Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 50

“Rotmiller, do you sense anyone nearby?”

Was he perhaps harboring similar suspicions as I was?

Rotmiller closed and opened his eyes without a word. Then, with his pupils narrowed into ovals, he scanned the surroundings.

「Brown Rotmiller has cast [Thermal Detection].」

The Lizardman scout’s unique ability, ‘Thermal Detection’.

Its function is similar to a modern thermal imaging camera.

For reference, it was a pretty useful skill even in the game. Whether you were using stealth or anything else, as long as you were a living being, this one skill could filter everything out.

“There’s no one nearby.”

Rotmiller deactivated his ability and gave a short answer.

“But judging by the scent, it seems someone was here not too long ago.”

Given that he possesses two essences that boost his olfactory stats, his judgment was unlikely to be wrong.

I asked him a few more questions.

“When you say ‘not too long ago,’ how long are we talking about?”

“There’s a margin of error, but with this level of scent, it’s probably no more than two minutes, at most.”

“So, there’s a high chance they left after seeing us hunt?”

“…That’s right.”

Rotmiller nodded with a bitter expression, and the dwarf, who had been listening silently, interjected in alarm.

“Wait a minute, does that mean someone was intentionally targeting us?”

“It’s unlikely they were specifically targeting us. They were probably just waiting for anyone to fall into their trap.”

Rotmiller didn’t deny it.

He also explained that luring monsters in front of portals was a common tactic used by looters.

Among them, it was known as a low-risk looting method, or so he said.

‘They’re incredibly clever with their schemes.’

Using monsters to ambush.

And targeting the moment when explorers are most vulnerable, right after they’ve come through a portal.

If they wipe out the entire group, that’s ideal; if they injure one or two, that’s good enough; and if they manage to survive unscathed, they can just retreat and wait for the next prey.

“Rotmiller! Shouldn’t we catch them and take them down? Don’t looters drop money when you kill them?”

“Even if that were the case, it would be difficult to find them. We can’t just keep loitering around here… And more importantly, there’s no evidence, is there? We can’t rule out the possibility of being falsely accused.”

“Tsk, the dead tell no tales!”

Misha, having learned the whole story, hissed with a frustrated expression, but the dwarf, as the leader, made a cold-headed decision.

“As a matter of courtesy, let’s go down to the second floor for a moment and leave a warning sign about looters in front of the portal before we leave.”

“That’s a wise decision.”

After that, we did the bare minimum as explorers and left the vicinity of the portal.

As we did, we naturally continued to discuss the topic of looters.

However, the more I listened, the more something felt off.

“Rotmiller is amazing. I didn’t even know such tactics existed until now.”

“I’ve only heard about it, but this is the first time I’ve been targeted by this tactic.”

“Well, it’s not like encountering looters is a common occurrence!”

Uh, what are they even talking about?

I felt a sense of alienation from their explorer talk, which I couldn’t relate to at all, so I asked them a few questions.

And then I realized something shocking.

“Me? I’ve probably encountered them about eight times in five years? One was a teammate, and the rest were all nobodies!”

Only eight times in five years?

Damn, aren’t looters supposed to be something explorers encounter on a daily basis?

“Well… I’ve heard that there was a time like that about 150 years ago!”

Misha said that after the death of the first king, who was also called the Immortal King, the number of looters had greatly decreased due to various policies.

But I couldn’t accept it.

There must have been some kind of misunderstanding.

Because otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.

‘Once in the Crystal Cave, once in the Goblin Forest, and twice in a row in the Land of the Dead…’

Including today, I’ve encountered looters five times in the last three months.

Then what am I?

When I told them this story to get their opinions, everyone, including Rotmiller, looked at me with strange expressions.

“Bjorn, how many sins did you commit in your past life?”

“Hahaha! Maybe the reason we encountered looters today is because you’re here!”

“……”

I have nothing to say.

What kind of life have I been living?

I didn’t even have the energy to argue, so I walked in silence, and then Rotmiller sighed and opened his mouth.

“Everyone, stop teasing him. You all know that Kalstein is particularly lucky, don’t you?”

“Ah! So that’s what it was—!”

“I also encounter looters about once every three months. So don’t worry about it too much.”

Ah, uh, um…

I appreciate the comfort.

But still, five times in three months is not normal.

***

「You have defeated a Wormstone. EXP+2」

「You have defeated an Iron Falcon. EXP+2」

「You have defeated a Steel Hill Guardian. EXP+2」

***

Third floor, ‘Pilgrim’s Path’.

Regardless of which route you take, whether it’s the Land of the Dead, the Goblin Forest, or the Beast’s Lair, they all eventually converge on this floor.

The starting points differ for each route, so if you want to meet explorers from other routes, you have to follow the path to the central area where the fourth-floor portal is located.

‘It takes an average of three to four days to reach the central area…’

For reference, that’s the time it takes when focusing solely on moving. That’s how vast the third floor is, incomparable to the previous floors.

Therefore, in addition to the floor name ‘Pilgrim’s Path,’ it also has separate names for each monster habitat, and one of them is ‘Steel Rock Hill,’ where I am now.

“Then, let’s camp here for today, and from tomorrow, we’ll move on to the next area.”

At the boundary where one area ends.

We began preparing for camp in that ambiguous location. The reason was that since the monster territories overlap, there are relatively fewer monsters roaming around.

“By the way, Dwarki, are you alright? You haven’t looked good since earlier.”

The dwarf, having finished preparing for sleep by spreading out his sleeping bag on the ground, spoke to Dwarki.

At that, I, Rotmiller, and Misha all pretended not to be listening while secretly paying attention.

Because we were curious.

Why this talkative guy had been wearing a constipated expression all this time.

“…Did I look like that?”

“It might just be my imagination, but that’s how it looked to me.”

“I see…”

Dwarki smiled bitterly and nodded.

Then, after hesitating for a moment, he revealed his inner thoughts.

“I know how my words might sound. You might see me as naive and immature. But… to be honest, it was shocking.”

“Shocking, you say?”

“No, it would be more accurate to say that the fantasy I had was shattered. I’ve always heard stories about explorers since I was young, but… there were no stories like this.”

Explorers killing explorers.

Conversely, explorers who make money by killing such explorers.

Certainly, it’s not a reality filled with dreams and innocence.

“Tsk, what I said earlier was a joke!”

“Whether it was a joke or not, it’s the same. If I continue to work as an explorer, won’t I eventually end up killing someone too?”

At those words, everyone in the group fell silent.

“……”

“……”

Because any comfort we could offer would be a lie.

The dwarf, Misha, Rotmiller, and I all have experience killing people.

And if Dwarki continues to work in this profession, the day will inevitably come when he has that experience as well.

“So, I’ve made up my mind. While coming here, I kept thinking about it…”

His muttering was more composed than I expected, so I asked him one question.

“So, what was the result? Have you made up your mind that you can do it?”

“I have. But… I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it well when the time comes.”

Dwarki’s resolve was filled with confusion.

He lacked confidence in himself, and he was filled with fear about the situation.

But…

“That’s enough.”

I think this is better.

Rather than those idiots who make promises they can’t keep and then whine about not being able to do it when the time comes.

Perhaps thinking similarly to me, Rotmiller, who had been listening to the conversation, blurted out a word.

“It’s important not to be overconfident. To my ears, that sounds much more reliable than saying you can do it.”

“I-is that so?”

Looking at Dwarki, who was making an awkward expression, Rotmiller wore a warm smile on his face.

As if looking at a young man walking the same path.

“You know what you have to do, and you’ve made up your mind to do it. If that’s the case, then you’ll surely be able to do it well when the time comes.”

“I hope so…”

“Hahaha! Cheer up, my friend!”

Soon after, the dwarf smacked Dwarki on the back, and the conversation ended.

However, just as we were about to decide on the watch order and lie down,

“Hold on a moment, could everyone spare some time?”

Suddenly, Rotmiller called the group together.

“I know that resting even a little more would help the team, but there’s something I’d like to show you.”

“What is it?”

To my question, Rotmiller looked at Dwarki and said,

“That this job isn’t just about the hard and terrible things.”

Rotmiller then checked his watch and moved to the cliff near the campsite.

We followed, not knowing what was going on.

All we could see was the usual darkness.

The darkness of the labyrinth, which even swallowed light, always hindered the explorer’s vision.

“You said you had something to show us?”

“Just wait a moment, just a little bit longer.”

Seeing Rotmiller answer while looking at his watch, I suddenly had a hunch and took out my watch.

[23:59]

One minute before the start of the third day, when the number of monsters peaks.

The second hand ticked.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5…….

I closed my watch and looked at the darkness beyond the cliff. Soon, a silver sphere of light appeared in the distance within the darkness.

There were countless numbers of them, all starting from the ground and fluttering up into the sky like dandelion seeds.

With this, the dark labyrinth gradually brightened.

Only then did I realize why this place was called the Steel Rock ‘Hill’.

“This is a sight only early-arriving explorers can see. It’s quite a spectacle, isn’t it?”

Hill.

In other words, this place is a high-altitude terrain within the labyrinth.

It was usually hard to grasp because of the darkness, but once the numerous lights cleared away the darkness, the vast expanse of the third floor came into view.

Mountains and fields, with a river flowing between them.

Lush forests and a towering spire that stretched to the ceiling at its center.

A sight that I would never have seen if I had lived my whole life within the walls of Lafdonia.

Dwarki, who had been staring blankly, muttered.

“…I think I understand a little bit now what the explorers meant when they said the world is vast.”

I looked up at the sky.

It was just a blocked ceiling, but at this moment, it felt like the real sky.

And a wide-open night sky with the Milky Way spread out.

Of course, that time was truly fleeting.

It only took about a minute for the spheres of light that started from the ground to reach the ceiling and disappear.

“No one knows why this phenomenon only occurs on the third floor.”

There are many theories.

That it’s released when the magic of the labyrinth dimension becomes oversaturated on the third day.

Or that it’s a blessing from God.

Everyone accepts it as they want to believe.

But Rotmiller stated firmly.

“Whatever the reason, one thing is clear. Anyone who sees this sight in person won’t wonder about the reason.”

“That’s right! I’ve only heard about it, but this is the first time I’ve seen it myself! I would have been snoring in my sleeping bag if it were any other time!”

“Hahaha! I have a feeling that friend won’t be able to sleep tonight?”

After the light completely disappeared, the labyrinth was once again enveloped in its usual darkness. All the team members except for me, who was on first watch, went into their sleeping bags and fell asleep.

However…

“……”

It was a long time before I heard breathing from Dwarki’s sleeping bag.

***

The day broke.

Not that the surroundings actually got brighter.

It’s just that it’s that time of day.

[08:10]

After packing up the campsite, we walked downhill for a while and left the Steel Rock Hill.

And we reached our first destination.

“Alright, this is the Orc colony from here on out.”

The Orc colony.

Among the various areas on the third floor, it’s the place with the highest number of monsters. A characteristic is that only monsters of rank 8 or higher appear.

‘If we’re not going straight to the fourth floor, there’s no better hunting ground than here.’

The difficulty is the second highest among the third-floor areas.

But if my predictions are correct, there won’t be anything too dangerous for us.

In fact, with our combination, we’re capable of operating on the fourth floor.

We even have a mage, and what’s more, the three of them, excluding me, were originally explorers who operated on the fourth floor.

“Then, let’s work together here for a while, and then decide based on the results.”

After reorganizing our formation, we stepped into the vast forest.

Well, all that reorganization amounted to was sending Rotmiller to the rear and having the dwarf and I take his place.

“Murad, a group of orcs is coming from the 1 o’clock direction.”

As expected of a popular hunting ground with a high monster density, we encountered a group of orcs after walking for a bit, even though we were on the outskirts.

“Chwi, chwiik—!”

A basic group consisting of four orc warriors, one archer, and one shaman.

“Just do as we practiced!”

We took our positions as we had practiced.

This is Formation A.

The dwarf and I firmly block the front, and Misha, in the melee dealer position, freely moves between the shield walls, prioritizing and taking down the closest enemies.

「Riol Worb Dwarki has cast the rank 8 attack magic [Ice Lance].」

Since orcs don’t particularly need curse magic, Dwarki focuses solely on the damage dealer role.

And the same goes for Rotmiller.

He also focuses on rear support using his crossbow from the back when a battle breaks out.

However, he has one more role.

「The Orc Shaman has cast [Frenzy].」

「The Orc Warrior’s physical resistance increases by 3 times for 10 seconds.」

In case a monster ignores the shield wall and heads to the rear, it’s to protect Dwarki, the most vulnerable among the group.

“It’s a frenzy spell! Be careful!”

“Dwarki! Stick behind me.”

“Understood!”

When one of the orc warriors, who had entered the [Frenzy] state, ignored us and charged at Dwarki, Rotmiller took out his shield and blocked it.

Of course, as a scout, he doesn’t have the physical ability to win against an orc warrior one-on-one, but…

“Whew, that was close!”

He just needs to buy some time using his main weapons: crossbow, buckler, dagger, and firebombs.

Then Misha can provide support, or Dwarki can use magic to attack.

「You have defeated an Orc Warrior. EXP+2」

「You have defeated an Orc Archer. EXP+2」

「You have defeated an Orc Shaman. EXP+2」

Thus, the first battle with the orcs ended smoothly. The total time taken was about 8 minutes, and there were no injuries, but the time spent in battle was longer than expected.

‘We definitely lack damage.’

We have a scout, and two shield warriors.

And orcs have quite high physical resistance among the rank 8 monsters.

Of course, we have a mage on the team, who is the undisputed top damage dealer in this world, but…

Dwarki is not from the Magic Tower.

His rank 8 attack spell is just [Ice Lance], which only damages a single monster.

‘Well, I brought him along for his curse magic rather than his attack magic in the first place.’

The value of a mage isn’t just in high-powered attack magic.

There’s a compatibility between explorers and monsters.

However, if there’s a mage on the team, it’s possible to actively fight against a much wider variety of monsters with different compatibilities.

‘Still, even if it’s slow, it’s quite stable……’

There are some shortcomings, but even so, this is a pretty good team.

“Then, let’s go deeper.”

After that, we headed towards the center of the orc colony and fought battles.

The number of orcs appearing in a group also increased. Once, there was even an ‘Orc Great Warrior’, a rank 7 monster, mixed in, but…

「You have defeated an Orc Great Warrior. EXP+3」

We were able to hunt it down without any problems.

However, shitty things always happen when everything seems to be going smoothly.

It was when we had settled down and were mindlessly hunting orc groups.

“Ihenero Teuntain.”

Suddenly, a low-pitched chanting sound was heard from beyond the distant bushes.

And—

KWA-A-A-A-A-A-ANG-!

A fire meteor fell and blew up the orc group we were about to hunt.

“…What the fuck?”

What the hell is this situation?