C109, 101, 111
Chapter 109: Baby Barbarian (2)
“Keugh.”
“Don’t move yet. Your wound hasn’t fully healed.”
“…Did you save me?”
“Using a top-grade potion, no less.”
The bear-like man’s expression is complex.
He’s happy to be alive and all, but there’s something that doesn’t sit right with him.
Well, he knows it too, right?
How much profit we could have made if he had died.
[Thank you, it’s worth about 30 million sto—]
30 million stones.
Although it’s not the exact amount, it’s probably close enough since it was Jensia’s estimate, and she had extensive looting experience.
The bear-like man, who’s well-versed in the ways of explorers, mutters quietly,
“…You were lucky.”
I agree.
In this situation, how many explorers would choose to save someone instead of waiting for them to die?
“I’ll pay for the top-grade potion.”
Well, that’s only natural.
“How much do you want?”
“Hmm, I think 5 million stones should be enough.”
“…Isn’t a top-grade potion worth about 1 million stones?”
“Is that so? Then I guess I got ripped off by the merchants.”
The bear-like man is momentarily speechless at my sly attitude and then chuckles.
“Indeed, the price of an item can vary depending on the situation.”
As expected of an experienced 5th-grade explorer, he seems to understand exactly what I’m saying.
“5 million stones… that’s a reasonable price.”
“Thank you for thinking so.”
“…You two, what the hell are you talking about?”
You just stay quiet.
The adults are talking right now.
“But I don’t have that much money right now. I’ll pay the 5 million stones when we return to the city.”
“Hmm.”
“Instead, I’ll leave this item with you, and I would like you to return it after I pay you in the city.”
The bear-like man then takes out a skull-shaped bracelet and hands it to me.
“It’s a Numbered Item. I just used it once, but it’s still worth much more than 5 million stones.”
The bear-like man briefly explains the item, but I already know what it is.
No. 7611 ‘Deceiver of the Necromancer’.
It’s an item that puts the wearer into a state of suspended animation with temporary damage immunity when they receive fatal damage.
For reference, it breaks after 3 uses.
‘So that’s how he survived.’
I ask if he would be willing to just give me this instead of the 5 million stones, but the bear-like man draws a clear line, saying that he’s just leaving it as collateral and will pay me in money later.
“Don’t even think about running away with it, Bjorn, son of Yandel.”
What the, how did he know?
The bear-like man chuckles as I flinch.
“I’ve heard about a barbarian who travels with a beastman. That lady also mentioned your real name a few times.”
“Uh, did I do that?”
“Don’t worry. I understand that you don’t want to attract unnecessary attention. I won’t go around telling anyone.”
That’s a relief.
If Dwarkey or the dwarf were to find out, it would be a bit of a hassle.
After all, we snuck away saying we had a request.
“So what happened? Did that bitch die? Did you two defeat the guardian?”
The bear-like man, who almost died, first settles the matter of the price for his life and then asks about the situation.
There are many things I can’t tell him, so I just nod. Fortunately, the bear-like man, with his explorer’s etiquette, doesn’t pry further.
“Little Balkan, Bjorn, son of Yandel. I thought the stories were exaggerated, but seeing what happened today, it seems like that wasn’t the case.”
He seems surprised that we defeated the guardian together, even though he understands about Jensia.
Anyway, we decide on a time and place to meet after returning to the city, and as I’m distributing the bear-like man’s share of the magic stones, his wounds fully heal.
“Bjorn, son of Yandel, and Misha Kaltstein. Thank you for saving my life. I won’t forget today’s favor.”
With those words, the bear-like man leaves the rift through the portal.
He’s a cool guy until the very end.
_______________________
After the bear-like man leaves, I take a moment to examine the ‘Deceiver of the Necromancer’.
Two of the three jewels are glowing.
In other words, there are two uses left.
‘Let’s just keep it on and return it later.’
I put it on my wrist just in case.
I remember the bear-like man saying that I should keep it safe and return it…
‘Well, it should be fine as long as I use it well and return it.’
Anyway, I put that issue aside and take a moment to think.
‘5 million stones…’
I received a decent reward in exchange for the top-grade potion. Well, it’s just a drop in the bucket compared to 30 million stones…
‘I’ve really become a barbarian.’
Honestly, it would be a lie to say that I wasn’t tempted at all.
After all, I wouldn’t even have had to do anything myself.
Whether the bear-like man was a good person or a bad person…
If I had just waited…
…I could have gotten enough money to upgrade my Spirit Engraving to the 6th stage in one go.
But…
…I poured the potion on his wound.
It wasn’t because of some philosophical dilemma about whether there’s a difference between me and a marauder if I let someone die because of money when I have the means to save them.
I just didn’t do it because of Misha.
“……Why, why are you looking at me like that? I’m suddenly feeling uneasy…”
“It’s nothing.”
Anyway, regardless of my corrupted moral standards…
…I judged that it wasn’t something I should do with a companion who will be with me in the future.
However, after everything is over, I have this thought.
‘What if I were alone?’
It’s not just for the sake of wealth and glory.
In this world, money is power, and it’s like life itself.
If Misha hadn’t been there, what choice would I have made in the face of that enormous temptation?
‘…It’s not something I need to worry about yet.’
Whether I want to or not, the moment will come when I find out as I continue working as an explorer.
Therefore, I finish my thoughts and pack my things.
“Huh? Aren’t we leaving?”
Leaving? Where do you think we’re going?
There are two things left to collect.
I take Misha and move along the ice passage.
It was originally blocked, but it was revealed when the Tyrant Tarunbas appeared.
If you follow this passage, you can return to the second chapter.
“Wow… how do you know things like this? Information about rifts is really expensive.”
“It’s thanks to Ragna.”
“Ah, uh-huh… that woman…”
Misha seems to accept it when I use the secret library that Ragna opened as an excuse.
Since she doesn’t usually read books, she tends to believe it when I say I read it somewhere.
Kwaaang!
After arriving at the second chapter, we climb back up the stairs and smash the third pillar from the top.
It’s the item that increases cold resistance once when consumed, which I didn’t bother taking while observing the mafia.
「Character has consumed ‘Magic-infused Ice Shard’.」
「Cold Resistance permanently increased by +3.」
Since Misha has enough cold resistance, I eat it.
Well, I’m planning to give her the next one, though.
After passing through the first chapter, we come out of the Glacier Cave entirely. And we cross the frozen lake and head towards the starting point.
Kwaaang!
A small pond near the starting point.
I smash it with my mace and then dive into the icy water, retrieving a red ice bead.
“Here, eat this.”
“Shouldn’t you tell me what it is first?”
Would I give you something bad?
Still, I give her a rough explanation, and Misha lets go of her anxiety and crunches on the bead before swallowing it.
「Misha Kaltstein has consumed ‘Ice Crystal’.」
「Cold Affinity permanently increased by +3.」
Actually, ‘Ice Crystal’ is the signature item of the Glacier Cave.
It increases Affinity and you can eat it up to three times, so I always came here first when building a freezing build in the early stages.
‘I’ll have to come here first next time too when the cooldown is up.’
Since I’m quite cold from diving, we make a bonfire and dry off.
I put on the clothes I took off and folded beforehand.
“Then that’s it.”
“Oh, are we finally leaving?”
What is she talking about?
I take out a blanket from my bag.
“…Why are you laying out a blanket?”
“We didn’t get much sleep last night because of the watch, let’s rest for a while.”
Honestly, there’s no safer place in the labyrinth than a cleared rift.
Although it’s a bit cold…
…there’s no better place to get a good night’s sleep.
“Don’t worry, there’s no one here but us.”
“…I, I see. Then we’re just taking a short break?”
“Yeah. Come here, it’s cold. Let’s just share the blanket.”
“…Sh, should we?”
A cool wind brushes against the bridge of my nose.
The warmth of the bonfire.
As night falls, a dark blue Milky Way stretches across the sky, twinkling.
And within it…
“Bjorn… are you asleep?”
Snore, snore!
“You’re, you’re asleep?”
We close our eyes for a while.
______________________
「Entered 1st Floor Crystal Cave.」
______________________
Avman Urikfrit, a 5th-grade explorer.
He lets out a long sigh as he opens his eyes in the Crystal Cave.
Only then does it feel real.
‘…I made it back alive.’
He had been operating alone after leaving the team he had been with for a long time due to an incident.
And he experienced many dangers along the way.
Because this labyrinth is not an easy place to wander around alone.
But there had never been an enemy as dangerous as this time.
It was literally a situation where he barely made it back alive after practically stepping into the gates of hell.
‘…I was lucky.’
He feels it again and again, that he was lucky.
Anyway, he encountered a crazy bitch who entered the rift with the intention of looting while hiding her identity.
And there was a kind explorer on the team who saved him even though they had no connection.
And that person even had a top-grade potion.
What are the chances of that?
‘I should make a donation to the temple when I get back.’
No matter how many times he thinks about it, it’s truly a miracle.
He briefly enjoys the afterglow of survival and then changes the subject in his mind.
‘By the way, Bjorn, son of Yandel…’
Little Balkan, Bjorn, son of Yandel.
He had heard that name several times in the city.
Of course, he didn’t think much of it at the time.
He just thought, ‘huh, so a unique guy appeared?’
To him, a 5th-grade explorer, an explorer with a title wasn’t anything special.
But…
‘He’s an interesting guy.’
He was different from typical barbarians.
He was experienced despite seeming simple-minded, he was quick-witted, and he was good at negotiating.
If he had to describe him, he was similar to a barbarian who had been exploring the labyrinth for a long time.
Pure, but not naive.
That’s why he was able to notice it.
The woman’s true intentions, which even he was unaware of.
‘To gain a title in 3 months and already possess this level of experience… he’ll definitely achieve great things.’
He doesn’t have any ill feelings towards him.
No, he only feels gratitude.
Although it’s an explorer’s destiny to pursue money, how many of them have been consumed by greed?
The fact that he was asked for 5 million stones as a treatment fee?
He considers it as having fulfilled his duty as an explorer by not taking all his equipment.
Well, it’s because many people have forgotten that duty that his actions seem even more special.
‘Well, that’s why that lady follows him, I guess.’
Avman recalls the beastman lady who seemed to be the barbarian’s companion. The barbarian gave her the Yeti and guardian’s essences without asking for anything in return.
‘That lady is also quite lucky.’
Having a companion like that is a blessing.
Phew, if only his former teammates had been half as good as that guy, he wouldn’t have to be traveling alone—
‘Wait a minute…’
At first, it was just a fleeting thought.
But he changes his expression and contemplates seriously.
‘Indeed, someone like him wouldn’t be bad.’
He’s been feeling doubts about traveling alone after experiencing this incident.
‘…Well, I can’t keep going solo forever. It seems like they only have two people for now.’
Avman makes a decision.
Although the various clans and regular teams that tried to recruit him would be disappointed if they found out…
Who cares?
‘I should at least bring it up when we meet in the city.’
He really likes this barbarian.
------------------------------
Chapter 110: Baby Barbarian (3)
[00:51]
Around the time when Day 3 was just beginning…
We left the Glacier Cave and returned to the Crystal Cave.
Although there were many troublesome incidents, the rewards from this rift were beyond imagination.
Jensia's equipment.
The bear-like man's 5 million stones.
And the Yeti and guardian's essences.
It's a ridiculous profit for clearing a 1st-floor rift.
I earned less than 2 million stones in two months on the 4th floor with a 5-person party.
'Damn it.'
I realize once again…
…that I can only get this kind of luck after going through shitty things.
Slash!
Misha cuts down a Blade Wolf that was approaching us with her newly bought sword and exclaims in admiration,
"Ooh!! What is this sword? It's amazing!"
Although it's still a one-shot kill, the feeling of hitting things seems different.
"We'll have to get it appraised to be sure, but it's highly likely a Numbered Item."
"Wh, what? A Numbered Item? Th, then isn't this super expensive?"
I can't help but laugh at Misha's flustered expression.
It's not just the 'Viper's Fang'.
The leather armor she gave me is also a high-value item.
It's made of 2nd-tier Wyvern leather.
'With these specs, we'll have no problems until the 5th floor.'
It feels like I've completed one task.
Now that our early-to-mid-game setup is complete, she'll be able to pull her weight for a while even without any further upgrades.
"So are we going to the 2nd floor now?"
"Of course."
Misha and I follow the compass and keep moving.
Although we've achieved the main goal of entering the labyrinth this time, it would be a waste to spend the remaining time doing nothing.
'We don't have a scout, but... if we're lucky, we might be able to reach the 3rd floor.'
Anyway, Misha takes care of any monsters we encounter while we're moving. Since she changed one of her swords and her stats have increased significantly, she needs to get used to the new feeling.
"Um, Bjorn? I think I'm done now..."
"Are you sure?"
"Uh... that's... no. I'll keep catching them. But just in case, I'm asking... you're not doing this because you're lazy, are you?"
"...Are you doubting me?"
"Ah, no! Absolutely not!"
Anyway, regardless of Misha's reasonable suspicion...
I just move comfortably and help Misha with her training. She needs to get used to the essence's ability, not just the new sword.
It makes me feel happy just watching her.
'I never thought the guardian's essence would actually drop...'
In terms of freezing builds, the Lycanthrope essence is as good as the Yeti's.
[Lycanthrope] 7th grade
Agility +10, Cutting Power +12, Cold Affinity +15, Cold Resistance +10, Physical Resistance +7, Fighting Spirit +10
First of all, it has Cutting Power, which is a core stat for swordsmen, in addition to the stat increases.
And the passive skill is OP.
(P) Blood of the Snowfields - Cold Affinity is increased by 1.5 times.
1.5 times increase in Cold Affinity.
It will shine even more in the later stages, and it also synergizes well with the Yeti's [Cold Condensation].
The active skills are the same.
(A) Ice Crush - Damage dealt to enemies with the 'Frostbite' status effect is slightly increased, and damage dealt to enemies with the 'Frozen' status effect is greatly increased.
I don't need to explain the usefulness of this, so let's just move on.
(A) Indomitable - Removes incapacitated status effects.
Although it has the downside of consuming a lot of Soul Power, [Indomitable] is also a good skill that significantly increases the stability of damage dealers who are vulnerable to CC.
'Most importantly, with this, there's no need to worry too much about the Magic Resistance stat.'
Originally, she should only be able to choose one of these skills, but...
...the essence Misha absorbed is none other than a guardian's essence.
She can use both skills, and the stat increases are about 1.5 times higher than regular essences.
"Try attacking areas other than vital points."
"Uh, they still die in one hit..."
"Then just use your fists."
"Okay... Huh? They still die in one hit?"
I click my tongue as I see the Blade Wolves instantly freeze and disappear into light with a single punch from Misha after she used [Cold Condensation].
Is it because they're 9th-grade monsters?
It didn't become a proper training session since they disappeared before she could even use the follow-up skill, [Ice Crush].
"We'll have to do the rest when we go up."
"...We have to do it even when we go up?"
Tsk, she's trying to take it easy again.
"I repeat—"
"I know. The easy path is the slow path, right?"
Uh, hmm... right.
Misha smiles brightly and takes the lead as I lose my words. The tip of her tail is wagging, showing that she's quite happy.
'...If she does something wrong, it seems like things will be resolved easily if I just pretend to give in during arguments...'
I add Misha's user manual number 13 to my mental notes and follow after Misha, whose mood has improved.
That's when, after about 7 hours since we left the rift...
'It should be about time for the dark zone to appear—'
...I stop walking.
Whoosh!
The ground trembles slightly, and the crystals embedded in the cave walls start to glow.
The color of the light also changes.
From a soft purple to an intense red.
'As expected, it seems like someone summoned it.'
It means that a Floor Master has been summoned on the 1st floor.
____________________
"It's nothing, just keep moving."
"Nothing? I've never seen anything like that in my life—"
"Someone just summoned the Floor Master. There won't be any repercussions, so don't worry—"
"What? Floor Master?!!"
Ouch, my eardrums.
Could it be that the Floor Master we encountered on the 3rd floor left a trauma? Misha clings to me as if she's having a seizure.
Geez, there's no need to be that surprised.
"Misha, calm down."
Unlike the 3rd-floor Floor Master, the 1st-floor one is well-behaved.
First of all, the summoning method is based on probability and only happens after Day 3 if 5 or more people are gathered in one place...
...and even if it's summoned, the portals don't close, and the monsters that appear on the floor don't change.
Moreover, while Riakis roams the entire field and causes a massacre once summoned, this guy just disappears quietly if the raid fails.
"Th, then we're okay?"
"Yes, so relax."
As I calmly explain the situation, Misha seems relieved and takes a deep breath, regaining her composure.
But as her anxiety subsides, is she becoming curious?
"But who the hell summoned it by mistake? Everyone knows that you shouldn't travel in groups of more than five people here."
"Well, maybe it wasn't a mistake."
"Not a mistake?"
I just shrug and say no more.
Judging by the circumstances, there's a high chance that the person who bought the 1st-floor Floor Master strategy from the community summoned it...
...but I can't just say that.
'He's quite impatient. There were only about 2 weeks of preparation time.'
Hmm... on the other hand, maybe it means he's not impatient but has enough power to gather all the necessary materials within that time?
'If I'm lucky, I might be able to find out who that player is.'
I make a mental note to look for rumors about clans or parties that successfully hunted the Floor Master after returning to the city and continue our journey.
It's a time when I really feel the absence of Rotmiller.
'Tsk, I can't believe it will take almost a whole day.'
We finally reach the 2nd-floor portal after wandering around, relying solely on the direction shown by the compass.
For reference, I chose the south, the Land of the Dead connected to the ghoul district.
「Entered 2nd Floor Land of the Dead.」
Black earth that squishes with moisture.
A particularly short line of sight even among the 2nd-floor areas.
And the screams of banshees echoing like background music.
"It's been a while."
I feel a sense of nostalgia as soon as I step on the ground.
I remember smashing skeletons and pounding Death Fiends with Ainar, happily exploring, and then almost dying after encountering that psychopath bitch…
‘Damn it.’
Maybe it’s because those memories came to mind…
…but my mood suddenly sours.
“Ugh, this place feels bad every time I come here. I prefer the ‘Rock Desert’.”
“It can’t be helped since Rotmiller isn’t here.”
Although we could have gone anywhere since we were in the central area, the reason I chose the Land of the Dead is simple.
It’s the easiest way to reach the 3rd floor among the 2nd-floor areas.
We’ll have to wander around a bit at the end, but we just need to head north.
‘And since it’s just the two of us, let’s summon and defeat the Death Knight too.’
Although I don’t need the essence, it’s a monster that’s difficult to defeat with five people, so I decide to gain experience points now.
It’s a monster that you can only encounter on the 6th floor, except for a few rifts.
‘Since it’s a 6th-grade monster, we can also test how much stronger Misha has become.’
Of course, we need to complete Misha’s training before summoning it.
“Let’s go.”
We head north and quickly leave the area where 9th-grade monsters like skeletons and ghouls appear.
Did it take about 5 hours?
The terrain has changed from a damp swamp to hard stone ground.
[KuoOOOOO—!!]
Soon, Death Fiends appear.
As expected of Day 3, they’re traveling in groups of four, the so-called ‘newbie slayers’.
I remember struggling to defeat just one of them with Ainar.
‘Well, now I’m at a level where I can’t die even if I want to.’
Death Fiends are monsters specialized in defense and regeneration.
Although they summon ghouls, there’s no way they would deal any damage to 9th-grade monsters.
In short, they’re the perfect opponents for Misha to test her new skills.
“I’ll distract them, so just focus on using your new abilities without worrying.”
“Got it.”
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
As soon as I cast [Wild Release], the Death Fiends, who were watching us from the edge of the torchlight, roar and charge towards us.
[KuoOOOOO—!!]
I first block the charge of two of them with my shield, and I dodge to the side to avoid the third one. And the last one…
Kwaaang!
…I just take the hit because I’m lazy.
I feel a strange sense of nostalgia, perhaps because it’s the first 8th-grade monster I successfully hunted.
Back then, I was even overpowered by just one of these guys.
[Kuo?!]
I push back with my shield, and the Death Fiends are helplessly pushed away.
“Are you done yet?”
“All done!”
Misha, who has finished ‘Enhance-Cold Condensation’, swings Viper’s Fang.
Clang!
Although it’s blocked by the Death Fiend’s shield-hand, which is made of bone and muscle, it’s not a significant defense.
The shield-hand is frozen up to the elbow with a single normal attack.
「Misha Kaltstein has cast [Ice Crush].」
Misha swings her other sword at the frozen part, and it shatters into pieces, scattering on the ground.
[Kuo… ?!]
It’s a wound that doesn’t regenerate with [Physical Preservation] because of the ice attribute.
The Death Fiend just looks confused, as if it doesn’t even feel pain.
Well, it seems to instinctively sense that it’s in danger.
「Death Fiend has cast [Call of the Dead].」
With all four of them using the summoning skill at the same time, a whopping forty ghouls emerge from the ground.
Of course, this also doesn’t mean much.
My body, which used to be easily torn apart by their claws, is now covered in Laetium armor…
[Grrr…?]
…and my bare skin has become quite tough due to increased Physical Resistance. Honestly, even if I just let them hit me, I would barely even bleed.
And even if I did bleed, the ghouls’ hands would melt away because they’re weak to acid. And since the wounds were healing quickly in the meantime…
“Bjorn… what kind of… monster are you?”
Calling me a monster after seeing a human…
I hide my smugness and answer grumpily,
“Stop watching and finish them off.”
Geez, she’s going to treat me like nothing once her build is complete, huh?
__________________
Afterwards, we continue north and continue training.
Thanks to that, Misha also gets a sense of how much she needs to freeze something to trigger ‘Frostbite’ or ‘Frozen’.
And she also perfectly masters the usage of [Indomitable] after encountering a Chimera Wolf with an incapacitating skill.
“Hmm, well? It just worked when I put in a lot of effort?”
After she learns how to use it, I advise her to only use it when absolutely necessary because it consumes a lot of Soul Power.
If her Soul Power is depleted, she won’t be able to use [Enhance], [Poison Infliction], [Ice Crush], or anything else.
“Do I look like a child to you?”
…She’s not wrong.
Because she only had two skills until she reached level 4. She wouldn’t have had to worry about MP management since there was no way for it to run out.
‘…This is something she won’t understand no matter how much I tell her. She’ll have to experience it herself.’
Therefore, I continue to hunt relentlessly. And as a result of her using her skills without holding back, her Soul Power is finally depleted.
“…It’s a strange feeling. It’s not that my body is tired, but it feels empty, I guess?”
“That’s why I told you to manage it properly.”
“…I thought this much would be enough.”
Since Misha’s MP is also depleted, and it’s about time for us to rest anyway, we decide to camp.
We find a building remnant with a wall and build a bonfire, taking turns sleeping.
And after some time…
“Hahaha, is that true?”
“I’m telling you.”
We hear chatter from about 20 or 30 meters away.
At first, I thought they were just explorers passing by, but it seems like they’ve settled down without realizing that we’re camping nearby, as the conversation continues.
‘Well, it’s about time to wake Misha up anyway. There’s no need to go and tell them to get lost.’
Just as I’m quietly passing the remaining time with a somewhat generous heart…
“Anyway, that barbarian is sleeping soundly, oblivious to the world?”
“Quiet down, you might wake him up.”
“Let him sleep. He’s a valuable body, isn’t he? He needs to rest now.”
I hear something I can’t just ignore.
Snore, snore!
Now that I see it, a baby barbarian must be sleeping among those hyena-like explorers.
----------------------------------
Chapter 111: Baby Barbarian (4)
It's more common than you'd think for barbarians to team up with humans.
Even with their natural high physical stats and combat senses, they need companions from the 2nd floor onwards.
In fact, forming a team and heading to the 2nd floor after 2 or 3 months is the standard route.
'The problem is that it's almost impossible to find decent people.'
Fairies, dwarves, beastmen, etc.
Other races are in a relatively better situation.
They're less naive than barbarians who only hone their 'combat skills' in the sanctuary...
...and their hearts aren't sold at high prices as magic materials.
[What about the others? Most of them are dead.]
Less than one-third of the barbarians who went through the coming-of-age ceremony with me are still alive.
Was it really because of the 'monsters'?
'No way.'
Because of that reasonable suspicion, I focused even more on eavesdropping on their conversation.
But...
"Then I'll get some rest too, I'll leave it to you."
"It's my turn next, right?"
They all fell asleep one by one, and the topic of the baby barbarian didn't come up again after the initial mention.
Of course, it wasn't a big problem since I had a rough idea of what kind of people these three were just from those three lines of conversation.
'It seems like they're not planning to do anything today.'
They're probably thinking of exploiting him and then killing him on the last day.
That's much more efficient.
'...What should I do?'
I was troubled.
As a fellow barbarian, I had no intention of ignoring a baby barbarian in danger.
But I couldn't just follow them around forever and keep an eye on them until they revealed their true intentions.
'Should I just go and kill them all?'
I chuckled and shook my head.
It's an easy and convenient method, but it's not the best.
It wouldn't matter if there was no evidence that these three are marauders. I'm confident that I could persuade Misha and the baby barbarian with a plausible story.
But...
'It would just be the same thing repeating itself.'
Sometimes, there are things you only truly understand after experiencing them firsthand.
'Training was the main goal anyway, so it wouldn't hurt to invest one day...'
After much deliberation, I came up with a plan and woke Misha up.
"Misha."
"Hmm…?"
I signaled her to be quiet with my hand and then moved to a place where we couldn't be heard.
Then I briefly explained the plan.
Misha listened without a word of complaint, even while rubbing her eyes.
"Hmm... so you're saying those guys are probably marauders?"
"Yeah, I'd like to confirm it if you don't mind."
"I don't mind. He's not a stranger since he's a barbarian."
"...Not a stranger?"
"Ah, no! I mean... he might be someone I've met before."
It seems like she's referring to the times when I acted as a guide for the young warriors every time I entered the labyrinth for the past few months...
Hmm, maybe he's one of them.
I warned them countless times to be wary of humans, but it's hard to truly understand until you experience it firsthand.
"Then it's settled. Go change your clothes."
There were things we needed to prepare for the plan.
_______________________
I put my mace, Laetium breastplate, and shield into the bag.
'As for the weapon... I can just say I lost it.'
After finishing my preparations, I checked my current state one last time. I was a perfect baby barbarian, without any metal equipment except for the helmet.
And next to me was a ground-dwelling beastman.
"Ugh... this is uncomfortable..."
To make the plan perfect, I had her wear Jensia's beginner-level equipment set instead of her usual gear.
But Misha keeps fidgeting with her chest area.
Geez, it's distracting.
"What are you doing?"
"Huh? It's just that my chest feels really tight..."
"Chest?"
Misha punches me in the solar plexus as I glance at her.
I can feel the cold damage, as it chills me to the bone.
"Where are you looking? It's definitely not because I'm fatter than that woman, okay?"
No, I didn't say anything.
In the first place, I looked because it was an unexpected complaint. The armor she was originally wearing must have been the same size.
When I point out the inconsistency, Misha answers nonchalantly,
"The one I was wearing was also small, but at least it didn't have metal plates."
Hmm, if that's the case...
Although both Jensia and Misha have figures befitting agility-based characters, there must be some differences if you look closely.
For example, their bone structure.
She's quite tall, even though she doesn't look like it.
I haven't measured, but she's probably around 170 centimeters.
And her expression is a bit cold, so I initially thought she was the prickly type.
"It's just that the chest area is tight, but the rest is actually loose and baggy. Got it?"
"Got it."
I roughly answer her because I don't know what she wants.
Misha sighs deeply, sensing my lack of understanding.
"Phew, right... how would you know about a woman's body?"
"Yeah, you're right about everything."
"Are you going to keep answering so half-heartedly?"
"Let's go if you're ready."
I didn't want to waste time on pointless arguments, so we ended the conversation and moved to the previous location.
We intentionally made a lot of noise so that our presence would be noticeable.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
“Kyaak! Why are you shouting all of a sudden?!”
“I just felt like it!”
“What?!”
Misha looks at me with a dumbfounded expression, but the effect is great.
“Wh, who’s there!”
I hear a shout from beyond the darkness.
“Hey! There are people over there!”
I shout innocently and run towards the source of the sound.
Soon, the labyrinth’s limited visibility ends, and four explorers with a bonfire come into view.
Three humans and one baby barbarian sleeping soundly.
“Stop, don’t come any closer.”
The three humans are already awake and wary of us.
“Royce, wake that guy up quickly.”
The archer called Royce kicks the baby barbarian awake.
“Wh, what is it? Monsters?”
“Explorers.”
“Explorers? But why did you wake me up? I was sleeping soundly…”
“I told you before, didn’t I? We need to be just as cautious of explorers as we are of monsters.”
“Ah! I remember! But… isn’t he one of our own?”
The baby barbarian nods at the archer’s words, then sees me and waves excitedly.
“I’m Karon, son of Tarson!”
“I’m Bjorn, son of Thor!”
I approach him and shake his hand, then even bump shoulders. While doing so, I glance at the others, and their expressions are priceless.
The three humans, and even Misha, who was briefed beforehand.
‘What the hell are these barbarian bastards doing?’
They’re looking at us with that exact expression.
And did the baby barbarian sense it?
He looks at me as if to say ‘don’t worry’ and then says to his companions,
“Put down your weapons! Bjorn, son of Thor, is not a bad explorer!”
“That’s right! I’m not a bad explorer!”
At our words, the archer and the spearman’s gazes turn towards one man.
It seems like this guy is the leader…
The men all lower their weapons as the man sighs and nods. It seems like he judged that it would make them look foolish to remain wary.
“So, barbarian—”
“Bjorn, son of Thor.”
“Right, Thor—”
“Thor is my father’s name.”
“Ahem, Bjorn—”
“We’re not that close yet, so I’d like you to call me by my full name.”
The leader, whose words were cut off three times in a row, looks quite pissed off, but he exercises his patience and forces a smile.
And he speaks to me again.
“Right, Bjorn, son of Thor?”
“Speak.”
“If you have no business here, I’d like you to leave. We were resting, you see.”
The leader’s words are reasonable and common sense.
It’s etiquette and custom for explorers not to approach each other unless necessary.
But…
So what?
Right now, I’m a big and important baby barbarian who doesn’t know about such things.
I exclaim as if it’s a good thing,
“You were resting? What a coincidence! We were also looking for a place to rest!”
“So… what does that have to do with us?”
“Let’s rest together since we met! That, night companion? Right, there’s something like that!”
“Night companion?”
As if they heard something they shouldn’t have, the expressions of the three humans distort strangely.
It’s understandable.
Finding night companions is a culture limited to the 1st floor.
They wouldn’t have imagined receiving a night companion offer from some random barbarian on the 2nd floor.
“Ha…”
The leader rubs his forehead as if he doesn’t know where to start explaining.
But in the meantime…
“Oh, that would be good. Come here, I lay down earlier, and this spot is a bit less hard.”
The baby barbarian nods as if it’s a good idea.
It’s a total mess.
The leader exercises superhuman patience and explains the customs of explorers.
To summarize, it’s simple.
“So you’re saying… you don’t make night companions from the 2nd floor onwards?”
“Yes, that’s right. If you understand—”
Well, understanding is something you do if you have the intention to…
I speak with genuine disappointment,
“You guys are so stupid! If we sleep together, we can sleep more!”
“Huh?”
“Use your brains if you have any. There are four of you and two of us, right? If seven people take turns keeping watch, each person can… anyway, we can sleep more!”
It’s a barbarian-style argument that makes no sense from start to finish.
Everyone is dazed as if they’ve heard a hallucination.
Ah, except for one person.
“That’s… true…! Why haven’t explorers done that before?”
Did the sight of the baby barbarian nodding vigorously at my argument make him realize that further conversation is pointless?
“Excuse me. We’ll handle things on our end, so please take your things and leave—”
The leader turns his gaze from me to Misha and then suddenly stops.
It seems like he finally saw her face.
His voice, which was only filled with annoyance, has also changed.
“Ahem, that would be the usual course of action, but… what do you think?”
His gaze, scanning her from head to toe, seems to have made her uncomfortable.
Misha freezes, but as I subtly give her a hint, her expression changes.
“Well…? I don’t know… there’s a barbarian on your side too, so you don’t seem dangerous…”
“Haha, the same goes for you.”
“Anyway, I was worried about having him keep watch alone since he lost his weapon. So if it’s okay with you guys, I think it would be fine to just spend one night together…”
“Oh, he lost his weapon?”
The man looks at me with a strange expression at Misha’s words.
It seems like he finally realized that I’m unarmed and empty-handed.
“Ah, weapon? I lost it by mistake while fighting a monster!”
“I see?”
The man seems to accept my roughly made-up excuse.
As expected, barbarians are OP.
‘Anyway, I think we’ve thrown enough bait…’
I make the final offer in a clear voice.
“So are we going to be night companions or not? Decide quickly. I’m getting sleepy.”
For reference, if they reject this offer here, I plan to leave immediately.
If they refuse after I’ve done this much, it’s much more likely that I misunderstood these three.
However…
“Well… it’s not a typical situation, but…”
The leader exchanges glances with the three humans and then smiles brightly.
“Since you say you’re in a difficult situation, it would be too cruel to just send you away.”
“I don’t understand when you speak so complicatedly.”
“…You can stay for one night if you want.”
I barely hold back my laughter since his intentions are so obvious.
Everyone has a plan.
______________________
Somehow, we’ve entered into a one-night stand.
Hmm, that sounds a bit strange, but anyway…
First, we briefly exchange names.
“This is Royce, Victor, and I’m Briol.”
Royce the archer, Victor the spearman…
…and Briol, the leader and hammer warrior.
‘…There’s no Hans.’
Could it be a pseudonym?
No, if he used a pseudonym, that baby barbarian would have found it strange.
Feeling a strange sense of unease, Misha and I lie down together in a nearby spot.
I desperately want to at least lay down a blanket…
…but then they’ll see us using the expandable backpack.
“You two get some rest. We’ll put you in the last shift.”
“Ooh, you guys are really nice explorers!”
“Hahaha… this friend is something else.”
Anyway, as soon as we lie down, Misha whispers in my ear,
“Bjorn.”
“Be quiet.”
“Do we really have to do this?”
Although she’s following my instructions, Misha doesn’t seem to like the situation very much.
Well, no matter how weak they are, it would be uncomfortable to lie down defenselessly, both physically and mentally.
But…
“Just bear with it for a bit. I’ll do you a favor later.”
“…Really? You promise?”
I throw Misha a new carrot to keep this plan going.
It’s worth it.
Today, the baby barbarian, Karon, son of Tarson, will be reborn as a true warrior.
One who is wary of humans and defeats marauders.