Three days after the community closed.
As I was spending my days looking for a ship to use on the 6th floor and a navigator to sail it, I received good news from Amelia.
"Schuitz, you don't have to worry about the guild anymore."
"Don't worry?"
"I found a suitable target and took care of it."
"…What?"
I asked for details, and it was a typical Amelia-style solution.
She had found a guild executive who had committed embezzlement and tax evasion.
And she had used that information to blackmail him into erasing all guild records related to 'Lihen Schuitz'.
"It would have been safer to modify the records instead of erasing them, but that was too difficult."
"Is there a chance that the erased records will cause a problem?"
"Not usually. It's more common than you think for administrative records to be lost or damaged."
Hmm, I see…
Amelia added that she hadn't erased everything, and that the record of Lihen Schuitz being a 5th-grade explorer remained.
In other words, my 5th-grade identity was safe.
"You don't seem convinced."
"It's just that… it's a bit suspicious for my records to suddenly disappear, even if it's a common occurrence."
"It's still better than leaving your old records behind, isn't it?"
Well, she was right.
Even if I couldn't erase all traces, at least I wouldn't be giving them physical evidence.
"Good work… no, thank you, Amelia."
"…It's only natural for a capable person to do their job."
"Because it's efficient?"
Amelia nodded and then changed the subject.
"So how's your side of things going? Did you read the documents I gave you?"
Ah, the list of ships.
It was a document that neatly summarized the specs and prices of the ships on the market.
"Tell me if you didn't like any of them, I'll have to find more."
"No, there's no need for that. There was a suitable one, as long as the actual ship matches the description in the document."
Amelia asked me why I chose that ship, and I explained excitedly.
"It's the most expensive one, but it's actually a bargain considering its performance."
"Hmm."
"And it can sail to the 7th floor in its current state, as long as we avoid special areas. And we can just upgrade it later to sail through those areas, so we won't need to buy a new ship."
"I see."
Amelia's response was lukewarm.
I wondered why she even asked if she wasn't interested…
"Well, I'm sure you're right. You're the expert when it comes to this."
I stuttered at her words.
"Uh… i-is that so?"
"We're already on the same boat. And you're the captain."
It was a bit embarrassing.
But I also had another thought.
Was she trying to boost my confidence?
Well, I had been stuck at home lately, relying on them for everything.
Maybe it was her way of being considerate—
"Then I'll be going now that the ship is decided. I should be able to make an offer before the exchange closes if I hurry."
I wanted to ask if she really said that because of me, but Amelia had already put on her coat and left.
Well, it wasn't important.
'Anyway, that takes care of the ship…'
I could have gotten a better ship if I had more money, but I wasn't disappointed.
The one I chose was good enough.
'The problem is the navigator…'
People are always more troublesome than things.
____________________
Knock, knock.
I heard a knock as I was reading the books I borrowed from the library, lying in bed.
Hmm, is it dinner time already?
"Come in."
The door opened as soon as I gave permission.
As expected, it was Erwen.
Amelia was probably negotiating with the seller.
"What is it?"
I put down my book and asked, and Erwen answered in a slightly dissatisfied tone.
"We have a visitor."
"Visitor?"
I tilted my head, and a woman appeared at the door.
Flowing platinum blonde hair and blue eyes.
"It's me."
It was Raven.
Unlike the last time I saw her, she wasn't wearing her Magic Corps uniform, but casual clothes, and her hair was down.
Damn, the atmosphere suddenly changed.
"Can I come in?"
"Ah, uh…"
Raven sat down before I could even answer, and Erwen followed her, taking a seat far away from her.
"Why are you here?"
"I can't come?"
No, I wasn't saying you couldn't… I was just asking why…
Well, whatever.
She wouldn't bother us, judging by how far away she was sitting.
"It's been a while, Raven."
"Yes. How have you been?"
"I'm doing okay. But is it okay for you to be here?"
"Don't worry, I came here discreetly."
"Ah, is that why you're dressed like that and have your hair down?"
"…Why else would I be?"
Damn it, why is she so prickly?
I was just asking, did something happen?
'I should be careful with my words today.'
As I was thinking that, Raven spoke first.
"Books."
"…?"
"You're reading. Did you buy them?"
"No, it seems like they allow rentals now."
"Ah… I heard about that. They allow people with verified identities to borrow books now, right?"
"Officially, yes. But in reality, you have to pay a deposit unless you're a noble or a high-ranking official."
"Mister didn't have to."
Erwen suddenly interjected, but Raven just nodded.
"Well, that makes sense, considering your status."
"So why did you come all the way here in disguise? Did something happen?"
Raven finally got to the point before the topic could go astray.
"Yandel… I mean, sorry, it's hard to break the habit."
"It's fine."
"Anyway, I came here to tell you something."
Right, so she wasn't just here to see me.
I had a hunch, considering how long the introduction was.
"Tell me."
I lowered my voice, sensing it was something serious.
"The royal family has started an unofficial investigation on Schuitz."
"Unofficial investigation?"
"It's a common practice when new faces appear. They can't officially investigate without a reason, it would seem like they're targeting explorers."
Hmm, like spying on civilians?
It's a dictatorship, why are they even concerned about that?
"Anyway, so?"
"They also investigated me, so I told them what I could. The things that couldn't be hidden, like the abilities he showed us back then."
"So they don't suspect his identity, even though it's an unofficial investigation."
"No, you would have been arrested by now if they did. Even unofficial investigations can be handled gently or harshly."
The rumors about the royal family secretly training a special forces unit weren't just rumors.
The Rose Knight Order or whatever was a prime example.
"So what about you? You omitted information from your report."
"I'm fine. I made an excuse, saying I was delayed because the 3rd Corps Commander position was vacant. And I said I had already reported to Captain Febrosk, my direct superior."
"But won't they find out you're lying?"
"It's not a lie. I really did report to the Captain as soon as I returned to the city. Well, I embellished the story a bit."
"I see…"
I felt both reassured and guilty.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Raven."
"…Didn't we already talk about that? I'm just repaying a debt."
"I'll definitely repay this debt."
"Yes, you should. Otherwise, I'll be at a loss."
The atmosphere, which could have easily turned heavy, softened a bit as Raven joked.
It was time to move on.
"Raven, have you heard about the integration proposal?"
"Integration proposal? What's that?"
"It's a proposal to accept evil spirits as citizens instead of treating them as enemies. It was proposed 150 years ago, but it was rejected for various reasons."
"Ah, I remember learning about that. But why?"
"I heard it was brought up at the royal council meeting."
Raven was surprised when I explained why I brought it up.
"This is the first time I'm hearing about it. You were practically stuck at home, how did you… Ah, it was the 15th a few days ago!"
Raven's ability to quickly grasp the situation was one of her strengths.
I didn't answer and just continued,
"Can you look into it? Who brought it up at the meeting, and…"
"And…?"
"…if there's really no chance that the royal family will accept it."
Maybe this was the key.
_____________________
The days after Raven's visit were busy.
Well, not for me, who was stuck at home, but for Amelia.
We had bought the ship I chose after using almost all our money, but we couldn't find a navigator.
There was a serious shortage of navigators.
Everyone was heading to the Dark Continent on warships, so I thought there would be plenty of them available…
"It was too difficult to find one in a month…"
"Be specific. It's difficult to find someone who meets your standards."
Well, she wasn't wrong.
Honestly, it wasn't like there were no navigators at all.
The problem was that they were all mediocre.
Navigation skills were crucial for reaching the Submerged Island, our destination.
"You have to either lower your standards or give up. Skilled navigators are quickly snatched up by other teams, and they won't join a team like ours that's only offering a short-term contract."
"Really? Then I'll just give up."
"That easily…?"
"What can I do? The labyrinth opens in two days. I'll just find one next month."
"So you're removing the Submerged Island from our exploration plan?"
"No, we'll just try it ourselves. I don't know if it will work, but there's nothing else to do on the lower floors anyway."
I hadn't been able to gain much experience on the lower floors of the 6th floor, so it wouldn't be a big loss even if we couldn't reach the Submerged Island.
But could it be that she was annoyed by my words?
"…You're not wrong, but it's frustrating. I wouldn't have wasted my time running around if you had told me sooner."
"I… apologize."
I apologized to Amelia and then called Erwen to the room to discuss our next exploration plan.
But it didn't take long.
I had already prepared a Plan B in case we couldn't find a navigator.
"You're entering a rift…?"
"Not for long, just briefly. It's not like the world will end if we arrive on the 6th floor a few days late. We're not joining the expedition force this time. And you two haven't absorbed much rift experience, have you?"
"Well, you can't just enter a rift whenever you want…"
That's true.
That's why I couldn't easily share my rift opening method with my previous teams.
'It's definitely convenient to be open about being an evil spirit in this aspect.'
"Anyway, I think that's enough about the plan."
We each spent some time preparing, and then two days passed—
「Entered the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.」
…and it was time to enter the labyrinth.
"Mister, why are you smiling?"
"Just… I'm excited. Let's go to the 2nd floor."
It's been a while since I felt like I was going on an adventure.
-x-X-x-
Thirteen hours after entering the labyrinth.
We were still in the Crystal Cave on the 1st floor.
There was one reason why we were still here, even though we had cleared the 1st floor in a few hours with just the three of us last time.
The beginning of our exploration plan was here.
"Hmm, I didn't know you could open a rift like this."
"Hehe, you really know everything, mister!"
There were four types of rifts on the 1st floor: the Crimson Fortress, the Glacier Cave, and so on. And these rifts could be intentionally opened by players.
The reason it took us so long was because we had to go to the 2nd floor and kill an 8th-grade monster to obtain the necessary item.
'Everyone who's going to go up should be gone by now…'
I took out the 8th-grade magic stone from my subspace pocket and looked around.
'It's been a while since I've been here.'
An empty space with a single tombstone, about 30 meters in radius.
This was where the remaining explorers had gathered after the army and the large clans escaped through the dimensional gate.
Well, it was much larger back then because the mages had expanded it.
"Is everyone ready?"
The two of them nodded, and I placed the magic stone in front of the tombstone, like an offering.
And at that moment…
Rumble!
The entire 1st floor shook, the tombstone at its epicenter.
A green portal opened.
「Character has entered a 1st-floor rift.」
Let's go.
____________________
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A cave appeared, illuminated by the light of the portal.
There were railroad tracks on the ground, and wooden debris was scattered everywhere.
It was a bit creepier than in the game.
[Green Mine]
One of the four types of rifts on the 1st floor.
The progression was simple.
You started at a point where the ceiling had collapsed, followed the railroad tracks, wandered through the mine, and killed the Guardian at the end.
"What are you guys waiting for? Let's go."
I hurriedly led the two of them deeper into the mine.
More people would be coming soon.
It was best to avoid them.
Amelia and I weren't that famous, but Erwen was a celebrity in this city. Even low-level explorers might recognize her.
Tadat.
We left the area illuminated by the portal, and Erwen summoned the darkness spirit to hide us. And then, as expected, more people entered the rift.
"Whoa!"
The first one was a man with low-level equipment.
"What, what the…? Am I the first one?"
He looked around, bewildered, and then a smile spread across his face as he realized that he had entered a rift.
And then…
"Whoa!"
…the second person stumbled out of the portal and fell to the ground.
He was also a man.
"Hehe, nice to meet you!"
Okay, they're both men, so nothing should happen.
I turned around, dismissing my worries, and…
"They won't be able to hear us from here. Let's run."
"Okay!"
…we started our exploration, running through the mine.
The first monster we encountered was, as expected, a goblin.
But it was different from the ones we had seen on the 1st and 2nd floors.
[Growl!]
Its height was similar to ordinary goblins, but its build was different.
It had a broad back and well-defined muscles.
And it was wearing a miner's helmet and carrying a pickaxe.
"Goblin Miner."
It was 8th-grade.
A monster that only gave experience points in 1st-floor rifts.
[Kyaaa!]
The macho goblin charged towards us, swinging its pickaxe, as if it didn't even care that it was outnumbered.
It was a powerful attack, much stronger than an ordinary goblin's.
But…
"That's disgusting…"
…would that work?
Any one of us could easily clear a 1st-floor rift.
Thud!
Erwen didn't even bother with an arrow. She used the wind spirit to pierce its forehead.
「Goblin Miner defeated. EXP +2」
One shot, one kill.
It was a natural result for explorers of our level… but I was impressed by the way she summoned the wind spirit and shot it with a flick of her finger.
'Is that… finger flicking?'
I used to be obsessed with martial arts novels.
Damn, why don't I have a cool ability like that?
"Schuitz, is there a problem?"
"Yes, you're staring at me…"
"It's nothing. Let's go."
I dismissed my thoughts and moved on.
Hmm, if I were to compare my current state to martial arts, I would be like a master of external martial arts who had reached the state of invulnerability.
Tadat, tadat.
Anyway, I took the lead and navigated. Well, it was just a straight path for now…
"Why did you stop?"
"The tracks are broken here. This must be it."
I was observing the ground as I walked, and I stopped as soon as I saw a damaged section of the railroad.
And…
Kwaaang!
…I smashed the surrounding walls with my hammer.
Amelia was startled, thinking I was trying to bury us alive, but it was a pointless worry.
Rift fields don't break that easily.
And if they did, there was usually something hidden there.
Like this.
Crack!
The wall crumbled like a pile of Styrofoam boxes.
A narrow passage was revealed.
It was just wide enough for one person to pass through.
Damn, I wouldn't have been able to enter if I hadn't shrunk my body—
Thud.
Ugh, my shoulders are still getting stuck.
I turned sideways and crab-walked through the passage.
And…
"That's 3 million stones right there."
…I found a chest hidden in the small space at the end of the passage, and I took out a green jewel.
I repeated the process and returned to the main path.
"I didn't know there was something like this in the mine."
"But mister… can we even take it outside without a mage?"
"It's fine. These kinds of items don't need distortion magic."
The 1st-floor Crimson Fortress was a good example.
Only junk items like bricks and decorations needed 'distortion' magic.
Valuable items like the 'Necronomicon' were classified as items, so you could just take them out of the portal…
Ah, she wasn't there back then.
"Then let's go. We got everything here."
Anyway, that was the only hidden piece in the first chapter, so I focused on moving, and we soon reached a cliff.
A bridge, two-thirds of which had collapsed, along with the railroad tracks.
The standard strategy was to take a detour through a side passage…
'I could have just skipped this if I had [Leap].'
It was a shame I didn't have a movement skill anymore.
You could skip this section with any mid-level or higher movement skill.
'There are only Goblin Miners on the other side anyway.'
We entered the side passage, even though there weren't any hidden pieces there, and smashed all the Goblin Miners we encountered, then exited through the other side.
It took about 30 minutes.
"This is too easy for a 1st-floor rift."
"It's definitely different from what I expected…"
Erwen seemed dissatisfied with the lack of challenge, but it couldn't be helped. We were 7th-floor explorers in a 1st-floor rift.
Ordinary RPG games wouldn't even give you experience points for this.
Wait, but isn't it even more evil to visit low-level hunting grounds for experience points…?
"Don't be disappointed. We'll be out of here soon."
I sped up, sensing their boredom.
We passed through the passage beyond the bridge and killed all the monsters that appeared in the second chapter.
「Hobgoblin Miner defeated. EXP +3」
「Mineral Slime defeated. EXP +2」
「Copper Golem defeated. EXP +3」
Those were the new monsters we encountered in the second chapter.
Ah, and the mid-boss.
「Goblin Bomber defeated. EXP +4」
No essence again.
Well, we didn't have a test tube or a mage anyway.
'The second chapter was focused on combat, so it was over quickly.'
I briefly searched the area for hidden pieces after clearing the mid-boss in about ten minutes.
It was hidden among the minerals near the mid-boss room.
[Gob Quartz]
Oh, there were three of them.
"Let's split these."
I tried to give them the Gob Quartz, but Amelia and Erwen frowned.
"Eat… that?"
"It smells strange. And it feels sticky…"
"It's a potion. It increases your Poison Resistance."
"If you say so."
Amelia, who must have a strong stomach from being born in Noark, swallowed the Gob Quartz first, and Erwen followed suit, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Does it really taste that bad?"
"…It doesn't taste like anything."
"It has a unique texture."
"Oh, really?"
A unique texture? What's so special about that?
I guess I don't have to brace myself.
Crunch!
I bit down on the Gob Quartz, and it did have a strange texture.
The outside was soft, but the inside felt like I was biting on a stone.
It wasn't that unusual for barbarians, who usually ate bones.
「Character has consumed Gob Quartz.」
「Poison Resistance permanently increased by +3.」
「This effect does not stack.」
Anyway, the rest of the rift was similar.
We smashed all the monsters we encountered and continued forward. And we only stopped to search for hidden pieces.
We descended a spiral staircase at the edge of a cliff, and the third chapter ended.
And…
"This is the last one."
…we arrived at the deepest part of the mine and stood in front of a collapsed tunnel.
The standard strategy was to open the path using the explosives hidden throughout the mine…
But high-level players have their own tricks.
Kaboom, kaboom!
I smashed the foundation of the tunnel with my Demon Crusher, and it collapsed, creating a passage. We entered the passage.
「The Green King awakens from his slumber.」
A vast chamber, about 50 meters in radius.
Green slime was wriggling and roaring in the center.
[Squeeee!]
It was the 'Green Mine's' Guardian, the King Slime.
____________________
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the rift…
Two men were trembling in the darkness, illuminated by a single torch.
"…Are you sure… we have to go alone?"
"There's no other choice. The portal is closed."
"I heard you're supposed to explore rifts in a group of five… What the hell is going on…?"
The archer sighed at the axe warrior's words.
He didn't know either.
Why was the portal closed when only two people had entered?
Of course, he initially thought it was a temporary error.
But three hours had passed since the portal closed.
He couldn't deny reality forever.
"Whatever, let's just go. We have to start moving if we want to clear this rift with just the two of us."
"…Alright."
The axe warrior, who was timid despite his size, took the lead, and the archer followed him, providing support.
'This damn buggy game.'
The archer considered himself lucky.
Well, he did find this game by chance and ended up here…
But other than that, his life had always been easy, even after waking up in this unfamiliar world.
His first exploration was a good example.
He was lucky enough to absorb an essence from the start, and he earned his starting capital by looting a dead explorer and a looter during his second exploration.
He was able to steadily grow thanks to that.
But…
'I was hoping to explore a 1st-floor rift for the third time, and this happens.'
He grumbled inwardly, but he quickly focused.
He had to survive.
"…Wait."
"…What's wrong?"
"Something's strange. We should be seeing Goblin Miners around here…"
"You seem to know a lot about rifts."
"Just a little. I like to study."
He lied.
He was an experienced player who had played the original version.
Although he couldn't get past the early stages and quit, and then cleared it later after finding out about the cheat version…
…he was still familiar with the beginning.
After all, you had to read 'Elfnunna's' guide for newbies countless times if you wanted to play the original version properly.
"…Let's keep going. I don't know why we haven't seen any goblins yet."
But he decided to move on since waiting wouldn't change anything.
And…
"Oh, there's a passage over there!"
He noticed a hole in the wall where the railroad tracks were broken.
"…Someone was here before us."
"…What did you say?"
"Nothing."
Someone had already entered the rift.
And there were three of them.
'Then… they must have killed all the monsters.'
He felt a wave of relief, his legs almost giving out.
And then he realized it was an opportunity.
'Judging by the lack of battle scars, they must be strong enough to just cut through everything.'
They wouldn't be interested in the 1st-floor rift essences.
And essences only lasted for about 30 minutes after dropping.
If he followed them, he might be able to find some abandoned essences.
And maybe even some hidden pieces.
"Let's go. Don't worry about the monsters."
"…What do you mean?"
"There probably aren't any monsters ahead. I can go first if you don't believe me."
The archer then started running through the dark tunnel.
But…
'They took the Gob Quartz.'
There was nothing left in the second or third chapters. The bastards who entered first were so thorough that he couldn't even find anything they had missed.
'I didn't even know about that… it's broken, so there must have been something hidden inside.'
Anyway, he finally reached the boss room after running for a while.
It took about 40 minutes.
If the Guardian essence had dropped, and they hadn't absorbed it…
'…it might still be here.'
He entered the boss room with the axe warrior.
And…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
…they saw an essence floating in the air.
Greed flickered in their eyes.
But there was a difference.
"An… essence…!"
"Indeed."
"Do, don't tell me that's the Guardian's essence—"
The axe warrior, who was in the lead, seemed more surprised than greedy, but the archer behind him was the opposite.
Whoosh!
He drew an arrow and stabbed the axe warrior in the shoulder.
"Aaaaargh!"
The axe warrior screamed and collapsed to the ground.
Of course, he tried to fight back, but it was futile.
Clank.
His axe slipped from his grasp.
"It's useless. I coated the arrowhead with paralyzing poison."
"…Wh, why?! I, I'll give you the essence! So please!"
The warrior begged for his life, sensing his defeat.
But the archer's eyes were cold.
"Why are you so afraid of dying, NPC?"
"N-NPC…? What do you mean? No, wait, please spare me! I have a daughter—"
"Dragoons are Protoss."
The archer chuckled and pulled out the arrow.
And…
"Hans Eliban."
"...?"
"That's my name. Ah, come to think of it, it's not my real name either."
"Do, don't tell me…!"
"You finally figured it out. Sorry, I had to tell you this. Otherwise, I might hesitate."
"N-no—!"
The warrior tried to shout, but he couldn't finish his sentence.
The arrowhead pierced his throat.
"It's no different from killing a goblin."
The archer quickly got up and walked towards the essence floating in the air.
A sinister smile spread across his face.
"I'm lucky."
He genuinely thought he was lucky.
「[Slime Essence] absorbed into character's soul.」
…until he saw the skill he had just obtained.
-x-X-x-
The Guardian of the Green Mine, the King Slime.
It was a decent essence to have, at least until the mid-game.
Well, none of us would absorb it even if it dropped…
But it didn't drop anyway.
「King Slime defeated. EXP +4」
「Guardian Kill Bonus: EXP +3」
I clicked my tongue, watching the King Slime disappear into particles of light.
"Wow, it really didn't drop anything?"
I was hoping for at least a Numbered Item, but…
How can it not even drop a rift stone?
The individual drop rate should be 33.3%…
'…Come to think of it, we didn't get any essence drops on the way here either.'
That's why I had a glimmer of hope.
That the Guardian might drop a decent Numbered Item.
"At least we got one essence."
I chuckled at Amelia's attempt to console me.
That's not an essence, it's trash.
Slime, a 9th-grade monster.
It decreased your physical stats like Bone Density, Physical Resistance, Strength, and Agility, and gave you a bunch of useless stats like Poison Resistance, Sixth Sense, and Digestion.
And the skill was mediocre.
It was occasionally useful, but…
…it wasn't worth the penalties, so it was considered one of the worst 9th-grade essences.
Ah, for reference, the essence dropped from one of the trash mobs that appeared while we were fighting the King Slime.
'Damn it, I'd rather it not drop anything at all.'
Then at least I could hope for a jackpot next time.
"Mister, the portal is open! Are we leaving now?"
"Of course."
I led my companions towards the portal.
There was no hesitation in my steps.
One Slime essence from a rift?
What a garbage room.
「Entered the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.」
Let's get out of here.
I don't want to get any more bad luck.
____________________
We didn't waste any time after exiting the rift.
We headed straight for the upper floors since we were done with the lower floors, and we reached our target floor on Day 26.
「Entered the Great Ocean of the 6th floor.」
Starting Island Laimia.
It wasn't crowded with explorers and soldiers like last time. And neither was the coastline filled with warships.
The expedition force had already departed for the Dark Continent on Day 25.
That's why we deliberately arrived a day late.
"Let's go to the coast."
There was no reason to waste time on an empty island, so we headed straight for the coast.
And I took out the ship from my subspace pocket.
It looked completely different from the previous one, which didn't have a sail and required us to row.
'This is more like it.'
It was a ship similar in size and shape to the fishing boats you often see in Korea.
It had a large square sail in the center and a mana propulsion device at the rear, so we could increase the speed by adding magic stones.
In other words, it could even sail through windless zones as long as we had enough magic stones.
'Well, I don't think we'll be going to a windless zone without a navigator…'
Amelia stood at the helm, gulping nervously, as we all boarded the ship.
But Erwen seemed uneasy.
"But… can she even sail this ship without a navigator…?"
"She said she had experience sailing a small boat, so she'll be better than me, who only knows how to row. And she said she learned the basics while buying the ship."
"Hmm…"
"Right, Amelia?"
"…Don't talk to me. I'm thinking."
"...."
Damn it, this is making me nervous.
Amelia, who had been staring at the helm with a serious expression, as if running a simulation in her head, finally started giving orders.
"First… we have to row away from the island. We need wind to sail."
"'We need wind'…?"
"If you're unhappy, you can—"
"No, I'm not. I'll do as you say."
"...."
I decided to follow her orders instead of micromanaging her.
Of course, I wasn't going to actually row.
What was the point of buying this expensive ship?
Swoosh!
The ship started moving forward as I inserted a magic stone into the mana propulsion device.
"…Ugh!"
Amelia seemed surprised by the speed, but she quickly regained her composure and turned the wheel.
And…
"N-now! The sail! Unfurl the sail!"
The ship caught the wind and started sailing as soon as the sail was unfurled.
Phew, so she can do it.
"What's our heading?"
"East. Don't worry."
"I see…"
Amelia sighed in relief at my words.
But her hands were still tightly gripping the wheel.
It was a refreshing sight.
The woman who didn't even flinch when killing people was this nervous about sailing a ship.
"I can see it."
An island appeared on the horizon after about 15 minutes of sailing east.
It was the closest island to the starting point after Parune Island, where we had fought Stormgush.
Gurka Island.
There was no real reason to visit this island.
The monsters here were low-level, and they all appeared on the lower floors.
I had already gotten all the experience points I needed.
But…
'We don't have a navigator, so it can't be helped.'
We couldn't sail directly to our destination with our current navigation skills, so we had to island-hop.
Well, there was another reason.
"…Mister, are you okay?"
"...."
Damn it, this seasickness.
It was a bit better than before, but my stomach was still churning.
"Schuitz, we can take a break if you're not feeling well."
"Please."
We anchored the ship and took a break.
That was one of the good things about this barbarian body.
Even though the seasickness was severe, it only lasted for about 10 minutes.
"Alright, let's set sail again."
We resumed our voyage after recovering.
Our next destination was Anos, the second island on the eastern route.
"It will take about three hours to get there, can you really do it?"
"…Don't worry. Just keep sailing northeast."
"Who said that?"
"…The book."
Erwen, who had never experienced this kind of haphazard navigation, looked dubious.
But Amelia seemed to have a knack for sailing. An island appeared on the horizon after about three hours.
Amelia clenched her fist.
"We found it."
"But why is it east of us, not in front?"
"…It's within the margin of error."
Damn right, it's within the margin of error.
Amelia turned the ship, and we soon arrived at Anos Island.
Unlike Gurka Island, which we had skipped, we had business here.
There weren't any hidden pieces or treasures, but we had to get the remaining experience points.
And it was also getting late, so we were planning to camp here for the night.
But before that…
"Ugh, bleeegh—!"
…I had to empty my stomach.
_____________________
「Ripple Monkey defeated. EXP +3」
「War Snake defeated. EXP +4」
「Nigel Fencer defeated. EXP +4」
「Belgaro defeated. EXP +5」
「Black Tree defeated… 」
「… 」
_____________________
Anos Island, where 99% of the island was covered in jungle, except for the coastline.
We set up camp on the beach and started exploring the next day.
We circled the entire island, killing monsters and gaining experience points, and then it was nighttime again, so we had to camp for another night.
'Damn it, I thought we could clear it in half a day and move on to the next island.'
The reason for the delay was the last monster we hunted. We had to search for it until nightfall since it didn't appear even after we circled the entire island.
"Mister, the stars are beautiful, don't you—?"
Snore!
"He's asleep…"
We set sail early the next morning and headed for the next island, and thankfully, we arrived safely.
And the process continued…
"This is the seventh island."
"It's called Pione Island, right?"
We arrived at the seventh island on the eastern route after ten days of sailing.
Honestly, it was a miracle.
We had made it this far without any problems, even though we had a navigator who only knew how to go forward, stop, and park.
'I thought we might miss an island or something.'
Is sailing really that easy?
I had been observing Amelia as she sailed, learning the basics.
I was also getting used to the seasickness.
"Wow, it's a beautiful island, just like they say."
"Erwen, is this your first time here too?"
"Yes. We usually just passed by."
"Well, it's a waste of time if you're unlucky."
Pione, the seventh island on the eastern route.
It was often called Treasure Island among explorers.
The terrain was relatively flat compared to the other islands, which had mountains in the center, and it was small enough to circle in about three hours.
For reference, only one type of 4th-grade monster appeared on this island…
"Are we skipping this one too?"
"It's getting late, so we'll stay for one night."
Erwen seemed happy with my answer.
There were practically no monsters on the island.
It would be like winning the lottery if we encountered one.
"Mister! Let's explore the island! We have some time until nightfall!"
"…Alright."
"It might be dangerous, so I'll come with you."
We put the ship away and explored the island, familiarizing ourselves with the terrain.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A refreshing sea breeze.
A vast field filled with colorful flowers.
"It's not bad."
Erwen smiled as I unconsciously expressed my admiration.
"Right?"
"Yes, it's wide open, so we'll easily notice if a looter approaches while we're sleeping."
"…Yes?"
Erwen tilted her head, confused, but it was an important point.
There was a reason why this island was called Treasure Island.
Even though most high-level explorers were participating in the war on the 7th floor, there was no way this island would be empty.
It was the only place, besides rifts, where you could obtain Numbered Items.
"That's enough reconnaissance. Let's set up camp over there. I found a good spot earlier."
"Okay…"
We were all experienced explorers, so setting up camp didn't take long. We had Amelia's clone keep watch and then went to sleep.
And after some time…
"Schuitz, wake up."
Amelia woke me up.
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and looked around. Erwen was already awake and had drawn her bow.
There was only one possibility.
It was much more likely than encountering a monster on this island.
"How many?"
I asked for the necessary information, and Amelia answered curtly.
"Fifteen."
"A clan."
We had uninvited guests.
-x-X-x-
I gripped my weapon, but I didn't aim it.
Their intentions were still unclear.
It would be foolish to provoke them unnecessarily and escalate the situation.
"What's the plan?"
"Talk first."
"I'll be ready."
"Good."
"Erwen, don't do anything until I give you the signal."
I finished the brief discussion with my companions and stood in front of them protectively.
And after some time...
Thud, thud.
A group of fifteen explorers stopped outside our campsite, and a man who seemed to be their representative slowly walked forward.
"Good, you're awake."
"Introduce yourselves first."
"Haha, there's no need to be afraid. Nothing you're thinking will happen."
What the hell, who's afraid?
I'm just deciding whether to smash his head or not.
'Four ranged, two mages, nine melee, and... no priest?'
The number fifteen was a bit unsettling.
The standard unit size was six after the 6-person Bond was introduced.
Maybe the remaining three were hiding somewhere.
"You're a suspicious one. Relax and let's talk. If we had ill intentions, we wouldn't be talking to you like this, would we?"
We'll find out after fighting.
I scanned the group behind him and then looked at the man.
"So, what's your business? It's not a good look to be wandering around someone else's campsite at night."
The man revealed his identity at my question.
"We're from the Huntsman Clan."
"I've never heard of that name."
"That's understandable. To be honest, we're not that famous. And we've been busy treasure hunting on Pione Island, so we haven't been very active lately."
"Treasure hunting..."
Now I understood why they were here.
"I don't know if you know this, but Pione Island is divided into six territories, each controlled by a different clan. It's a measure to prevent conflict."
"So?"
"This area where you're camping belongs to the Huntsman Clan. We would appreciate it if you left by tomorrow morning."
As expected, it was about territory control.
It was something every explorer experienced from the 5th floor onwards, a harsh reminder that the labyrinth was a dog-eat-dog world.
I didn't like them from the beginning, but I disliked them even more now.
"I don't recall the royal family granting any clan exclusive rights to Pione Island."
"Haha, you're quite the stickler for rules, despite your appearance. Do things always go according to plan in the labyrinth?"
He didn't say anything more.
He just stared at me, waiting for my response.
The words that would come out of his mouth would probably change depending on my decision.
I didn't hesitate.
"Don't worry, we were planning to leave tomorrow morning anyway."
We were only here for one night, so there was no need to fight over territory.
But did he misunderstand my answer as a sign of weakness?
"Haha, is that so? It seems like we made a wasted trip. Thank you for understanding."
His expression relaxed, and he started smiling.
He must have judged that we weren't a threat.
He wouldn't be spouting this nonsense if we were.
"By the way, it's unusual to see a three-person team. Did you lose some companions on the way here?"
"It's none of your business."
"Don't be so wary. We're just trying to help. It's dangerous if a monster suddenly appears. We can lend you our campsite if you want..."
He trailed off and glanced at Erwen and Amelia behind me.
Damn it, this guy is really good at pissing people off.
"Thank you for the offer, but we'll decline."
"Hmm, is that so? But the two ladies might have a different opinion."
He persistently tried to persuade us, and he only backed down after Erwen and Amelia firmly rejected his offer.
"We're not interested."
"We can handle ourselves."
"That's a shame. Our clan headquarters is in the 8th District of Ravigion. Come find us if your team disbands and you need a place to go."
Damn it, he's still at it.
"Alright, let's go back!"
I suppressed a chuckle and watched him leave with his group.
"Mister, why did you hold back?"
"I can't just swing my hammer every time I'm annoyed."
"Hmm, really?"
Amelia and I ignored Erwen's question.
"I, I could have dealt with them if I stepped in…!"
Erwen expressed her frustration, but it couldn't be helped.
She was too famous and would attract too much attention.
I didn't want to expose our information, even if it was just a little.
But that wasn't the right way to say it.
"Thank you, Erwen."
"...For what?"
"You held back even though you were angry."
"Well... you told me not to do anything..."
"That's what I'm grateful for."
"I, is that so...? It's nothing. I can always do that..."
I changed the subject instead of explaining myself.
After all, the most important thing was to resolve her emotions.
"That ended sooner than I expected."
"What's so surprising about that? Anyway, let's go back to sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. Okay, Erwen?"
"Okay!"
We quickly wrapped things up and went back to sleep.
And after some time...
"Schuitz, wake up."
Amelia woke me up, shaking my shoulder urgently.
What the hell, are those bastards back?
Whoosh.
I sat up abruptly and reached for my hammer.
"Calm down. It's not a human this time."
"...What?"
Not a human?
Then what...?
"Don't tell me..."
I quickly looked around, and I saw it.
[Click, click? Click!]
The only monster that appeared on Pione Island.
The 4th-grade rare species, the Lafremimic.
____________________
The Lafremimic.
A monster that guaranteed a Numbered Item drop and could potentially earn you billions of stones if its essence dropped.
It appeared in other fields, but Pione Island was the easiest place to find it.
But even here, it only appeared once a month at most.
And that was for the entire island.
"...I can't believe we encountered it here."
This is what exploration is all about.
"Schuitz, what are we going to do?"
Amelia asked in a hushed voice, and I answered,
"What else can we do?"
Did she think I would give up on it because of those bastards?
"We kill it, of course."
"...I knew you would say that. I'll go wake Erwen."
Amelia went to wake Erwen, and I belatedly realized something.
"Wait, Erwen? When did you two get so close?"
"She's kind of cute."
Damn, the human heart is truly a mystery.
Is this what they call bonding through battle?
"...Cute?"
"There's no need to wake her."
"Wake her...? Wait, what are you two doing?"
"A Lafremimic appeared."
"...Really?"
Erwen, who had woken up, quickly sat up and looked at a chest that was rolling around about 20 meters away.
[Click! Click, click?! Click!]
The Lafremimic, a non-aggressive monster, didn't show any hostility towards us, even though we were far away.
"Erwen, your role is crucial here. We don't have a mage."
"I know. You said we have to kill it in one shot if there's no mage, right?"
"Right, otherwise it'll burrow underground."
If it burrowed underground, we could practically consider it lost.
So a one-shot kill was crucial in this situation...
"Erwen, shoot with all your might. And summon the darkness spirit too. Ah, you know its real body is the chest, right? Don't shoot the stem just because it looks like a body—"
"Don't worry, I'll definitely kill it!"
"Good, I trust you."
I had no choice but to trust her.
She was the strongest damage dealer among us.
"Then... I'll go ahead."
Erwen slowly drew her bow.
And at that moment...
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Elemental Fusion].」
Fire, water, wind, earth, and darkness.
All five elements were combined, creating a powerful aura.
But the Lafremimic was still nonchalant.
[Click...?]
It tilted its head, as if curious. I felt a pang of guilt, but that was all.
We were explorers.
Our job was to kill monsters and earn money.
Thud.
Erwen released the arrow.
Whoosh!
The arrow flew towards the Lafremimic at an incredible speed.
[Cl, click—!]
The Lafremimic finally reacted, but it was too late.
Kaboom!
The arrow pierced through its open 'mouth' and exploded.
But...
[Cl, click...!]
...it was still alive.
The chest was shattered, and its body was mangled, but...
[Click, click—!]
...it tried to burrow underground.
But Erwen was faster.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」
The Lafremimic exploded into hundreds of pieces as the follow-up attack connected.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
The pieces turned into particles of light and disappeared.
「Lafremimic defeated. EXP +6」
A significant increase in experience points, as expected of a 4th-grade monster.
It was a pleasant feeling, but I focused on something else.
'The essence… didn't drop.'
Well, I wasn't expecting it.
That would be too greedy.
'Please, just a high number…'
Two objects fell to the ground where the Lafremimic had been standing.
One was a magic stone.
And the other…
"It's a ring…?"
I approached them and burst into laughter.
"Huh…"
"Schuitz, do you know this item?"
Of course, I do.
I almost died because of it.
No. 6111 Fate Tracker.
The ring that Dragonslayer was wearing in Lalkas's Maze.
'It's not a bad item, but I'm a bit disappointed…'
"What kind of ring is it? If, if it's good for archers…"
Erwen trailed off, her eyes gleaming with greed.
She wasn't usually materialistic, but a Numbered Item was tempting.
"It's a bit difficult to categorize. It's a detection-type magic tool. It tells you whether something is good or bad by changing its color."
For reference, there were three colors.
Green, red, and yellow.
That's why I called it the Traffic Light Ring.
"It's not a bad item to have, so we should keep it."
"…Can I wear it?"
"You? But you're already wearing a lot of rings. I'll take it."
"Ah, okay. Y-yes! Th-that's better, right?"
I put the ring on my finger after getting Erwen's approval.
And at that moment…
「The ring has detected the character's fate.」
…the ring lit up.
-x-X-x-
I was momentarily flustered by the light that flashed as soon as I put on the ring.
But then I checked the color and licked my lips.
'Yellow… '
It meant only one thing.
There was something nearby that could either positively or negatively affect my future.
"Erwen, is there anything around us?"
Erwen focused her hearing without a word.
And…
"One of those guys from earlier is here."
"Since when?"
"I don't know. But… he's hiding in the darkness, so he must have arrived recently. His breathing is stable…"
Erwen trailed off and then continued,
"Ah, he's talking to someone now. He's using a message stone. He's saying they got a Numbered Item and asking how long it will take them to get here."
So that's why the ring lit up.
It seemed like he had witnessed everything, including us killing the Lafremimic…
"He must have left a scout behind. Erwen, keep an eye on him. We'll pack up camp."
"Okay."
I quickly packed our things and prepared to leave after assigning Erwen to keep watch.
But they were faster than us.
"They're here."
"How many?"
"Eighteen in total. Ah, they're discussing what to do with us right now."
"I see… What are they going to do?"
"I don't know. It sounds like they used magic, I can't hear them anymore. Sorry…"
"It's okay. We'll find out soon anyway."
As soon as I said that, a bright light erupted from their hiding spot, illuminating the area.
"Hey, buddy! What was your name again? I don't think I asked earlier."
He didn't ask because he didn't tell us his name either.
"Well, I don't think we're close enough to exchange names."
"Haha, you're shy, despite your appearance?"
He was smiling, but his eyes were cold. And he had been standing with his hand on his hip, his posture aggressive.
It was the closest position to the weapon on his waist.
"So, what do you want?"
"One of our members saw you kill a Lafremimic while on patrol."
"That's quite a coincidence."
"That's life. Anyway, I'll get straight to the point. Hand over the loot."
"Why should I?"
"Like I said, this is our territory. And you agreed to it earlier."
"Agreed?"
I scoffed, but I could understand their position.
They had probably been searching for a Lafremimic on this island every day, and we, who had just stopped by, had taken the prize.
But too bad.
"You wanted us to leave by morning, and we agreed. That was the extent of our agreement."
"That's sophistry."
"It's not sophistry, it's common sense."
"...."
He gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching.
I could understand how he felt.
He must have thought we had agreed to hand over the loot.
No, in the first place, he probably didn't even think a monster would appear while we were here.
"There are unspoken rules in the labyrinth. No one can blame us if we harm you for violating our rights."
It was a blatant threat.
I stared at him intently, and he met my gaze.
"...."
"...."
The atmosphere was tense, and either of us could draw our weapons at any moment.
Gulp.
The group behind him tightened their grips on their weapons as the silence continued, ready to attack as soon as I gave them a reason.
But I wasn't going to be intimidated.
"I don't know about unspoken rules."
I spoke firmly.
"Anyone who tries to take what's mine is a looter."
"…You're choosing violence."
He shrugged, not even bothering to listen.
"Where are they?"
"...."
"Well, at least the situation is clear now."
I gave them my final ultimatum.
"Attack me if you're going to, or get lost."
The situation was completely different from our first encounter.
He had looked down on us and tried to boss us around when I said we would leave in the morning.
But now?
He was speechless, unable to handle my aggressive attitude.
He must have been confused.
He couldn't understand why we were so confident when we were outnumbered five to one.
'And it's probably because of Erwen.'
They didn't seem to have recognized her yet.
But they must have heard that the fairy archer in our team had killed the Lafremimic with a single arrow.
They would sense that we weren't pushovers.
"...."
But he still seemed hesitant to make a decision, perhaps because of his clan members.
Therefore…
"I'll help you choose."
"...?"
"I'll count to three. If you're still here after that, I'll assume you're attacking."
"…What?"
He looked dumbfounded, but his face paled as I started counting.
"Three."
"...!"
"Two."
I counted quickly, not giving him time to think.
And just as I was about to say the last number…
"…There's no need for bloodshed."
…he surrendered.
____________________
"Leader! Why did you back down?!"
Eksher Melik, the leader of the Huntsman Clan, frowned at his subordinate's outburst. One of his lieutenants quickly spoke up for him.
"They killed a Lafremimic without a mage. That fairy archer is at least a 3rd-grade explorer. And judging by the fact that they're together, the other two must be similar."
"Even if they're all 3rd-grade explorers, we still outnumber them!"
"Remilton, have you ever fought a 3rd-grade explorer? They're monsters."
"But they didn't have a mage! We could have won!"
"Half of us would have died. Is that Numbered Item worth it?"
"That's…"
The man who had initially objected trailed off.
And the clan was divided.
"But this will make us a laughingstock."
"It hasn't happened yet, and I think the leader made the right decision."
"But who is that fairy? She killed a Lafremimic with a single arrow…"
"A silver-haired woman… could it be the Blood Spirit Marquis?"
"We would have been in big trouble if it was really her."
"The Blood Spirit Marquis? Are you guys crazy? Why would she be here? She's probably obsessed with the war and slaughtering people right now."
The arguments intensified, and the clan members naturally formed factions based on their opinions.
That's when…
"Leader! They're leaving the island on their ship!"
A scout reported, and the arguing clan members all looked at Eksher Melik.
Their gazes were asking him what he was going to do.
Eksher Melik sighed, making sure no one saw him.
'Damn it.'
Leading a clan was like captaining a ship.
Even when a typhoon raged, waves crashed, and lightning struck, the captain had to show his crew that he could overcome it.
Therefore…
"Everyone, pack your things."
…he made a decision.
"Leader, are you saying…?"
"We're going after them."
The aggressive faction cheered.
But those who had been advocating for a peaceful solution expressed their concerns.
"But they're strong."
Three explorers, presumably 3rd-grade.
But the man wasn't worried.
"I understand your concerns. But we can't lose in a naval battle."
"So that's why you let them go!"
The aggressive faction was impressed by his strategy, and the other faction also seemed to agree to some extent.
They were confident in their naval combat abilities.
But there was still one question.
"But… is a single Numbered Item worth it?"
Eksher Melik chuckled at a clan member's cautious question.
"Well, a single Numbered Item isn't worth it."
"You're saying—?"
"But that's not all they have, is it?"
The Huntsman Clan.
They were currently stuck on this island, searching for treasure…
…but they were once pirates who roamed the Great Ocean of the 6th floor.
Hunting people and earning money.
____________________
Dawn approached.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A refreshing breeze filled the sails, propelling the ship forward.
The stars twinkled in the dim sky behind us, and the sun, hidden beyond the horizon, cast a faint glow in the east.
It was a picturesque scene.
But we didn't have time to enjoy it.
"Mister, there are ships following us. Three of them, no emblems."
We had a tail as soon as we left the island.
It was obvious who they were.
'So they were planning to attack us all along.'
No wonder it ended so abruptly, even though the ring had emitted a yellow light.
They probably let us go on purpose.
They had three ships, so they must be experienced in naval combat.
They probably judged that they could fight us more effectively at sea.
But there was one thing I didn't understand.
'Why yellow, not red?'
Wouldn't red be more appropriate if we were going to be attacked?
What was so positive about this situation?
I was interrupted by Amelia's question.
"Schuitz, what are we going to do?"
"We can't shake them off, can we?"
"Probably not."
They were fast, even with our mana propulsion device active. The distance between us was actually closing.
So we only had one option left.
"Emily, stop wasting magic stones."
"We're fighting?"
"Is there another option?"
Amelia didn't answer.
She just let go of the wheel and started furling the sail.
I helped her, and the ship slowed down.
And…
Swoosh!
…three ships appeared on the horizon, approaching us rapidly. The one in the center was especially eye-catching.
"...."
It was at least three times bigger than our ship.
It had magic cannons on its sides and front, and three sails.
And that wasn't all.
It even had an icebreaker at the bow.
It wasn't on the same level as a royal warship, but it was probably only a step or two below…
"Schuitz, our ship will sink if they start firing."
Amelia expressed her concern, intimidated by its overwhelming size.
I could understand her worry.
Our ship would definitely be destroyed if a naval battle broke out.
But…
Lick.
I licked my lips and checked the Traffic Light Ring.
The yellow light had long since faded.
But I think I understood now.
Why it was yellow, not red.
"That's a big and sturdy ship."
Monsters aren't the only ones who drop treasures in the labyrinth.
-x-X-x-
The three ships stopped about 400 meters away from us.
They seemed to be wary of Erwen's arrows...
"Erwen, can you intercept them from this distance?"
"Yes, but they'll probably react at this range."
Well, they did have a mage.
They would have enough time to counter before the arrow reached them—
Boom!
The magic cannon on the bow of their flagship fired.
Damn it, I thought they would at least try to negotiate first.
It seemed like they decided to talk after winning the battle.
Or maybe they were planning to sink our ship and loot the bodies later.
Whoosh!
The magic cannonball flew towards us.
"Schuitz!"
Amelia shouted my alias, but it was Erwen who answered.
"Mister, I can take care of this."
She drew her bow and fired an arrow.
Kwaaang!
The arrow, imbued with the wind spirit's power, collided with the magic cannonball and exploded in midair.
"Erwen, how many can you block?"
"About four or five at once."
Wow, really?
We wouldn't even need an anti-ballistic magic circle with her around.
"Good job, Erwen. Keep doing that."
"Okay!"
Erwen, who had been praised for her ability, waited for more cannon fire, but the barrage stopped after the first shot.
"They seem to be surprised."
I agreed with Amelia.
But they soon made a decision.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
All three ships fired their magic cannons and started closing the distance.
Erwen intercepted them one after another, but she occasionally missed.
Kaboom!
The ship shook violently as a cannonball hit the hull.
Damn it, it was time to get serious.
The distance was perfect.
"Erwen, [Elemental Barbarian]."
Erwen activated the skill without any objections.
But I still had to ask,
"Which element?"
"Water."
Erwen cautiously held my hand as soon as I told her the element.
Okay, link established.
「Water Spirit has been imbued into the character's body.」
「Water Resistance increased by 50%.」
「Lightning Resistance decreased by 75%.」
「Melee attack power decreased by 50%.」
「Springwater's Blessing bonus.」
「Healing and regeneration effects doubled.」
「Soul Power regeneration speed increased…」
「… 」
Hmm, come to think of it, this was my first time using Elemental Barbarian (Water) in a real battle.
Swoosh.
I looked down at my body.
There wasn't any noticeable change.
My skin was just a bit moist and shiny.
"Emily, I'll be back."
"Where…?"
Where else?
The best defense is a good offense.
Well, maybe I should tell them this first.
"Ah, and one more thing. If it's too difficult to protect the ship, just abandon it and jump overboard."
"What do you—"
I didn't have time for a detailed explanation.
And…
Tadat.
…I jumped over the railing and into the churning sea.
It wasn't a diving posture.
There was no need for that in my current state.
「Springwater's Blessing bonus.」
A one-line bonus with no explanation.
It allowed the character to breathe underwater and walk on water.
Like this.
Thud.
I stood on the surface of the water, defying gravity.
The…
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
…Barbarian Jet Ski (Leap) Mode.
Tadat, tadat.
I landed on the water and charged forward, roaring.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The enemy ships, momentarily stunned, started targeting me with their magic cannons.
Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!
I shielded myself with my shield, but the relentless barrage was powerful.
They were 'magic' cannonballs, after all.
My Physical Resistance didn't reduce the damage.
Every hit made my bones ache.
But…
"Erwen, don't bother blocking the cannonballs."
[What…? What do you—]
Erwen couldn't finish her sentence.
She saw the skeletons rising behind me.
「Character has cast [Risk].」
「The inherent ability of the skill is unlocked by the power of the Transcendent.」
「The damage immunity effect of [Probabilistic Retaliation] is removed, but the activation probability is fixed at 100%.」
Magic cannonballs used mana as fuel.
In other words…
「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」
「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」
「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」
「… 」
…it meant that every hit would be reflected.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Skeletons appeared and fired back as soon as I was hit by the magic cannons.
But their attacks didn't damage the ships.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A magic barrier was protecting them.
It easily blocked the weakened magic cannonballs.
So the enemy continued their barrage without hesitation.
And then…
「Powerful Luck.」
「Reflects 300% of the received damage to the enemy.」
Oh, a critical hit.
[Gachaat—!!]
The skeleton let out a hearty shout, and a massive magic cannonball flew towards the flagship.
Boom!
The magic cannonball, much larger than usual, easily shattered the barrier protecting the flagship.
And…
"What the hell is that monster…!"
"Abandon ship! Everyone escape!"
"Come over here!"
…one of the ships started to sink.
'Damn it.'
It sank with just one hit.
How much would the damage—
Flash!
The ship, its crew evacuated, disappeared in a flash of light, returning to its subspace pocket.
Hmm, I could just repair it later.
"Sink the other ship first!"
They then turned their cannons towards Amelia's ship.
'Damn it, I knew they would do that.'
Erwen tried to block them, but she couldn't protect the ship.
She was too busy dodging the magic attacks.
[Mister, magic!]
"Hide behind me, just in case!"
I shielded Erwen, who was linked to me, with my body. She was intangible while in [Elemental Barbarian] state, but she was much more vulnerable to magic. ř₳ΝꝊ₿Ɛs
If [Elemental Barbarian] was deactivated, she would sink.
「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」
「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」
「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」
「… 」
I tanked the magic cannons, the spells, and the projectiles, my body taking the brunt of the attacks.
The skeletons retaliated with every hit thanks to [Risk], but the enemy didn't stop attacking.
"Pal-tan is dead!"
"We have to stop him before he reaches us!"
"More! Fire more!"
"He's dying! Just a little more!"
They were both desperate.
Of course, they thought they had the upper hand.
After all, I would be battered and bruised by the time I reached their ship. They could just overwhelm me with their numbers.
How foolish—
Psssh!
A bolt of lightning pierced through my body.
「Character has been hit by [Lightning Spear].」
The shock was intense, almost making me lose consciousness.
I stumbled, but I managed to stay on my feet.
But my body was in a critical state.
It wasn't just the injury, but the electricity that seemed to have fried my insides…
'Damn lightning magic.'
Could it be because of Elemental Barbarian (Water) and [Risk]?
The 8x damage multiplier was enough to put me on the verge of death.
Well, it seemed like the same applied to the enemy.
[Gachaat—!!]
The sound of a critical hit.
「Powerful Luck.」
「Reflects 300% of the received damage to the enemy.」
The skeleton threw a massive lightning spear, like something out of mythology.
And…
Flash!
…it obliterated the second ship next to the flagship at the speed of light.
'That one… is beyond repair.'
For reference, I couldn't hear the explosion.
My hearing was temporarily paralyzed.
Beeeeeeeep.
A ringing sound pierced through my brain.
My legs gave out, and I sank into the water.
Well, it was half intentional.
「Character's body is imbued with the energy of the sea.」
「Passive skill [Origin] greatly increases Natural Regeneration.」
I told you.
I can't lose at sea.
____________________
Stormgush's passive skill, [Origin].
Combined with the 2x healing and regeneration bonus from [Elemental Barbarian], my body started to regenerate at a rapid pace, almost as fast as a potion.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
My broken bones realigned, and my mangled flesh regrew.
Unlike potions, there was no pain, so I could clearly feel my body healing.
My hearing also returned.
[Mister, are you okay?]
So you can talk underwater in spirit form.
But I couldn't speak.
I pointed up with my index finger and shrugged.
[You're asking about what's happening above?]
Right.
Erwen quickly gave me a briefing as I nodded.
[The attacks have stopped for now. They probably think they killed you.]
Right, they're celebrating their victory.
[Ah, I can faintly hear them talking… It seems like the mage is about to use a detection spell.]
Hmm, so they'll find out I'm alive soon.
I should surprise them before that.
Erwen summoned the water spirit and pushed me upwards as I gestured for her to lift me up.
Swoosh!
I emerged from the sea.
"…He, he's back!"
They exclaimed in shock as I grinned at them.
"His wounds are all healed…!"
"What a monster…"
Most of them were just dumbfounded, but the leader was different.
He was a leader, after all.
He had to make a rational decision, no matter the situation.
"Captain!"
"…Turn the ship around!"
The remaining flagship quickly changed direction.
That was why he hadn't healed himself, even though he was surrounded by water.
If they saw me regenerating like a zombie, they would have cut their losses and run away.
I couldn't catch up to a ship like that, even if I could walk on water.
But…
Tadat.
…I think I can reach it if I push myself.
They started shouting as I started running.
"He's coming!"
"Faster! Faster!"
They didn't even bother with suppressive fire anymore.
They had already seen me regenerate.
They probably judged that it would be worse if they were hit by the reflected damage and couldn't turn the ship.
"We're almost there…!"
"Magic stones! Pour more magic stones!!"
The ship, its bow finally turned, started accelerating rapidly, as if it had a motor.
The distance between us was about 15 meters.
'Damn it…'
I ran with all my might.
I couldn't let them get away.
'They destroyed our ship and now they're running away?'
No way.
I'm not letting you leave without giving me your ship!
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
I roared and pushed myself even harder, and the distance between us started to close.
It seemed like it took some time for the ship to accelerate.
"We're going to be caught!"
"More! Pour more magic stones!!"
Fear appeared in their eyes as the distance closed.
They looked like they were being chased by a monster.
Whoosh!
Erwen shot an arrow, and one of the explorers standing near the railing fell into the sea.
It wasn't a fatal blow since she avoided his vital points.
"H-help me…!"
He screamed and thrashed in the water.
But his companions didn't even try to save him.
I was too busy running to care.
Tadat.
I took a giant step forward.
9 meters, 8 meters, 7 meters, 6 meters, 5 meters…
The distance was closing.
But that was it.
The accelerating ship was now faster than me.
5 meters, 6 meters, 7 meters, 8 meters…
Relief appeared in their eyes as the distance widened again.
'Damn it.'
I missed my movement skill.
Shield barbarians usually got a movement skill at level 8, but I had been lucky enough to absorb the Manticore essence.
I would have already boarded their ship if I hadn't removed [Leap]!
'Am I really going to lose them?'
I slowed down, feeling resigned.
But it wasn't because I thought I had lost them.
"Erwen, shoot our ship. You can damage it a bit."
[…Our ship?]
"Just do it."
Erwen shot an arrow at the stern of the ship…
Kaboom!
…and it exploded.
"…That's going to cost a bit to repair."
It was where the mana propulsion device was located.
_____________________
It was smooth sailing after the mana propulsion device was destroyed.
The distance between us quickly closed, and I was able to successfully board their ship.
And…
"Kill him!!"
…they didn't surrender.
The battle began.
They were a 6th-floor clan, so they weren't easy opponents.
But…
'What are they going to do about it?'
The outcome was already decided.
Erwen, in [Elemental Barbarian] state, took them down one by one.
And I protected her.
And when my injuries became too severe…
Splash!
…I just took a dip in the sea and came back up.
I did that three times, and they finally lost their will to fight. They dropped their weapons and surrendered.
Seven of them were left, so over half of them were dead?
"Tsk, tsk, they don't even know the value of life. Wasting it so carelessly."
"We're sorry. Please spare us…"
What the hell, you're already dead.
Crack!
The leader slammed his head on the deck as soon as he surrendered, and I smashed it with my hammer.
And I tied up the rest and took control of the ship.
"Who's the navigator?"
"I, I am!"
Phew, so the navigator is alive.
"Hey, you're a mage, right?"
"..."
"Just nod. Can't you answer?"
"Y-yes. I'm a mage…"
I separated the mage, who was the only one left.
"You're the one who was sailing the other ship, right?"
"Y-yes."
I also separated the guy who owned the other two ships.
And…
"The rest of you…"
"...."
"Just go."
"Huh? Where… on a ship…?"
Where else?
Crack, crack!
I took care of the remaining two, who were useless.
I then went to the stern and checked the ship's condition.
The mana propulsion device was completely destroyed.
"Damn it."
I was furious.
"You guys destroyed my ship…"
"…S-sorry."
"Is 'sorry' enough to solve this?"
"...."
They all hung their heads in shame at my mumble.
Damn it, what's the point of being angry at them—
Splash, splash.
I heard splashing sounds from below.
'Huh? What's that…?'
I looked over the railing.
And…
"Ah."
…I saw Amelia.
Did she swim all the way here?
"…A survivor!"
I said so and threw her a rope. Amelia grabbed it, and I pulled her up.
And…
"Schuitz, you really…"
"Huh?"
"Just take one hit."
She punched me in the chest.
-x-X-x-