The other world beyond the mirror.
It's a kind of hidden field, like Larkaze's Labyrinth.
The difficulty level is quite high right after entering.
Because monsters start pouring out from the beginning.
"Bjorn! They're coming again!!"
As soon as we finish one battle, another wave of monsters approaches.
The scale is on a completely different level from before.
Eight Flame Wolves, 7th-grade beast-type monsters.
Five Salamanders, 6th-grade nature-type monsters.
And three Redwoods, 5th-grade plant-type monsters.
"Raven, how's the magic coming along?!"
A blue light emanates from Raven's wand as soon as I shout.
"Narua Brigianu Tun!"
The 5th-grade AoE freezing spell, [Ice Rain].
It's the one called Blizzard in the game.
Kwoom!
A gray cloud forms in the sky and showers down sharply pointed icicles.
Kwaaang!!
More than half of the monsters are instantly crippled by a single spell.
Of course, the 5th-grade monsters are fine even against this AoE spell.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
The combo of [Wild Release] and [Gigantification].
Thanks to the increased threat level, the monsters gather around me without me having to do anything.
It's the reason why tanks are as important as mages in this place.
[Gaaaaak!]
I focus solely on defense, blocking the Redwood's vine whip attacks with my shield.
It's the Barbarian Turtle Mode.
Although I could probably take down one of them with [Swing]...
It's better to conserve Soul Power.
My threat level will decrease when [Gigantification] ends.
"Take care of the Salamanders first!"
While I'm dealing with the three Redwoods, the mage prepares her magic for the next wave.
So it's time for the other damage dealers to shine.
Kwaaang!
Ainar and Misha start taking down the monsters in earnest, with the bear-like man's ranged support.
It takes about 3 minutes to clear the trash mobs.
'Having two melee damage dealers makes clearing trash mobs fast.'
Afterwards, the five of us join forces and defeat the 5th-grade monsters.
But there's no time to rest.
"...They're coming again."
Another wave of monsters approaches, attracted by the sound of the previous battle.
We repeat this process over and over again, and after about ten more battles...
"Mr. Yandel, I'm almost out of mana."
Raven's mana, which she used to spam AoE spells, has dropped to less than one-third.
Of course, it's not a big problem.
The early waves are almost over.
"Don't use attack magic and just support us."
"Okay!"
Afterwards, Raven uses her remaining mana to cast curses on the enemies or buff the team.
Around that time, my [Gigantification] also ends.
It seems like the bear-like man, who was spamming explosive arrows, is also almost out of Soul Power.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
As the three of us start to struggle, the importance of Ainar and Misha, the melee damage dealer duo, increases.
As expected, melee damage dealers are the best for sustained DPS.
"This is the kind of battle I wanted!!!"
Ainar's excitement reaches its peak as she fights against the endless waves of enemies.
As expected of a barbarian, a race known for its fighting spirit, her excitement actually helps.
'Was she always this good at fighting?'
Although she seems to be swinging her greatsword clumsily, she dodges everything she needs to dodge.
Her swordsmanship is like she's on stimulants.
'Well, she did say she trained in swordsmanship there...'
Her combat sense itself seems to be superior to Misha's.
Anyway, I change our formation as the battle nears its end.
"Avman, send him over here!"
Iron Bear Iradun, who's been acting as a sub-tank for our team.
Or Woongie for short.
[Woong-!]
We reinforce the front line by adding Woongie, who was protecting the ranged damage dealers in the back.
Because it seems like everyone is really at their limit.
The mage's mana is completely depleted, so even support has stopped.
Kwagic! Kwagic! Whoosh!
Mace, swords, and giant crossbow arrows.
I haven't been pushed this far in a long time, and we're taking down the remaining monsters with just normal attacks, without any skills.
"I think this is the end..."
The battle ends as I smash a burning skull with my mace.
Hundreds of magic stones are scattered across the floor.
"But, weren't magic stones originally this dark?"
"It's a characteristic of this space. The density is about twice as high."
In short, it means a double event is active.
It takes Raven several minutes to collect them all, even with her remaining mana.
Ah, and an essence also dropped.
"I saw that! It dropped from where that guy with all the heads was standing!"
"Headhunter, huh."
It's a 7th-grade fire-type undead monster.
So we just discard it.
Although it would be useful if I absorbed it...
...there's no reason to absorb it when we're already hunting 5th-grade monsters on a daily basis.
"Hmm, discard it...?"
Ainar looks at me with a longing gaze, like a child who dropped her candy, at my decision.
Geez, it doesn't work like that.
No.
"It's not a good essence for you. So endure it, even if you're disappointed."
"...Alright!"
If she absorbs anything she finds, she'll just have to remove it later, and it'll cost more money.
But could it be that she feels bad about discarding the loot?
"But can't we store it in a test tube and sell it?"
Ainar suggests a new idea as if shouting 'Eureka!'.
Our mage takes care of it.
"No. It's not even worth the cost of the test tube for anything below 6th-grade. And in the first place, I heard you can only take one item out of here."
"Huh? Only one? What do you mean?"
"I don't know the reason either. But I heard that you need to use the 'Distortion' spell on any item you obtain here to take it out, and you can only do it once."
It's a field characteristic that I would have had to explain if Raven didn't know.
"We have to choose carefully what to take out. Not just the essence... I've heard stories about people obtaining very valuable items here."
"Valuable items..."
I've already decided on what to take out.
But I'm quite curious.
Does anyone know about that item?
I ask in detail, but Raven draws a line, saying that's all she knows.
"It's difficult to find information about this kind of thing in books. In the first place, I only heard about it through word of mouth."
Well, from the 5th floor onwards, it's classified as high-level information.
Even trivial achievements are treated as intellectual property and aren't shared easily.
There are even clans that prohibit their members from even mentioning their activities within the labyrinth.
It's no wonder Raven was so obsessed with the Compendium of Rifts.
"Everyone, rest for now. I'll keep watch."
We take a break after the intense battle.
And I check the current situation.
"Raven, how long will it take for your mana to fully recover?"
"12 hours if I meditate or sleep. Otherwise, it will take more than a day."
"I see."
That's why I said melee damage dealers are better than mages on the 5th floor. Mages take a long time to recover their mana.
"From now on, you should conserve your mana as much as possible."
"Are you planning to continue exploring?"
"It's not a place we can easily enter again, right? We should explore as much as possible. We might even find that valuable item you mentioned."
"That's true. We don't know when we'll be able to come back here..."
So that matter is settled.
We resume exploration after 15 minutes of resting.
It's a forced march, but no one complains.
They've already seen the magic stones and essence that were pouring out.
"I can finally hold my head high in front of my wife."
The bear-like man is beaming.
He's a family man, after all.
"Avman, do you sense any portals?"
"I can faintly sense one far away in that direction."
It's a field where the compass doesn't work.
We use the Guide's ability to determine the direction.
"...Why did you ask if you're going in the opposite direction?"
Because that's where I'm going.
Of course, I can't say that.
"Portals are likely to be exits. We should go in the opposite direction to find something."
It's a plausible excuse I came up with.
But it's not wrong, so I quickly get Raven's support.
"Ah! Right! I read that there's an exit portal inside the mirror."
Phew, this is why you need a somewhat intelligent character on the team.
"Alright, let's go."
It's around 7:00 PM on Day 22.
The day is almost over, and we have about a week left.
We need to hurry if we want to get our money's worth.
__________________
Mirror of Fire.
This field has a unique characteristic.
It takes a day for monsters to respawn.
Thanks to that, the places where we already hunted become temporary safe zones.
It's a blessing in disguise.
If monsters were constantly swarming in groups of hundreds, we wouldn't even be able to sleep properly.
「Killed Hell Guard. EXP +4」
「Killed Gremlin. EXP +2」
「Killed Doom Warrior. EXP +5」
「Killed Chaos Worm. EXP +2」
「Killed Doomfire Fairy....」
We defeat various monsters that we couldn't hunt before because of the clans controlling the field and leave the wasteland, our starting point, after three days.
The progress is much slower than I expected.
'The map is huge, and there are too many monsters.'
Whenever a battle breaks out, nearby monsters gather after hearing the sound.
Of course, it's better than the very beginning, when they swarmed from all directions.
We only have to worry about the enemies in front, and we can retreat if necessary.
However, our stamina and MP are depleting as the forced march continues, slowing down our hunting speed.
There were even a few times when we were almost in danger.
In the end, we have to rest periodically.
'Still, the speed at which we're earning magic stones is insane.'
It's not called the Burning Zone for nothing.
Large-scale battles using magic.
And the double magic stone event.
Coming here, I finally feel like we're making money from magic stones. Until now, all the big profits were from equipment looted from marauders.
'As expected, hunting is all about mob farming.'
The morning of Day 26.
We finish camping and enter a new field.
Whoosh!
The Burning Forest.
It's a field where the trees are engulfed in black flames and burn 365 days a year, just like its name suggests.
However, the fire damage is negligible.
Thanks to the fact that the trees are spaced out and we have [Cold Blood], which increases fire resistance.
For reference, there are three reasons why I chose this place.
First, the battle difficulty is the lowest.
"Hmm, it's not that bad."
"Yeah, I was a bit worried, but this seems easier than the previous place. There aren't even any 5th-grade monsters."
Although there are many monsters, they're all 6th or 7th grade.
Of course, being easy means the rewards are low.
But the Ash Gray Mountains and the Lava Lake, which appear if you go in other directions, are still a bit too difficult for us to clear.
And there's nothing to gain from the Altar of the Dead, where the portal is.
In that sense...
Second, we need to obtain this to make things easier in the future.
It's a hidden item in the center of the Burning Forest.
If we have this, we can clear the other fields when we come back here, and we can even enter that island on the 6th floor.
"Don't let your guard down too much. We don't know what might appear."
Although I give a warning out of habit, I also increase our speed as soon as we enter the forest.
We spent more time than expected, so it's a close call whether we'll be able to arrive on time.
"The trees are all burned here."
"Let's rest here for today."
We, who have been fighting and traveling all day, spread out our sleeping bags at a camping spot as the sun sets.
And the next morning...
'It finally appeared.'
We encounter a monster.
"Arrua! What's its name?"
"Uh, that is... I don't know either."
A monster whose name and rank even Raven, who's been reading books all her life, doesn't know.
A monster that only exists in the Burning Forest.
A rare monster that even the clan that controls the 5th floor field connected to this forest only encounters once a year.
[Groooooowl—!!]
The 5th-grade rare species, Veritas.
It was the third reason I chose the Burning Forest.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
This guy guarantees an essence drop.
-x-X-x-
A giant mirror emitting a red light.
About thirty explorers are gathered beneath it.
The blue wolf emblem on their chests signifies that they belong to the same clan.
"Shift change!"
One of the teams stationed in front of the mirror switches places with the team that just finished resting at a man's shout.
And they start mechanically hunting the monsters that appear through the mirror.
It's a sight that any 5th-floor explorer would have seen at least once.
"...Let's go somewhere else."
The explorers who happened to arrive here turn away dejectedly after seeing them.
It's already familiar.
The entire 5th floor is like this.
"Halt! From this point onwards, it's the territory of our Nebiswolf Clan, so please go somewhere else."
Ordinary teams can't even object.
It's because most of the large clans on the 5th floor are skilled enough to operate on the 6th floor.
For reference, there's only one reason why those skilled explorers are camping out on the 5th floor.
It's because the 6th floor is monopolized by even larger clans.
And this is much more profitable.
"Vice-leader, what's the total amount we've acquired today?"
They hunt in 24-hour shifts and gather magic stones, driving out anyone who complains with force.
"A Doomfire Fairy essence dropped. Anyone want to buy it?"
When a 5th-grade essence drops, they store it in a test tube and sell it in the city, and anything below that is sold to nearby explorers at a cheap price.
Explorers who want experience points?
They even accept them as customers and maximize their profits.
"I'll cast the Bonding spell, so don't participate in the battle and just stay back."
That's when, as they're enjoying the fruits of the labyrinth and hunting repeatedly...
"Leader! It's a Veritas!"
"What?"
The man who was commanding the clan from the back hurriedly gets up and approaches the mirror.
A monster is visible beyond it.
[Groooooowl—!!]
Two horns protruding from its forehead.
A muscular body over 3 meters tall.
Black wings covering its upper body and four arms. It's the demon-type monster, Veritas.
"We're lucky today."
The corners of the man's mouth curl up into a wide smile.
It's a monster he's encountering for the first time in a year.
'How much did we sell it for last time?'
Although it's a 5th-grade monster, he remembers it selling for a high price at the Magic Tower because of its rarity.
And the amount of magic stones they acquired during this expedition is below their quota, so this one alone will more than make up for the loss.
"Everyone, get into formation!"
The man takes out his weapon for the first time in a while and stands at the front. And he waits for Veritas to completely emerge from the mirror.
"It's coming out!"
A giant foot slowly steps out from beyond the gate.
The clan members' eyes are filled with anticipation.
No one is worried about the battle.
The mages have already completed their highest-level spells.
It's just a rare monster, a 5th-grade in the end, so the battle will be over as soon as it appears.
Right, that should have been the case...
[Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!]
A human battle cry is heard from beyond the mirror.
And at the same time, the monster that was about to step outside turns around and pulls its foot back.
"...What the hell are those guys?!"
He couldn't understand the situation at all.
____________________
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
Veritas turns its head as soon as I unleash [Wild Release] with all my might.
And the mirror that was beneath its feet disappears.
Fortunately, it seems like the aggro worked well.
'Phew, I almost missed it.'
The monsters in the other world enter the labyrinth through those mirrors.
In other words, if we were even a little late, we wouldn't be the ones fighting this guy.
[Groooooowl—!!]
The bastard charges towards me as soon as I raise my shield.
Kwaaang!
Its strength feels weaker than the troll's.
It's the number one monster that doesn't live up to its appearance.
It looks like a level 3 monster…
"Mr. Yandel, are you okay?"
"I can handle it, don't worry about me!"
"Everyone except for Mr. Yandel, please retreat. We need to figure out what its abilities are first!"
It's an enemy we're encountering for the first time, and we don't know anything about it.
Raven is flustered and gives her first order.
Geez, there's no need to be that careful.
'…It would be strange if I acted like I knew something here.'
I'm confident that I can hold him off indefinitely in a 1:1 situation, so I decide to just watch without saying anything.
Honestly, I'm also a bit curious.
What kind of judgment will our mage make without any information?
"Marde Guarjur."
The first spell Raven uses is 'Mana Measurement'.
It's the same one used when exchanging magic stones for money at the checkpoint.
"Fortunately, it's only around 5th-grade level!"
The monster's threat level has been measured.
But that's all we know so far.
We have to deduce the rest through actual combat.
Kwaaang!
An explosion occurs as the bastard's fist and my shield collide.
[Mark of Explosion].
"There were no signs of mana movement. I think it's an inherent ability…"
She got the passive part right.
Then what's the activation condition?
Kwaaang! Bang! Kwaang!
Raven carefully observes the battle from afar while explosions occur one after another beyond my shield.
And she reaches a conclusion.
"Same spot! The explosion occurs when you hit the same spot!"
…Correct.
I didn't expect her to figure it out this quickly.
"So how long are you going to just watch?"
"Uh… he seems to be doing fine on his own, but wouldn't it be better to observe a bit more? Miss Kaltstein or Miss Ainar might get seriously injured."
Hmm, so I'm not going to get seriously injured?
I feel a sense of pride and offense as a tank.
"I'll throw you a potion if it gets dangerous!"
"High-grade?"
"Yes, high-grade!"
Then it's fine.
I don't know if it's just my imagination, but based on my experience, high-grade potions have the least pain.
Even with Pain Resistance, it still hurts.
"Oh, it even uses its feathers as arrows? Judging by the fact that there's no mana movement, it seems like it's just an individual characteristic!"
Anyway, Raven's voice becomes lighter, as if she's judged that it's not a particularly dangerous enemy at our level.
"Mr. Yandel, can you hit it with your mace? There might be something that activates when it's hit…"
It seems like she's enjoying analyzing a monster she's seeing for the first time. It's the first time I've seen our mage so excited, so I follow her instructions.
Kwagic!
I smash one of its four arms with [Swing], and the joint bends at an unnatural angle.
The wings unfold immediately.
"It's an ability!"
It's one of Veritas's three active skills.
[Wings of Greed].
Swaaa!
The surrounding air is sucked in like a whirlpool in a drain.
After about 3 seconds of inhalation, the wings fold with a snap, and the broken arms are all healed.
"It's a regeneration ability!"
She immediately casts the 'Deterioration' spell, as if she doesn't want to just watch and do nothing.
'Phew, I hope this one drops…'
Although its true value lies in its passive, it's better to get a useful active skill if we're going to absorb it.
「Veritas has cast [Legion of Hatred].」
「Veritas has cast [Doom Ray].」
Summoning demons or shooting beams isn't really my style.
Whoosh!
I easily dodge the 'Doom Ray', which has a 3-second casting time, and then cast [Gigantification].
Because I finally have permission.
"I think we've confirmed all its abilities!"
"Uh, then can I go fight now?"
The long-awaited moment of execution.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
While Ainar grabs her greatsword and smashes the summoned demons, the bear-like man and Raven take aim with their ultimate moves.
「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Dangerous Substance].」
「Arrua Raven has cast the 5th-grade attack spell [Lightning Spear].」
It's our team's strongest damage-dealing combo, which even the troll, the embodiment of survivability, couldn't withstand.
Kwaaang!
A giant explosion occurs, and Veritas's body turns into a mass of light.
「Killed Veritas. EXP +5」
White particles of light scatter along with black smoke.
Raven uses wind magic to clear the smoke, as if curious about the result.
And then a white essence is revealed.
"It, it's an essence!!"
[Wings of Greed], the one I was hoping for, dropped.
It's just a 33.3% chance…
'To think it actually dropped on the first try.'
I'm suddenly feeling a bit uneasy.
_________________
A 5th-grade monster essence dropped.
Therefore, there are two choices.
Either we store it in a test tube and sell it, or one of the team members pays for it and absorbs it.
"What are you going to do?"
"I think Ainar should have this."
"Eek? Me?!"
I completely ignore Ainar's fuss.
Although she's the one involved…
…I'm a man who will become the Barbarian Lord someday.
In short, I can represent all barbarians.
"Hmm… you haven't even properly checked what kind of essence it is?"
We confirmed the skills through battle.
But you can only know what skills the essence contains after absorbing it. And besides, the base stats attached to the essence are also as important as the skills.
"Considering that, I'd like you to give me a discount."
"How much?"
"16 million stones."
Ainar is shocked at my offer.
"16 million stones?!"
"Ainar, please be quiet. Okay? Bjorn is talking."
"Ah, alright!"
Although the conversation is briefly interrupted, Raven continues with a serious expression, without even chuckling.
"If we split it four ways, I'll only get 4 million stones."
Hmm, as expected, it didn't work.
That's why I said 16 million.
"The price seems too low. It's a rare monster that even I didn't know about, right? And most importantly, if we store it in a test tube and sell it, 40% is mine."
"…I'll let you research it instead."
"Are, are you selling me to a mage?!"
"Hmm, just like Mr. Yandel did before?"
She looks quite tempted.
As expected, research is more important than money for mages.
I seize the opportunity and reveal the cards I prepared one after another.
"And besides, if you store it in a test tube and use the Distortion spell, you can't use it again."
In other words, I'm saying that she might regret using the Distortion spell on this if we find a treasure later.
Raven nods, as if she's also greedy.
"Although we only have a few days left… indeed, we can't rule out that possibility."
Alright, it seems like she's convinced.
Now it's the bear-like man's turn.
"Mr. Urikfrit, what do you want to do? I'll make up for the loss with research…"
"I don't mind. I've already earned enough. And in the first place, we came here thanks to Bjorn finding that monster."
"Hmm, that's true… but are you really okay with it? I don't even know how much it will sell for."
"So I'm saying I don't mind. It's good for us if the barbarian lady becomes stronger."
"Alright, then it's settled."
Now Ainar has to pay the bear-like man and Raven 4 million stones each when we return to the city.
It means I'm back to being broke, even though I earned a lot this time.
"Here, absorb it before it disappears."
Still, Ainar absorbs the essence without any objections, as if she's happy about the new essence.
「The essence of [Veritas] seeps into Ainar Frenelin's soul.」
A black mass of light instantly seeps into her skin as soon as it makes contact.
Raven's eyes sparkle with curiosity.
"So, how is it? What's the most noticeable change?"
"Uh… I feel stronger…"
"Hmm, that's ambiguous. We'll have to research it in the city later. First, try using the abilities."
"Ab, abilities?"
"Ah, it might be difficult to imagine."
Raven gives her tips on how to use Soul Power, recalling the three abilities that Veritas used.
"It's also good to say the lines out loud. That's how we learn magic for the first time."
"Uh, uh… I'll try."
Ainar starts trying out Veritas's active skills one by one, following Raven's instructions.
"Co, come out! Demons!!"
The summoning skill, [Legion of Hatred].
"Keeeugh!!"
The ranged attack skill, [Doom Ray].
And…
"Wings!!!"
[Wings of Greed].
Swoosh!
Wings of light unfold behind her and flap.
It's Barbarian (Female) Valkyrie Mode.
"Have, have I become a Valkyrie?!"
Ainar exclaims with a delighted expression as she looks around, examining herself.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!"
It's a good thing she likes it.
-x-X-x-
After it was revealed that [Wings of Greed] was the chosen skill…
…Raven started controlling Ainar like a puppet and testing its performance.
The most important thing first.
"I, I can't fly…!!"
Flight using the wings is impossible.
And since the wings are made of light, they can't be used for attack or defense, and she can't even move them at will.
They just move according to her mood.
Flap, flap!
Oh, it seems like she's not in a good mood.
But they have to consider balance, right?
It would be OP if she could fly with just this.
"…But they do look good on you."
"Yeah, yeah, she looks really strong."
"Really?!"
The wings start flapping again at the single compliment.
Flap!
Hmm, this clearly means she's happy.
Well, even I think the wings look cool.
And the effect of absorbing the surrounding air every time she recovers is quite flashy.
"If I had known, it would have been fine for Mr. Yandel to have it too, don't you think? Aren't you disappointed?"
"Huh?"
"You don't have any health regeneration abilities now that the Vampire essence is gone."
Ah, so that's what she meant.
But it's not a suitable essence for me.
First of all, the passive doesn't suit a tank.
And besides, I can get a decent amount of regeneration just from stats, and there are much better essences out there.
'And most importantly, it synergizes well with Ainar.'
The effect of [Mark of Explosion] is simple.
It explodes when you hit the same spot twice.
In the game, it was similar to a critical hit.
It had a slightly higher chance of activating against slow monsters or when you increased your accuracy.
But with [Double Slash], it's a different story.
"Then let's keep moving."
Soon after resuming exploration, a group of monsters appears, and everyone can see Ainar's growth with their own eyes.
Kwaaang!
An explosion occurs as soon as she uses [Double Slash].
The head of a 7th-grade monster explodes instantly and disappears into light.
It's a power that even Raven is surprised by.
"…Don't tell me you gave Miss Ainar the essence because you thought of this? Just because of my guess that it explodes when you hit the same spot?"
Hmm, it wasn't a guess for me.
Of course, I can't say that, so I just make an excuse.
"You're the mage of our team. Of course, I trust your judgment."
"Uh… thank you…"
Raven shuts her mouth, unable to say anything. Meanwhile, Ainar is rampaging among the monsters, unable to contain her excitement.
"Behel—laaaaaaaa!!!!"
Explosions occur with every swing of her sword.
Kwaaang! Kwaang!
Thanks to the double stats (Strength and Agility) from Veritas's essence, her movements are much smoother and more powerful than before.
Of course, she's constantly getting injured since I'm not drawing aggro in the front…
"Wings!!!"
…but her injuries heal quickly as she casts [Life Absorption] and [Wings of Greed] together.
'I guess her character concept is set.'
The Berserker Barbarian.
I watch Ainar's battle, unable to hide my satisfaction.
I'm a bit envious too.
I also used to build my characters like that before I learned about the Shield Barbarian.
A refreshing battle is a man's romance.
'…It wouldn't be bad to increase her Strength stat further and have her use dual greatswords.'
I briefly consider it.
A barbarian warrior wielding giant greatswords in both hands, spinning like a whirlwind and dominating the battlefield.
And with light wings as a skin on top of that?
Oh shit.
'That's badass.'
Maybe I can live vicariously through her.
"Bjo, Bjorn!"
"Alright, I'll help."
However, her character build isn't complete enough to overcome the numerical disadvantage yet, so I also join the battle and finish it.
But was even that impressive?
"Wow, I can't believe you can get that much stronger just from one essence…"
Misha looks a bit envious.
Well, she doesn't have any essences above 5th grade yet.
It would be understandable for her to feel deprived, seeing Ainar who absorbed a 4th-grade essence on top of a 5th-grade one.
And she's also a 0-year explorer like me.
"Don't worry, you'll get stronger too."
"Uh-huh…"
Although Misha looks dejected, there's nothing else I can say to her right now.
I'm planning to go after that essence after we've obtained everything we can from the Hellfire Canyon.
Will it take about six months?
And it will take years to obtain that sword, the core of the Freezing Dual Swordsman build.
'Now that we're on the 5th floor, there's so much to do.'
We collect the magic stones and continue exploring.
A vast forest where the trees are burning, emanating a desolate beauty.
As we defeat monsters and move on, time flies by, and Day 30 finally dawns.
[08:10]
Only 16 hours left until the labyrinth closes.
'We finally made it. It was a close call.'
A giant stele appears among the trees.
"Everyone, stop!"
"Uh, is it a trap?"
"I don't know. But it's possible."
Raven is wary of the artificial structure as soon as she sees it.
It's a commendable attitude, but…
'It's just a stele.'
In the game, this stele didn't have any function.
For reference, there's an identical stele in the fields in the other directions, and it acts as a kind of landmark.
It's like a signpost that tells you this is the central area.
Well, there might be a hidden element that I didn't discover…
'But that's unlikely.'
Even I tried everything, but nothing happened.
"Then what should we do?"
"First, get ready for battle. Something might be summoned when we enter its radius."
"Alright."
It wouldn't look good if I ignored the mage's opinion in this situation, so I follow her instructions.
Fortunately, Raven is cautious but not the type to waste time unnecessarily.
"I don't sense any mana. But just in case, I'll approach it slowly."
She gradually closes the distance and stands in front of the stele.
Of course, no monster appears.
"Mr. Yandel, can you touch the stele?"
Right, this kind of thing is always my job, isn't it?
I just touch it since I know it's safe.
As expected, there's no reaction from the stele.
"Can I stay here for a while and check a few things?"
"If you want to."
I just tell her to go ahead, even at Raven's request.
It's the real-life version, after all, so we might be able to find clues that we couldn't in the game.
30 minutes pass.
"Raven, let's go."
"Ah, no! An artificial structure in a forest like this? There must be a story behind it!"
It seems like she's also fallen into the same trap as me.
How many months did I waste because of that thought?
"Ugh, I feel like I'm almost there…"
Almost there my ass.
"We don't have much time. If you're that curious, look for records about it after we get out."
Raven reluctantly gives up and follows my lead as I draw a clear line. She's the type who hates to inconvenience others.
In short, she's easy to handle.
"Alright, let's go."
We then search the area around the stele, just in case there's something nearby. After all, we can't go far in the remaining day anyway, so everyone agrees without complaint.
'Something should appear if we've searched this much...'
That's when, after about two hours of searching...
"Bjorn! Look over there!"
Misha shouted, pointing to one spot.
"...A house?"
In the middle of the forest, where everything is burning and monsters are rampant...
...there's a two-story brick house.
'Phew, we don't have to come back next time.'
It's the place I was looking for.
____________________
The charred wooden door opens weakly.
Creak.
Geez, that sound.
It bothers me, so I just rip it off and throw it on the ground.
"Um, could you please not destroy everything?"
"...Nagging."
"No, it's not nagging—"
"Alright, I'll be careful."
She's making a fuss over just one door.
"...It's kind of creepy."
The interior of the building is practically a ruin.
Although we confirmed that there are no monsters using magic, we carefully search inside in case there are traps.
But it doesn't take long.
The sofa, the walls, everything is burned down, leaving only the frame.
We quickly finish searching the 1st floor and go up to the 2nd floor.
And we find a book in a room that seems to have been a bedroom.
"Raven! It's a book you'll like!"
It's a relatively intact book, perhaps because it was inside a drawer.
Although the cover is completely charred, there are some pages inside that are still legible.
'...Was there something like this?'
It's an item I couldn't find in the game.
Raven's eyes sparkle as she receives the book from Ainar and carefully opens it.
"It's written in the ancient language."
"Can you read it?"
"Yes. This is my specialty. Anyway, it seems like a diary."
Raven then starts reading the contents of the book out loud, as if showing off her knowledge.
It's quite interesting.
[Day 192, the rescue team didn't come again today. There are only three of us left. Tarvian suggested building a house, and I agreed. The demon meat tasted awful again today.]
[Day 271, we finished building a decent house. The three of us drank the wine we saved. How long has it been since we laughed and talked like this? Damn it, if only Zephyros hadn't said those things while drunk, I would still be in a great mood.]
[What's the point of living when the world is ending?]
[There's still hope even if everything burns and disappears.]
[As proof, we're still alive.]
[Day 467, Tarvian is pregnant. Whose child is it? Neither Zephyros nor I asked. Ah, Tarvian. A woman who's both wise and pitiful. I crave alcohol today.]
[Day 672. No, is it 673? I don't know, but something terrible happened. The Orb of Fire is starting to lose its power. The outer walls are already getting scorched. The only one who can fix it is Tarvian, the mage. But even if she extends its duration by sacrificing her life, what's the point?]
[Day 711, Zephyros and I finally agreed for the first time in a long time.]
[We're dying today.]
[If the world wasn't destroyed by the Witch's hand, and if someone finds this place someday, please use the item in the basement to save the world.]
It's a diary where the writer's name doesn't even appear.
And there are only four intact pages.
But Raven is shocked as she reads the last sentence.
"Witch..."
"Why are you so surprised?"
"I thought it might be the case because it's written in the ancient language... The person who wrote this diary is from our dimension!"
"Huh?"
Misha looks at her as if saying, 'So what?'
But Raven doesn't have the mental capacity to explain kindly.
"What? Ah, is it because this is a different dimension? So the records from that time still remain? No, but then how did these people get here?"
Raven mutters to herself as if organizing her thoughts.
But it doesn't last long.
"Basement! Let's go to the basement first! If this is true, there must be something down there."
"Good idea."
We go back to the 1st floor and clear away the collapsed furniture, revealing a path leading to the basement.
It's quite dark, so I use the light orb spell.
Thud, thud.
We go down and find a small space, about 3 square meters in size.
It seems like it was used as a storage room for food and supplies...
...but there's a box that looks valuable at first glance.
"I'll open it."
"Ah, you want to?"
Right, the fact that I've been doing this kind of thing finally pays off.
'It must have seemed natural, right?'
I have that thought and open the box.
There's a single orb inside.
I reach out before Raven can say anything.
「Character registered as the user of the Orb of Fire.」
This is a bound item.
-x-X-x-
Swaaa!
The Orb of Fire emitted light as it registered me as its user.
However, after that, there was no reaction, no matter what I did.
Therefore, even Raven, who had been fiddling with it, gave up.
"It seems like... we'll have to take this back to the city and have a special appraiser examine it."
"Are you taking it?"
"Yes? What do you mean?"
No, well...
Since things have turned out this way, I decided to be honest.
"Honestly, I thought you might say that you should take the book. Saying that it has immense historical value or something."
"Uh, well, it's not like I'm not interested in the book."
Raven readily agreed instead of getting angry.
"But the person who wrote the diary said to take this and use it. It's definitely more valuable than the diary. And besides, I've already memorized the entire contents of the diary. I even made a video recording, just in case."
"Oh... I see?"
"Yes. So don't worry about that."
Raven then cast the 'Distortion' spell on the Orb of Fire.
It means it can't be undone even if they find out it's bound to me.
'It would be more natural to use it after we return to the city.'
I think that's better.
I didn't know anything.
So, this was purely an accident.
Although I feel a bit guilty...
'In the first place, it's not something I obtained for my own benefit.'
The Orb of Fire is an item for the entire team.
Therefore, everyone can benefit from it.
Well, at least until I leave the team.
"...It doesn't seem like there's anything else here."
We searched every nook and cranny of the house for another 30 minutes, but there were no other findings.
I thought there might be something else that didn't appear in the game, like the diary...
"So, what should we do?"
"What are you talking about? We have to continue hunting."
"...I knew you would say that."
As expected of a money-hungry explorer, we diligently spent the remaining time hunting monsters.
And after some time...
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
...the time to return arrived.
__________________
Sunlight, which I haven't seen in a month.
After briefly basking in its warmth, I moved on.
The checkpoint for experienced explorers above 6th grade.
After a short wait, everyone except for the bear-like man gathered.
"Where's Beefcake?"
Well, do you really need to ask?
I didn't have the energy to answer since we were hunting until just now.
We waited for a while, and the bear-like man arrived.
There was an unknown explorer next to him.
"Here you go."
"Ah, thank you. I found my way easily thanks to you."
"Huhu, I had quite an experience."
The explorer coolly heads towards his team after that comment.
The bear-like man awkwardly joins us with a smile.
"Haha, the line is quite long, huh?"
Well, it's natural since we're late because of you.
I sigh inwardly, but I don't say anything.
I'm the leader of this team, after all.
Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
I have to try to embrace their flaws.
I've also developed some immunity from Team Misfits.
'He's a damn good fighter.'
Anyway, Misha starts chatting with the bear-like man as we're all waiting in line.
"It feels like we've really made it, standing here together like this."
"Huhu, I guess so. A team's rank is only recognized from 6th grade onwards."
"Yeah, yeah. It feels like we've finally become real explorers. It's a strange feeling..."
Actually, I'm also feeling it.
Before, we had to meet outside at the checkpoint corresponding to our respective ranks.
Anyway, as expected of the 6th-grade checkpoint, the line disappears quickly.
Although there are far fewer people passing through here compared to the 9th-grade checkpoint, the number of staff is more than double.
And the checkpoint is even in the form of a room, so our privacy is protected.
"Team Apple Nark... is that correct?"
The administrative employee checks our team registration and tries to maintain his composure.
We hand over the bags full of magic stones we've collected after going through a simple administrative procedure.
About seven bags.
All of them heavy.
"...!"
The employee's eyes widen as he unties the bags and confirms that they're full of magic stones.
Of course, it doesn't last long.
His eyes narrow meaningfully.
I feel like I'm about to have a PTSD episode, remembering the time I was dragged to the guild prison...
...but Raven takes care of it.
"We obtained all these magic stones legitimately by defeating monsters. We also have video recordings to prove it. Well, if you want to confirm it, you'll have to compensate us for revealing our achievements."
"There's no need for that... I think."
"Then can you exchange them quickly?"
Her tone is sharper than usual, perhaps because she's tired or because she doesn't like the employee's gaze.
Did he sense something was off?
The employee quickly finishes the exchange.
"It's 25,190,000 stones."
It's an amount that would usually only come from a clan.
Divided by five, it's over 5 million stones per person.
If we earn this much every month, our annual salary would be 60 million stones!
'As expected of the Burning Zone.'
Even if we killed dozens of monsters per battle, we wouldn't have been able to earn this much without the double magic stone event.
"Huh..."
I let out a gasp involuntarily.
It's a strange feeling.
It feels like just yesterday I was being admired by my peers after exchanging 180,000 stones.
"Th, then how many cotton candies is that?"
"Uh... wouldn't it be enough to eat ten every day for the rest of your life?"
It's very encouraging that it's pure magic stone income, not from looted equipment or anything.
Well, it's unlikely that we'll be able to earn this much every time.
'We found it quite early this time.'
We found the black moss earlier than expected.
And the Millarodden appeared without us having to wait long.
On top of that, the Distortion spell even succeeded on the first try.
It's hard to expect things to go this smoothly on the next expedition.
"...You're going to do the settlement tomorrow, right?"
Raven asks as soon as we leave the checkpoint.
Looking at her eyes, she's asking while already knowing the answer.
"Let's do it the day after tomorrow."
I wasn't planning on doing it today either.
We even sacrificed sleep to hunt, and on the last day, we were awake until midnight.
Considering that our camping routine is between 9:00 and 10:00 PM, we've already gone over our sleep time.
"The day after tomorrow?"
"Yeah, we also have to sell the equipment and byproducts."
"Ah, that... could you sell them for me, Mr. Yandel? I really don't think I can wake up tomorrow."
"You said I could leave the selling to you since you have an appraiser license?"
Raven keeps her mouth shut.
It seems like she never dreamed that the words she proudly boasted about would come back to bite her...
"It would be different if it were just equipment, but there are also magic materials. That's something only you, a mage, can do."
"...Then come with me, Mr. Yandel. Even barbarians can carry luggage."
Luggage my ass.
It's a ridiculous request, considering she's carrying a subspace ring, but...
I agree.
I'm also curious about the mage's sales route.
"Then I'll see you then."
We briefly set a time and then head to our respective accommodations.
"Haam, I'll be going first."
Raven heads to the Magic Tower where her personal lab is.
"Avman, can you find your way back properly?"
"Don't worry, I know the way from the checkpoint to my house."
"Hmm, so you can at least find your house?"
The bear-like man heads to the bar where his wife is waiting.
"Alright, let's go too."
"Misha, shouldn't we eat something first? I'm, I'm so hungry..."
"Let's eat together after washing up."
"Ugh, I'll try to endure."
We head towards our home.
__________________
1:00 PM the next day.
While Misha and Ainar are sleeping in, I prepare to go out.
I have to go sell the loot with Raven.
[Ah, can you also drop off my equipment at the repair shop?]
[...Can I ask you a favor too?]
For reference, I also brought their equipment in my backpack.
I'm a bit disappointed that no one offered to come with me...
But I'm the leader.
It's only right to work hard for the team.
"You're one minute late."
"Should I pay the late fee?"
"Do I look like a beggar to you?"
Why is she so prickly again?
'Ah, it's because she couldn't sleep more.'
I decide to be understanding.
She's not the leader, and she's just here because she's a mage, so it's natural for her to have complaints.
'I wonder if she likes sweets? I should try giving her one later.'
I recall the social skills I learned from my ex-girlfriend as we get on a carriage heading to Commelby.
There's no friendly chatter during the ride.
We both pass out and sleep.
"Haam, I slept well..."
I open my eyes, and the carriage has already arrived.
Since we didn't meet early in the morning, we move quickly.
Ah, first, I give her something sweet.
"Hmm, I'm not really into sweets..."
"Focus your eyes first before you speak."
"Ah, that hurts my pride."
Anyway, today's schedule is simple.
Sell the Millarodden byproducts at a magic shop.
Stop by the blacksmith's to repair weapons and sell the masked man's equipment at a discount.
Register the expandable backpack and the Ifrit essence on the exchange.
And while we're at the exchange, call a special appraiser to examine the Orb of Fire.
"You've obtained a very valuable item. I heard that even large clans rarely have this."
"So what is it?"
"It's the Orb of Fire. When activated, it reduces fire damage within a 15-meter radius in exchange for consuming Soul Power."
"What's the activation condition?"
"There's a command word. I'll write it down for you, so don't forget it."
For reference, the special appraisal fee is a whopping 300,000 stones.
My stomach starts to ache as soon as I hear it.
These guys are really making a fortune just by sitting around.
"So how much is the appraisal value?"
"Ah, I haven't told you that yet. Only the person who first obtained the Orb of Fire can use it."
"Yes? What?"
Raven's gaze turns towards me.
But what's she going to do now?
It was an accident, I'm telling you.
"Whew..."
She lets out a sigh that seems to contain a lot of emotions.
Just as we're about to leave after finishing our business, the appraiser makes a suggestion.
"Ah, may I ask where you obtained it?"
"No. We don't intend to share our achievements."
"If you change your mind, please come find me. All the clans that have the Orb of Fire are keeping their mouths shut. I'll pay a reasonable price."
"Okay."
We leave the exchange, and today's schedule is complete.
Thanks to our systematic movement, we still have some time left before the last carriage leaves.
We have a simple meal near the platform.
"Raven, let me tell you beforehand, I didn't know about this."
"Who said anything? Do you think I'm going to ask you to compensate me?"
Uh, no...?
I thought that would be the natural response.
"It's fine. The appraiser also said, didn't he? It's a magic tool that's used more like a public asset than a personal item."
"Right, I'll only use it for the team."
The hurdle I was worried about is easily overcome.
So I also eat comfortably and ask what I'm curious about.
"But why did you refuse that offer earlier?"
"You mean about telling him where we got it?"
"Yeah, he seemed like he would have given us a lot."
"A lot my ass. If we told him, he would have made several times more profit than the money he gave us with this. I can't accept that."
Hmm, it seems like middlemen taking a cut is the same everywhere...
"And most importantly, if the location is revealed, more people will know about that book, right? That's not okay. I'm going to thoroughly research it later and turn the academic world upside down."
So there was another reason.
That damn fame.
Although it's hard to relate to her motivation, everyone has different aspirations.
"Anyway, please take care of me from now on."
"Suddenly?"
"I have a feeling that an ancient secret related to the Witch is hidden in the labyrinth. I've decided to look for it."
"Hmm, so...?"
"So what? I'm going to continue being an explorer. By Mr. Yandel's side."
No, but I don't understand why she's emphasizing being by my side...
Raven smiles as I stare at her.
"I felt it back in the Crimson Fortress too, but Mr. Yandel, you're naturally gifted in this aspect. It's like you'll encounter strange things often, like this time."
She's saying that strange things will happen often if she's next to me...
I can't help but chuckle.
"You can believe it. A mage's intuition is more accurate than you think."
It's definitely effective.
That mage's intuition.
-x-X-x-
The day after I went to Commelby with Raven.
All the team members gathered at a bar for the final settlement.
"You guys really made a fortune."
25,190,000 stones from magic stones.
3,010,000 stones from the expandable backpack and miscellaneous equipment.
9,000,000 stones from the Ifrit essence, excluding the test tube cost.
And 750,000 stones from the Millarodden byproducts.
So in total...
'37,950,000 stones.'
Of course, we're not splitting it equally five ways.
It was agreed that Ainar would get 15% and the bear-like man would get 25% of the magic stone income...
...and Raven would get 40% of the essence and the Millarodden byproducts since they're considered special loot.
'Let's see, then my share is...'
7,102,500 stones.
For reference, it's the exact same amount as Misha's.
"Miss Ainar, yours is 5,843,000 stones."
"Ooh!!"
"Then what about the essence cost?"
"Uh, essence...? How much was it?"
Ainar makes a confused expression after a brief moment of joy at the ridiculous amount.
"...I'll pay for that."
I take out 2,157,000 stones from my share and hand it to Raven.
"What about Miss Kaltstein's share?"
"Ah, we agreed that Ainar would pay me back later."
"Hmm, if that's the case. Uh... wait a minute, then Miss Ainar doesn't get anything from today's settlement?"
Is that the problem?
Her debt increased even though she worked hard in the labyrinth.
4 million stones to Misha.
And 7.5 million to me, including the equipment I bought her last month.
A total of 11.5 million stones.
"Th, there's no way...! I had a settlement, but it's gone!! So, something's wrong!!"
"That's how the world works. But you got stronger by absorbing the essence, didn't you?"
Unlike Misha, who's comforting her with words, I decide to give her a practical reward.
"By the way, I think it's time to increase Ainar's share."
She absorbed a 5th-grade essence.
It's hard to consider Ainar's combat power as below average now.
"Ah, I don't mind."
"...I'll also only take 20% from now on."
The bear-like man also readily agrees, and Ainar's magic stone share is increased to 20%.
Now it's an equal distribution.
'Phew, I want to adjust the special loot ratio too... but she'll definitely throw a fit, so I'll do it later.'
Honestly, I feel a bit wronged.
Tank, leader, navigator...
And I even spoon-fed them the hidden pieces.
Shouldn't I be getting at least 30%?
"Ah, then just pay your team fees, and we're done for today."
"How much was it again?"
"300,000 stones per person."
"You're taking more money away from me...!!"
Ainar's debt increases by another 300,000 stones.
Well, what does debt even mean when I'm feeding and housing her?
___________________
Three days after the final settlement.
While Misha went out with Ainar to apply for her 6th-grade promotion, I lay in bed, organizing my thoughts.
'We've already saved 10 million stones.'
It's the amount excluding the money I lent to Ainar and the money in the shared account with Misha.
As expected, our growth has accelerated after coming to the 5th floor.
It's like I can finally utilize my knowledge from the game now that I can play more proactively.
'One year.'
I make a rough plan.
'Let's establish a foundation on the 5th floor for one year and then move to the 6th floor.'
Of course, it will be difficult to grow as quickly from the 6th floor onwards.
It's a floor where combat power alone isn't enough to clear.
From the 6th floor onwards, it will be a long game of attrition.
'...But once we reach the 6th floor, I can absorb that essence.'
With a powerful enemy like the Dragonslayer targeting me, I need to become stronger as soon as possible.
'And besides, looking at the current situation, it doesn't seem like we'll be fine in our current state.'
The atmosphere in the city has been heavy lately.
To be precise, the explorer industry is.
Everyone is on edge and tense, I guess?
It's understandable.
That incident happened this time.
'471 people.'
That's how many people died on the 4th floor.
And just during this cycle.
It's a much more serious problem than the 3rd-floor Floor Master incident.
Not monsters, but marauders.
A large-scale terrorist attack targeting veteran explorers who have been in and out of the labyrinth for almost 10 years.
"Bjorn!!"
Just as that thought crosses my mind, Misha returns from the guild.
She's holding a piece of paper in her hand, looking very urgent.
"Lo, look at this!! The royal family issued a notice to all explorers!"
I quickly take the paper and read it.
It's a notice stating that the royal family is forming a subjugation force and that explorers above 6th grade will be rewarded if they participate.
The target of the subjugation is Noark.
'...This is going to be a mess.'
The underground city was an open secret.
Everyone who should know about it knew, but 99% of the people didn't even know it existed.
But now it's been mentioned in an official notice from the royal family.
"Bjorn, what are you going to do?"
"Well..."
The reward is quite tempting.
Not only will they pay a set amount per person, but they'll also exempt taxes and exchange fees for three years. And they'll even grant essences owned by the royal family based on achievements, so many people will be tempted.
'It seems like they've already recruited the large clans.'
The names of the clans that agreed to participate are also listed on the notice.
They were probably promised a much larger reward.
It's a kind of promotional recruitment, I guess?
Just the fact that the top clans are participating will significantly increase the trust of ordinary explorers.
No, they might even think it's foolish not to participate in the subjugation, seeing it as a golden opportunity.
But...
[Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, don't participate.]
I gather my resolve, remembering Lee Baekho's advice.
"We're not participating."
I'll pass on getting caught in the crossfire.
And besides, we're already growing well enough.
I don't really see the need to participate in the subjugation.
"I see... that's a relief. I had a bad feeling about it..."
"Just in case, I should talk to Raven and Avman. Ah, what was Ainar's reaction?"
"She's looking forward to it as an opportunity to increase her fame. But don't worry, I'll talk to her."
"Then I'll leave that to you."
After finishing the conversation with Misha, I head to the Magic Tower.
I wonder what the mage's perspective is.
The answer is simple.
"Ah, that notice... I heard about it last night. I was just about to ask you, I'm glad you're not participating."
"So you're against it too?"
"Yes. Although I'm curious about the underground city, it's practically a war, even if they call it a subjugation. I don't want to get involved in that kind of power struggle."
Raven doesn't show much interest in the reward offered by the royal family.
It's a relief.
I hear a similar answer when I visit the bear-like man's bar afterwards.
"Everyone's talking about it at the bar all day, but I don't feel good about it. Well, the reward is tempting, but..."
The bear-like man says he would have probably participated in the subjugation if he were still soloing.
Well, he's almost forty years old.
A three-year tax exemption is a huge deal.
He's practically the only one paying taxes for his wife too.
"Huhu, and our child will be born next year. We'll get a 20-year tax exemption as a childbirth benefit, so there's no need to rush."
"I see."
"If you guys aren't participating, I'm not going to join either."
Okay, then it's decided that we're passing on the subjugation.
'...I'll find out more details when the community opens.'
There's nothing we can do for now.
So I'm about to head back to the inn and check the things I need to do in the city this month...
...when the bear-like man makes an unexpected suggestion.
"Yandel, how about a drink later?"
"Drink?"
"You're the leader of a team now, right? And it seems like you don't have any connections in this area."
"So?"
"There's a gathering of 5th-floor explorers tonight. How about we go together?"
Hmm, socializing...
Honestly, I'm not interested.
But it's common for explorers in this world to meet and socialize, exchanging information.
Maybe it wouldn't be bad to experience it once?
'Well, the Watchers of the Round Table only share high-level information, so it's hard to learn about this kind of thing there.'
"Alright. What time and where should we meet?"
After getting the time and location, I go to the library to kill time.
Ragna greets me with her usual bluntness.
But when did she hear about it, when she's been in the library the whole time?
"Do you have something to say?"
"Are you... participating in the subjugation?"
"No, our team decided not to."
"I see. That's a relief..."
Ragna's face brightens up.
I find it suspicious, so I ask directly,
"Relief? Do you know something about Noark?"
"About that place... I don't know much. But I know what kind of people the royal family is... There will definitely be a huge sacrifice."
Ragna answers in a small voice.
"Royal family?"
"Please pretend I didn't say that."
Ragna retracts her words with a flustered expression.
I don't pry further.
I know how dangerous it is to badmouth the royal family.
"Thanks for your concern."
"Concern..."
Ragna mutters the word as if pondering it.
But her reaction is unexpected.
I thought she would insist that she wasn't worried...
"Yes. I was worried, so I'm truly relieved."
"Uh... I see."
This makes me feel awkward.
But Ragna's neck turns slightly red as if she's also embarrassed.
So I just pretend not to notice.
"...Then can you cast the spell? I want to read some books."
"Ah, yes. The spell. Right."
I don't want it to be any more awkward than this.
________________
10:00 PM.
It's the time when I would usually be washing up and getting ready for bed.
But I'm at a bar I've never been to before.
And it's not even in the 7th district where I live, but in the 8th district, across the wall.
"Avman! It's been a while! How have you been?"
"I'm doing fine. What about you?"
"Haha! I'm just barely surviving!"
About fifteen explorers are gathered in a private room.
It seems like this kind man with a friendly face is the host.
"Who's that next to you?"
"He's the leader of our team."
"Oh, I was wondering who took you, and it turns out it was that lucky guy."
We have a brief introduction as soon as we enter the room, led by the host.
"I'm Perfe Derbes. Call me whatever you like. You can just call me Pepe. It's a nickname only close friends use."
Pepe...
It's too cute of a nickname for a bearded man.
"...I'll call you Derbes."
"Alright."
"I'm Bjorn, son of Yandel."
"Can I call you Bjorn?"
"Whatever."
The nickname situation is quickly resolved, as expected of explorers.
"Wait, Bjorn Yandel? That name sounds familiar."
One of the explorers tilts his head.
And then he remembers where he heard it.
"Ah, Little Balkan! The barbarian who became famous during the 3rd-floor Floor Master incident! Right?"
"That's right."
Derbes's gaze changes slightly as I readily agree.
He looks surprised and curious.
"Oh, so you haven't even been an explorer for a year yet?"
"Don't worry about that. We just came back from the 5th floor."
The bear-like man assists, and the curiosity disappears, leaving only admiration.
"To reach the 5th floor in less than a year, that's amazing..."
Derbes then introduces each of the participants.
Perhaps because of my fame as Little Balkan...
...and my explosive growth...
...everyone's reaction is favorable.
Except for one person.
"I'm Jack Johnsonville, from the 5th-grade clan Nebiswolf."
A blond, tanned man introduces himself with a somewhat aggressive gaze.
'Why is he looking at me like that? Does he want to die?'
My barbarian instincts are kicking in, and my body is itching to fight, but I endure with superhuman patience.
I'm one of the few modern people in this world.
Right, I should be the understanding one.
"Haha, let's have a drink."
Derbes, sensing the tense atmosphere, raises his glass and lightens the mood.
And so, the gathering begins.
People naturally drink and chat about everyday things or industry news.
"How is it? Not bad, right?"
The bear-like man whispers in my ear.
I chuckle and nod.
I thought it would just be trash talk since it's an explorer gathering, but this is pretty decent.
Well, there is one guy who's ruining the mood.
"How about we meet at a different place next time? Not this old bar?"
Jack Johnsonville.
"Our clan has a bar, and the alcohol there is amazing. Of course, it's much more expensive than here. Hahaha!"
"Subjugation? Of course we should participate. Ah, maybe you guys are a bit scared since you're a team?"
"Well, try your best. Who knows? You might catch a scout's eye and join a clan."
He's the only one in this gathering who belongs to a clan, and he keeps bragging about it.
And he even interrupts whenever the attention is on me.
"I can't help but ask. Yandel, what's your secret? How did you climb up so quickly?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? He met a good team."
"..."
"...Haha, having good companions is also a skill."
Derbes tries to smooth things over and prevent conflict every time there's an awkward silence.
"By, by the way, Bjorn. What about you? I'd like to hear your thoughts on attending our gathering for the first time."
Should I be honest?
I hesitate for a moment, but the answer is already decided.
"I like it."
"Pfft, of course you do. You're just a fledgling who just arrived on the 5th floor."
I'm a K-barbarian who possesses the mind of a modern person, the values of Confucianism, and the boldness of a barbarian.
I endure when I have to.
I'm confident that I can endure even greater insults with a smile.
But...
"What the hell are you talking about, you idiot?"
"Wh, what? Are you talking to me?"
"Is there another idiot here besides you?"
I don't endure when I don't have to.
-x-X-x-
Respect for elders.
It's one of the Five Confucian Relationships, signifying that there's an order between adults and children.
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
'This is a world where age doesn't matter.'
Lafdonia is a city where order is determined by the power each individual possesses. It's a world of survival of the fittest.
In short, respect for the strong.
Only strength and weakness determine the hierarchy.
And according to that law, there's zero reason for me to hold back right now.
"...A fledgling acting out of line."
"You want to get beaten up by a fledgling?"
The atmosphere turns hostile in an instant as I slowly get up.
"What?"
The blond, tanned man looks flustered, as if it's his first time experiencing this.
The bear-like man subtly places his hand on my arm.
"Yandel."
It's a sign for me to stop.
The blond, tanned man, who was cowering, regains his arrogant smile.
"Why don't you listen to your companion? I'll let it slide if you kneel and apologize now."
What is this guy talking about?
I just challenge him to a duel.
"Enough, let's duel."
It's the only means of personal conflict allowed in the city.
If we agree and have a proper duel in the presence of a notary, it's not classified as violence.
Although it would be troublesome if I kill him.
Well, I can just control my strength.
"...Duel? Do you even know what that means?"
"What do you mean, meaning? I just want to smash your head."
"You're insane..."
The blond, tanned man looks confused, as if it's his first time encountering such a barbaric explorer.
Well, he wouldn't have expected to be challenged to a duel at a gathering where he came to show off.
"What are you thinking so hard about? Are you scared of getting beaten up by a fledgling?"
"...There's no need for me to deal with a lunatic."
The blond, tanned man scoffs and gets up from his seat.
Right, so he's going with that tactic.
To pretend he won't stoop to the level of a lunatic.
The solution is simple.
"You're scared."
Veins pop up on the blond, tanned man's forehead at my single word.
But he doesn't want to talk to me, does he?
He takes it out on Derbes, who's next to him.
"Pepe, you should be more selective about who you invite. If you associate with barbarians like this, your level will also drop."
Derbes doesn't answer.
No, to be precise, he doesn't even have time to answer.
The blond, tanned man turns his back and walks towards the exit after saying what he wanted to say.
Thud, thud.
His back is straight, and his gait is confident.
But I can tell that he's feeling shame and humiliation in this situation.
"Avman, do you see? His face is red."
"Right, it seems like he knows shame."
Even the bear-like man, who was trying to stop me at first, doesn't hesitate to join in and mock him.
It's the mindset of enjoying it since he couldn't avoid it.
It's a very desirable attitude for my companion.
However, could it be that he can't just endure this insult?
Thud.
The blond, tanned man's feet stop in front of the exit.
"Oh, he stopped. Is he accepting the duel?"
"There's no way. He's just a kid who can't do anything without his clan's name."
The blond, tanned man turns his head and looks at me.
He glares at me as if daring me to say something, and he grits his teeth and mutters,
"Barbarian, you're acting all high and mighty just because you got lucky and gained some fame."
"Yeah, so?"
"You won't be able to go above the 5th floor with that attitude."
I can't help but laugh genuinely.
Does he think he's something special?
"That's funny."
I say as I slowly walk towards him.
"I don't know how many years you've been an explorer, but you're a pathetic bastard who's scared of someone who hasn't even been an explorer for a year. You can't even hunt on the 5th floor without your clan, and you'll probably spend the rest of your life on the 5th floor, picking up scraps like a salaryman."
And...
"I reached the 5th floor in 8 months. Unlike someone, I even have a title, and I formed a team myself to go higher. I'm already recognized for my potential within the barbarian tribe and am even being considered as a successor."
I stand in front of him and pat him on the shoulder.
"So, who do you think will be on the higher floors in a few years?"
The blond, tanned man can't say anything.
As expected of a human male with an average height of 170 centimeters, he just looks up at me.
I kindly bend down and lower my face.
And I whisper in his ear,
"Now get lost. Whether you join a clan or not is your business."
I open the door for him, and he walks out blankly.
Bang.
I close the door immediately.
I turn around, and everyone is looking at me.
I return to my seat and say casually,
"Well, I took care of the problem, so let's just continue drinking."
Strangely, no one answers.
"..."
Geez, how embarrassing.
Have they never seen a barbarian who resolves things through conversation?
___________________
The silence was short-lived.
We clink glasses and resume our conversation as the shock from the sudden incident subsides.
The main topic is, of course, Jack Johnsonville.
The guy who ran away like a coward.
"Hahaha, did you see the look on his face when I challenged him to a duel? He'll probably never forget it."
Surprisingly, no one criticizes me.
Well, even I found him annoying when I first saw him, so they must have felt even worse.
"But why did you keep putting up with him?"
"He was sharing information that you wouldn't know unless you were a member of a clan, even though he was acting all high and mighty."
Hmm, so he was useful in the sense that he was loose-lipped.
Then I feel a bit sorry for him.
"Don't worry too much about it. We weren't really accepting him lately, so he was coming less often. He probably moved on to another group."
"If that's the case..."
"Ah, and one more thing. You don't have to worry about him at all. He's just a low-ranking member of the clan, so he wouldn't even dream of retaliating against you."
"Haha, Pepe, does it matter if he's a low-ranking member? With his personality, he'll probably just suffer in silence because he's too embarrassed to tell his superiors."
"Hmm, you're right. Well, even if he did tell them, they would just call him an idiot."
It's a clean resolution.
As expected, not holding back was the right answer.
'In the first place, even if the clan retaliated, what could they do?'
Ambush us in the labyrinth?
If a large clan did something like that and got caught, they would be punished severely. They would never do something that crosses the line for a mere low-ranking member.
'The most they could do is control our experience points.'
They could prevent us from gaining experience points in a certain area.
If it were just one area, it might be different, but 5th-floor clans have close relationships with each other.
Therefore, if we were blacklisted, there would be huge restrictions on our leveling.
Ah, of course, that doesn't apply to me.
I never intended to pay for experience points in the first place.
Why would I pay when I can just hunt inside the mirror?
"Alright, let's drink!"
The conversation about the blond, tanned man gradually fades as the drinking party continues.
The main topic that replaces him is the Noark subjugation.
"Bjorn, your team isn't participating?"
"Yeah, I have a bad feeling about it. Derbes, what about you?"
"We've already decided to participate. It's dangerous in the labyrinth too, isn't it?"
"I see."
"Most of the people here will probably be the same. The reward is quite tempting. It's worth over a year's worth of exploration."
"I wish you a safe return."
"Haha, thanks."
I don't add any comments about their choice.
There's no one here with less experience as an explorer than me.
And it would be rude to give unsolicited advice.
Even barbarians have to know their place.
"Well, it's getting late. Let's disband. Avman, you should go home before your wife gets angry."
"...It's fine, I told her I'm going with Yandel."
"Oh? It seems like your wife likes this friend."
The gathering ends after 2:00 AM.
Although people started leaving one by one with excuses, I stayed until the end.
"Are you coming next time?"
"If you invite me."
"Okay, then I'll let you know through Avman."
I couldn't get any useful information right away.
I was able to get a glimpse into the mindset and common sense of ordinary explorers, but that was all.
But I'm planning to attend again next time.
Assuming they return alive.
I'm curious about how the subjugation turned out.
"Keuh, it's been a while since I had a good drink!"
The cool night air hits my skin as we step out onto the street.
It was early spring when I first came here.
Autumn is almost over now.
"Let's go."
"Haha! Right, let's go!"
The bear-like man is much more energized than usual, perhaps because he practically chugged his drinks.
Honestly, it's strange that he's even standing properly, considering how much he drank, but his mind seems clear.
Well, he won't be able to find his way home, though.
'I feel like I've gotten closer to this man.'
Since the carriages have stopped running, I walk him all the way home to the 7th district.
"Thank you for walking me home. Would you like to come in and rest for a bit? I have something that's perfect for hangovers."
The bear-like man's wife is very kind to me, perhaps because they made a lot of money from this expedition. I head home after being treated to warm honey water.
'Home...'
I've gotten used to calling it that.
Clack.
As I open the locked door, the door to the room next to mine also opens.
Room 207.
It's Misha's room.
"Hmm, you're back?"
"Ah, you were awake?"
"Why are you so late? What's with the smell of alcohol?"
I briefly tell her about attending the gathering with the bear-like man, standing in the hallway.
"So, you went there... Good work. You finally seem like a real leader."
It's a world where this kind of socializing is also part of an explorer's job.
Misha pats my shoulder, saying I worked hard.
"But what's with the paper bag in your hand?"
"There was a night market on the way, so I bought some candied apple skewers."
"Huh? You don't really like those, do you?"
"Don't you two like them?"
Misha chuckles at my words.
"Nyaha, you're like a dad."
Misha then takes a skewer from the bag, puts it in her mouth, and enters her room.
I'll give the rest to Ainar tomorrow.
Clack.
I put the bag on the table and roughly wash up.
The slightly faded intoxication and the cool night air blowing in through the window.
'Not bad.'
It was a day that made me think that more often.
___________________
After the gathering...
...my daily life became a bit busier.
You have to upgrade when you have money, right?
"Ainar, go to the sanctuary and get your engraving."
"I don't have money."
"I'll lend it to you."
"...Th, thank you!!"
Ainar, who acted like she had received free money when she first borrowed money, gradually realized the weight of debt as the amount increased.
"When will I be able to earn money!!"
Well, maybe in a year?
Actually, I'm planning to decide on how to spend the big money after that too.
Anyway, it took three days to get the 3rd-stage engraving.
"You seem fine. Wasn't it painful?"
"It was!"
"But?"
"It's natural for a warrior to endure pain to become stronger!"
Uh, right... I see.
As expected, barbarians have a different mindset from ordinary people.
For reference, the engraving Ainar received is 'Slayer'.
It's a typical warrior engraving that provides bonuses to various combat stats.
She chose [Devour] as her 3rd-stage engraving skill.
It's a passive skill that recovers a certain amount of Soul Power when you kill a monster.
'Let's just get the 3rd stage for now and then upgrade it to the 6th stage in one go when we have money.'
Ah, Misha also grew during that time.
Did she feel a bit pressured seeing Ainar becoming stronger at a terrifying speed? Misha spent most of the money she earned on 'Beast's Blood'.
And as a result...
"Bjorn!! I finally did it!"
...she finally achieved her first Spirit Beast awakening.
The new ability she obtained is [Blessing of the Glacier].
It's an OP ability that halves the resource consumption cost when using cold-related skills or items.
'I can't believe this ability appeared before that sword...'
Could it be a reward for her past hardships?
Things have been going smoothly since we arrived on the 5th floor.
"But are you going to keep using that equipment?"
"It's enough for the 5th floor."
It's not like I haven't spent any money either.
I sold the expandable backpack I was using and used almost all the money I had to buy a subspace ring.
It's funny how the human mind works, but I started to feel uncomfortable with the expandable backpack.
'I'm going to change it later anyway, so it's better to buy it now.'
A personal backpack is essential in the labyrinth.
You never know when you might get separated from the team, right?
And most importantly, you can store fresh food in a subspace pocket.
'It's a world where you can do anything with money.'
I reaffirm my resolve to earn a lot of money and prepare to go out.
It's because I have an appointment with Rotmiller.
"Fortunately, you're on time today."
"I'm a navigator now."
"Huhu, I like your attitude."
I've been meeting with Rotmiller every day for the past few days, receiving navigator lessons.
Of course, it's not free.
Just like medieval blacksmiths and other professionals, asking them to teach you these skills for free is practically stealing.
I'm paying a hefty tuition fee every day.
"I haven't been to the 5th floor myself, so I can't tell you much about it. But I've studied a lot about it, so I can at least give you some advice. Ah, learning mapmaking will also be very helpful."
Basic knowledge for a scout.
And a few skills, know-how that only someone with experience can teach, special training to improve your sense of direction, and so on.
I'm gradually learning everything Rotmiller has systematized through years of effort.
"...Teaching you like this makes me think that it wouldn't be bad to open a training center."
"That's a good idea. I'm sure everyone would flock to learn from you."
"Haha, you flatter me..."
After the lesson with Rotmiller, I return to the inn and have dinner with everyone.
Ah, Erwen is also with us today.
"How do you always know we're here? We might have been out."
"Hmm... I just knew, I guess. A fairy's intuition?"
"Hmph, intuition my ass. You just keep coming until you find us."
"Misha is right! You liar!!"
"...Both of you, stop it."
Both of them become curt whenever Erwen is around.
It's understandable.
Barbarians naturally dislike fairies, and Misha just dislikes fairies.
'I wish they would get along since she might become our companion...'
Am I expecting too much?
'Maybe I should reconsider adding Erwen to the team.'
I also hear about Erwen's recent situation while we're eating.
It seems like her sister decided to have her join a clan she knows as a mercenary for a few months.
She said she'll be hunting on the 5th floor from now on.
Geez, the life of a rich kid.
"Then I'll be going! See you next week!"
After dinner, I go up to my room, wash up, and rest.
Although it's late, I don't sleep.
「The character's soul resonates and is drawn to a specific world.」
Because it's that day.
-x-X-x-