Surviving the Game as a Barbarian – 51



Episode 51 Team Banpoon (1)

“Rotmiller is there anyone nearby?”

Perhaps you had similar doubts as me?

Rotmiller closed his eyes and opened them without saying a word. Then I looked around with my pupils constricted into oval shapes.

“Brown Rotmiller casted [Body Temperature Detection].”

The Lizardman skirmisher’s ability ‘body temperature detection’.

The function is similar to that of modern thermal imaging cameras.

For reference it was a useful skill in-game as well. As long as there is a creature using stealth or something else this alone will filter it out.

“There’s no one nearby.”

Lot Miller released his superpower and gave a short answer.

“But judging by the smell it seems like someone was there not long ago.”

Since his judgment had two essences that corrected his sense of smell the likelihood of it being wrong would be low.

I asked him a few more questions.

“How long ago does that mean?”

“There may be a margin of error but with this level of body odor no matter how long you hold it it’s likely to be around 2 minutes.”

“So that means there’s a very high chance that they saw us hunting and left?”

“…That’s right.”

As Lot Miller nodded his head with a bitter expression the dwarf who had been quietly listening to the conversation jumped in and joined in.

“Wait a minute so you’re saying someone intentionally targeted us?”

“They probably weren’t targeting us or anything. “I guess they were just waiting for someone to catch it.”

Rotmiller did not deny it.

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

Is it considered a low-risk method of plunder among them?

‘One small head is amazing.’

Attack using monsters.

This was aimed at the moment when the explorers who had just crossed through the portal were most vulnerable.

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

If they are completely annihilated it’s even better and if they get injured one or two it’s normal and if they hold on unharmed they can retreat for a while and wait for their next prey.

“Rotmiller! Isn’t this something we should catch and punish? “There is no money in killing looters!”

“Maybe so but it will be difficult to find. There’s no way I can just stay here forever… and above all isn’t there any evidence? “We cannot rule out the possibility of being falsely accused.”

“Hey the dead don’t talk!”

Misha who found out the whole story hissed with an angry look on her face but the dwarf made a cool decision as the leader.

“For the sake of morality I will just go down to the second floor for a moment write a warning to beware of looters in front of the portal and then leave.”

“It’s the right decision.”

Afterwards we followed the minimum principles as explorers and left the area near the portal.

Then naturally the conversation continued with the topic of looters.

However the more I listened the more strange it became.

“Rotmiller is amazing. “Until now I didn’t even know such a method existed.”

“I’ve only heard about this but this is the first time I’ve fallen victim to this method. ”

“Well it’s not uncommon to encounter looters!”

Oh what on earth are they talking about?

I felt strange about the explorer’s talk which was difficult to empathize with at all and asked various questions.

And then he realized a shocking truth.

“Me? We met about eight times in five years? “Once we were on the same team and the rest were all random people!”

Only 8 times in 5 years?

Siba: For explorers weren’t looters something they encountered every day?

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

Misha said that after the death of the first king also known as the Immortal King the number of marauders was greatly reduced due to various policies.

But I couldn’t understand it.

It was clear that there was some mistake.

Otherwise there is no explanation.

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

Counting today we have encountered looters five times in the past three months.

So what am I?

When I told this story to get opinions everyone including Rottmiller looked at me with strange eyes.

“How many sins did Bjorn commit in his past life?”

“Hahaha! “Maybe the reason we met a raider today was because you were here!”

“….”

I have nothing to say.

What kind of life was I living?

As I walked in silence not having the energy to refute Rotmiller sighed and opened his mouth.

“Everyone stop teasing me. “Don’t you all know that Ms. Karlstein is particularly lucky?”

“ah! “It was like that too!”

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

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

Ah uh um….

I’m grateful for the comfort.

Still five times in three months is not enough.

***

“Wormstone has been defeated. EXP+2」

“The Iron Falcon has been defeated. EXP+2」

「The Steel Hill Guardian has been defeated. EXP+2」

***

3rd floor ‘Pilgrim’s Path’.

No matter which route you take such as the land of the dead the goblin forest the beast’s lair etc. you will end up with a hierarchy in the end.

The starting point is different for each route so in fact if you want to meet an explorer from a different route you have to follow the path to the center where the 4th floor portal is located.

‘It took about three to four days on average to reach the center…’

For reference this is the time it takes when focusing only on movement. To that extent the third floor was incomparable in size to the previous floors.

Therefore in addition to the class name ‘Pilgrim’s Path’ each monster’s habitat is named separately and one of them is ‘Steel Rock Hill’ where I am now.

“Then we will camp here today and move on to the next area tomorrow.”

The border where an area ends.

In that awkward location we began preparing for camping. The reason is that there are relatively few monsters roaming around as their territories overlap.

“Anyway Dwalki are you okay? “You didn’t look good earlier.”

The dwarf who had prepared to sleep by spreading out his sleeping bag on the floor spoke to Dwalki.

In response I listened pretending not to be Rottmiller or Misha.

That’s what I was curious about.

Why does this talkative guy keep looking like he chewed shit?

“…Did I look like that?”

“I may be mistaken but that’s how it seemed to me.”

“I guess so….”

De Walky smiled bitterly and nodded his head.

And after hesitating for a moment he soon revealed his true feelings.

“I know how my words will sound. It probably looks naive and young from your perspective. But… to be honest I was shocked.”

“Shock?”

“No it would be correct to say that the illusion I had was shattered. “I’ve always heard stories about explorers since I was young but… I’ve never heard of anything like this.”

An explorer killing an explorer.

On the other hand an explorer who makes money by killing such explorers.

It’s definitely not a reality full of dreams and innocence.

“Hey I wasn’t joking when I said that!”

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a joke or not. “If I continue my work as an explorer I guess I’ll end up killing someone someday right?”

Everyone in the group fell silent at those words.

“….”

“….”

It would be a lie if I tried to offer comfort here.

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

And if Dwalki continues to work in this industry the day will inevitably come when he will have that experience.

“So I made up my mind. “The whole time I got here…”

Hearing a muttering sound that was much more resolute than expected I asked one question.

“So what was the result? Are you determined that you can do it?”

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

Dwalki’s resolve was filled with confusion.

He had no confidence in himself and was full of fear about the situation.

but….

“That is enough.”

Rather I think this is better.

Rather than the idiots who make promises they can’t keep and whine that they can’t do it.

Rotmiller who was listening to the conversation as if he had the same thoughts as me blurted out a word.

“It’s important not to overestimate yourself. To my ears it sounds much more reliable than saying you can do it.”

“Is that so?”

Rottmiller smiled warmly as he looked at Dwalki who was making an awkward expression.

As if looking at a young person going down the same path.

“You know that you have to do it and you are determined to do it. If you are like that you will definitely be able to do well when that time comes.”

“I hope so….”

“Hahaha! Cheer up my friend!”

The conversation ended with the dwarf hitting Dwalki on the back.

It’s just a car that wants to lie down after deciding on a watch order.

“Can you all give us a moment?”

Suddenly Rotmiller called the group together.

“I know that a little more rest would help the team but there is one thing I want to show you.”

“What is it?”

In response to my question Rotmiller looked at Dwalki and said.

“It’s not that there are only difficult and terrible things that happen while doing this job.”

Soon Lott Miller checked his watch and moved towards the edge of the cliff near the camp.

We followed without knowing what was going on.

All I could see was the usual darkness.

The darkness of the labyrinth which consumes even the light always hinders the explorer’s vision.

“Do you have something to show me?”

“You just have to wait a moment.”

Seeing Rotmiller answering his question while looking at his watch I suddenly got an idea and took out my watch.

[23:59]

One minute before the start of the third day when the monster population peaks.

The second hand moves with a ticking sound.

10 9 8 7 6 5….

I closed the watch and looked into the darkness on the other side of the cliff. Before long a silver sphere of light was visible far away in the darkness.

There were countless numbers and they all started from the ground and were fluttering like dandelion seeds heading upward into the sky.

As a result the dark labyrinth gradually became brighter.

Only then did I realize why this place I was in was a steel rock ‘hill.’

“It’s something that only explorers who arrive early can see. “Isn’t it truly spectacular?”

hill.

In other words this is a terrain that belongs to the highlands within the labyrinth.

Normally it was difficult to perceive because it was dark but after countless lights cleared the darkness the entire vast third floor became visible at a glance.

A river flowing between mountains and fields.

A dense forest and a tall spire rising to the ceiling in the center of it.

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

Dwalki who was staring blankly muttered.

“…I think I now understand what explorers used to say: the world is wide.”

I raised my head and looked at the sky.

It had to be a closed ceiling anyway but at this moment it really felt like heaven.

An open night sky with the Milky Way spread out.

Of course that time was really just a moment.

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

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

There are many hypotheses.

It is released when the magic power of the labyrinth dimension becomes oversaturated as the third day approaches.

A blessing from God or something.

Everyone accepts whatever they want to believe.

But Rottmiller spoke clearly.

“Whatever the reason one thing is clear. “If anyone sees this scene in person they will not wonder why.”

“That’s right! I’ve only heard about it but this is my first time seeing it in person! Normally I would have been sleeping comfortably in my sleeping bag!”

“Hahaha! “For some reason I don’t think that friend will be able to sleep tonight.”

Afterwards the light completely disappeared and the usual darkness enveloped the labyrinth again. Except for me who was the first person on the team everyone on the team went into their sleeping bags and fell asleep.

but….

“….”

It was a long time later that the sound of breathing was heard from Dwalki’s sleeping bag.

***

The day dawned.

It’s not like the surroundings really got brighter.

First of all it is so in terms of time.

[08:10]

After clearing up the campsite we walked downhill for a long time and left the steel rock hill.

And we reached our first destination.

“Now this is the orc colony.”

Orc colony.

Among the many areas on the third floor this is the place with the largest number of monsters. A special feature is that only monsters of level 8 or higher appear.

‘Unless you’re going straight to the 4th floor there’s no better hunting ground than here.’

The level of difficulty is the second highest among the 3rd floor areas.

But if my prediction is correct there won’t be anything very dangerous for us.

In fact our union can operate even on the 4th floor.

There was a wizard and the three of them excluding me were originally explorers who were active on the 4th floor.

“Then let’s first work together here for a while and then make a decision based on the results.”

First after reorganizing our formation we stepped into the huge forest.

As for reorganization the only thing that happened was sending Rotmiller to the rear and having a dwarf take his place.

“There’s a group of orcs coming from 1 o’clock Murad.”

Although it was on the outskirts of the area as it was a popular hunting ground with a high density of monsters after walking for a bit I was able to encounter a group of orcs.

“Chwi chwiik—!”

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

“Just do what you practiced!”

We formed our formation as we had coordinated beforehand.

It’s called Formation A.

A formation where the dwarf and I reliably block the front line and Misha who is in the melee dealer position moves freely between the shield walls giving priority to taking out the closest enemies.

“Lol Warb Dwalki casted the level 8 attack magic [Ice Lance].”

Because Orcs don’t really need curse-type magic Dwarki focuses only on his role as a striker.

And this also applies to Rottmiller.

When a battle breaks out he also focuses on supporting the rear using a crossbow.

But he has one more role to play.

“The orc shaman casted [Frenzy].”

“The physical resistance of an Orc warrior increases threefold for 10 seconds.”

In case the monster ignores the shield wall and heads to the rear it protects Dwalki the most vulnerable member of the group.

“It’s a passion spell! “Be careful!”

“Dwalky! “Stick behind me.”

“I understand!”

When an Orc warrior in a state of [frenzy] ignored us and rushed at Dwarki Rotmiller took out his shield and blocked it.

Of course as a searcher he doesn’t have the physical strength to beat an Orc warrior one-on-one…

“Whoa I’m bored!”

All you have to do is buy him a little time by using his main weapons such as the crossbow buckler dagger and firebomb.

Then Misha can provide support or Dwalki can use magic to attack.

“An orc warrior has been killed. EXP+2」

“The orc archer has been defeated. EXP+2」

“The orc shaman has been defeated. EXP+2」

So the first battle with the Orcs ended smoothly. The total time taken was about 8 minutes and although there were no injuries the time spent in battle was longer than expected.

‘There’s definitely not enough deals.’

There is a searcher and two shield warriors.

And among grade 8 monsters orcs have quite high physical resistance.

Of course in this worldview there is a wizard on the team who is the highest-ranking dealer in name and reality…

Dwalki is not from the Magic Tower.

Even though it is a level 8 attack spell it is only [Ice Lance] which only damages a single monster.

‘Well I brought you here in the first place for curse magic rather than attack magic.’

The value of a wizard is not limited to high-power attack magic.

There is a compatibility between explorers and monsters.

However if you have a wizard on your team you can actively battle with monsters of a much wider variety of compatibility.

‘It’s still slow but it’s high in terms of stability…’

There are some regrets but no matter what this can be considered a pretty good team.

“Then let’s go deeper.”

Afterwards we fought our way towards the center of the orc colony.

As this happened the number of orcs appearing in groups also increased. There was once a grade 7 monster the ‘Orc Warrior’ in the mix…

「The Orc warrior has been defeated. EXP+3」

This too was able to be hunted without difficulty.

But shitty things always happen when everything seems to be going well.

It was a time when we had settled down in earnest and were frantically hunting down groups of orcs.

“Ihenero Teuntain.”

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

and-

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

A fiery meteorite fell and exploded the group of orcs we were trying to hunt.

“…Fuck?”

What kind of bullshit situation is this?