C418, 419, 420
Chapter 418: Eye of the Storm (4)
Munch, munch.
I chew on my jerky.
Not just me, but all the team members together.
“Uh… I think I’m going to throw up. I’ve eaten too much; I can’t eat anymore…”
A few muttered complaints about being full, but those were just rare exceptions.
Even as we hurried up the incline at an alarming pace, everyone forced down the jerky.
Because we all knew.
This would be the last time we’d eat this much for a long while.
“Mr. Schweitz!! No, Sir Yandel, Viscount!!”
As we were moving, Marone, the magician from Team 5, ran up to me.
“The detection magic we set up 10 minutes ago has been triggered!”
“They’re closer than we thought.”
If they ran at full speed, they could reach us in a few minutes.
“Everyone, throw away your food boxes!”
Shouting that, I was the first to toss the jerky box I was holding into the abyss below.
To increase our speed, we had to minimize our load.
Whoosh!
Most threw their boxes over the cliff as soon as the order was given, as if relieved. . But a few members hesitated, their hands trembling with reluctance.
The paladins and knights—those in frontline roles—looked especially torn.
“Damn it, I can still eat more…!”
One muttered as he shoved jerky into every pocket he had. It was a funny sight, but I couldn’t blame him.
I felt the same way.
“Why does it feel like my stomach is already emptying?”
Damn it.
“Well, I guess the good times are over now.”
“Marone, set up new detection magic. Use the time intervals to estimate their speed.”
“Yes, sir!”
Marone quickly cast another detection spell, and we picked up our pace.
Of course, it wasn’t that drastic of an increase.
If we had been walking at a brisk pace on flat ground earlier, now we were moving at the speed of a slow marathon.
About seven minutes later—
“The detection magic’s been triggered!”
Even though we had increased our speed, the gap had narrowed by three minutes.
“This is troublesome.”
The weaker members—priests and mages—were already being carried by others.
Now, there’s only one method left.
Survival comes down to what you’re willing to sacrifice.
“Discard the backpacks with the warming stones.”
We gave up the warming stones that had greatly helped us maintain our body temperature.
After the sleds, tents, and sleeping bags, they were the heaviest items we had.
The food would naturally decrease as we consumed it.
“Damn it, now we have to fight the cold, too?”
“What are you waiting for? Toss them already!”
“We’ll be running constantly anyway. Don’t dwell on it too much!”
As expected, shedding the warming stones lightened our load, and we picked up speed.
Thanks to the reduced burden on those who had to carry the non-combat members.
Before long, some hopeful news came through.
“The detection magic has been triggered. This time, exactly in 7 minutes and 37 seconds!”
The narrowing gap had finally stabilized.
Well, we’re still dying because we increased our speed.
“But it must be the same for them.”
From now on, it’s a battle of endurance.
This harsh environment is fair to everyone.
Just as we had to make tough sacrifices, so would they.
Just like now.
“Wh-what should we do? Th-they suddenly got faster. Now there’s only a 6-minute gap!”
Chewing jerky while running, without a moment’s rest for five hours.
The 7-minute gap we’d maintained had been broken.
So, what could be the reason?
The reason was clear.
“I briefly switched to a mental link to observe them—they’ve reduced in number! They’re down to about twelve!”
They, too, had made a sacrifice.
To catch us, they gave up their greatest advantage—numbers.
‘Did they send the rest back after handing off the supplies?’
Most likely.
The ones returning would be starving, but they’d be able to gorge themselves if they made it back within three days.
‘Twelve, huh…’
Our numbers now doubled theirs.
But even so—
‘I can’t be sure we’ll win.’
We’d inevitably clash at some point.
But that time wasn’t now.
Which meant—
“What do we do? They’ll catch up at this rate!”
What do you mean, what should we do?
They sacrificed something; we have to sacrifice one more thing.
That’s only fair, right?
“Discard the heavy plate armor. Of course, keep your shields and weapons so we can still fight.”
“Whaaat?”
Without further explanation, I took off the equipment covering my body and threw it over the cliff.
“Do… do we really have to go that far?”
“When you were shouting that we’d all die, what was that? Feeling regret now?”
“No, it’s not that, but…”
“Then that’s settled. Discard them. Anyway, when we return to the city and sort out the loot stored in our subspace, we’ll have enough for new equipment.”
“Ha… Being told to discard equipment while being chased by enemies—you’re truly mad.”
The frontline members, who valued their plate armor like life itself, grumbled but eventually followed my orders, stripping off all their equipment and wearing only thick fur clothing.
As a result,
“Six minutes! Same as before!”
The 6-minute gap stopped narrowing and remained constant.
Perhaps they’re just as confused now.
What’s going on? Why isn’t the gap closing?
“I wonder what expressions they’ll have when they finally meet us, seeing us practically stripped.”
Good, I feel a bit more energized.
Trudge, trudge.
How much longer did we run uphill like that?
“I… I just realized for the first time that people can sleep while running.”
“Even just for a minute… I’d love to sleep…”
Our pace gradually slowed.
It was only natural; we’d been on a forced march for days without proper rest or sleep.
But…
“Six minutes… still six minutes…”
The distance between us remained constant.
As we grew tired and exhausted, so did they…
At that moment, for the first time in a while, there was a change in the situation.
“What’s going on? The detection magic should’ve been triggered by now…”
The detection magic, which had been triggering every six minutes, didn’t activate even after twenty minutes.
Why?
Is there a way to avoid the detection magic?
“No. If they had such a method, they would’ve used it earlier.”
We continued to run uphill for another 10 minutes, but the detection magic remained silent.
So I came to a conclusion.
“Looks like they’re reaching their limit too.”
They’ve stopped to rest.
In other words…
“Stop!”
We can finally take a break and catch our breath.
***
“Everyone rest! You can sleep! I’ll wake you when it’s time to depart!”
As soon as I gave the order, they couldn’t even muster a cheer before collapsing where they stood.
Some, completely drained, fell asleep the moment they hit the ground.
“Aren’t you going to rest?”
“I’ll just look around a bit.”
“Sorry. I’d like to stay with you, but I can’t hold on…”
“No need to apologize. Go and rest.”
“Yes…”
With a tired expression, Erwin turned and went to lie down next to Amelia, her usual rival, and they fell asleep huddled together.
Yes, without the warming stones, we need to share body heat.
I smirked and watched them for a while, then went round the perimeter.
Amidst the team members who had collapsed or were eating, there was someone doing something unusual.
“Kaislan, what are you writing?”
“Oh! I was recording what you said earlier, Schweitz… no, Yandel.”
“What I said…?”
Instead of answering, Kaislan quietly held out his notebook.
[“I will take on the hardest tasks. I’ll do the dirty work that no one else wants to do. I’ll step into the bloodiest places first, and if someone must get hurt, let it be me.”]
[“So… follow me.”]
[“If you’re going to throw your life away anyway, throw it to me!!”]
Whew, reading it like this makes me feel really embarrassed.
I couldn’t bring myself to scold someone who was diligently taking notes despite being sleep-deprived.
“You have a good memory.”
“Memory? No, I’ll never forget those words.”
He does have peculiar hobbies.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I scolded him about spending his precious rest time writing this and asked what he planned to do with it. But Kaislan just shrugged and smiled quietly.
“You never know.”
“Hmm?”
“Maybe this record will become a moment in great history.”
Heh, that history talk again.
Come to think of it, he’s always liked that sort of thing.
I straightened up and patted him on the shoulder.
“Then we’ll need to survive. For it to go down in history.”
“Ah, that’s true. Yes, let’s survive…”
“Save the writing for later. You can write when we get back.”
“Will do.”
After finishing my conversation with Kaislan, I headed toward where Erwin was, the female mage, who had been leaning against her backpack with her eyes closed, opened them.
“Bjorn Jandel.”
It was Vercil Gowland.
“Oh, did I wake you? If so, sorry—”
“I’m the one who should apologize.”
“Uh?”
“I’m sorry. For abandoning you back on the first floor.”
I wondered what she was talking about, bringing up something from so long ago.
“Do you remember when I said at the banquet that I truly regretted it? I really wasn’t just saying that. When I woke up later and heard about what you did in the Crystal Cave, I felt so miserable and ashamed.”
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of. As a leader, it was the decision you had to make. I would have done the same.”
At my sincere words, Vercil Gowland frowned.
“Don’t joke. You would never have done that.”
That’s a bit much.
If I’d been given enough escape tickets for everyone in the Crystal Cave, I would have taken the dimensional gate immediately.
I only struggled because I’d been abandoned.
It’s not like I had some heroic mission.
But perhaps she thought differently.
“You’re like the eye of the storm. No matter how fierce the winds blow from all sides, you never get swept away.”
That’s a complicated thing to say to a barbarian.
Is she trying to test me?
I stared blankly, and Vercil Goland gave a self-deprecating smile.
“Maybe that’s why people gather around you even in the midst of a fierce storm.”
“It just happened that way.”
When she made such an over-the-top statement, I responded lightly, finding it hard to accept.
She looked at me and smiled subtly.
“I guess I said something unnecessary. I didn’t mean to burden you. You were going to rest, right? Sorry for taking your time.”
“No, it’s fine. You should rest too.”
Thus ended my conversation with Vercil.
After that, I passed by the fallen team members and lay down near Erwin.
The mage would alert us if the detection spell triggered, so I planned to steal a bit of sleep.
However…
“Eye of the storm…”
Even thinking about it again, it’s a compliment that doesn’t suit me.
If the interpretation was that misfortune surrounds me and those around me are swept into disaster—
“Hey! Wake up!”
What?
It felt like I’d barely closed my eyes for a few seconds.
“Did the detection magic activate?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Then why did you wake me up so urgently?
Before I could press Erwin for answers, I saw it with my own eyes.
“What the—! Why are monsters appearing!”
“Wait a minute, these aren’t the ones we’ve seen before!”
“Skeletons…? Do skeletons appear here too?”
Countless monsters were crawling up the cliff.
Our team members, still half-asleep, scrambled to grab their weapons.
“Yandel, do you know anything about this phenomenon?”
At Amelia’s question, I clenched my fist tightly.
Do I know?
Of course I do.
There’s only one situation where monsters will respawn in the Glacier Eye after it’s been cleared.
「The Glacier Mage Karyadea has appeared in this area.」
The boss monster. A spawn with less than a 10% chance of appearing.
And it shows up now, of all times?
‘Damn RNG.’
Are they telling us to just go out and die?
Why does this have to happen now?
Suddenly, my vision went dark, and I let out a sigh, but I checked the time first.
[00:12]
Just past midnight.
In other words, we had about a day’s distance left to escape the Glacier Eye.
“Baron Jandel! Th-the detection magic has also been triggered!”
As if things weren’t bad enough, word came that our enemies had finished resting and resumed their chase.
Is that why?
I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
“Kuhuhuhu.”
A warrior’s intuition was telling me.
It seems today is going to be an unusually tough day.
------------------------------------------
Chapter 419: Eye of the Storm (5)
Karyadea, the Glacier Mage.
An Elder Lich classified as Level 3—a high-level Named mutant.
A special boss that only appears during a certain period, typically between 10 and 5 days before the 7th floor closes.
‘The odds were about 10%, right?’
This is why I couldn’t help but live as an atheist.
The conditions for summoning this thing depend purely on luck.
And yet, here it appears—8 days remaining.
“Should I curse the timing for being today when it could have been tomorrow, or be thankful it didn’t show up three days earlier?”
It’s like a glass half full of water.
A situation where both positive and negative perspectives are possible.
‘…Well, damn it.’
No matter how I look at it, it’s still a negative situation.
Of course, we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario.
There’s only one day left until we escape the Glacier Eye.
We won’t have to face the boss monster.
It spawns at the very bottom and slowly ascends.
However, the problem is…
“What are you all doing! Get a grip and stop these bastards first!”
“Be careful! They’re stronger than regular skeletons!”
An army of skeletons began climbing the cliff since this thing was summoned.
Even if the monsters are climbing from below instead of spawning ahead, those chasing us will find it relatively easier to break through the path we’ve cleared.
‘The distance between us will gradually close.’
I might be awake, but my head feels foggy.
Damn it, why is this kind of mess happening now?
Hans isn’t even with us. Could there be a Hans I missed, perhaps among the pursuing bastards?
Just as my mind started reaching that point when—
Slap!
I slapped both my cheeks with my hands.
Not too hard to be dangerous, just enough to snap myself back to reality.
‘Lee Han-soo, stop this nonsense.’
It’s a kind of escapism.
Blaming Hans whenever misfortune strikes.
‘It’s just how things turned out.’
Actually, what happened in the Larkaz Maze?
We accidentally encountered the Dragonslayer, went through hell, and even lost precious comrades.
Was Hans there then?
In the Crystal Caves on the first floor, where the Lord of the Abyss appeared?
There were almost a thousand people, not a single Hans, but did everything go smoothly?
Looking back, it was like that.
Whenever I went through really crappy situations, Hans wasn’t there.
As if the heavens deliberately denied me a scapegoat.
‘…Then, was Hans actually a lucky charm?’
I had a moment where I thought, ‘Oh, well.
I don’t think that’s quite right either.
Still, thanks to those idle thoughts, my head felt clearer.
Heh.
Hans or whatever, what does it matter?
I just need to do what I have to do.
So, in that sense…
“Jandel! The members are in disarray. Give them some orders!”
Hearing Kaislan’s voice so close, I opened my eyes.
“Form a breakthrough formation.”
“You’re planning to break through?”
“There’s no point in trying to hold them back.”
After giving instructions to Kaislan, I headed to the very front of the formation.
“Mister, don’t overdo it.”
“What? You’re not stopping me this time?”
“But… you have the same look in your eyes as you did back in the Crystal Caves…”
Hmm, I didn’t see myself in the mirror then, so I wouldn’t know.
I hope the results are similar this time.
[The character has cast ‘Gigantification’.]
I activated my combat mode that has become standard now, then lifted my shield and hammer. But since I had discarded my armor and was only wearing fur clothes over my bare body…
‘Wow, I really look like a barbarian.’
Hence, I call this the “Barbarian Barbarian Mode.”
“Jandel, everyone’s ready!”
The news that the formation was complete came at just the right time, and I paused as I looked at the skeletons blocking my path.
‘Ah, I don’t need to hold back now, do I?’
Good, at least there’s one positive thing.
Then let’s go.
“BETHEL—RAAAAHHHHH!!!”
Believing that the blessings of my ancestors will be with me.
***
Thud! Thud!
I run with heavy footsteps.
Covering my entire upper body with my shield as if I’m doing a shield charge.
Boom!
I lean my weight onto the shield with my shoulder, pushing away the damn skeleton bastards.
Oh, by the way, I’m alone at the very front.
I sent the rest of the vanguard, including melee fighters, behind me to guard the flanks and rear.
“Push them back!”
The members following me deal with the skeletons climbing up the cliff beside us.
“Aaagh!”
“Get lost, you bastard!”
“Ugh, urgh…!”
Amid the chaotic noise of battle, groans occasionally mixed in with the shouts.
It was inevitable.
The warriors had all discarded their armor.
Swish!
One of the skeleton’s ribs cut through someone’s skin.
[Riard Ashid has cast Level 5 curse magic ‘Regeneration Suppression’.]
Fearing that natural regeneration might backfire, the mages kept spamming curse spells on our allies. It was like putting a bandage on a gushing wound, though—it barely helped.
It only reduces the time until the wounds worsen.
It doesn’t heal the injuries.
Slice—!
Torn wounds open wider with each intense movement, and unhealed wounds lead to endless bleeding.
Meanwhile, the wounds fester and rot.
No matter how much curse magic is used, they can’t reduce the natural regeneration to zero.
‘Damn it, discarding our equipment is coming back to bite us.’
One hour, two hours, three hours.
As we pressed on through the monsters, casualties began piling up in the expedition team.
Small injuries became shackles, leading to a vicious cycle of more wounds.
Of course, if we had Mana Shield, we wouldn’t be getting hurt like this.
But…
‘That would be like drinking seawater when thirsty.’
There’s no way we could cast mana shields for this many people.
In three hours, our mages will run out of mana—
BOOM—!
Damn it, I really can’t afford to be distracted.
The situation at the rear is dire, but mine isn’t any better.
“BETHEL—RAAAHHH!”
I’m using all my strength to push back the monsters and carve a path.
The energy consumption from that is extreme.
No, energy is not the issue; if not for [Primal Cells] and [Soul Dive], my MP would’ve run out long ago, and ‘Gigantification’ would’ve been canceled.
‘Ah, Fuck.’
Not only that, but my injuries are piling up.
These small fry might as well deal zero damage against my physical resistance, but…
Skeletons don’t just use physical attacks.
If I get hit point-blank by their bone explosions, which deal cold damage, even I can’t avoid bleeding.
“Jandel! Another one ahead!”
How long has it been since I took one down? Another giant skeleton appeared.
Even though I’m in my ‘Gigantification’ state, this guy is four heads taller than me; he could be classified as Large, but he’s actually considered Medium.
There’s a separate category for Large Skeletons.
Thud! Thud!
An enormous skeleton with glowing red eyes climbs the cliff from the darkness.
“B-below! That guy’s coming up again!”
“Priests!!”
Before it could fully climb up, the Priests bombarded it with holy spells, sending it crashing down.
[GUOOOAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!]
Its monstrous roar echoed across the battlefield as it retreated.
Damn it, after that, it’ll probably climb back up in a few minutes, looking for something else to devour.
It’s obvious without even seeing it.
CRACK—!
For now, I used [Swing] to shatter the skull of the medium-sized skeleton blocking my path.
There was no time to catch my breath.
Once again I pushed forward, using my shield to clear a path through these damn skeleton bastards.
“Ha… hahaha…”
As I kept repeating this process, I found myself laughing.
Not because I’m enjoying it, but because if I don’t laugh, I feel like I’ll go insane.
Clench!
My muscles scream.
Crack!
My head feels foggy.
“Aaaaaah!”
In such a state, my body stubbornly repeats what it’s been doing.
Trying to keep positive thoughts in my mind as much as possible.
‘At least the good thing is that those guys don’t seem likely to catch up to us yet.’
It’s been nearly four hours since the monster wave began.
With all the monsters around, using detection magic to estimate distance was out of the question, but so far there had been no sign of the enemies catching up.
It seems they’re moving cautiously.
Well, they probably don’t want to get hurt either.
‘They’re probably moving as defensively as possible.’
Meanwhile, we’re burning ourselves up like charcoal about to turn to ash.
Even if I suffered more injuries, clearing the path for the expedition was the priority.
If I collapsed, I’d have no excuse.
Stumble—!
For a moment, my legs nearly gave out, but I managed to steady myself.
‘…Have I lost too much blood?’
Yeah, probably.
My body now is like a slashed water bag.
Wounds that would normally scab over in a few seconds are all over my body, pouring out blood.
Therefore…
‘At this rate, it’s going to be dangerous…’
I made a decision.
Survival is about that.
Choosing the lesser evil over the worst-case scenario.
“Marone, cauterize my wounds with fire.”
“…W-what did you say?”
“I think it’s time to stop the bleeding.”
“S-stop the bleeding? What kind of nonsense… No, how can you say that without even changing your expression!”
The mage recoiled in shock.
Sure, she rambled on about the pain, the risk of infection, and how burns might make things irreversible.
But it didn’t matter.
The wounds were already rotting.
“We’ll heal everything once we reach the top, won’t we?”
Reaching the destination is the priority.
“If we mess up, not even holy power might be able to fix it. You could end up with permanent physical damage…”
Realizing she couldn’t change my mind, Marone gave a reluctant sigh and muttered a disclaimer.
She sounded like those doctors who say, “Avoid alcohol and cigarettes for three days.”
Like a true barbarian, I let it go in one ear and out the other.
“Still, it’s better than dying here, isn’t it?”
“Fine, I’ll do it. But I don’t understand. Why are you going this far…!”
She clenched her fists as if she couldn’t comprehend.
Geez, does she have a bad memory despite being a mage?
Why doesn’t she understand?
“Didn’t I promise before we set out?”
“….”
“I’ll handle the hardest tasks, so just follow me.”
“Ah…”
Marone gaped, then closed her mouth tightly as if making a decision, summoning fire magic into her hands.
And then…
“Heh… hehehehe…”
I laughed as if sobbing, trying to think of positive things as much as possible.
Yeah, at least now I’m not cold.
***
One hour, two hours, three hours…
As the grueling journey continued, I came to witness new sides of my comrades.
Hah, I thought they were just sunfish, but now I see—they were baby birds. Tough little ones, at that.
“Could you cauterize my wound with fire too?”
“I’d prefer ice magic. It might hurt less.”
At first, they called me a madman for stopping the bleeding without potions, but soon the vanguard began to imitate me.
Some were even more extreme than me.
“Could you just cut off this arm?”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’m not an idiot. If it’s rotted this much, even holy power can’t fix it, right? I haven’t felt anything from it for a while.”
“Um… well, even so, perhaps you should reconsider…”
“Haha, don’t make that face. In this world, who doesn’t have a story for losing an arm? I’ve seen many one-armed folks, and if I can get a story like this about losing an arm, it’s a bargain.”
A profit and loss calculation that would make even the Barbarian next to him gasp.
But it’s probably because they made such calculations.
That’s why we finally reached the summit of the Glacier Eye.
[Field Effect – Glacier Eye is deactivated.]
The moment we’ve desperately longed for.
Thud!
The warriors, on the verge of collapse, all fell as they crossed the last hill.
Their appearances were beyond description, but their faces held deeper smiles than ever before.
“We made it…”
“Damn, damn, damn… We really made it…”
“What are you doing! Mages! Quickly dispel the curse magic! We need to start treatment immediately!”
The priests, who had been forced to watch helplessly during our harsh struggles, summoned every ounce of their remaining strength to channel divine energy.
“…You’ve worked hard. Truly.”
“The arm… seems difficult to save. I’m sorry.”
A priest looked apologetically at the vanguard.
“Haha, as expected? Don’t worry about it.”
“I know it’s tough, but we have one request.”
The vanguard laughed heartily and made a request to the cleric.
“Even if it’s just once, could you pray sincerely for us?”
“Pray… you say?”
“Yes, for those who couldn’t make it here.”
“…Of course.”
The priests knelt reverently, clasping their hands in solemn prayer.
The other exhausted members, sprawled across the ground, also rose to make the sign of the cross, even those who did not worship human gods—be they dwarves, beast tribe, fairies, or even myself.
Though I didn’t draw the symbol over my chest like they did.
“…”
“…”
I closed my eyes and bowed my head, offering a silent, heartfelt prayer.
Whether it’s to the ancestral spirits, guardian deities, or the World Tree.
Whoever hears our voices…
“…May they rest in peace.”
Guide their souls to the sanctuary each of them sought.
***
The current surviving members of the expedition are twenty-two.
Besides the summoner Milburn Naria, two more died as we passed through the Glacier Eye.
Because it was an environment too harsh to overcome merely with the resolve to cauterize flesh and amputate arms.
“Matt Hybriham.”
One was a paladin from Team 4.
“Farsible Erik Colson.”
The other was a knight from Team 5.
He was Kaislan’s friend and subordinate, whom he’d served with in the same unit for over ten years.
“Kaislan…”
“Haha, don’t make that face. He fulfilled his duty as a soldier. He wouldn’t be too resentful.”
“…Not resentful? How could that be?”
“Because you were here. That’s why he kept moving forward until the very end. That kind of death… isn’t meaningless.”
“…..”
“He followed me, not the royal family that abandoned us… and he died following you.”
“Is that so…”
“I’m fine, so you do what you need to do.”
After the brief prayer ended.
We returned to the tasks we needed to do.
The priests continued treating the warriors.
The mages drew magic circles on the ground.
And I…
“Wait! You can’t move yet!”
“This is fine. Treat the others first.”
“What are you saying! You’re in the worst condition right now!”
What is she saying? If I were really in bad shape, I wouldn’t be able to move.
Ignoring the priest’s shouts, I began assessing the state of the expedition. Until now, I had no time to look back as I was busy carving a path.
“Akuraba.”
Looking around, I headed to where Akuraba was.
“How much food do we have left?”
“None now.”
“I see everyone made sure to keep eating jerky even in the middle of all that fighting.”
“…Weren’t you the one forcing us to eat, saying we had to?”
Look at that—giving me attitude now.
“I meant that everyone did well.”
I changed the subject.
“Where do you think those guys are now?”
“Well… I’m curious about that too. Given how persistently they were chasing us, I don’t think they’ll give up easily.”
“I see…”
“I’ll keep an eye on the Glacier Eye. So rest. If you collapse, this expedition is over…”
“Alright…”
After finishing my conversation with Akuraba, I received treatment from the priest and then lay down near the entrance to the Glacier Eye.
“You’ve worked hard… mister.”
The peace felt like a lie compared to the hellish time just moments ago.
Even the cold snow beneath me felt oddly comforting.
But as always, sweet moments pass quickly.
“Jandel! They’re here!”
At Akuraba’s shout, the resting members all got up and formed ranks.
Whoooosh! Bang!
Fwoosh! Bang!
Flares shot up from below the Glacier Eye, illuminating the dark cliffside. Twelve pursuers came into view, ascending the slope toward us.
Contrary to my expectations, they appeared perfectly fine.
Despite fighting skeletons, they maintained an orderly formation, moving without hurry.
No visible injuries, no signs of exhaustion.
They didn’t even look emaciated, perhaps because they had eaten properly.
Unlike us, who arrived here forcing our decaying legs to move.
Well, it’s not that I can’t understand.
“Right, because they had it easy, they’re only arriving here now.”
Grinding my teeth, I looked down at them.
They, too, were gazing up at us with curious expressions.
“…?”
It was obvious what they were thinking.
We were blocking their path as the front line, but since we weren’t wearing armor, we must have looked strange.
Heh.
The Dragonslayer seemed to whisper something to his comrades, then subtly lifted the corners of his mouth as he looked at me.
What, is he mocking me?
If so, that’s a bit funny.
‘Do they still not realize their situation yet?’
Why do they think I went so far as to abandon my equipment and flee?
It was a thoroughly calculated decision.
Here, the field effect matters more than equipment.
[The character has entered a special area]
[Field Effect – Eye of the Glacier is applied]
Okay, from exactly here, the field effect begins.
Step.
Taking a single step back to position myself at the boundary, I stopped and grinned.
“Prepare for battle!!”
Alright, now it’s your turn to suffer.
--------------------------------------------------
Chapter 420: Eye of the Storm (6)
The Dragon Mountains.
A place where the forces of Noark and the royal army had formed a long battlefront and were fiercely clashing.
“Commander, There are reports that the traitor has appeared from the western front!’
The Third Corps Commander, Eltora Tercerion, frowned at the subordinate’s report.
“The traitor… Understood. You may leave now.”
“Yes, sir!”
The subordinate assumed that the mention of the traitor had annoyed Eltora, but the true reason for his frown was different.
‘So the traitor has shown himself again…’
Eltora wasn’t a fool.
A few days ago, the troops from Noark’s Western Front were spotted heading north.
The most likely reason for their mobilization was to pursue the expedition team attempting to escape on their own.
‘…So that means they’ve finished their chase?’
Unconsciously, Eltora clenched his fist tightly.
‘Father… No, the marquis. What is he planning?’
Just before leading his army into the labyrinth, Eltora had received two secret orders from his father.
One was to ignore any rescue requests from the expedition team.
And the other was…
‘If they manage to return alive on their own, eliminate them without anyone knowing.’
Perhaps fortunately, Eltora had no need to carry out the second order.
Because the path the expedition team had chosen was opposite from here.
‘Are they really all dead…?’
He felt conflicted.
He himself had contributed to abandoning them.
It would also cause him problems if they survived and returned.
But…
Thump!
Somehow, he couldn’t believe it.
Did they really die?
Bjorn Jandel, who came back alive from the Crystal Cave, died just like that?
“……”
Eltora closed his eyes and fell into thought.
He imagined what he would have done if he were the commander of the expedition team.
‘The reason they fled north instead of heading south where their allies were – most likely to catch the enemy off guard’
It wasn’t a bad move.
Especially since they avoided the two bullets.
‘Did he know…?’
Well, Eltora had no way of knowing that.
But even if he did, the result wouldn’t change.
Just because they headed north doesn’t mean there’s an escape route.
Enemy territory with no hope of reinforcements.
A tightening encirclement.
Exhausted team members.
If it were me, what decision would I make?
No, not me, but Bjorn Jandel…what would he have done, that ignorantly decisive man?
‘……Ice Rock.
Suddenly, Eltora Tercerion’s thoughts led him there.
If they kept fleeing without giving up until the end, the only remaining option seemed to be that place.
But…
‘Even if they went there, survival is unlikely.’
No scenario he envisioned led to a hopeful outcome.
Not because he underestimated Bjorn Jandel’s abilities.
Ice Rock?
The Glacier Eye?
If anyone could overcome its challenges, it would be him.
Given his performance in the Crystal Cavern, it didn’t make sense for him to fall to such dangers.
But he faced the wrong opponent.
‘The marquis wouldn’t have overlooked this.’
Heading to Ice Rock.
A daring and unconventional move.
He could surely overcome those hurdles.
Considering the capabilities he showed in the Crystal Cave, it didn’t make sense for him to collapse under such a crisis.
But he met the wrong opponent.
‘Because there’s no way the Marquis didn’t know this.’
Heading to Ice Rock.
A daring and unconventional move.
But ultimately, it was also a move Eltora could predict.
Could his father, who planned for every possible contingency, have left it unchecked?
‘Bjorn Jandel won’t return alive.’
Eltora Terecerion reached that conclusion.
Thump!
Ignoring the inexplicable pounding of his heart.
***
Our current formation is simple.
A narrow path, just wide enough for about four people to stand.
“Schuiz, are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“I told you, didn’t I? If you guys are here, it’s too cramped to even move.”
I’m alone in the front line where I have to block the enemy.
Because this is the solution I’ve come up with.
The one that would save as many as possible.
“Don’t overdo it. We’re right behind you.”
“Yes, that’s reassuring. I trust you—”
“Bjorn Jandel…!!”
Just then, the Dragon Slayer’s voice full of killing intent rang out.
“So, this is where you’ve run to!”
Judging by his arrogant tone, they still haven’t grasped their situation.
But unfortunately, not all of them are as naive as that guy.
“Regal Vargos, calm down.”
An explorer extended a hand to stop the dragon-slayer, who looked ready to charge.
Grit.
Someone gritted their teeth upon seeing the man.
Frankly, I felt no different.
“That bastard… He killed Lady Naria…”
Milburn Naria, the troll summoner.
Whether she was an evil spirit or not, it was that guy who killed the woman who, until the moment of death, wished only for our safe return.
“You’re Bjorn Jandel, correct?”
The one who stopped the dragon-slayer stepped forward and spoke to me.
‘This guy’s the real leader, huh?’
His actions were so natural that I thought that.
If he didn’t have the authority, he’d likely look to others before doing such a thing.
Looking at it, even the Dragon Slayer bastard is just standing still.
“Yes, I’m Bjorn Jandel.”
After some thought, I decided to respond.
I was curious as well.
“And who are you?”
At my question, he answered without much hesitation.
“Manua Rephless”
The name to be added to my kill list.
“Leave that bastard to me…”
No, it was a name that would likely be added to all of ours.
From the moment he started the conversation, killing intent began to rise in the eyes of the team members standing behind me.
But no one acted rashly.
“Manua Rephless, huh? Never heard of you.”
“Well, that’s to be expected. Officially, I’m something of a secret weapon.”
His words added weight to my suspicions.
I had wondered when I saw them armed with higher level essences supplied from the 8th floor.
These guys really seem to be one of the 8th-floor attack teams.
“So, what is it you want to say?”
Having confirmed my suspicions, I added his name to my kill list and got straight to the point. He didn’t seem to be one for long introductions, so he spoke up immediately.
“As I said, I have a proposal.”
“A proposal…?”
“As I mentioned earlier, we are in a position akin to a secret weapon. Even if we successfully eliminate all of you, the loss of just one or two of our members would be a significant blow.”
“Get to the point.”
Manua spread his hand.
“Five.”
“…?”
“Hand over just five people. That will satisfy us, and we’ll leave. And no, Bjorn Jandel, you don’t have to be one of them.”
Heh.
The absurdity of the suggestion left me speechless for a moment.
“Not a bad deal, is it? Five lives for the rest of you to walk away unharmed.”
“Well, that sounds like the kind of offer I should be making. If five of you offer up your necks, I’ll let the rest of you return alive. Oh, and of course, you and Regal Vargos must be included.”
“Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
What is he talking about, that idiot?
Poison dressed as wine remains poison.
“Regrets are for your mother, not me.”
“What…?”
He flinched, perhaps not having heard such language even in rough Noark. Since we weren’t on laughing terms, I continued without hesitation.
Looking at the bastard’s bald head, reddened by the flare’s glow, I smirked.
“Your mother probably didn’t know that the son she bore with pain would be a coward, one who only flaps his tongue in front of the enemy.”
“……”
“You didn’t wet yourself because you’re scared of us, did you? It’s hard to tell since there’s such a strong stench coming from you.”
“……”
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Oh, perhaps because you don’t have a mother—”
“You bastard…!”
“Oh, so it’s true, huh? Seeing how agitated you are. Don’t get too worked up. I understand. I get it. You being a coward must be because you weren’t raised properly.”
“…”
“And your bald head? That’s probably from all the stress you endured back then—”
“I’ll kill you!!”
Ugh, why does he keep interrupting me?
Although I felt a bit hurt, I achieved my goal.
After all, the world always works the same way.
“Yeah, no, you won’t.”
“Arghhh!”
The one who loses their temper first always loses.
***
“Rephless! Don’t get agitated; that’s how he is! If you fall for his tricks, it’ll only benefit him…”
Surprisingly, the dragon-slayer tried to calm him down.
But…
Heh.
As if that would work.
His bald head, with blood rushing to it, was already turning red.
Tap.
Soon, he clenched his fist and charged at me.
His class is boxer.
It’s a rare class in the Labyrinth.
It’s a class that can be useful in the lower levels, but doesn’t have a good core essence in the middle.
Well, there are many good skills in the later stages.
Such as what he’s using now.
[Manua Rephless has cast [Iron Fist]
[Iron Fist], obtainable from the 8th-floor rift.
The effect is simple.
Flash!
A dash of about four meters, almost like teleportation.
And then…
Boom!
An unconditional knockback that defies the laws of physics.
And…
“It gives fixed damage proportional to the caster’s strength level and the target’s physical resistance level.”
True damage that hurts more the tougher you are.
In the last battle, everything was ruined because of this skill.
After a few hits, the mana shield shattered, and the battle line collapsed, forcing us to fall back. In the midst of all this, because we chose to retreat rather than defend, I failed to achieve one of the tank’s main goals: holding the enemy.
But things are different now.
“……Ugh.”
An impact that shakes my insides?
Since I don’t have a Mana Shield, I can feel the pain directly, but…
So what?
[Royta Mamender has cast [Emergency Regeneration]
A heal comes in immediately after being hit.
[Benjamin Orman has cast [Sanctuary of Moonlight]
A glowing zone appeared, boosting natural regeneration between me and the enemy.
Swoosh.
Looking down at his fist embedded in my abdomen, I shouted.
“Bethel—raaaaahh!!”
He flinched, perhaps his ears hurting from the sudden loud shout.
As I swung my hammer down, he retreated backward.
He’s trying to use [Iron Fist] again after widening the distance.
That skill is great and has no cooldown, but it requires a certain distance to dash to use it.
‘As if I’d just let him do that.’
I immediately linked [Transcendence] and [Eye of the Storm].
At that time, I couldn’t respond like this because the front line had collapsed and many enemies were passing over me.
Whoooosh!
“……!”
I swung my hammer in perfect timing as the guy was being sucked in with a startled expression.
But unfortunately, it wasn’t very effective.
Because he’s also in a tank position, after all.
[Manua Rephless has cast [Indestructible]
Crossing his arms above his head, he blocked my attack.
As that brief exchange ended, the guys behind him started to join in and charge.
[Ricky Aymond has cast [Thunder’s Mark]
[Kale Elbad Zeneger has cast [Earthspike]
Abilities fired at me.
Some skills ignored physical resistance and pierced into my body, but concentrated healing from the priests quickly restored me.
[Anne Parbella has cast [Lightning Dash]
The melee explorer flew past me in an instant, with no time to block.
And then…
Anne Parbella has cast [Gathering]
A skill combo that teleports two allies within a certain distance.
[Fruan Cullin has cast [Spirit Enhancement]
[Marione Treeder has cast [Dance of Cataclysm]
It’s like they’re some kind of assault unit.
It made sense. Coming to our position would neutralise the field effects working against them. They probably thought that fighting here would turn the tide in their favour.
‘They’ve underestimated us.’
Even if their individual skill levels were higher, did they really think three of them could take us down?
“Don’t worry about this side! We won’t let any more through here!”
I decided to leave the assault unit to my comrades.
Even if one managed to slip by and stab me in the back, the healing field ensured I wouldn’t die.
Not that they’d have a chance to target me in the first place.
“Kill them! It’s time to draw the sword of revenge!”
“Do you think we’ll be helpless like last time!”
“Waaahhhh!!”
Thus began the melee.
The enemies beyond the boundary, including the bald guy, charged to break through me, and the three who had crossed the line swung their weapons, covering each other’s backs, trying to break our front line.
Swoosh!
The priests and mages on the hill provided relentless support, simultaneously dealing damage and healing.
“Priests! Take out the priests first!”
So they tried to target the priests by pouring out various skills, but…
Swoosh!
Only for their attacks to dissolve into nothing before reaching the top.
That was thanks to the carefully drawn magic circle.
As long as the priests were protected, we couldn’t lose.
“A barrier…!”
Realizing projectiles wouldn’t work, they began to devise alternative plans.
「Mike Roimus has cast[Slimewalk].」
「Lia Andes has cast[Flame Glide].」
Abilities designed to scale the cliff.
「Erwin Fornacci di Tersia has cast[Rapid Fire].」
Naturally, they were intercepted by our ranged attackers.
And so, time ticked by.
“These weaklings!”
Just as I predicted, the battle swung heavily in our favor.
The three who had crossed over with such momentum couldn’t overcome the numerical disadvantage and were being thoroughly beaten, and I, standing firm like an iron wall, continued to prevent the remaining enemies from crossing.
“Damn it…!”
“Why doesn’t that monster get tired!”
“Kill him! Kill him somehow!!”
As the situation became unfavorable, they charged even more aggressively.
For a very simple reason.
Because they were all injured.
They realised that if they backed down, they wouldn’t get another chance.
“Everyone, don’t hold back!”
“No matter how much you get hurt, as long as we win this battle, it’s over!”
Their attacks grew fiercer as their injuries piled up.
This was the same for the Dragon Slayer, who was swinging his sword at me in sync with the bald guy right in front of me.
“Hey, let me ask you one thing.”
“……?”
“I’m curious—when is it coming? That moment when not even death can save me?”
“……Grit.”
He froze for a moment, his blade hovering in hesitation. Then, as if snapping out of it, he stepped back, glaring daggers at me.
“Yes, you’ve always demanded sacrifice from me.”
With a determined expression, he activated his ultimate skill.
[Regal Vargos has cast [Dragon Speech: Silence of the Soul]
Oh, so he’s finally using it.
[Your character lacks soul power]
[Gigantification] has been canceled]
In an instant, my body shrinks.
The hammer and shield that felt as light as feathers now feel as heavy as a thousand pounds.
[Your character has entered a state of Soul Exhaustion]
[All stats are temporarily reduced by 70%.]
It’s that state I experienced in Larkaz’s Maze.
Wow, how nostalgic.
Back then, I really thought everything was over with just that one move—
“Ugh! Cough! Gwaaaah…!”
What the—what’s up with this guy?
Why is he suddenly coughing up blood?
Ah, did using the Dragon Speech put a strain on his body?
Jeez, he’s like one of those bees that dies after stinging.
“Regal Bagos! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine… Just kill him… Heh heh heh”
He staggered, but his hateful gaze remained locked on me.
It was… kind of awkward.
「Character casts [Soul Dive]」
「Soul energy regenerates proportionally to the energy consumed.」
Should I feel bad for him or something?
「Soul Exhaustion state lifted.」
Not really, though. One skill and I’m back to normal.