The royal decree had been issued.
Officially, the king could hardly be bedridden and issuing orders; this was surely a royal command authorized by the prime minister.
Yet, despite that, I had only one choice.
"…I will obey the royal decree."
Unless I killed every witness and lied that I never received any royal orders, refusal was impossible.
"The royal family will remember Baron Yandel's loyalty."
Jerome's gentle smile was infuriating, but I decided to focus on the positive side.
Joining the expedition and being under his command?
My freedom on the underground first floor would diminish, and there'd be no way to restrain him if he acted like a troll.
Unlike now, where I monopolize everything, loot would be divided according to fixed shares, and I'd be left to scavenge leftovers.
But…
'With that force, we can do anything.'
It was basically like having a cheat key in hand.
At least from # Nоvеlight # now on, I wouldn't face difficulties due to lack of "force" while exploring the underground first floor.
Whether it was the still unfinished Library Island, the Tree Island still half shrouded in mystery, or the Giant Island with colossal beings.
With this force, anything was possible.
In other words, the possibility of escaping this floor and returning to the city had skyrocketed…
"Now, shall we start by organizing the information? Do you have any logs? Explorers apparently keep logs to record their activities."
Ugh, really trying to take it easy.
In an age where knowledge is wealth, meeting the royal army felt more like encountering a band of thieves.
Therefore…
"Before sharing information, I want to talk about the loot first."
We decided to settle that issue first.
"Hmm, the loot?"
"Yes. The royal decree ordered you to explore under your command. It didn't say anything about treatment."
"That's true. But don't worry too much. Our expedition's goal isn't some petty money, and the royal family already said to ensure the baron's convenience."
"Still, I want to be clear about something."
"The command over explorers under your command remains yours. Also, the income you earn from exploration is fully guaranteed except in one case."
Command rights preserved and exploration income untouched.
A relief amidst misfortune, but ominously, there was a condition.
"One exception…?"
"This expedition is for the royal family, and more broadly for the bright future of the nation. Regardless of whether it's essence, materials, equipment, or special magical items, if it's something that has never existed before, our expedition will take it for public research."
In other words, they would seize every first discovery.
Honestly, my first thought was, 'Where do these bastards come from?' but Jerome skillfully used the carrot and stick approach.
"But we promise not to touch anything you've already obtained… How about that?"
Of course, stating the obvious as if it's a great favor.
Maybe his long experience as a commander?
I almost felt comforted hearing that.
"Promise is good."
"Then it's settled—."
"But one more thing."
Seeing Jerome try to wrap up, I hurriedly added.
"I'll listen. Speak."
"I want shares even in first discoveries."
"That is impossible."
"Even if my contribution is overwhelming in the process?"
"That remains the same."
Tsk, so that's a no-go.
His stubborn attitude was beyond imagination; no matter what I say, it'd be like preaching to deaf ears.
But I wasn't about to end it here.
"Then grant me priority on the second discovery."
"Priority…?"
"Yes. For research, isn't one enough? You said you don't care about petty money anyway."
"Hmm… May I consult with the deputy commander for a moment?"
After I nodded, Jerome approached his subordinate and consulted.
About five minutes passed.
Then, after a magician lifted a voice control spell, Jerome's voice was heard again.
"We want to grant Baron Yandel priority on significant contributions or items obtained independently. How about that?"
"Who defines 'significant contribution'?"
"That is…"
"Don't give me vague criteria. Excluding what I got on my own, give me priority on exactly three items. Just three."
Jerome glanced at the deputy commander again.
Is that guy some kind of dedicated aide?
I'm not sure, but Jerome seemed to think no further consultation was necessary.
"Fine. For the second obtained achievements, we will grant Baron Yandel priority on three items."
With that, he extended his hand for a handshake, which I accepted.
"Take good care of things until we return to the city."
"Likewise."
Thus began an uncomfortable cohabitation.
After settling the loot agreement,
Our expedition of 38, centered on Clan Anabada, was temporarily integrated into the royal army.
Officially, we were the temporary 4th squad of the 1st expedition army.
Smaller than the other three squads of 60, but necessary to preserve my command rights.
Jerome did not attempt to redistribute personnel, and I did not demand it.
After the reorganization, we immediately held an information sharing session.
"Sir Vesillus, please go check the research materials."
"Yes… It's been a while, Miss Amblett."
"Ah, hello…"
"Is the master doing well?"
"Hopefully…"
"Haha, come to think of it, I'm the one who should be delivering news. Enough greetings; hand over the research records. We'll read them first and ask questions, and you'll just answer."
"…Here… it is…"
The top-ranked mage in the expedition took the materials the three of our mages had been studying and confiscated them.
And…
"Well then, Baron, please tell us what has happened."
I had to start by explaining the characteristics of this floor and the islands we had visited.
Jerome's greatest interest was the rainy season.
"A strange phenomenon. Monsters falling from the sky."
"Don't worry too much. There are a few safe places within the floor."
So far, three safe zones were confirmed.
Library Island, confirmed safe through Hamshik.
The cave on Giant Island used as a hideout by the Hext Clan.
And finally, the village ruled by the Chief.
"Commander."
"Haha, no need for such formalities, just call me 'Seintred.'"
"Seintred… there's something more you should know."
Though hesitant, I shared information about the 'Chief' with Jerome.
"Dragon Knight Cornelius Brüngrid…?"
"A creature that claims to be such, for now."
I wondered how his presence would affect the royal army, but it was a story they'd have to learn eventually.
Since the exit was there anyway, we'd have to go through.
"Do you know anything about him? There were many suspicious points during your time there."
I told Jerome in detail about my encounters with the Chief, hoping to learn anything unknown—but he didn't know much.
However…
"A monster impersonating Gabrilius' companion… suspicious."
Aside from knowledge, his decisiveness was impressive.
"First exploration should be that island."
"…Going immediately?"
"Obviously suspicious. And since they speak our language, capturing and interrogating them to extract information would be reasonable."
Um… that's true but…
It was so obvious that I had no arguments left.
Thinking it through, it wasn't really wrong.
'With this force, it might be reasonable to just capture it right away.'
A method that looks ignorant becomes rational when done by a powerful person.
I knew that better than anyone.
'But… why do I feel so uneasy?'
I decided to stop them for now.
"Instead of rushing, why not investigate other islands first?"
"Hmm?"
"Although the exit seems to be on that island, it looks like some conditions must be met to open it. We can find those first and then go."
My judgment was to slowly explore the easier places, confirm how capable this expedition was, then head to Chief's Island.
The force seemed sufficient for now.
But history tells us force isn't everything.
"I'm not sure why we have to go that way, but since it's the baron who came first, we shouldn't ignore his words. Agreed. We'll follow the baron's suggestion."
Okay, persuasion was surprisingly easy…
"Then, where do you think we should go first, Baron?"
Without hesitation, I answered.
"The library. Library Island seems best."
We hadn't yet farmed experience from the top-tier monsters.
After deciding the destination,
We went to the Rock Island shore and summoned the ships.
Four ships appeared, and the squads boarded their respective vessels.
There was a slight personnel change in the process.
"Sir Vesillus says we need more time to fully transfer research results. So, may I put those three mages on our ship? Of course, we'll send three others to fill vacancies."
"…Agreed."
The three mages temporarily joined the expedition ships, and three others replaced them on our ship.
And then…
"Long… time no see?"
Unexpectedly, a familiar face appeared.
"Raven…? What are you doing here…?"
"What do you mean? Orders came from above. Join the expedition."
"Oh… you're a soldier."
"Really? I only just saw you now. You kept looking this way during our conversation; I thought you knew me."
"I was just casually glancing around."
"Oh… I see."
Raven awkwardly twirled her hair with her finger.
A baffling gesture.
How could she expect to recognize anyone among 180 people?
Especially since she was short and hard to see.
"Anyway, good to see you. Get on the ship quickly. We'll talk on the way."
After boarding Raven and two unfamiliar mages, Ainard rushed over.
"Aruru!! It's Aruru!! Aruru!!"
"Ah! Let go! It hurts!!"
"Sorry!"
Once Ainard let go, Raven sighed while smoothing her wrinkled uniform.
"Ms. Fnelin… is still the same."
"From appearances, yes."
"Appearances…?"
"She ate an essence, but there's a problem… you'll see once you check later."
"Is that so?"
As we talked, Auyen reported the signal to depart, and we hurriedly set sail.
Whoooooosh—!
Leading was the Anabada, followed by three warships.
Our ship was no slouch, but seeing theirs made me feel a little intimidated.
At least the big one looked good.
Their 60 occupants seemed to have plenty of room on deck and ample common rooms.
"Seeing you again."
"Yes. Hello, Mr. Raines."
Upon Raven's arrival, familiar members approached and greeted her.
Amelia's greeting felt businesslike.
"Long time no see…"
"Ah… yes. Indeed."
"…"
"…"
There was awkwardness between Elwen and Raven.
Well, not as bad as with Misha, at least.
"Hello…"
"Ah, hello, Ms. Misha…"
Phew, just watching them made me feel suffocated.
I thought they used to be close.
"I heard from Yandel… but this is the first time we meet, right?"
"Um… sorry… for disappearing without a word…"
"No, no! Ms. Misha must have had her reasons."
Since the team broke up without fighting like Elwen, I couldn't understand why they were so distant.
'Or maybe that's why it's even more awkward?'
Maybe that's true.
Raven didn't even know where Misha had been.
But it was also awkward to ask.
"Anyway, I'm glad everyone is safe. We'd lost contact after descending to the underground first floor, so I was a bit worried."
"A bit? That's a bit disappointing."
"…What are you really saying?"
After joking a little, Raven ignored it and turned serious.
Usually she'd just brush it off.
Her voice and tone suggested a higher-than-usual mood today.
"Anyway, do you know this?"
"You'll have to tell me."
"Sir Kaislan. The one who went on an expedition with Yandel before."
"Kaislan? What, did he cause trouble outside?"
"No. He's in this expedition too. But you haven't seen him, I guess."
Oh… another unexpected face.
I hadn't expected another familiar person to be mixed in.
'Kaislan is trustworthy.'
And his position was surely high up in the leadership, so if they were plotting something, chances are I'd know.
"What about Lilis Marone? She's also from military mage background, didn't she come?"
"Not that I recall. Ah, but we have her!"
"Her?"
Curious, I asked, and Raven, who liked to explain everything from the start, gladly answered.
"Sir Sven Parab. Paladin of the Reatlas faith."
Huh, I never imagined he'd come too.
"Why? Don't you remember? You went on expeditions together."
"No… of course I do. I remember."
Paladin Sven Parab.
Also known as Goblin Mask.
He's known for an unbelievable 'sixth sense.'
During the Ice Rock expedition, he displayed ridiculous intuition that helped the team multiple times.
At the Berzak incident, he felt something strange and used an excuse to skip entering the labyrinth.
"Raven, is there any news about him? Did he refuse summons or get sick on the day of departure?"
I asked just in case.
But Raven was shocked instead.
"Huh? How do you know he got sick that day?"
'…Is this real?'
Suddenly, unease surged through me.
-x-X-x-
"...Tell me in detail. What happened?"
Before making a final judgment, I checked the details.
"Oh, that? On the day of departure, he disappeared, so the commander went to find him personally. But when they actually found him, he made excuses like having a stomachache or something and said he couldn't come."
"..."
"He was crying and making a huge fuss, so they ended up calling a mage to check on him."
"Check…?"
"They used magic to inspect his intestines, or something like that. Apparently, there was nothing wrong. And based on that, when they accused him of trying to desert, he reluctantly changed his attitude and joined…."
"…joined?"
"Maybe because of that rumor, his impression inside the expedition team became subtly negative. I heard even the priests from the same order treated him like dirt."
"I see…"
Hah, I shouldn't have listened.
If he was so desperate not to join the expedition, that 'sixth sense' of his must have triggered.
Thump—!
I hope we're not going to endure hellish suffering again like at Ice Rock.
Four ships that had departed from Rock Island docked at Library Island, and after briefly arranging the formation, we descended the stairs.
By the way, the formation was with the 4th squad—so our group of 38 people—at the very front.
Maybe because of that, I had a bad feeling, but I shook my head to dismiss it.
'…They put us at the front because we're the vanguard.'
Yeah, not because we're a disposable bunch.
If I were the commander, I would've done the same.
Ugh, but why do I feel uneasy about what's behind my back?
'…Damn royal bastards.'
Before Berzak, and at Ice Rock.
We've been backstabbed twice by royal forces, so I just can't trust those bastards—.
"We've arrived."
Watching the stairs while more wary of what's behind than ahead, a vast underground library appeared before us.
The books had already been neatly organized.
And then….
[…You're here? Earlier than expected… uh…?]
As soon as we arrived, Hemsik, who came out to greet us, noticed the following expedition troops and tilted his head in confusion.
Hah, why is he acting like that again?
I quickly waved my hand, signaling him to hide, but Hemsik still looked clueless.
So….
Ssshh, ssshh.
I pointed once behind me at the expedition troops with my thumb, then at Hemsik with my index finger.
Then.
I made a throat-slitting gesture with my hand.
Because those guys aren't nice like me.
No joke—they'd immediately cast a distortion spell on sight, kill, and start dissecting them.
Did my urgency get through?
[Beep—!!!]
Hemsik understood the gesture, got terrified, and ran off.
At that moment.
"Baron, what's going on? I think I heard a horrible scream from somewhere."
Someone from the main force following us at some distance from our 4th squad arrived.
Okay, looks like they didn't see Hemsik.
"Nothing important."
"Pardon?"
"I don't know the cause, but sometimes those sounds come from here."
"I see. Understood. I will report that."
So, even if Hemsik and I meet secretly to talk, the expedition team won't think anything strange.
Well, we still have to be cautious since someone might investigate the noise.
"This must be the place Baron Yandel spoke of."
"What do you think?"
"What do I think? My personal impression doesn't matter. Now, let's not waste time and get started. We're not just exploring; we're carrying out a sacred mission from the royal family."
Ugh, no wonder he's such a royalist.
Soon, Jerome gave some orders to the deputy commander, who shouted in a booming voice.
"All troops, listen up! We'll start by surveying the terrain. Each team, search the surrounding area thoroughly!"
And so began the terrain survey.
I approached Jerome and asked.
"If there's no time, do we really need to survey again? We already finished here."
Maybe, just like I don't trust the royal family, Jerome doesn't trust me.
That thought came first, but…
"Heh, our expedition team is made up only of experts selected by the royal family. I don't disregard Baron Yandel's exploration skills, but… just watch. Maybe we'll find something new."
Judging by his tone, he's just ignoring us completely.
"Experts, my ass."
Most mages are former military, and the group is packed with knights and priests focusing on combat.
"Do as you like. We'll stay here."
"Fine. Anyway, we couldn't find it before, so we probably won't find it now."
…Should I really hit him?
The thought flashed in my mind, but I endured with superhuman patience.
How much time passed, I wonder.
"…Nothing new was confirmed."
"Same here."
In the end, the expedition's investigators returned with no results, and then the library assault began.
"First, we should proceed as the Baron said. Unlike him, we have enough ability to clear every shelf."
Though he seemed unreliable until the end, once the assault started, he acted like an expert.
"So this is how it goes."
A guy who used a few summoning books quickly reorganized the formation and efficiently assigned 200 people.
Dozens of people clung to the shelves fetching books, while twice that number waited at the stone door, hunting monsters as soon as they appeared.
But…
"This will take forever."
Jerome thought even this was slow and took out the ultimate secret technique.
"Evost, increase the speed."
All discoveries in this world arise out of necessity.
"Eh? But we can only summon one book at a time, so increasing speed here…"
"That's why I said find a way."
"..."
Faced with the direct superior's unreasonable demand, the deputy commander briefly showed a helpless expression but soon came up with a creative solution I hadn't even thought of.
"If we can just reduce the time the door opens and closes, we can speed things up considerably."
"So the conclusion?"
"What if we destroy the door?"
"...!!!"
Even the barbarians standing beside me got goosebumps at that plan. Jerome nodded with satisfaction upon hearing it.
"That's worth trying. Execute immediately."
Once permission was granted, the magic corps of the expedition gathered in one place.
Dozens cast a combined spell.
"Myirti Esta Fioriev de Tayla!"
The spell completed was one I had never actually seen before.
Where would you see a grade 1 attack spell?
「Gahwin Vesirus cast the grade 1 attack spell [Sphere of Upheaval].」
As the spell completed, the magic circle glowed and a dense aura suffocated even the barbarians who are insensitive to mana.
It was impossible to see with the naked eye.
———————!
A flash like a split second.
Something was fired and struck something, only faintly perceiving cause and effect before opening my eyes again.
Whhoooosh-!
A scorching hot wind like it could burn skin blew fiercely and brushed my cheek.
But I had no strength to focus on the sensation.
"…Luckily, it succeeded."
The stone door, probably 20 meters tall, was shattered without leaving any fragments, revealing endless darkness.
'This actually works…?'
It felt like I'd reached a new realm.
We succeeded in breaking the stone door.
And the plan to rapidly continue summoning through this method was the same.
"Since the door is gone, summons happen instantly. Well done, Evost."
"I'm just following royal orders. No need for praise, Commander."
They naturally continued talking while summoning monsters ruthlessly and eliminating delay.
Eventually, I had to step in.
"Wait, look there! It's already restoring from the edge."
That's the nature of the labyrinth.
Except for special points like the crystal caves on the first floor, the labyrinth naturally restores all places.
Simply put, the expedition mages were wasting their efforts with grade 1 spells…
"Is that a problem?"
Jerome looked confused at my words, so I kindly explained, unbarbarian-like.
But it was all in vain.
"I don't see the problem. Since it restores, we just keep breaking it, right?"
"…Uh?"
"Judging by the restoration speed, we probably don't even need to use grade 1 attack spells like this anymore. There are plenty of mages; we can take turns breaking it."
"…Uh."
"Besides, no monsters strong enough to require mages have appeared yet."
Uh… that's true.
"Does that clear your doubts?"
"Yes. All clear."
In the end, I had no choice but to admit it.
'The problem was… me…!'
Those with power can realize more and imagine higher concepts.
Therefore, I couldn't come up with this method and dismissed it as impossible because I lacked power.
Imagination is the strength that comes from power.
'That's probably why the word for imagination includes the character for power.'
Truly, ancient wisdom.
They must have already understood this truth thousands of years ago.
"Then, let's resume the mission!"
Anyway, whether or not I had new insight, Jerome didn't waste a minute.
Is that the attitude expected of someone entrusted with a royal mission?
Thanks to that sincerity, the assault's pace was on a completely different level.
Even though we said we did factory-like hunting before, it's incomparable.
"Leave the magic stones alone! We'll collect them later."
The expedition didn't pick up magic stones and didn't check ownership even when essences appeared.
Since most hunting was done with ranged fire, no unwanted essence collection happened, and when melee was needed, essence-filled knights covered the field.
And the result?
'Within a day, we reached grade 4…'
Strictly speaking, before 16 hours had passed, we reached the area where grade 4 monsters appeared one by one.
Almost five times faster than when the 38 of us went through it.
"From tomorrow, we can proceed normally. Inform the magic corps. There's no need to stop restoration anymore."
"Understood…"
"Let's end here for today. Prepare to camp."
After nonstop assault with shifts for meals, the long-awaited rest time finally came.
The exhausted expedition soldiers skillfully set up camp, and as some free time appeared, familiar faces came to visit first.
"Haha, very busy?"
Meland Kaislan.
A military knight who had endured hardships with us at Ice Rock expedition.
"No matter how busy, when you come, you gotta make time."
"That's an honor indeed."
Kaislan smiled and bumped fists with me.
We had exchanged glances passing by but never had time for proper talk.
"By the way, I didn't expect to finally chat like this."
"I heard it's hell under Count Saintred's command, but I never imagined it would be this bad for me."
Apparently, among military folks, a sort of infamous reputation was spreading.
"So, what about you? Did the royal family order you to join?"
"Yes. Heh, they seem to want to use me as much as possible before I retire. Still, there's the goal of rescuing the Baron, so I don't complain much."
"Retire? Did you submit your resignation?"
"Yes, a month ago. It takes some time to process, but I'm hoping it'll be done by the end of this expedition."
"I see…"
"Why the long face?"
"Nothing. Just thinking about what to have for a late-night snack."
That was a quick excuse, but not my real feeling.
Just suddenly Ice Rock expedition came to mind because Kaislan was 'forced' here right before retiring.
'If someone had other intentions, they'd have recruited Marone into the expedition too… Still, better keep it in mind.'
Ah, probably not. Instead of ignoring it, I decided to always keep worst cases in mind.
"Sir Kaislan! Finally, we meet!"
Then Versil, Elwen, and Amelia, members of the expedition, came to greet Kaislan, and a new face appeared.
"Sorry, the archbishop is new to camping and needed help… I'm late."
Goblin Mask, Sven Parab.
As soon as he showed up, Versil approached him with a glare.
"You're here."
"Oh, long time…? Miss Gowland…."
"Yeah, 'long time.' Sir Parab."
They met recently at the round table but acted like strangers.
Knowing their identities, I just found it cute.
"Wait, can everyone clear the way?"
"Yes, of course. I'm also feeling uncomfortable staying too long around the order people—."
"Parab, everyone but you."
"…Yes?"
After greetings and catching up, I cleared people around and had a private talk with Parab.
"So… what's the matter?"
"I heard you pretended to have a stomachache to avoid joining the expedition?"
"Did Sir Kaislan tell you that?"
"No, I heard it elsewhere."
"…I guess Raven, my former comrade, boarded our ship, so he figured it out."
That part didn't matter.
"Why did you do that? Was it that 'weird feeling' again?"
"Well… it's a bit different…."
"Different? Tell me more. I trust your intuition."
"I… don't know how to say this…."
Parab hesitated but then cautiously spoke in a resigned voice.
"I think I received a prophecy…."
What…?
This world has real gods.
People here sometimes hear the voice of gods or receive revelations.
Sometimes relics are given to help with such revelations.
Anyway, that's not the main point.
"You received a prophecy…?"
"Please speak quietly! I'll listen to everything!"
Not everyone can receive a prophecy.
That's why in this city, those blessed to hear gods' voices are called 'Saints.'
But…
'That bastard is a player.'
Sven Parab is an evil spirit from Earth.
And the Trimorphic religion is as serious as the royal family about hunting evil spirits.
But would the chief god give a prophecy to an evil spirit?
"…Are you sure? That you… received it?"
"I-I guess so…."
I grew more worried.
What are the gods thinking?
Come to {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} think of it, when I barely survived being killed by the Dragon Slayer, a relic was given to help me.
"So, what was the prophecy? What did it say that made you act like that?"
"Well… that…."
As I tried to check the prophecy quickly, unfortunately, an interrupter appeared.
"Sir Parab! The Archbishop is looking for you! Come quickly!"
"Ah, yes…? Okay! Got it!"
He looked at me nervously but when I nodded, he quickly left toward the order.
'I'll hear the details tomorrow.'
It was a shame not to hear now, but I ate some jerky and closed my eyes, preparing for sleep.
How long passed?
'Can't sleep.'
I got up to drink water and felt sharp gazes from somewhere.
Looking around quickly, besides the patrolling guards, I saw Hemsik hiding behind a bookshelf.
"Ahem…"
"Baron, where are you going?"
"Can't sleep. I wanted to stretch a bit, but doing it here would be noisy."
"Ah, yes…."
After giving that plausible excuse to the patrolling soldiers, I approached the bookshelf where Hemsik was hiding, and he made a small noise.
[What… what are those crazy humans!!]
"They're people from the kingdom… they won't hurt you, so don't worry—."
[Won't hurt…!!]
Looking at the still-not-restored stone door, Hemsik clenched his fluffy fists tightly and said with a terribly sorrowful voice.
[Why… why do I have to go through this twice…!!]
"..."
[Why are all humans like this…!!]
I had no words.
"I'm a barbarian… you know?"
That was all I could say.
-x-X-x-
Day 109 since entering the labyrinth.
Or, to put it another way, the early morning of the day after joining the royal expedition troops and arriving at the library.
Ba-ba-ba-bam! Ba-ba-ba-bam! Ba-ra-ra-ra-ba-ra-ra-ra-bam-!
The sound of the military bugle echoed throughout the library, signaling the arrival of morning.
Hah, why does the army always seem the same no matter where you go?
'…If I say that, Baekho might get mad.'
It's not like I'm exempt from training just because I'm a public servant.
Anyway, without wasting any time dawdling, the bugle quickly woke everyone up.
As soon as the bugle stopped, the day's routine began.
"Rations!"
Right after breaking camp, we lined up in front of the cooks who had gotten up early to prepare breakfast and devoured the meal in a brief 30 minutes.
And then….
"There will be a morning meeting, all commanders attend."
The leadership gathered to discuss the plan for the day and to brief the troops on the decided schedule.
I perked up my ears, wondering if there would be anything special, but there wasn't anything particularly important.
'Just like yesterday, we'll be hunting today.'
Of course, there were some differences in the details.
Yesterday, we smashed the door to stop restoration and summoned monsters at a crazy pace, but since monster ranks have risen, this time we'll proceed with a normal strategy.
Naturally, the mages will also participate in combat.
"Well then, let's start today's mission energetically!"
I wondered if it was really necessary to gather everyone and hold a meeting, but I suppose that's the nature of the military.
Sometimes adhering to formality can be inefficient, but at times, that process can prevent unexpected accidents.
"To your positions!"
After that, each squad took their assigned places, and the library assault resumed.
"Today, the combat teams will each take turns watching one group."
"That's the most efficient way."
With over 200 people, having everyone fight at once would be like killing chickens with a butcher's knife.
Therefore, Jerome adopted a shift work system.
"Pause! Squads 1 and 2, relieve squads 3 and the temporary 4!"
When the time came, squads 1 and 2, who had been guarding the stone door, stepped aside, and squads 3 and 4, who had been fetching books, took their place.
Meanwhile, squads 1 and 2 recovered their stamina and resources by carrying books instead of fighting.
'Looks like Kaislan and Parab will keep missing each other today too.'
For reference, both belong to squad 1.
So from then on, they even ate separately.
Well, Raven is in squad 3, so that's a bit better…
Since he's a mage, he stays far behind, so he never crosses paths with them during missions.
'…Looks like the prophecy talk will only happen at night.'
As I became a cog moving with the group, working diligently, I saw comrades chatting comfortably with knights from the expedition.
"Hahaha! Don't lie! How could mages ever beat warriors like us?"
"Exactly why it's so humiliating! Who would've thought someone would lose a one-on-one duel to a mage?"
"When did that even happen?"
"A month ago! Though, since the Spear was here, you wouldn't know. It's a pretty famous story in social circles."
When did they become this close?
The more I see, the more I'm amazed at their social skills. It actually helps me too.
"What are you guys laughing about so much?"
"Ah… Baron! Sorry. I was focusing on the mission—."
"I didn't ask for an apology."
"Pardon…?"
"We're all warriors here. I'm just curious. Who's this idiot who lost to a mage?"
I subtly approached, showing I wanted in on the chat, and after a brief hesitation, the knight grinned widely and excitedly started talking.
Did it catch attention?
Other knights from squad 3 also gathered around us, listening in, occasionally chiming in or correcting mistakes, joining the chat.
'Well, they can't find factory-like raids fun.'
Since I'm a baron, some knights who were wary of me softened up after seeing my easygoing side, and some even asked questions first.
"Uh… Baron, can I ask something?"
"Go ahead."
"I heard you challenged Baron Kipriot to a duel during the investiture ceremony. What exactly happened?"
"Oh, that? Some goblin-like guy was badmouthing me behind my back. I wanted to punch him, but since that wouldn't do, I challenged him to a duel."
"Haha… really? Baron Kipriot must've been pretty shocked."
"Serves him right. There are too many unknown fools in noble houses. If a nobody acts up, they just get hit. It's a basic truth."
A refreshing joke only a titled noble like me in the same position could make. The knights nodded approvingly.
"Well… when would those guys have ever done anything tough?"
"Exactly. They don't know that people like us protect them, keeping them safe…"
The knights, maybe keeping a line, joined the backtalk reluctantly. But the more I told stories and spoke frankly, the more they showed subtle vicarious satisfaction, their mouths twitching into smiles.
'Okay, this should be enough for some goodwill.'
I kept chatting diligently during work and strengthened bonds with the knights from the expedition.
"Baron… you're beyond the rumors. Oh! Not in a bad way! I just didn't know you were this open and fun…"
"Haha! What's with the excuses? Aren't we already friends?"
"F-friends?! Oh no, please don't! The commander would get really mad if he heard that!"
"Then let's say comrades."
"Comrades… yes, comrades…"
"Then I'll ask you to watch my back when it's dangerous."
"Trust only us, Baron!"
Making friends is always helpful.
That night, after chatting with the knights, I asked my comrades to prepare camp and headed to squad 1's camp where Sven Parab belonged.
After asking for the order members' understanding, I called him out.
"I want to talk about what we couldn't finish yesterday."
"Ah… that, yes…"
"The prophecy you received. What was it about?"
At the word 'prophecy,' he flinched, glanced nervously around, and after confirming no one else could hear, exhaled deeply.
Then he lowered his voice, adding a disclaimer.
"First, I want to say this might all be my delusion…"
"You said you were sure yesterday."
"Yes, if I answer simply yes or no, it leans that way… But what I believe myself and what others see can differ… it's kind of like that…"
Ah, frustrating.
"Alright. I'll decide for myself, so just tell me."
"If you insist…"
Closing his eyes as if to steady himself, he slowly opened them and began.
"When I was in the city, I dreamed."
"A dream?"
"It's hard to explain, but I heard a very sacred voice. And I naturally knew the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) owner of that voice… was her."
"You mean Reatlas?"
"Yes…"
The goddess appeared in his dream.
Why he was so sure that counted as a 'prophecy' is questionable, but I decided to quietly listen to the rest.
"So what did she say?"
"She told me I have something to do in the future and showed me a scene from that future."
A precognitive dream.
The most common form of prophecy received by saints who receive divine revelations.
Parab said he saw one scene.
"The archbishop told me to join the expedition."
That precognitive dream was realized the next day.
Thanks to that, he was convinced this was no mere dream but a real prophecy.
"And?"
"That's it."
"What?"
"She said she would appear again when the time comes and told me to prepare."
In other words, the main quest will be given after entering the labyrinth with the expedition…
Honestly, I didn't understand.
"Then why did you pretend to have a stomachache and try to run away if you got a prophecy?"
"Well… that…"
After hesitating for a long time and trailing off, he answered with tightly closed eyes.
"A prophecy…! It must mean something dangerous!"
"…What?"
For a moment, I was stunned, but he went on, revealing his true feelings.
"Even if it's not dangerous, it's certainly troublesome. I had that kind of instinct too."
Hah, what kind of guy is this?
No wonder he kept hiding that he had a prophecy.
The moment it got out, the order would've pushed him around to protect that prophecy.
'A paladin acting like that for such a reason?'
It was absurd, but on the other hand, I was grateful. He was honest with me, unlike others.
'Loyalty… passed.'
"Uh… can I go now? They're watching me closely over there anyway."
He looked toward the order members and said that.
They were watching us, but instead of sharp eyes, their looks were full of worry.
Like watching a kid left alone by the water's edge.
'The order treats him like that too…'
"Alright. If you dream again, tell me immediately."
"I will."
"Good night."
"You too, Baron."
After finishing the talk with Parab, I returned to camp and tried to sleep.
But again, sleep wouldn't come easily.
'A prophecy…'
What he told me today wasn't much.
Just like him struggling not to enter the labyrinth.
Something big is coming.
That instinct was deeply ingrained.
So there was only one thing I could do.
Prepare so I wouldn't be swept away whether it's a tidal wave or a typhoon.
'I wanted to save it for later, but…'
Now it can't be helped.
I made a decision in the night blanket.
'Essence of Bellarios.'
I should eat it as soon as possible.
Day 111 since entering the labyrinth.
The library assault had progressed to the point where grade 3 monsters were pouring out.
'It only took five days to get here.'
Once again, I felt the power of the royal family.
Knights, mages, priests.
They picked the best of these precious professions and created an army, so the overall value was absurd.
'At this rate, we might as well have rushed to Chief Island right away.'
At first, not knowing how capable they were, I opposed, but now I think I should've gone straight to Chief Island and taken out the chief.
Even if the chief holds the essence of his human self, he'd be powerless against this level of military force.
"Baron! A book with Bellarios drawn on it has been found!"
During lunch, as I was lost in thought, good news arrived.
The messenger was a knight from squad 3.
I had asked them to inform me immediately if they found Bellarios.
"Is it the book you're holding?"
"Yes! As soon as we found it, we pulled it out separately!"
"Thanks."
"No thanks needed. We're comrades!"
Thanks to the goodwill I built, I gave the knight a bunch of jerky—the maximum courtesy a barbarian can show—and sent him off.
And then….
Swoosh.
As the ink on my fountain pen tip changed color to green by the minute, I quickly retraced over the Bellarios illustration in the book and found Commander Jerome Saintred.
"Hmm, you want only the 4th squad to hunt it?"
"It's the essence we need. I'm sure we agreed to acknowledge ownership for what we obtained ourselves."
"That's true, but is it really necessary? Let the other squads hunt too; time's too precious. Of course, we'll share the essence if it drops."
Jerome seemed to think the drop chance was low, but he not only agreed readily but also offered to help with the hunt.
Therefore….
"I'll summon it!"
I butted in and summoned Bellarios.
"Kill it!"
Bellarios's sleek scales that appeared between the stone doors were quickly shredded by knights and archers, and within less than a minute after battle started, it vanished into light.
Swoooooosh-!
A large magic stone.
And it left only its essence behind.
"The essence… actually dropped. Huh? Baron, where are you going? Ah, could it be… you need the essence…?"
"Yeah, that was me."
Ignoring Jerome's somewhat surprised look, I quickly ran to absorb the essence.
「[Essence of Bellarios] seeps into the character's soul.」
Yeah, finally eating this too.
"Behel—raaaaaaa!!!"
The day of completing the shield barbarian is not far off.
-x-X-x-
Bellarios.
A grade 3 monster possessing a skill specialized in magic damage defense—my only real weakness.
The base stats this essence provides are as follows:
Magic resistance +200.
An extraordinarily high magic resistance level unseen in any other monster.
And….
All attribute affinity +30.
Water, fire, wind, earth, and so on. No matter what elemental skill is used, this affinity amplifies its effectiveness.
'That's all there is.'
These two stats are all that Bellarios has.
If anything else were added, the balance would become weird.
'Tch.'
I've always wondered if it would be better to have resistance instead of affinity.
Of course, affinity itself is incredibly valuable and a very important stat in this game…
Unless you raised Flame Baba or Earth Baba.
Unfortunately, the Shield Baba hardly ever uses it.
'The only skill currently benefiting is Stormgush.'
Classified as wind attribute, [Eye of the Storm] and the water attribute [Invocation] both gain some performance boost from affinity.
Though these skills will eventually be erased, so it doesn't matter much.
'…The important thing is the skill.'
It's a pity the stats don't have dual stats or resistance values attached, but considering the skills, it's not a big loss.
Stats can always be filled in.
(P) Ring of Circulation — When a grade 3 or higher monster dies within radius, there is a chance to increase stats.
A passive that increases stats.
In some ways, it's similar to the Manticore's [Inheritance], which increases stats by consuming magic stones, but there is a crucial difference.
[Ring of Circulation] has no limits.
Well, as stats increase, activation chance decreases, so after a total of 400, it almost doesn't go up anymore.
Anyway.
(A) Scale of Greed — Adds additional correction proportional to magic resistance.
Ultimately, the core of this essence is its active skill.
'Deep Sea Giant has 35, Bayon has 20, Ogre 80, Bellarios 200.'
Add 40 gained by deleting [Inheritance].
And 8 obtained through potions while running the Rift…
'Total 383.'
But that's not the end.
Add 30% from the Earth Dragon blessing to 383…
'497.9.'
Unfortunately, just shy of 500.
But here's why [Gigantism] is the core skill, again.
Because the Earth Dragon blessing wasn't even part of the Shield Baba's build.
「The character cast [Gigantism].」
「The character's physique grows, increasing threat and physical stats proportionally to size.」
Without using the [Transcendence] Gigantism or buffing stats further with [Wild Outburst].
Still, this is enough to surpass 500 easily.
「The character cast [Scale of Greed].」
As soon as I used the skill, blue scales sprouted over my thick barbarian skin.
"Oh! Bjorn is evolving into a Lizardman!"
A lizardman, huh? A bit disappointing.
I glanced down at my suddenly changed body and smiled slyly.
「The character's magic resistance is over 500.」
「All received magic damage is reduced by 50%.」
「Physical resistance increases proportionally to absorbed magic damage.」
At last, I acquired the Barbarian Dragon Mode.
After eating the essence and briefly reveling in trying out the skill,
"Congratulations on your achievement, Baron. However, for now, I ask that you resume the mission."
Jerome's timely remark dragged me back to the hunting grounds.
Ugh, who else but a fool obsessed with the mission?
It was a bit annoying, but considering efficiency, it wasn't a bad thing.
「Defeated Bantao.」
「Defeated Elder Wyvern.」
「Defeated Flitwinder…」
Now, every grade 3 monster killed is a gain.
Swoosh!
After killing about seven, a thing like an angelic ring formed above my head, drawing in the fading light orbs from defeated enemies.
It was the effect of [Ring of Circulation] activating.
Having seen it activate on Auyen a few times, it wasn't particularly surprising.
「Magic resistance permanently increased by +1.」
「Natural regeneration permanently increased by +1.」
But without a system message, I don't know exactly what went up. I'll have to check my stats periodically at the mana tower.
Most likely, physical stats increased too.
'This time it was a close call. From now on, stick closer.'
[Ring of Circulation] has an activation mechanism.
If a defeated monster is within 1m radius, the chance of increasing physical stats rises significantly; within 5m radius, it's completely random.
If more than 10m away, it's influenced by stats related to supernatural abilities.
Ah, naturally, I researched this myself.
"Pause! Squad 3 and temporary squad 4, relieve squads 1 and 2!"
Some time later.
The headquarters ordered a shift change.
The knights chatting cheered, but I was an exception.
'Ah… I just want to keep stacking stats here.'
When else will I have a chance to kill so many grade 3 or higher monsters?
I want to soak up the benefits while with the expedition.
But….
"Baron, since you have no prior experience leading troops, you might not know well, but discipline is discipline. It must be obeyed."
Commander Jerome cut down my request sharply.
He said that once a precedent is set, someone will abuse it.
Since arguing won't add any flexibility, I had no choice but to resign myself and turn away.
Bang! Kwang! Pazzzz!
Leaving the stone door behind, as I moved up and down the towering bookshelves ferrying books, I could clearly see the battle unfolding below.
Whoooosh!
The knights' colorful auras flashed.
Swoosh!
With priests' heals pouring out over the battlefield, the knights swung their swords without fear of injury.
And then.
"Ihiliat Bendai Tiulon!"
Dozens of mages combined spells and unleashed overwhelming firepower.
This was why I hurried to obtain this essence, even if it meant squeezing every last drop from my fountain pen.
I must prepare for the worst.
'There are way too many mages.'
If they turned against me now, I judged it would be hard to respond properly.
'At least I could put up minimal resistance now.'
Phew, speaking of which, I should feed essence to Amelia too.
But I feel awkward using my last fountain pen again.
Maybe if I wait, I'll be lucky.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?"
"Why are you always so curious about what I'm thinking?"
"Hahaha… I wonder why..."
"You're silly..."
While pondering, I kept fetching books, and soon the time came to switch shifts again, and the day ended.
Such days repeated many times.
Day 114 since entering the labyrinth.
4 PM.
Only eight hours remained until the rainy season.
"Commander, we've reached the last bookshelf."
The end of the library assault was near.
Honestly, I was a bit surprised.
I didn't expect to reach the library's end content in just a week.
Compared to us, who had hunted for over a month but only reached grade 3 or 2 monsters, this speed was incomparable.
However, there's a justification.
Their goal wasn't hunting but progressing.
Unlike us who summoned as many grade 3 monsters as possible, the expedition took out only one book per floor and summoned monsters to increase floor levels.
And the result.
"Until further notice, all troops may rest freely!"
For the first time, the royal army, which never stopped summoning until late at night, halted all missions and ordered the troops to rest.
Of course, the leadership was exempt.
"Now, let's begin the meeting."
While everyone rested to recover stamina and mana, the leadership, including me, gathered for a meeting.
All wore grim expressions.
I knew from Hemsik that there were grade 1 monsters in the last book…
But they didn't.
"Just as suspected, grade 1 monsters appeared in the last book."
The deputy commander's voice was cold, stiff, and slightly trembling.
Of course, it didn't change what needed to be done.
"I must inform you in advance that the commander has resolved to continue the mission even if the enemy is a grade 1 monster."
Though I expected this, it caused some unrest among the expedition leadership.
"Grade 1 monsters… will surely cause severe casualties."
"I question whether this mission is worth that cost."
I understood their feelings well.
There have been sacrifices even getting here.
"Commander, seven soldiers have already fallen!"
Seven died during battle.
Six were knights from the expedition.
One was a warrior from the Armin exploration team.
No matter how many priests there are, instant death leaves no chance to help.
'These days, losing limbs is common.'
The previous summoning book alone produced two grade 2 and four grade 3 monsters, and now everyone participates in combat, not just some squads.
Even so, more than twenty limbs were lost in battle.
Priests healed them all after the fight.
What if a grade 1 monster appeared in this situation?
"If further casualties occur here, it will be a great loss even for the royal family—"
A knight voiced concern, but Commander Jerome cut him off immediately.
"Enough."
"...."
"This is a sacred mission granted by the royal family. Therefore, we must carry it out, no matter what sacrifices follow."
As a military with strict hierarchy, once Jerome spoke decisively, the nervous knight fell silent.
The deputy commander glanced around and resumed the meeting.
"Whether to proceed with the mission is not on today's agenda."
The only reason Jerome gathered all commanders for a meeting was one:
"Among the seven confirmed monster species, anyone may freely suggest which to summon."
Which summon would be the most rational choice?
As the meeting officially began, various opinions emerged, and I silently evaluated them one by one.
"I believe Leviathan is the best choice. This isn't the sea, right? Since Leviathan benefits greatly from aquatic terrain, the difficulty should be relatively low."
Leviathan was immediately dismissed.
Though a plausible argument, our team isn't equipped to catch Leviathan.
"How about Tol-Rapufa? It's a monster specialized in defense, so if we invest enough time, I think it's the option that would cause the least damage."
This was dismissed too.
Though there are many knights, the expedition's core dealers are mages.
This team can never break through its shell.
"I think summoning Kashan is the right choice—"
"Well, I think Ridger is a much better opponent than Kashan—"
The leadership exchanged opinions, sometimes contradicting or agreeing with one another.
But to me, it all seemed pointless.
Grade 1 monsters are legendary beasts rarely fought directly, so their presented arguments lacked reality.
'In the end, do I have to step in?'
Even if it's game talk, I've hunted countless grade 1 monsters.
This meeting felt meaningless to me.
Just watching them discuss who to summon to minimize damage showed no one considered failure.
They all truly believed whichever of the seven they summoned, they'd win…
"Come to think of it, Baron, you've been silent."
"…Me?"
"Don't you have an opinion, Baron?"
Ah, that.
I was wondering when to speak, but they set me up nicely.
"I do."
The leadership at once showed strong interest and focused on me.
"If we summon one, it has to be Kashan."
That blunt statement made their eyes shine.
"You mean the wolf from the prophecy?"
"Baron, you share my opinion."
Some looked surprised; others pleased their opinion «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» matched mine.
And…
"If I may ask, why must it be Kashan?"
The expedition's top-ranked mage asked with a somewhat condescending look, as if seeing a brainless barbarian.
'He was the one for Leviathan.'
The senior mage lectured me.
"Kashan is the most aggressive of the monsters mentioned. Our expedition will surely suffer great casualties."
Bah, just because you know some magic and studied a little, doesn't mean you've mastered it all.
"But if you have a reason to insist on Kashan over the others, speak up. If you fail to convince us—"
"I have a reason."
"…Huh?"
I'm not sure why this old man seemed surprised that I said I had a reason after asking me to explain first.
I quickly continued.
"Tol-Rapufa, Leviathan, or whatever—they're not options."
"...What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, Kashan is the only one we can catch."
The rest? Not even in a million years.
-x-X-x-
Monsters also have something called recognition.
For example, if you mention Bellarios to ordinary people, a hundred out of a hundred would respond that they've never heard of it.
But when you talk about ogres, orcs, trolls, goblins, minotaurs,
immediately, they form an image in their mind.
So, what's the difference between those two?
"Folklore."
In my view, it's about whether or not there's a story.
Just like Earthlings grow up hearing fairy tales like The Little Mermaid or The Nutcracker, the locals here grow up listening to such stories too.
The cunning goblin.
The ignorant orc.
The labyrinth's minotaur.
The forest tyrant ogre.
Monsters that have stories often come with such prefixes, and that applies even to first-grade monsters.
"…Have you all heard? We might have to fight monsters like Kashan and Leviathan."
"You mean the prophesied wolf and the sea god?"
Prophecy Wolf Kashan.
Sea God Leviathan.
Sometimes, they're even called just by their prefixes, so at first, you might not know what they mean, only to look it up later and understand what they refer to.
Anyway, that's not the important part.
"…If we truly meet and defeat them, it would indeed be a legendary feat."
"I'm a bit worried. Is it even possible for us alone to handle such beasts…?"
Everyone already knew they'd be hunting first-grade monsters.
Even within the expedition team, public opinion was split.
"Haha, you worry too much. Honestly, meeting them is so rare they're treated like legends, but essentially, aren't they just monsters? With our current strength, we can definitely handle it."
"Hmm, I hope you're right…"
Some were optimistic, others uneasy.
As if to confirm the mood, Jerome glanced around, then the mage waiting beside him quickly activated voice-command magic again.
"So you say we can't catch anything but Kashan… Baron, could you elaborate?"
"There's nothing more to say. Just take it as it is. So you decide whether to follow the mage's words or the explorer's."
At my words, the old mage beside me chuckled heartily. Ah, though his mouth smiled, his eyes did not.
"I understand the Baron values experience, but we are people who have spent decades digging through records and gaining knowledge."
"And?"
"I cannot accept that we have only one option. In the case of the most recently slain first-grade monster, only forty people participated in the battle. And…"
The old mage shrugged his shoulders, glanced at the expedition troops gathered around, and only then did I realize where their confidence came from.
"You think that because forty people did it, you can too."
"Exactly. The kingdom has carefully selected two hundred of the best talents, so there's no way we can't succeed."
"First, let me check this. The forty you mentioned—are you talking about the Boat Clan disbanded decades ago due to dimensional collapse?"
The old mage looked slightly surprised at my question.
"…You know about that?"
Of course, I didn't rely solely on in-game knowledge and studied a lot.
"As far as I know, each of them was the kingdom's top explorer. And they prepared for over half a year. For just one battle, they spent hundreds of millions of stones to buy all the necessary items."
"We in our expedition also have plenty of supplies—"
"Sir Vesillus, please do not interrupt the Baron."
Jerome quietly silenced the old mage who was about to retort, which allowed me to continue more comfortably.
"You say supplies are enough? Impossible. Until just an hour ago, we never even imagined facing a first-grade monster. Or do you think potions and scrolls can take down such a beast?"
The old mage sneered in reply.
"According to the Baron's logic, Kashan wouldn't be any different, right? Both sides are equally unprepared."
Yeah, I expected that reply.
Without giving him a chance, I spoke again.
"Kashan is the first-grade monster with the lowest durability."
"But Kashan is also highly aggressive."
"That's why it's possible to catch it."
"…On what grounds do you say that?"
He asked for evidence, so I pointed at myself with my thumb.
"Because I'm here."
"…?"
"I can suppress the creature as much as possible."
"Huh…!"
The old mage was momentarily speechless at my confident statement, so I quickly provided other rational reasons.
"Besides, Kashan has no widely known strategies. That means it's a creature you can catch without such preparations. Although there will be some casualties, with Kashan, we can surely win."
"What do you think about that, Sir Vesillus?"
"…If interpreted that way, any monster can be caught, and at the same time, none can."
His words only denied mine without any convincing reasoning.
But Jerome said nothing further about it.
"I see."
Jerome nodded thoughtfully, lost in thought, while the old mage whispered like a schemer.
"Commander Saintred, how about asking everyone and deciding? Whether to summon Leviathan as I suggest or to follow the Baron's plan."
Simply put, he wanted to hold a vote.
I couldn't stand that.
It was obvious whether people would believe the barbarian or the old mage.
'Not a bad trick.'
I had to stop that vote at all costs.
Just as I was about to open my mouth,
"Impossible."
Jerome's solemn voice echoed.
"Impossible? Why?"
"Are you passing responsibility to your subordinates because you can't even choose between two options? Sir Vesillus, such a commander will never gain genuine trust from anyone."
"…I'm not passing responsibility; I'm only asking for opinions—"
"Same difference. A commander is one who decides and takes responsibility for that decision."
Jerome dismissed the old mage's words and firmly ended the matter.
"Fine, it's decided."
"Decided?"
"We will summon Kashan, the Prophesied Wolf."
In the atmosphere where no one dared speak, Jerome continued.
"This is a decision I made entirely by myself, and I will take full responsibility for any consequences from this judgment."
"…"
"So prepare accordingly."
Other leaders could only say one thing in response to his charisma.
"Nia Lapdonia…!"
Huh, the kingdom really has many talents.
After the meeting ended,
while I was sharing the results with our Squad 4 members, Jerome came to find me.
"Baron, can we talk for a moment?"
"Of course."
Without needing to go somewhere secluded, everyone made way discreetly at the commander's appearance, and the mage even cast voice-command magic.
"Ha ha, I didn't intend to disturb you this much."
"They say a heavy head is a good head."
"…Is there such a saying?"
"No, I made it up."
"…"
"So, what is it?"
Jerome quickly got to the point after I asked.
"Sir Vesillus told me not to worry too much because he'll manage things."
"Manage…?"
"There was friction between you and the mage tower, right? Maybe that's why some deliberately refuse to acknowledge your words and act stubborn."
"…Did he know about Kashan?"
"Not much more than everyone else. Actually, I just heard about the Boat Clan earlier too. I'm not an explorer."
"…Then how did you know the mage deliberately refused to accept it?"
"He might lack exploration experience, but he's not ignorant of people. Besides, Sir Vesillus is easy to read."
That was unexpected.
Breaking down stone gates and such, I thought he was a simpleton who only did the tough work and left headaches to the deputy commander.
'Guess not.'
Those types are the hardest.
They naturally distinguish when to use strength and when to use their head.
In a way, he's similar to me…
"Anyway, don't hate him too much. Until we leave this place, whether we like it or not, we're comrades."
"Don't worry. I wasn't paying attention anyway."
"Haha, is that so?"
"By the way… you're having a tough time too."
"Well, I don't think of it as hardship…"
"Guess you were born a soldier."
"Ha ha, Baron, how about joining the army? I think you'd adapt well."
Ugh, what a terrible idea.
'Still, it's unexpected. I didn't think we'd get along so well.'
Maybe we could be friends from now on—
"By the way, Baron."
"…Yeah?"
"May I ask a favor?"
"A favor?"
"The more I see you, the more you remind me of someone from my memories. So, though it probably can't be, …"
Jerome ominously set the stage, then handed me an object he had between his arm and waist.
"Here, try this on."
It was a helmet that covered the entire face.
"…I'm, I'm hungry, so I'll go first!"
—Friendship? No chance.
I'll just avoid this guy as much as possible from now on.
The first-grade beast type, the Prophesied Wolf Kashan.
Though it was decided to summon him, we hadn't started the raid right away.
First-grade monsters are not easy opponents.
We need to be in perfect condition, with full HP and MP…
"All troops, listen up! Sir Vesillus will now explain the characteristics of the monster we'll face!"
Before planning strategy, understanding the patterns is essential.
We can't just pick and choose like when summoning third- or second-grade monsters, or we won't be prepared for variables.
"Ahem, greetings, everyone. As you know, I'm Gahwyn Vesillus, the chief mage of the First Expeditionary Force. I'll now explain the traits of the Prophesied Wolf, Kashan. First, the origin of his name is…"
The old mage's explanation, filled with theory and knowledge, was boring beyond words, but since our lives were on the line, everyone listened attentively.
Ah, everyone except one person.
Rrrrgrrrr! Rrrrrrrrgrr!
I looked at Ainar, who was snoring deeply, and saw veins popping on the old mage's forehead, but since I seemed bothered, he passed it over silently.
'Later, I'll have to explain things in barbarian style just for him.'
Anyway, after the theory lesson, the leadership meeting was held again.
Positioning, what supplies to use, how to cycle damage during the raid, and so on.
We discussed for hours with no unexpected advice to give because there really wasn't anything to fix.
"Saintred, have you ever fought a monster like this before?"
"Hmm… if you find anything lacking, tell me. I'm all ears."
Uh… that wasn't a challenge.
I told Jerome I was just surprised because there was nothing to find fault with, and he smiled happily, humbly replying.
"Good thing I took labyrinth ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ tactics in my youth."
"Labyrinth tactics? Do knights learn that when they become knights?"
"Generally, no. It was just that my father was a bit unusual."
"…I see."
After the initial meeting, we all put our heads together and ran combat simulations, continuously thinking about potential variables.
'Being with many people like this feels like playing a tabletop RPG.'
Maybe because I'm used to playing Dungeon and Stone alone?
I find this kind of conversation somewhat enjoyable.
"Well, that's enough for today. Tomorrow we'll mobilize everyone for a mock battle, so get some rest early."
With the planning done, the next day we all gathered before the stone gate, familiarizing ourselves with the routes and doing battle rehearsals.
"Hey, you there! Your position's wrong! You belong here, not there!"
"Ah, sorry…!"
"What's your name?"
"Kelt Avison—"
"Wrong! Your name is a disgrace to humans!!!"
"…?"
"Do you think saying sorry is enough for military law? Are you stupid? Look! Even the barbarian Ainard knows his place!"
Though I doubted how helpful the mock battle would be in real combat, I tried to be as strict as possible.
You never know.
This might save someone's life.
"…The Baron is truly a scary man."
"I couldn't help but recall my days as a squire."
"Don't be too upset, everyone. Don't you know the Baron? He only says those things because he wants the best for us all!"
"Well… I'm sure his heart is breaking even while he acts that way."
Probably because I'd built good rapport beforehand, no one really rebelled.
"That's it. There'll be no missions until noon tomorrow, so rest well and strengthen your minds!"
After the mock battle, we set up camp earlier than usual and went to sleep.
And then at noon the next day—
"All troops, to your positions!"
"To your positions!"
"Place the book on the altar!"
Everyone stood in their places, staring at the stone gate.
Drdrdrdrdrdrdrdr-!
The stone gate opened, flashing a blue light through the gap.
And slowly from the darkness—
Kuuung—!
A four-legged beast emitting a sinister aura appeared.
「Character has been exposed to [Ominous Prophecy].」
「Luck value is fixed at -200.」
Now, let's begin.
-x-X-x-
The formation was set, each class standing in positions chosen after much deliberation.
Melee dealers were placed among ranged ones, while squads made up solely of knights stood on the flanks.
This was no crude formation with ranged simply in the back and melee upfront.
Everyone took positions to maximize stability and enable strategic action in various situations.
I was no exception.
Tight.
My position was right in front of the stone gate.
And notably, no comrades surrounded me.
Which meant only one thing.
"..."
From now on, I alone must withstand that beast.
Of course, that didn't mean I was displeased.
I agreed this was the best method.
[Grrr...]
The beast from the story appeared between the stone gates, letting out a low growl, scanning me with its gaze.
Well, it might find it strange to face a single person standing there with just a shield.
'Eyeing me.'
Maybe because it was my first time facing a first-grade monster?
I tensed up without realizing it, my joints stiffening.
But the stronger the enemy, the more the barbarian's fighting spirit flares.
Tight.
I clenched the shield tightly and looked up at the creature.
Its body was twice as large as mine, even in my [Giant Form].
Considering it was a quadruped, it was effectively several times bigger.
On top of that colossal body were three tails with red fur and eyes that looked like they belonged in mythology, surrounded by a dark red mist, exuding a mystical aura.
So what of it?
"Well, haven't you seen a barbarian before?"
It tilted its head slightly, like a dog hearing human speech.
It was the perfect moment to begin the battle.
"Behel—Raaaaaaaaa!!"
With a battle cry, I swung with all my might.
Thud—!
I struck its snout full power, but the beast didn't even twitch, as if it were merely tickled.
Still, did my first strike count?
"...!"
It was impossible to follow with the naked eye.
When I regained focus, its massive jaws were clamping down on my shield, biting up and down.
Surprisingly, laughter escaped me despite the shock.
Normally, a shield caught in those jaws would have turned to scrap.
But mine was different.
'It's indestructible, damn it.'
No matter the first-grade monster, it couldn't break a shield with the "indestructible" option stamped on it.
The problem was, I was weaker in strength.
'Oh? Damn…!'
The beast bit the shield and lifted me up, shaking its head wildly.
I felt like I was going to get motion sickness, but letting go of the shield here would be madness, so I held on as hard as I could.
Fortunately, reinforcements arrived soon after.
「Gahwyn Vesillus casts the first-grade offensive spell [Orb of Cataclysm].」
The expedition's chief mage gathered magic power from dozens of mages to complete a first-grade offensive spell.
——————!
A flash lit up, and when I came to, I was rolling awkwardly on the ground.
I quickly got up and checked the center of the battlefield, seeing the beast badly injured.
[Groooooo—!!]
Its hind leg was hit, fur burned off, limping badly.
But I was perfectly fine.
Sure, it was a first-grade spell detonated right beside me…
But unlike in the Bloodred Fortress, I wasn't turned into raw meat.
「The damage was dealt by a bonded ally.」
「The Light of Trust protects the character from said damage.」
I had already cast a bonding spell with the old mage.
That's why my "trust" stat was 12.
Not taking damage from allies was an enormous advantage in this world.
'They need to gather magic and chant again, so the next bombardment will be in about 3 minutes.'
From now on, everyone had plenty to do.
Three minutes isn't short when fighting a first-grade monster.
「Kashan casts [Sammyan].」
Its three tails spread wide, the eyes on their tips opening big.
And then…
Pew! Pew! Pew-!
Like a railgun from a movie, beams shot out.
'Left tail curses magic damage, right tail lowers defense against physical damage, center tail summons token mobs with mixed damage.'
Recalling the effects of each tail, I blocked the beams as best I could.
「Defense successful.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
「Defense successful.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
「Defense successful.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all dam…」
Normally, it was a skill that struck indiscriminately, but maybe due to high threat, all attacks targeted me.
However…
「Character loses balance.」
While I was blocking well, suddenly my foot slipped, losing my stance.
The beam struck my body, exploiting the gap.
Fortunately, it wasn't serious…
「All damage received by character is increased by 10%.」
That was the defense-lowering tail, right?
I couldn't let the stacks get too high.
'Damn luck.'
Normally, I wouldn't have made such a mistake.
But I don't blame myself.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't a mistake but an effect of its skill.
The [Ominous Prophecy] fixed my luck stat ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) at -200.
In this aura, countless such things happen during battle.
Like this.
「Evasion failed.」
A blow I thought I dodged pierced me.
「Critical hit.」
「Damage taken by character is greatly increased.」
My arm went numb from a blow that could've broken joints.
Meanwhile…
「Kashan casts [Life Leech].」
Translucent red threads drew from the bodies of all expedition members in the library, connecting them to Kashan.
Its only healing skill.
With over 200 people inside, its injuries healed quickly, but since we knew how to counter it, it wasn't a big problem.
Fortunately, 80% of our melee were knights.
"Cut the threads!"
"Use your auras!"
As soon as the threads appeared, knights placed around swiftly sliced them, interrupting the healing.
Normally, the threads took half a dozen hits to cut, but in front of an aura with 90% physical and magic resistance ignore, they were instantly severed.
'Okay, healing interrupted.'
There was a cooldown, so about two minutes remained before it could heal again.
"Charge!!"
At the commander's order, dozens of knights drew swords and charged the beast.
Still, after over a week of fighting and living together…
The fear that it might suddenly turn on us remained, but somehow, I secretly hoped.
"Nia Lapdonia…!"
I hoped many would survive.
Screech, thud-! Ka-bang-!
The knights' auras ensured reliable damage, while ranged dealers with firepower worthy of expedition membership tore Kashan's hide apart in real time.
This was a strategy impossible under normal circumstances.
First-grade monsters require insanely high threat levels.
'If threat level exceeds 500, all monsters prioritize attacking the wearer.'
Without the 'Aegis Barrier' effect with this trait, knights would have been shredded by its teeth and claws by now.
'Still, the firepower's good. They might have beaten it even without me.'
Ah, after losing about a hundred men, that is.
How many lives did I save just by being here?
I hope the commander recognizes my contribution—
「Kashan casts [Flame of Doom].」
Then, red shadows began to spread on the ground.
The second most dangerous thing we judged in preparation.
"Evacuate immediately!!"
The deputy commander playing operator screamed at the top of his lungs.
Ka-bang-!
A pillar of flame shot up from the area where the shadow had appeared for about a second.
It was almost an instant-wide area attack.
'That's where Raven is…'
In a dizzy moment, I turned my head to check and saw Raven being dragged out by Ainard's collar through fleeing panicked mages.
'Phew… safe.'
But it was too early to be completely relieved.
[Flame of Doom] had follow-up hits.
"Mages, set up protective barriers!"
The deputy commander's order was immediately followed by mages activating protective wards.
Unlike the first hit, the follow-up had much less damage and could be blocked by wards…
Swoosh—!
Barriers formed around the fiery pillar's base one after another.
And then…
Tudududududu—
Dodging the rain of fire, rear forces rushed into the barriers.
But unfortunately, some failed to evacuate.
"No, no…!"
"…Aaaah!"
A mage and the archer assigned to aid his evacuation were engulfed by the fire rain and melted away.
Seeing their deaths, a knight grit his teeth and shouted.
"Elton Passior from Squad 2, Quilcon Vetlrun from Squad 3, and two more warriors!"
In any situation, battle reports come first in a soldier's mind.
'I need to focus too.'
First-grade monsters' skills should be considered instant death.
Even a beam from [Sammyan] would kill a dealer in one hit.
If I don't do my job well, people will die.
So…
"Behel—Raaaaaaaaa!!"
I cast [Wild Surge], raising my threat once more, then clung tightly to the beast.
Time passed.
"The chant is complete!"
"Squads, all fall back!"
As the magic finished, the knights who had surrounded me all stepped back.
Then once again—
———————!
The first-grade magic hit the beast's body squarely.
Was this time a more lethal spot?
「Kashan casts [Flame of Doom].」
At the same time the beast used another area attack—
「Kashan casts [Death Sentence].」
It unleashed a new skill.
The one we had judged most dangerous during simulations.
[Death Sentence].
It sounds like an instant death skill, but strictly speaking, it isn't.
It's just very similar.
「The next damage dealt increases greatly in proportion to the luck stat.」
Damage amplification depending on luck.
'[Death Sentence] damage amplification is 200% per 10 luck.'
Exactly the essence of a first-grade monster.
But the problem here was Kashan's base luck stat.
According to extensive research, Kashan's luck is about 500.
Which means…
'10,000%.'
If hit, you're basically dead.
A first-grade monster's normal attack can kill even high-ranking knights in one or two hits.
Even I, with high physical resistance, would have my bones broken if I failed to block it.
Of course, if I properly 'guard' with my shield, I'd take no damage…
「Defense successful.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
The problem is, it all depends on luck.
'Phew…'
Fortunately, I successfully blocked the first [Death Sentence].
But maybe because I knew there was no guarantee it would happen next time?
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
My heart pounded and suddenly my legs weakened.
Forcing strength into them, I calculated how many times were left.
'Three to four.'
If I can take it down quickly, three.
If slower, four.
The number of [Death Sentence] attacks I must endure.
'Can I block them all properly?'
I chuckled to myself.
Whether I block them or not wasn't the point.
Even if I fail, I'll endure.
Even if my limbs are torn off, my insides burst, I'll stand and fight.
Then it's all solved.
「Kashan casts [Life Leech].」
Thus, a large-scale battle like I had never experienced before continued.
Everyone did their best in their roles.
「Kashan casts [Flame of Doom].」
Flame pillars soared again, reports of casualties came in, and the only consolation was that my comrades' names were not among the dead.
「Gahwyn Vesillus casts the first-grade offensive spell [Orb of Cataclysm].」
For the third time, the spell struck its head.
True to its rank, the monster still moved stubbornly, glaring at me.
「Defense successful.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
I was lucky to block the second [Death Sentence].
「Kashan casts [Cross of Fate].」
The beast cast a skill used when its HP fell below 50%.
Pew! Pew! Pew!
Even then, beams from its tails kept flying toward me, occasionally piercing my defenses.
Damage increased, curses stacked.
「The plague wolves charge the area with the highest density.」
Token monsters were summoned.
Meanwhile, [Flame of Doom] exploded at my position.
With it charging, evasion was impossible.
「Character's HP is below 20%.」
「Passive skill [Path of the Hero] raises all resistances and defenses.」
My body felt like melting, but I didn't actually melt.
Flesh was seared and torn, organs cooked, breathing was difficult, but thanks to magic resistance, I avoided instant death.
And so, I wouldn't fall.
Swoosh—!
Receiving the priest's heal, I gripped my shield and stepped forward.
And then—
「Kashan casts [Death Sentence].」
The third [Death Sentence] was cast at a perfect moment.
"..."
Time seemed to slow, my mind accelerated.
Only one question filled my head.
'In this state.'
Could I survive getting hit by that?
I asked myself and the answer was simple.
No, I couldn't survive.
Like 1 plus 1 equals 2 — such obvious cause and effect.
The moment I realized it, my vision whitened.
But time never stopped.
「Defense successful.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
The beast's swung paw slammed down on my shield.
Truly, I blocked it properly without suddenly falling or such mishaps…
"..."
It didn't feel real.
Did I really, truly survive?
"Kuh-uck…!"
Oxygen flowed through my open mouth.
I must have unconsciously forgotten to breathe.
Taking a deep breath at once, my still-burning lungs felt like they were on fire.
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
Even so, my heart pounded wildly.
And then—
"Elwen Fornaci di Tersia summons [Dark Spirit King Dichloe]."
A familiar dark orb began firing wildly.
The moment for the expedition to unleash their concentrated firepower had finally come…
'Yeah, with this condition, we can probably finish it before the fourth one—.'
Variables always come unexpectedly.
"Uh…?"
Suddenly, my foot slipped as if I stepped on something slippery, sliding forward.
「Character trips over foot and falls.」
When I came to, the only thing before me was—
Not the towering library ceiling, but the beast's jaws, poised to strike.
Crunch, crunch.
The sound of the beast chewing my head whole.
Huge teeth scraping against my skull.
Hearing that, I thought—
'That's unexpected.'
My senses were sharp, but I didn't feel much pain.
「Character has sustained serious brain damage.」
「Character falls unconscious.」
That was my last memory.
"Elwen Fornaci di Tersia casts [Focused Shot]."
"Kashan has been defeated. EXP +9."
"Achievement unlocked."
Condition: First first-grade monster defeated.
Reward: Soul power permanently increases by +10.
"Record viewing privileges granted to the top contributor."
"The hidden First Expeditionary Record Archive has been revealed."
"Character is recovering."
"Character is recovering."
"Character is recovering."
"Character is recov…"
"..."