Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 214, 215, 216

  

C214, 215, 216

Chapter 214: Sacrificial Pawn (3)

A 4th-grade explorer who uses Aura.

He must have thought it was a hopeless situation.

Well, the old me would have.

Whoosh!

Of course, I haven’t completed my Aura setup yet.

A 5th-tier Adamantium greatsword and Aura?

My Moonstone shield would surely turn into scrap metal in an instant.

But…

“You look like you would be fun to cut.”

…[Dungeon and Stone] isn’t a game you play with just HP/MP or item level.

4th-grade, swordsman, 3rd-grade tank, whatever.

It’s a hardcore game where a single misjudgment can lead to your character’s death.

“Fun to cut, my ass.”

No matter how strong you are, you die if you take a fatal blow.

In that sense…

“Come at me.”

…he’s not an unbeatable opponent.

Although there’s a penalty of having to finish the fight quickly since enemies are also coming from behind…

…it’s just a matter of discarding something.

“Barbarians are all the same, they don’t know their place.”

I just pray.

That he’s not prepared.

There’s no time to scout, figure out his skills and equipment, and strategize safely.

The winner and the loser will be decided in an instant.

As it always has been.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

I discard my fear.

Tadat.

I hear him pushing off the ground.

Whoosh!

He charges towards me through the fog, a giant for a human, over 190 centimeters tall.

Whoosh!

His greatsword swings.

Tadat.

I hurriedly dodge to the side instead of blocking with my shield.

It’s not because I’m worried about my expensive shield, but because it’s pointless.

If you discard something, you have to gain something in return.

Like this.

Slash!

His greatsword cuts through my left arm above the elbow.

“Mr, Mr. Yandel…!!”

I become one-armed in an instant.

It’s my second time experiencing this since the battle against Riakis, the Lord of Chaos.

I’m not particularly depressed.

I discarded any naive thoughts of winning with all my limbs intact the moment I saw him.

Sizzle!

I aim my severed arm at him and spray acidic blood like a fountain.

“Aaaaaaaaaak!!”

It hits his eyes.

‘Jackpot.’

I blinded him in exchange for my arm.

Of course, it won’t last long…

“Raven, use Lava Eruption!”

I give the order and cling to him.

He can’t hurt me with Aura at this distance since he’s using a greatsword.

If I hadn’t blinded him, I would have had to sacrifice something else to get this close.

“But then Mr. Yandel will also…!”

“It’s fine, just do it!!”

“Okay…!”

I hurriedly hold my breath and tense my muscles.

It’s similar to when I was wrestling with the troll on the 4th floor.

“You bastard!!”

Fierce resistance.

Scales appear on his body.

It’s one of the effects of [Test Subject], which temporarily increases physical stats.

I expected it since he uses Aura…

‘As expected, he’s a stat-heavy build.’

Coincidentally, I’m also a similar type.

“Stay still.”

I use [Gigantification] again.

I judged that I would have recovered enough MP to use it for about 30 seconds since I haven’t used it for a few minutes.

“Ugh.”

He groans and bends his waist as the weight suddenly increases.

Whoosh, whoosh!

He swings his greatsword around wildly while carrying me on his back. Aura cuts through the walls of the passage.

“Are you scared because you can’t see?”

“I’ll kill you!!!”

“Everyone, get back!!”

Misha and the others can’t attack because he’s flailing around.

But it’s actually good for me.

Thanks to his struggle, the other enemies can’t easily approach to help him.

“You idiot.”

“Aaaaaak!!”

He leans forward as if trying to throw me over his shoulder.

But so what?

Clinging to the enemy like a pervert is one of a tank’s basic skills.

Thud!

Our bodies collapse and are entangled.

It’s far from a scene from a romance movie.

Maybe the final brawl in a thriller movie.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

He finally lets go of his greatsword and starts punching me in the face.

Of course, it’s not a problem.

You can’t use Aura with your hands.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

I can endure physical attacks with my Physical Resistance.

Well, his Strength is high since he’s using an Adamantium greatsword, so my brain is shaking…

But it’s just a minor injury compared to my severed arm.

“Sir Kesial!!”

The enemies, who couldn’t approach before because of his wild sword dance, charge towards me as it ends.

But…

“Ar, are you really going to shoot…?!”

…they’re too late.

“What are you asking?!”

The spell is complete.

“…Iherno Wature Tunbar!”

The 4th-grade fire-attribute attack spell, ‘Lava Eruption’.

Whoosh!

Blackish-red lava spews from Raven’s staff and engulfs us.

I immediately change my position.

From pinning him down and choking him…

…to me being on the ground and him on top.

“Let go, you barbarian…!”

He shouts as his vision returns.

He must have seen the lava coming towards us.

“Why? Don’t you like hot things?”

Then you should have increased your Fire Resistance, you bastard.

“No!!”

I squeeze my eyes shut.

And at that moment…

Whoosh!

…a scorching heat that feels like it will melt everything engulfs me.

“Aaaaaaaaaak!”

And at the same time, I feel something flowing down my skin.

The flowing substance quickly cools and hardens.

「Character’s health is below 50%.」

「All resistance and defense stats are increased due to the passive skill [Hero’s Path].」

Fire Resistance from the 3rd stage of the Undying Engraving.

Magic Resistance from the Manticore.

And the Orb of Fire.

‘This much even with all that…’

My whole body feels hot and itchy.

It’s like I drank a potion.

Pain pierces through my Pain Resistance.

But so what?

I don’t want to feel pain?

That’s something I’ve already discarded.

I repeat, this world isn’t kind.

‘…Should I have asked her to cast ‘Cold Blood’ too?’

I dismiss the weak thought.

Raven’s mana is already running low.

I have to conserve resources.

“Keuheok.”

I push the guy, who’s turned into charcoal, and get up.

It feels like my insides are cooked and turned into sausage.

And something crispy falls off every time I move.

Is this what they call crispy on the outside, soft on the inside?

“Hey, Mr. Yandel? Ar, are you okay?”

“…I’m just a bit burnt.”

“A, a bit burnt…”

It’s a price I have to pay for defeating an Aura user in such a short time.

And the bleeding from my elbow has stopped.

The fire magic cauterized it.

It’s a win-win—

“Keugh.”

Damn it, why is this bastard still alive?

Don’t tell me he also has Fire Resistance?

I hurriedly turn towards the shield I threw away earlier and reach out with my remaining hand as he also gets up.

That’s when…

「Character’s Soul Power is insufficient.」

「[Gigantification] ends.」

My body loses balance and tilts as [Gigantification] ends.

And my hand, which was almost reaching the shield, moves away.

Thump!

A chill runs down my spine, even though my whole body is burning.

If he takes out his greatsword now…

No, even if he just takes out a dagger and stabs my neck, it’s game over.

The worst-case scenario plays out in my head.

But…

“Keu, keuheok.”

…when I hurriedly turn around and check, he’s running away.

Staggering, but at a fast pace.

“…….”

My body freezes at the unexpected sight, and then…

…I let out a sigh of relief.

‘I’m lucky.’

He couldn’t let go of his arrogance.

So he tried to block me alone, even though he had companions.

“Huff, huff, heugh…”

He couldn’t give up on the hope that there would be another chance.

So he chose to run away to survive, even though he had a chance to kill me.

I can understand his feelings.

“You, damn barbarian…”

To him, the battle with me wasn’t about survival.

There was no reason for him to risk his life.

That’s why…

…our positions are reversed now.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I grab the greatsword he left behind instead of my shield. The Strength I obtained from the Ogre is enough to wield an Adamantium greatsword with one hand.

“…Bl, block me!”

I hurriedly chase after him.

The distance closes in an instant.

His gait is weak, as if he’s taken a lot of damage.

Soon, I’m within sword’s reach.

“I’ll take your head.”

Being a swordsman isn’t bad either.

Slash!

I grin at the satisfying sensation from the tip of the sword and shout,

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

I survived.

At least for now.
___________________

It took about 2 minutes to encounter the 4th-grade Aura user and behead him.

That’s what battles are like.

It doesn’t take long for a winner and a loser to be decided.

Even a knight who’s trained his entire life…

…or a high-ranking explorer who’s been in and out of the labyrinth countless times…

…can lose their life in an instant. That’s this world.

“Ainar!!”

I throw the greatsword I was holding at Ainar without even savoring the victory.

“Huh? Huh?”

What is she panicking about?

Take what you can get.

I thought of you as soon as I saw it.

‘It’s a shame.’

I pick up the shield with my empty hand and deliberately look away from the corpse.

Phew, I feel like there would be more useful items if I looted him further.

‘But there’s no time.’

I discard my greed and look ahead.

“Sir Kesial is down!!”

“Kill them!!”

The enemies, who had hesitated because of ‘Lava Eruption’, have regained their composure and are charging towards us.

I drag my battered body forward.

Because that’s my role.

Shield Charge.

I hold the shield with my remaining arm and charge, putting my weight into my shoulder.

The level of explorers on this side is much higher than on the outside, perhaps because we’re almost at the destination.

That Aura swordsman from earlier is a good example.

Clang.

A potion flies towards me and shatters.

I feel a gentle burning sensation on the wound, as if someone is cauterizing it with fire, instead of a sharp pain from being stabbed with a stiletto.

“It’s the high-grade potion that Mr. Yandel likes!”

Right, no wonder.

‘I feel energized.’

Let’s try again.

We’re almost there.

The goal is right in front of us.

“I’ll help too!”

Ainar stands next to me.

“What about Raven?”

“I left her with Beefcake!”

Good judgment.

Raven probably told her to do that.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!”

I stop checking our location using the terrain.

I focus solely on this moment.

“Misha! Stick close behind me!”

Just a little further.

“Erwen! Now! Use it!”

Right, just a little further.

“Keheuk! N, no. Not now…”

“Yandel! Raven’s out of mana!”

That’s when Raven’s magical support, which was being provided by the bear-like man, ends.

It means we can no longer use [Oxygen Explosion] to forcefully open paths when they’re blocked or when our speed slows down.

“Ah, no! Lena…!”

Another one dies as our speed decreases.

It’s the sorcerer from Takelan’s team.

She was a support-type sorcerer who specialized in defense and support, and she was a great help in protecting the rear…

“We were almost there…”

It will be even more difficult from now on.

I clench my teeth and push aside my guilt.

“Damn iiiit!!”

I don’t have time to cover my ears.

And even if I did, I shouldn’t.

It was my decision.

Choice and focus.

What to discard.

And what I can’t discard.

What I want to protect.

“…Misha!”

“Don’t worry! I can still fight…!”

Everyone is pushing forward with one mind, in the midst of this fierce battle where anyone could die.

After some time…

“This way!”

…a dark passage appears.

We immediately change direction and enter the passage as soon as we see it.

“Erwen, visibility!”

“Ye, yes!”

Erwen summons a fire spirit to illuminate the surroundings, replacing Raven, who’s out of mana.

A passage with colorless crystals scattered here and there.

There are no explorers from the city side waiting to greet us.

But…

“Bjorn! They’re not following us!!”

As if this is the turning point, the chase stops.

Right, the area is divided from here.

“Don’t let your guard down and keep moving.”

It’s too early to relax.

I don’t slow down and continue forward. We can rest, drink potions, and reorganize after we’re safe.

About 3 minutes later…

…we encounter the group we’ve been wanting to see.

“Halt.”

A group of ten knights.

The surroundings are filled with naked corpses.

They must be from Noark.

It was a good thing we risked our lives to come here.

I feel reassured just by thinking that they’re on our side—

‘Huh?’

The knight I make eye contact with draws his sword and slowly takes a step forward.

Aura is surging from his sword.

I hurriedly shout,

“We’re not enemies! We have identification ta—”

Ah, my arm… I left it there.

“I don’t have one, but the others do!”

I quickly add, but the reaction is cold.

“You’re trying to trick us with a pathetic act. You came from the path that’s occupied by Noark, and you’re talking about identification tags?”

Phew, it’s understandable that he doesn’t believe us.

We look like we’re disguised to infiltrate as spies.

Then what should I do?

Would he believe me if I tell him about my title, Little Balkan?

Just as I’m contemplating…

“Misha, take off your ring and show it to him.”

…I realize there’s a better way.

Coincidentally, I received an item for this kind of situation.

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

Chapter 215: Sacrificial Pawn (4)

The knight who gave me this ring said…

…that if I showed it to them and told them about him, it would immediately vouch for my identity.

Right, that’s all he said.

“It’s a message ring. And… it’s Sir Garfizel’s, who went to search the 2nd-floor portal.”

One of the knights recognized the ring before I could even say who gave it to me.

And he chuckled, looking at my reaction.

“Message ring…?”

“It seems like you didn’t even know what this is. Wait a moment. We’ll know soon enough whether you’re telling the truth or not.”

The knight turned the jewel on the ring, and a blue light seeped out and flowed into his body.

“…….”

The knight closed his eyes and remained silent, as if savoring the afterglow.

He opened his mouth after about 3 minutes.

“The Corpse Collector is near the portal…”

The entire chain of events played out in my head at that single sentence.

Damn it, so it was a ‘message’ ring.

No wonder he just gave it to me without even asking for a reward.

‘Now I understand why he gave it to me.’

The knight named Garfizel wanted to convey information.

Using me, whom he happened to encounter.

That must have been why he gave us information about this place.

[By dark zone of the center, do you mean the place with the monument?]

[Yes, go there. You’ll be safe if you can reach it.]

It would be good if it was delivered, and there’s no loss if it wasn’t.

But he could have just told me honestly.

This really feels like I was tricked.

‘Why are there so many bastards who play with people in this world?’

I feel a bitter taste in my mouth…

But I’m grateful that the ring at least served its purpose of vouching for our identities.

“Little Balkan, Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

The knight, whom I’ve never even introduced myself to, calls my name.

“Are you no longer suspicious?”

“It seems certain that you’re not from Noark. Although I’m a bit curious how you managed to break through that path… Come in. We’ll talk more at the central temporary headquarters.”

“That’s a relief. Is there a priest here?”

I asked indirectly, even though it was obvious there would be one.

Fortunately, the knight seemed to understand what I meant.

“Right, you need to be treated first.”

He nodded, looking at our condition.

It was a bit unexpected.

I thought he would be inflexible and interrogate us first—

“I’ll have my men take your companions to the temporary infirmary.”

“…What about me?”

“Interrogation first.”

Well, I guess this is as good as it gets.

“I’m fine, you guys go rest.”

“But…!”

Misha objected to my decision, but I just looked at one spot.

Where a patient in a more serious condition than me, who’s missing an arm, was.

“Is Daria okay?”

“I, I don’t know. Raven cast a curse removal spell, but she’s still unconscious…”

“She’ll be fine if she sees a priest. So, go now.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Sorry for what?

I chuckled and patted Erwen’s shoulder, who looked like she had committed a sin. And I approached Raven and had a brief conversation.

“You’re the leader while I’m gone. I know it’s difficult because of mana exhaustion, but I’m asking you.”

“…Don’t worry about the team. I’ll take care of it. It can’t be harder than what you went through, Mr. Yandel.”

Hmm, is that something a one-armed guy should say?

“If you’re done, follow me. My men will take your companions to the infirmary.”

“Okay.”

I then parted ways with my companions and followed the knight inside.

It was a strange sight.

The dark zone, which was originally pitch-black, was now illuminated by torches.

‘It’s like a temporary shelter.’

The outside was guarded by knights and explorers, but the inside was different. Explorers were sitting or lying down, resting in the narrow passages.

“By the way, there’s no fog here?”

“Because we set up a defensive magic circle.”

“Defensive magic circle…?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t know since you came from outside. That fog is a poison-type dark spell. It’s not that dangerous since it’s spread out over a wide area.”

A dark spell in the form of fog…

Then is it [Feast of Evil]?

I thought it was just an ordinary fog spell to obscure vision since there was no problem breathing and it covered the entire 1st floor.

‘Just how many dark mages did they sacrifice?’

I shudder.

What would have happened if we had decided to endure in the sparsely populated outer areas?

‘…We would have been screwed.’

No matter how weak it is, the symptoms would have appeared after a few days of exposure. I would have realized the true nature of the fog and tried to find a solution.

But the choices would have been limited since we were late.

“Hey, you, it’s good to rest, but move to the side so you’re not in the way.”

“Ah, yes… I’m sorry.”

That’s when, after about 20 minutes of navigating the narrow passage…

…the central cavern finally appeared.

No, should I call it a plaza?

“…How did they do this?”

“They used mages to collapse the nearby walls and expand the space. They couldn’t accommodate everyone in that small space.”

Huh, is this military-style civil engineering?

There’s nothing you can’t do when this many people gather.

The cavern, which was about 30 meters in radius, had been expanded to hundreds of times its original size. Tents with clan emblems were pitched throughout the expanded area.

“Come in.”

The knight led us to a large tent in the center.

The Lafdonia royal family’s flag was planted at the entrance, and inside, I saw people having a meeting around a round table.

‘It’s a meeting of the leaders…’

Although it was the royal family’s tent, there weren’t just knights.

Explorers with emblems of famous clans were also present, discussing something.

For reference, there was a familiar face among them.

“Oh, you’re…!”

The woman looked at me as if she had seen a ghost.

I smiled bitterly and greeted her.

“It’s good to see you again, Versil Gowland.”

I didn’t expect to see her again so soon.
___________________

“How are you here…? Did you find a mage who can use teleportation?”

There’s no way.

I just waved my arm, which was missing everything but the elbow, instead of answering.

It seemed like she understood what it meant, judging by her expression.

“You really broke through that path…?”

Versil muttered incredulously.

It seemed like she didn’t expect us to break through the route they gave up on and even succeed.

“How did you do it?”

Well, it’s not something I can proudly brag about.

I used a similar method to what she did.

I discarded what I had to discard, based on priority.

“Enough with the small talk.”

A man intervened, and silence fell as Versil and I were catching up.

Right, this man is the boss here.

“Sir Ergos, what are you doing here when you should be on the front lines? And who’s this barbarian?”

“I have something to report.”

“Tell me.”

“I obtained Sir Garfizel’s message ring.”

“…Sir Garfizel’s?”

“Yes. And this is an explorer named Bjorn Yandel, he’s the one who gave me the ring.”

The knight handed him the message ring, and the man activated it.

And after some time…

“I’m Marco Elburn, the captain of the 3rd Royal Knight Order.”

The man looked at me and spoke.

It seemed like he was finally interested in me, who was standing behind the knight.

“I’ll ask you a few questions, will you answer truthfully?”

“…Alright.”

“First, if the contents of this ring are true, it means the ‘Corpse Collector’ is stationed north of the Goblin Forest.”

A few explorers exclaimed, ‘Corpse Collector!’ at his words, but it wasn’t enough to interrupt the conversation.

It wasn’t something I should be concerned about right now.

“So what’s your point?”

“Is it confirmed information?”

“It’s confirmed. We fought, although he ran away.”

“Fought? May I ask what your team’s rank is?”

“…5th grade.”

The knight commander touched his chin with a strange expression as I revealed our rank.

“If that’s true, it’s safe to say that he let you go.”

“Probably.”

I readily agreed.

Indeed, it seemed like his only interest was blocking the 2nd-floor portal. If it weren’t for that, we would have had a hard time escaping.

“Is that all you wanted to ask?”

“No, one more thing. From what I heard, it seems like you entered through the path that Sir Ergos was in charge of. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“I want to hear the details. Is there a way to avoid them and move?”

“Do you think I would be in this state if there was?”

“…That’s true. Then can you tell me the details of how you got here? It might be helpful for our strategy.”

Although it seemed like my identity as a non-Noark explorer had already been confirmed…

…there was no need to refuse and cause trouble.

I briefly summarized the 20-minute bloodbath.

But was that enough to convey how desperate our journey was?

“That was an impressive story.”

The knight commander’s gaze became more favorable.

The clan explorers who were listening to my story were also looking at me with curiosity.

“I see the qualities of a commander in you.”

“If I had those qualities, half of us wouldn’t have died.”

“That’s why I said I see those qualities. All of your companions survived.”

“…….”

“A good commander isn’t someone who makes perfect choices. It’s someone who makes the choices they have to make.”

Although it seemed like he meant it sincerely, it wasn’t a topic I wanted to talk about.

I wasn’t even happy about the compliment.

I changed the subject.

“If you don’t have any more questions, I’d like to leave.”

“Actually, there’s one more thing I want to ask. The guy you met at the end, did he have a scar on his chin?”

A scar…

“He did.”

The knight commander laughed as I nodded.

“I thought it might be the case since he was using an Adamantium greatsword, but it really was the Serpent Knight.”

“Serpent Knight?”

“He’s the guy who stabbed his lord’s son with a sword and ran away. He’s a famous guy, don’t you know him?”

No wonder he was using Aura, he was a former knight.

Judging by the murmurs of the surrounding explorers, he must have been quite famous.

“Anyway, congratulations. Your fame will increase even further since you killed someone like that.”

“Fame…”

“Why, don’t barbarians like that kind of thing?”

He wasn’t wrong, but I’m different from ordinary barbarians.

Of course, it wouldn’t be bad if my fame increased.

I have to obtain permission to enter Karnon, the Imperial City, after all.

But…

“If I return alive.”

I could worry about that later.

It hasn’t even been a day since the labyrinth opened.
__________________

“Ah, I’ve kept you for too long. Go and rest. Sir Ergos will tell you about the rules here.”

I left the tent and then went to the temporary infirmary, guided by a knight, and reunited with my companions.

“Mister!!!”

“How’s Daria?”

“She’s completely healed after receiving purification from the priest. She’s sleeping now because she’s tired… Anyway, it’s all thanks to you!”

Erwen, who was back to her usual cheerful self now that her sister was treated, hugged me.

Misha approached and pulled Erwen away.

“Hey! Stop bothering him and get away.”

“Yes?”

“What are you doing? Can’t you see Bjorn is injured?”

“Ah…”

“Let me see. Are you okay? Nothing else hurts? You’ve worked hard, being called away like that. Let’s go and show the priest your arm.”

Since it seemed like my injuries were all treated, I followed Misha to the priest and received treatment.

Ah, for reference, it was free.

It’s a wartime situation.

All explorers have to follow the royal family’s orders.

In the first place, the infirmary here was probably set up by conscripting priests from other teams.

“You’ll feel a bit weak and strange for about a day. Well then, I have many other patients. May the radiance of the sun be with you.”

My arm regenerated in less than a few minutes after a single heal.

I’m reminded once again of the importance of priests.

I would have had to use two or three top-grade potions if it were me.

And besides…

…the potion’s effectiveness decreases as your physical abilities increase.

‘I have to get a priest as soon as I form a clan.’

After receiving treatment, I reunited with my companions and talked.

“Raven, did you hear about the situation here?”

“I heard a bit while we were getting our area assignments.”

“Area assignments?”

“The place where we’ll be sleeping. Looking at the map they gave us, it’s a passage in the outer area. I guess it’s because we came late. The safe areas inside are already full.”

I smiled silently at Raven’s words.

Only the tents of large clans were in the center, so I wonder if they were assigned there because they came early?

“Anyway, let’s go there quickly. They said we have to take turns keeping watch from tomorrow.”

Geez, it’s like we’re in the army.

That’s when, as I was looking around at the tense atmosphere…

“…But where’s Takelan?”

…I asked a question that suddenly came to mind.

Takelan Arbenon.

The 5th-grade explorer who was practically the only survivor of this plan.

“…….”

My companions all froze when I mentioned Takelan’s name.

“Ah, that person…”

Raven forced a smile and spoke.

“He went there as soon as he received his area assignment. They said explorers who are alone or in groups of two or less are assigned to teams with vacancies.”

“Really?”

But he could have just joined our team, right?

It seemed like clans were all sticking together.

And there were quite a few groups with six or more members that we passed by.

Raven smiled awkwardly and said as I expressed my doubts,

“He wanted to. So don’t worry about it, Mr. Yandel.”

“If that’s the case…”

I nodded nonchalantly and thought,

‘Something must have happened while I was gone.’

There was an incident.

Although I don’t know why they’re hiding it from me…

I can just subtly ask Ainar or Misha later…

“Erwen, you said you were joining the Blue Wall Clan, right?”

“Yes… I, I don’t want to, but my sister said I have to… She said there might be problems with the contract later.”

Well, leaving aside the contract, she probably thought it would be much safer. The Blue Wall is a clan that operates six teams.

Well, one of them disappeared on the way here, but…

“Then we’ll be going. You take care of your sister when she wakes up. And always be wary of your surroundings.”

“Okay…!”

We then parted ways with Erwen and headed towards the area we were assigned to.

It was a passage in the outer area, and the distance between us and the team next to us was less than 2 meters.

“It’s been a while since I slept on the 1st floor…”

But we spread out our sleeping bags on the ground and lay down next to each other, without any complaints, as expected of explorers.

We all knew.

That we should be grateful to even be able to sleep like this.

Snore!

Ainar started snoring as soon as she lay down.

I don’t know why, but listening to it reminded me of the things I had to do.

I had to check the loot I obtained today, inspect the equipment that was covered in lava, and clean my body that was soaked in blood and sweat.

Ah, and I have to find out what happened with Takelan.

There was a mountain of things to do.

But even though I did so much…

‘Ah, whatever, I’ll do it tomorrow.’

Strength drained from my body as soon as I closed my eyes.

As if I was sinking into water.

That’s when, as my consciousness slowly faded into sleep, I heard Misha’s voice next to me.

“Bjorn, you’ve worked hard.”

And I also heard Raven’s voice on the other side.

“Yes, you really did a great job.”

Avman also chuckled awkwardly and said,

“Rest, Yandel.”

Only then did I realize…

Snore!

…that the unusually long Day 1 had finally come to an end.

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

Chapter 216: Sacrificial Pawn (5)

Orculus.

A notorious group of criminals who rebelled against the royal family.

This group, formed only a few decades ago, had been infamous for its countless acts of terrorism and crime.

Although the royal family had offered a huge bounty and started hunting them, they were so secretive that only seven of them had been killed so far.

“Seven of them are here…”

Marco Elburn, the captain of the 3rd Royal Knight Order, couldn’t hide his dismay as he listened to his subordinate’s report.

He had quickly responded to the situation and established a safe zone in the center, declaring a state of emergency and taking command.

The first thing he did was gather information.

He sent a search party to the 2nd-floor portal, which could be a breakthrough, and he had been checking and rechecking all the information coming from the front lines without sleeping since the incident occurred.

As a result, seven members of Orculus were identified.

The Screaming Witch, Black Claw, and the Lighthouse Keeper.

These three were currently rampaging around the safe zone, while the other four were blocking the 2nd-floor portal.

‘This was their goal from the beginning.’

Elburn clenched his fists in frustration.

The three were one thing, but these four were the biggest obstacle.

The Corpse Collector, infamous for his grotesque and cruel acts, even more so than for being an evil spirit.

The Ruin Scholar, once the leader of a large school, who became a criminal after dabbling in forbidden magic.

The Blood Knight, who started as a soldier born in Bifron and gained fame by killing the previous captain of the 1st Royal Knight Order.

And lastly…

‘The Traitor.’

The one who gathered those madmen and formed Orculus, the one who created their countless infamous deeds and history of slaughter with his own hands.

Four of the most representative members of ‘that group’ were all here.

But it wasn’t just Orculus they had to be wary of.

There were also countless notorious criminals who had escaped to Noark, and if they joined forces, it would be a situation where they couldn’t be confident in victory even if they fought with all their might.

Elburn finally broke the long silence and spoke.

“We’re abandoning the plan to break through them and reach the 2nd floor.”

An even heavier silence fell upon the room.

One of the knights spoke with difficulty.

“…Day 3 is about to begin.”

“I know. But now that we’ve confirmed that even the Ruin Scholar is here, there’s a high chance that the portal is already unusable.”

“Then…”

Elburn closed and opened his eyes as if to clear his thoughts.

A commander is someone who has to make decisions.

“Gather all the mages who can use the Dimensional Gate spell as discreetly as possible.”

He had to make the necessary decisions.

No matter the sacrifice.
_________________

I open my eyes and check the clock.

[00:17]

Another day has passed, and it’s Day 3.

There wasn’t anything special yesterday.

I checked the loot we obtained on the way here.

I found an explorer with a repair ability and had him fix our damaged equipment.

I stood guard duty with my team.

I gathered information after my shift ended.

Ah, and I also heard about what happened with Takelan.

[…Uh, that guy?]

Although I had Misha work hard to get her to talk…

…it wasn’t much of a story.

He just lost his mind for a moment.

He said some aggressive things to us, who had all survived.

But it didn’t last long.

[Aruru was really amazing. She scolded him, asking how he could say that when you were in that state and couldn’t even receive treatment. Ugh, I was sweating just listening to her.]

Hmm, she’s scary when she’s angry.

It’s still a mystery how she can unleash that kind of energy from that small body.

[Anyway, that’s all. And Ainar was about to draw her sword, but he just disappeared.]

Although I’m grateful for my companions’ actions, my expression hardened as I heard the whole story.

Because they don’t know.

That I intentionally placed them in the back, even though it might have been more suitable for them to be in the rear, to increase our chances of survival.

[Huh? Why that expression?]

[It’s nothing. I’m just hungry.]

Takelan’s anger is justified.

More people could have survived if I had just formed the lines based on efficiency.

But I didn’t.

I placed everyone behind me, where it was relatively safe, even if it wasn’t the most suitable position for them. Takelan probably acted that way because he realized that belatedly.

‘…It’s better if only I know this.’

I briefly woke up and then slowly got up and organized my sleeping bag.

Although Day 2 was peaceful compared to the intense Day 1…

…it was only until today.

“Hmm, Mr. Yandel…?”

Raven peeked her head out of her sleeping bag, rubbing her eyes as if she woke up because of me.

“Did I wake you up? Sorry.”

“No, I just couldn’t sleep…”

“Aren’t you going to sleep more?”

Raven sat up in her sleeping bag at my question.

“What about you, Mr. Yandel? Aren’t you going to sleep more?”

“I can’t sleep either.”

“So you were going to keep watch alone?”

I chuckled and admitted it.

It would be ridiculous to deny it when we’re both in the same situation.

“It’s already Day 3…”

The Floor Master is summoned from Day 3 onwards.

The only condition is that there are five or more people gathered in one place.

Of course, it’s a certain probability, and the chance of it being summoned near us is low since there are already over ten thousand explorers gathered on the 1st floor…

‘But you never know.’

I’m the tank of this team.

I can at least buy some time for my companions to run away even if the Floor Master appears right in front of us—

Whoosh!

That’s when the ground trembles slightly, and the colorless crystals embedded in the cave walls emit a brilliant light.

The color of the light is blood red.

“Mr. Yandel, this is…!”

It means the Floor Master has appeared somewhere.

“What, what?!”

My companions, including Ainar, wake up one after another. And it’s the same for the explorers from other teams who were sleeping nearby.

I calmly soothe my companions.

“Don’t be too surprised. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like it was summoned near us.”

There’s always a loud noise where the 1st-floor Floor Master is. But there’s no sound, so it must be far away.

“Everyone, go back to sleep.”

“But…”

“I’ll wake you up if something happens. It hasn’t been long since our watch duty ended.”

“You’re tired too.”

“I dozed off a bit during my shift, so I’m fine.”

Although I don’t know if I can actually fall asleep, I force my companions to lie down and close their eyes.

Recovering stamina is the priority.

After about 20 minutes…

Whoosh…

…the crystals that were illuminating the surroundings go out as if their batteries have died.

It means the Floor Master has been defeated.

Of course, it’s too early to relax.

Unlike the Floor Masters on the upper floors, who have long respawn times of at least a few months to years…

…this guy can be resummoned countless times.

“Will it be okay from now on…?”

“Don’t worry, it takes about 30 decent explorers to defeat the 1st-floor Floor Master. In the current situation, it will be taken care of quickly no matter where it appears.”

Actually, that’s one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to join the royal forces after that desperate journey.

We’re safe from the Floor Master here.

Even if it appears right in front of us, help will arrive quickly as long as I hold out for a bit.

“Then I’ll leave this to you.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see if I can get some information.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll come with—”

“It’s a waste of manpower. If you really can’t sleep, keep watch next to me.”

As soon as the first Floor Master was defeated, I left our assigned area and headed towards the center.

The Floor Master’s respawn time is six hours.

I was planning to wander around and see if there was anything unusual during that time.

There’s nothing else to do anyway.

[North 172-21]

I listened to the conversations of the surrounding explorers as I moved forward, using the signs the royal family had drawn on the walls to distinguish the terrain.

“Hey, did you hear? It was the south passage.”

“You mean where the Floor Master appeared?”

“Yeah, about twenty people died before backup arrived.”

“Damn it, if it was going to appear, it should have appeared near those underground city bastards.”

Although the information wasn’t very reliable since it was just a conversation between explorers in a similar situation to me…

…it wasn’t something I could completely ignore.

It was very useful for gauging public opinion.

“I don’t know how long we have to stay cooped up here.”

“I know, right? In the last speech, they said they would open a path to the 2nd-floor portal soon. It’s already Day 3.”

“It’s unsettling that they’re so quiet.”

As expected, the explorers were expressing their distrust towards the leaders, who hadn’t made any announcements since the first day.

For reference, I felt the same way.

‘It’s about time for them to make a decision.’

If we assume that a Floor Master is defeated every 6 hours, a total of eight Floor Masters would have been defeated in two days.

In other words, it will definitely appear on Day 5.

‘They have large clans and even a royal knight captain, so there’s no way they don’t know that…’

But why haven’t they done anything yet?

I’m dying to know what was discussed in that tent where the meeting was held when we arrived.

‘They should be able to tell that this is what Noark was aiming for…’

Why are they just waiting here?

I naturally assumed they would open a path and move towards the 2nd floor, one way or another.

Thud, thud.

I increased my pace as my worries deepened.

That’s when I saw a familiar face.

The guy who first discovered the backpack duplication bug and spread it throughout the tribe.

“Karon…?”

“Bjorn, son of Yandel, the great warrior!!!!”

Karon immediately got up and ran towards me enthusiastically as I recognized him and called out his name.

“To think we would meet here!! You’re truly destined to lead us!!”

Although I was a bit flustered, I greeted him in a barbarian-like way since I was happy to see him.

And I asked what I was curious about.

“But who’s that next to you?”

“They’re warriors I met here!!”

“Met here?”

I didn’t understand at all.

The barbarian backpack duplication bug had already been patched. It was partly because the method was revealed to other explorers, but the main reason was that low-level explorers had disappeared after the introduction of the identification tag, which is a kind of magic tool.

It costs 70,000 stones to get one.

So I thought Karon had also joined a 3-person team recently…

“Where’s your team?”

“Ah, those guys died on the way here! So the soldiers introduced me to other warriors who were left alone like me!”

Those damn soldiers.

A 5-man barbarian warrior party…

They must have just formed a team because they were too lazy to deal with them individually.

“Is, is it really Little Balkan! It’s an honor to meet you!! I, I’m Dban, the second son of Beroks!!”

“Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you too.”

After briefly greeting the excited barbarians, I continued talking to Karon.

I couldn’t just leave him after seeing him.

“Instead of staying here, how about joining our side?”

“Is, is that okay?”

The fact that they paid 70,000 stones for identification tags and the equipment they were wearing, these alone indicated that they were at least 3rd-grade warriors.

They would definitely be helpful.

And most importantly, they’re trustworthy.

“Why not?”

I told the overwhelmed Karon the location of our assigned area.

“I’ll tell the administrator on my way there, so you guys go ahead. Tell the mage that I sent you when you see her.”

“Okay!”

“Ah, if you don’t know the way, ask other explorers. They’ll answer if you’re annoying enough.”

“Ooh!! As expected!”

That’s when, just as I’m about to leave after sending Karon and his party…

“Bjorn Yandel.”

…I stop at a low male voice.

I turn my head, and a person I didn’t want to see is standing there.

“Takelan Arbenon.”

He’s with a group of explorers I’ve never seen before.

Well, it’s only natural.

He lost all his companions on the way here.

“…….”

Takelan stares at me in silence.

His slightly trembling jaw shows that he’s struggling to hold back something.

I ask first,

“I heard about what happened while I was gone.”

“…….”

“Do you resent me?”

Takelan doesn’t nod or shake his head.

He just stares at me and endures.

His answer comes after a long time.

“No, I don’t resent you.”

It’s an unexpected answer.

Takelan then speaks, pouring out his emotions.

“I kept thinking about it. Because there was nothing else I could do. Why did this happen to me? Why could you guys laugh when Lena died? If those bastards hadn’t run away, wouldn’t she still be alive?”

“…….”

“No, most importantly…”

“…….”

“Did you really not know this would happen?”

“So have you reached a conclusion?”

“I don’t know. You were the one who was most injured. You were the one who did the hardest work. And there was no guarantee that even your companions would survive.”

Is there even such a thing as a guaranteed situation?

I just did my best.

To increase our chances of survival, even a little.

Therefore…

“I shouldn’t have followed you.”

It felt like a sharp knife was scraping something inside me.

“But.”

Takelan continued.

“I was the one who decided to follow you.”

“…….”

“I was the one who voted for you to be the leader.”

“…….”

“And I was the one… who couldn’t even offer anything and just watched when that woman said she would use the Mass Teleportation spell…!”

Self-loathing.

I’m overwhelmed with indescribable emotions as I look at him, blaming himself for everything.

“So I don’t resent you.”

“…I see.”

What should I even say in this situation?

I couldn’t even offer any words of comfort.

But did he sense my hesitation?

“Don’t pity me.”

Takelan ended the conversation and sat back down.

“The day will come when you’ll feel the same way.”

His gaze is no longer on me.

It’s just on the ground.

I sense that our conversation is over.

Thud, thud.

Therefore, I continue on my way.

Takelan doesn’t say anything.

After some time…

…the passage widens, and the expanded central cavern appears.

I first find an administrator and inform him that Karon and his party will be joining us.

“Team Apple Nark… Ah, the outer passage in the northern district. Confirmed.”

With that, my errand is done.

But just as I’m about to turn around…

Clank, clank.

…a knight comes out of the tent and glances at me as he heads towards the administrator who helped me earlier.

And he names six schools.

“Ah, yes. Mages from those schools? I’ll check the list.”

They’re conscripting mages on top of priests?

That thought crosses my mind at first, but…

‘Delta, Spheris, Jacquard…’

I realize one thing in common as I think about the schools the knight mentioned.

‘Dimensional Gate magic.’

Mages above 4th grade from those schools can open a ‘Dimensional Gate’ that can be used by up to 30 people.

The moment I realize this…

Thump!

…my heart pounds uneasily.

And a conversation I had recently flashes through my mind.

There’s no point in denying it.

[A good commander isn’t someone who makes perfect choices. It’s someone who makes the choices they have to make.]

He would discard them without hesitation.

Those he judged to be low priority.

Everything.

Trial

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

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