Ravigion, where more than half of the kingdom's population resided.
Although the upper class lumped everyone who lived here as commoners, there was still a wealth gap in Ravigion.
Explorers, self-employed business owners.
These people lived in the center of the city, near the plaza, where the security was good and the living environment wasn't bad.
But…
'She lived in a place like this when she was younger.'
…things were different once you left the main street and entered the back alleys.
Poor security where the guards' eyes couldn't reach.
Old and dilapidated buildings, divided into dozens of rooms.
Shared bathrooms and kitchens.
Even the barbarian inn, which cost 500 stones a night, was in the outer district, not here.
"...."
I entered the alley, following Raven, and the residents looked at me with wary gazes.
It was similar to my experience in Bifron.
They were just wary, no one tried to pick a fight with me.
They actually avoided making eye contact.
'Geez, have you never seen a barbarian before?'
I realized how harsh Raven's living environment was, feeling a renewed appreciation for the advantages of being a barbarian.
Because this wasn't the crowded main street.
They probably knew I was following Raven.
'But no one is doing anything…'
Right, it's none of their business?
Well, whatever. I wasn't planning to keep Raven here for long anyway.
Creak. Thud.
Raven entered a building and closed the door.
I didn't even realize it was her house at first.
It was just a door on a wall.
'Should I wait for a bit?'
I leaned against the wall and waited.
Raven's mother appeared about 20 minutes later.
It wasn't difficult to recognize her.
Her hair wasn't as shiny as Raven's, and she was much taller, but her face was identical.
"Are you Arrua Raven's mother?"
"Yes… Wh, who are you…?"
She didn't look young enough for me to call her a former beauty.
She was probably in her late twenties at most?
Then she had Raven at a young age?
I stared at her, feeling a strange sensation, and Raven's mother asked me with an anxious expression.
"Did she cause trouble again…?"
"Let's go somewhere else and talk. This place isn't very… pleasant."
"…Okay."
I took her mother to the main street.
And we entered a tea house.
"Don't worry, I'll pay."
"Okay…"
I felt a strong sense of dissonance as we talked.
Her face was identical to Raven's, but her tone and everything were completely different.
"Order anything you want."
"...."
"I'll order if you don't."
It wasn't difficult to order without her help, thanks to my experience in the 'friend gathering'. And our order soon arrived.
But neither of us touched it.
Damn it, where do I even begin…?
"Let's clear up the misunderstanding first. I'm not here to scold Raven for causing trouble."
"Yes? Then…"
"I'm Raven's friend."
"Friend…? Her?"
"Barbarians don't care about age."
"I, I see…"
Her mother nodded, although she looked dubious.
I could roughly tell what kind of person she was.
The complete opposite of Raven.
"I saw a bruise on her face when we met earlier."
"Ah…"
Her mother's face turned pale, as if realizing why I was there.
But did she feel indignant?
"That's… none of your business."
She had been too scared to speak, but now she was drawing a line.
It was true.
It was a crazy world where you were executed if you didn't pay your taxes.
It wasn't a big deal for parents to discipline their children. No, it was actually considered strange to criticize them for it.
But…
"None of my business? Don't use difficult words."
I was a proud member of the barbarian tribe who didn't understand such things.
"If my friend was hit, I would take blood revenge."
Her mother flinched as I said it calmly. Well, she probably had never heard the words 'blood revenge' before.
It seemed like she was just working in a kitchen.
"…So what do you want from me? Do you want me to stop hitting her? Is that it?"
"No, let go of me."
"What do you mean?"
"You know, don't you? Raven has the potential to become a great mage."
"…Because she's his blood."
Her mother bit her lip.
Her eyes were filled with hatred.
It seemed like she was thinking of her husband who abandoned their family…
But it wasn't my concern.
"Send her to the Magic Tower."
"I can't afford it."
"I'll pay for everything."
"…Why would you do that?"
"I just… feel like it."
Raven's mother was silent for a long time at my answer.
And then she muttered something strange.
"She'll abandon me."
Huh?
"She'll look down on me after becoming successful. And then she'll leave for her own world. Just like he did, because she's his blood…"
Ah…
"Isn't this wrong? Why is her life so easy? She's my daughter, but I've never met anyone who helped me like that. But… but why is she…"
Her words were filled with resentment and frustration.
"Come to think of it, I don't even have any talent. I was slow at learning. But she's already learning and using magic at that age."
Her targets were her husband and daughter, but it was ultimately about her life.
I just listened to her.
Trauma from her husband's infidelity.
Her hatred was complex and deep-seated.
After some time…
"Are you done?"
I asked, and she answered.
"Okay. I'll send her to the Magic Tower. She's nothing like me anyway, except for her face. I'll feel better if she's gone. Yes. I want to… be happy too."
"Then it's settled."
I got up and paid as soon as the conversation was over. I tried to give her some money, but she refused.
"I don't need it. The Magic Tower sent someone a few days ago. They said they would support her if I sent her there for a test. I guess she caught their eye since she was using magic at such a young age."
"…I see."
"Isn't it strange? I've spent my entire life working for just this one room in this shithole."
Raven's mother then staggered towards her house in the back alley, and I watched her leave.
I didn't feel any pity.
But…
"What was the point of my life?"
…her last words lingered in my mind.
__________________
Time passed quickly after that.
Raven's mother took her to the Magic Tower as promised, and she was acknowledged for her talent after a few days of testing.
For reference, I was able to hear about the process in detail from Raven, who came to the library every other day…
"You're saying you joined the Artemion School…?"
"Yeah, that old man likes me. He doesn't even look down on me for being young."
So Auril Gabis was right?
I thought the future might change if I sent her to the Magic Tower at such a young age…
'Come to think of it, I don't even know when she entered the Magic Tower in my original timeline…'
I thought she would have been at least ten years old.
After all, Raven said she wanted to become an administrative mage when we first met. I thought something must have happened that changed her mind.
"But why that expression?"
"It's nothing. Anyway, that's good. You're in the Magic Tower now."
"…I'm a bit worried. Can I do it?"
"You'll become a great mage. I guarantee it."
"Hehe, really?"
Anyway, our conversation wasn't just about the Magic Tower, we also talked about her family.
She said her mom had suddenly become nice.
It seemed like her mother didn't tell her about our meeting.
"Then I'll be going. Ah, and I can't come here anymore. I have to live in the Magic Tower from tomorrow."
"I wouldn't have been able to come either."
"Why?"
"Something came up."
I had to go down to Noark with Amelia tomorrow. And we probably wouldn't be able to come back until we achieved our goals.
"…I see."
I gave Raven one last piece of advice before we parted ways.
"Don't speak informally to people in the Magic Tower. Be careful."
"Huh?"
"No, to anyone. There's no need to make enemies."
"…I'm not scared of anything."
"Even if you're not scared, just do it. Not only will you make enemies, but even those who want to be your friends will run away. You'll be alone if you keep acting like that."
"Are you… also upset with me?"
Raven asked cautiously, and I hesitated for a moment before answering that I was a bit upset.
Did she sense something?
"Okay. I won't do it anymore."
"You won't?"
"…Yeah."
Finally, she's acting like a kid.
"But shouldn't you be going now?"
"Yeah…"
We finished our last conversation and left the library.
And we parted ways with an open-ended promise.
"See you later!"
Geez, did you sell your honorifics?
I chuckled and answered,
"Yeah, see you later."
Although she probably wouldn't even remember me.
____________________
I went to one place after Raven left.
I had finally accepted it.
'Right, I can't save Dwarkey…'
The Leathlas Church orphanage.
I stood there for a long time, unable to open the door.
I wanted to go in and talk to Dwarkey one last time, but I didn't see the point.
After some time…
"Mr. Enche…?"
…someone called me.
"Emiren?"
It was the woman I had met while volunteering.
We had a strange conversation at the after-work party.
"What brings you here?"
"Actually… my son is here."
…What?
"Things worked out, so I can finally take him home. Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, I would have kept hesitating."
My body stiffened as I instinctively sensed the truth.
But I had to confirm.
"Is your… son's name Liol?"
Liol 'Wobu' Dwarkey.
And 'Wobu' Emiren.
"Oh, yes."
Emiren nodded in surprise.
So Dwarkey's middle name was from his mother's name.
"Um, but how did you know?"
"He just… looks a bit like you."
"Huhu, is that so? Well, you did talk to him a lot."
Emiren smiled at my words.
But could it be that she wanted to go get Dwarkey more than talk to me?
"Then I'll be going now."
"Ah, right…"
Emiren quickly said goodbye and entered the orphanage. I stood there frozen, like a statue.
Various thoughts swirled in my mind.
After a few minutes…
Thud.
I jumped over the orphanage wall.
Dwarkey was in his usual spot, reading a book under the shade of a tree.
"Oh! Hello."
Dwarkey greeted me.
"Yeah… It's been a while."
"What brings you here?"
"Just… passing by."
"…?"
Dwarkey tilted his head, but he didn't seem wary, perhaps because we had spent some time together.
Swoosh.
I looked through the window of the building.
I saw Emiren handing a stack of documents to the staff member at the desk.
It finally sank in.
Dwarkey would be living with his mother now.
And she would tell him stories about the sea.
He would become an administrative mage, but he wouldn't be able to let go of his dream and would enter the labyrinth.
And…
[Thank you all for being my companions.]
…he would die.
'Is it… all because of me?'
I felt a deep sense of responsibility.
And at the same time, I felt like a speck of dust in the universe.
A sense of powerlessness washed over me.
And then a rebellious desire arose.
Wasn't it too late?
If I did something now, could I prevent that future? Yeah, if I kidnapped him now, something would change.
'Damn it.'
But my body wouldn't move.
I kept seeing Emiren's face, who had come to me for courage.
I kept hearing Dwarkey's voice, reminiscing about his mother.
'What should I do…?'
Would the future really change if I did that?
What if my actions didn't affect the outcome, and I just took away his happy time with his mother?
Clench.
My hand clenched into a fist, and a small hand covered mine.
It was Dwarkey's.
"It's big… Ah, I'm sorry. For touching you suddenly."
"…You don't have to apologize."
"Do you think I can also be that big someday? Big enough to protect someone precious?"
I answered, trying to endure.
"Don't worry too much."
Even though he was skinny and small.
"You'll become a great person."
Greater than me.
No, greater than anyone I've ever seen.
___________________
I ran away and jumped over the orphanage wall again.
And I watched the orphanage from the alley.
Creak.
The orphanage door opened, and Dwarkey and Emiren came out.
"Why are you my mom?"
"That's… a long story. Let's go. You'll understand when we get home…"
"...."
They awkwardly held hands and walked away.
And…
"Goodbye, Dwarkey."
…I just watched them leave.
-x-X-x-
It was evening when I returned to the inn.
"You're late."
Whoa, that startled me.
I clearly locked the door when I left, how did she get in?
'At least turn on the light…'
I lit the lamp, and I saw Amelia sitting on my bed.
Hmm, what should I say?
She didn't seem to be in a good mood…
'Since when did I care about that?'
I wasn't in a good mood either.
I just stared at her, as if telling her to speak if she had something to say, and she slowly got up and walked past me.
"We have to go to the meeting point by midnight, so get ready."
Right, it was almost time to leave.
I had to get my equipment ready.
Slam.
As soon as Amelia left, I started putting on my equipment.
Swoosh.
Boots made of 2nd-tier Wyvern leather.
Click.
An all-in-one belt with expandable pockets for potions and scrolls.
'It feels empty.'
I didn't buy any greaves or a chestplate.
I couldn't get a full set just from looting five looters.
I decided to focus on my shield and weapon.
So I had a mace made of 3rd-tier Idium, 100% purity.
'The grip feels good.'
And a 5th-tier Adamantium large battle shield.
'Yeah, a shield should be this big.'
The budget Amelia gave me was depleted after buying those two items because of their weight.
So my helmet was just ordinary steel.
Well, steel wouldn't provide much protection at this point…
'But I didn't buy it for defense anyway.'
I had a lot of worries about the future when I ordered this equipment three weeks ago.
So I had a full-face steel helmet made.
It was similar to the one I used in the early days, with only a T-shaped slit for vision.
Of course, there were differences.
The design was different because it was made by a different blacksmith…
'Maybe because the slit is narrower? It's very uncomfortable.'
…and less of my face was exposed.
I was worried that there might be problems if I revealed my face, as we would be meeting many people in the labyrinth.
'Well, it doesn't really matter now…'
I sighed and dismissed my thoughts.
And I looked in the mirror and left the room.
Amelia was sitting on a chair at the end of the hallway, as if she was ready.
"You're finally here."
Geez, 'finally'?
It didn't even take ten minutes.
"...You."
Amelia flinched as she turned to look at me.
And she asked in an interrogating tone,
"Where did you get that helmet?"
"I had it custom-made. Is there a problem?"
"…Custom-made?"
Amelia stood there silently for a while after hearing my answer.
Her expression was cold, and her gaze was sharp.
Like when she first saw 'Nibels Enche's' ID card on Parune Island.
Ah, of course, the situation was different.
"Why are you just staring at me after asking a question?"
"…It's nothing."
She didn't tell me the reason, just like always.
But…
"We don't have time, so let's go."
…I think I knew why.
_______________________
A broker wearing a black robe was waiting for us at the sewer entrance, our meeting point.
It was a strange feeling.
Like we were illegal immigrants.
"...."
"...."
The broker didn't greet us, and neither did Amelia. She just placed a pouch of money on his outstretched hand.
"I'll tell you one last time, but it's not easy to return to the surface once you go down."
The broker gave us a formal warning after the payment was made.
It was a bit ridiculous.
He should have said that before taking the money.
It didn't seem like he would give us a refund.
"That's our problem."
"Huhu, if you say so."
The broker laughed unpleasantly as Amelia spoke coldly, and then he took out a key and opened the sewer grate.
And he led us inside.
"Don't fall behind."
The journey to Noark was longer than expected.
We walked through the labyrinthine sewers for hours before reaching the entrance.
"This is as far as I go. If you follow this map, you'll see a door. Show this badge to the guard, and he'll let you in."
The broker handed us what would be our ID badges and then opened the entrance with a magic tool.
Rumble.
A stone door, disguised as an ordinary wall, slid open, revealing stairs leading down.
But just as we were about to go down…
"Can I ask you something?"
…the broker, who had been silent except for the necessary information, spoke.
"It's not common for a barbarian to go down to Noark, so what's your story? It can't be an elopement—"
"Stop."
Amelia cut him off firmly.
"Your job is done, so go now."
It was a professional tone.
It seemed like she even mixed in some killing intent…
"…I apologize for my rudeness. Please go ahead. I have to make sure the door closes."
The broker backed down, and Amelia strode down the stairs. I slowly followed her.
Rumble, thud!
The door closed behind us.
Phew, this feels like we're going to hell.
"Wait, let me see the map."
I tried to open the map after we reached the bottom of the stairs, but Amelia stopped me.
"There's no need. I know the way to the castle."
Ah, right, she's from here.
Anyway, I followed her, enjoying the rare opportunity to not have to navigate. And we soon reached our destination.
A vast cavern, hard to believe it was underground.
A giant stone gate, even bigger than the gate of the Lafdonia royal palace, was visible in the distance.
"Hahaha, come here! Don't just stand there!"
There was only one man at the gate, a human male with a physique as sturdy as a barbarian's.
Amelia whispered to me,
"Don't do anything stupid. He might sound casual, but he's one of the strongest people in this city."
"Do you know him?"
"You can't not know him if you've lived in Noark."
Hmm, really? He doesn't look that strong…
Anyway, I handed the badge I received to the man at the gate.
"Oh! They finally brought some decent people! Welcome. I'm Rex Aures, the gatekeeper!"
"...."
"Ah, are you uncomfortable with real names? Don't worry, no one here uses their real names. Have you decided on your new names?"
Rex Aures, who introduced himself as the gatekeeper, then asked for our names, and we told him the names we had decided on beforehand.
Amelia was 'Emily'.
And I…
"Bjorn, son of Thor."
…just used the alias I had used before.
I decided to create a new one, just in case, since 'Nibels Enche' was also an alias.
Of course, it didn't really matter.
It was just a name to engrave on the badge, and they rarely asked for your name in the city.
"Huhu, it's been about five years since I engraved a barbarian name on a badge."
The names we had given him were engraved on the badges he returned.
"Anything else?"
"No, the entry procedure is complete. Go that way."
"…Aren't you going to open that gate?"
"Hahaha, it would be a waste to open and close that giant gate just for two people, wouldn't it?"
The gatekeeper then opened a side door.
Rumble.
I suddenly remembered the first day I came to this world as I watched the stone door slide open.
Yeah, it was like this back then.
Thud.
The gate fully opened, revealing an unfamiliar city.
"Emily, and Thor Bjorn."
"Thor is the last name, and Bjorn is the first name."
"Haha! Ah, right? Anyway! Welcome to Noark!"
I finally made it here.
______________________
People usually think of Noark as a den of criminals.
It's only natural.
This was where those who had committed crimes so severe that they couldn't live on the surface ended up. And it was also the hideout of 'Orculus'.
But…
"It's surprisingly normal."
…there were no bloodstains on the walls, the streets were clean, and the people didn't look that gloomy.
"I don't know what you were expecting, but this is also a place where people live."
Geez, a newbie can be curious.
"Follow me."
I first followed Amelia, who was a local, and looked around the city. And I asked her questions.
"What are those stones embedded in the ceiling?"
"Magic tools. They emit light using magic stones as fuel."
"What about those moving dolls?"
"They're golems called 'patrols'. They all belong to the Lord."
"Ah, and is there a market here?"
"There is, but it's not big. There's only one alchemist in this city. Most of the food is distributed in a few standardized items."
Hmm, I see.
"Then what if you want something else?"
"You can request it from the alchemy workshop with magic stones. But it takes about two days, and it's much more expensive than on the surface. Are you done with your questions?"
"…For now."
"That's good. It seems like we're attracting attention because of you."
"Huh?"
"We have a tail. Let's speed up."
Amelia then increased her pace without even asking me, and I hurriedly followed her.
"A tail? We've only been here for ten minutes."
"Barbarians are especially rare in this city. They must have realized that you just came down from the surface."
I roughly understood what she meant.
Noark was a place where there were even rumors that demons lived on the surface.
I could imagine how tempting the pockets of newbies who had just come down from the surface would be. They would definitely be filled with all their assets from the surface.
But…
"Didn't you say this was also a place where people live?"
Amelia tilted her head at my question.
"What's so strange about that? It's only natural that there are people like this since it's a place where people live."
Uh, is that so?
"That's true."
I couldn't refute her logic, so I just agreed.
After all, Lafdonia wasn't much different.
There were three types of people who wandered around the outer districts of Lafdonia at night.
Criminals.
Explorers who could protect themselves.
Or those who had nothing to lose.
"So what are we going to do?"
"We're going to the back alleys where the patrols can't see us."
"Huh? Back alleys?"
I thought I misheard, but Amelia gave me a rational explanation.
Harming 'ordinary people' born in Noark was taboo, and the Lord would find and punish them, but everything else was okay?
"They specialize in targeting newbies, so they'll have a lot of valuables."
Damn it, she should have told me sooner.
As expected, locals have a different mindset.
Yeah, farming is always the priority, no matter the situation.
Step.
We entered the back alleys and wandered around for a while.
And then we naturally stopped at a dead end.
We turned around…
"Where are you going? You're not going to get far."
…and a group of fifteen looters appeared.
"Did you think you could escape if you went into the back alleys?"
"I can't believe you came here on your own. Newbies are so naive."
"We all went through this when we were newbies, so don't resent us too much."
The veterans of the city, excited to loot newbies.
It was like watching a dead game right before it shut down.
Tsk, they should be taking care of newbies.
"Huh?"
I scanned the group and froze as I spotted a human male.
But I wasn't sure yet, so I had to confirm.
"Hey, you."
"Me?"
He stepped forward, curious, as I pointed at him. He was wearing a shiny chestplate, his physique as large as a barbarian's.
It was a material I couldn't mistake.
"…Laetium."
"So?"
What do you mean 'so'?
Have you never heard of giving hand-me-downs?
It's common sense for veterans to give their items to newbies.
I was already embarrassed because I wasn't wearing a shirt, so this was perfect.
"Take it off."
"…?"
"Before it gets blood on it."
It was time to evolve into a civilized person.
-x-X-x-
They must have been wary of us.
They didn't know how strong we were.
That's why they came in a group of over ten.
How kind of them.
"Take it off."
"...?"
"Before it gets blood on it."
The guy looked confused when I spoke.
But he soon understood.
"...."
Everyone, including him, shut their mouths.
It's a common occurrence in the animal kingdom.
They chase prey when they think it's weaker, but they instinctively sense danger when it fights back.
They know from experience.
That it's dangerous.
Swoosh.
They retreated, wary of an ambush.
It didn't matter to me.
It was a dead-end alley.
And it was too narrow to even use [Gigantification].
'This is better.'
There was nothing to obstruct me from above.
'Leap.'
I leaped over their heads and landed on the other side.
Okay, I blocked their escape route.
"…Kill him first!"
They panicked and charged towards me.
They probably judged that they had to break through since their escape route was blocked…
Whoosh!
…but they dodged my mace.
"Dodge, don't block!"
"No one's going to get hit by that slow attack."
The three in front of me dodged my mace like eels and swung their weapons.
I endured most of their attacks with my Physical Resistance, but a few skill-enhanced attacks managed to pierce my thick skin.
Thud.
Damn it, that stings.
I wouldn't have even bled if I had activated [Gigantification].
Well, 'defense' wasn't the only way to protect myself.
'Transcendence.'
I raised my mace and mentally input the command.
The target for [Transcendence] was already decided.
'Swing.'
The combo that was effective against multiple enemies, thanks to the added 'Strike range tripled' characteristic.
Whooosh!
I slammed my mace down, and it elongated like a magical staff, growing in size.
Although the range was much smaller than when combined with [Gigantification]...
"Cr, crazy...!"
"Dodge!"
Where would they dodge?
In this narrow alley?
Kaboom!
Although they hurriedly retreated, the three in the front couldn't escape the range.
Ah, that's satisfying.
Thud.
They retreated as I stepped over the three who had been turned into ground meat.
They were surprisingly good at escaping.
"The woman! Grab the woman!"
They charged towards Amelia, trying to take her hostage.
But they couldn't even reach her.
Thwack, thwack, thud!
Amelia quickly subdued two of them with punches and kicks and then drew her dagger, swinging it at another one's neck.
Although he raised his arm to block, his wrist protected by a steel bracer...
Slash!
…it was useless against a woman who could use Aura.
Thud. Thud.
His severed wrist and head fell to the ground almost simultaneously.
And…
"A, Aura..."
…that was the end of the fight.
They all dropped their weapons as soon as Amelia used Aura. They realized they couldn't win and decided to beg for their lives.
Well, it was too late.
"Pl, please spare me. I'll give you everything I have..."
"What are you going to do?"
"Kill them, of course."
Amelia answered without hesitation. The looters hurriedly picked up their weapons and tried to fight back…
"Die!"
…but it was futile.
They were all 6th-grade at most.
Thwack, kwagic.
Slash!
Amelia and I quickly cleaned up the remaining survivors, like a two-person looting party.
It took less than five minutes.
'It's reassuring to have a strong damage dealer.'
It was a level of security I had never felt before in any team.
How can I keep her from joining our team?
I continued looting as I thought about that.
That's when...
"Ugh..."
…the guy whose Laetium chestplate I was taking off twitched.
What, was he unconscious?
Thwack!
I knocked him out and then asked Amelia,
"Why did you just knock him out?"
"...You said you didn't like blood."
Ah...
"Th, thank you?"
"..."
"Ahem."
It was a bit awkward, but we finished looting after a few minutes.
Looting took longer than the actual fight.
But the profit was higher than ever.
'This is worth at least 70 million stones on the surface.'
I felt a surge of excitement as I looked at the loot before putting it in my expandable backpack.
This was the result of just a few minutes of fighting?
'I didn't expect there to be such a good hunting ground in the underground.'
Maybe Noark was a good place to live.
_____________________
Click.
I put on the Laetium chestplate and then equipped the greaves and other equipment from his set.
They fit perfectly.
Damn right, a warrior should have proper armor, barbarian or not.
"Then let's go."
"Ah, right."
I felt uncomfortable under the wary gazes of the nearby residents, which I could feel even through the closed curtains, so we quickly left the alley and entered the main street.
And I followed Amelia, casually looking around. It was a rational judgment that if I acted like a newbie, I might get another opportunity to loot.
Well, that was the plan…
"Are we being followed?"
"No."
…but there was no one taking the bait, even after walking for a while.
"Even now?"
"…No."
What the hell is going on?
Amelia sighed, as if she couldn't believe it, as I subtly expressed my disappointment.
"Word travels fast in Noark."
Ah, so no one dared to attack us because they knew that the guys who followed us in didn't come back.
"…Ugh."
I clutched my chest and collapsed to the ground, groaning.
Amelia was startled and crouched down.
"Are you hurt? You didn't have any external injuries earlier, don't tell me it's poison?"
I whispered as she hurriedly tried to give me an antidote.
"Don't worry. I'm just pretending."
"…What?"
"Maybe they'll come if I do this."
"Barbarian, you really…"
Amelia looked at me with disgust, so I quickly got up.
Damn it, she enjoyed looting too.
She's making me feel embarrassed.
"Just follow me. We might have to sleep outside if we're late."
"Alright."
We then headed towards the center of the city and found an inn.
Ah, of course, we got one room, not two.
If anyone was targeting us even after the rumors spread, they would be strong enough to handle us both.
"There are a lot of beds."
"All inns in Noark are like this."
"Huh?"
"No one comes here to sleep alone."
It seemed like it was common to live with your companions unless you had a family and bought a house…
I could understand.
It would be safer to move in groups in a place like this.
"You wash up first, Yandel. I'll organize the loot."
"Ah, I'll be out soon."
We took turns washing up, and then we talked while Amelia was in the bathroom.
"What are we going to do with the loot?"
"We're not selling it for now. It will be worth three times more on the surface."
"That's a big difference."
"It's only natural since the supply is much greater than the demand."
Hmm, that's true.
Looters brought back more equipment than magic stones.
"But I heard there are merchants who travel between the surface and the underground. Can't we just sell it to them?"
"You must be mistaken. The price I mentioned is after selling it to a merchant."
"…I see."
"So if you need anything, use it instead of selling it. That's how things are in this city."
Anyway, that was the end of our conversation about the loot.
And then we got to the main topic.
"So what are we going to do now?"
We had successfully entered Noark.
And we had two goals here.
1. Steal the 'Fragment of Records' from the Lord and return to our original time.
2. Grant Amelia's wish.
Honestly, I didn't tell her, but the second goal would be difficult to achieve. Because the past had to change for her wish to come true.
'Judging by her expression back then, it seemed like she realized it to some extent…'
Then what decision would Amelia make?
"Why are you asking that?"
"Just in case you changed your mind."
Amelia answered without hesitation at my nonchalant question.
"That's ridiculous. There's no change in plans."
Right, so you're not giving up.
_____________________
There was day and night even in the underground city of Noark.
But there was no dawn or dusk.
The jewels embedded in the ceiling emitted light when it was time to be active, and they switched to minimum output at night.
And in that sense…
"It's daytime."
…we left for the city as soon as the sky outside the window brightened.
The city felt unfamiliar.
After all, it wasn't a common sight for people to pour out of all the buildings as soon as it was daytime.
"Stop sightseeing and come here. We'll have to wait for a long time if we're late."
"Ah, okay."
I followed Amelia and arrived at the Lord's Castle in the center of Noark.
Unlike yesterday, when we saw it from afar, the giant gate was wide open, welcoming countless people.
"Why are they all going there?"
"Most of the jobs are at the Lord's Castle. Those who don't enter the labyrinth work there and get paid."
This is like a communist country.
Well, that's probably why people from Noark were so tenacious. They had to be to survive in a place like this.
[Labyrinth Management Office]
We entered the building.
The interior was similar to the Explorer's Guild.
And their work wasn't much different either.
"I'll see you later."
"Ah, okay."
We each found a short line to save time.
There were a lot of things to do before you could enter the labyrinth in Noark.
First, newbies had to register, and it seemed like they had to pay an entrance fee every time they entered the labyrinth…
'How is this place even worse than Lafdonia?'
It was ridiculous, considering that Noark was founded by the 'Olmi Revolutionary Army', who rebelled against the royal family.
'When the hell is this line going to move? They should at least have a number system like Lafdonia. What's the point of making everyone wait in line?'
That's when, as I was complaining inwardly about the slow processing and outdated system after waiting in line for over 30 minutes…
"Oh, hey! You're a newbie, judging by your registration form?"
…a group of five explorers approached me.
And one of them put his hand on my shoulder.
"We're in a bit of a hurry, so can you let us go first? Huh? We're on the same side now. We have to help each other."
I was momentarily confused.
'What?'
Was this another hand-me-down situation?
-x-X-x-
I turned my head and looked at the hand on my shoulder.
A ring with a unique pattern was on his index finger.
"A subspace ring."
My heart pounded.
What was inside that ring?
It felt like looking at an unopened random box.
Swoosh.
My hand reached for the ring.
My treasure…
"…What the hell!"
The man quickly pulled his hand away as if he was disgusted.
"Barbarian, you bastard! You…!"
I could tell what he was misunderstanding from his terrified eyes.
His companions also muttered,
"No wonder a barbarian was a newbie."
"A normal person wouldn't come down to this city."
"This is why he was kicked out of his tribe…"
What the hell are these crazy bastards talking about?
I had to clear up the misunderstanding.
So I quickly punched him.
Thwack!
My first target was Bucktooth, who had dared to put his hand on my shoulder and act friendly.
"Ugh!"
Something white flew out of his mouth.
Bucktooth was cured with a single punch.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
As soon as I let out a battle cry, the surrounding explorers stepped back, creating space.
"Fight!"
"Waaaaaaaaaa!"
"The newbie is fighting Rex's gang!!"
This isn't a school classroom.
Even the employees at the counters just sighed with a 'Not again' expression.
Right, so no one's going to stop us?
'This is better.'
I was starting to like Noark.
Maybe I had secretly wanted a manly society like this.
"You bastard!!"
Beard, Bucktooth's companion, drew his weapon angrily.
So you want a duel?
I had been holding back, just in case, but I swung my mace at him.
However…
Whoosh!
…Beard ducked.
And at that moment…
Crackle.
…a ball of electricity flew towards me from the man behind him.
It didn't seem like magic.
He must be an ability user…
'Yeah, my shield is Adamantium.'
Adamantium is a 5th-tier metal that reduces elemental damage by 50%.
Crackle!
Electricity flowed through my shield, but I endured it with my Magic Resistance.
But could it be because this was my first time encountering this type?
'If you want to kill a tank, you should cast a curse first, you bastards.'
Beard's eyes widened in surprise as I nonchalantly swung my mace.
"...!"
I understood.
He had closed the distance, expecting me to be 'stunned'.
He was in the perfect position for me to smash him.
Thwack!
Okay, two down.
Thud.
Beard's body flew up and hit the ceiling before falling to the ground.
It would have been a foul ball in baseball.
I tapped my shoulder with my mace and looked ahead.
"What are you waiting for?"
The remaining three, whose two companions had just been crushed, surprisingly acted rationally.
"Rex, let's retreat."
"…?"
"He's a newbie who came yesterday, but I heard that Kalte's gang followed him and were all found dead."
Ah, so you guys didn't hear the rumor yet.
It seemed like they realized I wasn't an easy target, judging by the onlookers' murmurs.
"But if we retreat now…"
"We'll be a laughingstock. But it's better than dying. I heard that one of his companions is a woman who uses Aura."
"Aura…?"
The man named Rex frowned.
And at that moment…
Swoosh.
…Amelia, who had been waiting in another line, came and stood next to me.
"Ah, you're here."
"It seems like you attract trouble wherever you go."
"It's not my fault this time."
"…I know. I saw it."
Amelia said so and placed her hand on the dagger she had strapped to her thigh.
And could it be that this was the deciding factor?
"…How about we end this here?"
The man named Rex made a suggestion.
Geez, that's not how you negotiate.
"Apologize."
"I will. I apologize for making a rude request because I underestimated you."
Is it their culture to grovel if they're going to?
He was surprisingly humble.
'So, what should I do…?'
I glanced at Amelia, and she nodded slightly.
It meant I should let them go.
"Alright, I accept your apology."
"Thank you, then…"
Rex and his companions started tending to their fallen comrades as soon as I accepted his apology.
Hmm, what the hell are they doing?
"Stop."
"…?"
"Leave their equipment."
"But you accepted our apology…"
No, that's one thing, and this is another.
What's the point of a verbal apology?
"We're on the same side now. We have to help each other, right?"
Damn right, that's how the world works.
_____________________
Rex hesitated for a while and then sighed and took off his unconscious companions' equipment.
"Here, are you happy now?"
"Where's the ring?"
"…Here it is."
Damn it, how much is this worth?
It's practically money duplication.
Why were these Noark bastards living in poverty?
'Anyway, I'll check what's inside the ring later…'
"Go now."
"...."
I put all the equipment they took off into my subspace ring after chasing them away.
Phew, I had been wanting another subspace pocket since expandable backpacks were so inconvenient.
"They're warm-hearted people, even though they look a bit rough."
"...."
"What are you staring at? Come on, let's get back in line."
We then headed back to the counters.
Other explorers had taken our spots, but it wasn't a problem.
I had already adapted to this city.
"Oh, human."
"…Wh, what do you want?"
"We have a bit of a situation, so can you let us go first?"
"…Of course."
We were able to get to the front of the line thanks to the kind explorer's consideration.
We had saved almost 30 minutes since we were in the middle of the line before.
"The people here are so kind."
"…Anyone would think you're the one from here, not me."
Haha, how embarrassing.
"I'm just a fast learner. I'm not a genius."
"I didn't say that."
"Huhu, you're not being honest."
"...."
Anyway, it was soon our turn, and we were able to finish our registration earlier than expected.
Because we skipped the rank adjustment application.
"You said we should raise it to 5th grade."
"It doesn't matter. The Lord probably already knows about us."
I had already achieved my goal, so there was no need to reveal my essences by adjusting my rank.
"It's good that you're doing what you want."
"…Be careful from now on. There are more than just small fries in this city."
"Okay. So are we done for today?"
"Yeah, let's go back and rest."
We returned to the inn we had booked yesterday and extended our stay, then stayed inside.
And after some time…
…contrary to Amelia's expectations, the Lord didn't contact us.
Damn it, our plan was to join him…
"Amelia, what's going on?"
"…It seems like he's trying to figure us out since he doesn't have any information about us."
"So?"
"Let's just wait. He'll contact us eventually. He won't leave a high-ranking explorer like you alone."
Time passed, and it was time for the labyrinth to open again.
_________________________
"Waaaaaaaaaa!"
"It's been a while!"
"Let's go make some money!"
The plaza was crowded, as if there was a festival.
It was a common sight on labyrinth opening days, but the people gathered here today seemed especially excited.
It was understandable.
Most of the few people who entered the labyrinth last month had returned alive, so there was a sense that the labyrinth was safe again.
It was great news for those who were struggling.
Swoosh.
Arrua Raven, who was passing by the plaza in a carriage, closed the curtains with a bitter smile.
It was finally sinking in.
'Right, it's already been a month…'
A month had passed since Bjorn Yandel died.
Although the man who was called a hero among explorers had died, the world hadn't changed.
Only her surroundings had.
"Ha…"
Raven briefly reminisced about the past few days.
[Yeah, Bjorn is dead.]
The warrior was surprisingly the most rational one.
[Let's all go rest. We're tired, so let's talk about what to do tomorrow. I'll go to the guild alone.]
She tried to do what needed to be done, facing reality.
To maintain this team that Bjorn Yandel had created.
Of course, it didn't work.
[What… do you mean?]
[Now that Bjorn is dead, the five of us have to enter the labyrinth, right?]
The fairy retorted aggressively.
[Explore? Is that what's important now?]
[Then what is?]
[Revenge! We have to take revenge!]
[Revenge?]
[Noark! That incident on the island happened because of them! And that red-haired woman is suspicious too. If she's still alive, and if she's involved in what happened to mister…]
The fairy's eyes were filled with killing intent.
[I don't even care if she's not involved.]
[....]
[I'm going to find them all and kill them.]
Raven understood her anger.
After all, she had recently lost her sister because of Noark.
[Erwen, I understand how you feel, but calm down. How are you even going to take revenge on those who left for the outside world? Let's go home and rest today, and then we'll talk tomorrow…]
[So that's all it was to you guys.]
[What?]
[I feel sorry for mister. To think he stayed behind alone to protect these people, calling them his companions.]
[…What did you say? Say that again.]
[Ra, Raven, stop it! You can't do this!]
The warrior stopped her.
The beastman archer would have usually stepped in, but even she didn't seem to have the energy for that.
But did the fairy notice?
[....]
She approached the beastman warrior.
[What about you, sister? Are you going to do it? Take revenge?]
[I, I…]
The beastman warrior trailed off.
And after some time…
[You beast.]
The fairy left after those words.
[I, I'll talk to Erwen tomorrow. So let's… go too.]
They disbanded and went home.
The warrior said she would go to the guild and report Bjorn Yandel's death, but the mage stopped her.
[Miss Ainar, please take care of Misha. I'll… take care of this.]
[But…]
[You can't even read, Miss Ainar.]
[Alright. I'll leave it to you.]
The beastman archer didn't say anything.
She just watched as the team fell apart, as if she had experienced this many times before.
[Let me see, the deceased is… Viscount Bjorn Yandel?!]
The guild was in chaos when she submitted the death report.
The surrounding explorers and even the staff looked like they had many questions, but they didn't approach her, seeing her expression.
A day passed.
[Did you hear? Viscount Bjorn Yandel is dead.]
[I can't believe Giant died like that…]
[What a loss.]
The news of Bjorn Yandel's death spread throughout the city as quickly as his fame had spread when he was alive.
And those who knew him visited his house.
[Ainar! Misha! Open the door! Is it true that Yandel is dead? Wh, why…? Open the door!]
Hikurod Murad, the dwarf warrior who was his former companion.
[…Murad, stop it. I confirmed it at the guild. We shouldn't make things harder for them. Let's go back and come again later.]
Brown Rotmiller.
And countless other explorers who were indebted to the hero, Bjorn Yandel, visited his house.
[Thank you for saving us that day.]
[He won't be coming to the library anymore…]
Flowers piled up in front of his door.
Countless people mourned his death, and the barbarian tribe, who considered him as their next chieftain, closed the gates of the sanctuary and held a funeral for several days, praying for his soul to return to the forest.
But the world didn't change.
Only her surroundings had.
[…Let's all rest for a while and not think about exploring.]
All future exploration plans were put on hold.
What could they do with just four people?
And besides, they weren't even in their right minds.
Everyone needed a break.
Even Arrua Raven.
But…
'Nothing changes by resting.'
Arrua Raven had an epiphany after the fairy left that day.
Time doesn't heal all wounds.
Everything would only get worse as time passed.
Therefore…
"I have to find him."
Arrua Raven hadn't been able to sleep properly since that day, spending every day buried in books.
She had even visited the library in the royal palace today and was on her way back to her lab.
Because there was something strange about his death.
It was known in the city that he had died because of 'Stormgush'…
"This doesn't make sense."
…but judging by the circumstances, he had succeeded in hunting it.
He even had the presence of mind to hammer a nail into the ground and tie himself down.
But where did he disappear to in that short amount of time?
And if he was really swept away by the water, why was his equipment missing?
"There's something more… a huge secret…"
Raven clutched her chest, unable to breathe.
Although it wasn't a rational deduction…
"There has to be something more…"
…she needed something to hold onto.
-x-X-x-
A sudden thought crossed my mind.
Could the stone in Amelia's hand be the 'treasure' of the Noark Lord?
Of course, it was just a baseless hunch for now.
"...What's that stone?"
I asked straightforwardly, like a barbarian.
But Amelia's answer was merciless.
"Don't worry about it."
Well, if you don't want me to worry about it, then don't show it to me.
'Judging by her reaction, it seems like it really is the 'treasure'...'
I didn't think she would answer even if I asked again.
So I decided to focus on something else.
There were more important things to worry about than my curiosity.
Pssssh!
A crack appeared in the barrier that was blocking the water like the glass of an aquarium, and water started pouring in.
「The sanctuary will disappear soon.」
It was time to prepare.
I first picked up my mace and the shattered pieces of my chest armor from the ground and put them in my subspace pocket.
And...
"What are you doing? Come here. Unless you want to be swept away."
I took out a rope.
Amelia frowned as she realized what I was trying to do.
"You're not going to use the scroll?"
"Ah, you mean the Mass Teleport scroll?"
The core item of Plan B, the Mass Teleport scroll.
I had asked Kyle to make it after experiencing the Verzak incident.
But it could only teleport two people.
It couldn't even designate coordinates, and it could only teleport to the location of the 'Coordinate Transmitter' registered when the scroll was created.
'Well, if it wasn't nerfed like that, it wouldn't even exist as a scroll.'
Ah, for reference, Raven had the 'Coordinate Transmitter'.
She usually kept it in her subspace pocket, but I had told her to take it out this time.
So if we just tore the scroll, we would be teleported to Raven.
But...
"We already killed the monster, and it's not even dangerous. Why would we use such an expensive item?"
It would be crazy to use it just for convenience.
Kyle had said he could make another one if we got him the materials, but...
When would we be able to gather all those materials?
Most of them were rare items, not just expensive.
"So come here and sit down. Our companions will come and rescue us once the water recedes."
"Then what about until the water recedes?"
What a stupid question.
We just have to hold our breath and wait.
You can't even do that for a few minutes?
"...Fine, I'll tie myself down."
Amelia took out a nail from her subspace and hammered it into the ground. And she took the rope from me and tied herself to it.
"Hey, can you help me? I only have one hand."
"...You're a handful."
What the hell.
She would help me anyway.
I raised my remaining hand, and Amelia tied me to the rope.
That's it, we're ready.
Pssssh!
We chatted for a bit while watching the water pouring in through the holes in the sanctuary.
Surprisingly, Amelia was the one who initiated the conversation.
"The pain seems to have subsided."
Ah, I was trying to forget about it.
"...Ugh."
The more you focus on pain, the more intense it becomes.
So I quickly changed the subject.
"Enough about me, can you tell me now?"
"...?"
"About that stone. What is it? I can tell it's the 'treasure' those bastards were after."
"Barbarian, I told you not to worry about it."
Amelia drew a line with a cold voice.
But a barbarian's characteristic is that they can't control their curiosity.
"No, but it's glowing right next to me, how can I not be curious?! I'm not asking for much, just tell me why it's glowing. You also seemed surprised earlier." ŕαNꝋᛒĘš
"That's..."
Why is the stone glowing?
Amelia hesitated and then clenched the stone in her hand.
"I don't know."
"Huh? You don't know?"
Amelia clicked her tongue as I stared at her incredulously, and then she glared at me.
"That's right, I don't know. What's wrong with that? I don't know much about this item. But if I have this..."
Yeah, if you have it?
I was listening intently when...
「The sanctuary disappears.」
The barrier that was blocking the water shattered, and water rushed in like a scene from a disaster movie.
Damn it, at this timing?
'I almost had her...'
It was a shame, but what could I do?
"Hold your breath! Hold onto the rope!"
I took a deep breath and shouted, and the cold seawater engulfed us.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
Time to hold out.
We just had to hold our breath and wait for the water to recede. Then our companions would come back and find us.
But thanks to Stormgush's essence, which increased my Lung Capacity...
'I can hold my breath for at least ten minutes.'
I wasn't uncomfortable, even though I was holding my breath.
In the game, Lung Capacity was a useless stat.
When you had to fight underwater, you would prepare beforehand, so there was no need to increase your breath-holding time.
'But it might actually be useful...'
Unlike the game, this world was a place where you had to fight with your real body.
Lung Capacity would be helpful in battle.
I'm not Lee Hansu, who just sat in front of a keyboard anymore. I know how important breathing is in real combat.
'My body is also healing.'
I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body as my injuries started to heal.
It wasn't because the seawater had potion-like properties.
It was just the effect of the new skill.
「The character's body is imbued with the energy of the sea.」
「Passive skill [Origin] greatly increases Natural Regeneration.」
Stormgush's passive skill, [Origin].
The effect was simple.
When in contact with seawater, Natural Regeneration increased, and the longer the contact, the greater the increase, like compound interest.
It would even regrow a severed arm in about ten minutes.
'Well, it's useless outside the 6th floor.'
I had tried storing seawater in a bottle and using it like a potion, but it was a complete failure.
The skill didn't activate after an hour.
What the hell was this 'energy of the sea'?
'Anyway, I finally have regeneration again.'
I couldn't help but smile.
The most frustrating part of losing the Vampire essence was finally resolved. It was a 3rd-grade essence, and it wasn't just focused on regeneration.
[Origin] had other effects.
'I'll switch it out when I start farming 2nd-grade essences...'
I was savoring the feeling of my body healing when...
'Huh?'
I belatedly realized something.
The torch I had lit while fighting Stormgush had gone out when the water rushed in.
And my vision was blurry from the seawater.
But...
'Why can I see?'
The reason was Amelia's mysterious stone. It was emitting a brilliant light, even though it was in her subspace pocket, acting as a light source.
I had a question.
How could light escape from a subspace pocket, which was supposed to be a separate space?
'But why is it glowing even brighter...?'
I tilted my head and pointed at Amelia's subspace bracelet.
It was a gesture with this meaning.
'Hey, is that okay?'
Amelia didn't answer my question.
She just stared at the stone, as if mesmerized.
'This is making me even more anxious...'
I felt something was wrong.
Flash!
The stone suddenly erupted with a white light, blinding me.
And that was the last thing I remembered.
Like the day I was first summoned to this world.
'My eyes!'
I passed out.
____________________
「Error Occurred.」
「Character location cannot be found.」
「Character log transmission temporarily suspended.」
「Administrator, please investigate the cause of the error...」
「...」
____________________
When I opened my eyes, there was light.
The red glow of the sunset as the sun dipped below the horizon.
"Damn it."
I realized how much time had passed and quickly sat up.
"A whole day has passed?"
It was nighttime when we fought Stormgush.
But the sun was setting?
It meant I had been unconscious for at least a day...
'...Wait, what the...?'
I soon faced a much bigger problem than the lost time.
'My equipment, where the hell is it?'
I felt a sense of emptiness and checked my body.
My equipment was gone.
No, it wasn't just my equipment.
My subspace ring, my earring, even my magic-enchanted underwear were all gone.
I was completely naked.
'Did someone loot me while I was unconscious?'
Hmm, but if they looted me, they would have killed me, right?
No, wait, there was no one else on this island besides us.
What were those guys who we sent away on the boat doing all this time?
Damn it, what the hell is going on?
"This is driving me crazy."
It was beyond just confusing.
My common sense couldn't explain this situation.
Therefore.
"Hey."
I shook Amelia, who was lying next to me.
Ah, of course, I looked away.
She was also naked.
"...Amelia, wake up."
Hey, please wake up.
You were the one who had that stone.
What the hell happened?
"Ha..."
I tried to wake Amelia up, hoping for an answer, but she didn't respond.
She was breathing, so she wasn't dead...
'Damn it.'
I gave up on waking her up and checked my surroundings.
It had been strange from the moment I opened my eyes, but there were many things I hadn't checked yet.
'My arm.'
Yeah, my severed arm had regrown thanks to the seawater.
'The nail and rope.'
The nail and rope I had used to tie myself down were gone.
We hadn't moved to another island.
We were still in the same spot where we fought Stormgush.
But...
'The ground is already dry.'
The entire island had been submerged, but the sand beneath my feet was dry.
Was this physically possible in just one day?
I didn't know, but the most important thing was something else.
'But I'm still wet.'
If the ground had dried naturally from the sun, why was I still wet...?
Whiiiiiiiing-!
I heard the sound of insect wings flapping in the distance.
'Here we go again.'
The 8th-grade insect-type monster, 'Krungbi'.
The main monster that appeared on Parune Island.
'Why the hell is it appearing now?'
It was baffling.
The event had ended yesterday.
They shouldn't have respawned until the next labyrinth cycle.
'Whatever, I'll worry about that later.'
I quickly got up.
And I picked up a sturdy-looking branch from the ground.
It wasn't as good as a mace...
'It's good enough for a one-time use.'
It would be enough to deal with an 8th-grade monster.
Tadat.
I dashed towards the insect monster that had emerged from the bushes.
And...
'Swing.'
I swung the branch with all my might.
Thwack!
There was no system message, but the satisfying impact made me feel a bit better.
Yeah, at least my essences are still working.
-x-X-x-
Thud.
The insect-type monster, 'Krungbi', disintegrated into light, dropping a magic stone.
I didn't bother picking it up.
What would I even do with it? I didn't even have a pocket to store it in.
'This is driving me crazy.'
In a way, this was worse than when I first fell into the labyrinth and had to crawl around on three legs.
At least back then, I had underwear.
'...I'll worry about where I am later, let's get some clothes first.'
I was momentarily panicked by the unfamiliar situation, but I quickly organized my thoughts and started working.
First, clothes.
There were only trees and monsters that disintegrated into light, but getting clothes wasn't that difficult.
After all, I'm a barbarian.
'...I'm really doing everything here.'
I first found a vine that fit my waist.
And then I strung large leaves onto the vine, wrapped it around my waist, and tied it.
My new equipment, 'Blessing of the Tree Spirit', was complete.
'...It's surprisingly sturdy.'
I was surprised by the quality of my creation as I moved around.
As expected, the basics are the basics for a reason.
There was a reason why the first humans preferred this look.
'...I should make one for her too.'
I made one for Amelia as well.
Unlike me, who only needed something for my lower body, Amelia needed two pieces...
But she was much smaller than me, so it didn't take that much longer.
'I made it big enough, so she doesn't have to worry about the size.'
It was one of the few advantages of the 'Blessing of the Tree Spirit'.
It was so primitive that size didn't matter.
I could just tighten the vine and tie it.
'When is she going to wake up?'
I walked over to Amelia and placed the 'Blessing of the Tree Spirit (Female)' on top of her.
I thought about dressing her...
'It would be awkward.'
It felt like I was crossing a line.
'Anyway, I'm not hungry yet, so let's build a shelter first.'
After taking care of clothes, I started working on shelter.
This wasn't difficult either.
I dug a hole with my hand, lined it with the large leaves I had used for the 'Blessing of the Tree Spirit', and then gathered some dry wood and built a campfire.
It was surprisingly easy to start a fire.
'Is it because I'm so strong?'
I rubbed the wood together with all my might, and smoke soon appeared.
There really is nothing you can't do with strength in this world.
'When the hell is she going to wake up?'
I placed Amelia on the leaf bed and looked up at the sky.
It was nighttime.
But the campfire kept me warm, and I could see my surroundings, so I could fight monsters even if they appeared.
I then moved on to the next task.
'The problem is food...'
The third element of survival, and the most important one.
"Ha..."
I sighed.
I didn't think I would have to worry about this again after all this time.
Rumble.
"...How the hell am I going to get food?"
____________________
There were no mountains on Parune Island.
Except for the coastline, it was all flat forest, and the trees blocked the light from the campfire, so it didn't reach far.
But...
'Those moths...'
The light was enough to attract monsters, and I had to fight them all night.
Well, I didn't put out the fire.
Monsters would appear even without the light.
It was better to fight them while I could see.
'...I'm not going to sleep anyway.'
I fought monsters and fought hunger for several hours, and then Amelia finally woke up.
"You're finally awake."
"...How did you know?"
"Your breathing stopped."
She was a strange one.
She was clearly awake, but she just lay there with her eyes closed.
Was she trying to assess the situation?
"...Where are we?"
"Wait, put this on first."
"...?"
Amelia sat up and frowned at the pile of leaves on top of her.
"Barbarian, did you... undress me?"
It was one of the questions I had expected, so I answered calmly.
"Look at me, do you really think I did that? I was also naked when I woke up."
"...I see."
I turned around, and I heard the rustling of leaves behind me. It seemed like I didn't have to explain how to wear it.
"You can turn around now."
When I turned back, Amelia was wearing the 'Blessing of the Tree Spirit (Female)'.
It was a strange feeling.
We were both wearing leaves, like a matching set.
I felt like we would get a set bonus if we fought together.
"So where are we?"
Amelia asked the same question again, as if she wasn't embarrassed by her outfit.
Hey, I'm the one who should be asking the questions.
"This is Parune Island. I don't know how much time has passed, but we were both naked when I woke up."
I briefly explained the strange things that had happened since I opened my eyes.
Amelia didn't say anything.
She seemed to be organizing her thoughts.
I waited for about a minute and then asked,
"So, can you explain now? Why are we like this?"
"...Why are you asking me?"
Don't play dumb.
"Your stone was glowing, wasn't it? I'm sure it's related to this."
"That stone..."
Amelia opened and closed her empty hand.
But the stone that had disappeared didn't reappear.
Ah, right, I should mention this first.
"I didn't touch it. I don't even know where it went."
"Don't worry. I'm not suspecting you."
Hmm, so she trusts me that much?
"So, what's the answer?"
"...I have a hunch, but I'm not sure."
Just tell me, damn it.
Why is she controlling information even in this situation?
"Just tell me, what is that stone, and why are we like this?"
I asked impatiently, and Amelia hesitated.
And...
"That's..."
She was about to say something with a determined look when...
Crack.
We heard a branch snapping in the distance.
We both crouched down and looked towards the sound.
There were only insect-type monsters on this island.
So it was likely a human.
"..."
We held our breath.
It would have been one thing if we had heard footsteps.
Then we could have just thought it was someone passing by.
"Who's there? Come out."
Amelia spoke coldly, staring into the darkness.
About five seconds later...
"Haha, you make us sound like villains."
Five explorers emerged from the bushes.
What the hell, they really were watching us?
Since when?
'Damn it.'
I felt a chill run down my spine, but I quickly scanned them.
They were all human males.
Judging by their equipment...
'5th-floor level.'
But they had clan emblems on their chests.
It was a clan I had never seen before.
'They came to the 6th floor as a clan, and they're moving in teams on this island?'
But there was something strange.
Most explorers didn't enter the labyrinth this time because of the current situation. That's why we were able to trigger the event with less than 20 people.
But we're meeting explorers now?
Something didn't feel right.
I was feeling uneasy when...
"Why were you watching us?"
Amelia asked, her voice filled with suspicion, and the conversation began.
"Don't misunderstand. We saw the fire from afar and thought it might be our clan members, so we came to say hello. But we were surprised by your appearance, so we just watched for a bit. Ah, and we just found you."
It was a somewhat plausible explanation.
Even I would have been curious if I saw two people wearing leaves in the middle of the island.
"So, what happened to you?"
"It's none of your business."
"Haha, don't be so wary. You're clearly in a difficult situation..."
"I said it's none of your business."
Amelia cut him off coldly.
But did he find that attractive?
"Haha, you're a feisty one."
The man laughed heartily, not offended at all.
Honestly, I thought he was crazy.
Why is he acting like that when she's clearly telling him to get lost?
"Amelia."
"I'll handle this, so stay quiet."
I called her name, trying to prevent things from escalating.
Amelia seemed to understand and softened her tone a bit.
"Our boat capsized. We're waiting for our companions here."
It was a lie I had come up with based on my situation.
"Hmm, then where's your equipment?"
"We put it in our backpacks before we fell into the water, but we lost them."
"I see."
The man then asked Amelia a few more questions out of curiosity, and Amelia answered vaguely.
Of course, there were many contradictions if you looked closely...
"Oh, is that so? You must have had a hard time!"
But the man didn't seem to care, as he just stared at Amelia's body with a lecherous gaze.
That's when...
"Well, this is..."
Thwack!
Amelia kicked him in the head.
Thud.
Damn it, this woman.
I was trying to be patient, but she just attacked him.
'Who did she learn that from?'
I sighed inwardly, but I immediately took action.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
It was too late to prevent it.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
I activated [Wild Release] and [Gigantification].
And I leaped towards them.
'Swing.'
I swung my makeshift club and knocked the mage to the ground.
'Okay, the mage is down.'
I then turned and swung at the archer next to me, using the momentum.
But...
"Nooo!!"
The shield warrior next to the archer blocked my attack.
Crack.
My club shattered against the shield.
Damn it, I should have used a mace.
Thud.
I dropped the broken club and grabbed the shield with both hands.
And...
"Give it to me."
I pulled.
But it was difficult to take it away from him.
Shields were usually strapped to the wrist.
Of course, it was a minor problem.
If the arm was the problem, I could just break it.
Crack!
"Aaaaaaargh!!"
I pulled the shield warrior towards me and slammed his elbow into the ground, shattering the joint.
And then I kicked him away, took the shield, and...
Clang!
...blocked an incoming arrow.
That was the end of the battle.
Thud!
Amelia had already taken care of the rest.
The archer collapsed, an arrow protruding from his chest.
But they weren't all dead.
"Y, you... Do you even know who we are?!"
The man who had been kicked in the head glared at us.
Damn it, this is going to be troublesome.
"Shut up."
I quickly gathered some leaves and stuffed them in his mouth.
And then I looked at Amelia.
"What the hell did you do?"
I had no choice but to participate, but we had just looted them.
If this got out, it would be a huge problem.
"Explain yourself. Why did you do that?"
Amelia avoided my gaze.
"...They were weak. We had to attack first."
That was ridiculous.
"You should have tried talking to them first."
"I don't think they would have listened."
It felt like she was talking to a wall.
Damn it, did everyone I met feel this way about me?
'She thinks she's some kind of prophet.'
I sighed and then Amelia spoke, as if trying to comfort me.
"Don't worry. This won't get out."
"What do you mean?"
"Check their backpacks."
I didn't understand, but I opened their backpacks.
The first thing I saw was jerky.
I was starving, so this was a welcome sight.
At least our food problem was solved.
Munch, munch.
I stuffed some jerky in my mouth and then continued searching the backpacks.
And I soon noticed something strange.
'What the... these guys weren't from a clan?'
Their backpacks were filled with equipment.
It was too much for emergency equipment.
There were all sorts of weapons, and most of them were covered in blood.
"These guys... they were looters."
Then was the clan emblem a fake?
But it looked familiar...
'Where have I seen this before?'
I racked my brain, and then I remembered.
"...Clan Elvis."
I had seen it in a book at the library.
A clan of dozens of explorers who had committed countless crimes. They were eventually caught and executed.
If I remember correctly...
It was about fifteen years ago.
'No sane person would use that clan's emblem as a disguise...'
I felt a huge sense of dissonance.
And at that moment...
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A cold wind blew from the sea, sending shivers down my spine.
'Wait a minute...'
I hurriedly opened the backpacks and checked the ID cards again.
"This is crazy..."
There were ID cards with different names, races, and ages.
But they all had one thing in common.
"The renewal date is... 134th year of the Change Era?"
They were all from twenty years ago.
-x-X-x-
Thump.
My heart started to race.
"…You're saying you're Auril Gabis?"
He might be the one who could answer all the questions I had since waking up in this body.
"Did you… really make that game?"
"You were only supposed to ask one question, but I understand how you feel, so I'll answer."
He nodded.
"That's right. I made that game."
Phew, so it really is him.
Assuming he wasn't lying.
"Well, then it's your turn now that I've told you my name. What's your name?"
He asked for my name, as if it was only fair since I had asked for his.
But…
'He probably has the same intention as me.'
Names are important.
Especially in this spiritual world where appearances are meaningless.
As we could see from the Ruin Scholar, who was in the form of a child, we take on the appearance we believe ourselves to be in this place.
Revealing your name meant losing your anonymity.
It meant giving him a way to find me outside.
So…
"Lee Hansu."
I revealed my real name, which I had never told anyone except for Lee Baekho.
But the old man wasn't satisfied.
"Oh, so you're from Korea? But I wasn't asking for that. I was asking for the name you use here."
"The name I use here…"
Okay, I knew he would say that.
"Nibels Enche."
It was a name I used here, right?
I deliberately mixed in a trick, having seen Lee Baekho, who could distinguish between truth and lies.
This old man might be the one who created the Round Table.
If he was the one who created the jewel that was the core of the gathering system, it wouldn't be strange for him to have that ability.
'And besides, it doesn't hurt to be careful…'
He stared at me meaningfully after hearing my answer.
"Hmm…"
"Is there a problem?"
"No. Then it's your turn now."
He ended his turn after observing me with an ambiguous gaze.
My mind was racing.
What should I ask first?
I had so many questions I wanted to ask him that it was difficult to prioritize.
But…
'Right, let's ask this first.'
I chose one of the questions on my list.
"Why did you summon us to this world?"
The root of all incidents.
Motive.
Why did he do this?
"…You're truly special."
Auril Gabis said something strange instead of answering.
"What do you mean?"
"I've met a few people from Earth, and most of them think they're just in a game."
Ah, so that's what he meant.
Well, I used to think that way too.
But I had experienced so much and obtained so many clues in this world. There's no way I would still be under that delusion.
This is a separate world.
If my guess is correct, [Dungeon and Stone] is a game based on this world.
"So, what's the answer?"
"Well, I guess that's the thing you're most curious about."
Auril Gabis then opened his mouth.
The reason why they had to summon beings from another world.
"Because you're the only ones who can open the Gate of the Abyss."
"What? Gate of the Abyss? What's that…?"
Auril Gabis cut me off.
"One question at a time, wasn't that the rule?"
"Ah…"
Right, that's true.
"Go ahead."
He chuckled as I handed over my turn.
"You…"
"...."
"Did you use the Fragment of Records?"
The old man's eyes were filled with anticipation.
_____________________
The Fragment of Records.
A heirloom passed down through generations of the Noark Lord's family, a treasure with the absurd ability to reverse time.
'How the hell did he find out?'
My heart sank the moment he mentioned it.
I wasn't even thinking about it.
I didn't expect his second question to be one that could reveal everything.
'…Damn it, what should I say?'
It was too late to pretend I didn't know what the 'Fragment of Records' was.
He must have noticed that I was flustered.
"You can take your time to answer."
Although Auril Gabis said that, I quickly made a decision and asked back,
"Why do you think so?"
Of course, I knew that asking this was practically the same as admitting it.
But what could I do?
I didn't think he would be fooled by a lie…
'He must have a reason.'
Auril Gabis was almost certain.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have specifically mentioned the 'Fragment of Records'.
"There are three reasons."
He smiled kindly, as if talking to his grandson, and explained his reasoning.
"One, you're too strong for someone who's only been here for a year. Two, I never invited you here. Three, you're strong, but not strong enough to enter my domain without permission."
"Just from that…?"
"Haha, it's not just 'that'. It's the only explanation for this level of contradiction."
Well, even if he said that, I didn't really understand…
"So can I assume that the answer to your question is yes?"
I just admitted it since it would be ridiculous to deny it now.
It was a shame that it was revealed on the second question, but what could I do?
I just had to do well from now on.
"Huhu, you wouldn't have come from the past since you're from Earth. What year are you from?"
"214th year of the Change Era."
"Twenty years in the future."
He slowly asked about my personal information, and I did the same.
"Are you hostile towards the royal family?"
"…You could say that."
"You 'could say that'? I'd like a definite answer."
"We're enemies."
Hmm, I see.
So they weren't on the same side.
"It was my future self who gave you the invitation… no, I'll ask again. Who gave you the invitation?"
"An evil spirit from Earth nicknamed GM."
"…GM?"
"I don't know anything else."
"I see. It's your turn now."
"Why is the royal family hiding the fact that the outside world is fine?"
"Hmm, so you know about that twenty years later?"
Auril Gabis subtly tested me, and then he answered when I didn't react.
"The royal family firmly believes that it's the way to protect this world."
"So it's not just because of greed."
"Unfortunately."
He then asked me what difficulty I had cleared the game on, and I answered,
"15x."
"…You're lying."
Geez, he's so serious.
But at least one thing was clear.
He really had a lie detector.
"I don't understand. Why would you lie about something like this…"
Auril Gabis trailed off.
And then he realized something.
"…The original! Don't tell me, you cleared the original version I made?"
He raised his voice excitedly.
'Damn it.'
It was a checkmate.
If I said 'no' here, it would also be an answer.
'Damn it, and he was the one who said my question was unfair?'
It was ridiculous, but what could I do?
The strong always win.
Small fries like me just have to endure.
"...."
I couldn't even say 'no' and just kept my mouth shut.
"I see, I see! Of course, there's no way the Fragment of Records would react to someone who only cleared that trash mass-produced version…!"
The old man, interpreting my silence as agreement, started muttering excitedly.
I felt a strange sensation.
"Tell me, how did you clear it? How long did it take? No, what did you do before you came here?"
He suddenly seemed desperate.
But old people are usually emotionally unstable, so I had to confirm.
"I want something to drink."
"Huh? You shouldn't feel thirsty here…"
"Are you saying I'm lying?"
The old man hurriedly created a cup and filled it with water as I frowned.
Hmm, this wasn't enough.
"Sprite."
"…Sprite?"
"I want Sprite, not water."
"Ah! You mean that?"
The old man quickly changed the liquid in the cup.
It was clearly Sprite, with bubbles rising from the bottom.
I immediately chugged it down.
"Ahhhhh."
Unlike the tasteless water in my room, the refreshing carbonation filled my throat.
"Burp."
"Haha, you drink well. Anyway, now that you've finished your drink, answer my question. Are there many people like you who cleared the original version twenty years later?"
I couldn't help but smile at his question.
My barbarian instincts were telling me that I was the one in power now.
"Hmm, are you that curious?"
Maybe I was the one who had the upper hand now.