The Crystal Cave, shimmering with a faint, iridescent light.
But perhaps because of the grueling battle I had fought here against Dreadfear…
I hesitated for a moment as soon as I opened my eyes.
[Just… one person…?]
[You… will become… a great warrior…]
Ugh, why were those memories so vivid?
It was an experience I never wanted to relive.
But it was also something that could happen again.
"Mister… are you okay?"
"…It's nothing."
I snapped out of my reverie at Erwen's worried question and looked at my teammates. Well, it was just Erwen and Misha.
"...."
Misha had been quiet.
Was she still uncomfortable?
"Misha."
"…Y-Yes?"
"We're about to leave. Are you ready?"
"Yes…"
Her voice was subdued.
I gathered my team and started walking.
Our first destination was the Great Sage Monument in the center of the Crystal Cave. We would regroup with the other team there.
We had split into two teams for this expedition.
'…I need to recruit more clan members…'
We had split up because of our limited numbers.
There were only seven of us in the clan.
We had no choice but to split into teams of three and four.
Well, technically, there were six of us, excluding Auyen…
'But we might need a navigator.'
So I had decided to bring him along.
There were several areas, including the 6th-floor Great Ocean, that required a ship and a navigator. I had to be prepared for every possibility.
'…And if we don't find anything here, we'll have to go to the upper floors…'
I had spent the past few days researching the 'hidden area', and there was one thing they all had in common.
They always appeared on the same floor where the feat was accomplished.
The Fairy King's achievement was a prime example.
[Armella Powell Merhenia, a fairy archer, and her companions, defeated the Harmonizer Gregory and opened a hidden area.]
The Harmonizer Gregory was a hidden boss that could be encountered on the 5th floor with a low probability.
And 'Larkaz's Labyrinth' was the hidden area that had been added after he was defeated for the first time.
Well, technically, there were three different types of hidden fields…
Anyway, the important point was this:
The 1st floor would close on the 7th day. If we didn't find anything by then, we would have to go to the upper floors.
"…There are a lot of people here…"
The central Dark Zone was crowded with explorers.
It was an unusual sight.
But it wasn't surprising.
The explorers searching for the 'hidden area' would naturally come here first.
Most of them were wearing high-grade equipment and displaying their clan emblems proudly.
'There are more than I expected…'
As we entered the Dark Zone, the explorers who recognized me parted like the Red Sea.
"Hey, isn't that…?"
"It's Bjorn Yandel…"
"So he's looking for it too…"
They looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and wariness, as if I was a competitor.
"…Maybe he has a clue…"
"He came here first… does that mean there's something hidden here…?"
Being famous was a disadvantage in this situation.
"Misha, stay close."
"Ah… okay…"
We continued through the passage, and soon we reached the chamber with the monument. As expected, it was crowded with explorers.
"Oh! Bjorn! Over here!"
"You're finally here."
"Welcome, Clan Master."
The second team was already there.
I asked Amelia for a report.
"Anything?"
"Not yet. It seems like the mages from various clans are investigating, but they haven't found anything."
"I see…"
I approached the monument, and the mages who had been examining it stepped aside.
And…
Gulp!
They watched my every move, their eyes filled with anticipation.
It was a little amusing.
'I don't have any clues either…'
I felt a strange sense of déjà vu as I stood in front of the monument.
The last time I was here, there had been a Witch's Altar instead of this monument.
What secrets did this labyrinth hold?
I read the inscription on the monument.
「In memory of Diflun Groundel Gavrilius, the Last Sage, and his first giant step.」
It was the same inscription I had seen countless times.
'Nothing's changed…'
I examined the monument carefully, but I couldn't find anything unusual.
Even when I touched it, nothing happened.
I returned to my teammates and discussed the situation.
"Bersil, is the Voice Control active?"
"Yes, it is."
"Alright."
"Yandel, did you find anything?"
"Not yet."
I had a few ideas, but I couldn't test them out with so many people watching.
I wasn't a hero.
I preferred to work alone.
"Let's go."
I was about to leave…
"Baron Yandel."
…when someone called out to me.
It was a man with brown hair, a sword on his hip, and a sturdy build.
'Who are you?'
I looked down at him, and he greeted me politely.
"I'm Manus Stillico, team leader of the White Whale Clan's 9th team. It's an honor to meet you, Baron Yandel."
Ah, the White Whale Clan.
One of the four largest clans.
"Bersil, deactivate the Voice Control for a moment."
"Okay."
"So what do you want?"
I asked after the Voice Control was deactivated, and he cautiously spoke.
"If you have any information about the hidden area, we're willing to buy it."
Damn it, so that's what he wanted.
I had received countless similar offers recently.
And if I remember correctly, I had ignored a letter from the White Whale Clan.
"Buy it…"
I didn't intend to sell the information, even if I had it, but I pretended to consider his offer.
I had a question for him.
"Is the White Whale Clan Master here?"
"…He's probably on the 1st floor, but not in this area."
"Is he searching the outskirts?"
"No. Our 9th team is the only one searching for the hidden area."
In other words, the rest of the clan had gone to the upper floors, just like the other clans.
"That's not much support, is it?"
I implied that the information wouldn't be worth much if they weren't serious about finding the hidden area, and he quickly replied,
"We're not taking this lightly. We're just prioritizing the war effort. We have a contract with the military."
"So the war comes first?"
"Yes. And if the hidden area is easy to find, our team alone will be enough. And if it's not, there's no point in mobilizing the entire clan from the beginning. Most clans are doing the same."
"I see."
"So… what do you say about our offer…?"
I ended the conversation.
"Sorry, but I'll have to decline."
I had already gotten the information I wanted.
"…I understand. Thank you for your time."
We left the Great Sage Monument.
'The war is actually helpful in some ways.'
I had been worried about the crowds near the monument, but it seemed like the real competitors were busy with the war.
"Bjorn! Where are we going?!"
"To the outskirts."
It was time for me to show off my skills.
The sooner we found the hidden area, the more we could explore it.
______________________
[Dungeon and Stone] was the most unfriendly game I had ever played.
Boss monsters with ridiculous attack patterns.
Fields and rifts with bizarre mechanics.
Hidden pieces that were almost impossible to find.
I could complain about the game's unfriendliness for three days and three nights.
But ironically, that 'unfriendliness' was also the reason I was so addicted to the game.
I was the type of person who was motivated by challenges.
'It's been a while since I last searched for a hidden piece.'
The difficulty of [Dungeon and Stone] was determined by the number of hidden pieces you knew.
If you didn't know any, it was practically impossible to progress through the floors.
So I had developed a habit of constantly searching for hidden pieces.
I would try to break every statue I saw.
I would hug the walls and spam the attack button as I walked.
I would cast random spells whenever I felt something was off.
I would burn, freeze, and even throw looter corpses at suspicious objects.
And after almost ten years of doing that…
I had discovered countless hidden pieces.
And I had developed a certain… intuition.
'The problem is that I haven't invested anything in that area…'
I didn't have any characters specialized in luck or exploration.
My companions and I were all combat-focused.
I had assumed that I already knew all the hidden pieces.
'But at least I can read ancient language now…'
Well, it wouldn't be of much help if the hidden piece didn't involve ancient language.
But…
Thump!
It couldn't be helped.
I had to make do with what I had.
Like this.
Thump!
I walked through the cave, tapping the walls with my hammer, just like I had done in the game.
And my teammates followed suit.
Thump! Clink! Thud! Rumble.
A cacophony of sounds echoed through the cave as our weapons and spirits collided with the walls and crystals.
"Oh! This is fun! It's like a festival!"
Ainar was the only one who seemed to be enjoying it. The others looked like they wanted to be anywhere else.
"Just endure it! This is the basic method for finding Gavrilius's arrangements."
"…Basic method?"
"That's what it said in a book I read!"
I made an excuse to Bersil, who didn't know I was an evil spirit, and we continued our search. I carefully examined every nook and cranny.
The square crystal intersection.
The pond next to the large rock.
The moss-covered puddle.
The Crystal Cave's terrain changed randomly, but there were a few fixed locations.
And…
'Hidden pieces are usually hidden in specific locations.'
We reached the Dark Zone on the outskirts of the cave.
Whoosh!
The portal to the Goblin Forest had already been opened by someone else, and there was nothing suspicious nearby.
Damn, it wasn't next to the portal either?
We split up and searched the Dark Zone, using a designated spot as our base.
And after we finished searching the area, we moved to a different location and repeated the process.
Day 1, Day 2…
And then, about two hours before the start of Day 3…
We finally found something.
A mid-sized clan, about twenty members, was blocking a passage.
As if they were trying to hide something.
"I thought I should report to you first, so I came back without engaging them. They didn't see me."
Good work, Erwen.
I led my team to the location Erwen had indicated, and we saw the explorers blocking the passage.
Step, step.
They drew their weapons as we approached, but then they hesitated as they recognized me.
"Stop! Wait… B-Baron Yandel…?"
Right, they couldn't be aggressive towards me.
"I'd like to pass. Is there a problem?"
I asked, stepping closer, and the explorers, their faces pale with fear, said,
"W-We're camping here… P-Please… go around us…"
It was definitely suspicious.
"Camping…? What are you talking about?"
"...?!"
"Don't use difficult words!"
I charged forward, breaking through their lines.
"Uh…!"
"W-Wait…"
They couldn't do anything but watch.
I entered the passage, and fifteen explorers, who had been gathered near the wall, flinched as if they had been caught doing something wrong.
"...!"
"...!"
A heavy silence filled the air.
"What's all the commotion—? Huh?"
A man peeked out from a small crevice in the wall.
"Oh, there's a hidden passage here?"
"Uh… Wh-Who are you…?"
"Bjorn, son of Yandel. Are you the leader?"
"Y-Yes…"
"What's inside?"
"N-Nothing… there's nothing here…"
"I don't think so."
I smirked, and he closed his eyes and shouted,
"…W-We found this place first!"
Damn it, now we looked like the bad guys.
"You found it first…?"
"Y-Yes! If you steal our discovery, it will damage your reputation, Baron Yandel—"
"Did the other explorers you encountered say the same thing?"
"…What… do you mean…?"
What do I mean?
"Aaaaah!"
I grabbed him by the hair and pulled him out of the crevice.
"Your sleeve."
"…?"
"There's blood on your sleeve."
"...!"
"Whose blood is it?"
It was still fresh.
-x-X-x-
Do you know what's most important when lying?
It's not eloquent speech or a carefully constructed reputation.
It's your expression.
"Th-This is… a m-misunderstanding…!"
No matter how logical your words are, they won't be convincing if your face says otherwise.
"I was just testing you… but it seems like it really is human blood."
Some professional liars could control even the slightest twitch of their facial muscles, but thankfully, this wasn't one of them.
"…I-It's a misunderstanding—!"
"Just tell me what happened. I'm listening."
I didn't have to say much. Bersil, understanding my intentions, activated the Verification spell.
But…
"…He's stronger than he looks."
The spell failed.
It didn't work if the target's Magic Resistance and Mental Power were too high.
Well, it was understandable.
He might be the leader of a small, unknown clan… but he was still a leader.
"What should we do?"
It didn't matter who we interrogated.
There were plenty of witnesses.
"Try him."
I pointed at the archer, who looked nervous, and Bersil cast the spell again.
"It worked."
I had a feeling it would work on him.
"You there."
"…Y-Yes, Baron…"
"Tell me. What happened here?"
The archer's face turned pale, and he glanced at me and his leader.
"Um… well…"
It was time to crack the whip.
"So you were lying about the misunderstanding?"
I lowered my voice, and the clan leader bit his lip and nodded.
"Jason, it's okay. Tell him."
"Y-Yes…"
The archer, relieved to have received his leader's permission, finally spoke.
It turned out that he hadn't been completely lying about the misunderstanding.
They had indeed discovered this place first.
But then a team of six explorers had appeared, and that's when the trouble started.
"Did they try to steal your discovery?"
"N-No, but…"
"Just tell me what happened."
"Well…"
The explorers had realized that the clan had found something.
Or at least, the clan thought they had.
So they had captured the explorers to prevent them from revealing the information.
"Th-There was an accident…"
"An accident?"
"One of them… attacked us and killed one of our members…"
A fight had broken out, and the explorers had been killed.
"What about the bodies?"
"…We disposed of them with dissolving liquid after taking their equipment."
So that's why I had smelled something strange.
"I-I'm telling the truth! Please believe me! They attacked us first—"
What was he talking about?
"So you were planning to just let them go if they hadn't resisted?"
"Th-That's…"
He trailed off, unable to continue the lie.
The clan leader spoke up.
"So what if we did?"
"Huh?"
"Do you think those six would have been any different? If we had been outnumbered, we would have been the ones who were killed and robbed."
Hmm, he wasn't wrong.
But…
"That's the only difference. No one can blame us. Not even you, Baron Yandel!"
He dared to use that logic against me?
"So I can just kill you all right here and now? No one will blame me."
I used the same logic against him, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
"If you do that, your reputation—"
"What? Are you going to spread rumors as a ghost?"
"...!"
He finally realized.
Bjorn Yandel, the Giant, wasn't as noble as the rumors made him out to be.
"Anyway, that's enough."
I ended the conversation and called for a meeting.
There was only one item on the agenda.
"What should we do with them? Speak your mind."
"I say we kill them."
Erwen was the first to speak, her opinion clear and unwavering.
"Misha, what about you?"
"W-Well… I think… it's better to… kill them…?"
"I agree with Carlstain."
Misha and Bersil voted for execution, while Auyen and Ainar voted for sparing them.
And…
"I also vote for sparing them."
Amelia's vote was unexpected.
So I had to ask,
"Why?"
"If you want to punish them, it's better to leave it to the guild. It's the proper procedure."
What?
I had never expected such a by-the-book answer from her.
She avoided my gaze.
"And…"
"...?"
"I think it's better for you."
"…What?"
"Better for me…? What do you mean?"
She hesitated for a moment and then answered.
"Yandel, don't take this the wrong way. You're in a very unstable state right now."
"…Unstable state?"
"Have they harmed you? Or tried to kill you? No. They're not a threat to you, even if you let them go. And yet, you're looking for a reason to kill them."
A reason to kill them?
Did she think I was a psychopath?
"Emily, you're misunderstanding something. I'm not—"
"Really?"
I should have said yes.
But I couldn't.
Her eyes weren't filled with accusation.
They were filled with worry.
"…Three votes for execution, and three votes for sparing them."
She said,
"Yandel, the choice is yours."
What should I do?
______________________
To kill, or to spare.
I had never imagined I would seriously contemplate such a question.
And that was probably… the reason.
Why Amelia had intervened.
She was genuinely worried about 'Lee Hansu', the person who had been trapped in this warrior's body for years.
"Archer."
"…Yes?"
I asked him one last question.
"Have you, or any of your teammates, ever looted before?"
"…No, sir. We're not that kind of clan. We just… lost our judgment for a moment…"
"It's true."
Right.
"Bersil, take their testimonies and record them with the crystal. Emily, search their belongings and find the victim's ID. And collect any other evidence that might be useful for the guild."
"You mean…"
"I'll leave it to the guild to decide whether they're looters or not."
It was a hassle, but…
It was the right thing to do.
"Don't cause any more trouble until the labyrinth closes. The guild will be investigating thoroughly."
"O-Of course!"
Okay, that settled that.
"So what was inside?"
"A… stone tablet."
"A stone tablet?"
I needed to see it for myself.
While Amelia and Bersil were gathering evidence and testimonies, I approached the wall and examined the crevice.
It wasn't big enough for me to fit through.
'This is discrimination against barbarians…'
I made my decision and swung my hammer.
Kwaaang! Rumble!
The wall crumbled, and a passage appeared.
And…
"Oh! It looks just like a portal stone!"
"That's interesting."
"Will a portal open if we touch it?"
A stone tablet stood at the end of the passage, about ten meters away. I approached it and touched it, but nothing happened.
'I knew it was too easy. There must be another condition.'
But it seemed like we were on the right track.
There were no hidden chambers like this in the Crystal Cave.
'And the broken wall isn't regenerating…'
That's why destruction was the key to finding hidden pieces.
If everything else regenerated except for one spot, that spot was usually the answer.
"Anything?"
"Not yet…"
"I see."
We examined the area around the tablet, and then Amelia and Bersil rejoined us.
They had finished gathering evidence and testimonies.
So I released the captives.
"Y-You're letting us go…?"
"Yes. And don't cause any more trouble."
He looked confused, but he gathered his teammates and left.
Bersil spoke cautiously,
"Are you sure about this? They might spread rumors about us."
Well, that was true.
I had considered killing them to prevent that…
But…
"It doesn't matter."
"It doesn't matter?"
"They found this place before the 3rd day. It's not exactly a well-kept secret. They might think they've made a great discovery, but… anyone could have found it."
"That's… true."
"So let's stop worrying about them and focus on this. Can you use Mana Detection to see if there's anything hidden?"
"Okay."
We tried various methods, including magic, but we couldn't find anything.
But…
"Yandel, I think we should give up. There's nothing here—"
"Bjorn! There's something written here!"
We found an unexpected clue.
Ainar had been digging around the tablet, and an inscription had appeared beneath it.
"Good work."
"Hehe, a warrior's intuition is as good as magic. That's why barbarians are superior."
"...."
I ignored Ainar's nonsense and bent down to read the inscription.
"It's in ancient language."
"It's fine. I can read it."
"Y-You can…?"
Ah, I hadn't told them.
Show, don't tell.
I read the inscription aloud.
"One star, one sun, one moon."
"On this land we look upon, all are equal."
"I will look up to you."
Bersil and Erwen's expressions changed as soon as I finished reading.
"Yandel, this is…"
"It's the same as the inscription on the Witch's statue!"
"Yes."
It was the same inscription we had seen in the Witch's Cabin.
Ainar didn't seem to remember.
"…Huh? The Witch's statue? What are you talking about?"
"It's a long story."
We dug around the tablet, but we couldn't find anything else. We restored the area and left the hidden chamber.
"This is troublesome. We didn't find any clues."
Amelia seemed frustrated, but I didn't understand.
No clues?
'One star, one sun, one moon.'
It was practically a giveaway.
"We're going to the 2nd floor."
We might be able to enter the rift if we hurried.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 505: The First Basement Floor (1)
Tadatada—
I ran through the cave with my new companions.
Staying far behind them, under the pretense of taking the rear.
I was chasing their backs.
"Mister, can you explain? Why are we going to the 2nd floor?"
The distance between us was unusually large for teammates.
Of course, if I went all out, I could close the gap in a second.
Yes, I could…
"To be precise, we're going to the Goblin Forest, not the 2nd floor."
…but why?
An insurmountable distance seemed to stretch between us.
'I thought… things would go back to normal… eventually…'
She had tried to be patient, but her confidence was waning with each passing day.
The reason was simple.
She had seen it.
[I think it's better for you.]
[Yandel, don't take this the wrong way. You're in a very unstable state right now.]
Her first thought hadn't been 'I should have done that'.
It had been 'I lost'.
She hadn't even considered her own feelings.
She had simply answered his question, trying to guess what he wanted to hear.
Even that, she wasn't sure of, due to the years they had spent apart.
[W-Well… I think… it's better to… kill them…?]
She hadn't even thought about what she wanted.
She had just blindly agreed with him. She hadn't even considered what was best for him.
Come to think of it, it had always been like this.
She had never questioned his decisions, never offered him advice.
She had been prepared to follow him, no matter what path he chose… but that was all.
'Amelia Rainwales.'
She felt a difference in their levels as companions.
She finally understood what it meant to be a true companion.
It wasn't that her place by his side had disappeared while she was gone.
The place she thought she belonged… was nothing more than a storage compartment.
"…Are you okay? You look pale."
She gritted her teeth as Amelia approached her, concern etched on her face.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
It didn't matter whether she had a place by his side or not.
It didn't matter whether he acknowledged her or not.
[Because if you don't, Bjorn Yandel will die.]
She had a mission to complete.
______________________
About an hour after the start of Day 3.
Rumble!
The entire cave shook, and the crystals emitted a crimson light.
Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, had been summoned somewhere on the 1st floor.
It wasn't surprising.
There were already eight raid requests filed with the Explorer's Guild.
The problem was the timing.
'Summoned after just an hour? How many teams are waiting for him?'
It wasn't something we, a team of seven, should be saying… but it seemed like there were more than eight teams waiting for Dreadfear.
Well, it was understandable.
Slaying Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror.
I had also considered the possibility that it might be the key to the hidden area when I was planning this expedition.
Unfortunately, the raid requests were already full.
Slaying Verzak, the Lord of the Abyss.
If that was the key, we didn't stand a chance.
'…I hope no one summons Verzak…'
I tried to be optimistic, but I couldn't shake off my anxiety.
It seemed like there were dozens of teams waiting throughout the cave.
And if even one of them got greedy…
'Whatever, I'll focus on my own task.'
I couldn't go around persuading every explorer in the cave, so I just increased my pace.
And after a while…
「Character has entered the 2nd-floor Goblin Forest.」
We reached the 2nd floor and then continued to the 3rd floor at maximum speed.
「Character has entered the 3rd-floor Pilgrim's Path.」
A vast floor with over ten different fields.
We had entered through the Goblin Forest and were now heading towards the Sculpture Temple after passing through the Greentail Marshes, home to lizardmen. ꭆÃ₦ò𐌱Èʂ
A field filled with the ruins of stone buildings.
It was similar to the Pantelion Ruins on the 7th floor, but there was one key difference.
There were statues everywhere.
All of them headless.
"This place always creeps me out."
"But there aren't many people here."
The Sculpture Temple was the least popular field on the 3rd floor.
There was only one type of monster.
「Character has slain a Nameless Statue.」
The Nameless Statue.
A 7th-grade monster that looked like a smaller, more agile Stone Golem.
And…
「The Nameless Statue has cast [Unanswered Prayer].」
…its skill was notoriously useless.
It consumed a lot of MP, but it rarely succeeded.
Well, it seemed to have a higher success rate for the monsters.
「The Nameless Statue is imbued with a great power.」
If the prayer succeeded, the statue would temporarily gain a random essence below 5th-grade.
That's why it was so difficult to hunt.
Or rather, it was more troublesome than difficult.
You had to deal with a different skill every time, and there were too many variables.
That's why there were no explorers who settled here and hunted these statues.
The essence was garbage.
And if you were just after experience points, you could just kill one and move on.
'And the location is terrible.'
If you wanted to go to the 4th floor, it was much faster to go through the adjacent fields.
'Well, the material drop rate is decent.'
The only advantage of the Sculpture Temple was the 'material' drop.
If you used Distortion magic, there was a chance of obtaining a 'Magic Crystal', which could be sold for a decent price.
But it was more efficient to farm them on the 5th floor.
Anyway, we were here for the 'material'.
There was something else that dropped here besides the Magic Crystal.
"Alright, let's get to work!"
We didn't have much time, so we started hunting immediately.
「Bersil Gowland has cast the 6th-grade Space-Time magic [Greater Distortion].」
「Bersil Gowland has cast the 6th-grade Space-Time magic [Greater Distortion].」
「Bersil Gowland has cast the 6th-grade Space-Time magic [Greater Distortion].」
We had enough firepower, so Bersil just focused on casting Distortion.
「Character has slain a Nameless Statue.」
「Character has slain a Nameless Statue.」
「Character has slain a Nameless Statue…」
「….」
We smashed every statue we encountered.
But we still had some downtime, so we split up and started luring the monsters.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
Unlike humans, monsters would blindly charge at you if your Threat level was high enough.
We lured the statues to the center of the field and then had Bersil cast Distortion before killing them.
And while they were respawning, we moved to a different location and repeated the process.
We divided the field into three sections and rotated, so we didn't have any downtime.
「Character has slain a Nameless Statue.」
「Character has slain a Nameless Statue.」
「Character has slain a Nameless Statue…」
「….」
After a while…
'We've obtained six Magic Crystals.'
…the item we were looking for finally dropped.
"Bjorn! This! Isn't this what you were looking for?!"
A small stone fragment with an artificial pattern.
「Character has obtained a [Nameless Fragment].」
It was the Sun pattern.
______________________
Nameless Fragment.
An item that could be obtained with a certain probability by slaying a Nameless Statue with Distortion magic.
It didn't stack in your inventory, and it dropped with one of three random patterns.
And you couldn't take it back to the city.
'I have the Sun pattern… so I need the Moon and Star patterns.'
I had a feeling there was a secret behind these fragments, so I had experimented with them in the past…
And now I finally had a use for them.
"So you were after these fragments…?"
"Doesn't it seem plausible? Star, Sun, Moon…"
"…I don't know, but it seems like a good idea. Time is a problem, but it's not impossible."
We had to farm the fragments on the 3rd floor and then return to the 1st floor before it closed.
It was a difficult task, but not impossible.
It would have been much easier if we had started on the 3rd floor instead of wasting two days on the 1st floor.
"We might be able to do it next time."
As Bersil had said, it seemed unlikely that we would be able to enter the hidden area this time.
It had taken us eight hours to obtain a single fragment.
'Sixteen more hours for two more fragments.'
Even if we assumed that the remaining fragments would drop without any duplicates, we didn't have enough time.
And it was difficult to increase our hunting speed any further.
We had only managed to obtain a fragment in eight hours because we had been luring the monsters and using AoE attacks.
'And we can't use Distortion once Bersil runs out of MP…'
Damn, it seemed impossible this time.
I had thought we might be able to pull it off if we hurried…
Maybe I had been too optimistic—
"Oh! Bjorn! Another one!"
Huh?
I looked at the fragment Ainar had handed me.
「Character has obtained a [Nameless Fragment].」
It was the Star pattern.
Which meant we just needed the Moon pattern.
'What? Ainar found another one?'
'Beginner's Luck' didn't increase the drop rate of items…
But luck was like momentum.
"I'm changing the plan."
"...?"
"Ainar will be in charge of slaying the monsters from now on. The rest of you will lure them towards her."
I decided to prioritize efficiency over speed.
We continued hunting, and after about five hours…
「Character has obtained a [Nameless Fragment].」
…another fragment dropped.
"It's the Moon pattern…"
It was time to admit it.
"Ainar."
"Praise me all you want!"
"Barbarians are the superior race."
"Wooooooooooooh!!"
I didn't stop Ainar from cheering. In fact, I activated [Gigantification] and tossed her into the air repeatedly.
"Wahahaha! Hahaha!"
She seemed to be enjoying herself.
Kwang!
Okay, that settled the reward distribution.
I gathered my team and headed back.
Day 5, Day 6, Day 7…
We were going backwards, a rare experience in the labyrinth.
Thanks to Ainar, we could afford to take breaks and rest, managing our stamina as we traveled.
And finally, on the afternoon of the 7th day…
We arrived at our destination.
The central area of the Goblin Forest.
The clearing near the portal to the Crystal Cave.
The same place where we had fought the three Noark explorers who had tried to block the entrance.
"…What's this?"
The clearing was filled with explorers.
Over a hundred of them.
They didn't look like the explorers who had given up on the 1st floor and come up here.
If they had, they would be gathered near the portal…
Flash!
…and their condition wouldn't be this bad.
"Priest! Is there a priest?! Help!"
"Here, drink this!"
What was going on?
As I approached the portal, the explorers started whispering.
"The Giant…?"
"Wasn't he on the 1st floor?"
They were surprised to see me coming from the opposite direction.
Damn it, I had wanted to avoid attention…
But it was too late now.
I approached an explorer who seemed to be the most talkative and asked,
"What happened?"
He answered immediately,
"…Verzak! That demon appeared!"
Damn it.
"...."
I had been too lucky.
-x-X-x-
Verzak, the Lord of the Abyss.
A hidden field boss that appeared after the ninth Lord of Terror was slain.
'I had a feeling this might happen… but I didn't expect it to actually happen.'
I quickly gathered information from the explorers gathered in front of the portal.
Verzak had been summoned about an hour ago.
Thankfully, there hadn't been many casualties among the 1st-floor explorers.
Most of them had sensed the danger and moved to the 2nd floor on the 4th day…
"But there must have been some who couldn't escape, or didn't want to."
"Yes. So ten clans, including ours, worked together to rescue the remaining 1st-floor explorers and bring them to the 2nd floor."
Even in a world where some people summoned Floor Lords without a care for others, there were those who saved lives without expecting anything in return.
Most of the explorers gathered here had been rescuing explorers near the portal until Verzak appeared.
"So you don't have to worry too much, Baron Yandel. By the 6th day, we could barely find anyone on the 1st floor."
I see…
"You did a great job. It must have been difficult."
"It doesn't matter if it was difficult or not. It was something that had to be done. And it's nothing compared to what you did, Baron."
The explorer looked up at me with respect, and I felt a pang of guilt.
I wasn't that kind of person.
I had known about the possibility of Verzak being summoned, and yet I had gone to the 3rd floor to pursue my own goals.
But then…
"But if you came from that direction, doesn't that mean you were also rescuing explorers?"
One of the explorers suddenly asked, and before I could even answer…
"Ah, so that's why!"
"He didn't just bring them to the 2nd floor, he also guided them!"
"Baron Yandel doesn't even need guild achievement points… and yet he went to such lengths…"
"I'm ashamed. I was hoping to get some achievement points for rescuing them…"
Uh…
"...."
I just smiled awkwardly.
「Character's Fame has increased by +1.」
「Character's Fame has increased by +1.」
「Character's Fame has increased by +1…」
「….」
I didn't care about the Fame, but at least it would serve as an alibi.
'If this is the way to the hidden area, there will be more people investigating my movements…'
Well, it couldn't be helped.
I was used to enduring pain.
"We have something to discuss amongst ourselves."
"Ah, yes! Please ask me if you have any questions!"
I left the group of explorers and gathered my teammates.
I wanted to hear their opinions on the current situation.
And the first person I asked was Amelia, the pillar of our clan.
"Emily, what do you think we should do?"
"…It's a little disappointing to give up now, even though it's dangerous."
"So you think we should try to reach the hidden area?"
It would take a little over an hour to reach the stone tablet from the Goblin Forest portal at full speed.
It wasn't an impossible distance, even with Verzak roaming the floor.
But Amelia's answer was firm.
"It depends on how certain you are about your method. If it works, it's worth a try."
It was a valid concern.
If the portal didn't open after we went through all that trouble, we would have to come back.
And the longer we stayed on the 1st floor, the higher the chances of encountering Verzak.
"So you're in favor, as long as it works?"
"Yes."
Okay, so Amelia was conditionally in favor…
I asked the others for their opinions.
"I think it's worth a try, even if it doesn't work. We're not the same as we were back then."
"I agree with the fairy! We came all the way to the 3rd floor, it would be a shame to give up now!"
"Me too. We should test it out. Even if it doesn't work, we'll know for next time."
Erwen, Ainar, and Bersil were all in favor.
"I… will follow your lead, Clan Master."
"Tell me what you think. You're a member of this clan too."
My words seemed to have had an effect.
Auyen hesitated for a moment and then spoke cautiously.
"I… disagree. Verzak… he killed thousands of people back then… If something happens to you or the ladies, it would be a great loss for humanity—"
What was he talking about?
"So you're against it."
"Yes… I'm just expressing my opinion, so please don't take it personally."
Three votes in favor, one against, and one conditional vote.
I didn't need to ask the last person, but I did anyway.
"Me? Ah… I… I…"
Misha, who had been unusually quiet throughout the expedition, stammered for a long time before finally speaking.
For some reason, she had reverted to her old speech pattern.
"I-It's okay… either way… I-It's dangerous… but if the portal opens… it'll be good for you… and even if it doesn't… it's still worth trying… I-It'll be helpful… either way…? I-I think…"
What was she even trying to say?
I had just asked for her opinion.
"So you're abstaining?"
"N-No…"
"Then what? Just tell me what you think."
I reassured her, and she finally answered, avoiding my gaze.
"I think… it's better to go… if you're sure it will work…"
So she was also conditionally in favor. But why was she glancing at Amelia?
'…Was that really her opinion?'
I was suspicious, but I didn't press her.
She needed time to adjust.
"Okay, then it's decided. Three votes in favor."
"What about you, Yandel?"
"The clan's will is my will."
And vice versa.
The Clan Master's vote counted as seven.
Well, it used to be six when we had six members, but it had increased to seven now.
Anyway, that wasn't important.
"Let's go."
A land of milk and honey awaited us.
…Probably.
______________________
「Entered the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.」
______________________
We returned to the Crystal Cave through the portal.
It was a Dark Zone, so there wasn't any light.
But as soon as I lit the torch on my helmet…
Whoosh!
…a dark fog filled the cave.
「Field Effect – Abyssal Fog applied.」
「All item effects deactivated.」
「Magic efficiency reduced to 1/4.」
「Monsters exposed to Abyssal Fog evolve into superior beings.」
Damn, it's been a while since I've seen this fog.
Back then, I thought this cave would be my grave.
And now I was back.
"Stay close. Follow my footsteps. There might be traps."
I started running, leading the way.
It was a tactic only I could use, since I was both the guide and the tank.
Just like that day.
This was a place where the leader had to take the most risks.
Abyssal Goblin traps couldn't be detected with the naked eye or magic.
Like this.
Click.
I heard a click as I stepped on something.
「Character has triggered a [Random Trap].」
A random skill below 5th-grade would be activated.
And this one…
Whoosh!
…was [Tail Flame], a 6th-grade skill, judging by the damage and the shape of the flames.
"Yandel, are you okay?"
It stung.
My overall stats were much higher than before, but there was one stat that had decreased significantly.
'I need to increase my Magic Resistance…'
My Magic Resistance had plummeted after I removed the Manticore essence.
I could compensate for it by using [Gigantification], but my active skills were sealed here.
"I'm fine. It's just an hour's run."
I just had to endure.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
I roared and dashed through the trap-filled passage.
But there was one advantage compared to last time.
Clang!
Physical attacks barely tickled.
Magic attacks were more painful now, though, so it was a wash.
Tadatada-!
I ran and ran, triggering traps.
I periodically drank a potion, even though I wasn't thirsty.
But it didn't heal me instantly like it used to.
The higher your stats were, the less effective potions became.
「Character's HP is below 50%.」
After about 40 minutes of running…
…my passive skill activated.
「Passive skill [Hero's Path] increases all Resistance stats.」
It made things more bearable.
I could increase my speed now.
As I was thinking that, I heard my teammates whispering behind me.
"Now I understand why he's so famous."
"Me too. I've heard stories, but… I didn't expect it to be this bad…"
Amelia and Bersil, who had only heard about that day, were looking at me with a mixture of awe and horror.
'Well, it sounds like they're praising me…'
But I felt a little embarrassed.
I hadn't had a choice back then.
And besides, I had the ability to survive.
[Are you all insane?! Do you think anyone will acknowledge this?! A hero?]
[Damn it… I'm going. Someone has to do it.]
Unlike those who had died triggering traps…
I didn't have to worry about dying.
That's why I had been able to charge forward so recklessly.
Just like now.
「Character's HP is below 40%.」
「Character's HP is below 30%.」
「Character's HP is below 20%.」
「Passive skill [Hero's Path] reaches its maximum effect.」
By the time my passive skill reached its maximum effect…
…we arrived at our destination.
My HP was low, but that was all.
I hadn't encountered Verzak.
And my teammates were in perfect condition.
But…
'Damn it.'
Just because the process had been smooth didn't mean the outcome would be.
The problem was… the destination itself.
"…Hey, Baron Yandel?"
"…It's the Giant! The Giant has brought his clan members here!"
"Did he find a way to open the portal?"
What? Why were there so many people here?
I didn't understand.
I had thought this place would be empty.
It was a location that even low-level explorers had found before the 3rd day.
And I had even destroyed the wall.
'What are they all doing here? With Verzak roaming the floor?'
I hid my surprise and asked the nearest explorer,
"Hey, you. Baldy."
"M-Me?"
"What are you all doing here?"
He tilted his head, as if he didn't understand my question.
"Waiting for the portal to open? Someone might slay the Lord of the Abyss. Or maybe it will open right before the labyrinth closes!"
"…What if Verzak appears here?"
"It's a risk we have to take! We're searching for a hidden area!"
His naive response left me speechless.
"As Baron Yandel knows…"
"...."
"…that's what exploration is all about!"
I felt a sudden surge of disillusionment towards the explorer profession.
I had always known there were a lot of idiots in this field, but…
"If I may be so bold… do you know how to open the portal?"
I couldn't believe there were so many of them.
-x-X-x-
Let's state a fact: they would die.
The moment Verzak appeared, 70% of the explorers here would meet their end.
Assuming they ran away immediately.
If they chose to fight, it would be a group suicide.
'Don't they value their lives?'
I couldn't understand them.
Verzak had already been summoned, and yet more explorers were arriving.
"…There are more of them…"
A group of fourteen explorers arrived, their bodies battered and bruised, as if they had triggered every trap along the way.
And the first thing they did was…
"Did the portal open?!"
"Verzak has already been summoned! The ninth Lord of Terror has been slain!"
Were they insane?
To come here instead of going to the 2nd floor, just for that slim chance…
The explorers who were already here had been waiting since Verzak was summoned. But these guys…
I chuckled, and Amelia approached me.
"…Yandel, what are we going to do?"
"I don't know. I underestimated their greed."
"You underestimated human nature, not just explorers. There are always people like this, regardless of time or place."
Amelia's words were surprisingly wise these days.
But it didn't help.
What was I supposed to do?
"Haa…"
I calmed myself down.
I couldn't afford to lose my temper at my teammates.
I had to find a solution.
'The problem is that it'll be difficult to open the portal with this many people around…'
If the portal opened, they would all follow us, and my share of the loot would decrease.
'And it would spread rumors.'
Even if we could enter the hidden area alone, the news would spread.
I would be followed and targeted.
It wasn't an ideal scenario.
But…
"I-It's the Abyssal Watcher…! Verzak! He's coming…!"
I didn't have time to think.
The moment the Abyssal Watcher appeared, Verzak's arrival was guaranteed.
"Uwaah! Get away from me!"
"Don't push!"
"Aaaaaah!"
Chaos erupted as soon as the Abyssal Watcher appeared among the explorers.
They all knew that whoever killed it would become Verzak's target.
They were all running away from a 9th-grade monster.
And the Abyssal Watcher, fearless, attacked the high-level explorers.
Spit!
Its basic attack was… spitting.
It shot acid from its eyes.
"Aaaaah! Get out of the way!"
It was a ridiculous sight.
High-level explorers, panicking over a 9th-grade monster…
Thud!
One of the explorers, startled by the acid attack, accidentally hit the Abyssal Watcher.
And…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
The Abyssal Watcher vanished into particles of light.
"...."
"...."
A heavy silence followed.
"N-No…"
The explorer who had accidentally killed it started trembling.
And the situation took a new turn.
"G-Get away from here!"
Someone shouted.
And the other explorers started pushing and shoving the unlucky explorer.
"If you stay here, Verzak will come! Go to the 2nd floor!"
"B-But… I-I can't reach the 2nd floor alone…"
"That's what you get for killing it!"
Are all explorers psychopaths?
"Stop it."
I intervened.
"Baron Yandel…?"
"…Baron! If he stays here, we'll all die! We have to get rid of him!"
It was a ridiculous argument.
Were they going to survive if he left?
Verzak was coming anyway.
But I could see it in their eyes.
They weren't going to leave.
"I said stop."
"But—!"
"I'll open the portal."
Plan B again.
"...!"
The explorers parted like the Red Sea as I walked towards the stone tablet.
Even the ones who had been guarding it.
"Everyone, out."
"…Y-Yes! What are you waiting for?! Get out of here!"
They quickly cleared the room.
They must have been shocked by my declaration.
"Bersil, can you block their view and sound?"
Bersil cast a barrier, preventing the others from seeing or hearing us.
Okay, so we had some privacy now.
As I was about to start the ritual, Amelia spoke.
"Yandel, are you sure about this?"
"I don't have a choice. I can't just let them die."
"If we wait, they might go to the 2nd floor. Even reckless explorers value their lives."
Hmm, I had considered that…
"But I don't think they'll give up on the hidden area."
"…You're surprisingly calm."
Well… I was more resigned than calm.
If this worked, and the portal opened… countless explorers would follow us, and I would get a headache just thinking about it.
But…
"If this doesn't work, we'll have to escape to the 2nd floor anyway. We can't waste any more time here."
Amelia didn't say anything more.
She understood.
I approached the stone tablet, holding the fragments we had collected on the 3rd floor.
And then I stopped and gave a new order.
"Bersil, cast the Bonding spell on the other six."
"Huh?"
"If the portal opens, we might get achievement points."
"Ah…!"
Bersil nodded and cast the spell again. Mages didn't need experience points anyway.
"Done."
Right…
'Please, let this work.'
I gulped and touched the stone tablet.
And then…
Whoosh!
A brilliant, multicolored light erupted from the tablet.
「Hidden area portal opened for the first time. EXP +99」
Yes!
______________________
The portal had opened.
A portal to an unknown area, a place no one had ever set foot in.
I had a lot of thoughts.
But I decided to stick to the plan.
"Bersil, cast the Bonding spell again."
"How?"
"Me, Erwen, and you are Team 1. The rest are Team 2. If the portal closes after we enter, Team 2 will immediately go to the 2nd floor. Ah, Emily, your role is crucial here… can you handle it?"
"Don't worry. They'll come to their senses once they see the portal close. I'll persuade them to go to the 2nd floor."
"Right… And if they follow us and end up in a different location, you'll have to guide them. Understand?"
"I'll do my best."
Okay, so the backup plan was set…
"I'll go first."
I carefully stepped into the portal.
Flash!
A bright light blinded me, and I felt a floating sensation.
And then my vision returned.
「Entered the 1st Basement Floor: Archives.」
「First time achievement unlocked.」
「Your great feat will be recorded on the Stone of Honor for eternity.」
I landed on the ground, my balance unwavering.
Thump!
I raised my shield and quickly scanned my surroundings.
The floor was made of stone.
The visibility was about 100 meters, but there was nothing special in sight.
Just a barren, rocky landscape.
And…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
Was that the sound of waves…?
'There don't seem to be any monsters…'
As I was thinking that, a bright light appeared above me, and my teammates followed me through the portal.
"...!"
"W-Whoa…!"
Erwen and Bersil, my Team 1 members.
And…
"Wooooooooh!"
Ainar, followed by Auyen, Misha, and Amelia.
'…The portal didn't close.'
I was relieved…
And then I realized something.
"…There's no exit."
The portal, which had opened briefly, had closed after we entered.
______________________
It was a one-way trip.
There was no way to go back.
I felt a surge of unease, but I tried to be positive.
'…Nothing's changed.'
The 1st floor would close on the 7th day.
And we wouldn't be able to go up after that.
'The question is… when will this place close…?'
It was something I would have to find out.
I approached Amelia.
"Emily, what happened when you entered?"
"It was the same. The portal's color was different, but that's all. Once Gowland's barrier disappears, the other explorers will start coming down."
Hmm, I see…
"Everyone, stay alert and check your surroundings. Report anything unusual, no matter how small."
"Bjorn! There's something wrong with me!"
"Wrong? What's wrong?"
"M-My face is hot, and my heart is racing!"
…That's because you're excited.
Anyway, we checked our surroundings and our conditions, looking for any unusual changes.
And then the explorers started pouring in from above.
"Oh! A new floor! A new floor…!"
"Hahaha! My name will be recorded in history!"
There were a few idiots… but most of them seemed relatively sane.
"Everyone, stay alert…! We don't know what we might encounter!"
They formed groups and prepared for battle.
For some reason, they were all keeping their distance from us.
Did they think it was safer to be near us?
I didn't know, but the influx of explorers soon stopped.
And…
"W-What?! Why isn't it working?!"
"Ah, Zelton isn't here yet…"
"Kurdo! Kurdo isn't here yet!"
A new piece of information.
Unlike the other portals, this one closed under specific conditions.
Then what were the conditions?
'It doesn't seem to be time-based…'
I quickly counted the number of explorers who had entered.
One, two, three, four, five, six…
'Fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty…'
Sixty.
The portal closed when sixty people entered.
-x-X-x-
A maximum capacity of sixty people.
And a one-way portal with no return route.
These two characteristics were typical of rifts.
But there were many reasons why I couldn't classify this place as a rift.
'First of all, there was a stone tablet.'
There was always a portal stone between floors. And we had activated that tablet to open the portal.
And…
'There had never been a case where a hidden area was a rift.'
The 'hidden areas' mentioned on the Stone of Honor usually referred to new floors, or hidden fields like 'Larkaz's Labyrinth'.
'But it's unlikely that this is a hidden field on the 1st floor.'
I decided to treat this place as a new floor.
Hidden fields shared the same closure timer as the floor they were located on.
But to open this portal, we had to farm fragments on the 3rd floor.
'Considering the travel time, it would take us until the 6th day at the earliest.'
And hidden fields were usually designed to be cleared within two days.
It didn't seem likely.
'Then the important thing is… when does this place close…?'
I would find out eventually.
"Bersil, have you finished counting?"
"Yes."
We had gathered some preliminary information before starting our exploration.
"There are two major factions. The Silver Lion Clan with twenty members, and the Hex Clan with nineteen."
"Their numbers aren't even."
Clans usually moved in groups of five or six, depending on the Bonding spell's capacity.
"Yes, it seems like they both have some stragglers. They were in a hurry to enter the portal as soon as Gowland's barrier disappeared."
"I see. What about the others?"
"Two five-man teams and one four-man team."
The four-man team's leader hadn't been able to enter the portal, and one of the five-man teams was missing a warrior, disrupting their combat balance.
"Should I gather more information? They all seem eager to join us."
"No, that's enough. Thank you."
"And…"
"Hmm?"
Bersil spoke cautiously.
"The three smaller teams asked if they could join us. And the two clans also seem interested in collaborating."
"Collaborating, I understand… but what do you mean by 'join us'?"
"They're basically asking us to take them in. They'll do whatever we say, and they'll accept whatever reward we give them."
They must have realized the gravity of the situation after entering this unknown territory.
Especially with their incomplete teams.
"What do you think?"
"What's their average level?"
"Around 5th floor."
"Then there's no need to think about it. Reject them."
They would only be a burden.
'If we don't accept them, they'll either form their own group or join one of the two clans.'
I hadn't forced them to come here.
I had opened the portal, and that was the end of our relationship.
Therefore…
"Bersil, cast the Bonding spell again."
"How many teams?"
"Amelia and Auyen are one team. The rest of us are the other team."
We also split into two teams.
I had considered excluding Auyen and forming a six-man bond, but it wouldn't hurt to give him some experience points.
'There might be new types of monsters here…'
If Amelia landed even a single hit, Auyen would also receive experience points.
"Emily, are you okay with this?"
"I don't mind. I understand that it's better for the mage with AoE skills to be on your team."
Right.
"Bjorn! How long are we going to stay here?!"
Ainar was getting impatient.
"Everyone, get into formation."
It was time to start exploring.
______________________
As we were about to leave, the explorers who had been preparing at the starting point started looking at us.
And one of them approached me.
"Um… if it's not too much trouble… can we follow you?"
They were afraid of exploring this unknown territory, so they wanted to learn from us.
Seriously?
They had freeloaded on my portal, and now they wanted me to be their guide?
"It is too much trouble."
I refused firmly.
But they weren't giving up.
"B-But… if you help us, there will be fewer casualties…"
One of them spoke up, and the others chimed in.
"He's right…!"
"We have a duty to help each other in emergencies…"
"It will also boost your reputation, Baron—"
What were they talking about?
Did they think I was an idiot?
"Did I tell you to come here?"
"...."
"You're explorers too. Explore on your own."
"But people will die—"
"It's a risk you have to take. That's what exploration is all about."
I led my team away from the starting point. They didn't follow us.
"Phew, finally some peace and quiet. Why are they so talkative?"
"Clan Master, are you sure about this…? They might spread rumors about you if they survive…"
Auyen asked worriedly, but I just chuckled and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. It's not worth the headache."
"Haha… you're so bold."
"Enough chatter. Focus on exploring. We don't know what we might encounter."
I led my team around the starting area, getting a feel for the terrain.
It didn't take long.
The island wasn't that big.
"So that was the sound of waves…"
"It really is an island."
It was a small, rocky island, about the size of three football fields. It felt like the starting island, Limia, on the 6th floor.
There were no monsters on the island.
In fact, there was nothing.
'There were at least some trees on Limia. This place is completely barren.'
It was a little disappointing.
If there were any unique materials here, I could sell them for a high price.
But it was too early to give up.
The real exploration would begin beyond the sea.
"Lokrob, can you do this?"
I asked the navigator before summoning the ship.
The sea looked different from the usual sea.
"Yes. It's different from normal seawater, but wood floats. I think our ship will float too."
"That's good."
Silver waves crashed against the rocks.
It looked like a sea of mercury.
And strange objects were floating on the surface.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A wardrobe, a fireplace, a thick book, a rusty sword, a knight's helmet… and even a sock?
I didn't understand, but I trusted Auyen's judgment and summoned the ship at the most suitable location.
"Oh! It floats!"
The ship floated without any problems, but we waited for about ten minutes, checking for any damage. And then we boarded the ship and prepared for departure.
I left all navigational decisions to Auyen.
"Huh? M-Me?"
"Yes. Imagine you've just arrived on the 6th floor for the first time. Explore the area."
Auyen seemed burdened by the responsibility, but he reluctantly agreed.
"Then I'll start by surveying the surrounding area…"
"Do as you please. You don't have to report to me. You're the expert when it comes to navigation."
The ship set sail, and Auyen, ever the cautious navigator, proceeded slowly and carefully.
He constantly checked the depth and looked for any underwater obstacles, creating a nautical chart in real time.
Amelia watched him with interest, helping him with the measurements.
"I envy your skills."
"…Yes?"
"I'm just saying you're doing a good job. Your map and your name will be recorded in history. Just like Pikma's nautical chart."
Amelia had a strange obsession with leaving her mark on history.
Maybe it was because she had never been able to use her real name.
'…I should find a way for her to reclaim her name when we get back to the city.'
The navigation was going smoothly, so I went up to the deck. Auyen was the expert in navigation, and I was the expert in the labyrinth.
'The visibility has increased.'
The visibility on the rocky island had been about 100 meters, but now that we were on the ship, it had increased significantly.
It was still dark, but there didn't seem to be any limitations.
"Bersil, any discoveries?"
"Not yet. I don't have the necessary equipment… I'm just collecting samples for now."
"I see…"
Bersil, the mage, had been collecting the floating objects, but she hadn't found anything unusual.
'Maybe Raven would have been more helpful…'
I wasn't too disappointed.
What good would it do to analyze these objects? We were explorers. As long as we could collect valuable samples and sell them, that was all that mattered.
'So I'll just leave Bersil to her own devices…'
I checked on the other members.
Erwen, with her sharp eyesight, was stationed at the crow's nest, communicating with the navigation team. Ainar was enjoying the view from the edge of the deck.
And Misha was standing awkwardly in the middle of the deck.
I was about to approach her when…
"Land! I see land!"
A new field had been discovered.
______________________
Our first discovery in the hidden area.
We excitedly turned the ship and headed towards the direction Erwen had indicated.
And…
"...."
"...."
We froze.
For a simple reason.
"A-A monster…"
It wasn't an island.
"…What should we do?"
"Oh! Are we fighting it? It's the first monster we've encountered here. It might be weaker than it looks!"
"Are you insane?! Fighting a monster that size is too reckless!"
It was a giant monster, large enough to be mistaken for an island.
Only Amelia and I seemed to realize the danger.
"…Yandel."
Amelia could roughly estimate a monster's rank thanks to [Danger Sense]. Well, it seemed like that was all she knew.
"Auyen Lokrob, turn the ship around. Now. We need to get away from it."
"…Y-Yes! Understood!"
Auyen didn't question her order and immediately obeyed.
Amelia turned to me.
"Do you know what that is?"
Of course I did.
A giant, black carapace.
A long neck and a dragon-like head.
And long whiskers.
"It's a Tol-Lafupa. A 1st-grade monster."
"So it really is… a 1st-grade monster…"
It was understandable that they were surprised.
80% of 1st-grade monsters, including the Tol-Lafupa, only appeared on the 10th floor.
So there was no way for them to know about it.
'And it only appeared in hidden fields.'
Even on the 10th floor, you had to enter a hidden field to encounter it.
'Damn it…'
I felt a chill run down my spine as the Tol-Lafupa disappeared from view.
'A 1st-grade monster…'
It was a good thing it was a non-hostile monster. If it had been anything else…
We would have been wiped out instantly.
1st-grade monsters were more difficult to raid than most high-level Floor Lords.
'Should we just go back to the island…?'
I was tempted, but it would be a shame to give up now.
So we continued our voyage.
And time passed…
[00:01]
Day 7 was over.
The 1st floor had closed.
'Okay, so this isn't a hidden field…'
As I had expected, this was a new floor.
And it was probably…
'The 1st Basement Floor.'
Right, there was already a 2nd floor.
I wondered what its official name would be.
The Stone of Honor usually revealed the name of a new floor…
'I'll find out when we get back.'
As we were sailing, trying to calm our nerves after the Tol-Lafupa encounter…
"Kyaaa!"
Bersil, who had been collecting the floating objects, screamed.
"A monster! There's a monster!"
I rushed to the railing and looked down.
A monster was climbing up the side of the ship.
"Huh? What is that? It's not a Murloc or a Frogman…"
Ainar, who had rushed over after hearing Bersil's scream, asked me, and I was speechless.
I had suspected it…
[Keureuk! Keureuk!]
…but it was a new species.
A monster I had never seen before.
-x-X-x-
It resembled a Frogman in its basic form. Its belly was round, as if filled with air, and its fingertips had suction cups. Even its face was similar.
However, its skin was gray, not green, and it wasn't carrying a harpoon, the Frogman's trademark weapon.
And most importantly…
'…Wings?'
A pair of wings, oddly shaped as if they were cut out of paper and glued on, were attached to its back—
[Keureuk!!]
The creatures, clinging to the side of the ship, flapped their wings and leaped onto the deck.
So they weren't just for show.
"Emily, what's their rank?"
I snapped out of my daze and asked Amelia. She couldn't determine the exact rank with [Danger Sense], but…
"Below 7th-grade. I don't sense any threat."
She could make a rough estimate based on experience.
"Below 7th-grade…"
I looked at the fifteen monsters on the deck and gave my team an order.
"Don't attack yet! We need to gather information first!"
"Ugh!"
Ainar, who had been about to charge at them, flinched and stopped.
Good, she was obedient.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
I activated [Wild Release], increasing my Threat level, and stepped forward. The unidentified monsters immediately attacked.
Their attack pattern was completely different from what I had expected.
They didn't have teeth or claws.
And they weren't carrying any weapons.
So how were they attacking?
Swoosh.
They crouched down, their hindquarters raised, and…
Crackle!
…thorn-shaped projectiles, crackling with electricity, shot out from their bodies.
They were below 7th-grade, so they didn't do any damage.
I blocked most of them with my shield, and the ones that got through didn't even scratch my skin.
But…
'What the…?'
My body froze.
It wasn't because of a status effect like paralysis or shock.
I was just… surprised.
"Yandel… that attack…"
Bersil trailed off, and Erwen finished her sentence.
"It looks like Fulminas's [Thunder Thorn]…?"
The Fulminas was a 3rd-grade lightning-type monster that appeared on the 3rd and 4th floors.
But this creature was using another monster's signature skill?
'Could it be a high-variant?'
I dismissed the thought.
All fifteen of them had used the same skill.
'A monster that uses other monsters' skills…'
Then what about its other skills?
I observed them without attacking, and I made a surprising discovery.
"That's… Iron Falcon's [Iron Feathers]."
"Oh! I know that one! It's the Sea Worm's [Bubble Shield]!"
"Um… that's a 7th-grade skill, not 6th-grade…"
All three of its active skills were from different monsters.
I was curious about its passive skills, but it wasn't easy to find out.
I swung my hammer, intending to capture one…
「Attack missed due to [Putrid Slime].」
…and it dodged.
So its passive was from the Frogman?
They did look similar.
Well, it didn't matter.
I had gathered enough information.
"That's enough. Kill them all!"
"Really?!"
Ainar, eager to be the first to slay the newly discovered monster, charged forward as soon as I gave the order.
But there was a problem…
「McGuffin slain.」
I didn't feel the usual surge of experience points.
Even if it was below 7th-grade, I should have felt something—
「No. 9999 Beginner's Luck activated.」
I stopped thinking and looked at the spot where the monster had been standing.
"…An essence!"
It actually dropped an essence.
"…Bersil! Put it in a test tube!"
I gave Bersil an order, my mind racing.
'So it has the Frogman's [Putrid Slime] and one of the Sea Worm, Iron Falcon, and Fulminas's active skills?'
…This could change everything.
______________________
The battle was over.
We had obtained a green essence.
I would have to examine it later, but I had a feeling it was the Iron Falcon's [Iron Feathers].
It was a green essence.
"Bersil, how many test tubes do we have left?"
"Twenty-seven."
"Didn't Melbeth give us twenty?"
"I brought my own, just in case."
"I see…"
"What should I do with the used test tubes?"
"Keep them. It'll be easier to organize them later."
After settling the test tube issue, I asked my teammates,
"Did you notice anything… when we killed that monster?"
"Ah, you mean the lack of experience points?"
"Huh? Was it the same for everyone? I thought it was just me…"
So none of us had received any experience points.
'This floor is strange…'
A monster that used other monsters' skills.
And it didn't give any experience points.
It was a little disappointing.
If all the monsters on this floor were like this, it meant there were no new skills to be obtained.
But then another thought occurred to me.
"…A monster that uses other monsters' skills… this will cause a commotion if it gets out."
This might be a bigger deal than I thought.
It would be much more useful for creating OP builds than any new skill.
It was like a customization feature.
'If I could just absorb the Steel Giant's active skills without the passive…'
There were many essences with useful active or passive skills that were held back by their low stats or other drawbacks.
'But if I could combine those skills with [Gigantification]…?'
It would significantly increase a character's potential.
The Orc Hero's passive skill was just a bonus.
[Hero's Path], which increased Physical stats as HP decreased, wasn't a bad skill… but it was a 5th-grade essence.
And its base stats were low.
Unless you were combining it with [Gigantification] and [Unification], there were better options.
'…I wonder if there are any monsters like that…'
I didn't know.
Maybe this creature was just an anomaly.
The other monsters might have new essences, or this might be the only new species on this floor.
But…
'This is interesting.'
As a [Dungeon and Stone] player, I couldn't help but feel excited.
What awaited us beyond the sea?
I clenched my fists, anticipation building.
But I couldn't be careless.
The unknown was both an opportunity and a danger.
"Set sail!"
After the deck was cleared, we resumed our voyage.
This area seemed to be the habitat of the electric frogs. They kept jumping out of the water and onto the deck.
And this time, we used Distortion magic to hunt them.
「Bersil Gowland has cast the 6th-grade Space-Time magic [Greater Distortion].」
They were a new species, after all.
And their byproducts would fetch a high price at the Mage Tower.
"Hey, Bjorn!"
"If you're bored, go clean the deck."
"I have something to say!"
"…Go ahead."
As we were sailing, Ainar suddenly asked,
"What are we going to call them?"
"Call them…?"
I hadn't thought about it.
How were monsters named?
"Erwen, do you know?"
"Uh… well…?"
Erwen didn't know either.
Neither did Bersil, even though she was a mage.
"I've never thought about it… Doesn't the first person who discovers them get to name them?"
"Hmm… I guess so."
Amelia, who had been assisting Auyen with the navigation, approached us.
"Nanari."
"…Huh?"
"What about Nanari? It sounds cute."
She really liked cute things.
"…We're naming a monster, not a pet. Emily."
"…But it's the discoverer's prerogative."
"That's true."
It seemed like everyone was interested in naming the new monster.
Well, they were all explorers.
It would be a good motivator.
So I decided to let them have their fun.
"Tell me what you think. We'll vote and decide."
"A vote… that's fair. I'll go with Nanari. And I'll give 10,000 stones to anyone who votes for it."
"We're voting, not buying votes…"
"I didn't say you couldn't."
"…Whatever."
There was a brief debate about fairness, but everyone eventually suggested a name.
"Ultima Thunder! How about that?! Doesn't it sound strong?!"
"But it's not even 7th-grade. How about something based on its characteristics? It uses Sea Worm, Iron Falcon, Fulminas, and Frogman abilities…"
"Sea Falcon Frogman!"
"…Huh?"
"Sea Falcon Frogman! It's perfect!"
I was speechless, but the others seemed to like it.
"Oh! That's good! It sounds strong!"
"…It's catchy. And it describes its appearance."
"I still prefer Nanari. I'll raise the bribe to 20,000 stones."
After a few more suggestions, it was time to vote.
And the result…
"Seven votes for McGuffin. Three votes for… Sea Falcon Frogman. Two votes for Nanari. And one vote for Kiruru."
"Huh? That's strange. There are only seven of us, but there are thirteen votes?"
"Ah, Bersil, you didn't know? It's in the clan rules. The Clan Master's vote counts as the same number as the clan members."
"…That's not very democratic!"
I lowered my voice.
"Democratic? What's that?"
"Ah…"
Bersil realized her mistake and stopped talking.
Right, players had to be careful with their words.
This wasn't a world where democracy existed.
"Anyway, it's decided. From now on, they're called McGuffins."
And so the newly discovered monster was named.
McGuffin.
It was a random name, based on its seagull-like wings and frog-like body, but it didn't matter.
It was better than 'Sea Falcon Frogman'.
______________________
"Everyone, back to work!"
I gave the order, and Erwen returned to the crow's nest, while Amelia and Auyen went below deck.
Bersil resumed collecting the floating objects.
"Ainar, go clean the deck."
"…What about Misha? She's not doing anything!"
"Misha has… other duties…"
"…Huh?"
"Misha… you're in charge of dealing with any monsters that appear on deck."
"Woo! I can do that too! Let me do it!"
"Quiet!"
Everyone returned to their respective positions, and I wandered around the ship, checking for any problems.
And then Bersil called me.
"Yandel, can you come here for a moment?"
"Did you find something?"
I approached her, and she was surrounded by the objects she had collected from the sea. She handed me one of them.
"It's a painting. I think it'll fetch a high price in the city. What do you think?"
"…A painting?"
"Yes. It looks like a seascape, but the paper isn't wet. It's completely dry."
A piece of art from the labyrinth… it would definitely be valuable.
"Let me see."
I took the painting and examined it.
And then I froze.
"...."
It was a crude sketch of a man, a woman, and a little girl smiling brightly.
"Um… what's wrong?"
"...."
"Do you… know them?"
I didn't know them.
But I knew this painting.
"It's…"
It was the family portrait of Hans A, the one I had discarded in the labyrinth years ago during my first expedition.