C322, 323, 324
Chapter 322: Role (2)
“Sister, we have to go back…!”
“Didn’t you see? She uses Aura. And that man, Liuhen Praha, is even worse.”
“But…!”
“There’s nothing we can do even if we go back. This is the rational choice.”
Amelia gritted her teeth at Laura’s words, who was practically dragging her away.
She felt like she was going to cry.
“Rational choice…? Are you crazy? How is me living and you dying the rational choice?!”
Laura stopped running as Amelia forcefully shook her arm off.
Laura sighed.
“Amelia, listen to me today. We don’t have time—”
“What the hell! Stop talking like it’s the end…!”
“…It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it? Why are you just running away without even trying to do anything?!”
“Because we’re more likely to survive this way!”
Laura shouted, as if scolding her disobedient younger sister, and then continued rapidly,
“Emily, that woman didn’t kill Pelic Barker. She used a paralyzing needle. She even carried him around as if she had a reason. She didn’t intend to kill him right away. And I’m still alive.”
“Ah…”
Amelia couldn’t help but gasp.
Her sister had considered all of that in that short amount of time and made a decision.
“I’m worried, but this is the best option. It’s better than dying a meaningless death trying to fight her. This way, we at least have a chance.”
“…….”
“Come on, follow me.”
Laura resumed running, and Amelia quickly followed her.
After some time…
…the Rainwales sisters encountered familiar faces.
“Huh? Laura, Amelia? You guys are alive?”
“…Derbon.”
The clan members who had abandoned Pelic Barker and run away.
There were only half of them left, perhaps because something had happened or they had gotten separated.
“Hey, you’re lucky. We were just about to escape the city.”
“Escape? What do you mean?”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? That human, Liuhen Praha, is outside the eastern district. It means he’s done with that side and is coming for the Lord. This city is finished.”
Two more explorers added, as if they had chills, after Derbon finished his explanation.
“The Traitor, he’s not human. Did you see him slaughter dozens of people without changing his expression? I still get goosebumps thinking about it.”
“They say he’s really angry when he sticks out his tongue.”
“If this city falls into his hands, we’ll be the first to die since we’re on the Lord’s side.”
Although it was a sudden suggestion, Laura calmly asked for the necessary information.
“But how are you planning to escape? The main gate is—”
“Right, the gatekeeper is there. But it seems like there’s a hidden passage. The one the Melta Trading Company uses to travel to and from the surface. This guy knows about it.”
“…I see.”
“Do you want to come with us?”
Laura agreed without hesitation.
“We’ll go.”
“Si, sister?”
She had originally planned to go to the relatively safe western district and hide until the situation was resolved.
But things were different now.
If she died, her sister would be left alone in this world. She wanted her sister to at least live a decent life.
This might be their last chance.
“Ah, and just so you know, in exchange for taking you with us—”
“I know. I’ll step up if there’s any danger.”
“Ahem, right… you’re a good kid.”
The man nodded and then started leading the group.
___________________
Flowing silver hair.
Pale skin.
Knight armor with the royal family’s emblem and a large sword that was 1.5 times bigger than the standard size.
Although I had never met him, I knew who he was.
‘Jerome Saintred.’
The Captain of the 1st Royal Knight Order, the strongest knight of the royal family, nicknamed the ‘Knight of Light’.
The problem was why he was here.
Amelia never mentioned him…
“Hand over the Fragment of Records.”
…but I could roughly guess the situation after hearing those words.
Why was the Knight of Light here instead of being in the eastern district?
The answer was clear.
The royal family’s goal wasn’t to subdue Orculus.
‘It would be… difficult to win against him.’
He was on a different level from Rick Omanus, whom I had fought on the stairs. He would have definitely surpassed 5th level, the maximum level knights could reach with ‘potions’…
And a captain would have completed the 6th-level breakthrough event and even the 7th-level awakening.
And that wasn’t all.
‘Considering the royal family’s wealth, all seven of his essences would be at least 3rd-grade.’
I was at a disadvantage in terms of the number and average grade of essences.
And the stat difference was even greater. And our roles were also a bad matchup, tank versus knight.
But if there was one thing I could rely on…
Whoosh!
…it was my equipment.
Double Numbered Items had a basic Indestructible option.
Kwaaang!
I blocked his sword with my hammer.
Damn it, this is a new experience.
I usually blocked with my shield first and then attacked with my weapon.
“…?”
He frowned as he saw me blocking his attack.
He didn’t expect his sword to be blocked.
“Wait.”
I tried to talk to him, taking advantage of the brief opening.
I didn’t think it would work, but it wouldn’t hurt to try.
“Don’t you think there’s a misunderstanding? Fragment of Records? I don’t know anything about that.”
“You’re lying. I heard you came here from the underground.”
Hmm, I see…
My strategy of pretending to be someone else didn’t work.
But I got some useful information.
“But… you might have taken it without knowing what it is. The Fragment of Records… Hand over the necklace the Lord was wearing.”
His tone seemed to leave some room for interpretation.
“If you’re talking about the necklace the Lord was wearing, do you mean this?”
I pointed at the necklace I was wearing, just in case, and he nodded.
“Yes, hand it over, and I promise I won’t shed unnecessary blood.”
It was a big fish.
Because I had already put the Fragment of Records in my subspace pocket.
‘He doesn’t know what the Fragment of Records is.’
The necklace I was wearing was just an ordinary necklace.
It had a large refined stone embedded in it that reduced casting time for mages.
For reference, I had embezzled it during a looting spree and had been wearing it as an accessory…
‘I can’t believe I’m using it like this.’
Humans are social animals, right?
It was a good thing I tried talking to him.
Snap.
I ripped the necklace off my neck.
“Well, I don’t mind giving it to you. I just brought it as a souvenir anyway.”
“Souvenir?”
“He’s the Lord, isn’t he? He told us to go fight and then hid underground. There was nothing else worth taking except for this necklace.”
“Hmm, so you were just after money.”
He seemed to understand and muttered.
He must have seen Rick Omanus looting the Lord’s body.
“Our goals are obvious, aren’t they? Well, judging by what you’re after, this necklace must be valuable… but it’s not worth risking your life for.”
Those who talk a lot are usually up to something.
But this young knight, who seemed to have only ever eaten and swung his sword, didn’t suspect me.
He just looked at me with disdain.
“Enough with the explanations, hand it over.”
“Ah, but I need a guarantee.”
“Guarantee?”
“That you’ll let me go if I give you this.”
“I don’t break my promises—”
What the hell, is he saying he’s an honorable knight?
If he really didn’t know how to lie, he wouldn’t even be here. The Lord didn’t realize he had been tricked by the royal family until he died.
Therefore…
‘Leap.’
I smashed a window and leaped high.
My body soared into the air as I jumped from the 4th floor, and I could see the entire city, with the Lord’s Castle in the center.
The eastern district was burning, and the western district was relatively peaceful.
But I didn’t have time to admire the scenery.
Flash!
He appeared behind me with a flash of light.
I knew what skill it was just by looking at the effect.
[Gate of Light].
A 3rd-grade essence, and practically the best movement skill.
It wasn’t a half-assed random teleportation, but a skill that allowed you to designate a location.
Damn it, it’s been a while.
I used to absorb this essence a lot before I started playing Barbarian.
“Did you think you could escape?”
He swung his sword at me as soon as he turned around in midair, and I blocked it with my hammer.
Geez, he’s impatient.
I didn’t even say I wouldn’t keep my promise.
‘Anyway, this is my first time fighting in the air.’
My body was pushed back from the recoil.
The distance between us widened.
Flash!
He used [Gate of Light] to close the distance, and I threw the necklace with all my might.
“……!”
He reached out, but it wasn’t enough.
I saw a brief moment of hesitation in his eyes.
He was debating whether to kill me or not.
And I realized something.
‘Break his promises, my ass.’
He was planning to kill me as soon as I gave him the necklace.
To get rid of the witness.
Well, it didn’t seem like he was going to do that now.
Thwack!
I kicked him in the stomach while he was distracted by the necklace.
He didn’t even groan.
But I didn’t feel any regret.
It wasn’t a serious attack in the first place.
Whoosh!
The distance between us widened again due to the laws of physics.
He asked as he was falling,
“…What’s your name?”
His voice was filled with curiosity, as if he had met an interesting opponent.
I thought.
Why should I tell you?
“Are you an idiot?”
Ah, I said it out loud.
“…What?”
I regretted it for a moment, but he didn’t use [Gate of Light] again.
After all, there was a limit to how many times he could use it.
He had to wait for the cooldown after three uses.
Flash!
His body disappeared in a flash of light. He reappeared where I threw the necklace.
‘Okay, I got rid of him…’
I used ‘Transcendence Leap’, and it felt like invisible footholds appeared beneath my feet. I pushed off with all my might, and my body shot forward like an arrow.
My destination was approaching quickly.
‘I feel like Superman.’
I chuckled, replaying the brief aerial battle.
I felt a strange sensation as I thought about it.
‘This is like Dragon Ball.’
I had to get stronger.
__________________
The cemetery in the outer district of Noark.
Kaboom!
I landed in the center and rolled.
In other words…
“Uwaaaaaaaaak!”
…I crashed through several tombstones.
“…Damn it, I almost died.”
I had teleported directly from the Lord’s Castle in the center of the city to the outer district, but there was a price to pay.
Maybe because I landed with so much momentum?
My legs were numb, and I felt a tingling sensation in my bones.
It meant they were practically broken, considering my Pain Resistance.
‘…But I don’t need a potion.’
The -40 Natural Regeneration penalty from the Ogre essence.
It used to be so bad that my wounds barely healed without potions…
…but the combined Natural Regeneration from the Stormgush essence and the Undead engraving was much higher than the penalty, so minor injuries like this would heal quickly even with just saliva.
Swoosh.
I got up after a short break.
I soon found the place I was looking for.
I had visited it beforehand.
A giant tombstone with a passage hidden beneath it, wide and tall enough for a carriage to pass through.
The first thing I saw was a corpse.
‘It’s the cemetery caretaker.’
He was lying dead, his body covered in sword wounds. He was the one who lived here and guarded the secret passage.
‘Laura would have passed through here a long time ago… And Amelia should have met up with them by now.’
I entered the passage, thinking I had to hurry to get there before it was all over.
No, to be precise, I was about to enter when…
‘…Huh?’
…I stopped.
Thud, thud.
I saw an old man in neat clothes walking towards me from the other side of the passage.
Thump.
My heart pounded as soon as our eyes met.
And I felt like I was dreaming.
The old man greeted me.
“Haha, nice to meet you.”
It was Auril Gabis.
------------------------------
Chapter 323: Role (3)
Long white hair.
Wrinkled skin.
A kind and gentle face.
A straight back that belied his age and blue eyes that seemed to pierce through you.
“Hmm, this place is always gloomy.”
My heart sank at the appearance of the old man, who looked exactly like the one I had seen in the community.
‘Auril Gabis…?’
Of course, I had considered the possibility of encountering him today.
Amelia had said…
…that he was there when her sister died.
But…
‘No, why is he here?’
There was only one reason why this old man would be here instead of at the center of the incident.
‘He came… looking for me.’
My heart started to race, and my mind went blank.
How did he find me?
Did he find out that I was Bjorn Yandel?
And why was the community closed for months?
No, most importantly…
What was he going to do to me?
I started to sweat as questions filled my mind.
That’s when…
“Ahem.”
…Auril Gabis cleared his throat, drawing my attention.
He didn’t seem to like the fact that I was just staring at him without saying anything…
I had to do something.
Damn it, what should I say?
Right, let’s start with a natural greeting—
“Well, then can you move aside?”
Huh?
“I can’t get past you if you’re blocking the way with that large body of yours.”
What?
‘…Don’t tell me, he doesn’t recognize me?’
My mind went blank at the unexpected turn of events.
But my mouth, which had lied countless times, instinctively did its job.
“Ah, yes… Please go ahead, sir.”
I used honorifics, something I had never done since being possessed by a barbarian’s body.
Auril Gabis smiled warmly.
“You’re a rare polite one. Or maybe you’re just quick-witted. You’ll live a long life.”
He chuckled and passed by as I moved aside.
Thud, thud.
His footsteps faded into the distance.
I suddenly had a thought.
I had instinctively avoided the situation, but was it the right decision to hide my identity?
But it was just a fleeting thought.
This wasn’t in the community, we were meeting in real life. I had to hide my identity if I could. If he found out that I was Bjorn Yandel, I would have to worry about too many things when I returned to the future.
‘Right, I did well…’
My stiff body relaxed as I reassured myself.
That’s when…
“Ah, I forgot to ask.”
…Auril Gabis, who had been walking away, turned around.
And he looked at me and asked,
“What happened today? Why is this place in such a state?”
“The Lord joined forces with the royal family and ambushed Orculus.”
“Oh, is that so…?”
His voice was devoid of interest, despite his seemingly intrigued tone.
So I thought I might have been mistaken at first…
…but the difference became clear after his second question.
“Ah, and one more thing. Didn’t a barbarian enter this city recently? About five or six months ago…”
It was the complete opposite of his first question.
Although his tone was casual, his voice was filled with interest.
‘Calm down, calm down…’
I suppressed my pounding heart and spoke calmly, searching for the most appropriate answer.
“Yes, there was.”
I couldn’t lie.
It was something he could easily find out by asking a few people in the city, so there was no reason to.
“Hoo, is that so? Do you happen to know where I can find him?”
“I believe he’s affiliated with the Lord’s faction. So he’s probably fighting in the eastern district right now.”
“Haha, you’re not just polite, you’re also very kind. What's the name?”
“Yes?”
“Ah, not you, the barbarian.”
“Bjorn. I heard his name is Bjorn, son of Thor.”
He nodded and then patted my arm, as if praising me.
“Thank you for answering. You seem busy, so go ahead.”
“Yes, I hope you achieve what you’re after.”
Damn it, why is it so cold?
I bowed slightly and entered the passage as soon as the conversation seemed to be ending.
Thud, thud.
I could hear the old man’s footsteps fading away, and when I could no longer hear them…
‘Damn, that was close.’
…I started running with all my might.
____________________
Meanwhile…
“What’s the current situation on the eastern front?”
“We’re stalling for time with minimal forces, as ordered, and we can retreat at any time.”
Jerome Saintred, the silver-haired knight, nodded in satisfaction at his mage adjutant’s report.
His first ‘special mission’ since becoming captain was progressing smoothly.
He had obtained the ‘Fragment of Records’, the first objective of the special mission.
And he had also achieved the secondary objective of instigating a civil war and weakening Noark’s forces.
“Send a message to the military mages. We’ll gather at the rendezvous point in ten minutes and return.”
“Yes.”
Once the troops stationed in the east withdrew, Orculus would direct their anger towards the dead Lord.
And a full-scale civil war would begin—
“Um…”
Jerome nodded at his adjutant’s voice.
It was a gesture that meant he could speak if he had something to say.
The adjutant then asked cautiously,
“Can I ask about the necklace you’re holding?”
“It’s classified information.”
Jerome answered firmly and put the necklace in a box, storing it in his subspace pocket.
The adjutant bowed, realizing his mistake.
“I apologize. I was just curious because you were holding a refined stone necklace… I swear I didn’t know it was related to the special mission.”
He was asking him to believe that he had asked out of pure curiosity.
Jerome flinched.
“Refined stone necklace…? What do you mean?”
“…Yes?”
“Explain. Are you saying this is a refined stone necklace?”
Jerome took out the necklace and showed it to his adjutant.
And he received the same answer.
“Yes, I’m sure. It’s a magic tool with a high-grade refined stone embedded in it. Ah, a refined stone is a rift stone that’s been specially processed to make magic casting smoother…”
The adjutant stopped mid-sentence.
Because he heard a chilling sound coming from Jerome’s jaw.
“So I was tricked…”
The adjutant couldn’t help but lower his head.
After all, Jerome was usually the type to laugh it off even if he bought a 10,000-stone item for 1,000,000 stones.
“…Adjutant Avex, take the troops and return to the city.”
“Yes? Then what about you, Captain Saintred…?”
“I have something to do.”
Jerome left without even listening to his answer, and the adjutant just watched him go, speechless.
It was his first time seeing the captain so angry.
___________________
The underground sewer that supported Lafdonia’s sewage system.
Everyone who came here thought the same thing.
First, that the smell was beyond just terrible…
…and second, that it was more complicated than a maze.
Like this.
‘This place is always unpleasant.’
I ran through a long, straight passage, climbed a ladder, and then came up through a sewer.
I removed a metal cover, similar to a manhole cover, and came out, and a four-way intersection greeted me.
But I had no problem navigating.
One of the paths was filled with footprints, as if dozens of people had already passed through.
I just had to follow them.
Well, there was a problem…
‘This damn sewer.’
…but unlike the other sewer sections I had been to, there were no side paths for humans. It was designed solely for water to flow through.
No, to be precise, there were probably side paths…
‘They’re even discriminating against barbarians in sewer design.’
…but they were too narrow for a barbarian like me, over two meters tall, to pass through.
Splash, splash.
I had no choice but to walk through the sewage, which was up to my shins.
After some time…
…I started to see traces of battle on the walls.
They were mostly sword marks.
Although their depths varied, they all had one thing in common. The cuts were clean, as if made by a precision machine.
I could roughly guess who made them.
The shallow ones were probably Amelia’s, and the deep ones were probably his.
The Captain of Orculus.
The Traitor, Ricardo Liuhen Praha.
“Tsk.”
I felt a bitter taste in my mouth.
Our original plan was to somehow get rid of him and enter the sewers.
After all, Amelia was being chased by him when she met her younger self in the sewers in the original timeline.
But…
‘We couldn’t get rid of him.’
Judging by the situation, it seemed like we had failed.
Damn it, why did she do that?
You can’t change the future by doing that.
‘She’s strangely stubborn in these aspects.’
In a way, Amelia was similar to a barbarian.
She was stubborn, even though she was human.
And not only that…
She acted rational, but she was also very sentimental—
Kwaaang!
A loud explosion shook the sewer.
Tadat!
I increased my speed.
_____________________
The human body has limits.
No matter how much you exercise and build muscle, there’s a limit to how much strength you can exert.
That’s why essences are the foundation of explorers.
Thanks to their existence, explorers could surpass their limits and fight giant monsters.
But that was all in the past.
“So you’ve finally decided to fight.”
Amelia was filled with a sense of powerlessness.
Her physical abilities were still enhanced.
But all her abilities were sealed.
[Fountain of Immortality].
The ability that nullified all healing effects, including potions, but greatly increased natural regeneration.
[Self-Replication].
The ability that always gave her a numerical advantage in 1v1 situations.
[Abyssal Power], [Asura’s Fury], and all the other abilities that had been her wings were useless.
Because of this one man in front of her.
“…Why are you so obsessed with me?”
Amelia finally asked the question that had been on her mind.
She didn’t understand.
She had tried to shake him off for over two hours, but he persistently followed her.
Even to this smelly sewer.
“Was it unexpected?”
Amelia nodded at his question.
“Yes, I don’t understand. It would be much more important for you to go to the Lord, not follow me.”
The Lord and the royal family had formed an alliance to wipe out Orculus.
But the commander, the strongest fighter, suddenly left the front lines and followed a woman he had no connection with?
She couldn’t understand the process, even though she knew the outcome.
“That’s a funny question.”
He smiled coldly.
“Human woman. A red Aura shaped like a stiletto, specialized for daggers. They’re all characteristics of the Rose Knight Order.”
“…Rose Knight Order?”
“You’re still denying it?”
Amelia was truly surprised.
She knew what the Rose Knight Order was. The royal family’s secret unit in charge of special missions like assassinations, infiltration, and espionage.
There were rumors that it was an all-female unit, but it hadn’t been confirmed.
“You must be a newbie. Well, that’s why you asked me such a stupid question.”
“No, I’m not part of the Rose Knight Order—”
“Give up on living.”
Amelia tried to talk to him, but it didn’t work.
“I’m not interested in you.”
He charged towards her, his sword drawn.
Amelia quickly channeled Aura and blocked it.
No, she thought she blocked it.
Slash!
Her right wrist, which was holding the dagger, was severed and fell into the sewage.
And almost at the same time…
Whoosh!
…the sword came flying towards her again.
His target was her left wrist.
His cruel intent to sever everything that could be severed was clear.
Kwaaang!
Amelia deflected the sword with her Aura-infused dagger and retreated.
But had he anticipated that?
The sword that was aiming for her left wrist twisted like a snake and changed its trajectory towards her neck.
“Ugh…!”
When she came to her senses, Amelia was backed against the wall.
She could feel the cold blade on her neck.
Press.
He pushed the blade in, and she felt a sharp pain as blood trickled down her neck.
“You have a pretty face.”
Amelia couldn’t even breathe, let alone speak, as her windpipe was pressed against the blade.
“It suits you.”
Her vision blurred as she ran out of oxygen.
Was she really going to die?
Then what would happen to her sister and her younger self?
She was supposed to meet them with only an injury…
“…….”
Amelia looked around.
As if searching for someone who could save her.
‘…Yandel.’
She realized who she was looking for and chuckled.
He wouldn’t be here.
She had personally drugged him with enough drugs to knock him out for at least six hours.
He would be waking up now and reading her note. He would be at the Lord’s Castle by now. Hmm, he might have even obtained the item and returned to his original time if he woke up early.
No, he had probably already returned.
It was the only explanation.
“Are you looking for a way out?”
There was no escape.
This long, drawn-out life would end the moment the blade went any deeper.
In other words…
“Phew…”
…history had changed.
She was going to die here today.
And the reason was probably…
‘Because Bjorn Yandel returned.’
She had excluded Yandel from this plan.
There were many reasons.
First, she didn’t want to be indebted to a barbarian.
And she thought that if he returned to his original world using the Fragment of Records, he might be able to break the predetermined causality.
The legend of changing history wasn’t just a story.
She thought the answer might lie in that item, which contained an unknown power.
No, she just hoped.
It was like a thirsty person drinking seawater while adrift at sea.
But surprisingly…
“Why are you laughing?”
…it worked.
Press.
The man pushed the blade in further, annoyed.
Death, which had always been by her side, was now even closer.
‘Right, so he really did return.’
Amelia closed her eyes.
And she thought.
“Suffer more.”
What would happen to her and her sister after she died?
Someone would definitely die if she wasn’t there…
‘No, maybe it will end peacefully because I’m not there.’
It was an ending she would never know.
But she felt both happy and sad.
Press.
The blade went deeper.
She couldn’t breathe, and her thoughts were muddled.
It didn’t matter anymore.
She had done her best.
So she could rest now.
That’s when…
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!”
…she heard a familiar voice from the other side of the passage.
-----------------------------------
Chapter 324: Role (4)
I was running through the sewers.
Splash, splash.
Sewage splashed everywhere as I ran, my gaze fixed on what lay ahead.
There was a man and a woman.
The man had the woman pinned against the wall, a sword pressed against her neck.
‘Damn it, they should be fine if they just left me alone.’
I tightened my grip on the hammer and shouted with all my might, my voice echoing through the passage.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!”
I had to draw his attention and get him to move away from Amelia.
But…
Whoosh!
The sword was pulled out, and a fountain of blood erupted from Amelia’s neck.
Damn it, I thought he was just holding it against her skin.
He had already stabbed her.
And he even twisted the blade as he pulled it out…
“…Barbarian?”
He turned towards me and muttered.
Although I was wearing my helmet, he must have guessed my race from my size and my battle cry.
I briefly checked on Amelia with my dynamic vision.
“Keu, keugh… ugh…!”
Amelia, her neck pierced, was clutching the wound with one hand and desperately trying to support herself with the other, her body swaying.
She was clearly in bad shape.
But…
‘At least she’s alive.’
Worrying wouldn’t save her.
Accurate judgment and execution were the most important things.
I dashed forward again.
Splash!
The distance between us closed quickly.
He swung his sword at me, a fierce Aura emanating from the blade, as soon as we were within range.
Kwaaang!
I blocked the Aura with my hammer.
A look of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He probably thought he could cut through my weapon with his Aura…
“A Numbered Item.”
…but he quickly figured it out, as expected of a veteran.
‘He’s perceptive.’
But at least it bought me some time.
Whoosh.
I reached out with my free hand and pulled Amelia towards me as we struggled for dominance.
She collapsed into my arms, too weak to even stand.
Now that I had her…
“…You’re her companion.”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Then… you’re also my enemy.”
What the hell is he talking ab—
“……!”
Our brief struggle for dominance ended.
Liuhen Praha pushed me back with his sword. It was a strange experience since I hadn’t been overpowered in terms of strength recently, but there was no need to be discouraged.
‘His Strength is slightly higher than mine.’
I stepped back as I was pushed back.
And he naturally dashed forward.
He was much faster than me.
‘His Agility is much higher than mine.’
I was at a disadvantage in terms of the two core stats for melee combat.
And my passive and active skills, which I had carefully combined for synergy, were sealed, while he was freely using Aura, which was my weakness.
‘This is so unfair.’
But I quickly made a decision.
He was overwhelmingly stronger.
It would be difficult to even escape in a normal situation.
But…
‘There’s no need to use it yet.’
…it wasn’t a big problem.
After all, it meant…
Kwaaang!
…that I just had to create an abnormal situation.
Right, like…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
…an underwater battle.
_____________________
A dark sewer illuminated by flickering torches.
Fifteen explorers, divided into two groups, were glaring at each other.
“What do you mean? Say that again, Dumbo.”
“It’s Derbon, not Dumbo.”
“Whatever. You seemed to like that barbarian, grinning at him like an idiot.”
“What…? You bastard…!”
A conversation filled with hostility.
Laura Rainwales, caught in the middle, tightly held her trembling sister’s hand and thought,
‘I shouldn’t have come.’
‘Why are they still fighting…?’
Laura couldn’t understand.
It started with a trivial argument.
The former Melta Trading Company explorer who knew about the secret passage through the sewers couldn’t find the way.
And someone mocked him for it.
That was the seed of discord.
[Geez, stop complaining. You’re just following us for free.]
Derbon, the leader of the group, defended the guide.
No, he didn’t just defend him, he threatened the other group.
[And come to think of it, it’s a bit unfair, isn’t it? If you’re going to talk like that, at least pay us. Ah, you can give us your equipment if you don’t have money.]
[What?]
[Or just go back.]
The group was divided in two after that brief exchange, and now they were here.
“This is my last offer. Give us your equipment and follow us, or go back.”
“Ha, you think we would back down just because you said that?”
“Don’t try to act tough just because you’re friends with the guide. We only need him to find the way back to the city.”
“…So you’re determined to fight.”
“Everyone, please calm down…”
Laura tried to mediate, but Derbon cut her off.
“Laura, stay quiet. This is a good thing.”
“Yes? A, a good thing…?”
“We’ll need a lot of money. To start a new life on the surface.”
The man who was arguing with Derbon nodded in agreement.
“Right, if half of us die here, the rest can live a better life.”
Laura then realized.
That there was no real reason for the conflict.
This kind of thinking was natural for people from Noark.
They just used the guide’s mistake as an excuse.
No, maybe they intentionally provoked them.
‘This is why I tried to get them out of here…’
Noark, the city of beasts.
Laura shuddered, disillusioned with this city.
And she reached for her sword.
If a fight was inevitable, Derbon’s faction had to win.
They had to leave this place and live a decent life.
Even if she couldn’t…
…at least her sister should.
“Amelia, get ready.”
“Okay, sister.”
Her sister also placed her hand on her weapon at Laura’s whisper.
After all, they were also beasts who had survived in this dog-eat-dog world.
“Alright, then let’s—”
The battle began as one of the men from the other group took a step forward, drawing his weapon, and someone from Derbon’s side shot an arrow.
And after some time…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
…a torrent of water engulfed them.
_____________________
Kaboom, kaboom, kaboom, kaboom!
I dodged Liuhen Praha’s attacks, creating distance, and then I slammed my hammer into the ceiling four times.
Crack, crack, crack, kaboom!
The ceiling, cracked like a spiderweb or a broken mirror, collapsed.
And…
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
…a torrent of water poured down like a broken dam.
‘There really was water flowing above.’
I hadn’t been certain until I swung my hammer.
I had just judged that it was highly likely based on my observations of the past through young Amelia’s eyes.
[The group was divided, and a fight broke out. And then water suddenly poured down from the passage. We were swept away, and both my sister and I lost consciousness. And when we woke up—]
I dismissed my thoughts and hugged Amelia tighter.
It was a current that would have swept away an ordinary person.
But neither he nor I were ordinary.
Kwaaang!
I instinctively shielded myself with my hammer, and a powerful impact reverberated through the handle.
He had swung his sword at me, even though the water was already up to our necks.
‘That persistent bastard.’
I was pushed back several steps, and I closed my eyes.
Vision was meaningless now.
I couldn’t see anything in this muddy water, even with a light source.
‘Oh, so this is a real mud fight?’
I quickly dismissed the random thought.
I had something more important to focus on.
‘One, two, three, four, five, six…’
I used my elbow to feel the wall and retraced my steps. It left my back exposed, but I wasn’t too worried.
He had probably just swung his sword at the last place he saw me, relying on his senses—
Slash!
I felt a sharp pain in my thigh.
It seemed like he was blindly swinging his sword…
‘Damn it, that crazy bastard.’
But it was fine now.
I had reached my destination.
‘Fifty-one, fifty-two… Phew, I found it.’
I entered the side passage I had memorized, my eyes still closed, and hid myself.
It was a trick I learned from Rotmiller.
I had become good at measuring my steps and memorizing paths after making maps.
And there was no way he had that ability.
‘Okay, it seems like he didn’t even notice the intersection.’
But I didn’t let my guard down and continued moving.
‘Gigantification.’
I sighed in relief after confirming that my skills were working again as I got further away from him.
‘She still has a pulse.’
Amelia was still alive.
And her passive skill, [Fountain of Immortality], which gave her cockroach-like survivability, would be activated now.
I didn’t have to worry about her neck injury.
Although it was a vital point, the wound itself wasn’t that deep. It would heal in about a minute.
‘The problem is oxygen…’
I didn’t have any problems breathing thanks to the increased Lung Capacity from Stormgush’s essence.
But Amelia was different.
Her oxygen supply was already cut off because of her neck injury.
I didn’t know how long she could last.
She just had to endure for about five minutes. The water started to recede around that time, as if the source had been depleted after the sewer collapsed.
‘…Whatever.’
I made a decision and lifted Amelia up.
I covered her nose with one hand, found her mouth, and kissed her.
Underwater CPR.
I didn’t know if it would work, but it was better than doing nothing.
It wasn’t like I had anything to lose.
“……!”
But was she still conscious?
Amelia’s limp body twitched the moment our lips touched.
It seemed like she was trying to push me away.
Therefore…
Clench.
I pulled her closer, as if telling her to stay still. Her resistance weakened.
Was this consent?
I didn’t know, but I moved my lips, trying to create a seal so that water wouldn’t get in.
And…
Whoosh!
I blew air into her lungs with all my might.
______________________
The water level started to recede rapidly after about five minutes of CPR.
The water that had been pouring down from above had stopped, and the water in the wide sewer spread out.
Surprisingly, Amelia was still conscious.
“Let, let go…”
Geez, it was just first aid, why is she so scared?
Amelia plunged into the water as soon as I let go of her.
Ah, right, she’s short.
The water was still up to my shoulders, so her feet wouldn’t reach the ground.
“Gasp…!”
Amelia’s head surfaced before I could even reach out to grab her.
Hmm, so she can swim.
“Ju, just… so you know… it was useless.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve always been… good at holding my breath…”
“What are you talking about?”
I couldn’t understand her since she was gasping for air and speaking in a barely audible voice.
But did she not want to explain?
Or was there something more important?
I didn’t know, but Amelia changed the subject.
“Whatever… but why are you here?”
Her tone was back to normal, her breathing more stable.
Well, at least she seemed physically fine.
“Why am I here? What do you mean?”
Amelia frowned as I asked back, confused.
“I told you to go back. Didn’t you see the note?”
“Ah, that? I saw it.”
“But… why didn’t you go back…?”
Damn it, she’s nagging.
I knew I couldn’t just go back even if I wanted to.
I couldn’t help but speak curtly, remembering all the trouble I had gone through because of her impulsive actions.
“I have something to do.”
“Something to do…?”
“I can’t go back until I’m done.”
“What? Why are you being so…”
What the hell is she talking about?
I had to do it to go back.
That’s when, as I was about to say that…
“Damn it.”
…[Gigantification] was deactivated.
In other words, he was within a 30-meter radius.
He must have retraced his steps, thinking he had lost me.
It didn’t seem like he was going to let us go easily.
Therefore, I made a decision.
“Hey, you go first.”
“…What?”
“Go save your sister. I’ll take care of him.”
I would send Amelia to her sister and hold him off.
Amelia frowned at my simple plan.
“That’s suicide. You can’t defeat him—”
“Then what are you going to do? Give up on your sister?”
“…If nothing changes anyway, then—”
“Stop.”
I cut Amelia off.
I didn’t know why she had become so weak-willed…
“Trust me, Amelia. I have a plan, so go save your sister first. Okay?”
“But—”
“Tsk.”
But my ass.
I chuckled at her unexpected reaction.
It wasn’t that bad to be worried about…
“Why do you think I’ll lose?”
The 5th-floor Floor Master’s essence, [Flameless Spirit].
It was a good essence.
Its rarity was unbelievable.
Less than ten people had obtained it throughout the history of Lafdonia, and as far as I knew, he was the only one who had it in the current era.
It was only natural for people to fear that power.
They didn’t know anything about it, so it just seemed like an OP cheat skill.
It was strange to me.
‘He’s not even that difficult to defeat.’
I had dedicated all my free time to [Dungeon and Stone] in my twenties.
Of course, I had also hunted the Lord of Silence.
I think I killed him…
“Three hundred times.”
…about that many times.
But did she not understand what I meant?
“Three hundred…?”
Amelia asked, and…
“I’ve absorbed that essence over three hundred times.”
…I answered.
There’s no skill in this world that doesn’t have a weakness.