Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Novel 2025 - Chapter 166, 167, 168
C166, 167, 168
Chapter 166: Great Magical Forest (1)
The 5th floor, the Great Magical Forest.
It’s the floor where 5-person teams start to reach their limits, and clan-scale hunting becomes more efficient.
As soon as we entered, my heart swelled with excitement.
Not a metaphor, but literally.
«Huh? Bjorn, did you feel it too? It feels like our soul rank increased!»
Ainar immediately starts making a fuss, but it’s not a level up.
It’s just that our Soul Power increased.
「Achievement Unlocked」
Condition: Reach the 5th floor.
Reward: Soul Power permanently increased by +20.
But if this worked, does that mean all the other achievements I fulfilled were also unlocked?
I think so, but I can’t be sure.
Geez, I need to be able to see the stat window.
And Mental Strength isn’t a stat you can feel clearly.
«Calm down, Miss Ainar. It’s not a promotion, it’s a phenomenon called ‘Baptism’.»
Anyway, Raven, who loves to explain things, kindly tells Ainar instead of me.
And in a way that’s easy for her to understand.
«It’s a blessing given by the labyrinth to explorers who reach this far. That’s how Baptism is generally known. Although mages think a bit differently.»
«Oh, I see! It’s kind of romantic!»
Ainar, who loves superstitions, doesn’t ask about what mages think. But Misha, who was listening, seems to have a question.
«Then doesn’t it mean that Baptism is meaningless for mages who can’t absorb essences?»
«No. Our mana increases. And looking at it now, the amount is quite significant. I should have come here sooner, like the seniors said.»
«Hmm, I see…»
Misha trails off.
But I think I know what she’s thinking.
She must be thinking about Dwarkey, who always lacked mana.
«Ah, and priests’ divine power increases, I heard. And one more thing—»
I cut Raven off before her explanation becomes endlessly long.
«More importantly, don’t you think something is strange?»
«Yes?»
Raven tilts her head as if she doesn’t understand.
On the other hand, the bear-like man, who’s been to the 5th floor often, nods in agreement.
«There are a lot of people. It’s not usually like this.»
Right, so it’s not a typical situation.
I look around and gulp.
The starting point of the 5th floor Great Magical Forest is a safe zone.
So this place always looks like a campsite.
But…
‘Why are there so many tents?’
It’s practically the size of a village.
And looking at the flags pitched everywhere, it seems like more than half of them are explorers belonging to clans…
‘What’s going on? Why are they staying here?’
Most of the explorers who use this place as a base are in teams.
It’s a kind of loophole, I guess?
Large clans can easily camp in the middle of the 5th floor, even with their large numbers.
But…
«Bjorn, I feel like everyone is staring at us… Is that okay?»
5th-floor explorers.
And explorers who are skilled enough to belong to clans.
They’re watching us from afar and whispering.
They’re probably not trying to bully us.
What is it?
Just as I’m pondering the reason…
«Hey!»
A man waves his hand from afar and approaches us quickly.
«Avman! It’s you, right?»
«…Karal?»
«It’s good to see you. It seems like you finally changed your mind and formed a team?»
«We just happened to meet. By the way, are you still with them?»
«Loyalty is important for a man. I have to stay until the end.»
The bear-like man greets him warmly, as if they’re quite close.
He then adds an explanation as he notices my gaze.
«Ah, this is Karal Larbeger. He used to be my companion. Until he abandoned me and joined a clan on his own.»
«When did I abandon you? I begged you to come with me, but you ignored me.»
The bear-like man is speaking more casually than when he’s talking to us, so they must be close.
That’s good.
«I’m Bjorn, son of Yandel.»
«…Oh, you’re…?»
Karal looks at me with interest, as if he’s heard of the title Little Balkan.
«I heard you haven’t even been an explorer for a year yet, but to already be here… I feel a bit pathetic today.»
«I was just lucky. But I have a question.»
«I think I know what you’re curious about. You want to know why we’re still here when we should be heading upwards.»
Hmm, to be precise, I was most curious about why they were staring at us from afar…
But I nod for now.
«It’s simple. Even in our case, more than half of the people we were supposed to meet up with couldn’t come up. The entire schedule was canceled.»
More than half couldn’t come up?
How is that even possible?
Just as I’m instinctively sensing the seriousness of the situation…
«So I’ll ask.»
…Karal asks cautiously.
And he brings up a topic I didn’t expect at all.
«Did you guys also get attacked on the 4th floor?»
That masked bastard…
He didn’t just appear to us.
__________________
After a brief moment of contemplation, I answer honestly that we were attacked.
Karal then asks a few questions about the situation, and we answer truthfully, obtaining the information we need.
«So you found him with a detection spell…»
«It was pure coincidence. There was nothing when we first used the detection spell.»
Karal’s expression becomes serious as we tell him that the masked man chose to commit suicide after his identity was revealed.
«Huh, suicide… what the…»
«Do you have any guesses?»
«For now, all we know is that it was a well-planned attack. Anyway, thank you for telling me. If you find out anything… let me know through Avman.»
Karal then leaves to report to his clan.
So we also have a brief conversation.
«…As expected, he wasn’t just an ordinary marauder.»
There were multiple masked men.
And they attacked explorers on the 4th floor or higher indiscriminately. They said we were the third team to survive the attack.
It’s understandable.
No one keeps watch on the Tower of Heaven.
«We were really lucky…»
Even those who survived had to barely defeat the masked men after losing a teammate or suffering serious injuries.
We were the first to discover him and force him to commit suicide.
Now I understand why they were looking at us like that.
At first, they must have been looking at us expectantly, thinking we might be members of their clan. And then they must have become curious about whether we were also attacked.
«Mr. Yandel, do you think what that person said is true? That at least 300 people died because of this attack…»
«Well, we’ll know for sure when we return to the city. There might be people who survived but are stuck on the 4th floor because their scout or Guide died.»
«Ah, right…»
Of course, that’s what I said, but it doesn’t really matter.
It’s certain that hundreds of explorers died.
And not just low-ranking explorers who hunt on the 1st or 2nd floor, but veteran explorers who have been climbing the tower for decades.
«Whew…»
I feel a sense of dread at this huge spark, but at the same time, I feel a bit relieved.
At least it wasn’t the Dragonslayer who sent him.
I even had the delusion that it might have been an assassin sent by the Regional Manager or the Dragonkin.
«What kind of bold bastards would do something so reckless…?»
I don’t say anything further.
The fact that the royal family is planning to subjugate Noark hasn’t been publicly announced yet.
‘As expected, this incident is a declaration of war.’
I’m inwardly convinced.
That the culprits behind this terrorist attack are explorers from Noark.
‘This is going to be a big deal.’
I feel a headache coming on.
There will be a war between the royal family and Noark.
No, it’s already begun.
But the biggest problem here is…
‘What if the subjugation fails?’
If Noark closes its doors and the war drags on…
Then I’m fucked too.
Because the next battlefield will surely be the labyrinth.
‘Both Noark and Lafdonia need magic stones to maintain their cities.’
Damn it.
Why did I have to be dragged into this game at a time like this? If I had come just a year earlier, I would have had more time to prepare.
‘Uh… but if I hadn’t delivered that letter from the High Priest to the temple, the war wouldn’t have happened, right?’
That thought briefly crosses my mind, but I dismiss it.
Why is this my fault?
It’s all the Dragonslayer’s fault.
Originally, all three major religions were maintaining neutrality to check the royal family. Who told him to kidnap the High Priest and enslave him?
«Bjorn?»
«Ah, I was just thinking.»
«So what are we going to do now?»
When I finish my thoughts, all my companions are looking at me. Because they still only see it as a simple terrorist attack.
Their minds aren’t as complicated as mine.
«There’s no change in plans. We resume exploration.»
I make my decision, and Raven cautiously expresses her concern.
«Will that be okay? With those guys in the labyrinth?»
«It will be fine. With the clans gathered here like this, they won’t be able to do anything reckless.»
It’s actually the safest time right now.
Next month, those bastards from the underground might be running rampant even on the 5th floor…
And there’s even a chance that entry to the labyrinth might be blocked.
«Enough thinking, let’s go make some money.»
The 5th floor also closes when Day 30 ends, so we need to earn as much as possible.
Who knows how long we’ll have to rest for the next few months.
_________________
The structure of the 5th-floor Great Magical Forest is simple.
Imagine a flat rock shaped like a tray with four slides extending from it.
The problem is that those slides are split into dozens of paths, cut off in the middle and connected to other paths, and so on.
Whoosh.
We leave the starting point, which was bathed in a red light like a butcher shop, and the darkness of the labyrinth and a scorching heat welcome us.
It’s not like all four paths are like this…
It’s just a characteristic of the route we chose.
「Character has entered a special area.」
「Field effect – Hellfire Canyon is applied.」
「Status effect [Embers Mark] is applied.」
「All consumption costs are increased by 1.5 times, and Fire Resistance is decreased by -30.」
All consumption costs.
In short, it means that we consume 1.5 times more Soul Power, mana, divine power, or stamina than usual.
But it’s not bad.
This much is nothing compared to the other routes.
「Arrua Raven has cast the 8th-grade imbuement spell [Cold Blood].」
「Character’s Fire Resistance is greatly increased.」
Cold mana seeps into my blood vessels, and my heated body cools down.
We continue exploring slowly in that state.
Although we haven’t encountered any monsters yet, just walking alone is stressful.
‘This is like a suspension bridge.’
A path about 10 meters wide.
The darkness of the labyrinth blocking our vision.
And a cliff emitting intense heat.
«Ainar, stop looking down.»
«I, I was just curious about what’s down there…»
«I heard lava flows down there.»
«Lava? What’s that?»
«Uh, it’s hard to explain…»
Raven diligently answers Ainar’s questions. Ainar frowns every time she hears a difficult word, but she still listens intently.
‘They seem to get along well in this aspect.’
Although it’s a heartwarming sight as the team leader, I can’t just watch.
«Ainar, stop bothering Raven and look ahead.»
«Ah, alright!»
I tighten the loosening tension and descend the sloped path. We reach a fork in the road, and I take out my notebook and draw a map, ignoring scale.
Although I have no intention of using the safe zone as a base and just exploring the nearby area…
…I judged that we need to be able to return if something happens.
That’s when, after passing three forks in the road and realizing the greatness of Rotmiller firsthand…
Kwaaang!
…the ground shakes with an explosion.
A pillar of fire rises like a whirlwind and grazes past us.
And…
Pitter-patter.
Small embers scatter and fall in front of us, then gather and take shape.
A beast covered in blazing flames.
«It’s an Ifrit.»
«Two level 5 monsters from the start.»
Raven casts the ‘Ice Imbuement’ spell as soon as the battle begins. Ifrits are immune to physical damage because they’re incorporeal.
「Cold damage is added to the character’s weapon.」
A frosty light surrounds my mace.
I charge forward in [Gigantification] state and smash one of them with my mace.
The impact isn’t satisfying.
Thwack!
The Ifrit doesn’t even flinch, despite being hit by the mace that shattered the troll’s shoulder in one shot.
This is why I hate incorporeal monsters.
It would be different if it were the ‘Attribute Conversion’ spell, which converts physical damage to another element of the same level…
But ‘Ice Imbuement’ can only deal damage equivalent to the additional damage.
«Isir Faist.»
Raven’s 6th-grade curse spell, ‘Flash Freeze’.
And Misha’s [Ice Crush] combo.
In the end, this battle unfolds with me tanking while Misha and Raven carry.
「Killed Ifrit. EXP +5」
The bear-like man summons Iron Bear to assist with tanking, but Ainar just watches.
It’s the fate of a physical warrior.
Roll.
A magic stone drops where the Ifrit disappeared.
As expected, no essence.
But instead…
「Character has leveled up.」
「Soul Power increased by +10.」
「Maximum number of absorbable essences increased by +1.」
…we finally reached level 5.
But it’s only meaningful if an essence drops.
[Kyaaaaaak!!]
Now only one monster is left.
The beast of flame, having lost its precious companion, roars at us.
That’s when…
«…It’s an Ifrit?»
A group of five explorers appears from the other side. It seems like they’re heading towards the safe zone after finishing their hunt…
But what kind of rude behavior is this?
«It’ll take at least 5 minutes just by looking at it.»
«Ah, I’m tired as hell, should we just kill it?»
A huge mass of water falls from the sky and douses the Ifrit’s body.
The flames die down in an instant.
«What the—»
Before I can even say anything, an arrow is shot and pierces the Ifrit’s head.
Swaaaaaaaa.
The last remaining monster disappears into light.
I let out a deep sigh as I check what it left behind.
«…An essence!»
A 5th-grade monster essence dropped.
‘Damn it.’
This is ridiculous.
Why does this only happen at times like this?
———————————-
Chapter 167: Great Magical Forest (2)
The moment the red essence floated up…
…the gazes of the explorers across from us, who were ready to go back and rest, sharpened.
It was like looking in a mirror.
Our expressions probably weren’t much different.
“…….”
A heavy silence fell.
As expected of explorers, quick-witted in these situations, the silence didn’t last long.
The hammer warrior from the other side was the first to speak.
“An essence dropped from the monster we killed?”
“Um, Mr. Nelbo…”
“Mage, stay quiet. I’ll handle this.”
Right, so this guy is the leader.
It seemed like he’s already decided on his position in this situation.
To claim ownership of the essence.
Smirk.
Honestly, I didn’t even expect anything else.
They were the bastards who interrupted our battle just because they were impatient to rest.
I muttered briefly,
“Battle stations.”
It was more directed towards them than my companions.
A declaration of my intention to make them bleed if they tried to pull something.
“Mr, Mr. Yandel…”
Raven’s voice was filled with concern.
It was a similar situation to the mage on the other side, who was trying to say something to the hammer warrior.
It seemed like mages were generally averse to this kind of thing.
Maybe it’s because they all grew up sheltered?
“Don’t panic. It’s just like five more humanoid monsters appeared.”
I summarized the situation with a single sentence.
Did they finally realize that I’m the leader?
The hammer warrior fixed his gaze on me and said something meaningful.
“You’re… that guy from before…?”
“Do you know me?”
Instead of answering, the hammer warrior pushed up the visor of his helmet.
But the problem was that I still didn’t recognize him.
There’s no way I wouldn’t remember those ridiculously thick eyebrows.
“……?”
The hammer warrior, frustrated by my clueless look, took off his helmet entirely.
Flash!
A shiny bald head illuminated by the light orb spell floating in the air.
Only then did I remember.
“…Baldy!”
It was the guy I met when I went to negotiate with the Regional Manager. He tried to capture me and farm achievement points.
I can’t believe he was disguising himself with a helmet.
“Pfft!”
For some reason, the other team members all burst into laughter.
His bald head turned red with shame.
“…Do you want to die, barbarian?”
Baldy put his helmet back on and said,
“You should watch your mouth from now on. The Regional Manager won’t be there to protect you.”
What the hell is he talking about?
If he knew about my relationship with that Regional Manager bastard, he would never say that.
Well, it doesn’t matter.
“You should get lost before you lose that head of yours too.”
“So you want to try me?”
As I took a step forward, Baldy also took a step forward.
The distance closed, with the essence between us.
The air became heavy, and a chill that even the heat of the canyon couldn’t dispel filled the air.
Creak.
The archer from Baldy’s team nocked an arrow…
Clank.
…and I heard the sound of the bear-like man loading his crossbow behind me.
A silence so deep that we could hear each other’s breathing.
“…….”
It was like a tightly stretched thread.
The moment it snapped, a bloodbath would begin.
Both Baldy and I knew this.
But…
“Baldy, I’ll give you the magic stone if you back down now.”
“You barbarians are bad at math. We killed the monster. Naturally, the magic stone and the essence are all ours.”
No one backed down.
Two teams of high-ranking explorers who reached the 5th floor, the top 30%.
Even though they knew that if even one member died in the process of obtaining the essence, it would be a bigger loss.
Clench.
We gripped our weapons and closed the distance even further.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
‘That bald bastard is so greedy.’
According to custom, we had the ownership rights.
He was probably planning to follow that custom at first.
He would have readily given up a single magic stone.
He only joined the battle because he wanted to rest quickly.
The problem was that an essence dropped.
‘…Is there really no other choice but to fight?’
I started to mentally prepare for the worst.
The current situation was similar to a game of chicken.
The one who backs down first loses.
If everyone wants to be the winner, the only outcome is destruction.
“Baldy, last warning.”
Although I don’t usually like to talk so much, I tried to converse one more time.
“Geez, I’m so scared I’m about to piss myself.”
The answer was rejection.
With this, I’ve made up my mind.
If he wants it, I’ll show him the end.
You can’t survive in this ruthless world of explorers without that much resolve.
‘If it’s come to this, I’ll have to absorb the essence myself.’
I originally planned to store the Ifrit essence in a test tube and sell it. It’s not a very suitable essence for me, Misha, or Ainar.
But…
Thud.
…essences are always helpful if you absorb them.
It’s better for me to absorb it than to give it to that bastard.
The cost of removing essences isn’t that high yet, so I can just use it until I get my money’s worth and then discard it.
So, after absorbing the essence…
‘Let’s fight in a way where we push them off the cliff. We won’t be able to retrieve their equipment, but winning is the priority right now.’
Alright, I’ve more or less organized my thoughts.
Now it’s time to put it into action.
Just as I’m subtly moving my feet and gauging the angle…
“Everyone, stop it!”
“Right. Mr. Yandel, put down your weapon.”
The mages from both sides suddenly stepped in, and the situation took a new turn.
“Mage? I told you to stay quiet.”
“Mr. Nelbo, please stop talking like that. It doesn’t make you look cool.”
“…….”
“Answer me.”
“…….”
“If you keep acting like this, I won’t enter the labyrinth with you next time.”
“…I’ll stop.”
Baldy immediately backed down at the mage’s single sentence. No wonder that high-and-mighty mage was just staying quiet.
She was just playing along with the situation.
I didn’t hide my disgust.
‘A bald guy with a superiority complex…’
I don’t even want to talk to him anymore.
Anyway, the tension eased after Baldy lowered his weapon and retreated.
“That pattern on your robe, it’s the Artemion school, right?”
“Yes. You’re from the Wharton school, as expected?”
“Huhu, that’s right.”
I know the Wharton school.
It’s a fairly large school…
…and it’s even more memorable because of its unique focus on water magic.
“I’m Ephrain Vello.”
“I’m Arrua Raven.”
The mages exchange names first.
And unlike the explorers who were ready to fight, they have a brief introductory conversation.
“How is the Artemion Master doing? I saw him at an academic conference a year ago…”
“Well, my master is the same as always. What about the Wharton Master? Still working on that research?”
“Haha, of course. It’s our lifelong dream.”
It’s a conversation that feels like they’re saying, ‘We’re not strangers!’
It’s like watching high society.
They’re probably saying that we shouldn’t make things complicated since we’re all acquainted one way or another.
“So what are we going to do now?”
Raven then brings up the main topic.
“You’re asking for the essence of the monster we were hunting, you know it’s an unreasonable claim, right?”
“Hmm, I don’t think it’s completely unreasonable. Customs are just customs. We were clearly involved. The committee is likely to acknowledge it as a personal dispute between explorers.”
Unlike us, who were about to fight like beasts, the mages are trying to resolve the issue through conversation.
“Although customs are just customs, it’s hard to have a good impression of someone who breaks them. But to go to the committee over just one essence, as expected, it would be more rational for you to give up.”
“That is…”
The mage from the other side trails off.
It means our mage won the argument.
“Yes, that’s right. So I’m giving up. Honestly, I didn’t like this from the beginning.”
So this is how it can be resolved.
‘As expected, I’m destined to be a barbarian.’
I lower the mace I was holding.
Although it wasn’t today, the day will surely come when I’ll need to use it.
The labyrinth is that kind of place.
_____________________
“Mr, Mr. Vello?”
“Are you going to keep whining?”
“Th, there’s a way of doing things in this industry…”
Although Baldy looks at the mage as if asking him to reconsider, the mage’s authority is firm.
“Then I misjudged you, Mr. Nelbo. This isn’t about protecting our rights, it’s just greed.”
“…….”
“I think I’ve shown you enough respect as a leader. But what’s the difference between you and marauders at this point?”
Baldy groans, unable to say anything at the mage’s valid point.
I’m not particularly satisfied.
I was curious about how it would feel to smash that shiny head.
“Mr. Yandel, what are we going to do with the essence?”
While Baldy is being scolded by the mage, we discuss what to do with the essence.
“Ahem!”
Ainar looks at me with a ‘look at me’ expression, but my decision is the same as before.
“We’ll store it in a test tube and sell it in the city.”
“That’s good. Clean and simple.”
I’ll give Ainar a better essence later.
‘In the first place, we don’t even have the money to absorb an essence right now.’
Usually, when a team member absorbs an essence, they pay about half the market price. Well, I guess I could put my and Misha’s share on credit…
…but it’s uncertain whether the bear-like man or Raven would agree to that.
“Ainar, cheer up. We can buy tens of thousands of cotton candies if we sell this. Okay?”
“Te, tens of thousands?!”
Ainar staggers at the overwhelming number and then regains her energy.
It seems like she also thinks it’s a decent deal.
‘…Although she’ll have to pay back the money I lent her first.’
Anyway, Raven stores the Ifrit essence in a test tube after the discussion about its disposal is over, and we make way for them to pass.
But they wouldn’t just leave like this.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
Baldy stops in front of me and asks.
What? Is he telling me to be careful at night?
He continues as if telling me not to misunderstand when I glance down at him.
“No, I mean… this is also a kind of fate, wouldn’t it be nice to at least know each other’s names?”
Fate my ass.
But I tell him my name.
“I’m Bjorn, son of Yandel.”
“Bjorn, son of Yandel?”
Baldy tilts his head as if he’s heard the name before.
He also reveals his name.
“Meltson Nelbo.”
Right, so he wasn’t Hans Nelbo.
I’m a bit relieved.
“Then go now.”
I end the conversation since it would be awkward to shake hands and make up now.
Baldy walks away with a bitter smile.
Starting with him, his companions also pass by us one by one.
Shield warrior, swordsman, mage, archer.
“…….”
The archer stops and looks at me as he’s passing by.
The reason is simple.
I glared at him.
[Ah, I’m tired as hell, should we just kill it?]
If it weren’t for this bastard, we wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble from the start.
In a way, he’s even more annoying than Baldy—
“Hans! What are you doing? Come on!”
The archer avoids my gaze and then hurries away.
I freeze like a statue.
“…….”
…There was a Hans.
____________________
Day 21 dawns.
It’s already been four days since we entered the 5th floor.
During that time, we continuously descended the paths and hunted monsters.
And Ainar also reached level 4 in the process.
‘…So she reached level 4 after entering the labyrinth three times?’
It’s an even faster growth rate than mine.
I wish someone would carry me too.
Anyway, although there were a few difficult situations while fighting monsters, the expedition itself went smoothly.
I was worried that something might happen because of Hans, but…
‘Maybe it just ended with the essence dropping…’
A hopeful observation.
But when I think about it carefully, it’s plausible.
Although we managed to avoid it, we almost had a 5:5 all-out brawl.
In other words, there’s a good chance that the Hans effect just ended with the essence drop…
No, what am I even thinking?
‘Those damn bastards.’
I didn’t believe in jinxes.
Really, not until I met Hans.
«Mr. Yandel, can’t you stop doing that now?»
That’s when, as I’m updating the map…
…Raven speaks to me cautiously.
«Stop what?»
«…I know you’re working hard, but you won’t be able to find your way back even if you look at that.»
It’s a mage-like statement that values results over effort.
«……»
I can’t refute her.
Because I’m not confident that I can actually find my way back using this.
The paths in the Great Magical Forest are that complicated.
It’s not just that there are many forks in the road, but there are even places where the path is cut off and we have to use ropes to cross.
But…
«I’ll get better if I keep doing it. I’ll be better next time we come here.»
I’m the navigator of Team Apple Nark.
Although I wanted to be a barbarian warrior, the harsh reality led me down this path.
Therefore, I need to practice this too.
Even Rotmiller probably wasn’t this good from the beginning.
«Uh, well, you have a point… But isn’t it tiring?»
«Well, it’s annoying, but there are also fun parts.»
It’s not just an excuse, it’s the truth.
Since this can also be considered a spec, it feels like I’m growing.
There’s a saying, ‘prepare for the unexpected’, right?
If I ever get stranded again like in the Witch’s Forest, this skill I’m honing now will be helpful.
‘And most importantly, if I become the navigator, it will be more natural for me to lead the team to where I want to go.’
«So we’re just going to keep going down today?»
«There’s no other choice, is there?»
Orc settlement, Witch’s Forest, Steel Rock Hill, and so on.
Just like how the 3rd floor is composed of various fields, the 5th floor also has named fields.
Wide, disc-shaped terrains, like the starting point, appear among these maze-like, narrow paths.
There are even places where you enter through caves on cliffs.
We’ve found three such fields so far.
Well, all three of them were already occupied.
‘It seems like there are far more clans controlling hunting grounds than in the game.’
It’s very annoying as someone who just entered the 5th floor. It’s not that we don’t have the ability to defeat the monsters, but our growth is being hindered because of other people.
‘Damn realistic game.’
To hunt monsters that only appear in certain fields, we have to pay the clans who have already claimed those spots.
For reference, even if you pay, it’s just a one-time hunt for experience points. As expected, was it too much to expect a game to accurately portray human nature?
The ladder-pulling is several times worse than in the game.
But…
Do they think I can’t climb up just because they’re pulling the ladder up?
I’ve mastered all sorts of exploits and hidden elements after playing the same game for 10 years. Especially the 5th floor, where I was stuck for over a year, so I know this place like the back of my hand.
‘…We’ve come down this far, so it should be about time for it to appear…’
There are plenty of ways to become stronger.
————————————–
Chapter 168: Great Magical Forest (3)
Explorer.
It’s a profession where you enter the labyrinth, hunt monsters, and mine magic stones. Ordinary people think that fighting monsters is the biggest hardship of this profession.
But…
«If you actually ask explorers, you’ll get completely different answers.»
The lack of light.
Not being able to sleep when you want to.
Eating food that’s like animal feed and the accumulating sexual frustration.
A body drenched in sweat and a dirty bed.
«It’s not as bad on the lower floors where the exploration period is short. But the higher the level of the explorer, the higher the percentage of those who answer that these things are more difficult than battles.»
«Hmm, I see.»
«Yes. I heard that even large clans usually take a break for two or three months in the city after finishing an expedition from the 7th floor onwards.»
As someone who belongs to this profession, I can definitely relate.
But…
«So?»
It’s the afternoon of Day 22.
To be precise, what’s her intention in saying this just as I’m taking out jerky from my bag to eat?
She wouldn’t say this without a purpose.
«Just say what you want.»
Raven answers in a determined voice as I look at her expectantly,
«Let’s eat something proper today. Not jerky, but something cooked with fire.»
Phew, so that was her goal.
As expected of a mage, she could have just said she wanted to eat something delicious today.
I contemplate briefly and then answer,
«Alright, let’s do that.»
«Even if you’re the leader, Mr. Yandel, you should at least ask for the other members’ opinions… Yes? What did you say?»
«I said alright.»
«Uh, really?»
Raven’s eyes widen as if she didn’t expect me to agree.
Well, she must have known it was an unreasonable request.
This isn’t the 4th floor.
We were able to cook and eat every day there, and sometimes we even grilled meat that was preserved with magic…
But the 5th-floor Great Magical Forest is an open-world floor.
«Are you sure? If the smell spreads, there’s a high chance we won’t be able to eat properly because of the monsters.»
«What… exactly do you want?»
«Ah, no… I just thought that maybe I could solve the smell problem to some extent with magic.»
So she just wanted to say that.
Anyway, Ainar, who was listening anxiously, gapes in disbelief as we decide to cook.
«Is this… what a mage is…?»
It seems like she’s impressed that Raven was able to get my permission with just a few words…
‘Well, now that we’re on the 5th floor, I should improve this aspect too.’
Actually, it’s something I’ve been thinking about.
The total exploration period is a month now.
I need to consider the team members’ stress levels.
People tend to get irritable and lash out over trivial things when they’re stressed.
«Then Miss Kaltstein, I’ll leave it to you. Let me know if you need water or fire.»
«Hmm, can you light a fire?»
«Is this enough?»
Misha, our official chef, starts cooking with Raven’s help.
The menu is tomato stew with lots of meat.
«It’s so delicious!!! Misha! Will you marry me?»
«What are you talking about, Miss Ainar? I’m going to live with Miss Kaltstein.»
«Uh, I’m glad you like it, but both of you, that’s a bit…»
Misha glances at me, trailing off.
«……»
«……»
For reference, the bear-like man and I kept watch while they ate. Not a single monster appeared until the three of them finished their meals.
«Hmm, there’s almost no smell? What kind of magic is this?»
«I combined air control magic and combustion magic. It gathers the smell in one place and burns it away.»
«Hmm, I see.»
The bear-like man is delighted that he can have a proper meal even on the 5th floor.
I feel the same way.
Honestly, I’m sick of jerky now.
«Here, you two eat too. We’ll keep watch now.»
We then sit down and eat the stew. It only takes about 5 minutes, as expected of a barbarian and a macho Black Bear man, and again, no monsters appear until we finish our meal.
It’s not just because of the odor removal magic.
‘…The overall number of monsters has decreased.’
I’ve noticed this for the past few days, but the number of monsters on the 5th floor is significantly lower than in the game.
Of course, I have a guess as to why.
‘Those damn clans.’
The Great Magical Forest has a structure where monsters respawn from mirrors located in each field and are released into the canyon.
But since the clans are monopolizing those hunting grounds and killing the monsters as soon as they respawn, the number of monsters that actually appear outside is low.
‘…Well, thanks to that, we were able to find it quickly.’
I grin as I look at the moss in the corner of the path.
It’s different from the other moss we’ve seen.
Red moss and green moss are mixed in equal proportions.
And a black moss the size of a marble has formed where the two mosses meet.
‘The problem is how to subtly lead them there…’
Just as I’m contemplating…
…a monster appears from the front.
Eight ‘Hell Hounds’, 6th-grade monsters.
Imagine a dog the size of a tiger with four eyes. And its entire body is engulfed in black flames.
[Grrrr—!!]
«Battle stations.»
We enter combat without any briefing since it’s a monster we’ve been hunting for days.
The battle ends in about 10 minutes.
«So, are we going down further now?»
Raven asks about the plan, and I hesitate for a moment.
It’s still a long time until we camp.
How can I keep them here without seeming suspicious?
‘Tsk, if it weren’t for the odor removal magic, we would be fighting monsters right now.’
Just as I’m clicking my tongue with that thought…
‘…Huh?’
The black moss in the corner is gone.
As if something invisible took it.
‘…Did that guy already come?’
I quickly give an order.
«Raven, I feel like something is nearby.»
«Yes? What do you—»
«Use a detection spell.»
Could it be because of the trouble we had with the masked man on the 4th floor? Raven casts a spell without questioning my intuition-based order.
«Dire Taniv Karsachi.»
A wave of mana spreads out in a circle.
Raven’s expression becomes serious.
«There’s something. Right in front of us.»
«Is it a person?»
I ask, pretending not to know, and Raven casts the ‘Expose’ spell instead of answering.
Whoosh!
A cluster of light clings to something transparent, like clay.
Soon, the light fades, revealing the figure of the one who was hiding.
«…Huh?»
It’s a squirrel.
About the size of a six or seven-year-old child.
It’s sitting in front of the moss, gnawing on the black moss with its front teeth.
[Kyuu?]
The squirrel tilts its head as if sensing our gaze.
«Eek…! Cu, cute!»
«It looks delicious!»
Misha and Ainar exclaim at the same time.
And then Raven shouts excitedly,
«It’s a Millarodden! We have to kill it!»
Right, you’re the only one who recognizes it.
How rare this guy is.
«Ah, right… it’s a monster…»
Misha raises her sword with a sad expression.
On the other hand, the bear-like man loads his crossbow with an arrow at an unprecedented speed.
He’s not the only one who recognizes its value.
«We’re lucky. To encounter a Millarodden on our first expedition.»
«Wa, wait a minute! Distortion! We haven’t used the Distortion spell yet!»
Raven stops the bear-like man and quickly chants a spell.
It’s not just a regular Distortion spell, but a ‘High-Grade Distortion’ spell.
Now, there’s a higher chance of obtaining the corpse intact when we defeat the monster.
[Kyu, kyuut—!!]
The Millarodden convulses as soon as it’s hit by the Distortion spell.
Maybe it’s an instinct engraved in its DNA.
Most of its ancestors probably died from this.
«Avman!»
A crossbow arrow is shot as soon as I shout.
However, as expected of one of the few herbivorous monsters in the labyrinth, it dodges the arrow with agile movements.
I immediately dash forward and grab its tail.
[Squee! Squeeee! Squeet!!]
It struggles and lets out a weak cry.
It feels like I’m harming an animal, but…
Well, what can I do?
This is the law of nature.
Swoosh.
Just as I’m about to reach out and crush its head…
«Wait a minute!»
Raven stops me.
«Can’t we kill it as cleanly as possible? I heard the fur sells for a high price.»
It’s a mage-like statement that pursues rationality.
I readily agree and restrain the Millarodden by holding its neck and tail.
And…
«Misha.»
«Uh, uh? I, I have to do it?»
«Your sword is the thinnest, isn’t it?»
Ainar uses a greatsword, and the bear-like man’s arrows are too big.
And my mace is needless to say.
It would be difficult to kill it cleanly with an ordinary knife since it’s also a monster.
«Stab it between the eyes.»
«Ugh…»
Although Misha has a disgusted expression…
…she eventually draws her sword and grants it peace.
[Kyuu…]
The Millarodden goes limp.
I gulp and count.
‘1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds…’
The time it would have normally taken for it to disappear into light after dying.
«Bjorn!! Meat!»
The corpse doesn’t disappear.
__________________
The 7th-grade Millarodden.
A squirrel that carries a mirror on its back.
It’s a monster classified as a rare species, like the Mimic.
It’s ridiculously hard to find.
«Huhu, thanks to Mr. Yandel, we caught a very rare monster. Mr. Urikfrit, have you ever encountered one before?»
«This is my first time too. It’s that rare.»
Even the bear-like man, who has been active on the 5th floor for a long time, is hunting it for the first time.
Well, it’s understandable if you consider its habits.
It’s a passive monster with a permanent stealth ability.
And it doesn’t even enter the detection spell’s radius? It’s a monster that you can practically only encounter with insane luck.
Of course, that’s assuming you don’t know about the black moss.
‘You can definitely catch it if you just wait here and use a detection spell…’
Of course, it’s easier said than done. I was only able to figure out this method after being stuck on the 5th floor for over a year.
It’s a game full of hidden pieces, after all.
I watched all the recordings with the thought that there might be a condition for the Millarodden’s appearance, and I discovered a phenomenon where the moss in the terrain disappeared in one of the recordings.
At the time, I thought it might be a bug…
‘This truly is a hardcore game.’
But it turned out to be a hidden element, not a bug.
If you use a detection spell as soon as the moss disappears, a Millarodden appears 100% of the time. Of course, whether the Distortion spell succeeds is another matter.
«It seems like beginner’s luck is on your side. To succeed with the Distortion spell on your first try—»
«It’s High-Grade Distortion. Not just Distortion.»
«Ah, uh, right, High-Grade Distortion…»
The success rate of the Distortion spell on Millarodden in the game is 20%.
Even with High-Grade Distortion, it’s less than 30%.
So I thought we would have to catch three or four before getting one…
«Anyway, can you hand it over?»
«You know how to butcher it?»
«It’s something I did every day during my apprenticeship.»
The limp corpse is quickly dissected into fur, organs, and bones by Raven’s butcher knife.
Her skills are even faster and more precise than Rotmiller’s.
Wow, professionals are on a different level.
«But what makes this guy so expensive?»
«The fur is in demand because of its rarity, and the tendons are used as magic materials. But… the real value lies somewhere else.»
Raven then finishes butchering by cutting out the mirror attached to its back with her knife.
«It’s this mirror.»
«Mirror?»
«Yes. Although you can’t take it out of the city, it’s very useful inside.»
Raven then explains the uses of the mirror in detail.
I watch her with satisfaction.
‘Is this why you need a mage on the team?’
Things are much easier.
I used to have to explain everything myself. Phew, can I finally live like an ordinary barbarian?
«But Mr. Yandel, you seem to have good intuition too.»
«Huh?»
«There’s no way you could have sensed the Millarodden’s presence.»
Although Raven looks at me with a strange expression, she doesn’t seem suspicious.
She probably doesn’t think it’s impossible since she experienced something similar on the 4th floor.
Okay, then that’s settled.
«So how do you use this?»
In the game, you just equip the mirror on the mage and click a button.
Then what about the real-life version?
«Uh, I’m not sure either.»
Huh?
«The book didn’t explain that part. Maybe it will work if I infuse it with mana?»
«…Try it. Ah, wait, let’s cast the Bonding spell first, just in case.»
«Good idea.»
We recast the Bonding spell, and Raven closes her eyes, holding the mirror.
It seems like she’s infusing it with mana…
But I can’t feel anything since I have no talent for magic.
After some time…
Flash!
The mirror emits a brilliant light and envelops us.
And when we come to our senses…
「Character has entered the Mirror of Fire.」
…we’re standing on a vast wasteland, having escaped the dark labyrinth.
«The space suddenly changed, it feels like we entered a rift!»
That’s the bear-like man’s comment.
But this place is different from a rift.
First of all, there’s no guardian, and it’s not a dungeon.
It’s just an open-world structure teeming with monsters.
In other words…
[Go somewhere else, barbarian. This is our clan’s territory.]
…it’s the world beyond the mirror, where clans camp out and hunt monsters.
I usually call this hidden field…
«Bjorn! Monsters are coming from everywhere!»
«Battle stations!»
…the Burning Zone.
「Field effect – Otherworld is applied.」
「Magic stone drop rate is greatly increased.」
「Essence drop rate is slightly increased.」
Let’s just get two essences.