When people gather, they form an organization.
Even if it's just four people.
As I started assigning tasks to the four clerks, they naturally divided the work based on their specialties.
Ah, of course, Shabin Emure played a big role in this.
"Mary, you'll be in charge of organizing the data and calculations. For now, just focus on the old records left by the previous elders."
"…D-do you think I can handle it? The remaining records are so disorganized, and the handwriting is difficult to read…"
"You can do it. I'll help you."
"Okay…"
Mary Jayne, in charge of statistics and data.
"Mr. Lambden, I'd like you to prepare for the coming-of-age ceremony in two days."
"T-the coming-of-age ceremony…?"
"It's an unfamiliar task, but it's a small-scale event, so you should be able to handle it. If you have any questions, ask Miss Frenelin. Miss Frenelin, can you help him out?"
"Ah, o-of course! Leave it to me!"
"…What will I be doing after the ceremony?"
"Once the statistical data is ready, I'd like you to create a budget. Monthly, not annually."
"…Understood."
Shepherd Lambden, in charge of financial planning and management.
"Mr. Anderson… you already know what you'll be doing, right?"
"Yes… the land…"
"There's nothing prepared. I'd like you to start by surveying the forest. We'll be building new roads, so make sure to leave space for them. Ah, and we also need to set aside land for the children. We'll be building new childcare facilities."
"…This is practically urban planning! Are you sure I can handle such an important task?"
"I'm giving you the authority, so what's stopping you? And you're not in charge of the entire sanctuary yet. We'll start by selling the land on the outskirts, so just focus on that for now."
"…I'll do my best."
Rick Anderson, in charge of road construction and urban development.
"Right now, you're just divided by tasks, but once we hire more people, you'll be working as departments. And you'll be the heads of those departments."
Of course, Shabin Emure would be the Chief Administrator.
Ah, so that's the source of their motivation.
I was impressed by Shabin Emure's leadership skills. Not only had she efficiently reorganized the tribe's administration from scratch, but she had also motivated her team.
'She's much more capable than I thought…'
I had always thought of her as a naive young woman who loved sweets.
I never knew she had this side to her.
As I was witnessing the birth of the barbarian administrative agency…
"Um…"
Mary Jayne, in charge of statistics, cautiously raised her hand.
"W-when do we get off work…?"
Shabin glanced at me.
It wasn't a decision she could make on her own.
I quickly answered.
"Why would you get off work?"
"…Huh?"
"Are you fools? You get paid double for working at night!"
"…?"
The clerks were stunned, unable to process my words, so Shabin Emure explained it to them in detail.
"We're busy, you know. It's not like we've never worked overtime. And besides, we're getting paid extra, so let's all work hard for now. We've had enough rest, it's not so bad to be busy, right?"
"…Yes."
And so the barbarian tribe continued to function.
______________________
After the clerks started working, I headed towards the former chieftain's tent.
There was something I hadn't asked him about last time.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel—"
"It's Chieftain."
"…Right, Chieftain. What is it?"
I got straight to the point.
"I want to hear about Balkan."
"Ah, the original owner of your first alias."
Balkan, Kagureas, son of Shalik.
The hero of the tribe who had died 21 years ago at the age of 55.
I had only recently learned his full name.
I hadn't bothered to investigate him before because I thought he was dead.
"…What do you want to know?"
"Everything about him."
"This is going to be a long story. Sit down or lie down, whichever is more comfortable."
The former chieftain sighed, but he answered my questions patiently.
"He was already a famous warrior when I was just a boy. He wasn't interested in the tribe, but he was the strongest among us."
"How strong was he?"
"Much stronger than I am now."
Hmm, it sounded like he was even stronger than me.
"Some people called him 'humanized' because he didn't associate with the other warriors, but he was a true warrior, in my opinion. He was only interested in becoming stronger."
"Wasn't everyone like that back then?"
"Hahaha! That's true. Those were the good old days! Unlike now, there were hundreds of explorers who had reached the 8th and 9th floors. All six races were competing to reach the Abyss, and it wasn't uncommon for Genesis Artifacts to be passed down to the warriors who reached the front lines. Balkan was one of them."
The golden generation, the one the older explorers often talked about.
"But it all ended with the dimensional collapse, right?"
Titana Akuraba was also from that generation.
She had survived the disaster.
That's probably why she was so obsessed with finding out the truth about the dimensional collapse and demanding stricter regulations from the royal family.
"It was a terrible tragedy. But it had nothing to do with Balkan's death."
"Why did he die?"
"No one knows. He and his companions entered the labyrinth and never returned."
"I see. No one suspected anything because a Genesis Artifact was born in the sanctuary."
"Do you think he might still be alive?"
"He might be in a similar situation as me."
"Hahaha! A warrior never stops questioning!"
He seemed to think my theory was absurd, but he didn't criticize me or try to change my mind.
"Anyway, I heard that our tribe wasn't the only one that got a Genesis Artifact back."
"Huh… you even know that? Being a noble is quite useful, isn't it?"
I didn't reveal my source, Lee Baekho, and just asked,
"Which tribes were they?"
"The fairies and the dwarves."
"I see…"
I then asked if he knew anything about the Genesis Artifacts that had been stolen from all six tribes on the day of my coming-of-age ceremony, but I didn't get the answer I wanted.
"Well, I don't know anything about their whereabouts."
Damn it, I was hoping he knew something.
"Ah! Come to think of it, I should tell you this. There was a strange incident related to the Genesis Artifacts."
"A strange incident?"
"Someone left a letter in the sanctuary while the previous chieftain was away. It was a prophecy about the Holy Artifact War, and that someone would steal the Genesis Artifacts on March 1st, 153rd year of the New Era."
Ah… that…
I felt a pang of guilt, and the former chieftain continued excitedly,
"Isn't that amazing? Our ancestor god must have helped us! The shaman said so too!"
I'm not sure about the shaman, but I took the opportunity to ask a question that had been bothering me.
"But if you received that letter, why did you let it happen?"
At first, I thought they had ignored the letter. But it seemed like they were aware of it.
Then what happened?
"We thought it was a prank. We thought some young warriors were messing with us. But then the Holy Artifact War actually happened, and the previous chieftain must have realized something was wrong."
Okay, that's understandable.
"But what about the Genesis Artifact? You knew it was going to be stolen, didn't you?"
"I don't know. We were prepared, but when I returned from the city, all the warriors were unconscious."
"Did you tell the other tribes about the letter?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Do you think they would believe us if we told them it was a divine revelation?"
Ah, right.
I then asked him what kind of preparations he had made, and he explained in detail.
'He was actually quite thorough. I didn't notice anything on the day of the ceremony.'
What happened that day?
Now that I was the chieftain, I had to investigate it properly. If we had the Genesis Artifact, we could gain an advantage in our relationship with Lee Baekho…
And it was practically an end-game item.
"By the way, what about the letter? Do you still have it? I'd like to see it."
"Well… I heard the previous chieftain had it, but I never received it. He must have lost it somewhere."
"I see…"
So the letter I had left in the past was gone.
I asked my final question.
"What happened to the shaman? His apprentice said he retired."
"Ah, the old shaman… he collapsed during a ritual and has been bedridden ever since."
"Bedridden…?"
"He's practically a vegetable. I told them to just let him die, but his apprentice refused and has been taking care of him. So I just let them be."
Hmm, I see.
"If you're done asking questions, leave. I'm hungry."
"Alright."
He seemed to have lost interest in our conversation, so I didn't bother him any longer and left the tent. I then headed towards the shaman's tent.
Swoosh.
The dark tent was filled with the smoke of incense.
A pungent, nauseating smell.
I approached the bed where the old shaman was lying.
And at that moment…
"…C-chieftain?!"
The apprentice shaman entered the tent and looked at me, his eyes wide with fear.
"N-no! I still have much to learn! Please don't kill me! I'm working hard!"
Uh…
I was just checking on him.
"Please… he might be dying, but he's still my master…!"
I was forced to leave the tent.
______________________
The arrival of Shabin's administrative team gave me some breathing room, but I was still busy.
I was the Baron of the Yandel family, the Clan Master of Anabada, and the Chieftain of the Barbarian tribe.
I had to prepare for the labyrinth expedition, complete tribal quests, and even Amelia was complaining about me not coming home.
'Will next month be even busier…?'
Hmm, it probably would be.
I had to attend Melbeth's gathering, and the land sales would begin.
'I'm glad they scheduled the gathering for the day after the expedition…'
If it had been this month, I would have had to attend even with all this work.
"Phew…"
The thought of my ever-growing to-do list was depressing, but it couldn't be helped. I couldn't just ignore my daily quests.
And I couldn't quit now.
"Chieftain, everything's ready."
Ainar, the 1st Elder, entered my tent and called me.
[20:58]
It was already time.
I followed her out of the tent, and we soon arrived at our destination.
Crackle!
A clearing in the middle of the forest, illuminated by flickering torches.
Muscular barbarians everywhere I looked.
Step.
The place where I first woke up in this world.
Step.
As I entered the clearing, the young warriors' gazes turned towards me.
Their eyes were filled with excitement and nervousness.
'…This feels strange.'
I looked at them and shouted,
"Congratulations, young warriors!"
The same words I had heard on that day in the forest.
"From this day forward, you will leave the sanctuary and become true warriors!"
There was no need for a long speech.
"Now, step forward and choose your weapons!"
Ah, of course, there was one new line.
"Leather boots and two potions will be provided!"
It was time for a new era.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!"
The young warriors cheered, pleased with the new welfare system.
It wasn't intentional, but it made it easier for me to find him.
The one who wasn't cheering.
"….."
A warrior standing frozen in place, his eyes darting around nervously.
Lick.
I couldn't help but lick my lips.
'He's definitely…'
A newbie.
-x-X-x-
[Dungeon and Stone] is a farming game.
The main appeal of the game is strengthening your character by accumulating experience, absorbing essences, and obtaining equipment.
Typically, you level up your character by gathering experience points and absorbing essences.
Because experience points are only awarded for the first kill of a monster.
If you don't strengthen your character with essences, you can't even reach the next level to farm experience.
'But somehow, I haven't encountered any bottlenecks until reaching level 7.'
Of course, this is largely due to the fact that I absorbed the 7th-grade Corpse Golem, 5th-grade Vampire, and Orc Hero essences early on.
Those essences alone were enough to power through the lower floors, even if I just focused on experience points. The 'Tempered Desire' that allowed me to absorb the Ogre essence in the mid-game also played a significant role.
Ah, the ongoing war also helped.
The 'Bion' essence I obtained through war achievements was originally something I would have started farming at this level.
'So this is the first time I've encountered a real bottleneck…'
Of course, this isn't because I'm lacking in skill. It's just that the only way to get stronger is to go above the 7th floor, but I can't go there because it's a war zone.
Realistically, I could start farming the Bellarios essence right now if my clan was stronger.
Therefore…
"Bjorn! How long do we have to wait here? The monsters here are too weak, it's boring!"
I decided to focus on low-level raids for this expedition.
Looking back, it was the best choice.
We could farm experience points from monsters we would have to hunt eventually, practice our teamwork, and even absorb essences if they dropped.
All four of us had one essence slot left.
"Just be patient. As I said, the essence from this monster is useful for you."
The monster we were hunting had an essence that was particularly useful for Ainar. It wasn't a top-tier essence, but it would make her about 30% stronger.
"Well, even if you say that…"
But Ainar didn't seem convinced.
She probably couldn't believe that a 2nd-floor essence could be helpful at this point.
"It's just a 5th-grade essence! Can't we just keep going up? You need stronger enemies to show off your skills, right? I'll show you how much I've improved!"
Ah… so that's what she was really after.
I ignored her and focused on chewing my jerky.
And after a while…
"Yandel."
Amelia, who had been farming with her clone, called out to me.
And at the same time, Erwen spoke.
"There are people approaching."
"Yeah, she's right. Someone's coming this way. How many—"
"Twelve."
"…."
Damn it, why are they competing over this?
"They'll be here in about two minutes."
"Alright."
We waited, and soon a team of twelve explorers appeared from the darkness.
Hmm, should I call it a team, or a clan?
Their equipment was too good for 2nd-floor explorers.
"…."
"…."
We sized each other up.
The leader of the group approached us and spoke.
"…It seems we have company."
His words made it clear that they were after the same monster. We were after the same raid boss.
Well, there's only one solution in this situation.
"Yes, so you should leave."
First come, first served.
"…."
I asserted our claim to the hunting ground, and the leader looked at us with a thoughtful expression.
If it had been a few years ago, he would have been wary of us.
But now…
"Too bad."
Well, what can he do about it?
"It was an honor to meet such famous explorers. May the blessings of Lafdonia be with you, Baron Yandel."
They turned around and left without a word, just like the three teams we had encountered earlier.
And after a while…
「Character has slain a Sandworm.」
「Character has slain a Sandworm.」
「Character has slain a Sandworm…」
「…」
We waited, slaying the Sandworms that spawned in this specific area of the Rocky Desert.
And finally, the conditions were met.
"Oh, the ground is shaking!"
The desert trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A sandstorm swept through the area, blocking our escape route.
And then a giant worm burst from the ground, its jaws wide open.
「Deathworm has appeared.」
The 5th-grade monster, Deathworm.
It was a common target for 'experience runs' because it always spawned as a high-variant and its spawn location was on a lower floor.
[Kyiieeeeeeek!]
The worm, its upper body rising from the sand, let out a chilling roar.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
Ainar, eager to prove her worth, leaped into the air, her greatsword raised high.
But she was a step too late.
「Amelia Rainwales has cast [Abyssal Strength].」
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」
Before Ainar could even swing her sword, the Deathworm was pierced by arrows and a dagger and collapsed onto the sand.
「Deathworm has been slain. EXP +5」
「High-Variant Kill Bonus. EXP +1」
I couldn't believe it.
It was over in a second.
"It was weaker than I expected."
"Mister, I killed it!"
"What are you talking about? My blade bisected its body before your arrow even left the bow."
"But it was my arrow that blew its head off!"
"Aaaaargh! Damn it! I waited so long, and this is what I get?!"
Ah, the essence didn't drop.
_______________________
After slaying the Deathworm, we left the Rocky Desert and returned to the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.
It had been three months since we last visited the 'Green Mine'.
It was time to enter the 1st-floor rift again.
'I haven't explored this place yet.'
I had been skipping the lower floors, so I had only visited the 3rd-floor White Temple and the 4th-floor Doppelganger Forest.
We had spent so little time on the 2nd floor that I hadn't even seen the rift opening effect.
'I wonder if we'll be able to enter this time…'
Well, I wasn't sure. Entering a rift wasn't something you could just decide to do.
"Hahaha! It's been a while! I feel nostalgic, don't you, Bjorn?"
Ainar exclaimed as we arrived at the Great Sage Monument in the center of the Crystal Cave.
I could understand how she felt.
I had felt the same way when I last visited this place three months ago.
It was where I had first opened a rift with Ainar, where we met Raven and Hikurod for the first time.
And it was also the place where we were surrounded by Noark and had to fight our way out.
'It's been over three years…'
I had lost a lot of time traveling to the past, but even considering that, it felt like a long time ago.
It felt like it had just happened yesterday.
Thud.
We placed the 8th-grade magic stone we had obtained in the Rocky Desert on the altar, and the portal opened.
「Character has entered the 1st-floor rift.」
The last remaining 1st-floor rift, the one I hadn't cleared yet.
"This is the 'Steel Tomb'…"
Erwen illuminated the area with her spirit, revealing a narrow passage.
It felt like entering a pyramid from a documentary.
Of course, there was a clear difference.
The walls were made of metal, not stone.
"Mister, what language is this?"
"I don't know."
"Hahaha! I bet Aruru would love this!"
"Enough chatter. Let's move."
We started exploring the rift.
Ainar was the one leading the way this time.
She had insisted on it.
Amelia and Erwen also seemed curious about her skills, so I let her do as she pleased.
I was also curious.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
Ainar, the vanguard, started clearing the rift at an incredible pace.
Normally, you would have to carefully disarm the traps and find the path to the final chamber… but that was meaningless for Ainar.
For her, traps were meant to be triggered.
As long as your body was strong enough.
"Ainar, left at the next intersection!"
"Woohoo!"
I guided her through the rift, and she triggered the traps and smashed the monsters with her greatsword.
Kwaaang! Kwagic! Kaboom!
It was a spectacular display of brute force.
「Ainar Frenelin has cast [Reaping Slash].」
「Same target hit.」
「[Explosive Scars] activated.」
Her basic combo, [Reaping Slash] and [Explosive Scars].
But there was a noticeable difference from her previous self.
「[Mandel Oil] doubles the power of [Explosive Scars].」
The 5th-grade essence, Smug, activated its passive skill whenever a fire-based skill was used.
And…
「[Residual Heat] activated.」
「Deals additional damage proportional to the damage dealt.」
She even had the 4th-grade essence, which dealt 50% reduced damage after dealing fire damage to multiple targets in a short time.
Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!
Every swing of her sword triggered a chain of explosions.
'She actually absorbed all the essences I recommended…'
I watched her, impressed.
It felt like seeing a student who had completed all their homework.
I had recommended essences that boosted her Resistance stats, so she was practically immune to traps and monster abilities.
Well, even if she was injured, she would recover quickly.
「Ainar Frenelin has cast [Wings of Greed].」
「Natural Regeneration is greatly increased.」
Ainar's build focused on passive skills, so her MP consumption was low.
She only had one active skill besides her basic attack, [Reaping Slash].
So she could maintain her healing ability without any problems…
「8th-grade monster slain.」
「Regenerates Soul Power proportional to the monster's rank.」
…and thanks to the 3rd-stage Slayer Engraving effect, [Devour], she recovered both HP and MP whenever she fought.
She even had the 6th-stage Slayer Engraving.
「Engaged in combat with an 8th-grade monster.」
「Physical stats continuously increase proportional to the monster's rank.」
'She even has [Combat Learning]…'
She was becoming stronger with every battle, a true barbarian warrior.
'It would be fun to fight like that…'
I felt a pang of envy as I watched her fight, but I quickly dismissed the feeling.
Shield Barbarians had their own appeal.
And [Dungeon and Stone] was a game where everything revolved around the main tank.
You could clear raids without healers, mages, or archers… but not without a main tank.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
We followed Ainar through the rift, and the experience points flowed in.
「Mummy slain. EXP +1」
「Ironclad Soldier slain. EXP +3」
「Buried One slain. EXP +2」
「Guardian's Eye slain. EXP +2」
「Iron Lizardman slain. EXP +3」
「Riddlekeeper slain…」
「…」
We even found the two hidden pieces and shared them.
「Character has consumed Mercurial Liquid.」
「Magic Resistance permanently increased by +3.」
「This effect does not stack.」
「Character has received the Blessing of Iron.」
「Physical Resistance permanently increased by +3.」
「This effect does not stack.」
The stat increase was small because it was a 1st-floor rift, but it would add up over time.
「Character has entered the Steel Tomb.」
We reached the final chamber after about three hours.
'Three hours for a solo run… she's really fast.'
She had proven her worth, but Ainar, still unsatisfied, insisted on fighting the boss alone.
And…
「Iron Golem Ildium slain. EXP +4」
「High-Variant Kill Bonus. EXP +1」
「Guardian Kill Bonus. EXP +3」
The boss fight ended quickly.
And as soon as it did…
All eyes were on the spot where the boss had been standing.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
The essence didn't drop.
Neither did the rift stones.
But…
"…A flower?"
"Huh? Is there a flower-shaped Numbered Item?"
A Numbered Item had dropped.
No. 9999 Beginner's Luck.
A very rare one.
-x-X-x-
"Oh! This is quite interesting—"
Just as Ainar reached out to pick up the item, I shouted,
"Stop!!!"
I pulled Ainar away from the item and let out a sigh of relief.
"…W-What?! I didn't do anything wrong!!"
Ainar, confused and flustered, immediately started defending herself.
Of course, I wasn't planning to scold her.
"W-What is this thing?!"
Ignorance is not a crime.
Well… at least not for barbarians.
"It's No. 9999, Beginner's Luck."
When I revealed the item's name, only Amelia reacted.
"…We've obtained a valuable item from the start."
Yes, it's valuable indeed.
Money can't buy this.
"What is it? What's so special about it?"
"Hmm… It's one of the 109 treasures of the labyrinth. Didn't you read any books when you were young?"
"…I didn't ask you."
I didn't know what the 109 treasures were, but I intervened before they could start arguing.
"Beginner's Luck is a charm item."
In the game, it was classified as a 'Charm'.
"A charm…?"
It seemed like an unfamiliar term, so I explained the concept of a charm, and Erwen, with her years of experience as an explorer, quickly understood.
"Ah, so it's an item that activates its effect just by having it in your possession?"
"That's right."
There were twelve Numbered Items classified as charms, and their effects didn't stack, even if you had multiple charms.
Only one charm could be active at a time.
"And Beginner's Luck has a special characteristic. It binds to its first owner."
"…Like the 'Orb of Fire' you mentioned before?"
"Yes."
"…B-But I didn't know!! I swear! Please believe me!!"
Ainar panicked when she heard the word 'bind', but we ignored her and continued our conversation.
"So what's its effect?"
Ah, that.
It's simple.
This Numbered Item isn't particularly helpful in combat. It doesn't increase your item level or give you any stat boosts.
But…
"It increases the probability of an essence dropping from the first monster you slay."
"Ah… I see… It's a fascinating item!"
Erwen seemed to accept it, but Ainar was disappointed.
"What? That's it? It doesn't even guarantee an essence drop! And it only works on the first monster?!"
It was an understandable reaction.
They didn't know the exact probability.
According to my (self-made) statistics, Beginner's Luck increased the essence drop rate by about 5%.
And it wasn't a multiplicative increase.
It was a fixed bonus.
For example, the Guardian's essence had a drop rate of 33%, so with Beginner's Luck, it would become 38%.
The effect seemed insignificant…
"So how much does it actually increase the drop rate?"
…but it depended on the monster.
There was a huge difference between 33% becoming 38%…
And 0.01% becoming 5.01%.
"It's about a 1 in 20 chance."
I gave them a rough estimate, and Ainar, Erwen, and even Amelia were surprised.
"R-Really?! One in twenty?!"
Even if they didn't know the exact drop rate, explorers knew one thing from experience.
Essence drop rates were abysmal.
I added,
"Ah, of course, that's for 9th-grade monsters. The drop rate is slightly higher for higher-ranked monsters."
Higher-ranked monsters had a slightly higher base drop rate.
Some 3rd-grade monsters even had a 5% drop rate.
Well, they were incredibly difficult to find, but…
"It's definitely worthy of being one of the 109 treasures."
"Yes, it's a remarkable item. Even if it only works on the first monster, with this drop rate, you could make a fortune just by hiring a mage and going around slaying monsters."
"Bjorn… I'm sorry. I didn't know it was that valuable…"
Ainar suddenly apologized.
She seemed dejected that she had almost touched the item without knowing its true value. I ignored her and focused on the next issue.
We had to decide who would get the item.
It was a bound item, so we couldn't sell it.
"As long as we're bonded, we don't have to be the one who slays the monster, right…?"
"It would be most efficient if the person with the lowest level used it."
Amelia was right.
The most efficient way to use the item was to give it to the lowest-level member.
Amelia was level 8, and Erwen, Ainar, and I were level 7.
"Auyen, what's your Soul Rank?"
"…Y-Yes? Ah, yes! It's 6…!"
We could give it to Auyen, who was level 6, and use him as a totem…
'But I can't waste such a valuable item on a non-combatant who can't even join us for real raids.'
I made my decision.
"Ainar, you take it."
Erwen had slain a Bellarios before, but Ainar hadn't.
And most importantly…
"…Huh? M-Me? It's a good item, but… wouldn't it be better if Bjorn used it…?"
I told her,
"You can only equip one charm at a time."
We couldn't waste an equipment slot.
Especially on a bound item that we couldn't even unequip.
"It's better if you have it. So take it, Ainar."
"Bjorn!!!"
Ainar seemed happy with my decision.
_______________________
「The luck within the flower has seeped into Ainar Frenelin.」
_______________________
After clearing the Steel Tomb, we headed straight for the Beast's Lair.
And…
"Aaaaargh! How long do we have to stay in this smelly place?! This isn't the kind of exploration I imagined!!"
We waited until the 8th day for the rift to open.
I had considered hiring a mage and coming back later, especially since we had Beginner's Luck… but…
'The profit margin would be too small, considering the cost of the test tube.'
The only real reward was the Guardian's essence, and I was planning to give it to Erwen if it dropped, so there was no point in delaying it.
Well, it turned out to be a pointless worry in the end.
"…Are you serious? We're really just going to waste time here and then go up?!"
"It's normal. Just stop complaining."
We encountered many high-level explorer teams on our way to the 3rd floor.
They were all doing 'rift runs'.
The 2nd-floor rift wouldn't open after the 7th day, so they were all heading up.
「Character has entered the 3rd-floor Pilgrim's Path.」
We arrived at the 3rd floor and headed straight for the Orc Encampment after passing through the Steelrock Hills.
Our target this time was a monster I had a deep connection with.
The same monster that the Djarwi Clan had been raiding when the Chaos Lord was summoned.
The Orc Hero.
"Oooooh! So I can use [Gigantification] now?! I can finally become a giant too!!"
Ainar was ecstatic when she heard about our next target, but none of us were planning to absorb its essence.
[Gigantification] had a huge penalty without the [Unification] effect from the Undead Engraving.
So we were just going to farm experience points and hope for a Numbered Item drop.
But…
'With Beginner's Luck, there's a chance we might get an essence.'
I couldn't just ignore that possibility.
So I approached every mage we encountered while mining magic stones for the Orc Warlord and asked if they had a test tube.
We were lucky enough to find one.
"Test tube…? I have one, but…"
"Great. If we get an essence, put it in this. I'll pay you for the test tube right away."
"…But do you even know who I am—?"
"Lewis! Are you insane?! That's Baron Yandel!"
"!!!"
My fame made things easier.
We also obtained some useful information.
The 3rd-floor rift hadn't opened yet.
'Okay, so we can stay on the 3rd floor until the 13th day…'
We resumed mining magic stones.
We split up and hunted, and it didn't take long to gather all 777 magic stones. We then found a mage and asked him to wait nearby.
"Just to be safe, don't come near the altar until I get back. I won't be able to protect you if the Orc Lord spawns."
"The Orc Lord…?"
"It's a 2nd-grade monster."
"A… A 2nd-grade monster?!"
"It's safe as long as you stay away, so don't worry."
"I-I'll be careful…"
We gave the mage a brief explanation of what to do if the Orc Lord spawned and then placed the magic stones on the altar.
「The Warrior's Vessel has received the Warlord's Soul.」
「The Warrior's Vessel has received the Warlord's Soul.」
「The Warrior's Vessel has received the Warlord's Soul…」
「…」
The magic stones vanished into light as we placed them on the altar.
「Special Condition – Overflowing Vessel has been met.」
The statue behind the altar began to crumble, signaling the start of the boss fight.
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
Thankfully, the Orc Lord statue remained intact.
Well, it was to be expected, considering the low spawn rate of the Orc Lord…
'But I always get nervous when it comes to probability.'
It felt like we had dodged a bullet.
"Get ready!"
I shouted to my teammates, who were waiting at a safe distance.
「The Ancient Heroes, Danish, Belta, and Targus, have awakened.」
「The Ancient Heroes, Danish, Belta, and Targus, have awakened.」
「The Ancient Heroes, Danish, Belta, and Targus, have awakened.」
The three Orc Heroes, also known as the 'Hero Trio', emerged from the statue, and the battle began.
[Gul-kaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!]
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
Axe, hammer, sword.
The three heroes charged at me, wielding different weapons. I wasn't intimidated by their size, thanks to [Gigantification] and [Transcendence].
Kaboom!
I didn't even flinch when their weapons struck my body.
It just felt like a slight tingling sensation in my bones.
Honestly, I could probably endure their attacks for a whole day, even if I just stood there and took the hits.
But…
'This is a good opportunity to practice our teamwork.'
I decided to focus on defense and let the others handle the offense.
The battle dragged on.
It was to be expected.
They were just three 5th-grade monsters.
But their difficulty was surprisingly high.
[Chwiiiiiiiik!]
As soon as the raid began, hordes of orcs, up to 7th-grade, swarmed the area.
Kwaaang! Kwagic! Boom!
Ainar was doing her best to hold them off, but that meant we were down a damage dealer for the boss fight.
Erwen and Amelia had to take down all three heroes by themselves.
They had slain the Deathworm in one hit, but…
「The Ancient Hero Danish has cast [Anguish].」
These 5th-grade monsters had 4th-grade essences and were classified as high-variants.
And all three of them had different essences.
「The Ancient Hero Belta has cast [Sacred Battlefield].」
「The Ancient Hero Targus has cast [Guardian Shield].」
Their essences complemented each other's weaknesses and amplified their strengths.
And that wasn't all.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Focused Fire].」
「Danish has used [Sword of Control].」
「The trajectory of the ranged attack has been altered.」
They used Numbered Items.
「The Orc Shaman has cast [Frenzy].」
「Danish's Physical Resistance is tripled for 10 seconds.」
And even if they were hit, they had high damage reduction…
「The Orc Arch Shaman has cast [Regeneration Mark].」
「Targus's Natural Regeneration is greatly increased.」
…and they received healing in real-time.
It was a raid that wasn't worth doing unless you were after the high-variant kill bonus or the 'Numbered Item drop' characteristic.
"What are you all doing?! Hurry up and kill them! You took down that worm in one hit!"
"It's not that easy!"
"Just focus on your role, Barbarian."
As the battle dragged on, conflicts arose…
But they were all professionals.
"Ainar! Can you prioritize the shamans?"
"Tersia, focus on the one with the hammer. I'll hold off the one with the sword."
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
They started cooperating, providing each other with feedback and creating opportunities.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
Auyen, despite being level 6, was also doing his best, helping Erwen with crowd control.
And finally…
「The Ancient Hero Belta has been slain. EXP +5」
「High-Variant Kill Bonus. EXP +1」
We took down one of the heroes, and the tide turned in our favor.
The battle ended quickly.
「The Ancient Hero Danish has been slain.」
「High-Variant Kill Bonus. EXP +1」
「The Ancient Hero Targus has been slain.」
「High-Variant Kill Bonus. EXP +1」
The total battle time was about 35 minutes. It was a decent time, considering we were a four-man raid team…
"Nothing dropped. After all that effort…"
…but there was no loot.
No essence, no Numbered Item.
But what could we do?
This kind of disappointment was a common occurrence in [Dungeon and Stone].
"Okay, let's gather the magic stones and move on. Amelia, tell the mage he can go now."
We collected the magic stones and left the Orc Encampment.
Everything was going smoothly.
But…
"Mister…?"
As we were waiting for the rift to open in the Witch's Forest…
Something strange happened.
「The Cabin has received its fifth offering.」
「The Cabin has received its sixth offering.」
「The Cabin has received its seventh offering…」
「…」
The surroundings were suddenly illuminated, as if by daylight.
I looked up, and the ceiling was glowing with a crimson light.
-x-X-x-
To truly enjoy [Dungeon and Stone], you need to be adaptable.
I'm not talking about flexible essence builds, but the basic gameplay itself.
You might be hunting monsters, and suddenly a rift opens. You might encounter looters, or be betrayed by your own teammate.
These unexpected events can happen at any moment.
Like right now.
"Mister, this…"
"Yeah, that's right."
The Floor Lord had been summoned.
It meant that someone on the 3rd floor had placed seven corpses in the cabin.
Whether it was intentional or not, I couldn't be sure.
Well, I was pretty sure it was intentional…
'But… there's always a chance it was an accident.'
After all, I had experienced it firsthand.
Misha and I were the ones who had accidentally summoned the Floor Lord in the past.
We had cremated the corpses in the cabin because we needed a place to rest… but someone had already cremated some corpses before us, and the conditions for summoning the Floor Lord had been met.
Anyway, that wasn't important right now.
"Yandel, what are we going to do?"
"We're leaving the forest. We can't go to the 4th floor anyway."
When the Chaos Lord, Riakis, was summoned, all the portals on the 3rd floor were deactivated.
The entire 3rd floor became a boss room.
"I'll take care of them."
Erwen used her fire spirit to eliminate the three Chaos Spirits that were blocking our path.
「The Chaos Spirits have been destroyed.」
「The area is now corrupted.」
We didn't have to worry about tile management this time.
We weren't planning to fight Riakis.
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
We heard a familiar howl coming from the Witch's Forest.
I felt a pang of regret.
I had thought we would finally settle the score with Riakis this time…
"Bjorn! We can't just run away! We have to do something!"
"What do you want us to do? Fight the Floor Lord with just the four of us?"
Technically, there were five of us, including Auyen… but no one bothered to correct me.
It wasn't like adding one more person would change the outcome.
As we were retreating from the forest, we saw them.
"Bjorn! There's something creepy coming this way! What is that?!"
"It's a Chaos Spirit."
When Riakis was summoned, these token monsters would spawn all over the 3rd floor.
They would chase their target until one of them died.
'It's been a while since I've seen these guys…'
"Bjorn, that's not what I meant… I'm saying we have to do something. Didn't you say a lot of people died last time?"
She was right.
I had heard about the incident.
I felt guilty because I was partly responsible for it.
"And besides, I heard that high-level explorers have a duty to protect lower-level explorers during emergencies!"
Ah, the Explorer's Oath.
That was why the Djarwi Clan had protected the lower-level explorers during the Chaos Lord incident.
Larger clans were more sensitive to the guild's opinion.
'Well, they still took our money…'
But one thing was certain.
If it weren't for the Djarwi Clan, there would have been many more casualties. They had protected the lower-level explorers for a whole day, and even held off Riakis for almost four hours after he appeared.
"I-I don't know how to fight, but… you… you can do something, right?"
"Ainar, calm down."
I stopped walking and turned around, and Ainar stopped talking. She looked anxious, but she didn't avoid my gaze.
I could see it in her eyes.
"…."
Ainar was a righteous person.
She only showed her ruthless side to monsters and looters.
She was kind and compassionate towards others, and always willing to help if she could.
And…
"Don't worry. I'm not just going to stand here and do nothing."
I didn't see that as a weakness.
I had learned something from her.
Sometimes, kindness wasn't a weakness.
"Oh! I knew it!"
"Did you think I would just ignore our fellow barbarians? There must be a lot of them on the 3rd floor."
I had said that, but even if it wasn't about my tribe, I wouldn't have ignored the situation.
My fame was at stake.
If I was known for running away from a disaster, my reputation would plummet.
Therefore…
"Ooooooh!! So what are we going to do?! I'll follow you, even if you tell me to jump into fire!"
"We'll observe the situation for now."
"…Huh?"
We stayed at a safe distance, watching the forest.
"We might not have to intervene?"
"The Explorer's Guild rarely approves requests to slay the 3rd-floor Floor Lord. Maybe some clan summoned it without permission."
"Ah! So if they succeed, there's no problem!"
"That's right."
Of course, it was just speculation.
We didn't have any concrete information.
Therefore…
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
We listened to the howls echoing through the forest and asked Erwen for updates.
"Riakis is heading west. It's too far to see clearly, but there are people around him."
"How many?"
"I don't know. It's too far…"
"Then we should get closer."
We moved along the outskirts of the forest, heading west. Erwen's exceptional detection skills gave us more information.
"…There are about fifteen of them. It seems like they're being chased by Riakis."
Well, it looked more like they were leading him to a suitable location for a raid. The Witch's Forest, with its dense trees and foliage, wasn't ideal for a raid.
I was more interested in something else.
"Fifteen…"
It was too few for a raid.
Well, they could probably slay him with a well-organized raid party…
"It's more likely that they're a decoy, and the main force is waiting somewhere else."
"That makes sense."
"Can you hear what they're saying?"
"No, I can't. They're probably using the 'Voice Control' spell."
"Hmm, I see."
It was a shame, but it was also a relief.
If it had been a genuine emergency, I would have had to intervene and tank the damage.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.
It started to rain.
Sizzle!
Black rain, corrosive enough to burn my skin on contact.
It was Riakis's passive aura skill.
「Character is taking continuous damage from Chaos attribute.」
「Character's Magic Resistance is greatly reduced.」
「Warning: Continuous exposure to Chaos attribute damage may inflict the [Confusion] status effect.」
It meant that we were close to Riakis.
"We should move back."
We couldn't resist his passive aura without a priest, so we adjusted our distance based on the rain.
And after a while…
"They're coming out of the forest!"
The darkness that had been absorbing the light dissipated as we reached the edge of the 3rd floor.
I didn't have Erwen or Amelia's exceptional eyesight, but I could still see a group of fifteen explorers running towards us.
Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!
And of course, a giant monster was chasing them.
"Erwen, check their clan emblem."
"…They don't have one."
What? They removed their emblems?
It made sense.
They were probably slaying the Floor Lord without permission.
"They're heading this way!"
They ran past us, leading Riakis away, and Amelia asked,
"Yandel, what are we going to do?"
"We're following them."
"Why?"
"If they fail, it'll be a disaster."
And who knows?
Maybe we could join the raid.
_______________________
We followed the decoy group and arrived at the 'Thornreed Field'.
'This is the ideal location.'
It was the perfect place for a raid, with its flat, open terrain and no obstacles.
They had even burned down the tall thornreeds, preparing the battlefield.
But…
"Mister, there's the main for—"
Suddenly, Erwen stopped talking.
"What happened?"
"They detected us. Someone's approaching."
"Can you outrun them?"
"…It'll be difficult. There's only one of them."
Hmm, I see.
I made my decision.
"Then we'll wait here."
There was no reason to run away.
I was also curious.
Who were these people who had summoned the Floor Lord without permission?
"He's here."
A figure appeared from the burned-out field, running towards us.
He stopped about 10 meters away.
He had seven daggers on his belt.
"…."
"…."
He looked at us, his face hardening.
He didn't say a word.
So I spoke first.
"Why are you so quiet? You were in such a hurry to get here."
"…It seems we have the honor of meeting a celebrity."
Ah, so that's why he was making that face.
He was intimidated.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Baron Yandel. I never expected to see someone like you on the 3rd floor—"
"Just tell me who you are."
I cut him off and asked, and he hesitated for a moment before answering.
"…My name is Malid Kevron."
I wasn't sure if it was his real name, but that's how he introduced himself.
I asked him another question.
"What clan are you from?"
"…We're from the Sawtooth Clan."
"The Sawtooth Clan…"
One of the four largest clans in the city, the same clan that James Kala had been the vice-captain of.
"Interesting. It's more surprising to see you here than it is to see me on the 3rd floor."
I chuckled, and he boldly asked,
"Did you summon the Floor Lord, Baron?"
He was a sharp one.
He wasn't afraid to take the initiative.
"I didn't."
"I see."
"But you're going to deny it if I ask you the same question, right?"
"We didn't summon it."
"So you're saying the group leading Riakis here has nothing to do with you?"
"They are our members. But we were just nearby, and we're trying to resolve the situation according to the Explorer's Oath."
Nice try.
"Then that's good. We'll help you."
I offered him a helping hand, and his face hardened.
"…We appreciate your offer, Baron, but we don't need your help."
"Why not?"
"This is a dangerous task, best left to explorers."
So he was looking down on me because I was a noble?
I almost lost it…
"The other nobles wouldn't want to see the Baron's reputation tarnished by such a reckless act."
"…What?"
What did I just hear?
"Are you talking about Count Alminus? One of the Sawtooth Clan's sponsors?"
I asked to confirm, and he smirked.
"Yes, that's right."
He was serious.
There was no point in being polite anymore.
"What the hell are you talking about, you little punk?"
"…I beg your pardon?"
He looked at me, stunned, and I took a step forward.
"Hey, Dagger."
"…Yes?"
-x-X-x-
As soon as I raised my hammer, I activated [Transcendence] and [Eye of the Storm], pulling the dagger user towards me.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
The ambush was successful. His frail body was helplessly dragged towards me.
"...!"
I reached out and grabbed his neck.
At that moment, Amelia called out to me.
"Yandel."
Her voice was filled with worry.
If she thought I was actually going to kill him, I was a little offended.
I wouldn't crush his head over something like this.
I'm not a real barbarian.
Squeeze.
This was just a performance.
A slightly… emotional one.
"Mister, they're almost here."
As expected, as soon as I grabbed his neck, the other explorers appeared in the distance. It didn't take long for them to reach us.
"…What is the meaning of this, Baron Yandel?!"
They already knew my name.
It wasn't surprising.
They must have been listening to our conversation through a message stone or something.
"Cough…!"
I tightened my grip, and the dagger user struggled even more.
"Release him this instant!"
"Why should I?"
"Even if you're a noble, there are lines you cannot cross! How dare you threaten an innocent explorer without any reason?! Do you think this will be tolerated?!"
His words were absurd.
First of all, they were the ones who had summoned the Floor Lord without permission.
And secondly…
"Who said he was innocent?"
I spoke clearly, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"He's a traitor. He dared to threaten and insult a noble of Lafdonia!"
"W-What?! That's ridiculous! He would never—"
"What? Are you insulting me too?"
"N-No, that's not what I meant…"
The dagger user struggled even more as our conversation continued.
"Cough… Urgh…!"
He was quite persistent.
He should have drawn his dagger and stabbed me by now.
'He knows that would only make things worse.'
"L-Let's talk this over. There must be some misunderstanding. We can resolve this peacefully if we just—"
I didn't think he would attack me, even if I provoked him further.
So I threw him back to his comrades.
"V-Vice-Captain! Are you alright?"
Huh… he was the vice-captain?
The one who replaced James Kala.
'No wonder he was so persistent…'
His loyalty to the clan was admirable, but that didn't make me like him or the Sawtooth Clan any more.
"Alright, explain yourselves. What was the misunderstanding?"
I asked the explorer who had been shouting at me, but the dagger user intervened, covering his mouth.
And…
"We sincerely apologize for disturbing Baron Yandel. Please forgive us."
He apologized without any excuses.
"Mentioning Count Alminus was a grave mistake on our part."
He was a sharp one.
He knew exactly how to avoid the traps I had laid.
"If you wish to punish us, we will accept any judgment you deem fit upon our return to the city."
That made it difficult for me to continue.
He hadn't insulted me directly, and his threats were veiled.
I couldn't demand his execution from 'Mozelan' with just this.
'And Count Alminus's influence will be much stronger in the city.'
I might even be accused of abusing my power if I pushed this further.
Therefore…
"So you're still going to do it?"
I decided to postpone the judgment and asked again.
After all, what I wanted wasn't an apology or punishment.
"I'm also an explorer, and I want to help resolve this situation as quickly as possible."
"…I see."
"So are you still planning to stop me?"
The dagger user thought for a moment and then answered.
"If I may be so bold, what are your plans once this situation is resolved?"
He was asking about the loot distribution.
"We're all explorers, aren't we? We'll roll the dice and decide fairly."
"…As expected."
The dagger user sighed and then spoke.
"Then we'll withdraw."
"…What?"
"There's a saying that a teammate who doesn't work well with you is more dangerous than an enemy. And besides, we can't stop you, can we, Baron Yandel? If we fight alongside you, we'll only hinder your progress and cause more casualties."
"So you're just going to give up?"
"Yes. We trust you, the hero known as Baron Yandel."
Huh, this punk…
"We'll fulfill our duty by helping the other lower-level explorers on the 3rd floor."
He was basically saying he would rather flip the table than share the loot.
'He's really determined to protect his share…'
Unfortunately, I couldn't stop him.
If this got out, I would be accused of abusing my power and driving them away.
'They'll definitely spin the story that way.'
"What are your orders?"
I had no choice.
"I'll leave Riakis to you."
It was a shame that we couldn't join the raid… but we had to prioritize slaying the boss.
We couldn't leave him to roam the floor.
"Then we'll be taking our leave."
Before they left, I gave them a warning.
"But remember this."
"…?"
"If you fail, you'll be held responsible. You were the ones who refused my help."
His reply came after a moment of silence.
"…We understand."
He didn't sound sincere at all.
_______________________
We left the thornreed field.
There was no point in staying and watching.
「The Chaos Lord, Riakis, draws upon the power of the source.」
If Riakis used his ultimate skill, it would only cause more trouble.
We couldn't risk being targeted as his 'prey'.
'And if they fail, they'll try to blame us.'
It was better to leave them to their own devices.
"Bjorn! Where are we going?"
"Somewhere with people."
"…Huh?"
"It seems like this raid will take a while."
Amelia seemed curious, so I explained.
"Hmm, why do you think so?"
"First, the timing."
"The timing?"
"Yes, if they were confident in their abilities, they would have summoned him earlier. They wouldn't wait until the 13th day."
They were slaying the Floor Lord without permission.
The best strategy was to summon him, slay him quickly, and then escape before the floor closed.
But they had waited until the last minute?
It meant they were expecting a long battle.
"…What's the second reason?"
"They had a Purification Torch on their belts."
"The Purification Torch… you mean the 8,000-series Numbered Item?"
It was No. 8645, to be precise.
If all the raid members had it, they could skip Riakis's 2nd phase.
"But why is that a problem?"
"Because it forces you to fight a long battle. It makes the raid easier overall, but it's not ideal if you want to slay him quickly."
I had talked too much, so I quickly added,
"…That's what I read in a book."
"Oooooh! Amazing!"
Thankfully, Ainar didn't notice anything strange. She was used to me spouting random knowledge.
"Ahem… Anyway! It seems like this might take a while, so we should focus on rescuing the other explorers. Is everyone okay with that?"
"Of course!"
"Yes, it's true that even if they manage to hold off Riakis, there will be casualties if this drags on. I agree."
"I don't mind, since we can't go up anyway… But why are you asking us? You've already made up your mind."
"It's procedure! Procedure!"
Okay, so everyone agreed.
"…I-I agree too!"
We started exploring the 3rd floor, and everywhere we went, explorers recognized me and asked for help.
Some of them were strong enough to handle the Chaos Spirits on their own…
But that didn't matter.
"Hey, it's Baron Yandel!"
"The Giant, Bjorn Yandel…!"
"We're saved!"
They were all terrified of Riakis.
"Th-Thank you for saving us…!"
"Ooooooh! It's the Chieftain!!! The Chieftain has come to save us!!"
We spent about eight hours rescuing explorers, and soon we had over a hundred people gathered in one place.
I decided to set up a base camp.
We couldn't keep moving with this many people.
"Warriors, can you help me out?"
"Of course!!! Just tell us what to do!!"
We didn't have enough people to guard the entire perimeter, so I asked the barbarian warriors to help with security.
And then something unexpected happened.
"Baron! We want to help too! Give us something to do!"
"Me too! I want to help!"
The other explorers volunteered to help, and soon we had a fully functional defense system.
'…This is making my job too easy.'
As long as Riakis didn't come this way, we could defend the base with the current manpower.
So I sent Erwen and Amelia on a mission.
"Erwen, Amelia. Can you do me a favor?"
"Yes! Just trust me!"
"…I always end up doing the dirty work when I'm with you."
Their mission was simple.
To search the area and bring back any stranded or isolated explorers.
"Bjorn, what about me? What can I do?!"
Ainar, unfortunately, couldn't navigate the labyrinth on her own, so I put her in charge of base security.
And…
「Character's Fame has increased by +1.」
「Character's Fame has increased by +1.」
「Character's Fame has increased by +1…」
「…」
「…」
The 13th day, the 14th day…
Time flew by.
The day of the labyrinth closure had arrived.
_______________________
"Mister, I'm back!"
I woke up to Erwen's amber eyes.
"Good work. How many did you bring this time?"
"Thirty-one. We searched far and wide, but there's no one left in the area."
"I see. Get some rest."
"Okay."
"…You're going to rest?"
"Isn't being next to you considered resting?"
"…."
Amelia didn't respond.
I checked the time.
[04:01]
About 18 hours until the labyrinth closed.
The lower-level explorers, who had been terrified, were starting to relax.
They felt safe, knowing that there were over a thousand explorers gathered in one place.
But I was getting more and more anxious.
'They're still raiding…'
The Chaos Lord was still a problem.
I had expected a long battle, but I didn't think it would take this long.
'The Chaos Spirits disappeared a few hours ago, so they must have finished the 2nd phase…'
Then how was the raid going?
I hoped they were doing well, despite my dislike for them.
If they failed, and Riakis entered his 3rd phase, it would be a disaster.
"Phew…"
I couldn't help but worry.
I patrolled the shelter, checking for any problems.
There were none.
Well, the Chaos Spirits had stopped spawning, so it was to be expected.
"…."
After finishing my patrol, we had a team meal.
It was 6:30 AM.
Kaboom!
We were eating when the ground shook.
"Bjorn, what was that…?"
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
Damn it.
"I-It's the Floor Lord…"
"He's here…"
"I-I heard that hundreds of people died last time…"
Fear and chaos spread through the shelter.
I stood up, took a deep breath, and shouted,
"Everyone, be quiet!!"
"…."
It worked.
I activated [Gigantification] so they could see me from afar.
Hundreds of eyes were on me.
I quickly asked Erwen,
"Is he coming this way?"
"…No."
That was a relief.
"…."
I looked around and called out to the first mage I saw.
"Lewis Siyur!"
It was the mage we had met at the Orc Encampment.
"…Y-Yes? Why me…?"
"You're in charge now."
"…W-What?! Me?!"
He seemed like a competent mage, based on our brief conversation after the Orc Lord incident.
"Lead these people to safety. As far away as possible."
"B-But what about you, Baron?!"
It was an obvious question.
"I'm going to stop him."
"W-What?! B-But Tersia said he wasn't coming this way…"
"So you're just going to let him roam free?"
The lower-level explorers in the shelter weren't the only ones in danger.
There were many more scattered throughout the 3rd floor.
If Riakis entered his 3rd phase and started roaming the floor, it would be a disaster.
"Baron…"
"Speak."
"You're… you're just like the rumors…"
What?
"I'll take that as a compliment."
I grabbed my hammer and headed towards the direction Erwen had indicated. My teammates followed me.
Thud, thud.
We ran, our steps heavy with urgency.
The lower-level explorers parted like the Red Sea, making way for us.
And…
"May the blessings of Lafdonia be with you…"
…they bowed their heads in respect.
"Lewis! What are you doing?! Hurry up and lead them away!"
I shouted to the mage I had put in charge, but he didn't answer.
He just bowed his head.
"…."
I felt a strange sense of awkwardness and increased my pace.
Amelia chuckled.
"You're embarrassed, aren't you?"
I thought about it for a moment.
Why should I be embarrassed?
There aren't many high-level explorers who would go this far to protect lower-level explorers.
Especially not a noble.
'They should be grateful. It's not like I'm asking for anything in return.'
That thought made me feel better.
Thud, thud.
We left the shelter and started running.
I regretted my decision.
'I should have insisted on joining the raid.'
I could have held off Riakis in his 1st phase by myself.
Even if I was targeted as his 'prey', I could have outrun him until the floor closed.
But the 3rd phase was a different story.
'Well, at least it's not as bad as Ice Rock.'
There was a silver lining.
'Is he in his 3rd phase, or 4th phase?'
If it was his 3rd phase, we wouldn't be able to do anything but run.
'I hope it's his 4th phase.'
If they had failed the raid, and Riakis was in his final phase…
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
I saw Riakis in the distance and stopped running.
And I smiled.
'He looks skinny.'
This was doable.
"Get ready."
"…You're going to fight him?"
I couldn't just let him escape.
-x-X-x-
The Floor Lord.
A field boss that appears on each floor of the labyrinth when specific conditions are met.
It's usually considered a high-level raid, something you attempt only after you're strong enough to clear 7th-floor rifts.
At least, that's the case for the first five floors.
From the 6th floor onwards, the Floor Lord becomes a 'top-tier raid', practically end-game content.
'But this is our first real raid, and it's a Floor Lord…'
Considering that our previous highest-level raid was the 4th-floor 'Doppelganger Forest', this was an absurd situation.
And we only had four people who could fight.
We weren't even a full party, let alone a raid team.
But…
'We have several 3rd-grade essences, so we should be able to land the final blow.'
I made my decision as soon as I saw Riakis in the distance.
It would be foolish not to try.
And besides…
'I made a promise.'
It might sound childish, but I had made a promise to myself.
That if I ever saw him again…
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
…things would be different.
"Yandel, what are we going to do?"
"I'll tank the damage, you guys focus on attacking."
"That's… it?"
Amelia looked at me as if I was insane, but that was the only way to fight Riakis in his 4th phase.
There was no special strategy.
You just had to overpower him.
「The Chaos Lord, Riakis, senses the source of life.」
As soon as we entered his range, Riakis stopped running and turned to face us.
And…
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
He charged at us, roaring.
His footsteps were different from his 1st phase.
Thud, thud, thud!
They were still heavy, but much faster and lighter.
His speed was also incomparable.
His 4th phase was all about agility.
"Everyone, move back."
I sent my teammates to the back and activated [Transcendence] and [Gigantification].
「Size increases proportionally to Strength.」
If it had been his 1st phase, when he was bloated and obese, it wouldn't have been enough… but now that he was lean and muscular, our sizes were similar.
That was one of the advantages of [Gigantification].
「The Chaos Lord, Riakis, senses a great threat from the character.」
It significantly increased my 'Threat' stat, making it easier to hold aggro during raids.
He must have been surprised.
He had probably never encountered an opponent his size before.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
I activated [Wild Release], further increasing my Threat stat, and charged at him.
The Giant Shield Charge.
Kwaaang!
The giant barbarian and the giant monster collided, creating a deafening roar.
Screech.
I was pushed back.
It wasn't surprising.
The Floor Lords were notorious for their ridiculous stats.
Thud!
I swung my hammer, activating [Swing]… but he didn't even flinch.
He should have been stunned, at least.
He immediately retaliated with a swipe of his claw.
[Kyiieeeeeeek!]
His attack speed was incredible in his 4th phase, and I couldn't dodge it.
Well, I didn't have to.
Thud!
I was tough too.
My hammer didn't faze him, and his claw didn't hurt me—
'…Why am I getting dizzy?'
I quickly reassessed the situation.
My Resistance stats were high enough to prevent my head from being ripped off or my body from being shredded…
But…
'…I can't take another hit to the head.'
The impact was making me dizzy.
It was worse than getting slapped by my gym teacher in middle school.
"Bjorn!!"
I shook off the nostalgic memory and focused on the present.
Whoosh!
He was already swinging his claw again.
Kwaaang!
This time, I blocked it with my shield.
And my teammates had finally caught up.
「Amelia Rainwales has cast [Self-Replication].」
Amelia charged at Riakis from both sides, accompanied by her clone.
Slash-
She activated [Abyssal Strength] without hesitation, focusing her attacks on his lower body.
And at the same time…
「Ainar Frenelin has cast [Reaping Slash].」
Ainar leaped into the air and brought her greatsword down on Riakis's shoulder.
But there was no explosion.
This wasn't a mob hunt.
「Ainar Frenelin has cast [Wild Control].」
[Wild Control].
The essence I had recommended to Ainar when she was deciding on her reward.
The effect of this skill was simple.
「Converts all conditional activation effects of the next attack to Cleaving Power.」
[Explosive Scars], [Mandel Oil], [Residual Heat].
The damage from all three of her conditional skills was converted to Cleaving Power.
In other words…
Slash!
…she could freely switch between raid mode and hunting mode.
Of course, it wasn't a critical hit.
She had only managed to cut through his thick hide, drawing a few drops of black blood.
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
Amelia's attacks were effective because she was an Aura user, but Ainar's damage was also surprisingly high.
Now all that was left was Erwen…
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Focused Fire].」
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Elemental Fusion].」
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」
And she didn't disappoint.
"Mister, dodge!"
I knew her well, so I immediately moved to the side, giving her a clear shot.
And…
Flash.
A beam of light shot through the air.
Zwoong!
It was followed by a compressed sound of air being torn apart.
Kwaaang!
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!!!]
I smiled as I saw Riakis roaring in pain.
Erwen's attack wasn't a critical hit…
'But she managed to crack his forehead.'
Her damage was enough.
Therefore…
「The Chaos Lord, Riakis, has cast [Tainted Horn].」
The raid had officially begun.
_______________________
The Chaos Lord, Riakis.
His 1st phase was simple.
He would inflict continuous damage with his passive aura, [Rain of Despair], and the Chaos Spirits would corrupt the terrain, causing additional damage. Corrupted tiles would spawn orbs that healed Riakis.
There was only one thing to be wary of.
[Crack of Evil].
His instant-kill skill, activated after he consumed a certain number of orbs.
The solution was simple.
You just had to escape the area of effect.
The problem was that the designated 'prey' would be immobilized if they left the area.
Riakis would then focus his attacks on the 'prey', and if the 'prey' was slain, his stats would increase, making the next phase more difficult.
'Well, at least his 1st phase is mostly about tanking.'
The real raid started in his 2nd phase.
Once his HP dropped below a certain threshold, Riakis would feel threatened and open the [Gate of Chaos], dragging everyone inside.
All tiles would be permanently corrupted.
Mental corruption would be severe.
And the players would have to track down Riakis in that hellish environment and fight him with his enhanced stats.
It was the most difficult phase of the raid.
But there was a way to make it easier.
The 'Purification Torch'.
You just had to activate it and wait.
After two days in game time, the [Gate of Chaos] would reopen, and you would return to the original field.
'It's easier to just get enough Purification Torches for everyone, even if it's a bit of a hassle.'
Of course, there was a drawback to this strategy.
If you skipped the 3rd phase, Riakis would recover all his HP and be even stronger.
Well, it was still more efficient to use the torches, so I had always used them in the past.
Anyway.
In his 3rd phase, the Chaos Spirits would stop spawning.
But [Rain of Despair] would be enhanced.
The rain would quickly corrupt the terrain, disabling all equipment.
Numbered Items would lose their effects until the labyrinth closed, and Adamantium armor would become as weak as ordinary steel.
'That's probably where the Sawtooth Clan started to fall apart.'
You couldn't use the Purification Torch to resist the mental corruption anymore.
And you had to fight a stronger Riakis in that state.
I guessed that the Sawtooth Clan had used a rotation strategy. They would have taken turns tanking the damage and slowly whittled down his HP.
'That's the only way he could have survived for six hours in his 3rd phase.'
But I wasn't interested in how they had failed the raid.
Something must have gone wrong.
That's how [Dungeon and Stone] worked.
One small mistake could lead to disastrous consequences.
'But they managed to reach his 4th phase, so they must have been prepared.'
It had worked out for us in the end.
The most difficult part of his 4th phase was that equipment bonuses were nullified, and we didn't have that penalty.
'I can't just let this opportunity pass.'
It was like they were handing us the victory on a silver platter.
Kwaaang!
After over 30 minutes of fighting, Erwen's arrow pierced Riakis's left eye.
「The Chaos Lord, Riakis, has cast [Tainted Left Eye].」
Okay, so both his eyes were gone now.
Whoosh!
Black smoke poured from his empty eye sockets.
And a chilling glow emanated from within.
[…]
He didn't even groan anymore, even when his flesh was pierced or his eyes were destroyed.
He was becoming less and less human.
'His claws regenerated… and he's already used seven Tainted Body Parts…'
His 4th phase was simple.
You just had to keep attacking him, and he would use his Tainted Body Parts to heal and become stronger.
And…
'Eleven down.'
One more to go.
He could use twelve of his 36 body parts.
"Everyone, move back!"
I sent my teammates to a safe distance, and Riakis unleashed his final attack.
「The Tainted Power is going berserk.」
His berserk pattern, a staple of boss monsters.
It was a race against time.
「Blessing of the Pilgrim.」
「The unknown power hidden within the chaos begins to purify the Tainted Power.」
It would take about five minutes for Riakis to cleanse his Tainted Body Parts and return to his normal state.
We had to corrupt one more body part before that—
"M-Mister!"
Erwen called out to me.
What was wrong? There shouldn't be any problems in the backline at this point…
"T-There are people coming this way! Dozens of them! And they're fast!"
"What?"
Dozens of people? Who?
Were the barbarians from the shelter worried about me and coming to help?
That was my first thought.
But…
"…I think it's the Sawtooth Clan!"
The world wasn't that kind.
"What?! But I thought they failed the raid!"
Ainar exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.
I was also confused.
'What's going on?'
Dozens of people?
If they had that many, why was Riakis roaming the floor alone? Had they actually succeeded in the raid?
I couldn't understand.
But one thing was certain.
'They're coming this way…'
It wasn't good news.
'They're here just as we're about to land the final blow…'
They wouldn't let us take the kill.
'…But that doesn't change anything.'
「Purification rate: 1%.」
About 10 minutes until Riakis fully recovered.
Let's just shorten that time.
Like a true barbarian.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
"M-Mister?"
"What are you waiting for?! Kill him!!"
We'll worry about the aftermath later.
-x-X-x-
The berserk pattern lasted for about 10 minutes.
After that, Riakis would instantly recover, nullifying all our efforts.
But 10 minutes was a reasonable amount of time.
At least, in the world of [Dungeon and Stone], where unreasonable situations were the norm.
「Purification rate: 3%.」
We just had to land one more hit within 10 minutes.
Then the boss fight would be over, without any additional patterns or phases. I was trying to be patient and cautious, focusing on safety as we finished the job.
But…
Zwoong!
Erwen's fully charged arrow missed its target.
Had his eyes been upgraded?
It felt like he had dodged it intentionally…
[…]
Damn it, just die already.
We're running out of time.
「Purification rate: 7%.」
I was getting more and more anxious as the battle dragged on.
And it seemed like I wasn't the only one.
"Erwen! Why did you shoot there?!"
"If you're so unhappy, do something about it!"
"…Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
Ainar, who usually blamed the ranged attackers out of habit, leaped into the air, landing on Riakis's shoulder. She swung her greatsword down on his neck.
Slash!
It didn't cut deep.
So Ainar got greedy.
Whoosh!
She swung her sword again, trying to land another hit.
But it didn't connect.
"…Urgh!!"
Riakis's tail wrapped around Ainar's waist, lifting her into the air.
Thankfully, Amelia was nearby and quickly cut her free with her daggers.
"Ugh… Th-Thanks—"
"Calm down, Barbarian. At least during battle."
"S-Sorry!"
"Apologize to her later. She's the one who's contributed the most after Yandel."
"…Erwen! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have yelled at you!"
"…I don't care."
It was a heartwarming scene.
Amelia scolding Ainar, Ainar apologizing to Erwen, and Erwen accepting her apology.
It was what a leader wanted to see.
But why were they doing this during the battle?
We were running out of time.
"Focus on attacking!"
I shouted, slightly annoyed, and they finally stopped talking and focused on the fight.
Kaboom!
Riakis swung his claw at me.
I dodged, stepping back to absorb the impact.
'We can still do this.'
I tried to calm myself down.
「Purification rate: 9%.」
We were still in good shape.
The damage dealers' MP was almost depleted after 30 minutes of nonstop attacks… but that was all.
This kind of boss fight became much easier once you could hold aggro.
[Grooooaaaaaaaaar!]
Riakis roared again.
His purification rate must have reached 10%…
But that wasn't important right now.
The Sawtooth Clan was approaching.
"Erwen, how long until your next attack is ready?"
"About 75 seconds!"
Damn, this was our last chance.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
I roared and charged at Riakis, getting closer.
In this kind of boss fight, you had to use [Wild Release] periodically to maintain aggro.
Screech!
I could block his attacks and step back…
[Purification rate: 15%]
…but the damage dealers couldn't.
If he landed a clean hit with his claw, even Ainar, with her high defense, wouldn't last long.
That's how strong the Floor Lord's basic attacks were.
That was why I had planned to just dodge and run in his 3rd phase.
I couldn't tank his attacks without a priest or a mage unless it was his 4th phase, when all his attacks were physical.
"Mister!"
Huh? Was Erwen's attack ready?
It hadn't been 62 seconds yet…
"It's ready!"
Her shout was brief, but I understood what she meant.
'Damn it.'
It hadn't even been three minutes since we first detected them.
How fast were they?
Erwen gave me the information I needed.
"Right side!"
I looked to my right and saw a group of dozens of explorers rapidly approaching.
Therefore…
Kaboom!
I dropped my shield and hammer.
"…?"
Amelia looked at me, startled, and then her eyes widened as I charged at Riakis.
Yes, this was a rare sight.
Thud.
I leaped into the air, wrapping my arms around the giant monster's neck.
And…
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
I used my momentum to climb onto his back, wrapping my legs around his torso.
Squeeze.
I squeezed his neck with all my might.
The Giant Barbarian Chokehold.
It was similar to when I wrestled the troll on the 4th floor… but there were two key differences.
First, both the attacker and the defender were much larger now.
And secondly…
'He's too strong…'
I couldn't hold him down completely.
[Groooo—!!]
He easily broke free from my grip.
"Bjorn!!"
He stood up on his hind legs, like a bear, and grabbed my arms.
'72 seconds.'
A battle of strength.
'73 seconds.'
I tried my best to hold on, but it was futile.
Crack.
My Laithium armor, already damaged, crumpled like a tin can, and my grip loosened.
'74 seconds.'
But what could I do?
"You're too late, you bastard."
75 seconds.
Erwen's attack was finally ready.
And Riakis was wide open, trying to get me off his back.
'76 seconds…'
Wait, why wasn't she shooting?
I looked back, and Erwen was frozen, her bow drawn.
Phew, at least she hadn't miscalculated the time.
"Shoot—!!!"
I shouted, and then a flash of light erupted.
Zwoong!
So this is what it looked like from this angle.
It really was like a thunderbolt—
Kwaaang!
The explosion was deafening, and I was thrown to the ground.
Beeeeeeeep!
My ears were ringing.
But I didn't care.
「The Chaos Lord, Riakis, has cast [Tainted Heart].」
I got up and looked at Riakis.
[—, ———————!!!]
His body was completely black, and he was roaring in pain… but I couldn't hear him.
「The Tainted Power is going berserk again.」
His body was pulsating, expanding and contracting like a water balloon filled with too much pressure.
Ainar and Amelia were watching him from a safe distance, their weapons ready.
They didn't have to be so cautious.
It was over.
「The Ancient Pilgrim rejects the Tainted Power.」
Riakis's unstable body suddenly expanded, as if it were about to explode.
And then…
Flash!
A blinding flash of crimson light erupted.
It was like a miniature nuclear explosion.
「The Ancient Pilgrim has perished.」
The light faded, and my vision returned.
Everything had changed.
"———, ———!!"
The labyrinth was no longer glowing red.
And…
「The Chaos Lord, Riakis, has been slain. EXP +100」
「Floor Lord Kill Bonus. EXP +15」
Riakis was gone, replaced by a cloud of shimmering particles.
「Achievement Unlocked」
Condition: First Floor Lord Kill.
Reward: Soul Power permanently increased by +50.
The raid was over.
「Achievement Unlocked」
Condition: Chaos Lord Riakis slain.
Reward: ???
I felt a strange sense of accomplishment.
I had finally slain the monster that had forced us to run away in fear a few years ago.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The raid was over, which meant it was time to collect the loot.
Swaaaaaaaaaa.
I looked at the shimmering particles, hoping for the best.
What had dropped?
Thump!
My heart pounded with anticipation.
There were three possible rewards from a Floor Lord.
The 'Floor Treasure', a superior version of a Numbered Item.
The 'Floor Stone', which allowed you to open a rift on that floor.
And…
'Please, please, please, please… an essence!!'
The 'Floor Essence', which was more valuable than a 1st-grade essence in some ways.
'I'll take a Floor Treasure too, but… please, an essence!'
I waited, praying for good luck.
And then the light faded, revealing the item.
「No. 9999 Beginner's Luck activated.」
"…It's an essence!"
It was an essence.
Neither a Floor Treasure nor a Floor Stone had dropped.
But…
"An essence…!"
"It's an essence…!"
"…."
We were all speechless.
'Look at their faces…'
The Sawtooth Clan members, who had just arrived, looked devastated.
"———!! ———!!!"
They were shouting something at me…
But I couldn't hear them.
I had lost my hearing.
So…
'What should I do?'
I didn't have time to think.
I grabbed the essence and ran.
"Erwen!"
"—, —"
I couldn't understand her reply.
So…
"S-—, — me— ————? — than, A——, —!!"
I grabbed Erwen's waist and lifted her into the air.
"I'll explain later."
And then I threw her.
"…Kya!"
I heard a strange sound as my hearing returned, but I ignored it.
She was an experienced explorer.
'This brings back memories.'
I had done the same thing when I gave her the Goblin essence.
_______________________
「The Chaos Essence has seeped into Erwen Fornachi di Tersia's soul.」
_______________________
"Uh… Uh… Uh…"
Erwen, after absorbing the Chaos Essence, looked around in a daze.
"W-Why… Why did you give this to me…? Y-You should have taken it…"
So that's what she was trying to say.
Her heart was in the right place, but she didn't have to be so worried.
"I was going to give it to you eventually."
I had planned to give it to her after she formed contracts with all four spirits.
That's when the Chaos Essence truly shined.
Well, I didn't expect to give it to her this early.
"B-But… It's a Floor Lord essence…"
"Are you going to leave me after absorbing it, like you did with the Goblin essence?"
"No! Never! How could I?!"
Okay, that's all I needed to hear.
The Chaos Essence wasn't compatible with barbarians. Well, it would make you much stronger than most 3rd-grade essences…
But you could only absorb one Floor Lord essence.
'And you can't even remove it at the temple.'
I had a different Floor Lord in mind.
"Yandel."
It was time to focus on the present.
The Sawtooth Clan had arrived.
"Yandel, Baron! What have you done?!"
The dagger user, their leader, shouted as soon as he arrived.
"We told you to wait…!"
He wasn't even using honorifics anymore.
"I didn't hear you."
"That's impossible—!"
"Even if I had, I wouldn't have stopped."
I cut him off, and he glared at me.
Amelia quietly called my name.
"Yandel."
"I know."
The Sawtooth Clan members had surrounded us.
They were good at it.
It seemed like they had done this many times before.
But I wasn't intimidated.
"Malid Kevron, Vice-Captain of the Sawtooth Clan."
"…Yes, Baron."
"Do you even realize what you're doing?"
He boldly met my gaze and answered,
"What do you mean? We're just asking you a simple question. Why did you steal the Riakis we were raiding?"
"…."
"As you know, Baron, explorers don't show mercy to looters."
I had thought they would back down after seeing the essence…
"Even if it's not worth much."
…but they were furious.