C103, 104, 105
Chapter 103: Mafia (2)
Honestly, the first thing that came to mind when I saw the bear-like man’s crossbow was…
Is it actually possible to use that as a weapon?
Surprisingly, the answer is yes.
Whoosh!
Contrary to my doubts, the bear-like man skillfully loads the crossbow with an arrow and shoots, aiming precisely for the head.
However…
“Tsk, it blocked it.”
The Yeti avoids instant death by blocking the arrow with both hands.
Of course, it’s literally just avoiding instant death.
Its both hands are skewered by the arrow.
The Yeti groans and tries to pull them out, but the arrows don’t budge.
It doesn’t seem like the arrows are anything special…
‘Could it be [Grappling Arrow]?’
There’s a skill that comes to mind, but I’m not sure.
And it’s not something to think about now.
[Kiiiiiiik!!]
The Yeti charges towards us, stomping its feet.
Since both of its hands are disabled, it doesn’t look particularly threatening.
But what’s this?
“You guys take care of the rest.”
The bear-like man slings the crossbow back onto his back as if he’s finished his job.
He could finish it off with just one more arrow, but the reason he’s acting like this is probably because he doesn’t want to work for free.
‘Is it because he’s an explorer? He’s really calculating.’
To prevent any objections to the loot distribution later, I also grab my shield and charge forward.
“…What the hell is he doing!”
I hear Kalson exclaiming in surprise.
It must seem impossible for even a barbarian to block such a monster head-on.
But that’s only for ordinary barbarians.
I form a wall with my shield and stop the Yeti’s charge.
Kwaaang!
A heavy impact is applied, but this much is nothing.
Since I absorbed the Orc Hero’s essence, there’s almost no chance of me being overpowered in terms of strength. And besides, the Yeti is only about 1 meter taller than me.
「Character takes cold damage from [Chills].」
My bones feel cold, but it’s not painful.
“Michelle!”
“Ah, yes!”
Misha, who was momentarily frozen, steps on my shoulder and jumps.
And with the sword she’s now proficient in…
Thump!
…she stabs both of the Yeti’s eyes from bottom to top.
Unlike the dagger she used before, the sharp blade is enough to pierce through the Yeti’s brain.
Thud!
The Yeti collapses to the ground with a heavy thud and disappears into light.
「Killed Yeti. EXP +3」
Unfortunately, no essence drops.
Tsk, if it had dropped, I would have fed it to Misha right away.
‘A dud to start with, huh.’
Excluding the guardian, there are only five monsters left whose essences are suitable for Misha.
“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that? Di, did I do something wrong?”
…One of them will drop, right?
_______________________
“You two have good synergy.”
We resume our journey after the bear-like man’s brief comment. We enter the ice cave and proceed in formation, defeating countless 9th-grade monsters, ‘Frost Wolves’.
Because that’s all there is in this area.
「Killed Frost Wolf. EXP +1」
Anyway, Misha and I did most of the work here.
Well, the bear-like man also killed wolves with his crossbow…
…but it wasn’t comparable to Misha and me.
‘He has high single-target damage, but no AoE?’
We continue to analyze the bear-like man as we navigate the cave, and the first chapter comes to an end.
For reference, it took exactly 6 hours to get here.
Because we had to wander around a lot.
‘…It didn’t appear here either.’
Actually, if I had taken the lead, we could have cleared this chapter in 1 hour. Because the terrain features are the same as the underground prison in the Crimson Fortress.
‘Left, left, right, right, left, 7 consecutive straights, left…’
Pillars appear at regular intervals.
If you use them to navigate, it’s easy to find your way.
But I didn’t do that on purpose to test them.
‘There’s no way this guy, who even knows how to open rifts, wouldn’t have memorized this simple pattern.’
It seems like it’s one of two things.
Either the mafia member is not a player…
…or he’s pretending not to know.
‘Well, if we keep observing him, he’ll eventually slip up.’
Anyway, we move on to the second chapter.
“This cave feels kind of creepy…”
We descend further underground via an ice staircase that appeared at the end of the cave. Even during this process, I’m carefully observing the party’s actions.
There’s a hidden piece here.
It’s nothing special, but if you destroy the third pillar, you get an elixir. It’s an item that increases cold resistance once when consumed.
‘He’s not even taking this…’
We pass the point and descend all the way down the stairs, but no one does anything suspicious.
‘Well, even if he knows, he wouldn’t do something so obvious. He can just come back and take it by himself after everything is over.’
I decide not to underestimate my opponents.
After all, it’s always better to assume that your enemies are stronger than they seem.
Well, at least that’s how I am.
“We’ve come down quite far, but it’s surprisingly bright.”
Kalson murmurs from behind me.
I feel the same way.
The ice walls emit a white light as if the entire cave is made of transparent glass.
“It’s kind of pretty.”
“Yeah, yeah, right? I thought so too.”
“Uh, but what’s that?”
Jensia, who was having a conversation with Misha on a topic that I can’t relate to, points to one spot.
It’s a huge cavern that we encountered after descending the stairs.
A totem-like object is clearly visible in the center.
“Ah! It’s glowing after I touched it.”
“Step back, it could be dangerous.”
“Ah, yes!”
Jensia is flustered, as if she made a mistake. The bear-like man chuckles.
“What are you surprised about? It seems like that’s the key.”
“Key?”
“Well, a few monsters will appear, and then the path will open up.”
Once again, the bear-like man shows his gamer-like way of thinking.
And he’s not wrong.
There are a few things to correct, but…
「A tyrant who has been sealed for a long time awakens.」
…in this chapter, it’s not just a few monsters that appear, but the final boss monster itself.
Of course, trash mobs swarm out first, but…
Drrdrdrdrdr.
The entire space vibrates and starts showering ice dust. And soon, a deafening howl echoes throughout the area.
[Groaaaaaaaaaar—!!]
It’s a roar that’s as intimidating as a Floor Master’s.
「Ancient beasts, sensing the presence of the tyrant, awaken from their long slumber.」
Clang!
The ice walls that were surrounding us start to peel off one by one, releasing beasts.
“Grrr…”
The beasts slowly rise, as if they’re still weak from being thawed.
“Wh, what should we do?”
“Huh, I didn’t expect it to be like this.”
Anyway, while the bear-like man is muttering coolly, I give the order.
“Let’s head towards the stairs. There are no walls there.”
“Right, that’s a good idea.”
The bear-like man agrees with my opinion.
And the battle begins.
In the first wave, about twenty Frost Wolves appear, and from the second wave onwards, 8th-grade monsters also start appearing little by little.
[Kyaaaak—!]
Sabertooth Tigers, Wormstones, which I already gained experience points from in the Beast’s Lair, and Ice Golems, which only appear here.
“I feel like my body is moving slowly…!”
“Oh, it’s not just me?”
Since it’s a monster that emits a slowing aura that stacks over time, I smash them with my mace as soon as they appear.
「Killed Ice Golem. EXP +2」
In the first place, it’s a rift that Misha and I came prepared to clear on our own, so there’s no real danger.
Well, ‘Jenson’ might have had to risk their lives, but…
Still, it’s better than having to deal with another wave before we can even finish them off.
‘It’s a pain in the ass if you start falling behind, but it’s a fairly manageable chapter otherwise.’
We reach the ninth wave after about 30 minutes.
And a Yeti appears once again.
Of course, it’s different from the one we encountered at the beginning.
Back then, it was just a gatekeeper, but this time, it’s more like a mid-boss level, I guess?
[Kroooo-!!]
A Yeti appears along with lower-level monsters.
The difficulty level increases several times just from that, but the one appearing this time is a ‘higher variant’.
In simpler terms, it’s a named monster.
For reference, named monsters have higher intelligence, individual names, and their own unique history…
…and they use other monsters’ abilities.
「Lord of the Snowfields, Katumba, has cast [Suppression].」
This Yeti’s additional skill is the Stone Golem’s [Suppression].
It’s the same one I was hit with by those marauder bastards before.
The way to counter it is simple.
“Keuheok! I, it’s happening again…! Everyone be careful! That bastard is using something strange… Keugh!”
Either get beaten up by surrounding mobs every time you stop, like Kalson…
“Ugh.”
…or bite your tongue to induce bleeding, like Misha was told to do beforehand.
Or…
「Character’s Magic Resistance is above a certain threshold.」
「Completely resists the effect.」
…have the Magic Resistance stat.
[Suppression] is an OP ability that temporarily incapacitates you, so it’s relatively easy to counter.
Well, that’s why it’s an 8th-grade monster, I guess.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
I use [Wild Release] to increase my aggro and charge forward.
I don’t care that ‘Jenson’ is half-dead.
If I can’t defeat this guy before the next wave, even I will be in trouble.
「Character takes cold damage from [Chills].」
As I stand in the center, the Yeti… Katumba, was it?
Anyway, this bastard and all sorts of trash mobs start clinging to me.
But I focus solely on Katumba.
It’s because the 9th and 8th-grade monsters are just tickling me at this point, and…
“Why are you doing that again alone!”
…Misha, whose pronunciation has become even worse from biting her tongue, is also following me and taking care of the surrounding mobs.
With her twin swords, it looks like she’s performing a sword dance—.
「Lord of the Snowfields, Katumba, has cast [Blizzard].」
Was it because I was momentarily distracted?
I couldn’t dodge or block the blizzard he spat out.
My skin stings because I don’t have cold resistance, but…
‘The rest of me is fine.’
Since my body regenerates in real-time, it seems like I haven’t reached the [Frostbite] status. I engage in close combat with the Yeti even more aggressively.
That’s when…
“Run if you don’t want to die.”
The bear-like man whispers to me…
…and my instincts tell me to listen to his warning.
Tadat.
The moment I push off the ground and create distance…
Whoosh!
…an arrow is shot.
And…
Kwaaang!
It explodes in a burst of flames as it pierces the Yeti’s head.
The radius is about 3 meters.
It’s not a very wide range compared to the AoE spells Raven used…
“Wh, what kind of arrow is that?!”
…but all the monsters within the radius are dead.
Therefore, I revise the information I’ve been gathering about the bear-like man.
I thought he was a single-target burst damage dealer…
「Higher Variant Kill Bonus. EXP +1」
…damn it, you had it after all.
AoE.
_______________________
Thanks to the bear-like man’s AoE…
…which I’m not even sure is actually AoE, but anyway…
…the ninth wave ends easily.
And thanks to that…
“Es, essence!”
…we have a settlement time a bit earlier than expected.
We can pick up the magic stones later, but not the essence, right?
“Two essences at once, that’s a good start.”
The bear-like man doesn’t show much interest in the essences.
He just says we can split them among ourselves?
I feel the same way.
At least halfway.
“You two can decide what to do with that red one.”
I’m not interested in the essence of who-knows-whether-it’s-a-Frost-Wolf-or-a-Sabertooth-Tiger.
But…
“We’ll take this one.”
A blue essence is floating in the spot where the Yeti was standing before it died.
Kalson asks in a stuttering voice,
“Is, is that the Yeti’s essence?”
“Yes, do you have a problem with that?”
“N, no way. No.”
As if giving up his greed, Kalson waves his hands exaggeratedly and steps back.
Although his eyes seem a bit disappointed…
Well, if you’re upset, get stronger, right?
It’s a world where strength is invincible and divine.
“Then there’s no problem.”
I then call Misha.
But did she misunderstand something again?
“Congratulations, Bjorn. You’re going to get even stronger!”
“What are you talking about? This is yours.”
“Huh? Yo, you’re giving this to me…?”
Misha, who was offering congratulations with a sincere expression, freezes.
And she asks cautiously,
“I’m not saying I don’t want it, no, I actually really want it… but I’m just asking in case, so don’t misunderstand?”
“Go ahead.”
“…How much do I have to pay for this?”
Does she think I’m some kind of evil boss?
-----------------------------------
Chapter 104: Mafia (3)
7th-grade monster, Yeti.
This guy's essence has some pretty decent stats.
[Yeti]
Strength +10, Agility +10, Bone Density +15, Cold Resistance +25, Cold Affinity +15
First of all, it has double stats, which are considered 1st tier, and Bone Density and Cold Resistance are also defensive stats classified as higher tier.
But to have Cold Affinity on top of that?
‘This should last for a few years at least.’
Affinity is a core stat for elemental damage dealers like Misha.
Just like how high Strength increases physical damage…
…the Affinity stat provides a bonus to the power of the corresponding element.
‘As expected, she’s lucky.’
I felt it in the Witch’s Forest too, but Misha is the complete opposite of me.
No matter what she does, things go smoothly, you know?
Just look at how the Yeti’s essence dropped, and in blue at that.
(P) Chills – All attacks deal additional cold-attribute damage, and the target’s Cold Resistance decreases upon taking damage.
Leaving aside the passive, which is common regardless of color…
(A) Cold Condensation – Temporarily greatly increases Cold Affinity.
Exactly what I wanted dropped among the Yeti’s active skills. [Cold Burst] isn’t bad either, but in terms of potential, this one is unmatched.
‘Tsk, if only the base stats were better, it would be a graduation-level essence.’
[Cold Condensation] shines even more in the later stages of the game.
Well, because of the problem of having too low stat bonuses, you have to remove it eventually in the later stages, but…
‘It would have been much better if Yeti were a 5th-grade monster…’
This game has a frustratingly good balance in these aspects.
That’s when…
“Ho, how much is it…”
“Huh?”
“Ho, how much is it that you’re taking so long?!”
What the, she’s still doing this?
“As you know, I spent a lot of money this time, so I don’t have that much…”
At this point, I’m starting to wonder what’s wrong with her, but when I think about it, it’s understandable.
The way explorers distribute essences is that ruthless.
When an essence drops, they first look for someone who wants to absorb it.
And if an owner is found, they pay the other party members based on the average price listed by the guild.
However…
‘It’s a pain in the ass when there’s no buyer among the team members.’
There are times when there’s no buyer not because no one needs it, but because they can’t afford the price of the essence.
No, in fact, this is the most common case.
But even in those cases, they wait 30 minutes until the essence naturally disappears and then resume the exploration.
‘They never do anything that benefits others for free.’
That’s the kind of people explorers are.
However, Misha is lucky this time too.
“Don’t worry about money. That kind of distribution is only for people who are going to part ways after a few encounters.”
“Is, is that so?”
I’m a barbarian who knows how to invest for the future.
For the sake of my safe exploration life, Misha needs to become a better damage dealer.
“Then I’ll absorb it…?”
“Why do you keep looking at me? Just absorb it already.”
“Uh, I’m really absorbing it?”
Geez, how many times do I have to say it?
Misha, who has been an explorer for a long time, seems uncomfortable receiving something for free.
“What are you hesitating for? It’s enough for me that you’ll continue to stay by my side.”
“Th, thanks for saying that… but… ah, I don’t know. I’m really absorbing it!!”
Despite her confident declaration, Misha cautiously reaches out towards the essence.
「The essence of [Yeti] seeps into Misha Kaltstein’s soul.」
The essence, emitting a blue light, is absorbed into Misha’s body.
“…Is it because it’s been 2 years? It feels really strange.”
“You’ll get used to it soon.”
I decide to explain the details of the Yeti essence to her later when we have time and turn around to look at the ‘Jenson’ group.
It seems like they’ve finished their discussion too…
“What did you decide to do with that one?”
Kalson answers cautiously at my question,
“We… decided not to absorb it.”
It’s a slightly unexpected outcome.
They’re going to discard an essence that dropped?
And they’re newbies?
“That’s… it seems like Jensia saw the essence dropping from a Frost Wolf.”
“So?”
“If it’s a Frost Wolf… I judged that it’s not a suitable essence for me.”
So that’s how it is.
I observe Kalson’s expression closely and ask,
“Do you know anything about Frost Wolves?”
9th-grade monster, Frost Wolf.
Although it’s low-ranked, it can only be encountered after reaching the 6th floor, excluding rifts, so information about it is not well-known.
But for a 1st or 2nd-floor explorer to know about this?
It’s not impossible, but it’s definitely not common.
“I… I don’t know much, but it’s a 9th-grade essence, isn’t it? And there might be better essences that drop later…”
“…I see.”
Although it’s a bit suspicious, there’s nothing wrong with his answer.
If it were outside, it might be different…
But this is a rift, where the essence drop rate is ridiculously high. It would be a waste to fill an essence slot with a 9th-grade essence when you only have one slot.
“Ah, of course, I meant we would take any leftovers, not that we have any other intentions.”
“I know, so there’s no need to make excuses.”
After finishing Kalson’s interview, it’s Jensia’s turn.
“Are you the same as this guy?”
“Yes… I only have one slot too, so I want to be a bit more careful…”
Careful, huh.
It doesn’t seem like something a swordsman who absorbed the Goblin Archer’s essence should be saying…
“That… it costs a lot of money to remove essences, right? So I don’t want to make the same mistake this time…”
So she learned a lesson from her past mistake.
This makes it hard to say anything else.
“I’m sorry. You went through the trouble of giving it up for us.”
In the end, both interviews end without any significant findings.
It’s quite disappointing.
‘Tsk, I thought I would be able to identify at least one of them for sure.’
If someone had decided to absorb this essence, I was planning to remove them from the suspect list.
But…
In the end, neither of them absorbed it, and their answers were flawless.
‘Damn it, they’re not all in cahoots, are they?’
While considering the worst-case scenario, I end my contemplation.
Because it’s almost time for the final wave to begin.
“By the way… is this really the end?”
Jensia mutters in an anxious voice.
And at that moment…
Crackle, crackle-
The extra time we gained from quickly defeating the Yeti mid-boss comes to an end, and the final wave of the second chapter begins.
The area is about four times larger than before, with the nine layers of ice walls shattered.
“There he is!”
A beast about 3 meters in diameter appears as the ceiling, which was cracked like a spiderweb, collapses.
[Groaaaaaaaaaar—!!]
Grayish-white fur covers its body.
A mane runs along its spine and covers its neck.
It’s a 7th-grade monster that walks on two legs and specializes in tearing enemies to shreds with its sharp claws.
“…Lycanthrope!”
Lycanthrope.
The bear-like man questions Misha’s shout.
“Isn’t it too big for a Lycanthrope? What’s with that club in its hand?”
It’s a valid question.
If you don’t know that this guy is the final boss of the rift we entered…
…the guardian of the Glacier Cave, Tyrant Tarunbas.
“We should be careful.”
The bear-like man, perhaps instinctively sensing that it’s not an easy opponent, warns me for the first time, looking nervous.
Of course, I roughly ignore him.
Because although it’s the final boss…
…we won’t be fighting him for a while.
“Eek, be careful!”
Everyone focuses their attention and prepares for what’s to come, seeing the appearance of this clearly unusual monster.
And that’s when…
「Tyrant Tarunbas is enraged upon discovering intruders.」
「Tyrant Tarunbas casts [Ice Crush].」
The bastard slams his club onto the ground.
Kwaaang!
A huge impact that makes the entire area tremble.
Just like the ceiling before, cracks spread across the floor like a spiderweb…
“Uh, uh?”
“Bjo, Bjorn!!”
“…The floor is collapsing!”
…and we fall as the ground collapses.
“Uwaaaaaak!!”
It’s time to move on to the third chapter.
___________________
「Character has entered a special area.」
「Field effect – Glacier Cave is applied.」
「Status effect [Hypothermia] is applied.」
「Agility is greatly reduced, and cold damage taken is doubled.」
___________________
“Puh!”
I surface and take a deep breath that I’ve been holding back, then stagger towards the ground and lie down.
Curses escape my lips involuntarily.
‘Damn reality patch.’
In the game, you just had to wait for the loading screen.
Although your HP decreased significantly, the third chapter started with you already out of the water.
But what about in reality?
‘I thought I was going to die.’
There was an underground water vein flowing where we fell.
And it was very strong.
We were swept away by the current and crashed into things here and there as we rode the rapids, and when I came to my senses, I was being thrown down a waterfall.
‘So that’s why my HP decreased.’
My whole body aches from crashing into things at every turn.
Although I desperately want to just rest for a while…
…as expected, resting doesn’t suit my destiny.
“Bjo, Bjorn! Are you okay? Come to your senses… wh, what should we do? Ah! We, we have that thing!”
I open my eyes because it’s noisy, and Misha’s face is right in front of me. I push her chin away with one hand and get up.
“Keut! What are you doing!!”
That’s what I should be saying.
“It’s not Bjorn, it’s Bjorn.”
I whisper quietly so that only Misha can hear and then quickly check the surroundings.
“Urgh! Bleugh!”
First, I see Kalson retching and vomiting water.
“Are you okay?”
Next, I see Jensia patting his back gently.
And the bear-like man…
“I’m freezing to death.”
…is warming himself by the bonfire that I don’t even know when he lit.
He gestures as our eyes meet.
“Come here if you’ve come to your senses.”
“Thanks.”
“Wow, you even carry firewood around?”
“When you travel alone, you can’t help but prepare everything.”
Was he telling the truth about soloing?
I don’t know, but for now, I go to the bonfire and dry my clothes and body. After a while, ‘Jenson’ also comes and quietly huddles up.
“…Do you happen to know where that Lycanthrope went?”
Kalson asks, shivering from the cold, and the bear-like man answers curtly,
“How would we know? It’s not like we studied beforehand. Don’t bother me while I’m resting.”
“Ah, yes… I apologize.”
Afterwards, we have time to reorganize and rest.
Everyone takes off their clothes and equipment and hangs them near the bonfire, and we have a simple meal.
However…
“It’s, it’s strangely cold.”
Even though our bodies are mostly dry and we’re continuously warming ourselves by the bonfire, the cold doesn’t go away.
It’s better than when we were completely soaked, but it’s like we can’t get warm beyond a certain point.
The bear-like man finally comes to a conclusion.
“It seems like this is a special area.”
“Special area…?”
“Ah! Are you talking about a place like the Witch’s Forest?”
“Yeah, the cold is one thing, but it’s not normal for our bodies to be this stiff.”
“Hmm, is it that cold? I don’t really feel it…”
Misha tilts her head as she looks at us shivering in front of the bonfire.
She’s not trying to be deceitful, she’s being sincere.
It’s because her cold resistance is much higher than ours.
‘She must have received much less of a penalty too.’
Misha made a contract with the Ice Beast Skadi.
And it was even the ‘Enhancement type’, which has the biggest stat bonus.
And now that she’s absorbed the Yeti’s essence…
‘Her Cold Resistance must be 40.’
40 is not a low number in [Dungeon and Stone].
Even my Pain Resistance is only 70.
Leaving aside damage reduction, with that much, you wouldn’t feel the cold easily.
“…Is it really cold?”
“It’s fine. It’s cold, but it doesn’t hurt.”
“Uh, I don’t understand…”
It’s exactly what I said.
Although I’m shivering from the cold, it doesn’t feel like pain.
However, did my answer make her feel even more sorry for me?
“Whew, you stupid barbarian.”
Misha sighs and approaches me.
And she offers a ridiculous suggestion, flapping the rolled-up blanket that she’s using instead of her drying clothes.
“Come in here, you’ll feel a bit better.”
…What is she talking about?
“Whew.”
The bear-like man whistles, so it seems like I’m not the strange one.
______________________
The preparation time takes longer than expected.
It takes a long time to dry all our clothes and equipment…
“It’s gotten quite late.”
…and it’s already been over 12 hours since we entered the rift.
Since we entered the rift around 7:00 PM, it means we haven’t slept for a total of 31 hours.
“Um… there don’t seem to be any monsters here, so how about we all get some sleep?”
In the end, everyone agrees to Kalson’s suggestion and decides to get some shut-eye, even if it’s just for a short while.
“We’ll go over there and sleep separately.”
“It’ll be cold.”
“We carry emergency firewood, you see.”
“If that’s the case, do as you please.”
Sleeping around the same bonfire is a bad idea, so we go to a secluded spot far away and light a new bonfire.
For reference, we also decide to take turns keeping watch.
Although our sleep time will be halved because of that…
…I prefer sleeping a little while alive than sleeping soundly after dying.
“Bjorn, go to sleep first.”
“Wait a moment, there’s something I need to talk about.”
“Talk about?”
Since it’s a rare opportunity for just the two of us to be alone, we put sleep aside and catch up.
The first topic is about essences.
She needs to know what she absorbed so that she can use it well in actual combat.
“Wow, you memorized all that?”
“It’s nothing special. Anyway, listen carefully from now on.”
After reciting the essence information according to this world’s standards, I lower my voice even further and continue,
“While we were coming here, did any of those three act suspiciously?”
I intentionally positioned Misha at the very back.
The superficial reason was to keep an eye on the rear until a battle broke out in the front…
…but it was mainly to monitor the party members.
Since she’s following at the very back, she should have a good view of the others’ actions.
“Hmm, suspicious behavior? I don’t think so.”
“I see. That’s good enough. If possible, please keep an eye on them a bit more carefully from now on.”
“Got it.”
After finishing our conversation, I get into my blanket and lie down.
And I retrace the words and actions of Kalson, Jensia, and the bear-like man, wondering if I missed anything.
I’ve been observing their every move today. I kept dropping hints in casual conversations and gathering clues.
As a result, I was able to identify the most likely suspect.
But…
‘As expected, there’s no decisive evidence.’
It’s still not enough to conclude that he’s the mafia.
I just need one more clue…
As my thoughts spiral and I gradually drift off to sleep…
“Um, Bjorn.”
Misha shakes my shoulder gently.
“Now that I think about it, there’s something strange…”
Although I’m tired, I listen attentively to her story.
And…
“Good job, Misha.”
“Oh, was it helpful?”
“Of course.”
More than just helpful.
The final piece of the puzzle has finally fallen into place.
I look towards the bear-like man’s bonfire and grin.
‘I was wondering which one of the three it was.’
As expected, it was you, Mafia.
---------------------------
Chapter 105: PK (1)
The one who opened the rift.
In other words, who's the mafia?
It's a question I've been pondering ever since we entered the 'Glacier Cave'.
To me, the mafia is a 'variable'.
I needed to figure out beforehand whether they would be a positive or negative variable. That's why I gathered clues, considering all possibilities without assuming the bear-like man was the mafia.
As a result...
'Right, it was her.'
I found the one who is suspected to be the mafia.
However, that's all for now.
I don't know what this bastard wants.
'Phew, I can't just kill her.'
The more I don't know her intentions, the more uneasy I feel.
After all, if she's really the mafia, there's a high chance she'll become a negative variable in the future.
However...
'I'll have to keep observing for now.'
There's only one mafia.
And she hasn't done anything yet.
That means it would be a problem if I just killed her out of the blue.
Unless I also 'silence' the two innocent ones.
Whoosh-
___________________
"Michelle, are you feeling okay?"
"...Me? I'm fine?"
Misha answers innocently, but in reality, the fatigue from yesterday must be pervasive.
Unlike Jenson and the bear-like man, we only slept for three hours each because we had to keep watch.
"Don't worry, it's better than the Witch's Forest, right?"
"That's... true."
I chuckle and shake off my worries.
Well, someone who endured that much won't falter from something like this.
"Enough with the lovey-dovey stuff, let's get going."
As soon as the bear-like man says something, Misha hurries back to her position.
The very back of the formation.
It's a position where she can immediately notice if anyone tries anything funny. If it weren't for her, I would have been hesitant to take the lead as the tank.
Thud.
As soon as I take the first step, the party follows at my pace.
'So this is what it feels like in real life, not in 2D graphics.'
A dark, icy cave.
The frozen ground is slippery, and the overall terrain is more three-dimensional than the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.
There are even steep slopes and places where the path is cut off, requiring us to use ropes to cross.
However…
"It's a relief that there seems to be only one path."
We don't get lost even without a scout.
There are occasional side paths, but they soon lead to dead ends.
We just have to follow the main path and keep moving.
While smashing the monsters that appear from the ice walls.
Thwack-!
For reference, the monsters that appear here are Wormstones, Sabertooth Tigers, Frost Wolves, Ice Golems, and Owlbears.
Unlike the Crimson Fortress, where the 7th-grade monster 'Bone Knight' appeared, most of the monsters here are 8th-grade.
'But the actual difficulty level is higher here.'
The status effect [Hypothermia].
It's a debuff field effect that decreases Agility by up to -30 and doubles cold damage taken when you don't have cold resistance.
"Miss Nayfrin, be careful. Maybe it's because my body is stiff, but these guys' attacks seem to hurt more than before."
"Ah, that's... that's why!"
As the journey continues, 'Jenson', who is taking the second row on either side of me, starts groaning.
Of course, I don't slow down out of consideration for them. Their share of the loot is practically negligible anyway.
Thwack.
It's basically just Misha, the bear-like man, and me, the one protecting the bear-like man, clearing the path, and we're finally nearing the end of the chapter.
Did it take about four hours to get here?
As we're walking through the winding passage, going up and down...
...we reach a vast cavern.
"Whew, what a sight."
Three monsters are trapped in crystal-clear ice pillars.
"Judging by their white skin, they're Ice Orcs."
"...Ice Orcs?"
"Don't worry, they're only 7th-grade."
The weapons held by the Ice Orcs are all different.
One has an axe, one has a hammer, and one has a shaman's staff.
"...Do we really have to fight them?"
"They wouldn't be here for no reason."
The bear-like man answers cynically to Jensia's mumbling.
And at that moment...
Crackle-
The ice pillars that were trapping the Ice Orcs crack and start to shatter all at once.
"They're not even giving us time to admire the view?"
Anyway, regardless of the bear-like man's relaxed response...
"Don't panic and get into formation!"
I shout urgently towards Jenson, who are fidgeting.
Because it's easier for Misha to keep an eye on them if they're in formation.
"Ah, yes!"
As soon as Jenson takes their positions on either side of me and the bear-like man retreats to a sniping position...
Kwaaang, thud thud.
The ice fragments fall, and the three Ice Orcs awaken from their slumber.
They snort fiercely, as befits mid-bosses.
[Kriiik—!]
One shaman and two warriors.
It's a well-balanced composition, and with [Hypothermia] on top of that, they're quite formidable opponents.
If you don't know the strategy.
"Phew..."
I take a deep breath and raise my shield.
I'm quite nervous.
It's not because of the orcs, which can be easily defeated, but because of something else.
'If she's going to pull something, now would be the best time.'
There's a mafia in the team.
Of course, I don't know what her goal is.
Maybe she just wants to clear the rift and has no intention of harming anyone.
But I have to prepare for the possibility that that's not the case.
Therefore—
Kwaaang!
…I focus on defense rather than offense.
It's better to hide my strength just in case.
In that sense, I've also instructed Misha to just observe and not do anything unnecessary.
"Why aren't you running to your lover and still here?"
"Something might appear from behind. And he's not my lover."
"Well, not yet."
The bear-like man questions Misha's positioning, but he seems to accept it as a reasonable excuse.
And...
"Tsk, those guys are useless anyway, I guess I'll have to put in some effort this time."
He reveals an ability he hasn't shown before.
「Avman Urikfrit has summoned Iron Bear Iradun.」
A giant bear emerges through the portal that appeared in front of the bear-like man.
It's a Spirit Beast.
'...Iradun?'
Honestly, I'm a bit surprised.
I thought he might have already made a contract with a Spirit Beast since he's a 5th-grade explorer from the beastman race...
'I can't believe he's a summoner.'
Now I understand why he was able to solo even though he's an archer.
If you have a tank summon, there's no need to stick to a team.
[Gaaaaak!!]
The summoned bear runs on all fours and then roars next to me, rising to its hind legs. And it starts to focus on one of the warriors, as if it's used to it.
'I guess we'll have to go with Plan B.'
I act rationally.
Nothing has changed.
Since I hid my strength, the bear-like man also revealed his Spirit Beast, which he had been saving until now.
[Kriiik!]
Therefore, I allow the Ice Orc's hammer to hit me.
If I get hit in the body, it will be obvious that I'm faking it, so I just headbutt it like a head-on collision.
Kwaaang!
Since I'm wearing a helmet and have a decent Bone Density stat, my head doesn't explode.
I'm just a bit dizzy from the impact.
And even that is quickly recovering thanks to my natural regeneration.
However…
Thud.
…I collapse to the ground with a thud.
It's because I judged that if we take down the three orcs too easily, I won't be able to test the mafia's intentions.
"Ar, are you alri… ugh!"
Kalson rushes towards me in surprise and takes over the aggro.
And at that moment…
「Killed Ice Orc Warrior. EXP +3.」
…an arrow is shot and pierces the head of the hammer-wielding orc.
Although the shaman's aggro shifts to the bear-like man due to this…
…the 5th-grade explorer is experienced.
Tadat.
He nimbly dodges the spell with his 190-centimeter-tall body, nocks an arrow on his crossbow, and shoots accurately.
「Ice Orc Shaman has cast [Steel Ice Wall].」
Even the shaman's defensive skill is useless against that monstrous arrow.
How can a 7th-grade monster block something like that?
Kwaaang!
The arrow shatters the ice wall and explodes as it pierces the shaman's head.
「Killed Ice Orc Shaman. EXP +3.」
Now there's only one orc left.
‘Is he going to take them all down with just three arrows?’
A sense of emptiness washes over me.
The battle is so one-sided that my plan of making things difficult if they're too easy seems pointless.
‘Is this what a 5th-grade archer is like?’
Tsk, should I just get up and pretend to have come to my senses?
As I'm contemplating that…
Someone mutters,
"So that was his Spirit Beast."
It's a cold voice.
"Now I can do it as planned."
The bear-like man, who was loading another arrow, collapses, vomiting blood.
Thud.
The mafia has finally made their move.
___________________
There are a few prerequisites that must be met to be the mafia.
Having enough knowledge to know how to open rifts.
Having excellent pathfinding skills to travel to the 2nd floor and back in just 19 hours.
And having the ability to clear the rift alone.
With these alone, the picture becomes clearer.
A scout with the strength of a 5th-grade explorer.
That’s the identity of the mafia.
The problem is that all three of them had the potential to be the mafia.
1. Bear-like man.
5th-grade explorer.
His way of thinking is similar to a player's.
There’s no need to explain further.
2. Kalson.
He only gave his name during introductions.
He didn’t mention the essence he possesses either.
And his low-level equipment was also well-maintained.
As if it were brand new.
I thought it might be a disguise, so I observed him closely, but he didn’t absorb the Frost Wolf essence either, making excuses.
He was suspicious enough.
Well, not as suspicious as him, but…
3. Jensia Nayfrin.
She said she received training as a scout and is knowledgeable about traps and mechanical devices.
She also said that observation is her specialty.
I think it was all just insurance.
To make her subsequent lines sound natural.
[Do, do we really have to kill that and then go down?]
When we encountered the Yeti blocking the cave.
[Ah! It’s glowing after I touched it.]
In the second chapter.
[I feel like my body is moving slowly…···!]
When the mid-boss cast [Suppression].
[By the way… is it all over now?]
Before the last wave started, when everyone was letting their guard down.
She kept subtly hinting at key points as if pretending not to know.
As if she already knew the strategy.
Of course, this was nothing compared to the bear-like man or Kalson.
If it weren’t for the dirt on her shoes.
As soon as we entered the rift, the first thing I checked was their shoes. To open the ‘Glacier Cave’, you need to visit the 2nd-floor Beast’s Lair.
Jensia was the only one with dirt on her shoes.
Well, it’s understandable if she just didn’t wipe off the dirt from the city…
[Now that I think about it, there’s one strange thing. Jensia’s scent changed after we fell into the water.]
Misha’s tip made me certain.
Although she’s not as good as Rotmiller, she still has a good sense of smell as a beastman.
[She used to smell a bit more… fishy.]
[Like the Beast’s Lair?]
[Ah! Now that you mention it! That’s why it felt familiar!]
Jensia is the mafia.
And I judged that she’s a malicious variable with a high chance of becoming a negative factor.
And thanks to that…
…I was able to prepare beforehand.
Thump-!
The moment Jensia’s sword pierces the bear-like man’s abdomen…
…Misha, as if she’s been waiting, throws a vial and hits her target.
Crash!
The glass shatters, and the contents spill out.
“Thank you, it’s worth about 30 million sto— Kyaak!”
Jensia, who was about to say something smugly, is startled and steps back after being doused in the liquid.
“Wh, what! What did you do to me…?”
I quickly get up.
But did my fainting also play a part in her choosing this moment for a surprise attack?
“What, what is it…?”
Jensia looks even more confused.
I let out a battle cry instead of answering.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!”
What is it?
It means…
…it’s self-defense from now on.