Surviving the Game as a Barbarian – 115



Episode 115: Reunion (3)

The afternoon of the 9th day.

“I have entered the pilgrim’s path on the third floor.”

After searching around the northernmost part of the Land of the Dead for over a day we found a portal and reached the third floor.

‘…From next time if possible I shouldn’t come in without a searcher.’

We decided that if we took the Land of the Dead route just the two of us could reach the third floor…

Nevertheless the absence of explorers played a big role.

If I hadn’t secretly followed a group of explorers who happened to be passing nearby I would still be wandering around there.

“Ugh I still feel bad whenever I come here.”

Anyway after all that hardship we arrived at the jet-black estuary.

This is the starting point when taking the Land of the Dead route and is a field characterized by pale ditches flowing in dozens of directions.

Oh by the way the smell from the gutter is a bonus.

“Then go.”

Since there was no explorer we continued to check the compass and moved in the ‘northeast’ direction.

As I did so I soon arrived at a dead end.

This means that now you have to dip your feet into that black river and cross it.

“…Can’t I give you a piggyback ride?’

Tsk I just want to go somewhere comfortably.

“…just this once.”

“and! Really? “Thank you!”

She carries Misha on her shoulder and crosses the river.

The width is about 5m and her depth is just below her knees.

As I crossed the river being careful not to fall the wet ground continued forward like a road again.

Just as I was about to move on.

[Geruk! Geez!]

[Gel gel gel-!]

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

A monster creeps out as if it had heard the sound of passing by the river and followed it.

“Bjorn that’s the frogman over there.”

Frogman.

A level 8 monster that looks exactly like a frog and walks on two legs.

For reference it uses something like a harpoon as a weapon.

It may look funny because of its small size but because it has a high agility value there are many explorers who let their guard down and quickly run into the goal.

The skills are also a bit annoying.

‘…plaguy.’

These guys don’t get along well with me.

My mace is powerful enough to blow off Deathfiend’s head with one blow…

If you don’t get it right it’s meaningless.

Huh!

A frogman who steps in the air and leaps once more easily dodging my mace.

I tried to immediately dash towards it and hit it with my shield but it didn’t really mean anything.

“The attack was missed by [Rotten Slime].”

The shield made contact with the guy’s body but instead of making a dull sound the frogman glided like a slider.

[Gel gel!]

Is it fun?

Nimiral.

Since these guys had absolute evasion correction limited to blunt weapons they were difficult enemies for me regardless of their grade.

Well since I had Missha there was no problem.

“Nyahat! “Get out of the way!”

Misha who was laughing as she watched me being toyed with by the frog man took out her sword in earnest and began to do her sword dance.

[Geruk-!]

He was a Frogman with considerable evasion compensation even for bladed weapons…

Because our test is an ice test.

[Geck?!]

Not only was his thigh cut but his lower body was frozen solid.

dump.

The baby frog which was running around unable to tell where it was going fell down on the floor.

“Wait a minute Misha!”

“huh?”

“I will do it.”

Wow!

I feel like my stress is relieved afterward.

Originally it was a monster that could be defeated with magic but the level difference was so great that the battle was not very difficult.

[Gel gel!]

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

[Gurl! Geez!]

How long has it been since we moved around and caught the frogmen like that?

[22:57]

After checking the time I slowly started looking for a place to camp. Fatigue is fatigue but this is a place where you are forced to take a break at certain times.

“The water is getting colder in Bjorn?”

“I’m still looking for you so don’t fuss.”

After exploring the surroundings for about 30 minutes a rest point appeared. Unlike the dark estuary the mound is red and fluffy not muddy.

All the nearby explorers had gathered and about 30 people were already seated at the point.

‘You came late and all the famous places inside were taken away.’

I had no choice but to take a seat near the water where the smell of the gutter was strong. The soil is not wet so the water will not rise up to here.

As I was drying my wet legs first before laying down the blanket the water level in the river began to rise quickly.

[00: 00]

Okay it’s midnight now so it won’t get any hotter here. Since this condition would last for the next 6 hours I put Missha to sleep first.

There were a lot of people around so there were several teams that took a break without being on watch…

Maybe you don’t know?

‘I met Hans a few days ago so be careful.’

It was a time when I was rummaging through my backpack with the intention of filling my stomach with snacks.

“Hahaha! Cheer up my friend! “Is there a tree that doesn’t fall if you take ten shots at it?”

“But… you know she—”

“Everyone is sleeping. Why don’t you be quiet?”

“Ahaha! I’m sorry! “Be careful from now on!”

A familiar voice was heard from afar.

And was it before he fell asleep yet?

Misha who had been rolling up a blanket suddenly got up.

“This is Hikuro’s voice…?”

Seeing as I had the same thought it seems I didn’t mishear…

Huh how can there be such coincidences?

***

It is not common to meet someone you know in the labyrinth.

First of all not only is each floor incredibly wide but because of the darkness inside the labyrinth even when the lights are on the visibility is less than a 10m radius.

Well it’s a ‘clan’ where you enter by dividing into several parties. You meet on what floor and at what time and go up the floors but…

‘I never thought it was really them.’

Surprisingly the owner of the voice I heard was a dwarf.

Next to him were Dwalki and Lotmiller.

“Hikuro? “You’re Hikurod right?”

“…Misha? Bjorn? what! “Why are you here!”

“Wow it’s clear that our team is destined to be together!”

What are the chances of going in separately without any plans and meeting again by chance?

“What is the request? Didn’t you say you were making a request? “How do you do that?”

Just as we were both amazed at the amazing coincidence the dwarf expressed his doubts.

Actually it must have felt strange.

Because we were the ones who entered the labyrinth separately to request an escort.

I answered as I had said before.

“Oh that’s already finished.”

“You finished?”

“I had some business to do because it was on the first floor. “As the labyrinth closed the client returned to the city first.”

“Oh you said that?”

The dwarf nodded without any doubt as to whether the reason was understandable.

Now it was our turn to ask questions.

“Then why are you here? “Didn’t you say it would only be on the second floor?”

As far as I know these three were supposed to do a simple collection request in the rocky desert.

But why am I unexpectedly on the third floor in a pitch-black estuary connected to the Land of the Dead?

“Ah that’s because the stone golem’s inner core came out earlier than expected. “I’m here to do one more request just in case.”

But if they had assumed the third floor from the beginning I think they should have told me in advance…

“Hahaha! “If that were the case I wouldn’t have stopped you from doing it!”

Well that’s right.

The combination of Tank 1 Mage 1 and Explorer 1 is a bit uneasy. That’s not something we can say as we came to the 3rd floor with 1 tank and 1 close damage.

“…So what kind of request is this?”

“This is a collection request again. All you have to do is get two of the frogman shaman’s eyes. “Would you like to just say we met here?”

“How much is the payment?”

“It’s two million stones. Of course if you are involved the completion fee will be divided into exactly five equal parts.”

400000 stones per person is not a bad level.

If you sell by-products other than eyeballs your income will increase further.

Of course since he is not an ordinary frogman but a shaman the question remains as to whether he can complete the request…

Well it depends on luck.

“summer solstice.”

I was already anxious about going out together after running into Hans so I agreed. After all if you do it with two people the only thing you can do is hunt the Frogman right?

If the request ends early you could suggest that we all go to the 4th floor together.

“Haha then hurry up. “If I talk any more here I think I’ll get stabbed.”

There were still glares from the other teams who were taking a rest so we ended the chat and took a break.

‘Thanks to you I’ll sleep for five hours.’

This is an advantage when there are a lot of people.

Sleep time is shorter and you have more time to sleep.

[06:00]

As time passed and the morning of the 10th day dawned the depth of the river went down and we left the resting point.

Then he wandered around and devoted himself to hunting.

‘There must be at least one explorer.’

I feel this again but being an explorer is a position that improves the quality of life in the labyrinth.

“If you go that way you will find a river. Come here.”

Rotmiller guides you along the optimal route as if you memorized the entire terrain.

I’ve been wandering around for so long that I’ve only passed by the water’s edge less than three times.

“Hmm I’m screwed again….”

We soon satisfied our appetites after killing one more shaman in four hours.

A body that disappears without leaving anything behind.

This is a disadvantage of collecting requests.

If you use the ‘Distortion’ spell on a monster there is an extremely low probability of acquiring the monster’s body intact…

Because essence and magic stones do not drop.

‘I’m already at a loss thinking about the hard work I’ll have to do later.’

The later you go the more things you need to do with monster by-products such as making equipment or consumables.

For example just look at the spirit imprint.

Up to step 6 you can solve the problem with money but from then on you have to collect the materials yourself.

‘…Let’s think about it then. If you have the money you can just entrust it to the exchange or a request.’

In any case as movement became easier combat also became easier.

Rotmiller’s arrow Dwarki’s magic.

Plus Missha’s ice cutting.

“…I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while but what on earth is happening?”

Rotmiller expressed doubts as he looked at the frozen Frogman but this was no problem either.

[Cold Condensation] and [Ice Crushing] are not skills that stand out that much.

“Oh that? This time the soul number has evolved!”

Misha naturally answers as instructed in advance.

“Hot is that really true? “I think I can get promoted to level 6 at this level right?”

“Miss Misha! Congratulations!”

Since everyone knew that Misha had signed a contract with a cold-type spirit beast no one suspected her.

No it would be natural since we wouldn’t even think of lying in the first place.

‘Every time I do this my conscience pricks.’

But what can you do?

I have to accept it.

She is destined to live as an evil spirit.

“It looks like the water in Rotmill is rising… Are you okay?”

“Don’t worry the safe zone is right next door.”

The 10th day was already coming to an end and the water was slowly rising but thanks to Rotmiller who memorized all the nearby terrain we filled the time and hunted until the end and then moved on to camp.

“uh….”

“Is this right? “Are you a beggar now?”

“I guess so.”

As soon as we resumed our exploration we were frozen in shock as we hunted down the shaman we encountered.

A corpse that clearly remains after being pierced by an arrow in the neck and falling to the ground.

“I guess our journey will be blessed because we have Miss Misha!”

“Hehe this friend’s bean pod. I think this is thanks to that guy Bjorn not Misha. “That guy is lucky?”

Anyway that’s Dwalki and the dwarf’s main strategy.

The shaman’s body was obtained in just two days.

Hmm isn’t it a bit much to say that I’ve acquired it yet?

“Hmm but what should I do with this?”

“Just wait and see. “I’ll use magic first.”

First Dwalki used ‘preservation’ magic to prevent the body from decomposing.

But that was the end.

Isn’t it impossible to put the whole body in a bag?

“Misha since you use a knife you must be good at this right?”

“What do you mean you dwarf! I’ve never done anything like this! Rather should you do it? “I heard you also requested a stone golem?”

“Well… the stone golem just needed to take out the inner core…”

Even if all other by-products are discarded and only the eyeballs are dug up dismantling is necessary.

And I had no experience with this kind of work.

Except for the all-rounder Rotmiller.

“Get out of the way. “I will do it.”

Soon Rotmiller sighed and skillfully dismembered the shaman’s body with something like a carving knife.

I heard you often did things like this when you were in the ‘collection team’?

“Of course Rotmiller you are the best!”

“Oh I agree… Ugh I guess I’ll just look somewhere else for a moment…”

Has it been 30 minutes?

Under Rotmiller’s skillful hands the shaman’s body was divided into muscles blood bones and internal organs and placed in a box.

“So what do we do now?”

The 3rd floor pilgrim’s path is closed after the 15th day. In other words there are still three days left.

I spoke as if I had been waiting.

“The request is over. How about going to the 4th floor?”

“Hmm definitely… It’s been a long time since the whole team got together but it’s a shame that it ended only on the 3rd floor…”

“What do you think Rotmiller? Do you think you’ll be able to get to the 4th floor soon?”

Rotmiller closed his eyes as if he needed some time.

Well you must have a lot to think about to get to the portal in the center of the Witch’s Forest through various regions in three days.

“It’s tight but I think it’s possible.”

It was a little surprising.

Originally I had planned to just break the rift catch some monsters and then return to the city.

‘As expected things never go as planned.’

Somehow I ended up going to the 4th floor.

***

The three-day journey that followed was more intense than expected.

First of all my sleeping time was drastically reduced and I invested all of my remaining time into moving around.

Even moving was at alert level…

As the days passed deep fatigue piled up on the faces of my colleagues.

But I was still able to achieve my goal.

“The character has entered a special area.”

「Field effect – Witch’s Forest is granted.」

The Witch’s Forest which I have already passed three times.

When I first came here I was shipwrecked alone with Misha and went through all sorts of hardships…

As long as Rotmiller was there there was nothing to be afraid of.

“Everyone please follow along.”

As it happened last time we connected each other’s bodies with a rope and quickly covered the witch’s forest.

And how long has it been?

[20:31]

There are just over 3 hours left until the 3rd floor closes.

“Thank you for your hard work Rotmiller.”

We stood in front of a huge tower located in the heart of the Witch’s Forest. A colorful portal located in front of a huge door that looks like the entrance to a tower.

“Let’s go in now!”

It was the moment to wait for the color to change in case of an accident and then enter at the same time.

“Oh man?!”

A faintly familiar voice was heard from afar.