Baron of Lafdonia.
Hero of the Explorers.
New Chieftain of the Barbarians.
Leader of Clan Anabada.
All these titles referred to one person.
Bjorn Yandel, the Giant.
"He's… really alive…"
Misha Carlstain clenched her fists.
She had gone to the city at dawn and asked around. Lee Baekho's words had been true.
"Then what have I been doing all this time…?"
A mixture of emotions washed over her.
Joy, sadness, relief, and a sense of emptiness.
And anger.
Why had Bjorn Yandel faked his death?
And deceived her?
If he hadn't…
She wouldn't have had to spend the past few years with those criminals.
"No."
She shook her head, dismissing the thought.
There must have been a reason.
Bjorn Yandel wasn't that kind of person.
She would trust him.
Until she heard his explanation.
"…Yes, that's right…"
She muttered to herself and headed towards Bjorn's address.
But the house was empty.
"He… moved…?"
Why now, of all times?
She found a nearby inn and stayed the night. The next morning, she asked around again and finally found his new address.
"Commelby…"
It felt strange.
We had talked about moving to the city center someday…
'This is his house…'
She stood in front of the house, but she couldn't bring herself to knock.
Her mind raced.
How would Bjorn react when he saw her?
What if he wasn't happy to see her?
She had heard he was living with that fairy and Emily Raines.
'Emily Raines… the one from Parune Island.'
What was their relationship?
How had they become companions?
Were the rumors about them true?
Anxiety gnawed at her.
"…"
Misha Carlstain spent the entire day wandering around the house, occasionally peeking inside.
'At least I saw him…'
She had seen Bjorn return late at night, but she hadn't been able to talk to him.
He had looked tired.
'Yes, that's the reason. Nothing else…'
She would come back tomorrow.
But the same thing happened the next day. Bjorn left early in the morning and returned late at night.
She could have talked to him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
"Have a good day, Mister!"
"…I wish you were staying for dinner."
The two women would see Bjorn off in the morning, and he would scold them for coming all the way to the door.
She finally understood.
'He's… okay.'
Even without her.
Bjorn Yandel's life hadn't changed much.
One day, two days, three days, four days…
Time passed.
She continued to watch him from afar, occasionally using her ability to conceal her presence.
The two women were sensitive to presences, and she almost got caught a few times. But she hadn't entered the house, so she had managed to avoid detection.
But she gradually became bolder.
She moved from the street to the window.
And from the window to the backyard wall.
She watched them, hidden in the shadows.
And one day…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A magic circle appeared, and Bjorn returned.
He asked about the changes in the backyard, and the two women answered.
"This…? It just… happened. It looks a little crude, but… we didn't have a choice."
"We couldn't let one person have it all, so we decided to share."
Were they really talking about the backyard?
Misha didn't think too much about it.
They went to the kitchen, and the mysterious man prepared a meal.
"How is it? Does it suit your taste?"
"It's perfect. Just the right amount of seasoning. And plenty of meat."
He always complained about my cooking being bland…
"The ladies instructed me to always prepare extra, in case you came home hungry."
"…Ladies?"
Misha froze.
Were the rumors true?
Bjorn didn't say anything.
He didn't deny or confirm it.
Thump—
Her heart sank.
She had also been misunderstood while living with him, but he had always denied the rumors.
"Mister, you don't have anything scheduled for today, do you?"
After the meal, they went to the garden and chatted over tea.
The backyard, divided into a training ground and a garden.
A round table with three chairs.
'…They're too close.'
She couldn't stay here any longer. She would be discovered.
She carefully moved towards the wall, trying to avoid making any noise.
One step.
Two steps.
As she moved away from them, a single thought kept repeating in her mind.
What if…
She had accepted Lee Baekho's offer.
And waited for him.
Would she be sitting there with them now?
She didn't know.
But one thing was certain.
"I was just wondering what it would be like to have a family."
There was no room for her here.
So…
Rustle.
She would leave.
That's what she had decided.
But at that moment…
"!"
Two figures charged at her from both sides.
She had been too distracted to react.
"…Eek?!"
When she came to, she was kneeling on the ground, her arms pinned behind her back.
The situation was clear.
She had been caught spying on her former teammates… or rather, her ex-boyfriend.
"…"
What could she possibly say?
"Ahaha…"
She chuckled awkwardly and tried to greet him.
"I-It's been a while… Bjorn… Ugh!"
She bit her tongue.
It was a terrible reunion.
___________________
A room on the second floor, overlooking the backyard.
A woman stood by the window, nervously biting her nails.
"Why is she back now…? After abandoning him…? And she's trying to… steal him away from me…"
Her muttered words revealed her anxiety. Amelia, who had been watching her, finally spoke up.
"…I can't hear her. She's using a magic tool… Is there anything we can do…?"
"There is, but…"
"Then we should—!"
"Bjorn won't like it."
Erwen immediately shut her mouth.
And she continued to bite her nails, staring out the window.
Amelia, unable to stand it any longer, asked,
"Then why don't you do something about it? You've been passive for too long."
Erwen turned and glared at Amelia. Her eyes were cold and sharp, but Amelia just shrugged.
"What? Am I wrong?"
She knew.
Even if Erwen looked like she was about to lose it, she wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize her relationship with Bjorn Yandel.
Beneath that prickly exterior was a scared, insecure girl.
"…"
Erwen didn't answer.
She avoided the question and remained silent.
'I don't usually meddle in other people's business, but…'
I can't just leave her like this.
Amelia walked over to the window and sat down next to Erwen.
And then she asked,
"Tersia, what kind of relationship do you want with Yandel?"
"…"
Erwen didn't answer.
Normally, Amelia would have just given up… but she persisted.
"If things continue like this, nothing will change, even if Misha Carlstain returns."
"…"
"Do you want to be in a romantic relationship with him?"
Finally, Erwen answered.
"…Is that… wrong…?"
It was a typical response from someone who lacked confidence.
"I didn't say it was wrong."
"…Then what are you trying to say?"
The cornered coward became aggressive, and Amelia took a step back.
"I'm just curious. Why haven't you expressed your feelings?"
"…"
"You know, don't you? Yandel is oblivious. He's too busy thinking to notice anything."
"…"
"So tell me. Maybe I can help."
"…Ha! You? Helping me?"
Erwen scoffed and then asked,
"What about you…? What kind of relationship do you want with him…?"
It was a sensitive topic, but Amelia answered honestly.
"I'm happy with the way things are. I'm already having fun."
She didn't mind Erwen's childish tantrums or the fact that she always had to clean up after Yandel's messes.
The reason was simple.
"Like Yandel said, this is what it's like to have a family."
Erwen was speechless. The coldness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by confusion.
"…"
"…"
A long silence followed.
Erwen finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
"…Tell me… what should I do?"
Her prickly exterior had finally cracked.
Amelia smiled gently.
"Wait."
"…Wait?"
"He'll run away if you approach him now."
A hunter had to corner their prey before making a move.
Amelia calmly explained the situation.
"Yandel probably thinks you're not thinking straight. He thinks your feelings are just a temporary infatuation. That's why he's avoiding you."
And there was one more thing.
"He doesn't want to ruin your current relationship."
The fairy and the barbarian were similar.
They both hid their insecurities behind a tough exterior.
"So you have to wait. If you approach him now, he'll just make excuses and run away."
"How long…?"
"Until he thinks you're over it. Until he thinks you're thinking rationally."
When that happened, he would finally face her feelings head-on.
"Of course, you can't just wait. You have to nurture your relationship in the meantime."
"…How?"
"Stop using honorifics."
"…What else?"
Amelia then gave her some advice on romantic relationships, and Erwen listened intently.
Her advice was surprisingly effective.
It all made sense.
"Tying his tie for him…? That's…"
Erwen looked at Amelia with a newfound respect.
"Have you… been in a relationship before?"
"…No."
Erwen frowned, her trust wavering.
"Wait, then how do you know all this?"
Amelia chuckled awkwardly and said,
"…I read it in a book."
Well, it was true.
___________________
Ten days after meeting Lee Baekho,
I finally reunited with Misha.
'I never imagined it would be like this…'
I let Amelia and Misha inside and activated a portable sound barrier.
I didn't want Erwen to overhear our conversation.
"…"
"…"
An awkward silence followed.
It wasn't a heartwarming reunion.
My muscles tensed, and my neck felt stiff.
'Why is this so awkward?'
I finally spoke.
"Your hair… it's long."
"Ah… this…? Yeah…"
It wasn't much of a conversation starter.
But I continued, trying to break the ice.
"I don't think I've ever seen you with your hair tied back like that."
"I used to do it all the time when I was cooking… Ah, I mean… I did…"
There it was.
Her usual awkwardness.
I smiled, feeling more relaxed.
"Just speak normally. It's not like we're strangers."
"But… I really did fix it… while you were gone…"
"…Fix it?"
"Yes… I still… revert sometimes when I'm nervous… But I've fixed it… mostly…"
So she was nervous too.
"A-Anyway, now that we've greeted each other, I-I have to go—"
What was she talking about?
Didn't she understand the situation?
"Where are you going?"
I took a step forward and grabbed her wrist.
'…She's so thin.'
She couldn't escape now, unless she had a Blink skill.
Had she learned one while I was gone?
I couldn't be sure.
"Misha Carlstain."
I looked at her and said,
"You're not going anywhere."
-x-X-x-
We moved to the living room on the first floor.
Auyen, who had been doing the dishes, was gone.
Amelia had probably sent him away.
It didn't matter.
"…"
"…"
The atmosphere was awkward again.
Misha sat there, fidgeting with her hands, and I felt uncomfortable.
How could I break the ice?
As I was thinking that…
"Lee…"
Misha spoke.
"Hansu…"
My real name. A name few people in this world knew.
I had activated the sound barrier, but I still flinched in surprise and looked around.
And then, realizing my mistake…
"Ah… S-Sorry! I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable—"
"It's fine. The sound barrier is active."
"…Oh… is it?"
She had supposedly fixed her speech patterns, but she was still awkward.
"Did Lee Baekho tell you my name?"
I had to confirm a few things before continuing the conversation.
"Yes…"
"Then you know I'm an evil spirit."
"…Yes."
"But you're not afraid of me?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I've known for a while…"
What? She knew?
"Since when…?"
"That's…"
Misha looked flustered and then mumbled, her face red,
"…August 16th, 154th year of the New Era. That's when I was sure…"
Why was she giving me the date?
I was speechless, but I quickly figured it out.
"…"
August 16th, 154th year of the New Era.
That was the day I had confessed my feelings to her.
And then… after a few… incidents…
'She rejected me.'
So that was the reason?
I had been wondering why she had rejected me…
I wanted to ask her directly, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
So I changed the subject.
"Why did you follow Lee Baekho after I was declared dead?"
"…He said he would revive you with the Stone of Resurrection if I helped him."
I already knew that.
But I had asked the question for a different reason.
"Why? You knew I was an evil spirit."
"Because… you're my… precious… comrade…"
Precious comrade…
It was a heartwarming answer, but also a vague one.
If it wasn't because I was an evil spirit, then why did she reject me?
So she could be friends with an evil spirit, but not lovers?
I wanted to ask her, but she changed the subject first.
"A-Anyway!"
Right, she didn't want to talk about it.
"Can I… ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Lee Baekho… he called you 'hyung'… are you… close?"
"Not really. He's clearly hiding something."
One word seemed to have caught her attention.
"Hiding something…"
"So is that all you wanted to ask?"
"No! I have another question! Why did you… disappear on Parune Island?"
Ah, so Lee Baekho hadn't told her about that.
Why? To drive a wedge between us?
Or maybe he just thought it was too personal.
He wanted me to decide whether to tell her or not.
"Did the others know—?"
But my decision had already been made.
"Wait."
"…?"
"Let's clear up a misunderstanding first. The official story is different from the truth."
I briefly explained my trip to the past.
I wasn't worried about telling her.
After all, everyone in my inner circle already knew. And Misha knew my real name.
'And Lee Baekho knows too…'
Misha looked relieved after hearing my explanation.
"So… it was an accident… you didn't disappear on purpose…"
She then asked about what had happened after I returned.
I told her everything.
Meeting Erwen.
Meeting Amelia.
Reuniting with Raven, Ainar, Bear, the dwarf, and Lotmiller.
"I was… the last one…"
She muttered wistfully and then asked cautiously,
"Do they… know about your secret?"
"Erwen, Amelia, Raven, and Lee Baekho. They all know."
"…I see."
"I was worried at first. I heard you had joined a strange group."
And that she had testified against me.
I stopped myself.
Misha's face hardened.
"S-Sorry… I thought you were dead—"
"Don't apologize. I know you were trying to help me."
I was still curious about her actions after my return, but…
I was grateful for her efforts.
Being alive was better than being dead, even if it meant living in a shithole.
"So that's my story. Now tell me yours."
"My story…?"
"Yes. How have you been? Why are you so thin?"
"I'm not thin…"
She was practically skin and bones.
"Just tell me what happened."
Misha hesitated for a long time and then began her story.
___________________
Everyone dies eventually.
Even the immortal King of the old era couldn't escape death. It was an immutable law of nature.
But…
[So… Bjorn is really dead?]
The parting had been too sudden.
She had woken up from countless nightmares, hoping it was all a dream.
That's why she couldn't refuse.
[What if I told you there was a way to bring him back?]
It was the only way to get him back.
[The Stone of Resurrection can revive two people. If you help me, I'll use it on your boyfriend.]
So she had agreed.
She had spread the rumor about Bjorn Yandel being an evil spirit, as instructed by Lee Baekho. She had helped him with his plans, exploring the labyrinth with him and his companions.
It hadn't been a bad life.
It had been difficult, and sometimes she had cried herself to sleep… but she had hope.
[Oh, so you're finally giving up on that annoying speech pattern?]
She had fixed her speech, as he had requested.
She wanted to surprise Bjorn when they met again.
…Well, that wasn't the only reason, but…
[Meowmeow, what are you reading?]
She had started reading books, educating herself.
It made her feel closer to Bjorn.
[Stop reading and come train. I've trained a lot of newbies, and sparring is the best way to improve.]
She had trained relentlessly, sparring with Lee Baekho and his companions.
She wanted to become stronger.
One month, two months, three months…
Time passed, and she changed.
She could now speak normally, even though she still reverted to her old habits when she was nervous. And she had become much stronger.
And…
[…When are you going to use the Stone of Resurrection?]
She had become impatient.
[I'll use it when the time is right. Why are you so impatient?]
His answer was always the same.
Vague and noncommittal.
So she had finally asked him.
[…Are you even planning to use it?]
The Stone of Resurrection was real.
But would Lee Baekho keep his promise?
She had tried to ignore the question, suppressing her doubts.
She didn't want to know the answer.
But…
[Lee Baekho, tell me the truth. When are you going to use the Stone of Resurrection? Tell me now. Or else—]
She had finally confronted him.
But his answer wasn't what she had hoped for.
[Or else what?]
[....]
[You're so annoying. Why don't you trust me? What have you even done for me?]
[....]
[I leveled you up, didn't I? And now you're finally becoming useful, but you're getting too big for your britches. If you want to demand something from me, show me some results.]
Their relationship had deteriorated after that.
But she couldn't leave him.
The Stone of Resurrection was real.
[Haha! You're feistier than I thought!]
She had distanced herself from him and his companions, focusing on her own goals. She had taken on dangerous missions, accumulating achievements.
And then one day…
She had received both good news and bad news.
[He's… alive…? Bjorn is… ?]
Bjorn Yandel was alive.
But…
[Because if you don't, Bjorn Yandel will die.]
She was now bound by a new shackle.
She couldn't tell them everything.
"Haha… so that's my story… not that interesting, is it…?"
She was used to hiding her true feelings.
___________________
Misha's story was interesting.
I had learned a lot about Lee Baekho's activities during the past few years.
'He's been leveling up like crazy.'
I had also learned about his skills.
I hadn't seen all of them, but I had a good idea of his build.
He was a 'Melee Ability User'.
'He can use any weapon, depending on the situation.'
He was a more formidable opponent than I had anticipated.
But his essence build wasn't that impressive.
'He said he had reached his limit… but I don't see it. Was he bluffing?'
I had a few questions, but they weren't important right now.
I organized the new information in my mind, and Misha spoke cautiously.
"So… what did you mean by that?"
"Huh? What?"
She lowered her voice.
"You said… I wasn't going anywhere…"
Ah, that.
"What did you mean… by that?"
I answered without hesitation.
Just like Misha had said,
"…We're comrades, aren't we? We should stick together."
It was an instinctive response.
"…I-I see…"
"Yes, that's right."
"…"
I quickly changed the subject.
"So what did you want to tell me on Parune Island?"
"Ah… that…? I-I don't remember…"
Her words were slurred. She was lying.
But I didn't press her.
It would only make things awkward again.
"Ah! Do you still have my necklace? Raven said you took it…"
No. 7777, Garpas's Necklace.
Misha unbuttoned her shirt, revealing the necklace hidden beneath.
So she had kept it.
"B-But… do I really have to give it back…?"
What was she talking about?
"Give it to me."
"…Okay."
Finally, I had it back.
___________________
Our conversation continued late into the night.
We had a lot to catch up on.
And as the awkwardness faded, a sense of familiarity returned.
But…
"It's getting late… Are you hungry? Let's have dinner—"
Misha shook her head.
She said she would eat at her inn.
"Why go back to the inn? There are plenty of empty rooms here. You can stay."
"Bjorn, thank you, but I don't want to impose."
She refused, her voice firm.
She was drawing a line.
"I see… Suit yourself."
"Thank you for understanding. And… about rejoining the clan… can I think about it?"
"…Think about it? Of course. How long will it take?"
"A week… I'll come back then, so don't wait up."
Our reunion ended, and I went upstairs. I had to explain the situation to Erwen and Amelia.
They were in the same room.
They were talking about something…
Knock.
I didn't even have to knock. They heard me coming and stopped talking.
They were sensitive to presences.
I was a little curious about their conversation…
"Can I come in?"
"C-Come in!"
Their voices were slightly tense.
It was unexpected.
"W-What's wrong…? Is there something you need…?"
I had expected them to be upset or even hostile, but they seemed surprisingly calm.
I looked at Amelia.
She shrugged and smiled.
It seemed like she had calmed Erwen down.
'She's reliable.'
I gave her a look of gratitude and turned to Erwen.
"So… what did you want to talk about…?"
She was acting strangely.
She seemed to be hiding something.
'I thought she would ask about Misha…'
I looked around the room, and something caught my eye.
A thick book on Erwen's desk.
'Wasn't that in Amelia's room before?'
The title was 'Of Men and Women'.
Was it a romance novel?
I made a mental note to read it later.
"So what happened with Carlstain? Did she leave?"
"Ah, that…"
I briefly explained the situation and told them that Misha was thinking about rejoining the clan.
That was it for today.
"Ha…"
I lay in bed, but I couldn't sleep.
What if Misha didn't come back?
Why had I assumed she would?
Did she really see me as just a comrade?
But if she did, why had she tried so hard to revive me?
What was she really thinking?
"…Let's just sleep."
I couldn't find the answer, so I cleared my head and closed my eyes.
And time passed…
"Congratulations, young warriors! From this day forward, you will leave the sanctuary and become true warriors!"
It was the Barbarian Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
And the day the labyrinth reopened.
-x-X-x-
This was my second coming-of-age ceremony as Chieftain.
Since I had already done it once, the ceremony proceeded much more smoothly.
'No newbies this time, I guess.'
None of the young warriors acted suspiciously.
It was a good thing.
The warriors wouldn't have to worry about their bodies being stolen, and the players wouldn't have to suffer as evil spirits.
That damned game needed to disappear.
"Charon."
"Yes, Chieftain?"
I asked the 2nd Elder about the newbie from last month.
"Bekta, Kiltau's third son? Ah, the one who chose the shield!"
"Yes. How is he doing?"
"Heh, worried about him, are we?"
"Just answer the question."
"He's doing well. I heard he did quite well in the labyrinth…"
Charon, the tribe's gossip king, gave me a detailed report.
"He's like a younger version of you. Just like you went to the 2nd floor on your first expedition, he also went to the 2nd floor with his teammates."
"The 2nd floor…?"
The newbie had made good use of the team system and starting items I had introduced.
He had traded a potion for a torch and cleared the Dark Zone.
On the 2nd floor, he had acted as a tank, protecting his teammates…
"He earned quite a bit of money on his first expedition."
So he was adapting well.
It wasn't easy, even with game knowledge.
But I was a little worried.
'If he keeps showing off, he'll attract the attention of the Secret Police's Evil Spirit Hunters…'
Well, he would be fine.
If he was foolish enough to reveal his identity, he wouldn't survive for long anyway.
"We should add a torch to the starting items from next month."
"That's a good idea."
Our conversation ended, and I escorted the young warriors to the city.
As we were walking…
"Chieftain."
Charon called out to me, his voice tense.
"I… found something."
"…?"
"I know why those warriors died. You asked me to investigate, didn't you?"
Ah, that.
The first thing I had done after returning to the sanctuary was to check on the casualties.
Seven warriors had died.
It was a record-high survival rate of almost 90% for a first expedition.
But I wasn't satisfied.
I had given them potions, shoes, and even formed teams of three or four… and yet three of them had died?
"So what was the cause of death?"
Charon's voice was grim.
"It seems like they were killed by looters. There were reports of barbarian corpses found in the Crystal Cave."
"…"
"According to the reports, there were signs of foul play."
"As expected…"
I had suspected as much.
But there was something that didn't make sense.
"It's strange. They were in teams of four, and yet they were killed by looters? On the 1st floor?"
"I thought so too, so I investigated further. And…"
Charon lowered his voice so the young warriors wouldn't hear.
"The price of barbarian hearts has increased significantly."
My heart sank.
"Increased…? What do you mean?"
"The standard price set by the Mage Tower has skyrocketed."
"Damn it."
Now I understood.
The supply of barbarian hearts had decreased, and the demand had increased.
'With each heart worth millions of stones… it's only natural that some would resort to looting.'
It was more profitable than exploring the 4th or 5th floor.
No matter how many potions or teams I gave them,
They couldn't stand against experienced looters who specialized in hunting lower-level explorers.
"According to the witnesses, most of the bodies showed signs of being ambushed."
Those bastards.
"…."
I needed to take action.
___________________
I escorted the young warriors to the Dimension Plaza and had a guild mage cast the Bonding spell on them.
It wasn't the same mage as before.
We had a mage in our clan now.
"It's a low-level spell, but… it's still tiring with this many people."
"Thank you, Bersil Gowland."
"Ah… I wasn't trying to take credit…"
"It's fine. You should be proud of your skills."
I patted Bersil's shoulder, and Amelia sighed.
"…There he goes again."
I didn't know what she was talking about.
"Yandel, let's go."
After the warriors were bonded, we entered the labyrinth.
「Entered the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.」
The Crystal Cave. A familiar sight.
We headed straight for the central Dark Zone.
"…This feels strange. Coming back here…"
Bersil muttered, looking around the cave.
But Erwen wasn't impressed.
"What's so strange about it? You just opened a portal and ran away."
"…Sorry."
Bersil flinched, but she apologized instead of getting angry.
It made the atmosphere awkward.
"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault."
But Erwen didn't seem to agree.
"It was her fault. If she hadn't run away, more people would have survived."
She had lost her sister in that incident.
"There are always consequences for making the wrong choice."
"…You're right. And I'm paying the price."
Bersil seemed genuinely remorseful, and Erwen didn't press her further.
She even apologized to me.
"…Mister, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"Huh…? It's fine. Don't worry about it."
"Okay…"
What? She was surprisingly calm.
She usually held grudges for much longer…
"Bjorn! When are we going to fight that monster?! I've been waiting for this!"
Ainar's excited shout broke the awkward silence.
Amelia frowned.
"Barbarian, you've asked that question countless times."
"…I forgot!"
"And?"
"S-Sorry…?"
"That's better."
Ainar had learned her lesson.
But she still asked the same question.
"So… when can we fight him? I remember the strategy!"
Amelia sighed and answered,
"…On the 7th day."
"W-We have to wait that long?! But we can summon him on the 3rd day!"
"You're saying the same thing you said at the meeting."
The 1st-floor Floor Lord could be summoned on the 3rd day, as long as there were five or more explorers in the area.
But the spawn rate increased exponentially over time, so it was practically a guaranteed spawn after the first day.
Therefore…
'We'll start the summoning ritual on the evening of the 6th day.'
That way, we could guarantee a spawn on the 7th day, the last day of the labyrinth cycle.
That was the standard five-man strategy.
"So… we just wait here until then?"
Ainar looked bored.
I could already imagine her complaining about it every day.
But I wasn't worried.
"Ainar, don't worry. I have something for you to do."
"Oh! Really?!"
Ainar's face lit up, while Amelia tilted her head.
"…Yandel, what do you mean? I haven't heard anything about this."
Well, she wouldn't have.
It was a plan I had come up with on the way here.
"We can't stay together until the 6th day. You three can rest here. I'll be back soon."
"…What are you planning?"
Amelia looked suspicious.
She thought I was going to cause trouble again.
"Don't worry. We're just going for a walk."
I would be removing my expensive equipment first, though.
I would be disguised as a newbie.
___________________
I left the group with Ainar.
Erwen had offered to help, but I had politely declined.
There was a simple reason.
Only barbarians could do what I was about to do.
Therefore…
Step, step.
Ainar and I walked through the cave.
We didn't have a destination.
"…"
"…"
I had already stored my usual equipment in my subspace pocket and put on the barbarian newbie set.
A pair of boots.
A cloth backpack.
A pouch.
And a random iron weapon from the coming-of-age ceremony.
"…Bjorn, do you really think they'll fall for this?"
Ainar seemed skeptical, even though she had agreed to help.
"We're both pretty well-known…"
"They know our names, not our faces."
"You're naive! They'll recognize you, even if they don't recognize me!"
I didn't think so.
First impressions were based on appearance and demeanor, not just names.
"We're too old for this… They'll think we're strange."
She was worrying too much.
Barbarians all looked old. A few years wouldn't make a difference.
Ah, the source of my confidence was my own experience.
They all looked excited when I approached them…
"Gurgle, gurgle."
A goblin emerged from a crevice in the crystal wall.
And…
Slash-!
…it was immediately slain by Ainar's iron sword.
I was shocked.
"Ainar! What are you doing?!"
"W-What?! I just killed a goblin…"
She looked indignant.
"That's the problem! You killed it too easily!"
"…Then what am I supposed to do?"
"I'll show you."
I found a 9th-grade goblin and demonstrated the proper way to fight.
"G-Gurgle…!"
It was a single goblin.
"…"
I focused my killing intent on the monster.
Clench.
My grip tightened on the sword hilt.
"B-Behel—laaaaa!"
I roared and swung my sword randomly.
The goblin dodged easily.
And…
Slash-!
After a few more swings, I finally landed a hit and killed it.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
I rushed to pick up the magic stone, as if I hadn't eaten in days.
"See? Can you do that?"
"Bjorn… even newbies don't fight that badly… I mean, I—"
She was arguing with me again.
"Just tell me if you can do it or not."
"I'll try…"
"And always shout the war cry. It makes you look more convincing."
She was shouting our ancestor god's name for a 9th-grade goblin… but Ainar suppressed her embarrassment and followed my instructions.
"B-Behel—la…"
Her enthusiasm seemed to have waned, but it was good enough.
That concluded the basic training.
Now it was time for the real thing.
"We'll be doing this from now on. Understand?"
"Understood…"
We began exploring the Crystal Cave, fighting 9th-grade monsters.
We avoided other explorers and ate rock bread when we were hungry.
It was the Barbarian Fishermen Mode.
It was surprisingly difficult.
Even a glancing blow could kill a goblin…
But I gradually got used to it.
Day 1, Day 2…
Time passed.
But we hadn't encountered any looters yet.
I wasn't worried.
'They'll be more cautious on the first few days, when there are more explorers around.'
Day 3. Most of the explorers had moved to the upper floors.
It was our chance.
Rumble, rumble…
I was on watch duty, trying to stay awake, when I finally sensed them.
Step, step.
Four explorers approached us, their footsteps heavy and unhurried.
Their equipment was decent.
'At least 4th floor…'
It didn't matter.
Step.
They stopped a short distance away, surrounding us.
And…
"Finally, we found them. Those two have been running around like crazy."
One of them grinned at me.
It was exactly what I had been thinking.
"We finally found you."
Indeed.
Smirk.
We had finally found each other.
-x-X-x-
Two warriors, an archer…
And…
'Is the one without any armor an ability user?'
Probably.
Mages rarely participated in looting, especially not high-level ones.
And priests were even less likely to be involved.
'Anyway, looting on the 1st floor with this kind of team…'
It was disheartening.
I couldn't imagine how helpless the young barbarians must have felt.
"…"
But I could at least make these bastards understand.
"What's so funny?"
One of the looters frowned.
He didn't seem suspicious of my identity.
He was just mocking me.
"Wow, barbarian hearts must be really valuable these days. These guys are fearless."
I decided to play along.
So…
I took a step back, as if I had just realized something was wrong.
And I glanced at Ainar, who was pretending to be asleep on the ground.
Snore… Snore…
How long was she planning to keep up the act?
I nudged her back with my foot.
Ainar immediately jumped up.
"…Whoa! W-What?!"
It was a surprisingly realistic reaction.
'She was actually asleep…'
How could she sleep through all the commotion?
I didn't understand, but it wasn't a bad situation.
"W-What?! Who are you?!"
How could they not be fooled by this?
"Ah! Y-You guys are…!"
Ainar seemed to have realized who they were, so I quickly interrupted her.
"Be careful what you say."
Ainar moved behind me, gripping her weapon.
I raised my iron greatsword and looked at the looters.
They were smirking, stretching their muscles.
"Let me ask you one thing. Are you looters?"
They didn't answer.
"Hyungnim, let's just finish this quickly. I think the guild is on to us."
They were treating me like I was already dead.
Just try it.
I'll show you what happens when you underestimate a barbarian.
"Wait! That barbarian… he looks familiar… Where have I seen him before…?"
The hunchbacked crossbowman narrowed his eyes, staring at me.
Had he recognized me?
I would have to switch to Plan B—
"Familiar? They all look the same. That's why he looks familiar."
One of his companions interrupted him.
"Hmm, that's not it…"
The archer's survival instincts were impressive, but unfortunately, the melee attackers had more say in the group.
"We'll think about it later. Let's just take care of these two first."
That was their decision.
"Hehe."
They grinned and closed in on us.
And…
Thud.
My back hit the wall.
The swordsman on my left swung his sword.
Whoosh-!
It was a decent attack.
But I just stared at it.
"…"
He smirked, thinking I couldn't react.
But his smile quickly vanished.
Clang-!
His sword bounced off my skin harmlessly.
"…Huh?"
That expression… it made all the waiting worthwhile.
I grabbed his sword with my bare hand.
And…
"…!"
I pulled.
He hadn't let go of his weapon, so he was dragged towards me.
I reached out with my other hand and grabbed his neck.
The warrior with the double-bladed axe tried to attack me, aiming for my arm… but…
Clang-!
He had made the wrong decision.
"Ainar."
I gave her the signal, and she swung her greatsword.
Whoosh-!
The warrior's body exploded into a bloody mist.
"…S-Storm Sword!"
The ability user's shriek was his last.
Kaboom-!
He was blown to pieces.
But one of them had made the right choice.
The hunchbacked crossbowman had kept his distance.
"…B-Bjorn Yandel!"
He had recognized me.
He turned and ran.
But…
「Character has cast [Transcendence].」
Did he really think he could outrun me?
「Character has cast [Eye of the Storm].」
Not a chance.
___________________
Crack.
I twisted the swordsman's neck, and his body went limp.
I let go, and he crumpled to the ground.
I looked down at the crossbowman, who was prostrating himself before me.
"…P-Please spare me! I'm not like them! I was tricked! I told them not to do this!"
He was the only survivor.
He was begging for his life.
Swoosh.
Ainar raised her sword, and the crossbowman shrieked.
"I-I have information!"
Hmm?
"Information?"
I stopped Ainar.
The crossbowman, seeing a glimmer of hope, offered a deal.
"…I-If I tell you… will you… swear to let me go…?"
"An oath…?"
He was amusing.
I chuckled, and Ainar protested.
"Bjorn! Just kill him!"
"Calm down."
"…"
"Alright. I swear. If your information is valuable, I'll let you live."
I made the oath.
The crossbowman looked at me with a strange expression.
He didn't seem entirely convinced.
But he eventually made up his mind.
"I-It's valuable information… I'm sure of it…"
He seemed to think I wouldn't break my oath.
"Just tell me."
The crossbowman spoke, his voice trembling.
"I-It's the mages…"
Mages?
Why mages?
I gave him a look, and he continued.
"Some mages… are placing requests on the black market. They're offering a high price for barbarian hearts…"
"Hmm…"
So what?
"Is that all?"
"…Yes?"
His face fell.
It wasn't valuable information.
He hadn't told me which mages were involved. And even if he had, I couldn't do anything without proof.
"If that's all—"
Just die.
I was about to say that when he interrupted me.
"Th-There's more! Baron!"
"…?"
"Th-They're also after… your heart…"
"…What?"
I was shocked and asked for more details.
The bounty on my heart was 2 billion stones.
And the client was unknown.
"The black market…"
I thought about it for a moment, and the crossbowman, seeing my hesitation, spoke up.
"…I-Is this… helpful…? Did I… help you…?"
Ah, that.
It was helpful.
I had no connections to the black market.
I would have to investigate this later.
But…
"No, not at all. Now die."
I wasn't going to let him go.
"B-But you promised—!"
He protested, but I ignored him.
I stepped on his head.
He started squirming.
I didn't feel any sympathy.
And I didn't feel guilty about breaking my oath.
"Oaths are for humans."
I pressed down with my foot.
Crack-!
I collected their equipment and backpacks and stored them in my subspace pocket.
It wasn't much, but it would be a nice addition to the tribe's funds.
Thud.
I heard a sickening thud, and I turned around.
Ainar was stabbing the corpses with her greatsword.
"What are you doing, Ainar…?"
"Can't you see? I'm taking their hearts."
"…?"
"They should know. If they want our hearts, they have to risk their own."
Hmm…
Was she trying to make a point?
"I'll be done soon, so don't worry about it."
Ainar extracted the hearts from the two relatively intact bodies and then arranged the corpses on a nearby rock.
"There, all done. Let's go, Bjorn. We have more looters to kill! I'm getting better at this!"
She was terrifying.
___________________
Day 4, Day 5, Day 6…
Time flew by after our first successful hunt.
We spent every waking moment exploring the Crystal Cave.
Our disguises became more elaborate.
We smeared goblin blood on our clothes and wore pouches filled with 9th-grade magic stones.
We couldn't fake injuries, though.
They would heal too quickly.
But our efforts paid off.
We found another group of looters before the end of the 5th day.
They were more cautious than the previous group. They had been following us, observing us from a distance.
"Damn it."
It wasn't good news.
We found four fresh hearts in their backpacks.
They had already killed some barbarians.
"…Ainar, calm down. We'll deal with this later."
"…"
"Let's go. The others are waiting."
"Alright…"
I calmed Ainar down, and we returned to the central area.
"Mister!"
Erwen had come to meet us.
We went to the Great Sage Monument and activated the Voice Control spell.
"Amelia, anything happen while we were gone?"
"Of course. The thing you were worried about."
"Worried about…?"
"We're being watched."
As expected.
"What should we do? If they're from Count Alminus, it's too dangerous to summon the Floor Lord."
Bersil looked worried.
But I just smiled.
"Don't worry. It's all part of the plan."
"…You planned this?"
Of course.
I had filed a raid request with the guild.
They were bound to notice.
'And it wasn't something I was 'worried' about…'
It was something I had 'hoped' for.
"We're summoning the Floor Lord as planned."
I told Bersil, and she looked at me with a puzzled expression.
The bait had been taken.
-x-X-x-
There are two types of people in this world.
Those who focus on the results, and those who focus on the process.
I'm the former.
As long as the outcome is good, I don't care about the process.
In that sense, the current situation wasn't bad.
'As long as the Count withdraws his lawsuit, it's a win.'
If they interfered with our raid and revealed their connection to Count Alminus, it would be enough to force him to back down.
Interfering with an authorized guild raid?
It was a serious offense.
I could even demand compensation from him.
'The raid's success rate was low anyway…'
That's why I had been hoping for this scenario.
My strategy almost guaranteed survival, but we often lacked the firepower to land the final blow.
'If Erwen hadn't absorbed the Riakis essence, I wouldn't have even considered this raid.'
Anyway, considering all the factors, I estimated our chances of success at around 20%.
It was a risky gamble, but it was better than the alternative.
We could always try the raid again later.
But the lawsuit was a more pressing issue.
「Something in the darkness is watching you.」
Okay, I could feel the tension rising.
The summoning conditions were almost met.
"Don't let your guard down. He could appear at any moment."
We maintained our formation, ready for battle.
We had to summon the Floor Lord and make it look like we were actually trying to kill him.
'They know we're recording this, so they'll probably wait for the most opportune moment.'
"Bersil, is the recording crystal working?"
"Don't worry. I've checked it several times."
"Good."
I briefed my teammates on the plan one more time.
And then…
「Something in the darkness feels hatred towards you.」
The probability had increased.
"Bjorn… it's getting colder, isn't it?"
Ainar was the first to notice the change.
She was surprisingly sensitive to environmental changes.
"Get ready. He'll be here soon."
My teammates tensed up, gripping their weapons.
And after a while…
Rumble.
The cave walls shook, and the crystals that had lost their light began to glow crimson.
「Special Condition – Five Believers has been met.」
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, tests the faith of the pilgrims.」
He had appeared.
___________________
Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror.
The 1st-floor Floor Lord, summoned when five or more explorers gathered in a specific location after the 3rd day.
His appearance was dramatic.
Rumble!
The ground shook.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
The dark cave was bathed in crimson light.
「Rising Terror.」
「The Bonding spell has been deactivated.」
The Bonding spell of those who had met the summoning conditions was deactivated.
And…
「Character's vision is limited to a 2-meter radius.」
Our vision was restricted.
"…He's over there."
A dark, red-lit passage.
Squish-
We turned towards the sound.
Squish.
A strange, wet sound, like something sticking to the floor and then being pulled away.
Squish-
Our vision was limited to a 2-meter radius.
And then, he appeared.
"…Ugh."
Bersil gagged, covering her mouth.
She had a weak stomach.
"I've heard stories, but… it's truly horrifying."
It was.
Even the best illustrators couldn't capture the true horror of these monsters.
Squish-
He was about 5'4″.
Much smaller than Riakis, the Chaos Lord.
Dreadfear was a humanoid monster.
Squish-
Two arms, two legs.
He walked upright, wielding a bone greatsword.
But that didn't mean he looked human.
'Zombies are also humanoid monsters, technically.'
Dreadfear was similar.
He had the basic shape of a human, but the details were obscured.
He was covered in maggots.
Squish-
Each step he took produced a sickening sound.
Thud.
The maggots that fell from his body wriggled on the ground.
"…I understand why explorers avoid this place."
"Phew…"
Even Amelia and Erwen, who were usually unfazed by grotesque sights, looked uncomfortable.
Only Ainar seemed to be enjoying the show.
"Oh! That's him? He looks weaker than I expected."
Right, someone had to be entertained.
"Haha! What are you all so scared of?! He doesn't even smell that bad!"
I sighed inwardly at his naive comment, but then I remembered the stench of the Corpse Golem, and I felt a little better.
Maybe misery really did love company.
"Enough chatter."
It was time to focus.
Squish-
Dreadfear stopped at the edge of our vision.
He was small, but he exuded a powerful aura.
Therefore…
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
I charged at him.
The best way to overcome fear was to face it head-on.
[Kyiieeeeeeek!]
He roared and swung his maggot-covered greatsword.
Klang-!
The impact was surprisingly powerful.
It was almost as strong as Riakis's attacks.
But there was something more pressing.
Thud, thud-
The maggots that fell from his body crawled towards me.
'In the game, it was just an aura skill…'
But this was different.
「Character has been infected with [Gnawing Terror].」
「Mental stat continuously decreases.」
「Dreadfear's Rage increases proportionally to the damage received by the character.」
The maggots crawled on my skin.
It felt itchy and painful.
My Physical Resistance didn't help.
「Bersil Gowland has cast the 5th-grade Sun Magic [Holy Flame].」
Bersil, as instructed, cast a buff on me.
It was the key to the 1st phase.
I had recommended the same strategy to the Ghostbusters when they were selling the Dreadfear guide.
Well, there were other options…
Whoosh-!
…but this was the easiest and most effective.
When in doubt, burn it.
「[Gnawing Terror] has been dispelled.」
Okay, that took care of the aura.
Klang-!
I blocked Dreadfear's attacks, getting used to his patterns.
And then…
Giant maggots, the size of human heads, started crawling out of the cave walls.
They were the token monsters of the 1st phase.
But I didn't have to worry about them.
Kaboom-!
Ainar and Bersil, who specialized in AoE attacks, would handle them.
So we had two people left.
But I had ordered them to wait.
"Emily, where are they?"
We weren't just fighting Dreadfear.
We had to observe the situation.
But…
"…They're still watching us from a distance."
So they were waiting for the 1st phase to end.
It made sense.
They weren't sure if we could actually kill him, and…
The best time to interfere was later.
So…
"Erwen, what time is it?"
I checked the time.
"7:57 PM."
About four hours until the floor closed.
'If they had waited a little longer…'
It was time to move on to the 2nd phase.
They weren't planning to interfere in the 1st phase…
And time was of the essence in a Dreadfear raid.
He received a buff every five minutes in each phase.
'In the 1st and 2nd phases, it's every five minutes after he spawns.'
Ideally, we would skip the first buff.
The buffs stacked throughout the raid.
"Emily, keep an eye on them. Erwen, you can start now."
We began the raid.
We only had one damage dealer, but I wasn't worried.
Erwen had absorbed a Floor Lord essence. She was on a different level now.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has summoned [Dicloe, the Dark Spirit King].」
As soon as I gave the order, Erwen unleashed her ultimate skill.
And…
Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom-!
It took exactly 15 seconds.
For Dreadfear's 1st phase to end and the next pattern to begin.
「The resentment within Dreadfear awakens.」
The echoes of Erwen's attack still lingered in the cave.
Thud, thud-
The maggots that had covered his body fell to the ground, motionless.
But we still couldn't see his face.
Black smoke billowed from beneath the maggots, enveloping his body.
'Okay, so the 1st phase is over…'
I quickly assessed the situation.
She had used about half of her MP in 30 seconds.
"Erwen, you can rest now. And keep an eye on the outsiders."
I sent Erwen to the back to recover her MP.
And…
"Amelia."
As soon as Amelia took her place…
Crack, crack.
The maggot corpses on the ground started hatching.
And…
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
[Kihihihi! Kihihihihi!]
Black smoke emerged from the cracked shells, forming screaming, giggling figures.
Ainar shrieked.
"E-Eek! Bjorn! W-What is that?!"
Right, she was afraid of ghosts.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
She swung her greatsword wildly, but it passed through the smoke harmlessly.
They weren't monsters.
「Character has been exposed to [Infiltrating Dread].」
「Mental stat continuously decreases.」
「Accuracy is greatly reduced, and there is a chance of attacking nearby allies.」
The aura effect of the 2nd phase.
"Erwen, where are they?"
"…Still there. They haven't moved."
Hmm, they had noticed the end of the 1st phase, but they were still waiting…
They were planning to skip the 2nd phase too—?
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
They were wrong.
「Character has cast [Iron Fortress].」
「The effect of [Evolved Hide] is increased by 1.5 times.」
Unlike the 1st phase, I activated [Iron Fortress] and blocked the attack with my sword.
Klang-!
I had a reason.
His physical attack power hadn't increased much…
But there was something else I had to tank.
"Amelia Rainwales has cast [Abyssal Strength]."
"[Infiltrating Dread] causes Amelia Rainwales's attack to miss."
Amelia's dagger, its trajectory distorted by the aura, flew towards me.
Slash-!
That damned aura.
"…Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, don't worry about me."
The tank's role was crucial in the 2nd phase.
Whether it was a ranged or melee attack, the aura targeted the closest person to the boss.
So the standard strategy was to have multiple tanks and a healer, focusing on DPS.
But…
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
We had to make do with what we had.
"Yandel, it's better to disable the aura—"
"I'm fine, just keep attacking."
I ignored Amelia's concern and stayed close to Dreadfear.
It wasn't pleasant to be hit by my teammates' attacks… but it couldn't be helped.
A warrior's heart was unyielding.
I would endure as long as he did.
「[Infiltrating Dread] causes Ainar Frenelin's attack to miss.」
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, has cast [Plague Spread].」
I stayed close to him, dodging his attacks and creating openings for my teammates.
And then…
「Resentment deepens.」
The 2nd phase buff activated.
「All aura effects are permanently enhanced.」
Five minutes had already passed.
We had to minimize the number of aura buffs.
「Ability stat continuously decreases.」
I was getting anxious.
Dreadfear became more and more difficult the longer the fight dragged on.
But…
'He's a glass cannon.'
Amelia and Ainar had been focusing on DPS, ignoring the aura.
「Resentment deepens.」
「Physical stat continuously decreases.」
「Resentment deepens.」
「The decrease is amplified by 50%.」
「Resentment deepens.」
「Dreadfear's Rage increases proportionally to the decrease.」
By the time the fourth buff activated, his HP was low enough for us to move on to the next phase.
It was a little disappointing.
'…We should have ended it at the third buff…'
Our chances of success had decreased.
But I quickly dismissed the thought.
The raid wasn't our main objective.
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
As Dreadfear shrieked in pain…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
…the black smoke that had been swirling around him was sucked back into his body.
And…
「The hatred within Dreadfear awakens.」
The 3rd phase began.
"Mister! They're moving!"
Finally, the fish had taken the bait.
-x-X-x-
There were six of them, the perverts peeping on our raid from afar. They were spread out along the passage leading to the monument…
'…Alright, it's starting.'
From now on, there was only one objective.
Find proof that they were trying to sabotage us. And if possible, prove that they were working for Count Alminus.
Swaaaaaaaaaa.
As soon as Erwen reported that they were moving, a white smoke filled the cave.
「Character is within the area of effect of [Veil of Betrayal].」
The aura of the third phase.
The effects were simple.
「Continuously decreases character's Mental Power.」
「Continuously decreases character's Ability Power.」
「Continuously decreases character's Physical stats.」
「The decrease is amplified by 50%.」
「Dreadfear's Rage increases proportionally to the decrease.」
In addition to the enhanced bonuses from the previous phase, a few new lines were added.
「Character enters Stealth mode.」
All characters within the aura entered Stealth mode and couldn't see each other.
「All communication is blocked.」
Communication was impossible.
And…
「Damage against non-monster targets is increased by 5 times, ignoring all Resistance stats.」
There was a huge risk of friendly fire.
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
This aura alone made normal team play impossible in the 3rd phase.
How could you raid when you couldn't even see your teammates?
If you accidentally hit an ally with an attack skill, it would be a disaster.
Therefore…
The 3rd phase strategy was simple.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"
I roared, even though no one could hear me, and charged towards Dreadfear.
Only we couldn't see each other. Dreadfear wasn't affected by the Stealth effect.
Kwaaang!
The tanks would hold aggro in their designated positions, and the priests would spam AoE heals until the aura dissipated.
That was the standard strategy.
Well, we didn't have any priests, and I was the only tank.
'But that's the advantage of a Shield Barbarian.'
I could solo tank.
And there was an unexpected benefit to solo tanking.
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, has cast [Shell Game].」
「Character is teleported to a random location.」
Even if he used his Shell Game, I could just run back and hold aggro again.
It minimized the chances of the tanks making a mistake…
'Are the others doing okay…?'
I trusted my teammates, but I was also wary of the saboteurs.
What would they do in the 3rd phase?
They would definitely try to take advantage of the chaos and attack us while we were blinded.
And I was the most likely target, since my position was always fixed.
'But I haven't heard anything yet… so they must be doing okay?'
I couldn't be complacent.
I would see the outcome soon enough.
So I focused on Dreadfear.
Kwaaang!
Solo tanking was possible in theory, but it wasn't easy.
He was still a Floor Lord.
And a growth-type one at that.
「Character's Mental Power decrease has reached its maximum.」
「Status effect [Terror] applied.」
The first debuff activated.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
My heart pounded in my chest.
A chilling fear crept up my spine, and stress overwhelmed me.
But my Mental Power was high enough to prevent me from losing control and running away.
'Is Erwen okay…?'
I was a little worried, but I had to focus on myself first.
The second debuff was the real problem.
「Character's Ability Power decrease has reached its maximum.」
「Status effect [Lethargy] applied.」
Lethargy, one of the thousands of status effects in the game.
It prevented MP regeneration and interrupted active skills.
Even those that were already active.
「[Gigantification] deactivated.」
「[Iron Fortress] deactivated.」
And the interrupted skills had cooldowns, making it a very troublesome status effect.
The third debuff was just as bad.
「Character's Physical stats decrease has reached its maximum.」
「Status effect [Exhaustion] applied.」
All Physical stats were reduced by 30%.
Stamina was fixed at its minimum value, and all actions consumed MP instead of stamina.
Kwaaang!
The debuffs were stacking, making the fight more and more difficult.
Screech.
Damn it, I couldn't match his strength anymore.
And the worst was yet to come.
「Dreadfear's Rage has reached its maximum.」
Dreadfear's Rage gauge, which he had been steadily filling since the 1st phase…
「Dreadfear's damage is doubled.」
…had finally reached its maximum.
His attacks, which had been barely manageable, were now terrifying.
But I could still endure.
The [Terror] debuff hadn't completely incapacitated me, and I could reactivate my skills after their cooldowns ended.
And I could recover my MP.
「Character has cast [Soul Dive].」
「Soul Power is regenerated proportionally to the amount consumed.」
Yes, I could solo tank.
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
Dreadfear shrieked in frustration as I continued to hold aggro.
And then…
Ttak.
I heard a sound behind me.
It was a faint sound, something I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been constantly scanning my surroundings.
My body reacted before my mind could process the information.
Thud.
I turned around.
And at that moment…
Puk-!
A sharp pain shot through my back.
It was a minor injury.
But my experience as a tank told me…
'At least it didn't hit any vital organs.'
It was barely a scratch.
But that didn't mean I would let them get away with it.
Whoosh!
I swung my hammer blindly.
I couldn't hear any sounds because of the aura.
But…
Thud-!
I felt a satisfying impact.
「The light of trust dispels the darkness of fear.」
「[Veil of Betrayal] temporarily deactivated.」
A bright light filled the cave.
"…Ugh."
It was time to check the catch.
___________________
The key to the 3rd phase was the tank and the healer.
If they could endure long enough, the [Veil of Betrayal] would dissipate, giving the damage dealers a chance to attack.
Like this.
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, has cast [Protective Shell].」
As soon as the aura dissipated, Dreadfear retreated into a protective shell.
It was a groggy state, and the standard strategy was to unleash all your attacks during this time.
But…
"….."
I turned around and assessed the situation.
Erwen, Amelia, Bersil, Ainar.
My teammates were all fine.
And…
'Three… two each…'
Three mangled corpses in the three passages Erwen had been guarding.
And one captive and one corpse in the two passages Amelia had been guarding.
Damn, we were supposed to capture them alive.
'…Erwen killed them all.'
Judging by the state of the bodies, she hadn't even tried to capture them.
But I wouldn't reprimand her now.
We didn't have time.
And…
"….."
She didn't look well.
Her eyes were unfocused, as if she was in a trance.
'…It must be the [Terror] debuff.'
But the others seemed fine.
"You're the one who let him escape, Barbarian."
Amelia glared at Ainar.
"…S-Sorry! I was trying to capture him alive…"
Ainar, who had been guarding one of the three passages leading to the monument, apologized.
But Amelia wasn't going to let her off the hook.
"It's so easy for you barbarians, isn't it? Just apologize, and everything's fine?"
Ainar was confused.
She was used to apologizing for everything.
I was also surprised.
I didn't expect Amelia to be this angry.
"Your mistake could have gotten Yandel killed. Do you even—"
"Stop!"
I intervened and calmed Amelia down.
"She understands. Let it go."
"…We'll talk about this later."
Amelia didn't argue and backed down.
It was time to check the captives.
"Bersil, check on Erwen."
"Y-Yes…!"
I sent Bersil to check on Erwen, and then I assessed the situation.
We had captured two saboteurs.
"….."
The one Amelia had captured was completely restrained.
His eyes were covered with a blindfold, and his mouth was gagged.
I wondered what she had done to him.
And the second one…
"…Ugh."
…was the one who had attacked me.
His face, covered by a mask, was stained with blood. He must have been hit by my hammer.
"…Uh… Uh…"
He looked at me, his eyes filled with fear, and started crawling backwards.
Where did he think he was going?
Step, step, step.
I approached him and hit him four times with my hammer.
He didn't need his limbs to talk.
Crack, crack, crack, crack-!
Okay, Amelia would handle the interrogation…
I didn't need to crush his limbs.
"Amelia, take them and leave."
"…Are you really going to continue the raid?"
"I don't have a choice."
We couldn't escape from Dreadfear.
And the special condition wouldn't activate if the captives were within range.
This was the best option.
'Well… the chances of success are slim.'
Maybe 5%?
I had already received the fourth buff in the 2nd phase, and we hadn't even been able to properly attack him during the groggy state.
'It's practically a failed raid.'
But we had a backup plan.
If Amelia succeeded in the interrogation, it would be enough.
Therefore…
"Yandel, be careful."
"See you outside."
I sent Amelia away before the aura reactivated.
And then the light in the cave vanished.
「The darkness of fear consumes the light.」
「[Veil of Betrayal] reactivated.」
It was time to continue the raid.
___________________
A passage near the Great Sage Monument.
Whoosh.
Amelia placed a torch on a stand and began the interrogation.
She put on a pair of white gloves.
And arranged her tools.
She checked the captive's belongings, looking for anything that might be useful.
"…"
"…"
She used to hate this kind of work… but not today.
'It's a good thing.'
He was surprisingly soft.
And sometimes, you needed someone to do this kind of work.
"You… won't hear… anything…"
The man, his limbs crushed, muttered something, but she ignored him.
There was no reason to let him know she could understand him.
And…
'…He's terrified.'
She knew from experience.
The ones who talked the most were the ones who were the most scared.
"…"
The other captive hadn't made a sound since the interrogation began, but this one was screaming and struggling.
She didn't ask any questions.
She just continued the 'interrogation'.
And after a while…
"…T-Tell me…"
He finally spoke.
It was a sign that he was close to his breaking point.
Amelia began her questions.
Was he married?
Did he have any children?
What was the last meal he had eaten before entering the labyrinth?
He started answering her trivial questions, his defenses slowly crumbling.
It didn't hurt to talk.
Amelia gradually increased the intensity of her questions.
And then…
"What's your name?"
"Delbein…"
She flinched as she heard his answer.
"Hans Delbein…"
Hans?
'Wait a minute… Hans…'
It was the name that made him so agitated.
The name he had said was like a plague, something to be avoided at all costs.
She found his superstitious beliefs endearing.
But…
'…Is this okay?'
-x-X-x-
The moment my teammates disappeared from view as the [Veil of Betrayal] reactivated…
Crack—
…the shell encasing Dreadfear shattered, and he reappeared.
His skin looked as if it were covered in wax.
A single, large eye sat in the middle of his featureless face, defying all proportions.
And a bone greatsword gripped in both hands.
He looked the same as before he used [Protective Shell], but the resemblance was fleeting.
「Hatred deepens.」
A new buff was added as soon as the groggy state ended.
And from this point on, luck played a crucial role…
「Memories etched in bone intensify.」
Phew, not bad.
Screech.
Sharp thorns started to sprout from Dreadfear's greatsword. It was the weapon buff, one of the five possible buffs in the 3rd phase.
'I need to be more careful now.'
It was a damage amplification buff, so I adjusted my strategy.
Kwaaang!
I continued to focus on defense with my shield, but I avoided taking any unnecessary hits.
The weapon buff was dangerous, even for me.
Like this.
「Sharp thorns pierce the character's body.」
「Continuously drains the character's Soul Power.」
The buffed sword had an MP drain effect, and it stacked with each hit.
But there was one thing I had to be careful about.
「Dreadfear's Hatred increases proportionally to the drained MP.」
Whether it was the weapon, the armor, or the eye,
All the 3rd phase buffs increased his 'Hatred' stat. And when it reached its maximum, a very troublesome additional buff would activate.
'If Hatred activates, the raid is as good as over.'
At that point, survival would be our main concern, not the raid.
Therefore…
Whooosh!
I dodged his attacks whenever I couldn't block them.
Ttadat.
But I didn't just retreat. I circled around him, keeping him in the center of the area.
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, has cast [Inner Mirror].」
「Deals fixed damage proportional to the decreased Mental Power.」
I endured his unavoidable instant-kill skill, coughing up blood.
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, has cast [Memories of the Dead].」
Bersil, the mage, helped me deal with the floating bombs.
「Bersil Gowland has cast the 6th-grade Summoning Magic [Dolls of Life].」
The decoys would absorb the damage.
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
I continued to fight, following the strategy.
'It's almost time…'
I thought it was about time to move on to the next phase…
「The light of trust dispels the darkness of fear.」
「[Veil of Betrayal] temporarily deactivated.」
…when the white light filled the cave, and Dreadfear shrieked in pain, retreating into his shell again.
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, has cast [Protective Shell].」
If we couldn't break through his shell this time, he would receive another buff, making the fight even more difficult.
But I wasn't worried.
"Erwen."
She was practically a graduate student now.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia summons [Dicloe, the Dark Spirit King].」
It was time for the final phase.
___________________
Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror.
An unfortunate Floor Lord, often targeted for clan promotion tests, as he didn't offer much in terms of rewards, even if you cleared it with a full raid team.
But he had a hidden piece.
Well, it wasn't exactly hidden. It was a well-known fact, thanks to the legends of old heroes.
[If you defeat him with five or fewer members, you receive a great reward.]
But there were two errors in that statement.
First, it wasn't about having exactly five members, but five or fewer.
'And the reward wasn't that 'great'.'
It was just a normal reward.
But the reason why the rumor had spread was probably because of this.
[If they succeed, it will be the tenth such feat in history, after the Last Sage!]
Five-man clears were extremely rare.
And those who had achieved it had all left their mark on history.
Rimenin, the Abyss Seeker.
Armella, the Fairy King.
Mulmarin, the Seadragon Slayer.
They were all legendary explorers.
And that was enough to inspire countless others to challenge Dreadfear.
Most of them never returned.
'Well, it's not like you can clear a boss on your first try.'
I had only succeeded because I had played the game countless times.
If I had challenged him blindly, I would have failed too.
Reality was different from the game.
You only had one chance.
And if you failed, it was game over.
'…I wonder how they did it.'
What strategies had they used?
Was it the same as mine?
Or did they just overpower him with their stats?
I didn't know.
The ten teams that had succeeded had all kept their strategies secret.
'That's also something I don't understand…'
It was common for explorers to keep valuable information to themselves.
But why had those legendary explorers, who had created the 6th-floor map and shared their knowledge about the 10th floor, kept this a secret?
'Well, it's not important right now.'
Hmm… was it?
I suddenly felt a strange sense of—
Kwaaang!
As I was pondering the source of the strange feeling…
「Dreadfear's [Protective Shell] has been deactivated.」
The shell shattered, and black smoke poured out.
I gave my teammates an order.
"Stop."
There was no point in attacking anymore.
We had to conserve our MP.
"Good work. You must be tired."
"Yes…"
"Gather around!"
I called my teammates to my side and prepared for the next phase.
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
The black smoke shrieked as it poured out of the shell.
And then…
The smoke subsided, and two crimson eyes appeared in the gap.
'Those eyes are terrifying.'
I took a deep breath and stared back.
「Dreadfear, the Lord of Terror, senses a great threat from your party.」
The 4th phase had begun.
It was the turning point of the raid.
Step, step.
Dreadfear emerged from his shell.
He had been covered in maggots…
Then black smoke…
And then a wax-like shell.
But now…
Step.
…he looked human.
Pale skin with blue veins.
Ribs protruding from his thin chest.
Long, gray hair.
And a face with eyes, a nose, and a mouth.
Unfortunately, they weren't in the right places.
He was a humanoid monster, technically.
Roll.
An eyeball beneath his chin rolled around.
Drip.
Blood dripped from his nose, which was where his right eye should have been.
Screech.
His bone greatsword dragged across the ground, producing a grating sound.
Step, step.
He was covered in a viscous liquid, as if he had just been pulled out of amniotic fluid.
Thud.
He stopped and looked at us.
[Kyiyeeeeeek!]
He roared, his mouth, which was where his nose should have been, wide open.
「There are five or fewer characters within range.」
「Special Condition – Ancient Memories has been met.」
「The terror within Dreadfear awakens.」
The conditions for a 5-man clear had already been met.
「Fragments of memory distort the surrounding space.」
Now we just had to enter the special map and finish the raid—
Flash!
A blinding flash of light filled the cave.
"…"
And I froze.
"…Where am I?"
I was in a place I had never seen before.
___________________
「Character is poisoned by [Goblin Paralyzing Poison].」
「Special Condition – Distorted Memories has been met.」
「Character is being transferred to the Pilgrim's Cave.」
___________________
Hans… Hans Delbein…
Amelia paused her interrogation, her mind racing as she repeated the name.
It was an ominous name.
But she quickly dismissed her worries.
'…He'll be fine.'
He had absorbed the Tranquility Essence from the leader of Orculus over 300 times.
He had said he wouldn't be affected.
'Let's focus on the task at hand.'
She resumed the interrogation.
She had finally gotten him to talk, and she couldn't let him clam up again.
"Where do you live?"
"…9th District."
"Have you ever met Count Alminus?"
"…No."
She continued her questions, punishing him whenever she sensed a lie.
And after a while…
"I-I swear… I just received a request from the black market… I don't know who the client is…"
She realized instinctively.
That he was telling the truth, and that she wouldn't be able to get any more information from him.
'…I couldn't find any connection to Count Alminus.'
He would be disappointed.
She felt a pang of sadness, but she quickly suppressed it.
She was a professional.
She couldn't afford to dwell on her emotions.
"…"
She checked his belongings again, just in case she had missed something.
And then she noticed something strange.
'…Paralyzing poison?'
The weapon she had used to stab him was coated in poison.
It tasted like a low-grade poison based on goblin venom…
'Why would he use this…?'
It didn't make sense.
A high-level Guardian like him wouldn't be affected by such a weak poison.
And there were much stronger poisons available.
"Why did you use Goblin Paralyzing Poison?"
"Paralyzing poison…?"
The man's confused response only made her more suspicious.
"I… I've never used paralyzing poison… Why would I…?"
She looked at the other captive. He was still silent, his eyes fixed on the empty space before him.
"…"
She checked his weapon.
It was also coated in paralyzing poison.
And at that moment…
Flash!
A bright light erupted from the central area, followed by silence.
Her companions had moved on to the next phase.
She summoned a clone and sent it to the empty chamber.
Four corpses.
Their weapons were also coated in goblin poison.
Was this a coincidence?
No, it couldn't be.
'Something…'
Something bad was happening.
She grabbed the other captive by the collar.
"…Tell me. Why did you coat your weapons in goblin poison?"
"…"
He didn't answer.
He hadn't even groaned when she had tortured him.
Swoosh-!
She drew her dagger and pressed it against his throat.
A thin line of blood appeared.
But his expression didn't change.
He had seemed resigned before… but now he looked different.
"Who… are you?"
He finally spoke.
"Who knows?"
His answer was casual.
She pressed the dagger deeper.
And then…
Clang!
The dagger bounced off his skin, as if it had hit an invisible wall.
Thud, thud.
The captive stood up, brushing the dust off his knees.
"He has a good woman by his side. To think she would notice something like this… Her perceptiveness will be a great asset in his journey."
His words were nonsensical.
Amelia's killing intent intensified.
"…Who are you? What's your purpose?"
"You're worried about him, even in this situation… You seem loyal…"
He looked down at her, a smirk on his face.
"Don't worry. I'm just here to guide him on the right path."
"…"
"Bjorn Yandel has a fascinating destiny. He grows stronger through adversity."
He patted her shoulder.
"For example, what if the mage hadn't died in the labyrinth? Do you think he would have become the hero he is today? He was always prioritizing his own survival."
He chuckled.
"So don't worry. He'll be fine."
Amelia clenched her remaining dagger.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Her eyes darted around, searching for an opening.
But…
"The reason is simple."
…she couldn't find one.
"Amelia Rainwales."
His voice was clear and distinct.
"You were always susceptible to illusions, weren't you?"
"…!"
"Rest now."
His finger touched her forehead.