C13, 14, 15
Chapter 13: 2nd Floor (3)
Nine goblins are rushing towards me.
Eight are regular goblins, and one is a goblin swordsman.
The swordsman is only holding a scimitar with a blade about 60 centimeters long, but...
Unlike a dagger, that's a proper blade.
"Grr!"
Looking at the goblin charging from the front, I strike its temple with my hammer held in a short grip.
Thwack-!
One shot, one kill. The goblin turns into a cluster of light and disappears before it even hits the ground.
However, it's too early to celebrate.
I've only taken down one of them.
"Grrr!!!"
As soon as I finish off one, two goblins from either side lunge at me simultaneously.
They're holding daggers.
I dash to the right and push one away with my shield, then immediately turn around and strike the other with my hammer.
Thwack-!
That's two down.
But there's no time to catch my breath.
Another goblin lunges from behind, having somehow reached my rear.
It's the goblin swordsman.
"Kyaak!"
It lets out a snake-like hiss, as if trying to live up to its title.
I immediately stop and roll on the ground.
Whoosh-!
The sword passes overhead with a sharp whistling sound.
Seeing me rolling on the ground, the goblins see their chance and charge.
This is why the 2nd floor is several times more dangerous than the 1st floor.
Even if you can somehow overpower four regular goblins with your physical strength, it's impossible at this point.
I have no choice but to accept some injuries.
Maybe if I were alone...
Thump!
An arrow shot from the bushes pierces the forehead of one of the goblins.
It seems Erwen has found a sniping position again.
Tadat!
I quickly get up from the ground using the momentum of my roll. And I charge into the heart of the enemy formation with my shield raised.
Well, it's only natural for a warrior to draw aggro, right?
"You bastards! Come at me!"
I block with my shield, swing my hammer, dodge, push them away with my feet, and even headbutt them.
Fueled by the boiling barbarian blood, I rampage in the midst of the goblin formation, and Erwen, who has once again found her position, shoots arrows like crazy.
Whoosh, thump! Thump! Thump!
The goblins are overwhelmed by the arrows that are shot every 2 or 3 seconds.
"Grr!!"
Maybe because she's rushing a bit, the arrows don't always hit vital points...
Thump!
But they always hit somewhere, be it the shoulder, arm, stomach, chest, or thigh.
Sometimes, she even imbues the arrows with her spirit's power, causing them to burst into flames.
I also do my part and smash the heads of the goblins, who are too busy worrying about the arrows to do anything else, with my hammer one by one.
Thwack! Thwack!
When the number of goblins dwindles down to two, they start to flee.
I catch one by grabbing its hair as it tries to run away, and Erwen finishes off the other with an arrow to the back of its head.
「Killed Goblin Swordsman. EXP +1」
As the battle ends, Erwen, who was hiding in the bushes, reveals herself and approaches.
"Mister, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. What about you?"
"I'm fine too."
"Alright. Then let's collect the magic stones."
Afterwards, we split up and gather the arrows and magic stones scattered around.
Although I also defeated the goblin swordsman during the chaos, it's impossible to retrieve the scimitar.
It disappeared into light along with the clothes and weapons it was wearing, just like on the 1st floor.
"Here are six."
Including the two she killed with surprise attacks, we collected a total of 11 magic stones.
Considering that I earned forty-four magic stones by wandering around all day on Day 1, it's a more than satisfactory result.
The battle itself only took about 2 minutes.
"Here, take this."
"Two? Thank you!"
I take 9 and Erwen takes 2.
It's a distribution that considers the fact that even though they're both 9th-grade, the swordsman's magic stones are heavier than those of regular goblins.
"We can just keep doing this, right?"
"Yes. Was there anything uncomfortable or dangerous about this battle?"
"No, not really."
Afterwards, I take some time to review the battle and identify areas for improvement in our fighting style.
I haven't found anything specific to change right now, but that's just proof that we're still inexperienced.
We'll naturally get better as we fight more battles and gain experience.
"Alright, let's stop here and continue moving."
"Yes!"
I check the time one last time.
[01:31]
How much can we earn before Day 4 ends?
We move, expanding our radius around the portal.
And after expanding our range to over 3 kilometers, we really do encounter groups of goblins every 5 minutes.
In the process, we also encounter goblin archers.
"Kikikiki!"
The goblin archer makes a slightly more unique sound than "grr" and is definitely a more threatening opponent.
It uses a small shortbow that resembles a harp, and like other goblins, its arrowheads are coated with poison.
It even knows how to use stealth magic.
However...
「Killed Goblin Archer. EXP +1」
As long as I focus, this barbarian body can react to the incoming arrows and either dodge or block them with my shield.
Well, I still need to be careful, though.
“There’s another goblin archer! Kill it first!”
“Yes!”
Even for a barbarian, getting an arrow through the head is instant death.
I need to buy a helmet or something when we return to the city.
“Let’s take a break.”
“Ha! Finally!”
We finish one more battle and move to the clearing near the portal to rest.
“You can sleep first if you want.”
“Really?”
She really doesn’t know how to refuse.
When I chuckle and nod, she plops down on the ground and looks at me like a puppy that needs to pee.
“Um, what about the backpack and blanket?”
“…Here.”
I put down my heavier backpack and take out the blanket to cover her.
And within a minute, I hear her snoring.
Snore, snore-.
It’s a much quieter and gentler sound compared to the authentic barbarian style…
She must have been really tired.
She slept without making a sound until now.
[18:20]
We spent about 15 hours exploring and hunting in the Goblin Forest.
We had to fight groups of over ten goblins each time, but as we got used to it, the dangerous situations decreased, and our speed increased even more.
As a result, we earned an amount that was unimaginable on the 1st floor.
But there weren’t no tense moments.
“Whew…”
As our range expanded, we started encountering other explorers.
We’ve encountered them a total of eleven times so far.
They were all groups of three or more, and sometimes there were even other races among them.
Although we just passed by each other, creating some distance as is customary, I felt exhausted each time.
I’m more scared of explorer bastards than goblins.
Especially since we have a reason to be on guard right now.
“It’s also a problem that she’s so pretty.”
I sigh as I look at Erwen, who is sleeping soundly.
Despite being homeless for days, her silver hair shines, her amber eyes are captivating, and her features are perfect.
It’s lucky for her as a woman, but…
As an explorer, well, I don’t know.
Among the groups of explorers we encountered, there was even a guy who started licking his lips as soon as he saw Erwen.
I hope nothing bad happens…
“…Am I that pretty?”
What the fuck, you were snoring just a moment ago.
“Go to sleep.”
“Yes…”
Maybe because she was half-asleep, Erwen just mumbles a reply and starts snoring again.
Snore, snore.
Seriously, what is with her?
The fairies I know weren’t like this.
Day 4, Day 5, Day 6…
Time flies by after entering the Goblin Forest, and Day 7 begins.
The day we finally leave the labyrinth has arrived.
“When we get back, I’m going to sleep first…”
“Same here.”
There’s only one way to leave the labyrinth and return to the city.
Wait until the stairs close.
When the time comes, the labyrinth spits out the explorers who were on that floor back to the city.
The 1st floor is 168 hours, and the 2nd floor is a bit longer at 240 hours.
The higher the floor, the longer you can stay in the labyrinth.
However, we plan to go down to the 1st floor right before the end of Day 7 and exit the city.
“Today, let’s not go too far like yesterday and just stay around here.”
“Yes!”
There are a few reasons for leaving early.
Once the 1st floor closes, the portal also disappears.
It means we lose our escape route in case of an emergency.
Also, our food is running low.
There’s the option of buying food from the explorers we occasionally encounter in exchange for magic stones, but…
‘There’s no need to push it.’
And most importantly, we have less than 10 arrows left.
Even though they’re arrows made with sturdy materials, assuming they can be reused, they’re still consumables, so it was inevitable.
If they were arrows made with wood from Earth, we wouldn’t have been able to reuse them more than a few times.
I’m reminded once again that this is a different world.
[22:27]
I continue hunting for a while longer, then check the time and stop.
“Let’s head back, just in case.”
“Yes!”
We’re currently about 4 kilometers away from the portal.
It will take 40 minutes at most to get back.
Of course, that leaves some time to spare, but…
It’s more reassuring to be there early than to be late and miss our chance to descend.
There’s also something I need to discuss with her before we part ways.
“Be careful. There are traps set again.”
As we retrace our steps, we find traps scattered throughout the forest.
It means that goblin groups have respawned.
Well, even when they respawn, it’s not like they suddenly appear out of thin air like in the game.
There are often rabbit hole-like things in the forest, and goblins always crawl out of them.
So I once tried waiting in front of one and even tried setting it on fire with Erwen’s help, but there was no reaction.
And the ground collapsed as soon as we tried to dig, so we couldn’t check what was underneath.
Thud.
Erwen, who was walking ahead, stops.
“There’s a goblin group about 70 meters away in the 1 o’clock direction. Eight regulars, two swordsmen, and two archers.”
She’s gotten used to it now, and gives a perfect briefing without needing me to ask again.
“We’re fighting, right?”
“We fight.”
No need for long conversations.
As I nod, Erwen leads the way through the bushes as usual.
And she gestures for me to stop, then moves about 10 meters further on her own to find a position and draws her bow.
Whoosh!
The arrow is shot.
Thump!
It’s probably a goblin archer that got hit.
I told her to prioritize them if possible.
“Mister!”
“Alright, fall back.”
Erwen shoots one more arrow at the approaching goblin horde and retreats.
It’s a baton pass that we’re now too familiar with.
I charge forward and smash the head of the swordsman among the regular goblins.
Thwack-!
Judging by the satisfying impact, there’s no need to hit it twice.
“Waaaaaaaaak!”
The goblins hesitate as I roar from the center of the formation.
Geez, these guys are scared.
Thwack-!
While the goblins are momentarily stunned, I quickly dash and smash the head of the remaining swordsman.
“Grrr!!!”
After going through so many chaotic battles, I’ve become a master of this kind of dogfight.
And Erwen is the same.
Whoosh! Thump!
She’s already found her position, and the arrows start flying.
There were times when we almost got hit by arrows due to overlapping movements, but those instances have gradually disappeared.
I’m starting to predict which enemies Erwen will prioritize and where she will aim in each situation.
It’s the same for her, I’m sure.
Thwack-!
About a minute later…
The battle ends as I crush the back of the head of a goblin trying to escape.
I heard there were two goblin archers, but no arrows were shot during the battle.
It seems the first two arrows she shot during the ambush both hit the archers.
“Well done, Erwen.”
“Hehe.”
“Still, tell me if you’ve killed all the archers. It’s a pain to keep worrying about them.”
“I wasn’t sure if the last one hit.”
Hmm, that makes sense.
Inaccurate information could lead to danger.
She’s really all grown up now.
“Let’s quickly gather what we need and move on.”
“Yes!”
As we’re going around collecting magic stones, Erwen calls out to me urgently.
“Mister! There’s something strange here!”
I quickly go over and see a fist-sized orb of light floating in the air.
And I know what it is.
Although this is my first time seeing it in person…
“…It’s an essence. And it’s definitely from the goblin archer.”
Honestly, I’m a bit speechless as soon as I see it.
How can we be this lucky?
“E, e, essence? Th, th, this, this is?”
“Yes. I’m sure of it.”
“Wh, wh, wh, what should we do?”
Judging by her reaction, an essence is worth more than treasure to explorers.
Essences are basically the skill system of [Dungeon and Stone].
“If, if we eat this, will we become goblins?”
“No way. You’ll just gain some of the abilities that the goblin had.”
For example, like the guy who tracked us by smell on the 1st floor. That pursuer must have absorbed the essence of a ‘Blade Wolf.’
“What should we do…?”
How many times is she going to ask the same question?
Although the ratio is 9:1, it seems like she’s also interested in this.
“Do you want it?”
“No, not really, but… if you give it to me, then…”
There’s no particular reason not to give it to her, but is it just my imagination that she’s getting more and more shameless?
I smirk and say,
“I’ll give you the essence if you make one promise.”
The ‘Goblin Archer’s Essence’ is not very attractive to me as a barbarian.
It might be a little helpful for now, but the total amount of essence you can absorb is limited.
It would just be a waste of money to remove it later.
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
Seeing her eyes widen, I can’t help but laugh.
It’s amazing, even thinking about it again.
Essences drop with an extremely low probability when hunting monsters. But to get a goblin archer’s essence, and on her first time, no less?
She’s incredibly lucky, even for beginner’s luck.
Is my unlucky fate finally turning around?
“I was originally going to tell you this when we went down to the 1st floor, but I’ll say it now. Erwen—”
“Hey, you guys! What the hell are you doing?”
Damn it, no wonder I was feeling lucky.
Just as I’m about to get Erwen to promise me something, we hear a shout from afar.
“Don’t move!”
It’s a party of four human explorers.
They seem to have spotted us from afar and are quickly closing the distance with stern expressions.
Honestly, I thought, ‘as expected.’
This is how things should be.
“Erwen, get ready to fight.”
----------------------------------------
Chapter 14: Return (1)
The moment Erwen nervously picks up an arrow, I give her a nudge forward.
“Huh?”
Suddenly pushed from behind, Erwen takes a step forward, and in the process, her skin comes into contact with the essence floating in mid-air.
Swaaaaaaaaaaa!
The essence emits a bright light and swirls into Erwen’s body.
“You crazy bastard!”
So that was their goal after all.
“I told you not to move!”
The group of four explorers arrives about 10 meters away.
But what can we do now?
She’s already absorbed the essence.
I take a step forward, trying not to show my nervousness, and say in an intimidating manner,
“Why should I listen to you?”
“That essence was ours!”
I can roughly imagine what the situation would have been like if I hadn’t given the essence to Erwen.
They would have insisted that we hand it over, making up excuses like we shot it with an arrow from afar or something.
“If you want to fight, come at me. I’ll take you all on.”
Four against two.
We’re outnumbered, but I respond forcefully instead.
It’s the same principle as a small dog barking loudly.
Because I want to avoid a fight as much as possible.
People are like animals; if you seem weak, they’ll attack you.
“…….”
The redhead, who seems to be the leader of the opposing group, clenches his teeth silently.
Well, he must be thinking too, right?
If the essence were still floating in the air, it might be different…
But now that it has an owner, there’s nothing to gain from fighting us.
So the wise thing to do would be to give up and leave—
“…We demand compensation.”
So they’ve decided to whine.
Seeing the essence appear and disappear right before their eyes, he must have been quite disappointed.
But I have no reason to consider it.
“What kind of compensation are you talking about when we took the essence we obtained?”
“Do you have any proof? We hunted that goblin.”
I don’t bother asking, ‘Then do you have any proof?’
It’s obvious that they don’t.
It’s not like there are CCTV cameras in the labyrinth.
In the end, the words of the stronger party become the truth.
“I repeat, if you want to fight, come at me. I won’t run away.”
I respond firmly, as always.
If you’re going to fight, fight. If you’re going to talk, don’t make unreasonable demands and just leave.
I don’t even give them time to think calmly.
“Three seconds. If you don’t make a decision before then, I’ll consider you enemies.”
“Ah, mister…?”
Why can’t she read the room?
Just wait, can’t you see they’re all scared because I’m being so tough?
“Three.”
“Two.”
“We’ll retreat.”
The guy makes a choice before I even finish counting to one.
Well, if I were him, I would probably do the same if a huge, tattooed barbarian like me was counting down.
If they had really had their essence stolen, they would have been filled with resentment and sought revenge, but…
They know better than anyone that that’s not the case.
The guys disappear from our sight.
“Are they gone?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“We’ll increase our speed until we reach the portal. Lead the way.”
Erwen nods and starts clearing the path as if running.
She must also be feeling it to some extent.
Although it passed without bloodshed, it’s not over yet.
“Their presence?”
“I can’t sense them. Ah, there’s a goblin group in the 3 o’clock direction, what should we do?”
“Ignore them.”
“Yes.”
Originally, we were going to return while leisurely hunting goblins, but our plans have changed.
We’ll leave the 2nd floor as soon as possible.
And if possible, even after descending to the 1st floor, we’ll stay as far away from the portal as possible.
Erwen tilts her head after hearing my plan.
“Do you really think they’ll follow us all the way to the 1st floor?”
“They’re not following us. It’s just that our destinations are the same.”
“What does that mean?”
It’s a simple deduction.
There were four of them in their party.
And four people is a fairly sufficient number to operate in the entrance area of the 2nd floor. But to be moving towards the entrance area instead of the outer area?
Their intentions are obvious.
“It’s highly likely that they were planning to descend to the 1st floor and return to the city on Day 7 as well. That’s why we encountered them here at this time.”
“Ah…”
In simpler terms, those guys are just small-time players who were testing the waters on the 2nd floor, just like us.
That’s why they were scared of me and ran away even though they had twice the number of people.
Maybe they weren’t even a proper party, just a group hastily formed after meeting by chance on the 1st floor.
“I see…”
Erwen nods quietly at my continued explanation. I don’t know if she understands it properly, but…
“As expected, you’re amazing, mister!”
…You didn’t understand, did you?
“I’ll just do whatever you tell me!”
Well, maybe this is better.
People who try to use their brains half-heartedly cause more accidents.
“Mister, goblins!”
“We’re avoiding them.”
“But it seems like they’ve already spotted us? They’re running towards us!”
“What?”
I feel a sense of dissonance as soon as I hear her words.
From Day 4 until now, not once have goblins spotted us first.
Erwen’s detection ability is that exceptional.
Even though we’re running and moving, unlike before, this can’t be a simple coincidence.
And she’s even absorbed an essence now.
“We’re taking a detour in the opposite direction for now.”
“Yes!”
Erwen changes direction at my instruction.
And at that moment…
Whoosh!
An arrow is shot from the direction we turned towards.
I grab the back of Erwen’s neck and pull her down.
“Keugh!”
Erwen groans as her windpipe is pressed down hard, but…
It’s better to have your neck choked for a moment.
Than to have it pierced by an arrow.
Thud!
As I embrace Erwen and cover our upper bodies with the shield, the arrow bounces off my shield.
Even though it was a glancing blow, it’s quite heavy.
Is it the guy with the crossbow from earlier?
“I, I can dodge it myself…”
Erwen coughs and says something.
Sorry, but there’s no time to listen.
“There were…”
“Just run.”
I start running again with Erwen in front.
“Mister, if another arrow comes, you don’t have to pull me like that…”
“Be quiet. I’m thinking.”
Erwen shuts her mouth when I speak in a low voice.
I run while keeping an eye on the surroundings and continue my thoughts.
They somehow lured the goblins. And they’re trying to ambush us from the opposite direction.
Can we really make it back to the portal safely if we just keep running like this?
‘No way.’
I consider the possibility, but it seems extremely low.
They have a crossbowman.
The goblins will also keep chasing us.
If we’re lucky, we might make it back alive, but…
Well, at least that lucky person wouldn’t be me.
“We have to fight.”
A few moments to catch my breath.
I reach a conclusion within that time.
“Erwen, use your ability.”
“My ability?”
“I mean, use the power of the essence.”
The essence dropped by monsters contains their unique abilities.
For example…
[Goblin Archer]
Agility +2, Flexibility +4, Vision +6, Smell +2, Perception +2, Perception Interference +6, Accuracy +8, Poison Resistance +4, Obsession +7
(P) Poison Arrow – Inflicts poison damage when using bow-type weapons.
(A) Sneak – Gains stealth status.
In the game, the information was displayed like this.
Stat increases, one passive skill, and one active skill.
This information will also apply to this world.
Although there have been a few variables so far, like evil spirits and the starting point, at least in these aspects, it has always been consistent with the game.
“B, but I don’t know how to use it…”
I smile as I see Erwen panicking after hearing my unreasonable request.
“It’s done.”
“It’s done?”
“It means you’re in stealth.”
Erwen’s running figure becomes blurry.
It’s still faint enough to be visible from afar, but…
“Stop for a moment.”
When she stops, the stealth effect becomes stronger.
So this is why characters moved slowly in the game. As time passes while she’s standing still, she becomes almost completely transparent, going beyond translucent.
Although there’s a clear sense of incongruity in her outline, she won’t be visible unless you’re up close.
Especially in a dark forest like this.
“Wow…”
Erwen gasps in admiration as she looks at her body.
I feel the same way, although for different reasons.
So the skill activates in response to her will, not through a trigger word or anything.
Anyway, let’s study this in more detail later.
“Erwen, take this.”
“Yes?”
I hand Erwen my backpack.
And I speak rapidly.
“Hide here and shoot the crossbowman dead as soon as I give you the signal. You absolutely must not come out before then. Got it?”
“What do you mean…”
“There’s no time. I’ll assume you understand.”
I finish speaking quickly and start running.
“Wait, the signal! How will you—!”
I hear her shouting faintly from behind, but it’s too risky to go back.
Thud.
I stop after moving about 30 meters from our original location.
I didn’t intend to go that far in the first place.
If I step on a trap in the bushes while running like this, it would be a disaster.
“Grr grr!”
As I turn around, I hear goblins approaching from the front left.
And those bastards…
I still don’t know where they are.
They haven’t shown themselves yet after I blocked the first shot.
But I’m not too worried.
Their intentions are obvious.
“Grr, grr!”
They’ll appear as soon as I’m fighting the goblins.
That’s probably why they lured the goblins in the first place.
Back to the present, I examine the approaching goblins.
“Grr!!”
There are two swordsmen among the fifteen or so goblins.
Fortunately, there are no archers in the goblin group—
Clang!
There is one.
I deflect the incoming arrow with my shield and charge towards the goblin horde.
Of course, I can’t go wild like before.
There’s the goblin archer, and the human crossbowman is probably aiming at me too.
Clang!
Another arrow flies in after about a 10-second interval.
This one is also from the goblin archer.
Clang!
I block the arrow with my shield and smash the head of the goblin swordsman who is swinging his scimitar.
In return, my leg gets slightly stabbed by another goblin’s dagger, but…
Pshhk.
It can’t be helped.
I have to accept this much risk.
The bastards will only feel desperate and reveal themselves when the number of goblins decreases.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
I beat the goblins to a pulp like a barbarian possessed, and my injuries gradually increase.
Forearm, thigh, side, etc.
Individually, they’re not serious injuries, but this many is hard to ignore.
Thwack!
The poison seems to be circulating, as I feel a tingling sensation spreading from the wounds.
But I endure all of this and defeat a total of 7 goblins when…
Whoosh!
Arrows fly in.
Two of them at the same time.
Whoosh!
And from different directions.
One is from the goblin archer, and the other must be from the crossbowman.
It’s difficult to block both.
I choose to block the crossbowman’s arrow flying from the side with my shield.
Thud!
It’s much heavier than the goblin archer’s arrow, even the sound is different.
As expected, this is the power of a crossbow, huh?
Just as I’m thinking that, a goblin arrow pierces my left elbow with a thump.
“Shiit.”
It hurts.
Did it hit the bone? It hurts, but my arm won’t move at all just from one arrow.
Damn, I tried to deflect it with the shoulder guard, but it’s harder than I thought.
Thud.
I drop the mace in my right hand without hesitation.
And I raise the shield I’m holding in my now useless left hand. If I have to choose between a hammer and a shield, the shield is the better option.
Especially in this situation.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
I beat the three remaining goblins with the shield in one hand, and for now, the surroundings are cleared.
The goblin archer has also run away, as the arrows have stopped.
It’s a victory in the first round, covered in wounds, but we managed to endure, right?
I shout,
“Come out! You bastards!”
I didn’t expect to be saying this to humans instead of goblins.
Well, is there really any difference?
Whoosh!
Instead of the guys coming out, an arrow is shot from afar.
It’s from the human crossbowman.
I expected it, so blocking it wasn’t a problem.
However…
Thud!
Damn it, what the…
It was a direct hit, as the arrow pierces through the iron plate and reveals its tip.
If I’m not careful, this hand will be fucked up too?
As I cover my upper body with the shield and focus on the bushes, I soon hear footsteps.
“Barbarian.”
Three people reveal themselves.
The redhead, who I assume is the leader.
The samurai with the single-edged sword that looks like a katana.
And the tall guy with the one-handed sword and shield.
I still can’t see the crossbow.
“It was you guys after all.”
“That’s right, it’s us.”
I don’t ask how they lured the goblins.
They would just look down on us even more.
“Come at me.”
“As expected of barbarians? You’re still full of energy even after dealing with so many goblins alone. Where’s that fairy?”
He talks a lot, and this was his goal after all.
“It seems like you even handed over your backpack. If you don’t want to see her suffer, it’s better to tell us honestly.”
I chuckle as soon as I hear his words.
Tell them honestly and they’ll let us go? Who does he think he’s fooling?
“Crazy bastard.”
The leader frowns at me as I grin.
He looks disgusted somehow.
“Let’s subdue him first and then ask slowly.”
The leader exchanges glances with his companions, and they slowly close the distance together.
Capture alive…
That’s something I’m happy to hear.
Well, there’s no point in killing just one of us.
There must be various reasons why they went through the trouble of ambushing us.
The magic stones we collected for 7 days, the equipment we’re wearing, Erwen’s beautiful appearance, and the fact that they can feel even more envious of someone else’s good fortune.
I realize once again…
“Everyone, don’t let your guard down. Think of it as hunting a large monster.”
There are so many efficiency freaks in this world.
Well, that’s why I turned out this way.
Swoosh.
I slowly raise my hand.
My left hand, which has been pierced by an arrow and is now paralyzed by the poison, is forced up above my head.
And…
“What are you doing?”
I raise my middle finger high.
Whoosh!
It’s a signal that anyone who has lived in this world would consider unusual.
Thump-!
A chilling sound echoes through the forest.
---------------------------------------------
Chapter 15: Return (2)
"Percy? Percy!"
The leader urgently calls out someone's name.
Naturally, there is no response.
The instruction I gave Erwen was to shoot the crossbowman first, no matter what.
"What the hell did you do?"
Only then does the leader ask me.
But even as he does, he seems to have a guess, as he looks warily not at me but behind me.
This is a huge mistake.
I hate people who ask questions with the answer already decided.
Smash!
The moment the leader's gaze momentarily shifts towards the bushes...
I dash forward without hesitation and swing my shield.
Whoosh!
Unfortunately, I don't feel the satisfying impact.
If it were a goblin, it would have surely turned into light and disappeared.
"Illis! Now's your chance!"
The leader calls out, and the samurai dashes towards me, executing a horizontal slash with a disciplined posture.
Clang!
Sparks fly from the shield.
Crazy, what is this impact? I almost lost grip of the shield.
But despite my surprise, I charge towards the three of them.
It's to distract them and give Erwen a more certain opportunity.
However...
Whoosh!
Another Smash misses.
Is it because they're 2nd-floor explorers?
Dealing with these guys, I feel the shield's reach being short for the first time.
But the more I think about it, the more I close the distance, swinging my shield aggressively.
That's when I hear the sound I've been waiting for.
Whoosh!
Erwen's support fire finally begins.
However, the arrow doesn't hit the forehead, neck, legs, or arms. The tall guy with the sword and shield blocks it with his shield.
"I'll block the arrows! Don't worry about them and deal with the barbarian!"
No wonder he was the only one not attacking.
Did he decide to focus solely on the arrows?
As expected, humans are too troublesome compared to goblins.
Thud!
As I block the samurai's attack with my shield, the leader slyly swings his sword, aiming for my left arm.
Slash-!
Fortunately, I react in time, so it's not deep.
It's cut, but it's already a broken arm, so it doesn't matter much, and it doesn't even hurt that much because of the paralysis poison.
"This, this monster..."
The leader mutters as he sees me not even flinching after my arm gets cut.
Damn it, stop making excuses. It's your own fault for being weak.
I push the samurai away with my shield, using the force of his attack.
That's when support fire comes in again.
Whoosh!
She must have changed her sniping position, as it's coming from a completely different direction than before, but the tall guy is no slouch either.
Thwack!
The tall guy blocks the arrow with his shield again.
Does he think he's some kind of outfielder? He even throws his body to block an arrow aimed at someone else.
Just as I'm starting to feel impatient with the lack of progress...
Whoosh!
The shield, riddled with arrows like a porcupine, starts burning rapidly.
"Damn it!"
Unable to withstand the heat, the tall guy throws his shield away.
Sorry, our archer is a spirit archer.
You should have used a solid iron shield like me, you cheapskate!
Whoosh!
With the annoying shield gone, Erwen shoots another arrow without hesitation.
"Aaaaaak!"
It hits the tall guy's shoulder.
He drops the sword he was holding and becomes useless.
"Illis! I'll take care of the fairy!"
The leader, finally grasping the situation, leaves me to the samurai and runs towards the bushes.
It's too late to catch her.
Damn it...
It seems like I have no choice but to trust Erwen.
"Give up, barbarian."
The samurai steps back and speaks with dignity.
This is why humans are so annoying.
Where does he get off trying to act tough? It's obvious he's just trying to buy time until the leader returns.
Tadat!
The samurai's expression contorts as I dash forward and use Smash.
"Why are you scared when you're alone?"
"I'm not alone!"
I asked the samurai, but the tall guy answers as he gets up.
He's holding the one-handed sword he dropped earlier in his left hand.
But...
Whoosh!
Is it because he's right-handed? His swordsmanship is pathetic.
Thwack!
I neatly dodge the tall guy's attack by taking a step back and then stomp on his knee with my foot.
The tall guy screams, his neck veins bulging.
"Aaaaaak!"
Uh, I didn't expect it to bend like that.
The tall guy collapses to the ground, holding the protruding bone of his knee with both hands.
I contemplate finishing him off while I have the chance, but unfortunately, the samurai prevents me from doing so.
Clang!
No matter how many times I block it, I can't get used to its weight.
Why is this guy hanging out with these weaklings?
Does he have some kind of story?
I don't know, but it will be the biggest mistake of his life.
Whoosh!
As I use Smash, the samurai expertly creates distance and dodges it.
Immediately, I discard my shield and dash forward again, reaching out.
It's called... Pretending to Smash and then Reaching Out.
I'm too tired to come up with names anymore. It's not even fun.
"Keugh!"
The samurai, whose neck is grabbed, has a bewildered expression.
"I guess you didn't expect this?"
I pull the samurai towards me with my overwhelming strength.
And instead of my useless left arm, I bite into the samurai's neck with my mouth and—
Crunch-!
Rip it off.
"Ah, ah, aaa..."
The samurai can't even scream.
He stumbles back with a dazed look, his neck spewing blood like a fountain, then...
Thud, he collapses to the ground.
"Mister!"
Did she take care of the other one on her own?
As soon as the battle ends, Erwen rushes out from the bushes.
"Mis...ter?"
I spit out the chunk of meat that was in my mouth and wipe my lips with my arm.
Damn, it's so fishy.
The difficult battle is over.
No, wait, was it just difficult for me?
Erwen seems to be in the same condition as when we parted ways, as she finished her part before engaging in close combat.
Compared to her, I'm a complete mess.
"Mister! Drink this quickly."
Erwen hands me a potion as I kneel on the ground, my tension released.
Gulp, gulp, gulp...
I cautiously finish the potion bottle as if drinking poison.
It's poison, but according to Erwen, it's better to drink it since the wounds are not concentrated in one place.
Anyway, is it because I drank the whole bottle?
It feels completely different from usual.
"Keueueueueuk."
Something is boiling up inside me.
I feel a pain as if small chestnuts are bouncing around in my blood vessels, and my skin is so itchy it's driving me crazy.
This continues for over 10 minutes.
"...Mister, hang in there."
Erwen wipes the sweat off my body with the same handkerchief as before.
Is it because of the poison? Or just because I'm dirty?
I don't know, but the white handkerchief has turned completely black.
...I should buy her a new one later.
"It's alright. I'm fine now."
Feeling a bit better, I get up with difficulty.
I look down at my body and see scabs forming over the various cuts and stab wounds.
If I drink one more potion, even these will disappear, but I decide not to.
"This place will be scarred..."
So what if there are scars, I'm a barbarian.
"Water."
"Yes, yes! Here you go."
Erwen quickly rummages through the bag and takes out the canteen at my one word.
I feel like a master.
Gulp, gulp, I finish the whole bottle, and my energy gradually returns.
Was water always this delicious?
The veins that were bulging all over my body have also subsided.
"Take out the watch."
With Erwen's help, I check the time.
And I freeze.
[23:20]
Damn, it doesn't even give us time to rest.
Exactly 40 minutes left until Day 7 ends.
If we don't make it down to the 1st floor by then, we have to spend three more days in this goddamn place.
"Erwen, take off their clothes."
"Ye, yes?"
No, not you, them.
As I point to the corpses with my hand, too tired to speak, Erwen unclenches her hand that was clutching her collar.
"No, leave the clothes. We don't have time, so let's just take the equipment, magic stone pouches, and backpacks."
"Yes, yes!"
Erwen moves quickly, as if she knows we're running out of time.
"Ah, I'll also bring the red-haired man's and the crossbowman's stuff!"
Yeah, be careful not to step on any traps.
While Erwen is gone, I strip the samurai and the tall guy of their equipment.
I discard the breastplate, the samurai's sword, and the charred wooden shield...
After sorting through the equipment, I roughly assess their value and loot only the expensive-looking ones.
And as I'm stuffing them into my backpack, Erwen returns just in time.
"Ugh..."
The two backpacks she's carrying look quite heavy.
Sorry, but I can't help you because I'm carrying three.
I check the time once more.
[23:35]
Only 25 minutes left now.
"Let's run."
"Are you sure? You look exhausted..."
"Don't worry about it."
Erwen looks worried but nods and clears the path after seeing my expression.
And so, the forced marathon begins.
"I'll follow you no matter what, so clear the path as quickly as possible."
"Yes."
I put Erwen in front and keep running, regulating my pace.
Maybe it's because of the mental fatigue, but my body feels strangely heavy.
No, is it just because of these backpacks?
...But I can't abandon them. I went through all that trouble, so I deserve a reward. That's how a just world should work, right?
"Whew, whew, whew..."
How much time has passed?
I can see the portal in the distance.
Erwen, who arrived first, is waiting for me there.
Her expression, a mix of encouragement and concern, is like that of a female protagonist in a youth manga.
Damn, this makes it feel like I'm the one who's going to be left behind.
Feeling uneasy, I gather all my remaining strength and quicken my pace.
And...
"I'm going in first!"
"Eh, I, I am too!"
Unlike a manga, there's no emotional embrace. We enter the portal.
Flash!
The light that bursts out is the same as usual.
But somehow, I feel like the light is embracing me.
My impression of returning to the 1st floor is not much different from when I entered the 2nd floor.
It feels like I'm being ejected from something's stomach.
"Kyaa!"
Unfortunately, even the result is the same as before.
No, is it even worse?
Thud-!
While I'm thrown to the ground as if I'm being grabbed by the hair and tossed aside, Erwen lands safely again.
…How the hell is that possible?
When we were thrown to the 2nd floor, at least we flew up in a parabola, but this time it was almost like a fastball in baseball.
Damn it, my bones ache.
"This is kind of fun!"
Yeah, I bet it is.
If I were her and there was someone like me next to me, I'd find it funny too.
"Whew..."
I get up from my spot, stretching my stiff body and brushing off the dirt.
And I check the time.
[23:58]
We barely made it.
I don't want to say we were lucky.
Then there would be too many things to blame the heavens for.
If things go well, it's thanks to me. If they don't, it's my fault.
Living with that mindset is better for my mental health.
"You worked hard, mister."
"Yeah, you too."
We exchange farewells, looking at each other for a moment.
Wait, I feel like I forgot something...
"Loot distribution!"
"Ah, right! The essence!"
Erwen and I both shout as if we just remembered.
"Essence?"
"Yes! You said you wanted me to promise you something!"
Ah, right, there was that too.
Only now do I remember what I had forgotten.
However, there's no time for a long conversation.
I quickly check my watch again.
[23:59]
There are about 15 seconds left, judging by the second hand.
I quickly close the watch and look up at Erwen.
So, that, that... what was the name again?
I think it was Black something...
"Black Whale! Let's meet at the Black Whale Tavern!"
"Yes!"
Erwen nods at my urgent shout.
Now, I think it's safe to—
「The labyrinth is closed.」
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
Ah, damn it, I didn't tell her the time.