomes.
The wound that should have healed in a few seconds is still open.
That means...
「Character is exposed to [Grudge].」
...the Death Knight we've been looking for is nearby.
「Healing and regeneration effects are greatly reduced.」
And very close.
______________________
'No wonder we couldn't find it even after searching almost everywhere. It really was nearby.'
Although I feel a sense of emptiness, I focus my mind.
It's because of one piece of information I realized.
'[Grudge] has already been activated...'
The curse-type aura [Grudge] is an active skill.
It's a type of skill that can be turned on and off at will by the monster or the character who acquired the essence.
In short, there's no reason to use it normally.
Unless you're in battle.
[00:00]
The situation is clear.
At this point, less than a minute has passed since it was summoned.
The Death Knight entered combat as soon as it woke up.
There's a chance that an explorer who happened to be passing by got caught up in it, but...
'That's highly unlikely.'
It's much more rational to assume that someone was waiting in front of the stele than to believe in such a coincidence.
'Could it be a player?'
That thought comes to mind first.
But I can't rule out other possibilities.
The Dzarwi Clan, which is considered a large clan, even knew how to summon the Orc Hero, didn't they?
Maybe information about the Death Knight isn't that high-level.
'Well, I'll find out once we get there.'
I put aside the final judgment for now and quickly move with Misha.
Although it's pitch black all around, finding the direction is not difficult.
Kwaaang!
We can hear explosions continuously, as if they're fighting quite fiercely.
Misha, as if she has a sense of what's going on, grabs my wrist and asks,
"Bjorn, don't tell me a Death Knight appeared? And it's already fighting someone?"
"Yeah."
"Wait, stop for a moment! What are we going to do there?"
What do you mean, what are we going to do? We're going to try to get a hit in and get some experience points.
"What? If we do that, we might get attacked!"
Misha is shocked when I translate my plan into the language of this world.
It's a reasonable concern from her perspective.
Although it's not as bad as with marauders, interrupting a battle or stealing prey is considered extremely rude among explorers.
But...
"It's okay, I have no intention of claiming any rights to the essence or magic stones, so we can just say we thought it was a dangerous situation."
"Hmm, even so..."
"Don't worry. If something happens, I'll take full responsib—"
"Idiot! Did you think I meant for you to take responsibility alone? Ugh, how did I end up with a guy like this… whatever, let's go! I give up!"
Hmm, I feel a bit wronged.
It's not like I'm doing this for my own benefit.
'...Anyway, it seems like this much is within the acceptable range, as long as it's not looting.'
I engrave the additional information in my head and quicken my pace.
And after about 10 seconds…
[Kyaaaaak!]
I see four explorers beyond the back of the Death Knight, who is swinging his sword.
"Huh?"
It seems like they've also seen us.
Therefore, without giving them time to say anything, I smash the Death Knight with my mace.
Thwack-!
Okay, this should give us some experience points.
I shout the line I prepared,
"Don't worry! I'll save you!"
This is why barbarians are OP.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
If they were humans, it might be different…
…but would they really think I did that on purpose after seeing this?
______________________
The Death Knight staggers after taking a heavy blow.
[Kyaak?!]
It seems like this guy is also surprised by my intrusion. Although not as much as the four explorers who are staring with wide eyes.
"What are you doing!!"
A human warrior, who was closest to me, finally grasps the situation and shouts.
Next is the fairy archer in the back.
"What do you mean helping? Step back, or we'll attack you too."
Her voice is soft-spoken yet incredibly sharp.
I pretend to be flustered and shout,
"I, I was just trying to help!"
"Who asked for your help?"
"Huh? You didn't? I thought I heard something like that..."
"...Just step back! If you don't want to get hurt by getting caught up in this!"
"Ah, alright!"
I deflect the Death Knight's sword with my shield while conversing and then retreat to where Misha is.
"Damn it, what the hell is going on!"
The human warrior, who seems to be skilled, takes over the Death Knight's aggro while complaining.
And the battle resumes naturally.
I completely erase my demeanor as a clumsy barbarian and say to Misha, so that only she can hear,
"What do you think? It seems like there won't be any problems like you were worried about."
I wanted to reassure Misha, who was worried that we would be labeled as rude explorers.
But the response I get is a bit unexpected.
"You really are..."
Misha can't finish her sentence, as if impressed by my acting.
"Phew... whatever, what can I say? Other people should know what kind of person you are too."
"What are you talking about? I'm only showing this side to you."
"Uh, that's true, but? No, is that so?"
Anyway, let's end the small talk here and observe the ongoing battle.
After all, how often do you get a chance to watch another team's hunt this closely?
'Although it's not a full party, their balance is decent.'
The human warrior who's doing a good job tanking on his own.
"I'm going for another one, fall back!"
The damage dealer line consisting of a mage and a fairy archer who are spamming fire spells.
And...
'I think this is the first time I've seen a summoner here.'
And a human man in a utility role who summons monsters using a summoning ability to deal damage and provide buffs.
"Bjorn, doesn't that man... look familiar?"
At Misha's sudden words, I take another look at the summoner.
He has a small build, about 160 centimeters tall.
It's difficult to see his face clearly because of the shadows cast by his hood, but...
...I feel a strange sense of déjà vu.
'What is it? Where have I seen him before? There's no way I wouldn't remember a summoner...'
Just as I'm trying to recall why he looks familiar...
"Ev, everyone dodge! The, the attack I mentioned is co, coming!"
The summoner stutters as he gives instructions.
Thanks to that, my blurry memory becomes clear.
I take another look at the fairy who is near the man and then come to a conclusion.
'Ah, that idiot from before.'
It's definitely him.
-x-X-x-
"Bjorn! I remembered! It's that person from before!"
"No need to explain. I remembered too."
I reminisced with a strange feeling.
Time goes back three months to when we were trapped in the Lord of Chaos Riakis's instant-kill skill, [Crack of Evil].
[Be grateful that we're not killing you on the spot, trash.]
When the Dzarwi Clan ostracized the explorers who caused the riot, the explorers fell into collective panic.
That's when this man appeared.
[I, I know about this phenomenon.]
He offered a new path to the helpless explorers.
Of course, it was a story that was hard to believe…
[I've been on a team with this man for over a year. He's a mysterious person. He really knows everything. I believe without a doubt that his words will save us.]
…but the explorers, who had no other choice, followed his lead, trusting only the guarantee of a fairy who was supposedly his companion.
And…
'Believe without a doubt my ass.'
They all died.
I heard that news later when I was curious, so I thought that was what happened.
Until I met that bastard today.
'It seems like they survived on their own after leading over a hundred people to their deaths.'
Thinking about it that way, he's quite an interesting character.
It wouldn't have been possible for him to return alive just because of luck.
It's more reasonable to assume that he's skilled.
I thought he was just an idiot back then…
'I can't believe he took them there even though he knew it was a death trap.'
"No, now! Dodge!"
I narrow my eyes as I watch the man predicting the Death Knight's patterns and giving instructions.
He has a total of four summoned creatures.
Although the synergy between them is good, the rank of the essences themselves is not high.
There's one thing I can tell from this.
'He's probably around 7th grade on average.'
He's a low-ranking explorer with nothing to his name.
If he were a rich kid, his equipment would at least look decent.
That's why I'm even more curious.
Riakis's patterns and the conditions for the Death Knight's appearance…
An explorer with little experience and not from a good family knows this information?
'…It's more reasonable to assume that he's a player.'
I reach a final judgment through logical reasoning.
That nameless summoner is a player.
I don't know why someone like that would make the mistake of choosing a class like summoner as a human…
'Tsk, this is a bit confusing.'
If it were a beastman, dragonkin, or dwarf, it might be different…
…but humans have no racial synergy with summoning.
Of course, it's only a slight difference in the early stages, but it leads to a huge gap as you progress to the later stages.
In short, it's very inefficient.
'Maybe that wasn't important to him…'
It's a plausible story.
Regardless of the character's build, most people would want to choose an easy-mode class.
After all, who would want to fight on the front lines?
Although I shouldn't be saying that, since I chose a shield as soon as I found out I started as a barbarian.
「Killed Death Knight. EXP +4」
I open my eyes, feeling a sense of satisfaction flowing into my body.
The Death Knight turns into particles of light and scatters as the mage's Fireball hits its core.
For reference, no essence drops.
"What a shame. I even bought a test tube at a high price just in case."
"Pa, Partslan, be ca, careful…"
"Ah, right."
The mage looks at me, his lips tightly shut.
'Then it's our turn now.'
After observing them with an expressionless face for a moment, I put on the mask of a naive barbarian once again.
"Ooh, that's amazing! What kind of magic was that at the end?"
"...I don't think we're close enough to be having this kind of conversation."
The fairy archer cuts me off coldly and stops me as I try to approach the mage in a friendly manner.
"What was that about earlier? If you can't explain yourself properly, we'll consider you as an enemy."
Tsk, she seemed quite gentle in front of the others…
Was it all an act?
Ah, right, fairies and barbarians don't get along.
"Like I said, I was just trying to help!"
"That's strange. None of us asked for help."
"Death Knights are strong! So I thought you were in danger!"
The fairy archer glares at me with suspicion.
To look at me like that even though I'm in Baby Barbarian mode… how bad is the image of barbarians among fairies?
"Is that really the only reason?"
"Then what else would there be?"
"The essence, for starters. You might not know, but it seems like it would have been a desirable essence for the beastman next to you."
Misha is startled at the fairy's sharp words and waves her hands frantically.
"Mi, misunderstanding! Although I use a sword, I already have all my essence slots filled, so I couldn't have absorbed it anyway!"
"Is that true…?"
"You can check!"
What do you mean, check?
What are you going to do if it's true?
Although it's an absurd answer, the fairy just nods and moves on.
"If that's the case, I'll believe you."
It seems like this fairy archer only acts prickly towards barbarians.
"But even so, it's still suspicious that you intervened saying you wanted to help."
"Those, pointy-eared bastards…"
"You! What did you just say?"
I ask back in annoyance at her sharp voice.
"Why are you so suspicious and assuming the worst from the start? Are you usually that devious?"
I'm not actually angry.
I know that it was wrong to interrupt their battle without permission.
But so what?
"Are you looking down on me because I'm a barbarian?"
To act self-righteously and aggressively even when it's clearly my fault…
…that's the true barbarian way.
"I won't hold back if you insult me any further! Pointy-ear!"
I raise my shield as if I'm ready to fight, regardless of the 4-on-2 situation, and the fairy is flustered.
"No, that's not it! I'm just asking you to explain because there are suspicious parts!"
"Suspicious parts?"
"I understand that the essence wasn't your goal. But it's hard to believe that you didn't intend to freeload on our achievements."
Hmm, she's really sharp.
It's practically like she's reached the truth, but this also isn't a problem.
"Why would I do something so troublesome? I've already defeated that guy before."
"...Yes?"
The fairy looks at me with a blank expression at my words.
Well, it's understandable that she wouldn't believe me.
It's a monster that's difficult to even encounter before reaching the 6th floor.
I add a brief explanation.
"I visited the Crimson Fortress before. Does that explain it?"
Although a vampire appeared instead of a Death Knight because it was a variant rift…
Who cares?
It's not like we're going to investigate the truth here.
And it's half true anyway.
"Bu, but! How can we believe that?"
"If you say that, then you can't believe anything I say, right? If you want to fight, then come at me, pointy-ear."
"Just because we're being patient, do you think you can do whatever you want…!"
The man is startled and steps in as the fairy explodes in anger.
"Lady Meilin. St, stop it! I, I think he's telling the tru, truth!"
"Yes? What do you mean…"
"I, I remember now! That barbarian… I sa, saw him back then! Bjorn, son of Yandel. The explorer who gained the title of Little Balkan!"
It seems like the summoner remembers my face despite our brief encounter.
The mage and warrior both exclaim at the same time.
"No wonder he was able to block the Death Knight's sword so easily."
"Hoo, that's surprising. Miss Meilin, it seems like we were mistaken. There's no way such a famous person would do something like that just to gain some achievement points."
The fairy archer bites her lip, as if she's sensing that the situation is turning strange.
"I understand how you feel, Miss Meilin. There are times when it's most difficult to admit something. But sometimes, you have to let go of your stubbornness and accept things."
"Whew, alright…"
The fairy archer doesn't push any further now that all her companions have judged that I had no malicious intentions.
'Phew, is this why reputation is important?'
I realize the importance of fame once again and look at the summoner who is approaching me.
"Ni, nice to meet you, Mr. Bjorn Yandel."
Although he seems a bit pathetic because of his stuttering habit, this guy is no ordinary person.
After all, he has a history of leading hundreds of people to their deaths just to save his own life.
"Si, since we met like this, shall we ex, exchange names?"
He asks me cautiously.
He's probably not curious about my name, so I interpret it as meaning that he wants to build a relationship with me.
"Alright."
I nod without hesitation.
There's no reason to refuse.
In the first place, I stayed here because I wanted to know this guy's name.
"You already know, but I'm Bjorn, son of Yandel. What's your name?"
Since he's definitely a player, I'm planning to hear his name and then investigate him later.
There's no big reason, I'm just a bit curious.
I thought that if I looked into his actions, he could serve as a reference sample for how typical players behave.
But…
"Hans Krisen."
Damn it, I didn't expect this.
A player possessing the body of a Hans.
What kind of bullshit setting is this?
"If you don't mind, let's be fr, friends—"
I step back as I see him smiling kindly and offering a handshake.
"Stop right there. I have something urgent to do, so I'll be on my way!"
"…Yes? What do you mean—"
"Misha! What are you doing! Hurry up!"
"Uh! Okay… wait! Le, let's go togeth…!"
Damn it, I should have brought some salt.
My heart is already pounding, wondering what's going to happen.
__________________________
We fled the scene as if running away as soon as we found out about Hans G's identity.
How much time has passed since then?
"What the hell are you doing! It's okay to run, but please at least explain why—"
"…He was a Hans too."
"Huh? What do you mean—"
"Nothing ever goes well when I meet a Hans."
Although I said it with genuine concern, Misha looks relieved.
"Ugh, I was wondering what it was. I thought something serious happened!"
No, this is actually serious!
He's a Hans, you know?
And a player I met in the labyrinth at that?
"You have a strange side to you. I thought you wouldn't believe in superstitions like this."
I feel a bit hurt when I see Misha not taking it seriously.
"Pfft! Bjorn, you… you seem kind of cute today?"
What is she talking about?
I decide to tell her about all the incidents involving Hans.
Starting from Hans A…
…to Hans C, who was Elisa's follower…
…and Hans D, the leader of the marauder group we met in the Witch's Forest.
"Co, come to think of it, you said you didn't like the name Hans back then too…?"
"Yes. But back then, I just thought it was ominous."
Misha's expression changes as I also tell her about Hans B, who was nearby when Dwarkey was about to be taken away by the Moselan knights.
"What, what the hell! Those Hans bastards!!"
As expected of an explorer who's susceptible to superstitions, Misha seems anxious now.
"Then what should we do? We've already met him… Don't tell me something bad is going to happen again?!"
Well, I don't know about that either.
I'm just thinking that I need to be more careful from now on.
"First, let's get to the 3rd floor as soon as possible."
"…Not the 1st floor?"
Misha, who has become even more serious than me, asks a question, but this is the most rational judgment for now.
First of all, we're not even sure if this is a superstition or not…
…and even if it is, nothing changes.
If the curse of Hans is real, running away is pointless. Shitty things can happen even in the city.
Just doing what we need to do is the way to minimize losses.
"Ugh, if that's the case, you should have just not told me. Now I feel uneasy too…"
Hmm, that's true.
It seems like encountering a player named Hans has made it difficult for her to think rationally.
Or maybe she's come to rely on me.
I'm not sure about the good things, but when we share hardships, they're definitely halved, right?
"How can you say that! You crazy barbarian!!!"
"…I was just kidding."
"Don't lie! Your eyes were serious!"
Misha gets really angry when I tell her the truth.
Well, she seemed quite pleased that I relied on her, even though it was just a slip of the tongue.
"Phew! Anyway, it's good that you told me honestly. If anything like that happens again, don't just keep it to yourself and tell me. I'm older than you, you know?"
"Ah, right."
Misha is five years older than me.
Of course, that's according to Bjorn's age.
"What's with that reaction?"
"I meant that I feel even more reassured."
"…I don't think that's what you meant?"
Anyway, we end the small talk and resume our journey. And after some time…
…I start to feel fatigue building up in my body.
It means it's time to camp.
'It's been almost a day since then, so we should reach the 3rd floor tomorrow or the day after.'
Although I'm also quite tired, I put Misha to sleep first after setting up camp. And I sit still and keep watch, lost in thought.
How much time has passed?
[00:37]
I check the time, and it's already past midnight.
Since it's Day 7 today, the 1st-floor Crystal Cave has already closed and spit out the explorers back to the city.
Well, whether they left early or late, they would all be in the same time zone when they return to the city…
'I hope that guy made it back safely.'
Karon, whom I dropped off on the 1st floor, suddenly comes to mind.
[I think it would also be a good idea to intentionally find a human as a night companion and then pretend to sleep. If they have ulterior motives, they'll definitely reveal their true intentions!]
Is it because of what he said at the end?
I'm worried that he might have caused some kind of trouble.
'Eh, there's no way, right?'
It's time to switch, so I wake Misha up and close my eyes for a while.
________________________
Blinding light.
The noise of the crowd.
And the humid air unique to the city that fills my lungs.
Karon can't help but shout.
He just feels like it.
It's refreshing, I guess?
He doesn't care about the gazes of the people around him, as if they're looking at a barbarian. There was a time when he felt intimidated by those gazes, but...
So what!
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
Karon has changed.
No, he's shed a layer.
Like a rhinoceros beetle breaking out of its shell to become an adult.
During this expedition, he grew into a true warrior.
That's why...
"Tsk, they always have to show off like that, those barbarians."
"Hey, listen. They're the type to charge in recklessly, so be careful."
...those condescending gazes feel like a pleasant stimulus.
It means they're letting their guard down.
Just like the two night companions he killed in the past few days.
'It was easy.'
Bjorn, son of Yandel.
Everything was just as he said.
The 1st floor was swarming with trashy bastards who hid their true intentions, and they jumped at the opportunity as soon as he showed vulnerability.
Without even realizing that it was a trap.
The expressions of those who looked down on him as prey, only to be defeated in turn, gave him a sense of exhilaration that he had never experienced before.
Clatter, clatter.
One on his back, one on his right arm, and one on his left arm.
He carries a total of three bags and heads towards the checkpoint with a dignified gait. As expected of a gate for 9th-grade explorers, the line is long.
As soon as he arrives, fellow tribesmen who know him spot him and approach.
"Karon, son of Tarson! What the hell are those bags?"
"Th, they're full of equipment! Don't tell me you looted them?"
Karon shakes his head firmly.
"Pfft, looting? No way."
This is not a disgusting act like looting.
No, it's a noble act of protecting his own kind.
As he draws a clear line, the barbarians' gazes change.
"To be able to get something like that without looting!"
"I'm, I'm envious! How many stone breads could you buy with all that?"
Although they were from the same group who went through the coming-of-age ceremony with him, they seem childish today.
That's why he gathers as many of his tribesmen as possible.
Although he once felt competitive towards them, the true enemy is someone else.
"Huhu, don't be envious. If you know the method, you can earn this much too. You'll never have to eat stone bread again."
"What!! Tell us quickly if there's such a method!"
"I'll tell you! But first! There's something I need to say."
Karon first tells them about what he experienced in the labyrinth this time.
How he was betrayed by his companions.
That the reason was his heart.
That they saw us as easy monsters with high rewards.
"We're not monsters!!"
"We're warriors!!"
As expected, his tribesmen are outraged.
And they praise 'Little Balkan' after hearing that he was the one who saved him.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel, Little Balkan!"
"To read the minds of those wicked marauders, he truly is a great and wise warrior!"
The atmosphere heats up in an instant.
And within it, Karon shouts proudly,
"He taught me. I was able to return with this much loot all thanks to his teachings!"
"Ooh! Is that true!!"
"It's true! I'll share those teachings with you now!"
Karon then shares everything he learned from Bjorn.
No, he even shares 'that method' he came up with himself, without hiding anything.
Of course, he gives all the credit to Bjorn.
"So all we have to do is find a human as a night companion and then pretend to sleep!!"
"Bjorn, son of Yandel! Is he a genius?"
"It sounded a bit strange at first, but since it's something a great warrior like that said? I'll follow it!"
Karon looks at his tribesmen, who are excited, and is convinced.
"Tsk, those bastards are at it again."
"They always make so much noise, I don't understand why they're just left alone."
"Even if you rip out their hearts and sell them, their mouths will probably stay the same."
Until now, barbarians have been the lowest predators in the labyrinth.
He hates to admit it, but that's the reality he witnessed recently.
Although they might be strong in a head-on fight, they were helpless against their cunning tricks.
But…
"Bjorn, son of Yandel, said it! That this will be a noble first step for all of us!!"
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!"
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!"
From now on, things will be different.
-x-X-x-
9th day, afternoon.
「Entered 3rd Floor Pilgrim's Path.」
After searching the area around the northernmost part of the Land of the Dead for over a day, we finally found the portal and reached the 3rd floor.
'...From next time, I should avoid entering without a scout as much as possible.'
Although I judged that we could reach the 3rd floor with just the two of us if we took the Land of the Dead route...
...the absence of a scout still had a significant impact.
If we hadn't secretly followed a group of explorers who happened to be passing by, we would still be wandering around there.
"Ugh, this place always feels bad, no matter how many times I come here."
Anyway, after all that hardship, we arrived at the Pitch-black Estuary.
This is the starting point when you take the Land of the Dead route, and it's a field characterized by dozens of shallow ditches flowing in various directions.
Ah, and the smell of sewage is a bonus.
"Then let's go."
Since we don't have a scout, we keep checking the compass and head 'northeast'.
And soon, we reach a dead end.
In other words, it means we have to wade through that murky river.
"...Can't you carry me?"
Tsk, she always tries to take the easy way out.
"...Just this once."
"Wow! Really? Thanks!"
I carry Misha on my back and cross the river.
It's about 5 meters wide, and the water reaches just below my knees.
We carefully cross the river, being careful not to fall, and once again, the damp ground continues like a path.
However, just as we're about to move on...
[Glug! Glug!]
[Gelgelgel-!]
Monsters slowly emerge as if they followed the sound of us crossing the river.
"Bjorn, there are Frogmen over there."
Frogmen.
They're 8th-grade monsters that look exactly like frogs and walk on two legs.
For reference, they use something like harpoons as weapons.
Although they might seem insignificant because of their small size, they're monsters with high agility, so many explorers let their guard down and end up dying in an instant.
Their skills are also quite annoying.
'...Annoyingly so.'
These guys are a bad match for me.
My mace has enough power to smash a Death Fiend's head in one shot...
...but it's meaningless if I can't hit them.
Whoosh!
A Frogman easily dodges my mace by jumping into the air.
I immediately dash and try to smash it with my shield, but it's pointless.
「Attack missed due to [Slimy Mucus].」
Although my shield makes contact with its body, the Frogman slides away without even a thud.
[Gelgel!]
Is it fun?
Damn it.
These guys have an absolute dodge bonus against blunt weapons, so they're difficult opponents for me, regardless of their rank.
Well, it's not a problem since we have Misha.
"Nyaha! Move aside!"
Misha, who was laughing at me getting played by the Frogmen, starts dancing with her swords in earnest.
[Glug-!]
Although the Frogmen have a significant dodge bonus even against bladed weapons...
...our swordsman is a freezing swordsman.
[Geuk?!]
Not only is its thigh cut, but its lower body is frozen solid.
Thud.
The frog bastard, unable to tell up from down as it jumps around, collapses to the ground.
"Misha, wait!"
"Huh?"
"I'll do it."
Thwack!
Phew, I feel a bit less stressed now.
Although it's a monster that's usually defeated with magic, the level difference is so great that the battle wasn't too difficult.
[Gelgel!]
[Gerglug! Glug!]
After some time has passed as we're defeating the Frogmen and moving on...
[22:57]
...I check the time and start looking for a place to camp. It's not just because I'm tired, but because this is a place where we have to take mandatory breaks at certain times.
"Bjorn, the water is rising!"
"I'm looking for a spot, so stop nagging."
After searching the area for about 30 minutes, a resting point appears. Unlike the dark and murky estuary, it's a mound of soft, dry soil with a reddish tint.
It seems like all the nearby explorers have already gathered, as there are about thirty of them occupying the point.
'We came late, so all the good spots are taken.'
I have no choice but to settle down near the water's edge where the sewage smell is direct. The ground isn't damp, so the water shouldn't reach this far.
Just as I'm drying my wet legs before laying out the blanket, the water level starts rising rapidly.
[00:00]
Okay, it's midnight now, so the water won't rise any further. This state will last for the next 6 hours, so I put Misha to sleep first.
There are several teams resting without keeping watch since there are so many people around...
...but who knows what might happen.
'We even met Hans a few days ago, so let's be careful.'
Just as I'm rummaging through my backpack to find something to snack on...
"Hahaha! Cheer up, my friend! Is there a tree that won't fall after ten chops?"
"But... as you know, she—"
"Hey, everyone's sleeping, so keep it down."
"Ahaha! Sorry! I'll be careful!"
I hear a familiar voice from afar.
And it seems like Misha, who was rolling up in her blanket, is not asleep yet.
"Isn't that Hikurod's voice...?"
Since we both have the same thought, it doesn't seem like I misheard.
Huh, what a coincidence.
____________________
It's not common to encounter people you know in the labyrinth.
First of all, each floor is incredibly vast, and even with light, the darkness of the labyrinth limits your visibility to less than 10 meters.
Well, there are 'clans' that enter the labyrinth with multiple parties and arrange to meet at certain locations on certain floors...
'I can't believe it's really them.'
Surprisingly, the owner of the voice I heard is indeed the dwarf.
Dwarkey and Rotmiller are also with him.
"Hikurod? Is it really Hikurod?"
"...Misha? Bjorn? What the, why are you guys here!"
"Wow, our team must be connected by fate!"
What are the chances of coincidentally reuniting without any prior arrangements?
"The request? Didn't you say you were doing a request? What about that?"
The dwarf raises a question after our brief moment of amazement at the unbelievable coincidence.
Well, it must seem strange to him.
We were the ones who entered the labyrinth separately, saying we had an escort request.
I make up an excuse as we discussed beforehand.
"Ah, that's already over."
"Over?"
"The business was on the 1st floor, you see. The client returned to the city first when the labyrinth closed."
"Oh, I see?"
The dwarf nods without much suspicion, as if it's a believable reason.
Now it's our turn to ask questions.
"So why are you guys here? Didn't you say you were only going to stay on the 2nd floor?"
As far as I know, these three were supposed to do a simple collection request in the Rock Desert.
So why are they on the 3rd floor, and specifically in the Pitch-black Estuary connected to the Land of the Dead?
"Ah, that's because the Stone Golem's core dropped earlier than expected. So we came to do another request we had accepted, just in case."
But I wonder if he should have told us beforehand if they were planning to go up to the 3rd floor...
"Hahaha! Then you would have stopped me!"
Hmm, that's true.
A composition of 1 tank, 1 mage, and 1 scout is a bit unstable. Although we shouldn't be saying that since we came to the 3rd floor with 1 tank and 1 melee damage dealer.
"...So what's the request?"
"It's another collection request. We just need to get two eyeballs from a Frogman Shaman. Since we met here, how about we do it together?"
"How much is the reward?"
"2 million stones. Of course, if you guys join, we'll split the reward equally five ways."
400,000 stones per person is not bad.
And if we sell the other byproducts besides the eyeballs, our income will increase even more.
Of course, there's still the question of whether we can actually complete the request since it's a shaman, not a regular Frogman...
Well, that's up to luck.
"Let's do it."
I agree since I was feeling uneasy about traveling with just Misha after encountering Hans. After all, what else could we do with just the two of us besides hunting Frogmen?
And if the request ends early, we can suggest going to the 4th floor together.
"Haha, then let's get into position. If we keep talking here, we might get stabbed."
We stop chatting and get ready to rest, as the other teams who were resting peacefully start giving us the stink eye.
'Thanks to them, we'll be able to sleep for five hours.'
It's the advantage of having a larger party.
The watch time is shorter, and the sleep time is longer.
[06:00]
Time passes, and as the morning of Day 10 dawns, the water level of the river recedes, and we leave the resting point.
And we focus on hunting as we roam the surroundings.
'As expected, you need at least one scout.'
I'm realizing once again that scouts are the position that improves the quality of life in the labyrinth.
"There's a river over there, so come this way."
Rotmiller guides us along the optimal path as if he has memorized the entire terrain.
Although we've been wandering around for so long, we've only passed by the water's edge less than three times.
"Hmm, another dud..."
We click our tongues after defeating another shaman in just four hours.
The corpse disappears without leaving anything behind.
It's the downside of collection requests.
If you use the 'Distortion' spell on a monster, there's an extremely low chance of obtaining the monster's corpse intact...
...but you don't get essences or magic stones.
'Phew, just thinking about grinding later makes me feel exhausted.'
As we progress to the later stages of the game, we'll need monster byproducts more and more for things like equipment and consumable crafting.
For example, just look at Spirit Engravings.
Up to the 6th stage can be solved with money, but after that, you have to gather the materials yourself.
'...Let's think about that when the time comes. If I have money, I can just buy them from the exchange or commission requests.'
Anyway, just as moving has become easier, battles have also become easier.
Rotmiller's arrows, Dwarkey's magic...
And Misha's ice swordsmanship.
"...I've been wanting to ask this since earlier, but what exactly is going on?"
Rotmiller raises a question as he looks at the frozen Frogman, but this also isn't a problem.
[Cold Condensation] and [Ice Crush] aren't that noticeable of skills.
"Ah, that? My Spirit Beast evolved this time!"
Misha answers innocently as we discussed beforehand.
"Hot damn, is that true? At this rate, you could even get promoted to 6th grade!"
"Mi, Miss Misha! Congratulations!"
No one is suspicious since they all know that Misha made a contract with a cold-type Spirit Beast.
No, it's only natural since they wouldn't even think that we would lie.
'Every time we do this, I feel a pang of conscience.'
But what can I do?
I have to accept it.
It's the fate of living as an evil spirit.
"Rotmiller, the water seems to be rising... is that okay?"
"Don't worry, the safe zone is right next to us."
Day 10 is also coming to an end, and the water is slowly rising, but thanks to Rotmiller, who seems to have memorized the entire terrain, we fill up our time hunting until the very end and then move to camp.
"Uh..."
"This is it, right? It worked, right?"
"I, I think so."
We defeat the shaman we encounter as soon as we resume exploration and then freeze.
The corpse remains even though it collapsed with an arrow piercing its neck.
"As, as expected, it seems like luck is on our side with Miss Misha around!"
"Huhu, this friend is smitten. I think this is thanks to Bjorn, not Misha. That guy has luck on his side, you know?"
Anyway, regardless of Dwarkey and the dwarf's nonsense…
We obtained the shaman's corpse in just two days.
Hmm, is it too early to say we've obtained it?
"Hmm, but what should we do with this?"
"Wa, wait a moment. I'll try using a spell."
First, Dwarkey uses the 'Preservation' spell to prevent the corpse from decomposing.
But that's it.
We can't just stuff the entire corpse into a bag.
"Misha, you use knives, so you must be good at this kind of thing, right?"
"Wh, what are you talking about, dwarf! I, I've never done anything like this! You guys should do it, you did the Stone Golem request, didn't you?"
"Th, that's… with Stone Golems, you just have to take out the core..."
Even if we discard all the other byproducts and only take the eyeballs, we still need to dissect it.
And none of us have experience with this.
Except for the jack-of-all-trades, Rotmiller.
"Move aside, I'll do it."
Rotmiller sighs and skillfully dissects the shaman's corpse with something like a carving knife.
Did he do this often when he was on a 'collection team'?
"As expected of Rotmiller, you're the best!"
"Oh, I agree... Ugh, I'll just look away for a bit..."
Has it been 30 minutes?
Under Rotmiller's skillful hands, the shaman's body is divided into muscles, blood vessels, bones, and internal organs, all neatly stored in a box.
"So what do we do now?"
The 3rd-floor Pilgrim's Path closes when Day 15 ends. In other words, there are still three days left.
I speak up as if I've been waiting.
"The request is finished, how about we go to the 4th floor?"
"Hmm, that's true... it would be a shame to just end it on the 3rd floor when we finally have the whole team together..."
"Rotmiller, what do you think? Do you think we can reach the 4th floor within the time limit?"
Rotmiller closes his eyes as if he needs time to think.
Well, it would require some planning to cross several areas and reach the portal in the center of the Witch's Forest within three days.
"It's tight, but I think it's possible."
It's a bit strange.
I originally planned to just clear the rift and then casually hunt some monsters before returning to the city.
'As expected, nothing ever goes according to plan.'
Somehow, we're going to the 4th floor.
________________________
The three-day journey that followed was more difficult than expected.
First of all, our sleep time was significantly reduced, and we spent all our remaining time just traveling.
And since we were practically speed-walking...
...the fatigue on my companions' faces deepened with each passing day.
But still, we were able to achieve our goal.
「Character has entered a special area.」
「Field effect - Witch's Forest is applied.」
It's already our third time passing through the Witch's Forest.
The first time we came here, Misha and I were stranded and went through all sorts of hardships...
...but with Rotmiller, there's nothing to fear.
"Everyone, follow closely."
Since we had that incident last time, we tie ourselves together with ropes and quickly traverse the Witch's Forest.
And after some time...
[20:31]
A little over 3 hours left until the 3rd floor closes.
"Good work, Rotmiller."
We stand in front of a giant tower located in the central area of the Witch's Forest. A multicolored portal is located in front of the huge door that seems to be the entrance to the tower.
"Now, let's go!"
Just as we're about to enter simultaneously, waiting for the color to change to prevent any accidents...
"Ah, mister?!"
We faintly hear a familiar voice from afar.