Wenix Carmilla.
After healing her injured eye with a potion, she glared at her half-brother with annoyance.
He had also recovered his severed arm with a potion.
"Seriously, if you had just done your job properly, this wouldn't have happened!"
"You think you weren't too hasty?"
"...Hasty? You think that moment, when it was just the two of us and that woman, would come again? It's not my fault! It's your fault for not stabbing properly!"
The man sighed at Carmilla's accusations.
There was no point in arguing here.
"More importantly, did we get the right item?"
"You're worried about that? Can't you feel it? The mana overflowing from this jewel?"
"...If I had that much mana aptitude, I would have become a mage."
"What? You're too stupid to be a mage, you know?"
Carmilla grumbled at her half-brother as usual, but she couldn't hide her smile.
"I wonder how much this will sell for?"
That was the reason why she could laugh, even though her eye had been stabbed just a moment ago.
Noark was practically gone.
She judged that it was wise to grab a share, even if it meant taking risks, and she was right.
"Let's go. Let's stop at a random island and rest before leaving. We can live like nobles for the rest of our lives."
Carmilla drove the drake that was gliding, trying to escape the island.
That's when...
"Wait."
The man stopped Carmilla.
"Suddenly, why?"
"We have to confirm if Rainwales is dead."
"What? We already got the item, why?"
Carmilla tilted her head, but the man said firmly.
He knew better after fighting her firsthand.
Amelia Rainwales was a monster, even calling her a monster wasn't enough. If the ambush hadn't succeeded, they probably wouldn't have been able to escape alive.
"If that woman survives, we'll have to live in fear even after returning to the city."
"Survive? Don't be ridiculous! How can she survive in that state? You stabbed her stomach with a poisoned sword!"
Carmilla shouted at the man's words.
But she also had some doubts, didn't she?
"...If you're really worried, let's go check. If she's dead or alive. Of course, I'm sure she's dead, but we were in a hurry to escape, so we didn't even get her equipment..."
They quickly agreed and rode the drake back down to the island. Fortunately, the other two companions who had gone to chase the others hadn't returned yet.
"...She was able to move in that state?"
Amelia was nowhere to be seen.
But she couldn't have gone far.
"There's a trail of blood. This way."
They followed the traces left behind.
However, the trail was much longer than expected, and at some point, it completely disappeared.
"...She intentionally erased the traces. To think she had the presence of mind to do that in that state."
"Wh, what do we do now?"
Carmilla's face turned pale.
If she had the presence of mind to erase the traces, then she might really have survived.
But there was nothing they could do.
"The chase ends here."
"Ends here?"
"That's right. We don't have a professional tracker among us. It's a waste of time to stay here any longer. Let's go back."
The man then took Carmilla back to where the battle had taken place.
And...
Crack!
He destroyed the stone that was placed on the altar in the center of the island.
"Wh, why did you suddenly destroy that? Are, are you mad at me...?"
"Mad at you? There's a reason for this. I'll explain later, let's just leave for now."
"But what—"
Carmilla couldn't finish her sentence.
Rumble!
Thunder roared and dark clouds gathered.
The wind also seemed to have gotten stronger.
「The offering of Parune Island has been destroyed.」
「The wrath of the sea engulfs the island.」
She suddenly felt like she didn't know this man.
__________________
Ainar and Erwen.
The moment they appeared, I wanted to run over and greet them, but I held back to maintain my dignity as the clan master.
"Ah, you're here."
A leader should have some weight, right?
"You're late."
"Sorry. But where are the others...?"
"They haven't arrived yet."
"What? They haven't arrived yet? We thought we were the last ones, could they be..."
"Stop."
I cut Erwen off.
"They'll be fine, so don't worry too much. Something must have happened, and they're just late."
After all, Ainar and Erwen arrived this late, but they were both fine.
Ah, in that sense, let's ask this first.
"So why are you two so late?"
"Actually..."
I listened to their reason for being late, thinking it might help me guess what happened to the others.
It wasn't a big deal.
They managed to swim to shore without losing consciousness, but Erwen lost her bow along the way.
"We kept looking around, hoping it might have washed ashore. And we ran into Ainar while we were doing that."
Hmm, I thought she didn't have a bow, so that's what happened.
But at least they were able to find Ainar thanks to that, right?
"That's what happened. Don't worry too much about the bow. You can use this for now."
I said so and took out a bow from my subspace pocket and handed it to Erwen.
"Huh? This is a bow made of Bortal wood? Where did you get such a precious item...?"
Wow, this is 4th-tier Bortal wood?
It looked expensive.
"I found it."
I briefly explained how I obtained it, and Erwen tilted her head.
But she soon understood.
"Um, but... who is this person?"
Erwen looked at the man in plain clothes and asked about his identity.
"He's from Noark."
"Wow, I see! I'll use this gratefully..."
Erwen expressed her gratitude with a bright face.
She really is a kind girl.
"It's good to see you reunited with your companions. My faith wasn't in vain."
The priestess then joined the conversation.
I introduced her as well.
"She's a priest from Partslan's team. Her name is Ersina. We met along the way and joined forces."
"Lyrine Ersina is my name."
"Ah, hello..."
Erwen awkwardly responded to the priestess's greeting and then looked at me.
"Did anything happen, mister?"
"What do you mean?"
"...Why didn't you kill him? You just broke his wrist?"
Erwen looked at Nebarche and asked me why I had spared him.
"He might be useful."
"Hmm, I see? Well, if you say so..."
I awkwardly laughed and ended the conversation.
Actually, there was another reason why I spared him.
Amelia Rainwales.
I didn't want to make an irreversible enemy out of her by killing him.
'It seems like their target was just Drowus.'
And according to Nebarche, something had happened to Amelia.
Maybe we could even form a temporary alliance.
The waves were about to start, and we needed as many people as possible for the final wave.
"Let's move."
We packed up and left.
Our destination was the eastern shore where the first boss would appear.
Damn, I didn't expect to be separated from everyone until the waves started.
What are they all doing?
This is making me anxious.
"Ainar, you watch this guy and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. I'll clear the path."
Just in case, I had Ainar watch Nebarche and prevent him from doing anything stupid.
And we increased our speed.
However...
「Killed Lanemut Warrior. EXP +3」
「Killed Conch Shell Horn. EXP +3」
「Killed Garvel...」
「...」
The monsters that came up from the sea were all over the island, slowing us down.
Well, they were still 7th-grade monsters, so we could handle them while moving...
'I hope we can meet up before the next wave.'
I felt a sense of urgency.
The next wave would be much stronger.
Even I would have a hard time handling it alone.
"...Will everyone be okay?"
Erwen muttered worriedly, seeing the sheer number of monsters.
I quickly reassured her, not wanting to jinx it.
"Don't worry, they'll be fine."
"But there are so many monsters..."
You think we can't handle it alone?
"I was able to make it here after meeting Ersina, right?"
Maybe Misha or Raven had also met someone and joined forces.
Well, even that wasn't without its worries.
'Damn it.'
I recalled my conversation with Nebarche.
Even if my companions ran into Partslan's team, it wasn't necessarily a good thing.
After all...
[How did they know we were coming to this island and ambush us?]
When I asked Nebarche that question, he answered.
[There was a traitor among them who told us about their exploration plan. Only Lady Rainwales knows who it is, though.]
There was a traitor among them.
_____________________
Arrua Raven looked at the bushes and widened her eyes.
"It's not who we were looking for..."
"..."
"...but this isn't bad either."
Fortunately, it was someone she knew.
"Raven, it's good to see you again."
"Partslan!"
Raven let out a sigh of relief and ran towards him.
"What happened? Why are you so injured? And who is that person on your back? Are they dead?"
Partslan smiled bitterly at her questions and gently laid the mage on his back down on the ground.
And he explained the situation.
"He's just unconscious, don't worry."
"Tha, that's a relief. So what happened?"
"...We were ambushed."
They were ambushed, barely escaped, and were separated from their companions.
So they were looking for their companions.
He then carefully asked for help.
"It's good to see you, even though it's not my companions. Can you help us?"
"Help you?"
"One of our companions is in the center of the island. He stayed behind to buy us time to escape. We have to go rescue him... but where's that barbarian?"
Partslan noticed that Raven's team wasn't in a normal state and tilted his head.
"What happened to your team? And why is that beastman archer soaking wet?"
"We were leaving the island, but a storm suddenly hit... and our boat capsized, so we were separated."
Raven then told him about their promise to meet in the center of the island, and Partslan's eyes sparkled.
"The center of the island? That's good. How about we go together? Those crazy bastards are roaming around the island, so it's much safer to go together."
He was suggesting they team up.
Raven thought for a moment and then answered.
"Okay, let's do that."
There was no reason to refuse.
-x-X-x-
The eastern shore, where reefs protruded haphazardly.
The place where the waves surged and crashed, shattering our boat.
"We've arrived."
The beach, already half-submerged by the rising tide, was teeming with monsters.
Lanemut warriors and shamans, representative sea monsters of the 6th floor.
Conch Shell Horns, which spat venom from afar.
And Garvels, which multiplied up to three times when killed.
"Bjorn, I'll help too!"
Seeing the scale of the horde, almost a hundred strong, Ainar expressed her concern and stepped forward.
Hey, you're supposed to be watching that guy.
"It's fine."
"What? But..."
But my ass.
Ah, right, I haven't shown her this after absorbing the new essence.
"Don't worry, this much is nothing."
I held my mace like a batter holding a baseball bat.
And...
"Erwen."
"Yes, what should I do this time?"
"Wind."
I activated Elemental Barbarian (Wind) Mode.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Spirit Transformation].」
Sharp winds, like blades, started swirling around my body.
「The Wind Spirit has been imbued into the character's body.」
「Evasion bonus added to all damage.」
「Magic damage taken is doubled.」
「Strong bonus added to penetration and slashing actions.」
「Agility greatly increased...」
The effect of this mode is simple.
It makes me faster and allows me to tank by dodging. If I were a damage dealer, my DPS would skyrocket.
Ah, but the important part is something else.
「All attack ranges are tripled.」
This is the biggest characteristic of Elemental Barbarian (Wind) Mode.
My normal attacks become AoE attacks. In other words, even a blunt weapon warrior like me can deal splash damage.
"Kieeek!"
The surrounding monsters, sensing my ominous aura, started swarming towards me.
But I just held my stance and waited for the right moment.
There's no need to swing twice.
One good swing is enough.
'Transcendence.'
When enough monsters had gathered, I immediately activated [Transcendence].
And...
「Character has cast [Swing].」
I swung my mace horizontally, like a skilled swordsman drawing his sword.
Whiiiiiish!
The sound of wind being torn apart.
And then...
Whooosh!
The mace in my hand elongated like a magical staff, growing in size proportionally.
The effect of Transcendence Swing.
「Strike range is tripled.」
This is why most characters in Dungeon and Stone can pull off insane plays in the late game.
It's mostly multiplicative calculations.
Kaboom!
Phew, that was satisfying.
After finishing [Swing], I looked around with a satisfied smile.
'This is the way to do it.'
There wasn't a single monster left alive.
_______________________
"Bjorn! How did you do that?! Teach me!"
"You can ask Erwen to do it for you later."
"So I can do it too if I have Erwen!"
"Yeah, something similar."
I gave Ainar, who was impressed by my new combo, a vague answer and then checked the sea.
My powerful attack had cleared most of the monsters on the shore.
"Mister, the waves! The waves are coming!"
We waited for a while on the empty beach, and then a tsunami-like wave surged towards us.
「The first Wrath of the Sea has begun.」
The effect that appeared when the first wave's mid-boss appeared.
"Siren! It's the Siren Queen!"
Priestess Ersina shouted, recognizing the monster surfing on the wave.
She seemed to know about this monster, having explored the 6th floor for a long time.
"A 4th-grade monster is on this island? Why...?"
Why, you ask?
Because someone here triggered the event.
"Everyone get behind me. Erwen, get ready to fight."
"Okay."
"What about me? Am I just going to watch again?"
"For now. I'll call you if I need you, so just wait."
"Alright!"
After briefly adjusting our formation, the Siren Queen finally arrived in front of us.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!"
She let out a scream that didn't match her beautiful face and thrust her trident at us.
Kwaaang!
Even her normal attack was quite powerful, as expected of a 4th-grade monster.
Well, there was another reason why she was classified as 4th-grade.
「Siren Queen has cast [Song of the Sea].」
「Character's stats are decreased.」
An aura that decreased stats proportionally to exposure time.
「Siren Queen has cast [Whirlpool].」
She also spat out whirlpools that drained MP on hit.
And...
「Siren Queen has cast [Proof of Loyalty].」
Every time her cooldown was up, she summoned more Sirens, 5th-grade monsters.
Not just one or two, but fifteen at a time.
'The typical debuff shaman type boss monster.'
She's not an easy opponent.
Unless we met her here.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
The Siren Queen's difficulty lies in her numbers.
Hundreds of Sirens usually guarded her.
But when she first arrived on the island, she was alone.
Of course, she would multiply if we just left her alone...
'But why do you think I came all the way here?'
I came here to kill her before she evolved into a raid boss, even giving up on searching for my companions.
"I'll help too! Give me a weapon! You can't handle a 4th-grade monster with just three people!"
Nebarche offered to join the fight, but I just ignored him.
Ainar did the same.
"What are you talking about? Bjorn is a great warrior!"
"Hey, great warrior or not, you can't handle that monster with just three people—"
"Bjorn, can I break this guy's mouth?"
"If he says one more word."
"Alright!"
"..."
Ainar's threat must have been effective, as Nebarche shut his mouth. Thanks to that, I could focus on the battle.
A priestess, the epitome of healing and buffs.
A spirit archer.
A tank barbarian.
We were practically fighting with just three people, but the boss fight progressed smoothly.
After all, we had a healer, a damage dealer, and a tank.
「Lyrine Ersina has cast [Blessing of the Sun].」
「5th-grade or lower debuffs are removed, and stats are increased proportionally.」
The priestess dispelled the stat decrease debuff at regular intervals.
Whiiiiiish!
The [Whirlpool] that drained MP on hit could be easily dodged with good control.
'Agility is so high, it's really convenient.'
Even the summon pattern wasn't that troublesome.
Erwen, who was circling me in spirit form, took care of them before they could even reach ten.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
My threat level was so high that they didn't even try to ignore me and attack the backline.
Therefore...
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
I just had to tank and DPS the Queen.
"Kieeek!"
After about 20 minutes of fighting...
「Siren Queen has been defeated. EXP +6.」
The Siren Queen, who had taken about thirty hits to the head, finally disappeared into particles of light.
I was hoping for an essence, but there wasn't one.
'If a summoner essence had dropped, I could have sold it for a fortune. Ah, but we don't even have a mage, so it doesn't really matter, does it?'
I dismissed my regret and lowered my mace.
And then I went to where my companions were with Erwen, who had deactivated [Spirit Transformation].
"...To think they really killed a 4th-grade monster with just three people."
Priestess Ersina still seemed to be in disbelief.
Nebarche was the same.
"They said he was a 5th-grade explorer..."
Nebarche trailed off and then looked at me with a strange gaze.
"So, you were hiding your true strength...?"
What the hell is this guy talking about?
I almost laughed, but I didn't bother explaining.
'It's ridiculous. This is just because the standards here are so low.'
It was one of the things I realized after the game became reality. Explorer rank in this world was just a minimum standard.
The guild only looked at the average grade of your essences, they didn't consider the synergy between them.
For example, Nebarche was a prime example.
'This guy was 4th-grade, right?'
He had a 4th-grade explorer badge.
It wasn't his real ID since he was from Noark, but he must have earned 4th-grade himself.
But he lost to me in less than 10 seconds.
My build was strong against ranged attackers in PvP, but...
'He's just weak.'
Most explorers in this world were like that.
They had high ranks, but they couldn't utilize their full potential.
'Come to think of it, the Dragonslayer was also like that.'
He had a high level and many essences because he had explored for a long time, but that was all.
His essence combination was a mess.
Honestly, I wouldn't even hesitate to call him a noob.
'It's like those guys who quit the game after a few days, complaining that it's a trash game.'
This game was about synergy, not just having high-grade skills.
[Gigantification] was the core skill, and everyone built their characters around it, finding ways to utilize it.
'The only one with a decent combination was the Corpse Collector.'
I was organizing my thoughts when...
"Hey, Yandel!"
"What? What is it?!"
'Wait, this voice...'
I hurriedly turned my head towards the source of the sound.
"Raven! Avman!!"
"Partslan! You're okay!"
Four people were emerging from the forest.
Phew, now only Misha is left.
____________________
"Yandel, Erwen, Ainar. It's good to see you all safe."
"Avman! You're okay too!!"
We exchanged brief greetings and then quickly shared information.
"What happened?"
"Ah, that?"
Raven's story was simple.
They started together with Avman, and then they encountered Partslan and his mage companion and moved towards the center of the island together.
They then found the note I had left behind, "Going east," and changed their direction.
"But why did it take you so long to get here? We waited for over two hours."
"Sorry. We got lost on the way..."
The reason for their delay was ridiculous.
Four people, and they couldn't find their way?
'Well, two mages, and he doesn't seem to be good at anything besides using a sword...'
And Avman was hopeless.
Yeah, it's not surprising that they got lost.
"But... where's Misha?"
"Misha is still missing."
"What? Still missing...?"
"Don't worry too much. You guys also just reunited, didn't you? She'll be fine. She's somewhere on this island."
I tried to dismiss their worries and then shifted my gaze.
Partslan, who had finished greeting his companion, was approaching me.
"I heard from Ersina what happened."
"You heard...?"
"Ah, no, I heard. You protected her all this time? Thank you."
"We have to help each other when we're in trouble. By the way, have you heard about the blond... no, Drowus?"
"Ah, about that... I heard. It's hard to believe that Drowus was from Noark. Can I ask him a few questions myself?"
Partslan politely asked if he could talk to Nebarche, and I readily agreed.
"Use him well and return him."
"Of course, I'll use him carefully."
Okay, then that's settled.
I listened to Partslan and Nebarche's conversation and then approached Raven.
And I whispered to her.
"Raven, you don't have to answer, just listen."
"...?"
"There's a traitor among them."
The one who betrayed the team and told Amelia that they were coming to this island.
Only Amelia knows who it is.
"I don't think he'll try anything in this situation, but just be aware. If you notice anything strange, let me know."
Raven nodded with a serious expression.
Okay, then information sharing is done.
"Hey, mage. What's your name?"
I approached the mage who was resting on the ground and asked his name. I thought I might find something suspicious if we talked.
Well, I should have...
"Ah, nice to meet you. My name is Aulock."
The mage smiled and extended his hand.
I froze.
Priestess Ersina, swordsman Partslan,
And the archer who hasn't arrived yet.
I haven't been able to figure out who the traitor is among the many suspects...
But I had a hunch.
"My name is Hans Aulock. Just call me Hans."
I got you, you bastard.
-x-X-x-
Hans Aulock.
From now on, he will be remembered as Hans J to me.
"Ha, Hans...?!"
"Hans...?"
The moment he revealed his name, Raven and Ainar flinched and stared at me.
They both knew.
What Hans meant to me.
"...Is there something wrong?"
Hans J looked flustered as their gazes focused on him.
I clenched my thigh tightly.
'Not now. I have to endure.'
I wanted to smash his head and turn him into an unnamed corpse.
That desire was consuming me.
But...
I had to endure.
I didn't have any proof that he was the traitor yet.
It was just a hunch.
If I told them about the ominous feeling Hans' name gave me, Partslan and Ersina wouldn't understand.
They still considered him a comrade.
Therefore...
"No, there's no problem."
I didn't do anything for now.
Even if he was the traitor, he wouldn't do anything stupid with so many people watching.
He would probably just stay quiet and wait until we returned to the city.
I had to observe him first.
"That doesn't seem to be the case..."
"I said there's no problem."
"Hmm, if you say so..."
Hans J frowned and stroked his chin.
I felt a bit bad, like I was bullying him...
"So you're just going to leave your hand hanging like that—"
But an unwanted handshake was crossing the line.
"Ah, Partslan! Are you done talking?"
I shifted my attention away from Hans J and changed the subject.
It seemed like they had also finished their conversation.
"Mostly. It seems like Drowus really was from that place... I always thought he was a bit strange."
"I see."
"So what are we going to do with him?"
"We'll take him with us for now."
"Alright."
Partslan surprisingly didn't object to taking Nebarche with us.
He almost died because of those guys.
Was he just trying to avoid causing trouble since he considered Nebarche my loot?
"Can I have everyone's attention?"
After our brief reunion, Raven called everyone together.
And we summarized the situation.
"We can't escape the island because of the waves. And monsters keep appearing."
"Those monsters, they seem to be getting stronger. We even encountered the Siren Queen earlier."
"Yes. Whatever happened on this island, it's definitely not normal. So, Partslan, do you know anything about this?"
Partslan hesitated for a moment before answering.
"...It seems like you already have a guess, so I'll be honest. We came to this island because of this."
He had heard about it from Drowus.
"I don't know the details, but... I heard we just have to endure until sunrise in two days."
"So it's not going to last forever."
Raven then presented two options.
"One is to find a place that's easy to defend and endure until then."
"And the second?"
"To search the island for our companions. We haven't found Misha yet, and Partslan's team is still missing their archer, right? If they're both stranded alone, it will be more dangerous as time passes."
I chuckled at Raven's words.
Why did she even bother presenting two options?
"So, what are we going to do?"
"We're going to find our companions."
I answered without hesitation, and Partslan agreed.
"I managed to escape, so Helga must have too. We have to go find her."
Let's first search the island for our companions.
That's when, as our course of action was almost decided...
Hans J interjected.
"Let's vote! How about we decide by voting?"
I couldn't believe it.
Even if his name was Hans, how could he say that in this situation?
"Ahem, ahem, maybe someone is against it but can't speak up."
"If that's the case, let's vote. Those who think we should go find our companions, raise your hands."
We didn't waste time and immediately started voting. Everyone raised their hands, and Hans J, after looking around, also raised his hand.
"Then it's settled."
Barbarian-style democracy is invincible.
___________________
Step, step.
I cleared the path, walking at a slightly faster pace.
Eight people followed behind me.
All the members of my clan except for Misha.
Partslan, Ersina, and Hans J, who had formed a temporary alliance with us.
And Nebarche Greenhope, our strategic prisoner.
'At least we have eight people now.'
If Misha and the archer from Partslan's team joined us, we should be able to clear this.
The priestess was a big help.
If she wasn't here, it would have been a nightmare.
"Misha! Can you hear me? Misha!"
"Heyna!"
After leaving the shore, we focused on finding our missing companions.
It wasn't an easy task.
The island itself wasn't that big...
Thwack, thwack!
Kaboom!
But monsters were appearing everywhere, slowing us down.
We were practically stuck fighting them.
「Sea Giant defeated. EXP +5.」
「Naga Archer defeated. EXP +5.」
「Serpent of Palpus defeated...」
「...」
A change occurred about 30 minutes ago.
The monsters' level had increased significantly.
Even with eight people, it was difficult to clear a path.
"..."
"..."
The atmosphere had become noticeably heavier.
No one said anything, but...
The reason for their gloomy expressions was obvious.
"With this many monsters..."
They were worried that our missing companions wouldn't be okay. Even if Misha and the archer had met and joined forces, they wouldn't be able to endure this monster wave with just two people.
But what could we do?
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
We had to keep moving, even if it meant facing unfavorable conditions. We had to swing our maces countless times just to take a few steps forward.
We hadn't confirmed anything yet.
Therefore...
Thwack, thwack, thwack!
We had to keep going.
Boom!
Blood splattered everywhere.
"..."
Our companions' heavy breathing.
Squelch! Thud.
The sickening sound of flesh being torn and bones being crushed. In the midst of that cacophony, someone muttered.
"...Shouldn't we stop now?"
It was Hans J's voice.
"Why isn't anyone saying anything? I don't want to be the bad guy, but... don't you all know?!"
I stopped walking.
Monsters were still swarming towards us, but...
"Know what?"
I turned around and faced him.
"Tell me clearly. Before I misunderstand."
"Think logically! Don't you realize it's too late?!"
Yeah, you're a smart mage, aren't you?
That's good.
I've been wanting to break his neck since we met. And now he's spouting this nonsense in front of a barbarian?
This is a good excuse.
Therefore...
"Gahk!"
I grabbed his neck.
"Hey, Yandel!"
Raven screamed as I attacked my teammate.
Partslan, who was fighting alongside me at the front, also left the monsters and ran towards me.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
He didn't use honorifics anymore.
And seeing that...
"You, one more step and I'll kill you."
Ainar also entered battle mode, blocking Partslan's path.
Erwen did the same.
Swoosh.
She didn't say anything, and she continued to shoot arrows at the monsters. But she had moved behind the priestess.
If a fight broke out, she would kill the priestess first.
"Ev, everyone, stop!"
Raven shouted in panic.
"Yandel, snap out of it."
Avman pushed back the monsters with his large crossbow and tried to calm me down. All of this had happened in just three seconds after I grabbed the mage's neck.
'Damn it.'
What am I doing?
This wasn't like me.
Thud.
I loosened my grip on Hans J's neck and threw him to the ground. My sudden outburst had broken our formation, and monsters were swarming towards us.
"Sorry. I got a bit carried away."
"...We'll talk about this later."
I returned to the front lines, and Partslan silently joined me, fighting the monsters.
"Phew..."
The tension that almost led to a brawl had dissipated.
But things were different now.
"..."
"..."
We were fighting together, but we were also wary of each other.
And that slowed us down even more.
Well, at least Hans shut his mouth.
'Misha...'
I had to find Misha as soon as possible.
'Damn it.'
As we were painstakingly searching the island...
"Mister! A body!"
We found a corpse.
_______________________
My heart sank the moment I saw the body.
My vision blurred, and my mind went blank. But that feeling soon turned into relief.
It wasn't Misha.
"Heyna...!"
It was the archer from Partslan's team.
Partslan ran towards her lifeless body.
And...
"Damn it!"
He punched the ground in frustration after checking her breathing.
A white wave of energy emanated from the center of our formation.
「Lyrine Ersina has cast [Declaration of Evil's End].」
[Declaration of Evil's End], one of the priestess' core skills.
It was a kind of barrier.
It couldn't block humans, but it prevented monsters from approaching for a certain period of time.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!]
In other words, we were safe for now.
Therefore, I also approached the body and examined it.
The archer wasn't the only one.
There was another body next to hers.
"Who is this?"
I dragged the confused Nebarche over and asked him, and he said it was his companion.
My mind went blank.
'What... what the hell happened here?'
I could understand the archer's death.
But why was this guy's body next to hers?
"Raven, what's the cause of death?"
"There are too many bite marks to be sure, but... it seems like the stab wound in the abdomen was fatal."
Yeah, that's what I thought.
"A stab wound..."
Heyna was an archer.
But she was stabbed to death?
That didn't make sense.
"What about the other woman? Can you tell what killed her?"
"I don't know. She's even more mangled..."
"But if you had to guess?"
"...There's a large claw mark. But that's strange too. I haven't seen any monsters that could leave a mark like that. It's like she was torn apart by a giant monster..."
"Any guesses?"
"There are three claw marks, and the wounds are deep. It's usually the pattern you see when someone is attacked by a bird-type monster like a wyvern."
"I see."
This was getting more complicated.
"So it wasn't a monster."
"Yes... I think so."
Raven nodded in agreement.
The bodies were stripped of all their equipment.
"Partslan, did she have a subspace pocket?"
"No, she didn't. Someone took it."
Now there were two possibilities.
There was another explorer on this island that we didn't know about.
Or...
'There was a conflict within Noark.'
Slap!
I slapped the dazed Nebarche.
"Snap out of it. I have something to ask you."
"Do you have any idea who did this?"
"Carmilla and Belverson. Those two bastards."
"Tell me more."
Nebarche then told me that Belverson used a sword and Carmilla summoned a drake.
"But then why did they kill your companion too?"
"I, I don't know. Maybe they wanted the treasure. Or maybe Lady Rainwales..."
Hey, I don't have time to take care of your mental state.
"Tell me about the treasure."
I grabbed his hair and forced him to look at me, then asked him about the part I had glossed over earlier.
It wasn't much.
"I don't know anything besides the fact that it was passed down through the Lord's family for generations. Ah, ah! There's a legend that whoever obtains it can change history!"
Change history?
Was it really that powerful?
It sounded like a legend, so I had to take it with a grain of salt.
'But it must be important enough for them to send Amelia to retrieve it.'
They had a motive.
Noark had already left for the outside world.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to pull off a heist and start a new life in the city.
"Aulock, I'll leave Heyna to you."
"Ah, leave it to me..."
Hans J cast a preservation spell on the archer's body and then put it in his subspace pocket. That was the end of the body retrieval.
"...Yandel, so what are we going to do now?"
Partslan, ever the explorer, quickly recovered and asked me about our next plan.
But I couldn't say anything.
"Are we going to keep looking for Misha?"
I knew we shouldn't, but I couldn't bring myself to say it.
"We still have some time, but it's going to get more dangerous."
I knew it rationally.
Our stamina was being drained from constantly moving.
And we had to be wary of those two bastards, Carmilla and Belverson.
It would be much better to find a defensible location and conserve our strength.
But...
'What about Misha...?'
I couldn't think rationally.
'Maybe that's why...'
I suddenly had a thought.
Maybe Misha broke up with me because she knew this about me.
If our relationship had deepened that day...
I wouldn't even be thinking about this now. I would probably be running around like crazy, driven by my emotions.
Like when I lost my temper earlier.
"Yandel..."
I took a deep breath.
And I looked around.
Raven, Erwen, Ainar, Avman.
My precious companions were looking at me with worried expressions.
It was time for me to make a decision as their leader.
"Everyone, put down your weapons. We'll rest until the barrier is deactivated."
I felt like my stomach was churning.
-x-X-x-
After I came to my senses, I apologized first.
"Mage, I'm sorry about earlier."
Hans J, who had almost died from being choked by me, frowned but accepted my apology.
He knew.
That if there was a conflict within our group, his life would also be in danger.
"...Since you apologized, I won't mention it again."
After the mage accepted my apology, Partslan stepped in to mediate.
"Bjorn Yandel, I don't blame you. I understand how you feel. To be honest, Aulock made a mistake."
"Partslan, what mistake did I make? I just said what needed to be said."
"...But you could have said it more politely."
Partslan surprisingly defended me.
Well, he almost died because of those guys.
He probably didn't want to cause trouble by criticizing me, since he considered Hans J my loot.
"Ahem, let's end this here."
"Yes, I agree."
I gritted my teeth, still annoyed, and the conversation ended.
It was a good thing.
If we continued talking, it might have happened again.
"So what are we going to do now?"
Partslan, who had switched back to informal language, asked me about our next plan. I didn't nitpick since I knew I was in the wrong.
"Like I said, we'll rest until the barrier is deactivated."
"And then?"
"We'll find a better location and defend there. Like Raven said."
"I see. Alright."
After our rough plan was decided, everyone lay down on the ground to recover their stamina.
And after some time...
"The divine protection will soon end."
"Alright. Good work. Everyone get up."
After [Declaration of Evil's End] was deactivated, we searched the area for a defensible location.
We found a flat area with a cliff at the back. We only had to defend three sides.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
We defended against the monsters there.
Contrary to my worries, it wasn't that dangerous yet. I had expected a higher difficulty since the event started at the highest level...
"Bertia Sebnu Helheyburns!"
But the mage's performance was incredible.
Well, to be precise, it was Hans J's performance.
Mages are strong in AoE battles. And Raven was also doing her part as a mage.
However...
「Hans Aulock has cast the 4th-grade attack spell [Chain Lightning].」
Hans J was on another level.
Crackle, crackle. Boom!
Every time he cast a spell, monsters, even 5th-grade ones, were killed or knocked unconscious.
At least fifteen at a time.
'...He finished casting Chain Lightning in 15 seconds? What the hell is this guy?'
I was bewildered by his high-level magic, and I asked Partslan, who was fighting next to me, about him.
"Ah, didn't you know? Aulock is a 4th-grade mage from the Benocturn School."
The Benocturn School, which focused on elemental magic research.
A 4th-grade mage who was a top-tier player even within that school.
'No wonder his equipment looked expensive.'
I was a bit worried that he might cause trouble later, but I decided to think about it later.
Yeah, what can he do if he's angry?
I'm a noble too.
At least my status isn't lower than his.
"Ersina, cast the barrier."
"Yes."
Anyway, Hans J's performance was impressive, but the MVP of this defense event was the priestess.
「Lyrine Ersina has cast [Declaration of Evil's End].」
If she wasn't here, we wouldn't even have time to rest.
"Phew, mister. Come over here. I've laid out a sleeping bag for you."
"Thank you."
We fought the monsters, and when we started to get tired, we immediately cast the barrier and recovered our stamina and MP.
And after we were ready, we deactivated the barrier and resumed hunting.
We repeated this for about four hours.
「The second Wrath of the Sea has begun.」
The second wave had started.
______________________
Rain started falling, and soon it turned into a downpour.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
It was like a monsoon season.
"...Rain?"
My companions were confused by the weather change, something we had never experienced in the labyrinth. But Partslan's team, who had explored the 6th floor for a long time, was different.
"Why is it raining now...?"
They weren't surprised by the rain itself.
But...
"This is going to be troublesome."
They frowned and sighed.
They all knew.
How difficult it was to fight in the rain in the labyrinth.
First, the rain reduced visibility.
And the raindrops falling on our eyelids made it hard to focus.
Also, the temperature dropped, so we could get hypothermia if we were exposed to the rain for too long...
And it was easier to drop our weapons with wet hands.
There wasn't a single positive aspect.
"This is going to be a pain..."
Everyone sighed and complained about their bad luck, but I was different.
I knew it wasn't just bad luck.
'It will be here in about 30 minutes.'
The rain meant that the second wave had started.
And the mid-boss would soon appear.
It always targeted the largest group first.
"Everyone stay close and fight!"
I gave the order and then got used to the changed environment while fighting the monsters until the mid-boss arrived.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
It was my first time experiencing rain in the labyrinth.
'It's even more annoying than I thought.'
The ground was slippery, and the mud made it hard to walk. And the water-type monsters were even more energetic in the rain.
Thwack!
I gripped my mace even tighter, worried about dropping it.
And after some time...
"Hey, Yandel! Over there! Over there!"
A giant lizard appeared from the front.
[Groooooooooar!]
Guano Sea Serpent.
A 4th-grade monster with four legs, brown moss-covered scales, and a fat tail.
Its most notable characteristic was [Stench].
「Character has been exposed to [Stench].」
「All continuous damage effects are doubled, and the character is immune to 'Purification' while exposed to [Stench].」
The passive skill that made it a core essence for curse shaman builds.
"Ugh! Ugh..."
As expected of the monster we called the 'Shit Lizard', everyone started gagging the moment it appeared.
'What the hell is that smell...'
Even a barbarian with a strong stomach felt dizzy from the intense [Stench].
I held my breath and focused.
It was a 4th-grade monster like the Siren Queen, but the situation was different.
'...I just have to be careful not to make any mistakes.'
Monsters were swarming around us.
And unlike the Queen, who needed summons to be effective, this guy was strong on his own.
And we had to split our forces.
I quickly divided the group into two.
"Partslan, Ainar, you two focus on that side!"
The two melee attackers were assigned to the left and right flanks to deal with the trash mobs.
Just in case, I also told Hans J and Avman to focus on clearing trash mobs instead of the boss.
And the rest...
"Get behind me!"
It was a kind of raid strategy.
Our goal was to kill the boss while the trash mob team held them off.
[Groooooooooar!]
The boss, who had been watching from afar, charged towards us, its horned head leading the way. I blocked its head with my shield, and the battle began.
The fight itself was smooth.
「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Plague of the Sea].」
Erwen and Raven intercepted the suicide bomber spirits.
Boom!
Well, I was afflicted with a status effect from the blood splattered by the exploding spirits...
「Character has been infected with [Scurvy].」
「All healing effects are halved, and the character takes continuous poison damage.」
But it was nothing the priestess' healing couldn't handle.
「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Origin of the Deep Sea].」
「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Submerge].」
「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Rain Dance]...」
「...」
Its other patterns were similar.
Some were countered by magic, some by divine power.
And some...
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
...by the barbarian's brute force.
We endured the patterns and continued the fight.
Of course, it wasn't easy, even though there weren't any major incidents.
"Hey, Yandel! You have to dodge that!"
The Guano Sea Serpent was known for its high HP. The battle dragged on, and there were a few close calls.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has taken damage exceeding the allowed amount.」
「[Spirit Transformation] is deactivated.」
Erwen was even knocked unconscious from taking too much damage. And the priestess, who had been using half-powered heals, ran out of divine power.
But it didn't matter now.
We had succeeded in killing it.
「Guano Sea Serpent defeated. EXP +6.」
Hans J, who had joined the boss team, unleashed his Chain Lightning.
The boss's massive body finally collapsed and disappeared into particles of light.
And...
"We, we defeated it...? Huh?"
Everyone tilted their heads.
"What, what?! Hey, Yandel!"
"An essence!!"
An essence had dropped.
_______________________
4th-grade monsters were rare even on the 6th floor.
We had to sail far out to sea to encounter them, and they were so few in number that it was impossible to hunt dozens a day like 5th-grade monsters.
In other words, it was difficult to obtain their essences.
"It's been a while since I've seen a 4th-grade essence."
Partslan, who had explored the 6th floor for a long time, looked excited.
He was acting like it was his essence, even though it wasn't.
'Damn it, of all things...'
I sighed, trying to hide my disappointment.
There wasn't anyone on our team who could use this essence, but it was still valuable.
It would sell for a fortune.
"Raven, put the essence in a test tube."
"Ah, yes!"
Raven quickly took out a test tube from her subspace pocket.
And as she was about to store the essence...
"Wait, shouldn't we ask if anyone wants it first?"
Partslan stopped her.
I was surprised.
There were only a priestess and a mage on his team. Even if they bid, it would just be Partslan...
"You're not thinking that we don't have a share, are you?"
Ah, that's what he wanted to say.
Yeah, a swordsman wouldn't want this essence.
"Don't worry. We'll sell it and split it equally."
"Hmm, if you say so."
He stepped back after I said what he wanted to hear.
That settled the distribution issue.
"So, can I put it in now?"
Raven asked for confirmation, holding the test tube, and everyone nodded.
That's when...
"By the way, the rain has stopped."
"This is a strange coincidence. Maybe the rain was related to the Guano Sea Serpent."
Partslan and Hans J were talking, and I looked up at the sky.
The rain had stopped after the Guano Sea Serpent was defeated.
That wasn't a problem...
"Wait... what's that? It seems to be getting closer..."
A black flying object was falling from the sky, spewing flames.
"A, a drake!!"
Damn it.
I cursed inwardly and shouted.
"Battle stations!!"
The wolves had arrived.
-x-X-x-
Confusion and surprise.
Despite those emotions, my mind analyzed the information conveyed through my vision.
'A drake.'
Drakes don't appear on this island.
Then how was this possible?
The answer lay in our previous conversation.
[Carmilla and Belverson. It must be those two bastards.]
The two looters who had betrayed Amelia for the treasure. Carmilla, the woman, was said to summon a drake.
Okay, so we know who they are.
Whoosh!
The flames spewing from the drake's mouth confirmed their hostility.
Therefore, there was only one thing I had to do.
"Battle stations!!"
I shouted, gripping my mace tightly.
My companions, used to similar situations, reacted immediately.
"Everyone, gather here!"
Raven hurriedly cast a spell, not even having time to put the test tube away.
"Alerbes Wiar!"
The 7th-grade support spell 'Magic Barrier'.
The most commonly used defensive spell among mages. But the translucent barrier that appeared in the air had a blue frost covering it.
'She even added a frost attribute in that short amount of time?'
Her casting speed had really improved since she became an explorer.
Whooosh!
The drake's flames hit the magic barrier and spread out like raindrops on an umbrella.
We had bought some time.
'Erwen is incapacitated. Ersina is out of divine power, and Raven doesn't have much mana left. Even I'm running low on MP.'
I quickly assessed our situation during that brief moment.
It wasn't good.
Most of us were exhausted from the battle with the Guano Sea Serpent.
'This won't be easy.'
I was thinking that when...
Kaboom!
The flames suddenly stopped, and the drake slammed into the magic barrier.
A full-body tackle.
The most basic skill of a tamer.
Crackle!
The 7th-grade defensive spell couldn't withstand the drake's charge, amplified by its momentum.
「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Dangerous Substance].」
The moment they appeared beyond the shattered barrier, Avman shot an explosive arrow at the drake's forehead.
But...
Kaboom!
The drake curled up, protecting itself with its wings, and took minimal damage.
Well, I didn't expect it to die from one hit anyway.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
I activated [Gigantification] and charged towards the drake, which was hovering in midair after blocking the arrow.
Thud.
The distance between us closed quickly.
"Carmilla, I'll take care of the barbarian."
The man riding on the drake's back jumped down and thrust his sword at me.
A white aura surrounded the blade.
It wasn't the same as the knights' Aura, but...
'Damn, that's going to hurt.'
My instincts as a tank told me.
It would be dangerous to just ignore it and charge.
Therefore, I raised my shield and blocked the sword.
Kwaaang!
A heavy impact reverberated through my shield.
'Good thing I blocked that.'
My charge was stopped by a single sword.
I even saw a scratch on my shield.
If I had taken it head-on, I would have been seriously injured.
"A 5th-grade explorer, you said?"
What the hell is this guy talking about?
I only had one thing to say to him.
"Die."
I swung my mace without hesitation, and he backflipped off my shield, landing on the ground.
He thinks he's a flying squirrel?
Thud.
I landed and immediately dashed towards him.
The drake spat out another burst of flames.
But I wasn't worried.
I wasn't alone.
"We'll take care of that!"
Raven's defensive magic blocked the flames, and Avman shot another arrow, keeping the drake occupied.
Therefore...
Thud.
I dashed again...
Whooosh!
And swung my mace.
[Swing].
"..."
He tried to block it at first, but he sensed something and retreated, withdrawing his sword.
Damn, he has good instincts.
'If he had blocked that, I would have smashed him to pieces.'
I was clicking my tongue in disappointment when I heard Avman shout from behind.
"Yandel, I'll take care of him!"
"Alright, I'll leave him to you."
And so, the battle lines were drawn.
Carmilla, the summoner, was being attacked by Raven, Avman, Partslan, and Hans J.
"Woohoo! Leave the monsters to me!"
Ainar, oblivious to the situation, was busy dealing with the trash mobs.
And I...
"Why are you running away after attacking me?"
...was facing the swordsman, Belverson. Well, I had one thing to tell them before the real fight began.
"Raven, activate the Voice Control spell!"
I closed the distance between us and told Raven to use the team voice magic.
Ah, with one condition.
"Only for us? Why...?"
"Just do it."
"Okay, now only we can hear each other."
Okay, good.
After confirming that the team voice was working, I quickly relayed my instructions. The others seemed confused, but...
"I don't know why you're saying this, but I understand. I'll do as you said."
I wasn't worried that they wouldn't follow my orders.
In other words, now we just had to do our jobs.
Thud.
I dashed again, closing the distance between us.
The woman riding the drake had tried to help her companion a few times, but Raven and Hans J blocked her, and now she was fighting them.
"Damn it, I'll get you for this!"
From now on, it was a one-on-one match.
But it wasn't as easy as when I dealt with the archer.
There were several reasons.
First, he wasn't a squishy ranged attacker, and he was much stronger than the archer.
And most importantly...
「Character's Soul Power is insufficient.」
「[Gigantification] is deactivated.」
I had run out of MP from the previous battles, so I couldn't just crush him with skills.
Damn it, if I was in top condition, I would have already finished him off.
"You were good, but this is the end!"
As soon as [Gigantification] was deactivated, he closed the distance and swung his sword at me. He was skilled in PvP, perhaps because he was from Noark. He aimed for a spot that was difficult to block with my shield.
But...
'He doesn't know about [Iron Hide].'
The Ogre's passive skill [Iron Hide] doubled my Physical Resistance against slashing attacks.
Clang!
The sword pierced my arm, but it didn't go any deeper.
Now it was my turn.
Whooosh!
As soon as I felt the blade touch my skin, I swung my mace at his temple.
Thwack!
I heard a satisfying sound of flesh being crushed.
However...
"Ugh."
It wasn't his head that exploded, but his left arm, which he had raised to block the blow.
Well, I guess it's better to lose an arm than your head.
He was smart enough to make that judgment.
'Let's do it again.'
I swung my mace again, not giving him time to recover.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!]
But I had to retreat because a monster was charging at me from the side.
Damn it, this was my chance.
"...So it was the Ogre's essence."
He seemed to have figured out [Iron Hide]. He started using more thrusting attacks, only using slashing as a feint.
'A quick victory is impossible now.'
The battle became more difficult, and I started taking more damage.
And he had poisoned his blade. The wounds didn't heal, even after Raven threw me a potion.
But I dismissed my impatience.
'Let's recover MP first.'
Time for a change of plans.
I focused on defending and figuring out his essences.
And then I would finish him off.
I was holding out, waiting for the right moment, when...
"Hans Aulock!"
A woman's voice came from afar.
It was the woman riding the drake, who had been shooting various projectiles.
"Stop interfering and help us!"
I felt a sense of déjà vu.
This situation was similar to what happened in the Doppelganger Forest.
"Wh, wh, what are you talking about?!"
"Don't you know? I'm the one who told her about you."
The enemy was from 'Noark'.
"Everyone, don't listen! That wicked woman is trying to trick us!"
"Yeah? Then listen up! Hans Aulock murdered the daughter of Count Montrina twelve years ago and covered it up!"
The enemy revealed Hans' secret and tried to persuade him to betray us.
"What cunning words! Do you think we would believe that?!"
Even though his companions denied the betrayal, Hans had no choice but to make a decision.
But...
"Iherno Kar Berdei..."
The outcome was completely different from that day.
Thud.
Before Hans J could finish casting his spell, a dagger pierced his chest.
"Gahk..."
It was an incredibly fast reaction.
Thud.
As soon as Hans J collapsed, the woman who had tried to persuade him widened her eyes.
"Wh, how...?"
How?
I had told them beforehand.
If he tried anything funny, stab him.
____________________
It was Erwen who had stabbed Hans J in the back.
Well, she was injured and couldn't fight properly...
But killing a mage was easy.
Especially if she was prepared and standing right behind him.
"Y, you! Why did you kill him?!"
The priestess, who couldn't believe what had just happened, was shocked. She still seemed to think that Hans J was innocent.
"Why? He's a traitor."
"That's just a lie! We haven't even confirmed it yet...!"
"But he was casting a spell."
Erwen's blunt words made the priestess flinch.
"He might not have been aiming for us..."
She wasn't wrong.
We didn't know if Hans J's spell was really targeting us.
But humans are rational beings.
"What? You really think so?"
Hans J would have understood.
They might think it was a lie now, but they would have doubts later.
And they might even investigate, so...
The best way to silence them was to kill them all.
'Anyway, he really was the traitor.'
I didn't have any proof, so I thought he might be innocent...
Hans is truly a science.
"Bjorn Yandel! You have to say something!"
The priestess turned to me, but I only had one thing to say.
"Good job, Erwen."
"Thank you. I just did what you told me to do."
Yeah, but the important thing is that she did it well. Avman and Raven had also received my instructions, but they couldn't act as quickly as Erwen.
Because killing someone is irreversible.
No matter how prepared you are, there's a psychological barrier.
'Maybe she's the most reliable one in this situation...'
I raised my shield, thinking about Erwen's potential.
And a white blade pierced it.
Kwaaang!
Damn it, he's not giving me any time to think.
Well, he must be in a hurry after his secret weapon failed.
"Partslan! Partslan! Say something! That fairy killed Aulock!"
"Ersina, let's talk about that later. He might have really been trying to betray us."
Fortunately, Partslan wasn't as naive as the priestess. He seemed surprised at first, but he thought my actions were justified.
Yeah, that's right.
He was clearly trying to betray us.
'Okay, then we've safely overcome the betrayal pattern...'
We returned to our positions and resumed fighting.
"Yandel! Avman...!"
But then something happened.
-x-X-x-
The line between life and death.
Sometimes it's drawn slowly, sometimes in an instant.
For explorers, it's usually the latter.
Most injuries can be healed with potions or divine power. So unless you suffer a fatal blow or your entire team is wiped out, you usually survive.
Well, there are exceptions.
"Ugh, come on, wake up."
When potions and divine power don't work.
That happens sometimes.
Liol Wobu Dwarkey, the mage of Team Misfits.
He left a will for his companions as he faced certain death, and Misha and the others felt a deep sense of loss.
But there was a clear difference between then and now.
"Hey, miss, please..."
This wasn't a precious companion, but a stranger.
And it wasn't certain death like Dwarkey's case.
There was still a chance she could survive.
Whether she lived or died depended entirely on this red-haired woman and Misha.
"Wake up!"
Misha shouted, swinging her sword frantically.
Slash!
She cut down the monsters swarming from the shore.
But they kept coming.
She was reaching her limit.
If she didn't leave now, she might never see Bjorn again.
But she couldn't carry the woman and move.
Slash!
She couldn't carry her and fight through the monsters.
The woman had to wake up and at least be able to walk, even if it was slowly, for Misha to clear a path.
"I'm at my limit...!"
Misha shouted again, hoping her voice would reach the woman's unconscious mind.
That's when...
"You..."
The woman, who had been lying motionless, opened her eyes.
"You're awake! How are you feeling? Can you move?"
Misha asked excitedly, but the woman just mumbled, as if trying to process the situation.
"So you've been protecting me..."
"Yes! But I can't do this anymore! We have to get to a safe place. Can you walk?"
The woman's answer came after a brief pause.
"I can't move."
"What?!"
"But I can handle these monsters. Take out the item I told you about from my pocket."
She spoke calmly, as if she wasn't dying.
Misha stopped fighting and hurriedly retreated, opening the woman's expandable pouch.
And she took out the item the woman had mentioned.
"A scroll? What does this scroll do?"
"Declaration of Evil's End."
Misha was truly surprised.
Not just an ordinary magic scroll, but a divine scroll? How did this woman obtain such a rare item?
She had many questions, but they weren't important.
"Ugh, why didn't you tell me sooner...!"
Misha quickly tore the scroll, and a translucent barrier imbued with divine power blocked the monsters.
Finally, a moment of respite.
"Phew, I can finally breathe. Hey, so what's your relationship with Bjorn?"
Misha approached the woman and asked the question that had been on her mind.
But...
"I, I'm..."
"...So you and Bjorn...?"
"..."
"...Hey! You're not sleeping, are you? Wake up! Ugh!"
Misha shook the woman's shoulder, but then she realized she was injured and stopped.
And she sighed, collapsing to the ground.
Now that she had time to breathe, she started worrying about her companions again.
"...I hope they're all okay."
A cold wind blew from the sea.
It was humid and carried the salty scent of the ocean.
Swaaaaaaaaaa.
She felt unusually anxious today.
____________________
Injuries are common in battles.
Even if no one makes a mistake.
That's why explorers are superstitious.
They know.
That injuries are inevitable in battle, and sometimes the severity of those injuries depends on 'luck'.
"Yandel! Avman...!"
What happened to Avman today was similar.
The drake's claw broke Partslan's sword, which was blocking its attack.
And the broken blade flew towards Avman and pierced his body.
It wasn't his fault.
If he had been faster, he could have dodged it, but no one would call that a mistake.
He was just unlucky.
"Blood...! The bleeding won't stop...!"
Some people survive a 10-floor fall with a stroke of luck, while others die from a simple slip.
[Dungeon and Stone] faithfully reflected the absurdity of reality, and I had enjoyed that aspect of the game.
Until I woke up in this body.
"Priestess! Please heal him...!"
The problem was where the blade had pierced him.
It missed his heart, but the sharp shard had penetrated his lung and gone through.
A penetrating wound that caused the most bleeding.
And his internal organs were damaged.
「Lyrine Ersina has cast [Heal].」
The priestess used the last of her divine power to heal him, but it was useless.
「The target is currently designated as a [Dragon's Sacrifice].」
「All regeneration effects are nullified.」
The 5th-grade monster Drake's active skill.
That damn summoner had cast it as soon as she saw Avman's injury.
"Where are you looking, barbarian?"
Damn it.
Kwaaang!
I wanted to run over and check on Avman, but I couldn't.
And neither could they.
"I'll take care of Avman, so everyone focus on fighting!"
They realized they couldn't do anything for Avman, so they left him with Erwen and resumed the battle.
But the situation wasn't good.
"..."
Hans J, the mage, was gone.
And Partslan, who was trying to fill his shoes, had lost his weapon.
And then misfortune struck again.
The shard from the broken sword had pierced Avman, further reducing our numbers.
"Nebarche, was it?"
"Yes..."
"Here's your bow. You should fight too."
"...Are you sure?"
"You don't want to die here, do you?"
Erwen gave Nebarche his bow, but it didn't change the situation.
"Let's go, Yongyong! Just a little longer!"
A 5th-grade drake.
And a summoner who had stacked buff and support essences on top of that.
This was a high-difficulty battle.
It was practically the same as fighting a 4th-grade monster, and we were in terrible condition.
Erwen was out of MP and spirit power, and the priestess had run out of divine power.
And Partslan, our main tank, had lost his sword.
Adding one archer wouldn't make a difference.
'It's impossible to rely on them.'
I had to admit it.
The situation had changed.
And we had to change our strategy.
I was originally planning to play it safe, figure out their essences, and drag out the fight...
'But we don't have time.'
Avman wouldn't last long.
We had to end the battle quickly and dispel the drake's skill.
And to do that...
'I have to make a sacrifice.'
I had to make a decision.
What to discard and what to gain.
I had already made my calculations.
Then what about the enemy?
"Your companion is down, you must be desperate, barbarian!"
That arrogant bastard, already celebrating his victory, what would he sacrifice to stop me?
'I'll find out soon.'
I shouted and charged forward.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
I didn't feel the usual surge of energy. I didn't have enough MP to use [Wild Release].
But the ancestor god would still be with me.
He favors warriors who charge with wild abandon.
Well, maybe not.
Whiiiiiish!
He thrust his sword at me as I closed the distance.
It was a familiar pattern.
He thrusts, I block.
That used up my turn, and he would stab me in the arm or leg and then retreat.
That was how the fight had been going.
But...
'I'm not blocking this time.'
I ignored his sword and swung my mace.
Now it was his turn to make a decision.
What would he do?
"..."
He was surprised by the sudden change in the fight and hurriedly retreated.
Damn, he's not playing along.
'I knew you would do that.'
I had anticipated this, so as soon as he retreated, I changed direction and charged towards the drake.
'Leap.'
I used [Leap], spending the little MP I had recovered.
Kaboom!
A cloud of dust erupted from the landing point.
I wasn't in [Gigantification] state, so there was no [Recoil].
But that wasn't important.
[Groooowl?]
The drake looked at me with its mouth wide open.
Try spitting venom at me, you bastard.
Thwack!
I smashed its snout with my mace.
[Gwaaaark!]
Its head snapped back, but it wasn't a significant blow to a large monster like a drake.
But that wasn't my goal.
I was aiming for the woman riding on its back.
"Damn it! You can't even block one attack?!"
The summoner shouted in frustration.
I pushed off the ground again, like a spring.
And at that moment...
Thud.
A sword pierced my back.
It was that bastard.
He had caught up already?
"Why are you so late?!"
The summoner whined as I froze, the sword embedded in my back.
I was confused.
"Why."
You think I can't move?
It's not like I was stabbed in the neck.
Swoosh.
I took a step forward, the sword still embedded in my back.
And at the same time...
Whooosh!
I swung my mace down.
My target was the summoner's head.
Thud!
The sword was pulled out, and my body flinched, but my arm didn't stop.
But in that instant...
Whiiiish.
He thrust his sword again.
Thud!
It pierced my elbow.
The joint shattered, and my grip loosened.
This bastard, he's good at PvP.
'Flesh Explosion.'
I gave up on my useless arm.
Boom!
He knew about [Acidic Fluid], but he didn't expect this.
Sizzle!
"Aaaaaaargh!!"
He screamed and retreated, covered in my flesh and blood.
This is why the Corpse Golem essence is so good.
It's a rare essence, so most people don't know about it.
And it uses HP as a cost, which is useful in situations like this.
Clank.
My mace fell to the ground.
It didn't matter.
My shield was also a weapon.
Thwack!
The summoner screamed and fell off the drake, rolling on the ground.
Her arm was bent at a strange angle.
I was a bit disappointed.
If I had hit her head, she would have died instantly.
But the drake was thrashing around, preventing me from finishing her off.
'...I can just do it again.'
I jumped down from the drake, remembering the barbarian spirit of getting back up after falling down.
But then...
Whooosh!
My falling body was suddenly thrown upwards.
The drake had grabbed me by the neck and tossed me.
The summoner was quickly getting further away, but it wasn't all bad.
Thud!
Partslan took the opportunity and stabbed the drake in the chest with his broken sword.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!]
Did he hit its heart?
The drake thrashed violently and then disappeared into particles of light.
It had been unsummoned.
The status effect was also gone, so Avman could finally be healed with divine power.
I had achieved the first part of my plan.
Kwaaang!
I landed on the ground and quickly got up.
And at that moment...
Swoosh!
A cold blade touched my neck.
"You monster."
I didn't have the energy to block or dodge.
But there was a silver lining.
He couldn't kill me.
"Everyone, stop! If you don't want to see him die!"
He shouted at my companions, and they pointed their weapons at the unconscious summoner.
"You put down your sword, if you don't want to see this woman die."
It was like a hostage exchange.
And as a strange silence fell...
Step.
Two women emerged from the forest.
"Bjorn...? What's going on?!"
One was Misha, whom I had been searching for.
"You're in quite a predicament, barbarian."
And the other was Amelia Rainwales.
Why were they together?
What happened?
I had many questions, but I focused on one thing.
Was their appearance a positive or negative variable?
"Amelia Rainwales. You're alive."
The man holding his sword to my neck spoke to Amelia.
"It's good to see you. Please help us."
"You're asking for my help after doing that? You must have a reason."
"Of course. I hid that item somewhere on this island. If we die here, it will be lost forever. Do you really want that?"
Amelia frowned at his words.
I had met this woman several times, so I knew.
'Damn it.'
That was her thinking face.
Our fate depended on her decision. I stared at Amelia, unable to even speak.
"Belverson Erfner. Do you know the two ways to piss someone off?"
"...What?"
The swordsman was confused by my out-of-place question.
But Amelia continued.
"The first is to stop talking in the middle of a sentence. But unfortunately, you didn't get to hear the second one. But if I had to guess..."
"...Guess?"
The swordsman, intrigued, couldn't help but ask.
And I felt the same way.
Did she know the answer?
"..."
A strange silence fell as everyone's attention focused on her, and Amelia continued.
"It's..."
"..."
"To backstab someone while you're talking to them."
Ah.
Thud.
The moment she finished speaking, I heard footsteps from behind.
I knew what it meant.
「Amelia Rainwales has cast [Self-Replication].」
The swordsman, realizing what was happening, pushed me away and turned around.
But...
「Amelia Rainwales has cast [ Asura's Fury ].」
It was too late.
Kaboom!!
Amelia's clone, appearing from behind, landed a kick on the swordsman's temple.
Thud.
The swordsman collapsed, his eyes losing focus.
"Wh, why... You, that item..."
"Yes, I've been wanting it for a long time."
Amelia approached him and stepped on his head.
"You can keep it a secret. I'll just ask your sister. She won't be able to endure interrogation."
She was a truly rational woman.
-x-X-x-