C421, 422, 423
Chapter 421: Like Ice (1)
Dragon Speech: Silence of the Soul
A ridiculously overpowered skill that burns the MP of all characters within range, driving them to “Soul Exhaustion.”.
However, it also has a weakness.
Firstly, it can only burn up to 40% of your maximum MP, a weakness I was told by an elder dragon.
In other words, as long as a character keeps their MP above this threshold, they won’t suffer the “Soul Exhaustion” that occurs when MP reaches zero.
‘Perhaps that’s why he’s been saving it all this time’
After escaping from the Glacier Eye and receiving healing from the priests, my body recovered, but my MP was a different story.
My MP was already hovering around half, having spent a lot of it fighting these bastards, using [Gigantification] and spamming [Swing].
That’s why I provoked the Dragon Slayer.
[“I’m curious—when is it coming? That moment when not even death can save me?”]
[“…Grit.”]
At this rate, my MP will run out.
Of course, I have [Soul Dive], but it’s a skill with a cooldown. If I use it once, there’s no way to counter the Dragon Speech afterward.
So I forced the Dragon Slayer to use it early.
And the result…
“Gahhh! Kehhhk! Urghhh…!”
The Dragon Slayer collapsed, completely incapacitated.
Well, I remember he struggled every time he used Dragon Speech back in Larcas’s Maze.
But I didn’t expect he’d become as helpless as a bee like this.
An unexpected gain.
[“The character has cast [Soul Dive].”]
[“The character has cast [Gigantification].”]
Meanwhile, with my opponent’s ultimate move drained and my MP partially recovered, there was nothing holding me back.
“How… how is this possible…?”
That expression, which I wanted to capture and keep forever.
“Bethel—raaaaaaa!!”
I felt as if the energy of my ancestors was surging throughout my body.
[“Manua Rephless has cast [Iron Fist].”]
I blocked the bald guy’s straight punch with a smile.
Hmm, as expected, these guys weren’t affected by the Dragon Speech.
“Come to think of it, if he planned to use Dragon Speech, he would have bonded with the guys around him beforehand.”
The frontline of Noark, including the bald guy, weren’t exposed to the Silence of Souls.
The rear line seemed to be outside the range.
‘Fortunately, our team seems to have avoided it within the radius.’
One of the reasons I sent the expedition’s vanguard back was actually this.
It wasn’t just about creating a secondary defense line to block the assault troops but also about avoiding the devastating effects of Dragon Speech.
‘Even so, the fact that he didn’t recklessly go inside our formation to use Dragon Speech must be because he judged that dealing with me alone would end everything. Perhaps he also calculated that if he became incapacitated on our side, his life would be in danger.’
It’s a funny thing to think about.
[“Yes, you’ve always demanded sacrifice from me.”]
What kind of sacrifice is this?
If you’re going to cut off your arm, you should have been prepared to cut off your shoulder blade as well.
But to throw away his cards so carelessly?
Had he truly decided to sacrifice, he would have become a very threatening variable to us.
“Well, it’s a good thing. But…”
Along with a feeling of relief, I felt frustration.
No, to be precise, I felt empty.
“To think that Dwalki… to such a pathetic guy…”
An executive of Orcules?
A legendary figure who killed an ancient dragon and a notorious criminal?
Even so, It doesn’t change the essence.
That guy was a much greater person than this scum.
[The character has cast [Eye of the Storm].”]
[Due to the Transcendent’s authority, the inherent abilities within the skill are unlocked.]
I used the grappling skill to pull the Dragonslayer bastard.
He vomited blood and was powerlessly dragged by the fiercely blowing storm.
Crunch-!
As soon as I brought down my hammer, his left shoulder shattered.
“Aaaagh…!”
‘Tsk, I aimed for his head, but he twisted his body at the last moment.’
Well, there will be another chance.
Putting aside my regret, I intercepted the bald guy who rushed to save the Dragonslayer.
No, it wasn’t just him.
[Mike Roymus has cast [Earth Stomp]]
[Damage taken by allies within a certain radius is reduced by half, and the remaining half is taken instead]
A blunt weapon warrior close to a tank.
[Ria Endes has cast [Wave of Fire]]
[Temporarily increases all fire damage, and additional effects are gained the closer you are to the target]
A rare melee-focused pyromancer.
These three, clearly accustomed to working as a team, became even more coordinated after the dragon slayer was knocked out, working together to harass me relentlessly.
[Kale Elbad Zeneger has cast [Earth Spikes]]
From time to time, ranged attacks flew in from the rear.
Without any armor, their attacks pierced and slashed through my body.
But…
[“Loita Maemandor has cast [Advanced Healing].”]
[“Benjamin Orman has cast [Advanced Healing].”]
With the priests’ buffs plastered all over me and receiving extensive care, it wasn’t enough to push me back.
[“Kelbus Iron has cast level 4 Dark Magic [Mark of Malice].”]
[“All regeneration effects on the character are reduced.”]
[“Benjamin Orman has cast [Moonlight of Purification].”]
[“All negative effects on the character are removed.”]
The dark mage persistently cast curse magic, but it’s always easier to remove a curse than casting them.
“Don’t overdo it and just block them!”
We could have taken them down one by one if we went on the offensive, but we stuck to a solid defense.
That’s the nature of a defense game: as long as the defenses hold, the players win.
‘Anyway, these guys can’t escape.’
To be precise, it didn’t matter if they ran.
Their retreat was blocked.
Behind them were swarming monsters, and even the boss monster was climbing up glaring with its menacing eyes.
I don’t know about the others, but I’m pretty sure the three who came to our side and got beaten up badly will have their bodies rot within a few days once they enter the ‘Glacier Eye’.
Could they possibly escape to the 8th floor in such a situation?
Especially with no food?
“Damn it, where did this guy come from…!”
The blunt-weapon warrior who fearlessly tried to wrestle me was sent flying by a single kick, his face full of despair.
“They said no one could stop us once we made it outside!”
Ah, so they were clinging to that hope while secretly growing stronger on the 8th floor.
Well, it’s not entirely false hope.
Because on the 8th floor, there are plenty of essences valuable enough to become a Core Essence.
But still…
If that’s the case, you should’ve at least gotten the combinations right.
Take my shield barbarian character, the core is [Gigantification].
It’s a Level 5 essence you can obtain by hunting an Orc Hero, and once it’s linked with [Unity], it produces incredible efficiency.
Just recklessly stacking high-grade essences doesn’t guarantee success.
“Rephless! W-We should retreat for now!”
Maybe he lost his will to fight after seeing me completely unscathed, the blunt weapon warrior begged for a retreat. The bald-headed warrior, however, refused.
“Where would we go?!”
“At least we should regroup for now…!”
“Stop spouting nonsense and fight!”
He knew it, too. Falling back to regroup would only lead to a tougher battle.
In the end, they have only one choice.
“If we just kill this one guy!”
“The rest will be easy!”
To break through us and climb upward.
“Bethel—raaaaaa!!!”
Of course, I have no intention of letting them go.
***
The battle continued.
And the tide that had turned did not reverse.
“……We can’t go on anymore!”
A kind of assault unit.
Two explorers who had tried to bypass me to target our main force now passed by me again to rejoin their allies.
“Where’s Cullen…?”
“Can’t you see? He’s dead!”
The three fought desperately, but when one died, they couldn’t hold out and ran away.
The enemy’s numbers are down.
On the other hand, we have no casualties.
Although some of our members have been injured, even they are mostly lightly wounded.
But still…
Instead of letting down my guard, I raise it even higher.
Because with this, they must have realized for sure.
That if things continue like this, they might all really die.
“……To think we’d have to risk our lives in a place like this.”
Humans are calculative creatures.
Therefore, when standing at the crossroads of survival, they eventually choose to give up.
Everything except survival.
This is the scariest state when meeting as enemies.
In terms of a boss monster, it’s the “Berserk” state.
A state where they fight, risking their lives to survive.
[The character’s soul power is insufficient.]
[Gigantification] has ended.
Just in time, as my MP drained, my body shrank back to its normal size.
“Jandel, step back and rest for a while.”
Immediately, Amelia moved to my right side.
“That’s right. We’ll take care of things here.”
To the left was Ravien.
“We will take your place.”
Then Jun and Kyslan also stepped forward from behind.
Well, even though I don’t know about Kyslan, Jun can at least take on the main tank role.
Rather than stubbornly staying in the front line with no MP, I decided it would be more effective to trust my allies. I quickly withdrew from the front line to the second line. I planned to rush out immediately if any variables arose.
“That monster guy has retreated!”
“Now, now is our chance!”
As soon as I withdrew, the Noark bastards regained their fighting spirit and charged.
However, it didn’t take long for that fighting spirit to be broken.
[Jun Arshen has cast [Divine Liberation]
Jun, once he uses all his skills, becomes a monster tank not inferior to me…
As for Kaislan, Ravien, and Amelia…
Whooosh—!
Getting hit by them even once could truly be lethal.
“…Ugh!”
“Be careful!”
Just as they say, the best defense is a good offense.
Instead of just taking hits, sharp counterattacks flew in, targeting their gaps, so they couldn’t continue their offensive as aggressively as before.
And then…
“Rephless, Ricky Aymond is down!”
It wasn’t long before we scored another kill.
The bombardment line, led by Erwin and Akuraba, finally broke through, taking down one of the enemy’s long-range damage dealers.
It was a significant morale boost.
[Status ailment [Whisper of Immortality] has been activated]
Unlike the one who died on our side earlier, the Glacier Eye’s field effect activated, and resurrected their comrade as an undead.
“H-Hurry, push him back! Knock him down—”
“Aaaaah!”
The enemy’s support type who had turned into a lich indiscriminately unleashed skills before they managed to suppress him and send him plummeting into the abyss.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalize further on this opportunity…
‘The remaining ranged enemies include two dark mages, one support-type, and one Karui priest…
After that, the intense battles continued.
Kaislan was severely injured and retreated, but a tank who was waiting in the second line was immediately deployed to block the path.
“Huff, huff, huff…”
Sven Parab.
His tense exhalations made him seem somewhat unreliable, but still, he’s a paladin.
He’s the only main tank besides me and Jun.
Oh, by the way, we also had a swap of melee attackers once.
“Emily, come back!”
……
Amelia, whose MP had run out, retreated to the second line, and Rick Juggersta, the warrior from the third team, was deployed.
In the narrow passage, we utilized every advantage we could gain through numerical superiority to confront the enemy.
But..
Sacrifices were inevitable.
A sharp stone spear pierced straight through Rick Juggersta’s torso.
The same attack that had instantly killed our tank, Might Million, during the Deadwood battle.
Crack…
It hadn’t been long since Rick had taken over the position, yet he was killed on the spot.
Because he was not outside the field boundary, [Whisper of Immortality] did not activate…
“Ah, no! Rick…!”
Right, he was… James Carla’s friend.
“Puta Rickervan! What are you doing! Block them quickly!”
I hurriedly sent a member who was a scout and melee attacker from the second team to fill the empty spot, and at that moment, James Carla, who was in the rear, ran over and embraced the body of his fallen friend.
However, I spoke coldly.
“……Carla, return to your position.”
What he might need now are words of comfort, but what’s needed and what must be done are different.
Fortunately, James Carla understood this as well.
“Yes…”
Leaving just a brief word, James Carla hoisted his friend’s corpse onto his back and moved to the rear.
Seeing him grit his teeth and stretch out his trembling legs, I couldn’t say anything.
I just turned my gaze back to the battlefield.
Slash—!
There had been sacrifices, but just in time, we were scoring yet another point.
“M-Mike…!”
We had taken down the blunt-weapon warrior who held the tank position.
The one who brought him down was Ravien.
However, she was injured in the process.
She wouldn’t die thanks to the priest’s healing, but it would take time for her to recover.
「Status ailment [Whisper of Immortality] has been activated.」
Once again, the field effect activated, turning the enemy into an undead.
But this time, we didn’t gain much from it.
“What are you doing? Everyone, fall back”
The enemy transferred the aggro to us, pulling their forces back. This meant we had to put in extra effort to finish off their reanimated ally.
Still…
‘Now there are 10 left… No, since the Dragonslayer bastard is incapacitated, it’s 9…’
The number of enemies was steadily decreasing.
Victory was getting closer.
Just as members of our ranged dealer line were running out of MP one after another, their side was also exhausting all sorts of resources.
“C-Curse magic! Quickly cast the curse magic!”
As the dark mage’s curse magic—which had been reducing their regenerative abilities—was lifted, their bodies began to rot and decay.
It seemed the dark mage who had been hindering our priests had finally run out of mana…
‘Good, if we keep going like this.’
As soon as I confirmed that Jun’s doping had ended and his tanking ability had decreased, I pulled back to the frontline and stepped forward.
“Damn it! Has he recovered already?!”
My MP wasn’t yet fully recovered, but for maintaining [Gigatification] it was more than enough.
Soon, the cooldown for [Soul Dive] would also be over.
‘Above all, now that the curse magic has ended, there’s no need to deal any more damage.’
It was like a breached dam.
Now all I had to do was hold the front and let the Glacier Eye’s field effect gradually finish them off.
“Push him back! Push him back!”
Those who realized this tried all sorts of things to move the frontline outside the field, but I gritted my teeth and held on.
“It seems the priests have run out of divine power!”
It didn’t matter that the healing that had been a reliable support from behind—had ended.
These bastards had also exhausted all their strength.
They swung their weapons desperately with arms and legs that were rapidly rotting and decaying, but that was all.
It was when I was holding my shield with such determination.
Despair.
It always strikes without warning.
“Aaaaah!”
Suddenly a scream pierced the air.
The kind of scream that should never have come from behind us.
“Jandel!”
Unable to turn back, I heard Kaislan’s urgent cry.
“…An enemy! A new enemy has appeared!”
A new variable had occurred.
--------------------------------------------------
Chapter 422: Like Ice (2)
I had abandoned all hope of rescue.
We discarded our food and our equipment.
Even after fleeing like that, I had to helplessly watch my comrades being caught and die.
That’s what survival is all about.
Giving up, and giving up again.
Deceiving ourselves that the most irrational decision was, in fact, the most rational under the circumstances.
So, I burned everything I had, using it as fuel to move forward.
But…
“Enemies! New enemies have appeared!”
Now, what else must I give up?
Damn it, I already know the answer.
“Jun, I’ll leave this place to you for a moment.”
I quickly passed the baton and moved to the rear.
As soon as I turned my back, I saw our ranged unit running toward us from behind.
Enemies were chasing them.
“Mister…!”
“Erwin!”
“There are about a dozen of them! They don’t seem like knights, but they’re using aura! Gerod is holding them off alone right now!”
Ventis Gerod.
A support type from the third team.
A man with a smiling face and an unnecessarily positive attitude, whom everyone scolded and yet liked.
“Thanks for letting me know. Quickly join the main force with Akuraba.”
“…Be careful!”
When I reached the rear after brushing past Elwin, I found him collapsed on the ground, hot blood splattered around him.
Swooooosh—!
Blood steamed as it met the cold air.
‘So… another one is gone.’
If not for this man, more people would have been hurt and killed.
Thump—
For a moment, my heart tightened, but the harsh reality didn’t allow time for sorrow.
Swish.
I lifted my head and gazed straight ahead.
Over Gerod’s corpse, I saw about a dozen enemies.
As soon as I saw them, I recalled a conversation I had with the leader of Orcules in Noark.
[Human females]
[Red aura in the form of spikes, specialized in daggers]
[All characteristics of the Rose Knights]
The Rose Knights.
A specialised unit of the royal family responsible for assassinations, infiltration, and special operations.
So, the day has come to meet them too.
Drip, drip, drip, drip—
A woman holding a dagger dripping blood stood still, staring at me.
It was similar to when I first met Amelia.
Eyes that showed no emotion.
And…
“You’re Baron Bjorn Jandel.”
A cold, monotonous voice that lacked even a hint of warmth.
“According to our information, you possess at least second-class sword defense abilities. Your assessed combat power is two levels higher than each of us, so handle with caution.”
As soon as the woman’s businesslike briefing ended, their unit took stances to attack at any moment.
It’s been a while since I felt this way looking at an enemy, but I genuinely got chills down my spine.
I wasn’t afraid of someone irrationally screaming that they’d kill me without even knowing me.
But these were different.
Experts trained solely for the purpose of killing.
Thump!
Even before our weapons clashed, my warrior’s instincts warned of a grueling fight.
But…
Crack!
So what?
“Did the Marquis send you?”
I asked while maintaining a posture ready to respond at any time, but no answer came back.
“……”
Well, those eyes are chilling.
Is it that they don’t talk to someone they’re about to kill?
That thoroughly professional demeanor left no room for expectations, though I did hope for an answer to at least one thing.
“How did you know to wait for us here?”
“…”
“Hmm? Tell me. No matter how I think about it, I can’t figure out this one thing. Don’t you feel sorry for us?”
Even in my joking tone, the woman looked at me without changing her expression and quietly spoke.
“…We were stationed here on someone’s persistent request, just in case. Even the intelligence department judged that the possibility of you actually coming all the way here was slim.”
“Slim, huh…”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
After all, what were the odds?
Completing an impossible mission after an arduous journey, being abandoned by our allies in the heart of enemy territory, and still making our way here on our own.
And by an expedition force hastily assembled just a few days ago.
Even ‘slim’ wouldn’t suffice to describe it.
“…Why are you laughing?”
“Just thinking that we can’t possibly beat you guys.”
I mean, does it make sense to keep such a force on standby just to block that slim possibility?
It feels like a massive wall is closing in from all sides.
A feeling that there’s no exit no matter where we turn.
“Then, the conversation has failed.”
At that moment, the woman murmured while looking at me.
“Failed?”
“Because those who have lost heart don’t have eyes like that.”
So, the reason she responded was because she wanted me to despair?
I complained.
“That’s strange. I was sufficiently despairing just now.”
“Then are you planning to die as is?”
“No, I have to try as much as I can.”
“Yes, there are people like you sometimes. Those who never take death as an escape…”
At my answer, the woman’s expression changed for the first time. Very subtly, but perhaps she looked somewhat regretful?
Of course, I couldn’t be sure.
Maybe I was mistaken.
And even if I wasn’t, it wouldn’t change anything.
“It seems our conversation is truly over now.”
“……”
The woman didn’t answer.
We both knew.
“Bethel—raaaa!!”
That no more conversation was needed.
***
The aura-defensive essence, Bol-Herchan.
Thanks to this, I could evolve into a nightmare for knights, but that doesn’t mean I’m invincible.
After all, there’s no such thing as absolute invincibility in Dungeon and Stone.
Slash, slash, stab—!
I didn’t get sliced like tofu, but every time the dagger touched my body, small injuries piled up.
The priest’s holy power had already run out, so I couldn’t expect any healing.
In the midst of that…
[Your character has been poisoned by Royal Mixed Poison.]
[Your character’s physical stats are above 700.]
[Your poison resistance is above 100.]
[Poison effects are reduced by 70%.]
I didn’t know what they had smeared all over their blades, but a tingling sensation spread from the wound area.
To make matters worse, it seems to have some wound-deteriorating properties, even blocking natural regeneration.
Injuries continued to accumulate steadily.
Whoooosh—!
I swung my hammer as if swatting flies, but once again, it sliced through empty air.
They climbed walls, somersaulted in mid-air, and suddenly changed direction with deceleration abilities that defied physics.
They dodged all my attacks, and if I showed even a slight opening, they sliced my body with their daggers.
Of course, each injury wasn’t significant, but…
Slash, slash—
My already relatively slow body became even more sluggish, and the number of times I was wounded increased.
If the terrain had been wider and a dozen of them attacked from all sides, I would have already collapsed into a ragged heap on the ground.
“…Ugh!”
My body staggered and leaned forward.
At that moment, a dagger swung toward my neck.
‘Yes, now!’
I gathered strength in my legs as if I had been waiting and swung my hammer upward.
But…
‘Damn it, just get hit already!’
Damn, this doesn’t work either?
It’s like I’m fighting a machine, not a human.
I couldn’t help but think, ‘This game is so messed up.’
[Your character has cast [Soul Dive]
[Soul power is regenerated in proportion to the soul power consumed]
First, I immediately used [Soul Dive], whose cooldown time had reset, to recover my MP that was nearing depletion.
And just at that moment.
“We’ll help too!”
Reinforcements had arrived.
It was Ravien and Amelia, who should have been holding the front line against the Noark bastards.
“The front? What happened at the front?”
“They’re outside the Glacier Eye boundary and have been holding the line ever since”
So, they’re biding their time.
Waiting for our forces to diminish while we fight these guys. Well, not knowing the situation, it’s a wise decision since they can’t be sure the Rose Knights are their allies.
‘Damn it, why are we caught in the middle.’
I raised my shield to protect my upper body.
Bang—!
Their dagger bounced off as if blocked by an iron wall.
But for some reason, this time there was no pain radiating from my lower body.
Usually, they’d exploit such moments to aim below.
Why was that?
Looking at the Rose Knights, who had awkwardly increased the distance, I realized the reason.
‘Ah, it’s thanks to them.’
With Amelia and Ravien flanking me, the rose knights couldn’t freely aim for my weak spots like before.
Yes, the rule is that agile characters handle agile opponents.
‘Hah, now I have some breathing room.’
I shouted loudly so Akuraba in the rear could hear.
Because I’m both the tank and the leader of the expedition team.
I have to fulfill both roles at once.
“Akuraba, if possible, tell them to maintain the status quo with the Noark bastards!”
It pained me to give time to the Noark bastards when we were so close to finishing them off, but there was no other way.
‘Huh?’
But what’s this?
Despite my shouting, the Rose Knights show no reaction.
Not as if they’re ignoring me—but as if they genuinely didn’t hear anything.
“Emily, is the voice control magic active right now?”
“Ah, it must’ve been cast by the mages who came down earlier.”
“…Came down?”
What’s that supposed to mean?
Ravien intercepted a dagger aimed at my shoulder and replied,
“When the rear was attacked, the priests and mages used levitation spells to escape and regroup here.”
“Flee? Don’t tell me… there were enemies above too?”
“Yes. Priest Royta Memander was killed in a surprise attack.”
“I see…”
Why is it that only bad news keeps coming?
As if having over a dozen enemies here wasn’t bad enough, now a priest is dead too…
‘Now there are 19 of us left…’
From 30 at the start, the expedition has dwindled to this.
Even if we managed to return alive, the number would be less than half.
Clench—
The pent-up frustration welled up inside me.
I had continued to give up, again and again.
It wasn’t as if I had envisioned a golden future and let it go.
I bled and fought for that future, which was no different from rolling in dog shit.
But why did these unreasonable situations keep happening endlessly?
I wanted to curse and blame the gods and scream right now.
But…
“Ahhhhhhhh!!!”
I exhaled all my heated breath all at once.
I even force myself to suppress the anger clouding my mind.
Because what I needed now was not burning rage.
At least at this moment, I shouldn’t be like that.
“…Akuraba!”
“Yes, please speak!”
“Don’t worry about helping over here. Focus on recovering as much as possible. Soon, we’ll need all the strength we can muster.”
There will only be one chance.
**
No one argued that the plan was ridiculous.
No one said we’d all die if we followed it.
By this point, there was no room for such complaints.
“…Understood. We’ll do as you say.”
Akuraba immediately carried out my orders, and the other members did the same.
Have I finally earned some recognition as a leader during this expedition?
If so, I felt somewhat proud.
At least my efforts haven’t been entirely in vain.
“BETHEL—RAAAHHHHH!!”
With the rear line’s support cut off, the Rose Knights’ assault grew fiercer.
“Jandel is facing over ten enemies alone! Block them somehow!”
To make matters worse, the Noark bastards, who had finished reorganizing, ended the standoff and started attacking again.
And we did just one thing.
“Hold on!!”
To endure, somehow.
In a situation where our priests had run out of holy power, and ranged support had stopped.
To buy time by maintaining the front lines both front and back.
“Aaaaah!”
We were being harassed, surrounded from both sides, but surprisingly, it was more manageable than expected.
‘They already consider us corpses.’
The Noark and the Rose Knights, who had accepted our annihilation as a given, were having a silent standoff.
‘So if we all die, they’ll have to fight each other?’
Well, personal feelings aside.
The enemy’s complacency was a positive sign for us.
Thanks to that, the time finally came.
Rumble rumble rumble.
The canyon shook as if an earthquake had occurred.
Swoooooosh—!
From below the cliff, which was nothing but abyssal darkness, a white chill rose in the form of mist.
[Your character is exposed to [Frozen Faith]
[Binding magic is released]
Kariadea, the Glacier Mage.
It had finally arrived after struggling up from the depths.
“Damn it! Break through!”
At this point, urgent cries erupted from the Noark side.
“…We’ll finish this as quickly as possible.”
Though more composed, the Rose Knights also seemed flustered.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘So I was the only one who had calculated the boss’s arrival.’
Well, that’s why they had been so relaxed.
[Grrrrrrrr]
From within the mist came thousands of skeletons, flailing their arms, and at the center of it all, the Elder Lich, Kariadea, glared at us with crimson eyes.
“Jandel, we’re ready!”
The “big one” I had asked of the ranged DPS was finally prepared.
So now…
“Fire.”
We had no choice but to go all out.
「James Carla casts [Piercing Light].」
「Erwin Fornacci di Tersia casts [Elemental Synthesis].」
「Titana Akuraba uses [No. 1911 Pavel’s Broken Pocket Watch]」
「Vercil Gowland has cast Level 3 offensive spell ‘Flame of Destruction.’」
「Mckelly Leiadas has cast Level 3 offensive spell ‘Judgment.’」
「Riard Ashid has cast Level 3 offensive spell ‘Dark Ray.’」
Not only the ranged dealers, but everyone who had even a single ranged skill did the same.
They poured out their skills with all their might, as much as their cooldowns and MP allowed.
Not toward the Noirak side.
Not toward the Rose Knights.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Toward the Elder Lich that had just appeared.
[The first Soul Vessel of Kariadea, the Glacier Mage, has been destroyed]
Phew, looks like the firepower was sufficient.
[Screeeeeech!]
Banshees emerging from the mist screamed in agony and went berserk.
And at the same time.
Grind, rattle, clatter, creak.
The Elder Lich, who instantly restored its shattered bones, looked at us and extended its hand.
[Kariadea, the Glacier Mage, casts [Soul Extraction]
The pattern it uses in its second phase.
I steadied my breathing and closed my eyes.
“Whew…”
That was all I could do.
The die had already been cast in the storm of chaos.
[All characters within range are stunned]
Now, all we can do is hope for a favorable roll.
---------------------------------------------------
Chapter 423: Teaming(1)
The Elder Lich’s active skill, [Soul Extraction].
The effect of this skill is simple.
If someone had acquired the skill through an essence, or it was cast by an Elder Lich in a normal field, you just get stunned.
[The character falls into a [Stun] state]
By the way, it’s not an area-of-effect skill but designated to specific targets, and it can be countered through mental strength, mana resistance, or various other skills.
But
[You have been exposed to the chill of hatred]
[All status effects cast by the Glacier Mage, Kariadea are enhanced with additional effects]
Thanks to this damn fog, the situation does not end with mere stun; instead, it leads to a bizarre situation, just like this
[The Glacier Mage Kariadea guides the extracted soul into the Casket of Judgment]
Flash—!
When I opened my eyes, I saw a crystal cave.
And there was a man bathed in a soft purple light.
“Hey there.”
He asked while holding a hammer smeared with goblin blood.
“Are you perhaps looking for a night companion?”
Race: Human.
Estimated age: Early thirties.
Height: Just over 180 cm, a man with a kind and gentle impression.
‘…His feet were big for his height.’
And that face.
I’d thought it was a blurry memory, but seeing it now brought it all back clearly.
The man smiled and introduced himself.
“Oh, I didn’t introduce myself. My name is Hans.”
Better known as Hans A.
The origin of all Hans.
, and a grateful existence who taught me the mindset to live in this world.
He gave me a hammer, compass, canteen, shoes, and other items I saw for the first time, helping me evolve from a barbarian to a civilized person.
“But why did you kill me?”
He suddenly asked with a ghastly expression.
Blood flowed from his bloodshot eyes.
But so what?
“Well, you must have done something worth dying for.”
“You could have forgiven me.”
“Forgive you…”
“I had a wife and daughter.”
Yeah, that…
“I know.”
How could I not know?
I saw the family portrait in the bag I took from you.
A little girl about three years old, and a wife who looked a few years younger than you.
But…
“When you saw that, did you… regret killing me?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, I answered.
“No.”
It was the absolute truth, without an ounce of falsehood.
Why would I regret it?
“If I could go back, I’d kill you all over again.”
“…”
“Anyway, it’s not like I was your first victim. The people you plundered—didn’t they have families too?”
Even if that weren’t the case.
This world is full of orphans with stories.
“Don’t worry. Living without parents doesn’t stop you from surviving. Your wife and daughter will be fine, too.”
I should know—I’m the proof of that.
Crack!
Rather than dragging out the conversation, I swung my demon breaker and crushed his skull.
But then…
“…You’ve changed. You weren’t like this back then.”
Hans A, now just a disembodied jaw, calmly continued speaking.
“…Huh?”
What’s this? Creepy.
Is this part of the [Soul Extraction] pattern?
I thought this stage was just where the characters you’ve killed come out and attack you?
This wasn’t in the game.
“What do you mean, I’ve changed?”
Curious, I asked, and he chuckled.
“Back when you killed me, you trembled so much.”
“And?”
“Now, you feel nothing.”
“Oh, I see.”
“From now on, you’ll keep doing the same.
Killing parents who were precious to someone, killing daughters and sons, even if a family falls apart. You’ll accept it all, just because they were your enemies.”
Go ahead and curse me all you want.
I wondered if I shouldn’t have engaged in conversation, but at least I realized one thing for sure.
“You know it too, don’t you?”
This bastard is reading my mind.
“You’re becoming a monster.”
And he knows exactly where to strike.
“Of course, until now, you could deceive yourself because they were enemies. That you’re not a monster yet.”
Crack—!
I struck his jaw with a hammer, but his voice didn’t stop.
[But.]
“Ha, stubborn, aren’t you?”
[If they weren’t enemies.]
[If you had to kill innocent people to survive.]
[No, if it was a comrade you wanted to protect more than anyone.]
[Then what would you do?]
I didn’t answer.
Because I knew it was meaningless.
After all, the source of this voice was my own inner self.
[You’ve already become a monster.]
To survive.
The doubts and anxieties I’ve hidden deep in my heart and thoroughly ignored.
[No different from the monsters you’ve killed.]
“……”
[You already belong to this world.]
With those words, Hans A disappeared into light.
***
My uncle was undoubtedly a worthless human being.
A gambling addict with no decent job.
When he won money, he’d give me a fair amount of pocket money, but when he lost, he’d take out his anger on me with violence.
But as the saying goes, you can learn something from even the most worthless stone on the mountainside.
That was the case with my uncle.
It wasn’t something to say to an eight-year-old who had lost his father less than a year ago, but…
If you have to roll the dice anyway.
Don’t play on a board made by others; throw the dice on a board you made yourself.
That advice, etched deep in my mind, helped me survive in this world.
And so…
Step, step.
I walked through the crystal cave.
This wasn’t a real place.
It was a simulated space, created when I was stunned by [Soul Extraction].
‘I didn’t expect the crystal cave to be the background.’
By the way, in the game, the background was always different.
The rocky desert on the second floor, the Sky Tower on the fourth floor, the great sea on the sixth floor; sometimes you’d wake up not in a labyrinth but in a palace or such.
Then, what is the condition for selecting the background?
‘Maybe it’s the most memorable place.’
That seemed plausible.
The place where I nearly died to a trap.
Where I met Erwin.
Where I killed someone for the first time.
And the hardship I suffered when the Abyss Lord Berzak was summoned is something I can never forget.
Tap.
Hearing a presence behind me, I quickly turned to see a familiar trio.
A mustached man holding a shield.
A tall, blonde spearman.
And…
“Kee hee hee hee hee hee!!!”
A woman in a priestess’s robes laughing with half her head crushed.
(Old) Elisha Half-Head Mode.
“Wow, it’s been a while, guys.”
Unlike Hans A, they didn’t even try to engage in conversation, just immediately pounced on me.
And…
Crack, crack, crack—!
I turned them all into light within ten seconds.
I mean, what’s my level now, and how many essences have I consumed? They were tough when I was low-level, but now they’re no different from goblins.
In that they all die in one hit, equally.
“Phew… So how many are left now?”
I tried to count the number of enemies I killed after waking up in the crystal cave, but I wasn’t sure.
After all, who keeps track of how many pieces of bread they’ve eaten?
Because I’ve been killing people as routinely as eating meals while acting as an explorer, I can no longer recall the exact number.
“…I think I used to remember at some point, though.”
Hans A’s words weighed heavier on me now.
In fact, until I met him here again, I didn’t even remember his face.
To be precise, I had completely forgotten.
“Elisha. She’s so memorable that I remember her clearly…”
What was the spearman’s name?
Taser Gun? Dyson? It was something like that…
As I recalled the names of the trio I had just defeated, I flinched.
Because the name of the mustached man came to mind.
“Hans Argo.”
By the way, the Hans code I assigned him was C.
“Damn it.”
Only now did I realize—Does this mean I’ll have to meet every Hans I’ve killed so far?
A chill ran down my spine.
Is this Hans Hell or what?
‘How many Hans have I killed so far?’
Fortunately, thinking back one by one, there weren’t that many I actually killed.
Or should I say, not many that I landed the final blow on?
For example: Hans E, who I used as a meat shield in the sewer trap while chasing Elisha.
Hans J, the mage who betrayed us on Farune Island? Erwin killed him.
And the rest I just met briefly and parted ways.
Except for one.
“My, my name is Ha, Hans Krysen…”
Hans G., the evil spirit summoner I killed in the Doppelganger Forest.
Wow, he shows up right away.
Guess I’m getting the hardest part over with first.
“Wh-why did you… ki-kill me? We-we were f-fellow pl-players…”
Hans G, who appeared in front of me with his soul-bonded fairy archer, was speaking in a strange way.
Maybe he’s stuttering here because that’s the most memorable scene.
Yeah, I was pretty shocked at the time.
“I didn’t even betray you! Just because he exposed that I was an evil spirit—!”
So what?
Crack, crack—!
Before the conversation could continue, I dashed forward and crushed his head.
A barbarian’s way of making life much easier.
As I continued to wander the cave, the reconstructed and reenacted images of the people I killed appeared and attacked me.
“Now you know! Why I had to become a plunderer! In that damned place, there was no choice!”
Jencia Neaprin, a player I killed in the Glacier Cave.
At that time, I didn’t know.
No, to be exact, I hadn’t thought about it.
That there would be players who started in Noark.
“I said it was an accident, and just because of that! Die! Dieeeeee!!”
The trio of religious fanatics who, deceived by Elisha’s tongue, attacked Team Halfling and were killed by me when we met at the hut.
By killing these guys, I truly realized.
The more I shed my modern sensibilities, the more I could live like a human in this place.
Crack, crack, crack—!
In addition, numerous plunderers I met in the labyrinth appeared, scattering their hatred as they lunged at me.
Those from the early days mostly died in one hit, but the ones from later…
Boom!
The lighthouse keeper of Orcules.
Whoosh!
The knight I met in Noark’s past.
“I was trying to help you all, in the end!”
“In the end, I was trying to help you!”
Pike Neldaine, who was executed during this expedition on charges of treason.
One by one, they weren’t scary, but as their numbers increased, the burden on my body grew.
As if reflecting the weight of my sins.
“I’ve… killed this many…?”
At least hundreds.
That’s the number of lives I directly took.
But…
“Well, it’s just as well.”
If I’m like this, how much worse would the Noark guys or the Rose Knights be?
I continue forward, fueled by others’ misfortunes.
Step, step.
Endlessly in the dark cave where no destination exists.
****
[Last enemy defeated]
[Character’s [Stun] state is lifted]
[The Glacier Mage, on behalf of the resentful spirits who couldn’t achieve their purpose, delivers punishment]
[A random penalty is applied until the labyrinth is closed]
When I opened my eyes, I was being dragged along.
Someone was holding both my legs, and my back was scraping against the cold, sharp ground.
“Ugh…! Why’s this guy so heavy even without any gear?”
Sven Parab’s voice.
So, he’s the one pulling me.
‘Since we’re not in the Glacier’s Eye, I guess we half-succeeded…’
I looked around while being dragged.
Strange things I hadn’t seen before were happening.
“Ughhhhh…!!”
“Haa… Haa… Haa…”
Priests and mages were struggling to move, carrying unconscious physical-type explorers on their backs.
I checked the watch hanging from my waist.
‘About 15 minutes…’
The time I’d been unconscious since Phase 2 began.
“Parab, you can let go now.”
“Huh? You’re awake?”
“Yes.”
I couldn’t be a burden any longer, so I quickly pulled myself together and stood up. Then I instructed Sven Parab to carry someone else.
“Priest Ormon! Thank you for your hard work. From now on, I’ll carry the person behind you. Please help someone else over there. It might be easier if you carry together.”
“Phew… I’m sorry. Paladin Parab, you must be tired too.”
“Haha, this is nothing.”
As I stood up and my view cleared, I quickly scanned around to grasp the situation.
‘Two priests, three mages, two support types, one melee DPS, two paladins, one archer.’
Including me, twelve people had awakened from the stun state.
Even if each person took one, there were still extras, and the situation was so dire that some warriors were carrying two or three people.
For a very simple reason.
Because I considered the [Soul Extraction] pattern to be a gamble.
“Erwin and Amelia haven’t woken up yet…”
I slung two unconscious allies over my shoulders. Then I walked over to Jun, who was still being carried by Puta Rickerburn.
“Jun.”
“…Ah, you’re awake.”
As I approached, Jun lifted his head from Puta Rickerburn’s back.
He spoke as if embarrassed.
“Unfortunately, I can’t use one of my legs.”
A random penalty applies when you wake up from the stun state. This penalty is entirely random, and if you’re lucky, you might just lose your sense of taste, but in severe cases, like now, the character becomes crippled.
Probably, those who are conscious all have similar issues.
“Jandel, are you okay?”
“For now… I don’t see any immediate changes.”
“I’m glad you’re okay, really.”
“When did you wake up? I’d like to hear a report on the situation.”
“I was the fifth to awaken.”
“That’s faster than expected?”
At my thoughtless remark, Jun gave a bitter smile.
“As an interrogator, there weren’t many Karui priests I personally killed. Most were ordinary people without power. Thanks to that, it was easy to deal with in that place.”
“I see…”
He didn’t seem to be seeking words of comfort, so I quickly moved on to the main point.
“I’d like to hear what happened while I was unconscious.”
“The first to wake up were Priest Ormon and Priest Periton Eriavosti. Incredible… They didn’t even have a drop of blood on their hands.”
That’s questionable.
Being priests, their profession doesn’t often give them opportunities to land the final blow.
‘Even when we fought in the Glacier’s Eye, it was always someone else who dealt the finishing blow.’
“However, the two of them couldn’t move all of us, so they waited until more people woke up to make movement possible, and then we started moving.”
“How long did that take?”
“Eleven minutes.”
“Were any enemies awakened at that time?”
“Until we left, no one from Noark or the Rose Knights had woken up, but who knows now.”
I see…
That’s not bad.
“Jandel, as you suspected. I tried attacking the unconscious ones, but it had no effect.”
Well, during the duration of Phase 2, those who are unconscious have invincibility status.
Even Kariadea won’t attack during this phase.
The boss battle resumes 30 minutes after [Soul Extraction] is cast.
Anyone who hasn’t returned by then dies.
The same goes if they die inside that space.
‘Erwin is one thing, but Amelia… will she be okay?’
I was deeply worried, but all I could do was trust.
Setting aside problems I couldn’t solve right now, I checked on the other team members one by one.
Three people had suffered significant penalties:
Jun was now a cripple
James Carla, the archer blinded in both eyes.
Old Didi, whose right hand had turned to stone, hard and useless.
I didn’t know what penalties the unconscious members would have when they woke up, but for now, that’s how it was.
Then…
‘What about me?’
What penalty had been applied to me?
As I walked and checked various things, I soon realized what it was.
Grit…
Of all the many penalties, it had to be this one.
[The character’s active skills are restricted from use]
Was this the curse of all those Hans I met in the cave?