Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 262, 263, 264

   

C262, 263, 264

Chapter 262: Bug (1)

Raven quietly asked me when I said we were entering the labyrinth.

“So you believe that rumor, Mr. Yandel?”

Believe or not, I know it’s true.

The outside world is fine, and the Noark forces have all left for that place.

But…

“I don’t completely believe it, but I think it’s a possibility.”

I couldn’t act too certain since the source of the information was an evil spirit community.

Therefore, I said…

…that I felt a sense of dissonance when I saw the guards looking inwards at the walls when I went to Bifron.

“I felt like something was strange back then, and if that rumor is true, it makes sense.”

“Hmm, actually, I also had some doubts about that. For example, the Magic Tower doesn’t have any windows.”

The Magic Tower was a skyscraper that was even taller than the city walls.

And the royal family demanded that no windows be built in exchange for granting permission for its construction. The superficial reason was that they couldn’t let the Magic Tower overlook the royal palace.

“What? Wait… so the outside world really is fine?”

“It’s just a possibility for now.”

Raven firmly drew a line at the bear-like man’s outburst and then looked at me.

Although she didn’t say anything, it was easy to understand what she meant.

She was asking if we were really going to enter the labyrinth based on just a possibility.

I said what I had prepared.

“Honestly, I don’t care whether the rumor is true or not.”

“Why?”

“It seems certain that the royal family occupied Noark’s fortress.”

Whether they were outside or still hiding underground, what did it matter? The army was already occupying Noark’s fortress, where the portals were.

It meant we didn’t have to worry about encountering Noark inside.

“You think similarly to me. Okay. I agree.”

Raven also cast her vote in agreement, as if she was just curious about my opinion and actually saw this as an opportunity.

And so, the voting time naturally began.

“Well, if you two say so, then it must be true. I’ll follow you.”

“Ooh, so we’re finally entering the labyrinth again!”

Misha and Erwen also agreed to this labyrinth expedition, as well as the bear-like man and Ainar, who were just excited.

Then it was time to move on to the next topic.

“So what are we going to do about the number of people? There are six of us now, including Erwen.”

“We’ll split into two groups of three and meet on the 2nd floor.”

“Hmm, then it will take quite a bit of time on the 4th floor?”

Erwen quickly apologized, turning pale at Raven’s question.

“I, I’m sorry. I’m causing trouble…”

“Th, that’s not what I meant. Really.”

“But…”

But my ass.

I intervened before it got any more awkward.

“It won’t take as long as you think. Erwen is a proper guide, unlike me. Maybe the overall time will be similar.”

“Oh, then there’s no problem.”

And so, the topic about Erwen ended.

We then talked about our future exploration plans, and it was unanimously decided.

“Well, it seems like we’re not ready yet, but…”

“We’ve become much stronger.”

“Huhu, it’s time to prepare. It’s been a while since we went there.”

Our goal was the 6th floor.
____________________

Even after the clan meeting ended, my daily life was quite busy.

It was time to spend the money I had been saving.

“Everyone, buy any equipment or items you want now. Ainar, talk to me before you buy anything.”

“Wow… I heard about it, but I didn’t know it was this bad. 700,000 stones for Laetium equipment…”

The prices of food and other necessities had skyrocketed, while the prices of exploration-related items and consumables had plummeted.

It was because 70% of the customers had disappeared.

The items that were left in the city became dead stock as most of the explorers died.

‘But this is probably the lowest point.’

The money I had saved, as well as the money I received from the royal family…

…I had been hoarding it because its value would increase even if I just left it alone, but it was time to spend it.

The prices would gradually recover once the labyrinth was stabilized.

“Here are the recent transaction records you requested, Viscount.”

“Ah, thank you. I’ll return it soon.”

Indeed, the recent prices on the central exchange weren’t fluctuating much. It had been plummeting just a few days ago.

It meant that people like me were starting to spend their money.

And the sellers’ expectations that the prices would recover soon also played a part.

‘If this situation lasted for a few more months, I would have been able to graduate from exchange items.’

I dismissed my slight regret and went to the exchange every day with my teammates, repeating my rational shopping spree.

And I bought three items.

「Character has equipped Adamantium Large Battle Shield.」

「Total item level increased by +1,750.」

First, the shield that was destroyed in the last battle.

I bought a new one made of 5th-tier material since I was buying one anyway.

The price was unbelievably low.

It was even cheaper than the 4th-tier Moonstone shield, perhaps because it wasn’t custom-made.

「Character has equipped No. 8,820 Iron Wall.」

「Total item level increased by +310.」

The second item was steel boots.

It was an item that doubled Physical Resistance and Magic Resistance for 3 seconds when used, and it synergized well with my Shield Barbarian build.

Ah, of course, it wasn’t a graduation item.

There were much better boots among the higher-grade Numbered Items.

‘These boots should be enough until the later stages.’

The last item I bought was a material.

It was called ‘Soul of the Dead’.

It was a material used to receive the 7th stage of the Spirit Engraving, and it was the most expensive item I bought.

It was also used as an alchemy and magic material.

Although its price had also plummeted, the decrease was relatively small.

But…

‘I don’t know when I’ll be able to get it again.’

These kinds of materials were harder to obtain than equipment, not because of the price…

…but because there were few sellers.

So I decided to buy it as soon as I saw it.

‘Damn right, it’s a hundred times better to just buy it than to get it myself.’

‘Soul of the Dead’ was an item that dropped from the 4th-grade monster, Lich, with a certain probability when you hunted it while using ‘Distortion’.

It meant I didn’t know how long it would take to get it myself.

I could do more with that time.

“Bjorn, then I’ll be going to the training center!!”

Ainar ran towards the training center as soon as it was time to leave the exchange.

It seemed like she really liked the two Numbered Items she bought this time.

“Misha, what about you?”

“I’m going home. I have to prepare dinner.”

“Then you can take Avman home.”

“Huh? Aren’t you going home?”

“I’m going to stop by the sanctuary for a bit. I might not be back tonight.”

Misha flinched at my words and then stared at me.

“The sanctuary…?”

Ah, it was because of that keyword.

I quickly added an explanation.

“I bought the material, didn’t I? I’m going to get the Spirit Engraving.”

“Ah, okay. Right, I see…”

There were awkward moments like this sometimes since that day. We agreed to pretend it never happened, but was that easy?

“Th, then go safely. I’ll take care of the kids.”

“Right… I’ll leave it to you.”

I then parted ways with Misha and got on a carriage heading towards the sanctuary. I saw Misha sitting on a bench, waiting for her carriage.

“…….”

“…….”

Misha quickly averted her gaze as our eyes met, and then she looked back at me and waved awkwardly.

‘Ah, this is so uncomfortable.’

I awkwardly nodded and closed the carriage curtains. I felt a sense of self-deprecation, belatedly realizing how pathetic it was…

…but it was still much better than before.

There’s a saying, ‘time heals all wounds’, right?

If I just kept pretending to be fine, maybe I would really become fine someday.

“Then we’ll depart.”

The carriage started moving and left the platform, and I dozed off.

And before I knew it, we arrived at our destination.

The platform in the outer area of the 7th district, closest to the sanctuary.

I passed through the gate and walked along the forest path, and the barbarian campsite soon appeared.

“It’s been a while. Are you here for a spar?”

I first opened the chieftain’s tent and greeted him.

‘Phew, fortunately, he hasn’t heard about the oracle yet.’

I was a bit worried since Goblin mentioned the oracle at the Round Table…

…but it seemed like it hadn’t reached the chieftain’s ears yet.

Well, it was just a matter of time.

“I’m here to see the shaman.”

“The shaman? Then the timing isn’t good. You can’t see him now.”

“Why?”

“He’s currently undergoing the ‘Soul Purification’ ritual.”

“Soul Purification…?”

It was a term I had never heard of, even in the game.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know?”

The chieftain’s eyes narrowed as I tilted my head.

It wasn’t a big deal.

If it were before, I would have flinched, thinking, ‘It’s common sense, how can I not know?’

“I forgot.”

I naturally realized as I lived as a barbarian…

…that it wasn’t strange for a barbarian to not know common sense.

“I see.”

As expected, the chieftain easily understood and briefly explained what ‘Soul Purification’ was.

“It’s a ritual that shamans have to perform every few years to use their magic.”

“Then how long do I have to wait?”

“He started the ritual at the beginning of the month, so you should be able to see him next month.”

Hmm, next month…

“Okay, I’ll come back then.”

I dismissed my regret and turned back.
_____________________

Late evening, when drunkards started appearing on the streets.

We gathered at the bear-like man’s bar.

Ah, for reference, there was a ‘Closed’ sign on the door, so we were the only ones inside.

Although the bear-like man’s wife was healthy enough to work at the bar even while pregnant…

…her due date was really approaching now.

“Are you sure it’s okay? For you to not be there?”

“Don’t worry, it’s just one day, what could happen? I have to work harder now that the baby is coming. My wife also agreed, so don’t mind me.”

“If that’s the case…”

I didn’t say anything more since it was half-hearted.

Honestly, we would be the ones in trouble if he suddenly left now.

“Then I’ll bind you first.”

Raven divided us into two groups of three and cast the Bonding spell after we finished our meal at the bear-like man’s bar.

The team distribution was simple.

Me, the bear-like man, and Raven were Team A.

Erwen, Misha, and Ainar were Team B.

It didn’t really matter since we were only moving separately on the 1st floor and meeting on the 2nd floor.

“It’s about time, let’s go.”

“Ah, wait a minute.”

Raven stopped us as we were about to head towards the Dimensional Plaza.

And she took out a few small items from her subspace pocket with a shy expression.

“That… we’re a clan now, right? I had some time, so I tried making an emblem.”

It was an emblem.

You know, the thing explorers with clans always wear on their armor.

“I looked into it while making it, and they said symbolism is the most important thing for clan emblems. So I used your title, Giant, but…”

“But this looks more like an ogre than a giant.”

“Ah, then give it back!”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it. We’ll officially register it as our clan emblem at the guild when we get back tomorrow.”

Raven’s expression brightened as I said we would register it as our clan emblem, even though I was just teasing her.

She must have been looking forward to it.

“Everyone, come here. I’ll attach it for you.”

Raven then personally attached the emblems to our equipment with magic.

It actually looked pretty good.

It felt like we had become real explorers.

“Thank you, Raven. For taking care of this even though I didn’t ask.”

“…It’s my clan too.”

“That’s why I’m thanking you.”

“Whatever. Let’s just go. We’ll be late.”

Geez, she’s so shy.

We then hurriedly headed towards the Dimensional Plaza after attaching the emblems. There were quite a few people who came to watch.

They were standing far away from the plaza, looking at us.

“Hey, Bjorn Yandel is there too.”

“He’s entering again after that incident?”

“He formed a clan, but there are only six of them.”

“But what’s that emblem? Is it an ogre?”

“Probably, one of Bjorn Yandel’s essences is an ogre.”

Although the area around the plaza was crowded…

…there weren’t many people waiting to enter.

Only about three or four hundred?

And most of them were low-level explorers who had come out because they were desperate for money.

‘If the other plazas are also like this, the upper floors must be practically empty.’

I spent the remaining time reviewing our exploration plan, and soon a light erupted from the center of the plaza, and the portal opened.

「Entered 1st Floor Crystal Cave.」

We had a lot to do in the labyrinth this time.

-----------------------------------------

Chapter 263: Bug (2)

A cave where crystals embedded in the walls emitted a brilliant light.

It was a place I had been to countless times, but it felt unfamiliar today.

Well, it was only natural since it was my first time entering in two months…

‘But there must be another reason.’

I clicked my tongue in disappointment as I looked around.

First, there were only three of us, unlike usual.

And although it wasn’t as bright as daytime, it was bright enough that we didn’t need torches.

In other words…

“It’s not a dark zone.”

…the experience point duplication bug was patched.

It meant we could no longer use the dimensional instability phenomenon to start at the entrance of the 2nd-floor portal.

“Do you know anything?”

Raven cautiously offered a guess as I pretended not to know and asked.

“I heard the royal family made a big request to the Magic Tower recently. I didn’t know the details since I’ve been outside, but… now that I see it, it might have been a portal stabilization project.”

Phew, so the bug was really patched because of that.

But I was able to accept it quickly since I was mentally prepared thanks to SoulQueens.

Well, what could I do? I had to play the classic way from now on.

I had enjoyed enough honey for the past few months.

“I’ll be going now.”

I quickly took out my compass and started navigating after briefly observing the terrain from the starting point.

After all, there weren’t many people who entered this time.

Maybe I could get portal opening experience points even without the bug.

“Avman, summon Iron Bear. I’m planning to move faster than usual.”

Raven got on Iron Bear’s back as soon as the bear-like man summoned him.

“It would be nice if Miss Ainar was also this soft…”

Geez, these mages.

They’re always thinking about mounts.

“Wooooong—!”

Anyway, I took the lead and ran, and Raven and the bear-like man followed.

It was a formation where the bear-like man, who had a sturdy body for a ranged attacker, was in the rear.

Although goblins were no longer a threat…

…you never know.

The most dangerous thing in the labyrinth was always humans.

‘At least there don’t seem to be any Noark bastards…’

I initially ran through the cave cautiously, but I soon lowered my guard.

Although I encountered several explorers while increasing our speed, most of them were low-level explorers with low-grade equipment.

And there weren’t many of them.

‘Maybe I can really open the portal?’

That’s when, as my hopes started to rise…

“It seems like there’s someone ahead of us.”

…they were dashed as soon as we reached the entrance of the dark zone.

A 9th-grade magic stone was lying on the path we were going to take.

There was no way Misha’s team had passed through here.

Even if Erwen had, Misha and Ainar wouldn’t have done that since I didn’t teach them to.

“…Why are you picking that up?”

“A 9th-grade magic stone is still a magic stone.”

I couldn’t just leave a magic stone behind, remembering the time I had to crawl through this long passage on three legs.

Back then, this small magic stone was my hope—

“No, I meant I can retrieve it with magic.”

Hmm, that’s true.

Wait, then there wasn’t a single mage in the team that passed through here?

I thought they would be a top-tier team at this speed.

“Liate.”

We continued running, illuminating the darkness with light magic instead of torches.

The portal appeared after about 40 minutes.

As expected, it had already been opened.

「Entered 2nd Floor Goblin Forest.」

I dismissed my regret and entered the portal.

We had promised to wait for each other on the upper floor, regardless of who arrived first.

“…It’s strange, just like in the cave earlier.”

“Yes. It was so intense back then.”

The Goblin Forest, where a fierce battle had taken place between Noark and the Lafdonian explorers.

The surroundings were quiet, and there was no one in sight.

“It seems like Misha’s team isn’t here yet, so let’s wait for a bit.”

I looked around while we were resting, and I found traces of people nearby.

“It seems like they were here before us. But why are you looking so closely?”

“I just feel a bit uneasy.”

“Uh, I suddenly feel anxious when you say that…”

What is she talking about?

“Everyone, sit down and rest. We don’t know when the other team will arrive.”

We then took out our personal chairs from our subspace pockets and sat down.

Although goblins occasionally approached from afar, they didn’t interrupt our rest.

Iron Bear took care of them.
___________________

“Hey…”

A woman, seemingly in her early twenties, spoke in a whiny voice in the moonlit forest.

“We’re already on the 2nd floor, and there’s no one around, so can’t we summon Yongyong?”

“No. He’ll definitely leave traces with that size.”

“Come on, sis. Why not? It’s not like we’re the only summoners here. Right?”

“Carmilla, stop it. Lady Rainwales said no, didn’t she?”

“Hey, are you just going to stay quiet?”

“Then don’t talk to me in the first place. And what’s so hard for you? You were just sitting on my shoulders the whole time on the 1st floor—”

“No, but you smell like a widower. It’s getting on my clothes. It’s bad for my nose!”

“……What?”

The warrior carrying the woman stopped for a moment at her sharp words, but he just sighed and continued walking, as if he was used to it.

“Right, why would I even bother talking to you.”

“Then don’t talk to me in the first place!”

“Carmilla, I know you’re sensitive these days, but stop acting like a child. Even if I don’t care, there are other people here.”

“Geez, the nagging…”

The woman, called Carmilla, pouted and muttered.

She was dissatisfied with the whole situation.

“By the way, why do we still have to do this mission? Everyone abandoned us and ran away, so what’s going to change even if we kill that explorer?”

“…They must have their reasons. We even received a message from them a few days ago.”

“Ah, right. That message where they just said what they wanted to say and then hung up after 10 seconds?”

Carmilla said sarcastically, and the archer also frowned.

“They apologized, didn’t they? They said they couldn’t talk for long because of the barrier. But they said they would find a way to get us out, so we just have to do our job—”

“How naive. Don’t you think it’s a lie?”

“…Then why did you follow us all the way here, Miss Carmilla? Why aren’t you in the city?”

“That’s…”

Carmilla trailed off and bit her lip.

How could she say it?

That she whined about not wanting to come, but then followed them because she was scared of what that woman would do.

‘Ah, what the hell is going on?’

She snapped at the archer, feeling irritated.

“By the way, Nebarche, what happened to the Ruin Scholar? You were the one who was with him until the end.”

“I told you, didn’t I? The Ruin Scholar had a conversation with ‘that guy’ and then disappeared—”

“Everyone, stop.”

The archer also stopped talking and changed his expression as the woman who was leading the way stopped.

“Amelia, is there a problem?”

“The trap we set near the portal is gone.”

“It means someone came up to the 2nd floor. Judging by the time, it seems like a high-ranking explorer… Maybe more explorers entered than we expected.”

“Nebarche, do you have any guesses?”

“I don’t know. But it wouldn’t be a team from a large clan. They wouldn’t move without being certain.”

“I see.”

Carmilla blurted out at their conversation,

“But does it matter who it is? I don’t understand why you’re curious about that.”

“…You’re not wrong.”

Amelia seemed to be lost in thought at her words and then muttered softly,

“But I’m curious for some reason.”

“Yes? What did you say?”

Amelia shook her head.

“…It’s nothing. Let’s move again.”
____________________

“Mister, did you wait long? I’m sorry. We started in the southern district, so it took a while.”

Misha’s team arrived on the 2nd floor after about 2 hours of waiting.

So we quickly resumed our journey.

After all, over ten teams had already passed through here while we were waiting.

‘It’s not as empty as I thought.’

The 3rd-floor portal we arrived at was, of course, already open, and it was the same for the 4th floor, which we reached after 6 days.

“At least we can eat properly now.”

We replenished our stamina and cleared the trials, having spent the entire journey running without even eating properly.

Although we were a 6-person party, unlike usual, our speed was actually slower.

Because the difficulty of the trials increased from 6 people onwards.

Although I didn’t mind the increased number of monsters, the mazes in the Wisdom Trials became larger, so it took much longer.

‘But maybe it’s because of her racial traits? She’s definitely better at navigating than me.’

Erwen, who had received scout training from her sister, was better at navigating than I expected.

If I relied on experience and knowledge, Erwen was the type to rely on her senses. Her night vision was also much better, so she could spot traps from afar.

“I think I can do it from here without Mr. Avman. This is the right door, right? I can hear mana fluctuations from beyond the door.”

Her senses were so sharp that she could even find the portal connected to the 5th floor without the Guide’s ability.

Her essences didn’t have any Hearing stats.

‘Is it just natural talent?’

Anyway, we arrived at the 5th-floor portal right around the beginning of Day 19.

‘It’s about a day later than usual.’

It would have taken much longer if there were seven of us.

Because the waiting time for each trial increased from then on.

Ah, for reference, it was proportional to the number of people.

There was a reason why large clans split into teams of five and met on the 5th floor.

“Aruru, why don’t we meet on the 2nd floor and hunt like this on the lower floors?”

“Because we would have to share the loot with one more person, and the unit price isn’t good enough on the lower floors. And besides, we need a navigator on each side if we split into two teams. There are many non-combat personnel among low-level explorers, right?”

“Hmm! I see!”

“I… I get it now! You were just nodding without understanding, right?”

“Oh, as expected of a mage!”

“Both of you, stop messing around and go to sleep.”

We rested on the safe 4th floor and then entered the 5th floor early in the morning since it was time to camp anyway.

「Entered 5th Floor Great Magical Forest.」

The 5th floor, which we had returned to after a long time, was a bit different from usual from the very beginning.

It was exactly what I was hoping for.

“It’s nice and quiet.”

The clans that were always there first, controlling the hunting grounds, were nowhere to be seen.

And…

“Oh! Look, look! It’s an Istoltos!”

…monsters that we couldn’t even see unless we paid the clans were roaming freely in the fields.

“So this place was originally full of monsters.”

The bear-like man muttered as if he was disappointed.

Well, he had been active on the 5th floor for a long time.

It must feel strange to him since he had a grudge against the clans.

“Yandel, what do you think? This won’t last forever, right?”

“Right, it probably won’t last long.”

I answered honestly.

The large clans would start entering the labyrinth one by one from next month onwards. And as more time passed, newly formed clans would fill the empty spots.

“So let’s stop sightseeing and move. This kind of opportunity doesn’t come often.”

There was a monster that would be difficult to catch if we missed this opportunity.

----------------------------------------


Chapter 264: Bug (3)

We’re walking along the shaking canyon.

I’m in the lead, Iron Bear, the tank apprentice, is in the rear, and the rest are huddled together in the center.

[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak—!]

With every step we take, we hear the howls of specters from the darkness.

It’s a characteristic of ‘Specter Canyon’, one of the four paths leading to the 6th floor.

「Character has entered a special area.」

「Field effect - Specter Canyon applied.」

The ground shakes violently every few minutes.

The eerie background music created by the specters.

And…

「Status effect [Bound Spirit] applied.」

「Darkness Resistance and Physical Resistance decreased by -100.」

…even this unpleasant sensation of my skin feeling thinner.

‘It feels even more eerie because there are no explorers.’

It’s already been a day since we entered Specter Canyon, but we haven’t encountered any other explorers yet.

We’ve only encountered monsters.

「Killed Curse Stone. EXP +4」

「Killed Corrupted Creature. EXP +2」

「Killed Blood Ghoul. EXP +5」

「Killed Dakyrion. EXP +5」

「Killed Ancient Dusk…….」

Well, it’s actually an advantage.

We were able to obtain most of the experience points available in this route in just one expedition.

‘It seems like we can just pass through here one more time and hunt the ones we missed…’

“Be careful not to fall.”

We invested all our time in fighting and moving, except for stopping briefly whenever the ground shook.

We only rested when we camped.

Although it was a tight schedule, we should be fine for a few days since we had plenty of rest on the 4th floor.

“It’s a bit strange. I thought the next area would be Frost Canyon.”

“We weren’t ready to go to the 6th floor back then. This is the closest path to the 6th floor.”

“Hmm, I heard that… but wouldn’t it have been better to go through the Hellfire Canyon, which we’re familiar with, than this place, which we’ve never been to?”

“But we already collected all the achievement points there.”

Although I gave Raven various reasons for coming here…

…there was another reason why I chose this route.

‘Because I already obtained the essence I was going to absorb in Frost Canyon.’

I obtained the essence I was originally going to give to Misha as a reward from the royal family.

And most importantly…

‘That guy’ appears here.

A monster I had to defeat if I wanted to enter the 6th floor appeared in this route.

Of course, I couldn’t tell them that this guy was my goal.

If I did, I would have to come up with an excuse for how I was going to find him, and I didn’t have one.

As expected, it was best to just say I was lucky—

“Mister.”

Huh?

“You have to go this way.”

I ended my thoughts and looked ahead, and a three-way intersection blocked our path.

Actually, it wasn’t exactly a three-way intersection.

“It’s a bit of a distance to the other side. I’ll go first and throw a rope.”

I used [Leap] to jump over 30 meters in an instant and threw the rope I had prepared to the other side of the cliff.

It was one of the interesting aspects of the 5th-floor Great Magical Forest.

The number of routes you could choose increased depending on your character’s abilities.

“It’s set up! I’m coming over now!”

My companions crossed over to where I was one by one, using the rope. It wasn’t difficult since it was sloped.

They just had to attach a hook to the rope and slide down.

“Then I’ll go get it.”

I used [Leap] to go back to the other side and retrieve the rope after they were all over.

After all, we couldn’t just use it once.

It cost a fortune to have a rope specially made for this path.

“Erwen, how far down have we come?”

“About one-seventh.”

“So we can reach the 6th floor in a week.”

“Yes. If we can maintain our current speed.”

We continued down, following Erwen’s guidance.

Although she didn’t make a map like I did since her exploration method was different, she never made us wander around aimlessly.

“The fairy girl is a good navigator.”

“I haven’t been to the 6th floor, but I’ve experienced all four paths while I was with the clan. And besides, Mr. Avman tells me the direction of the portal, so I have to be able to do this!”

“Whatever. You don’t have to be so humble. I think you can be more confident.”

Although I didn’t have a bad impression of her from the beginning…

…the companions’ gazes towards Erwen became more favorable as she proved her abilities.

It seemed like she was also getting along well with Misha these days.

“Sister! Come a little further inside. It might be dangerous on the outer side…”

“Okay, thanks.”

Anyway, it was time to find a campsite and rest as we were moving along the shortest route, following Erwen’s guidance.

“This place seems good.”

The place I chose for our campsite was a cliff.

We only had to keep watch on one side, and if something went wrong, we could just jump over to the side path, which was about 5 meters away.

Ah, of course, the watch order didn’t really matter.

“Bjorn, wake up.”

“Monsters again?”

We had to wake up and grab our weapons every 20 minutes because monsters kept appearing.

It was the same for Raven, who had low stamina.

Although we tried to finish off the small groups without waking her up, we had no choice but to wake her up when dozens of monsters swarmed us.

“…Haam, I’ll go back to sleep.”

“Okay, good work.”

“…….”

Raven let out a small snore without even answering.

It was a bit funny to see her like that.

She had really become an explorer.

“Heh, she doesn’t even wake up to most sounds anymore.”

“No, I think she wakes up every time she hears something. Well, it seems like she falls asleep right away if it’s nothing serious.”

“It’s a bit strange. That’s actually the hardest part.”

“Well, she’ll get used to it.”

“Yeah, that’s true… you get used to everything eventually…”

It was like my relationship with Misha.

Although it was awkward for a while even after we entered the labyrinth, we could now talk comfortably without any burden. Time heals all wounds.

“Anyway, you should go to sleep too. I’ll keep watch.”

“It’s still a few minutes until your turn.”

“It’s more troublesome to wake up again after falling asleep.”

“Hmm, but I feel bad…”

Bad for what?

I would have to wake her up in 20 minutes to fight anyway.
______________________

The expedition continued, and it had already been ten days since we entered the 5th floor.

But we were still on the 5th floor.

“How much further to the 6th floor?”

“About a day, I think.”

“At our current speed?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s assume it will take two days, just in case.”

Unfortunately, our speed gradually decreased as the expedition progressed.

We were reaching our physical limits.

Well, it would be strange if we were fine after fighting all day without proper sleep.

Explorers weren’t superhuman.

They were just much stronger than ordinary people.

‘Well, at least we caught that guy yesterday.’

Although the schedule was delayed more than I expected, we achieved one of the side goals of this expedition.

The 5th-grade rare species, Soul Eater.

It was a very unique monster in many ways.

Not only did only one appear when the labyrinth opened…

「Killed Soul Eater. EXP +177」

…but its experience points were insane.

I thought it was a bug when I first saw the experience log.

After all, how could I have known that there was a monster that gave a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 200 experience points randomly upon first kill?

‘I wonder how much I got.’

Although I couldn’t calculate experience points accurately anymore, I wasn’t disappointed.

Because I finally reached level 6 with this.

「Character level increased.」

「Soul Power increased by +30.」

「Maximum absorbable essence increased by +1.」

Corpse Golem, Orc Hero, Ogre, Manticore.

And Bion’s essence, which I obtained as a reward from the royal family.

That was why I entered the labyrinth without removing the Corpse Golem essence, even though all five slots were filled.

I thought I would be able to level up if I just killed this guy since I had also duplicated experience points quite a bit.

“I can’t believe we encountered him. We were lucky.”

“Huhu, I told you several times, didn’t I? This team is lucky.”

Lucky, my ass.

You guys have no idea how much effort I put into fulfilling the spawn conditions without you knowing.

“Aruru, it’s a clan now, not a team!”

“Ah, ye… yes, yes.”

“Stop chattering and focus.”

I continued leading the way, making sure they didn’t get too distracted, as the leader… no, the clan master now.

Although the expedition was progressing smoothly, except for the delay…

…there were a few close calls.

Although our overall strength exceeded the 5th-floor level thanks to the royal family’s reward, this world wasn’t a place where specs were everything.

“Miss Misha, you’ll have to repair your armor as soon as we get out.”

“Ah, ye… ha, I just bought it. This is so frustrating.”

Misha was directly hit by the spear of a Soul Knight summoned by the Soul Eater.

Of course, she wasn’t injured.

But…

“Misha, what are you even frustrated about? You would have died yesterday if it weren’t for that.”

The spearhead pierced through Misha’s armor.

It was where her heart was.

It would have been life-threatening if it had gone in just a finger’s width deeper.

It was a close call.

If she had still been wearing the 2nd-tier leather armor she obtained by killing Zencia, our first PK opponent, she wouldn’t have been able to endure it.

‘It’s a good thing I bought a 5th-tier leather armor this time, even if it meant spending a bit more money—’

“But, but it’s still frustrating…”

Huh, she still doesn’t get it.

“Enough, don’t even think about saving money on equipment from now on.”

“Okay…”

This is why those with low Physical Resistance are…

I can’t relax.

“Ahem, it’s nice to see, but shouldn’t we get moving?”

“…….”

We resumed our exploration after a brief awkward moment.

We reached the bottom of Specter Canyon after about a day and then found the portal after traveling for half a day.

“Wow, it’s really the 6th floor…”

“It’s my first time here too.”

“I’m so excited. I’ve heard so much about this place.”

Everyone expressed their feelings as we entered a new floor.

Of course, I also felt the same way.

‘We finally made it to the 6th floor.’

The day I first saw the execution of tax delinquents in the plaza.

I thought back then…

…that I would have to reach at least the 6th floor to be able to live in a house with a kitchen, receive treatment when I was sick, and retire at 50 and live comfortably with three dogs.

That I would have to work hard and save money even then.

So…

…I decided to think about how to return home later.

‘…I didn’t expect to arrive 3 years earlier than expected.’

It was at least 3 years earlier than I had anticipated.

But I didn’t want to say I was lucky.

It had been 13 months since I woke up in this body.

Although it was a short time, I had experienced so much.

I struggled hard.

And I lost someone.

And I grew into who I am now through his legacy.

“Bjorn.”

“Ah, I was just lost in thought.”

“You go first. You’re the one who brought us here.”

The bear-like man patted my shoulder.

“Yes. That’s right. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have even entered the labyrinth.”

Raven poked my waist with her staff.

Geez, they’re rushing me.

“Then I’ll go in.”

I took a step towards the portal.
________________________
「Entered 6th Floor Great Ocean.」
________________________

A blue sky and a shining sun.

The salty smell of the sea carried by the wind.

And the sound of crashing waves.

Swaaa!

When I landed in midair and regained my balance, the first thing I saw was a vast sandy beach.

The sand was almost white, and beyond the wet mud, an emerald sea unfolded.

“Wow…”

Everyone was speechless.

I wasn’t much different.

It was a breathtaking sight, and I felt a different kind of emotion compared to those who were seeing the sea for the first time.

“…….”

We stood there blankly, gazing at the horizon as if we had forgotten time.

Actually, I came to my senses a while ago…

‘But there’s no need to interrupt this moment.’

I looked away from the sea and observed my surroundings.

‘Starting Island Laimia’, the starting point of the 6th floor.

It was always crowded with people in the game, but now it was empty.

‘Well, they would have all set sail by this time.’

I then turned my head back towards the sea.

And I approached Misha and spoke.

“Misha.”

It was enough to just call her name.

“Ah, right. We should do that first…”

Misha, who understood what I meant, took out an item she had been cherishing.

Raven tilted her head.

“What’s that in the glass bottle? Is it an explorer’s badge…?”

“It’s an explorer’s badge.”

“Ah, don’t tell me…”

“Right, it’s Dwarkey’s.”

We had a simple funeral and burned most of Dwarkey’s belongings, but we kept this.

It was the dwarf’s request.

[That place is so mystical that even though it’s a labyrinth, time flows differently, and there are seasons, right? Please do me a favor. He’ll be grateful.]

[…But he’s never even been there?]

[That’s why he’ll be grateful. If it were him.]

I wonder how it would be.

Although I didn’t know for sure, I came here.

“Can you wait for a moment?”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

Raven stepped back with the others without a word.

“Misha.”

“Yeah.”

I walked towards the sea with Misha, past the sandy beach.

Swaaa!

The waves surged and retreated like a beating heart.

Misha bent down and dipped her finger in the sea.

“It’s colder than I thought…”

“I see.”

“I wish he could have come with us…”

“Yeah.”

He really would have.

He was so excited when we first arrived on the 3rd floor.

[…I think I’m starting to understand what explorers mean when they say the world is vast.]

If we had just…

…had a little more time together…

…he could have seen this vast ocean, not just the Milky Way spread out on the blocked ceiling.

“Give it to me now.”

“Huh? But…”

“He’ll probably come down here if we leave it here.”

“Ah, you’re right…”

Misha understood what I meant after looking at the waves, without needing a scientific explanation.

I then received the specially made glass bottle from Misha and entered the sea.

The shallow water gradually deepened, and I moved as far away from the island as possible.

“…This should be enough.”

The water was up to my neck, even though I was using [Gigantification].

I threw the bottle as far as I could.

Splash!

The bottle bobbed on the surface and started drifting towards the other side of the island.

Okay, success on the first try.

I was going to take a boat later if it didn’t work.

“Anyway, I tried to work things out with Misha, but it didn’t work.”

I said, looking at the drifting bottle.

And then I chuckled, finding it a bit funny.

What the hell am I doing?

“Rest in peace.”

I swallowed the rest of my words, thinking he wouldn’t be able to hear me anyway, and turned around.

But I thought.

What would Dwarkey think if he saw me now?

‘He would have been happy.’

Even if it was just an act for the survivors.

He would have smiled.

No, he would have been even happier because it was for us.

That was the kind of guy he was.

Swaaa!

I turned around again, feeling the waves pushing against my back.

And I prayed briefly.

I didn’t know where the bottle would drift…

Swaaa!

…but I hoped that these waves…

…would lead it to the place he wanted.

Trial

I like Korean novels (Murim, Dukes, Reincarnation, etc, etc, etc)

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