There are dozens of materials needed for the Immortal Mark.
Of course, most of them are easy to obtain on the market, but the three core ones are different.
Byproducts of monsters as high as Grade 3.
'And all three have high essence value, so almost ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) no one hunts them using the "Distortion" magic.'
In other words, to get these byproducts, you have to bring a mage and hunt them while casting "Distortion."
However, I haven't even properly started the grind yet.
That's because the 7th floor has been over half-occupied by Noark, so I couldn't properly set foot there for years.
Anyway.
"Wahaha! Finally, a worthy opponent to show off my skills!"
As soon as the Grade 3 monster appeared, Ibaekho's team tank, Lek Aures, stepped forward.
And then…
"Uoooooooh—!!"
With a fierce roar, his bones and muscles rapidly swelled.
Just like when I use [Giant Form].
「Lek Aures cast [Blood of the Giant].」
An active transformation skill of the Deep Sea Giant.
This skill is very similar to [Giant Form] in that the body enlarges.
But while [Giant Form] focuses mainly on 'threat level,' [Blood of the Giant] primarily boosts raw physical stats.
Also, being a Grade 3 essence, the stat increases are much higher.
However…
'It has a fatal drawback.'
Because the body grows, he can't wear proper equipment.
Of course, this is also a drawback of [Giant Form].
But unlike [Giant Form], [Blood of the Giant] does not apply the [Unification] effect of the Immortal Mark.
"So that's why the team's protector always went shirtless."
Since his growth method is very similar to mine, I quickly noticed familiar details.
Despite his huge size, his tights—underwear-style and reaching down to his thighs—were intact.
'Magic stretchy underwear.'
Something I once wore myself.
Before getting [Unification], my tights tore every time I used [Giant Form], and later, my underwear melted because of the [Acidic Secretion].
'So equipment is taken out of the pocket dimension after transforming.'
I nodded as I saw the enlarged Aures pull a massive shield and an enormous mace from thin air.
'Yeah, shield and mace is the way to go.'
For muscle-brutes like us, blunt weapons like these work much better than blades.
"Wahahahaha!!"
Perhaps to draw aggro, Aures dashed to the front and drove the mace straight into the monster's head.
Wham-!
The swinging speed and the heavy sound suggested that even a Grade 5 monster could have its neck snapped with one blow.
But…
The monster was officially Grade 3.
"Kraaaang!"
Instead of dealing effective damage, it only enraged the beast further, making it howl even more ferociously.
Well, it was expected.
Since he can't wear armor, as a tank he'd have to rely on pure stats for physical resistance and magic defense in his essence setup.
'Anyway, with this damage, he's definitely a pure tank.'
How about his tanking skills?
That was confirmed immediately.
「Vaiterion cast [Bite].」
Its hand, equipped with teeth, grotesquely grew large and latched onto Aures' shoulder.
But…
"Hahaha! Monster attack! This tickles, not even close to hurting me!"
Seemingly unharmed, Aures laughed heartily and lifted the Vaiterion like a wrestler before slamming it onto the ground.
Kraaaang!
Despite being a Grade 3 monster,
to endure that strength and only get a scratch from being bitten directly on the shoulder was impressive toughness.
'…Higher level than I thought.'
I was impressed but also understood.
It makes sense he'd be able to hang out with Ibaekho at this level.
Sshhhhh!
Even the small scratch on his shoulder was quickly healed by the healer Jaina.
And then…
「Belvev Ruinjes cast Grade 3 offensive magic [Windmoon].」
The crescent-shaped spell flew and severed one of the monster's arms.
「Layton Briot cast [Seal Verse].」
A translucent arrow, shot without notice, pierced the monster's body and emitted light.
Crackle, crackle.
The light transformed into chains that wrapped and bound the monster completely.
「All of Vaiterion's supernatural abilities are temporarily sealed.」
Wow, it ate that essence?
This is one of the hardest Grade 2 essences to obtain.
'Insane.'
Grade 3 monsters are generally treated as raid mobs by most explorers.
Yet here they were easily handling one?
I was finally convinced these guys were at the absolute top of their game—
"Baron."
At that moment, while I was watching the battle with such an evaluation,
"How about you finish it off?"
Ibaekho quietly spoke to me.
In other words, don't just watch from the back—show us what you can do…
Well, just as he's curious about me, I'm curious about him.
"Alright."
Knowing that, I stepped forward coolly.
Besides, since we'd be spending time together, I couldn't keep hiding my skills forever…
'…If I want to claim a share of the loot, I have to contribute.'
So…
「Character cast [Transcendence].」
「The next skill used will be enhanced.」
After linking [Transcendence] with [Giant Form],
"Step aside."
"Ah, uh… yes, sir."
Aures stepped back, looking somewhat awkward looking up at me.
Hmm, there must be over a meter height difference here.
'But that's not the important part.'
Not just big and dumb, but wielding the No.87 Crawling Demon Crusher, which became even bigger thanks to the [Unification] effect.
I raised it up to shoulder height.
「Character cast [Swing].」
I showcased my signature skill.
Though it lacked flashy light or swirling wind effects,
its impact was definite.
Because, come on—
Who wouldn't expect this?
Swoooosh!
No matter I'm a tank,
No matter the monster is Grade 3,
Kraaang-!
With this gear and skill, plus the monster's abilities sealed, failing to kill it—
"Grrr…"
What? Why didn't it die in one hit?
A bit embarrassed, I quickly hit [Swing] three or four more times, and finally the monster staggered and stopped moving.
"Oh."
As the brief, fierce violence ended, a meaningful exclamation came from behind.
"Wow, a tank putting out that much damage?"
Luckily, it was praise.
Seeing Ibaekho teasing his comrades like that.
"Our warrior wouldn't have killed it in twenty hits. Baron, want to join our team? I'll kick him out. Huh?"
"…Baekho! What kind of talk is that! I've followed you trusting only Baekho, but now even the lord treats me like a traitor!"
Maybe he has a delicate personality despite his size.
Aures shouted, apparently hurt by Ibaekho's words.
'Despite everything, they seem to get along pretty well.'
I ignored their bickering and looked down at the now motionless Vaiterion.
'It feels a little weird.'
In the labyrinth, bodies turning to light and disappearing signified a kill. Without that effect, it doesn't really feel like it's dead.
Feels like it could get up at any moment.
'Getting used to this will take time.'
Also, unlike in the labyrinth, we have to confirm kills thoroughly here.
If we think it's dead and leave it, it might suddenly get up and attack.
In many ways, it's less convenient than the labyrinth…
'Well, that's both a drawback and an advantage.'
"Havelion! You know how to butcher monsters, right?"
"Of course."
"Then hurry and take only the profitable byproducts. Take the claws separately and give them to me."
After the fight, I immediately asked the GM to handle the butchering.
For reference, claws don't mean ordinary beast claws, but the teeth on the monster's hands…
At that moment, Ibaekho stopped teasing his comrades and spoke to me.
"Why do you take the claws, Baron?"
Because they're one of the materials for the level 8 mark.
…Honestly, I hesitated to say that plainly, so I paused.
Ibaekho smirked slyly.
"Oh, so it's because of the mark materials? But only the Berserker and Immortal need these claws, and you probably won't get the Berserker mark…"
"..."
"It must be the Immortal Mark? Since you're still at level 7 if you're gathering this. Ah, wait, does that mean you can wear equipment and use [Giant Form] because of the mark? Thanks to the [Unification] at level 5 or so?"
Ha, that's why I hate these guys who came from games.
Unfortunately, Ibaekho's teasing didn't stop there.
"Wow… so that's how it's judged? Interesting."
"..."
"I probably know roughly what essences you have. Maybe I should find a compliant barbarian later and raise him just like you."
"Baekho…? I… I'm right here listening to all this…"
"Uh? Then plug your ears."
"..."
I doubt he was serious about making a replica of me, but it was unpleasant to hear.
Synergies between essences, or between essences and items.
In this world, people call that 'arcane' and keep it secret.
Because those are all valuable assets.
"Haha, Baron, just joking. Oh, and those claws? Take as many as you want."
Despite the discomfort, I made sure to gather everything carefully.
'Anyway, if I get two more, I'll have all the materials for the level 8 mark.'
There's no rush to punish Ibaekho yet.
If I wait, that time will definitely come.
When he dares not to make such jokes in front of me.
"Alright, everyone, what are you waiting for? If you're done looting, let's move out!"
After leaving the Noark settlement, we headed northwest and kept moving.
We encountered monsters about once or twice an hour.
'They said there are fewer than in the labyrinth, but here it really feels that way.'
After fighting so often, I started to understand why Ibaekho said the monsters outside the walls were much smarter than labyrinth monsters.
They seemed to have their own hunting strategies.
They didn't just charge blindly; they used terrain and objects.
They would target us when resting or test us by chasing, only to give up ambushes and turn their backs.
Also, in groups, leaders would strategically command battles the whole time.
'…It really feels wild.'
It felt like each one was an upper variant worthy of being called a 'Named' monster.
Differences even in size.
Some had large scars, and some limped due to aftereffects.
All unlike the uniform monsters in the labyrinth.
"Alright, let's rest here today! Do whatever you want, but be back here by 7 a.m.! Okay?"
As we wrapped up today's journey and prepared to camp a bit away from Ibaekho's group, noises came from their side.
"Wahaha! Jaina! Wahahaha! Hahaha!"
"…Enough, Aures."
"What do you mean enough? You burned all the precious food! Hahahahaha!"
Despite traveling with them for days, Ibaekho's group was friendlier and more cheerful than I expected.
Well, that was mostly because Aures, the warrior, was the mood maker.
'Even Ibaekho's grinning. He said he wouldn't get attached to comrades.'
"…Hm? Where are you going?"
"Just nothing to do…"
As we were finishing camp preparations, the GM left my side and approached Ibaekho's team.
And naturally blended in.
"We prepared a lot of food, there's leftovers, would you like some?"
"Oh! Really? Thanks! Our chef made it so we almost got fat! Haha!"
I wondered if the reclusive GM had this kind of outgoing side, but hearing their conversation, it was just information gathering.
"I see. I had no idea. I never would have guessed you're from Noark."
"Haha, is that so?"
"Oh, but I think I've heard stories about a fearsome warrior guarding the gates of Noark."
"Wahaha! That's an exaggeration!"
The GM kept the mood light and eagerly absorbed the information.
But it didn't last long.
"Can I ask something I'm curious about?"
"Ask anything!"
"Why is this team five people instead of six?"
As soon as that question came up, the mood suddenly froze and silence fell.
"..."
"..."
What? Is that really a question that deserves such a reaction?
I had no idea why, so I listened even more closely.
"Hm? Why do you all have that expression?"
Lek Aures, a member of Ibaekho's team, looked confused as if he didn't understand the situation, and at the same time,
"Right?"
"Yeah, I think so."
Ibaekho and the archer had a short exchange.
"They're not monsters. They're humans."
…What kind of situation is this?
-x-X-x-
Outside the city walls, not a single strand of hair could be found except for us.
Yet it was reported that signs of human presence were detected.
And not just a group… but a single individual.
"The target is one person… surprisingly, they appear to be sleeping soundly."
Ironically, the fact that it was only one person made ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ me feel even more uneasy.
Isn't that far more suspicious than if it had been several?
Who on this dangerous land where Grade 3 monsters appear would be wandering alone, and why?
"Well… we should check it out, right?"
"Yes. It's only right to assess all surrounding variables first."
Ibaekho and the archer quickly exchanged opinions and sprang into action.
"I'm going ahead, so follow me!"
Ibaekho shot forward like a cannonball.
Does this guy have no fear at all?
If it were me, given the unknown variables, I'd approach slowly and stealthily with my team.
'That unconditional confidence…'
Maybe that's Ibaekho's greatest weakness.
"…Baekho?!"
"Aures, let's hurry. That man might not be dangerous, but you never know."
The rest of us hurriedly followed Ibaekho.
And after some time…
"Wh-who are you to do this! Gah! L-let me go!"
A man's panicked voice echoed.
From just below.
"…Seems to be down here."
Peering into a wide fissure in the ground that looked like it was cracked by an earthquake, I heard Ibaekho's voice from below.
"Ah, you're all here? I'm coming down, wait! It's narrow, so not everyone can fit!"
After saying that, Ibaekho peeked his face out from the cliff below.
From above, the angle didn't show much, but it seemed there was a hidden space down there…
"Ugh!"
Ibaekho leapt up and landed where we were with a grunt like an old man.
In his raised right hand was a struggling middle-aged man, whose identity was unknown.
He looked very unhygienic, as if he hadn't washed for months…
"W-what are you…! Let me go! Let me go—!"
The struggling man's eyes widened as his gaze fixed on someone.
"…Aures? You're the gatekeeper Aures, right? Aures-niiiim!!"
"Y-you are…!!"
…What? They knew each other?
"…Who are you?"
"Eek! I'm the Red Eye, squad leader of Noark's direct guard unit, 3rd squad!"
"Red Eye? That's a new nickname…"
Aures tilted his head, and Ibaekho, who had loosened his grip slightly, narrowed his eyes.
"Huh, just made up some name and pretended to know him?"
"No, no! You know! Red Eye! Red Eye Daylan!"
The man hastily added his name, and Lek Aures seemed to recall something.
"Daylan? That's the name of the old man at the Merun tavern, right? Oh… you're his son?"
"Yes, yes! That's me!"
"Oh, now I remember that guy! Haha! Nice to meet you!"
Only then did the two recognize each other.
Ibaekho seemed a bit deflated and threw the man to the ground like cargo.
But he hadn't completely lost interest.
"You said Daylan?"
"Yes, yes… that's right!"
"Tell me, what were you doing here alone?"
"Well…"
"If you don't tell the truth, you're dead. Take this seriously."
That intimidating attitude was one of Ibaekho's scary traits.
He ignored all politeness and pressed with force, demanding answers, and had a built-in lie detector.
'I almost lost it then…'
Watching the man shrink and roll his eyes in desperation reminded me of old memories.
But the past is the past.
"Speak quickly! What nonsense were you doing here?"
Ibaekho barked again, and the man shut his eyes tightly before answering.
"…I… deserted!"
"Deserted…?"
"The plan to invade Rafdonia seemed so absurd… People like us would only die meaninglessly if we got involved!"
"I see… So while everyone else was going back, you snuck away?"
"I wasn't the only one! At first, many people thought the same as me."
"Hmm? Then why are you alone now?"
"We were scattered because of monsters…"
He explained that initially more than a hundred people remained outside together.
They said if they united, they could live happily here.
But that promise lost all meaning the moment they faced powerful monsters.
No wonder.
Those who left the group for their own safety couldn't possibly unite properly in a crisis.
"So after scattering, we carefully searched for places to hide. That's how we ended up settling here…"
"In that rabbit-hole-like place in the cliff?"
"Yes…"
"How long have you lived there?"
"Uh… I don't know the exact time, but about two months now…"
"Wow, impressive. But where did you go to the bathroom?"
"Well… actually… I used to squat at the cliff's edge—"
"Stop it! No dirty talk."
Jaina, the healer, frowned and scolded him, and Ibaekho grumbled but didn't continue.
And maybe sensing it was the right moment?
"So… who is Gongja-nim?"
The man boldly asked Ibaekho.
"Me? Why do you want to know?"
"Well… if you're from the city, I wondered if you might know if the lord's plan succeeded…"
Is he regretting not following now?
If he really is from the city, he seems ready to beg to be taken back.
Of course, Ibaekho wouldn't allow that.
"You don't need to know. Stay quiet."
"…"
"Now, what should we do with this guy? He'll probably die soon anyway…"
The man's face grew more desperate.
Not surprising.
His tone sounded like he was deciding what to eat for dinner—chilling me to the bone.
"Wait! I have a proposal!"
"Hm?"
"Please take me with you when you return to the city! I'll give you useful information!"
His desperate bargaining was clear.
But Ibaekho only showed a bored expression.
"Hmm, not really curious…"
Though his tone was uninterested, I could tell it was an act.
Or rather, a natural negotiation—if the other party shows submission, he takes control.
"Well, then say it. If it's truly useful, I might consider."
Ibaekho spoke firmly from a position of power, giving nothing away, and then through the man, we heard something unexpected.
"Dimensional stele…! I know where another one is…!"
Hmm…?
The man's story was very short and simple.
After separating from the group, he wandered far and wide looking for a safe place.
And he accidentally found it.
A dimensional stele identical to the one in the Noark settlement.
"What? Really?"
With Ibaekho, who has a lie detector, saying that, there's no doubt about its truth…
"Usually, it's hidden in a dangerous place no one would dare go. If not for me, no one would find it!"
Indeed… Since he found it by living in a small cave under the cliff, it seemed to be somewhere unimaginable.
"So, where exactly is it?"
Now clearly fascinated by the dimensional stele, Ibaekho no longer feigned disinterest.
Sensing this, the man quickly tried to bargain.
"It's not hard to tell you, but…"
"Alright, you want a promise, right? I'll promise. If you don't cause trouble and follow us well, we'll take you to the city."
The man seemed to try to check if Ibaekho was lying, but eventually nodded, realizing he had no choice.
"I trust you…"
"Good. Now tell me, where is it?"
The man led us to his hideout at the edge of the cliff.
And…
"It's right down here."
"Down here?"
"Yes…"
Ha, no wonder he told us so easily.
He must have wanted to finish the deal quickly since we would find it soon anyway.
"I'm going down first, everyone come down on your own, got it?"
Without hesitation, Ibaekho jumped off the cliff again, and we followed down in our own ways.
Whoooooosh—!
The mage floated down with levitation magic.
Tap, tap, tap—!
The archer leapt down the cliff.
[Hihihihiing-!]
The priest rode a flying summoned beast.
And I…
'Guess I have to make do with my body.'
Kraaaang-!
The fall was quite deep, and upon landing, it felt like electricity ran through my toes, but thanks to my high bone density and physical resistance stats, I endured it.
"Wow, Baron, you're bold."
"What are you saying? Anyway, this must be the dimensional stele, right?"
"Yes. It really exists. We'll have to ask the old man later if it can be activated."
A deep ravine, nearly 70 meters.
It was so dark that light barely reached down, but the dimensional stele the man mentioned clearly stood there.
"Oh, old man! Here! Here! Come check this out quickly!"
"Havelion, you come and take a look too."
After the mages arrived, they examined the stele and reached the same conclusion.
"It is exactly the same kind of dimensional stele we used."
"If we pump enough mana into it like last time, there's a high chance the portal will open."
"Wow, really? Even after all that searching, it's found like this."
Ibaekho patted the man on the shoulder as if praising him.
I thought he should have patted harder if he was praising, but everyone has their own style.
"Well, let's start putting mana in. Let's see if it actually works."
"…What if it does?"
"No, try first. See if it works, then think. Why so cautious?"
"…"
The GM, who had asked a question earlier and got scolded, approached the stele with a bitter expression.
And then…
"Starting."
The ruin scholar and the GM injected mana first, producing exactly the same effect as before.
Sshhhhhhh!
Dense mana emitted light.
It gradually took shape, growing in size until the portal formed.
"The portal really opened."
"Baekho, what's your plan now?"
"…Well, I really have to think now."
"Finish as quickly as possible. The portal only lasts about five minutes."
"Okay."
Just as I thought he was quietly contemplating alone, Ibaekho spoke again shortly.
"But I'm curious where this leads. It really feels like exploring for the first time in a long while."
"…Don't forget our goal. We came here to gather materials to fix the magic circle."
"But you never know, maybe this will get us there faster."
"…"
"Well, if not, we can open another portal and come back. Right?"
What percentage P is this guy thinking with?
It's a mindset I can't even imagine, but one thing I agreed on.
'I'm curious too…'
It really feels like an adventure.
While I was thinking that, Ibaekho made up his mind.
"Okay, decision made."
"What will you do?"
"Let's go through once. It's more work to come back here later. Baron, you okay with that?"
Hmm…
"If you say no, you won't?"
"No. We're going without you. You stay here."
"I'm coming."
Yeah, this is kind of a hidden piece. I can't just let Ibaekho go alone.
When I decided, things started moving fast.
"Hey, you go first."
"Me… me?"
"Why can't you go first?"
"There might be danger on the other side… Ah, I'll go first."
"Should have done that earlier."
Ibaekho sent the man through the portal first, then one by one, we crossed.
By the way, I was last.
Flash—!
My vision whitened then slowly cleared.
I habitually scanned the surroundings.
The terrain was a dark cave.
No monsters nearby.
But the problem was…
"Baekho? Did you come properly? I don't see the dimensional stele anywhere."
The moment we crossed, the portal disappeared, and the dimensional stele that allows opening portals was nowhere to be seen.
Also…
'One, two, three, four, five…'
One person was missing.
No, more precisely…
"What the hell? That bastard."
The man who told us about the dimensional stele's location was nowhere to be found.
"Where did he really go? There was absolutely no time to escape! What the hell?"
Ibaekho muttered in confusion.
Watching him, I swallowed hard.
Thump!
I felt like we'd fallen into a trap.
An inexplicable dread began to engulf me.
I hurriedly spoke to Aures, who was familiar with that guy.
"Aures."
"Yes?"
"That guy earlier. The one called Daylan."
"Yes?"
"Do you remember his full name?"
Aures found the question somewhat random.
Still, he thought seriously and answered.
"Well… I don't really remember."
"…Is that so?"
Unfortunately, it wasn't much of a help.
'…Maybe it's better not to know?'
As I was about to drop the subject, Aures said something I couldn't ignore.
"But…"
"But?"
"I think it was a very common name."
…Eh, no way, right?
-x-X-x-
The situation we're currently in is very simple.
Thump-thump!
We acquired information about the location of a dimensional stele from Lek Aures's acquaintance whom we met outside the city walls.
After finding the dimensional stele, we lightly crossed the portal once to check it out, planning to return if it seemed unsuitable.
And then…
"In short, that bastard tried to trap us, huh?"
Lek Aures's acquaintance Daylan vanished somewhere the moment he crossed the portal.
The dimensional stele needed to return was nowhere to be found.
In other words, the way back was blocked…
"Daylan? Daylan, was it?"
There's not much information about Daylan.
It's not even certain that his name is really 'Daylan,' and all we know is that he's from Noark and has a 'very, very common name'…
Clench.
My grip tightened involuntarily.
Whether his name is truly 'that' name remains unknown.
But if it really is 'that' name…
'L, huh…'
It would be the first time in a long while meeting 'that one.'
Thump-thump!
I need to keep my wits sharp from now on.
Only then can I safely get through this crisis.
Therefore, in that sense…
"He probably hasn't gotten far—"
"Stop moving."
I stopped Ibaekho, who seemed ready to dash off searching for the vanished man.
"…?"
Lowering my voice with a command, Ibaekho looked confused.
But I couldn't help appearing so serious.
Thump-thump!
I was genuinely starting to feel the danger of this situation.
"Don't act recklessly. First, find out where we are."
That's my principle when playing Dungeon and Stone.
In a strange place entering for the first time, you must be wary of everything.
Well, even with caution, failing the first try is the norm.
Anyway.
"Havelion, Briot. Check the surroundings for monsters or traps first."
I ordered the GM and archer to detect magically and physically.
"Nothing."
"Nothing detected yet."
Okay, that means…
Tap. Tap.
I approached the wall and knocked on the cave's outer surface; only a dull sound echoed faintly.
'Seems there's no hollow space beyond…'
Carefully, I lifted my foot off the ground and stepped forward.
'Mud.'
The cave floor was covered in soggy mud, as if from a landslide on a rainy day.
It didn't seem to reduce movement speed or have any special effects.
But the problem was…
"We need to get out of here first."
"Right? If we follow the path, we might find something—"
"The entire cave might flood."
"Huh?"
I pointed to the cave's walls and ceiling as Ibaekho tilted his head.
"Look. There are still traces of where water once filled this place."
"Oh, really, I see the signs!"
"But saying it will flood now seems a stretch… We just need to get out before that happens, right?"
Why is this guy so optimistic?
"Do you know how long this cave is? What if it takes three whole days and nights to reach the exit? What if it turns into a maze and you wander for ages?"
"…So shouldn't we move quickly?"
Yeah… that's right.
But before that, let's do this.
"Let's form a new formation."
"A formation…?"
"In a place like this, moving split into two groups is dangerous. Even one well-formed line in a narrow passage like this gives you more than half the advantage."
Until now, we had moved together, but GM and I had felt out of place within Ibaekho's team.
But from now on, that's no longer possible.
"Havelion, Ruinjes, Jaina. From now on, you three move in the safest center."
I positioned the core members in the center.
"Lek Aures, follow at the rear. Enemies might appear from behind."
"Hah! Leave the rear to me!"
The secondary tank was assigned to the rear.
In such narrow passage maps, you must be most cautious about your back.
Besides, I could cover the front alone.
"Ibaekho, follow right behind me. Briot, you're right behind him. You can fall back if battle starts, but until then, stay as far forward as possible to do detection. Got it?"
"Yes, understood."
Phew… basic positioning is done. Let's move forward—
"Baron?"
Before I could move, Ibaekho approached, seeming to have something to say.
"I have more team members, but I'm still the one giving orders…"
Ah, so that was his complaint.
"Besides, this is your first time outside the city walls, isn't it? It'd be better for you to just follow my lead like before."
Well, then handle it yourself.
Do you think I want to hold the wheel?
"Ibaekho, this situation is different."
This is not just outside the city walls.
If it were, I would have followed Ibaekho's judgment as he has more information, like before.
But…
"What's different?"
There is a very crucial difference this time.
"This place is new to you, isn't it?"
It's our party's first time entering.
Even my instincts are telling me this place is very dangerous.
And you want me to hand over the wheel?
"We don't have any information about this place, so we don't know what variables might arise. Every decision here is critically important."
"…So?"
"In times like this, leave it to the right person."
I phrased it mildly (?), but the meaning was clear: I can make better decisions than you.
Naturally, Ibaekho didn't look convinced.
"The right person…? You mean the Baron?"
He stared at me as if it were absurd.
I didn't avoid his gaze.
"Why? Don't you think so?"
"No. I don't."
Ibaekho answered instantly with no hesitation, and I smiled a little.
Honestly, I didn't understand why he was so cocky.
Anyone could clearly see who was right.
I was the one who endured all the hardships, organizing data every night, studying the field, and opening the Abyss Gate in original mode.
And Ibaekho was a former soldier who came to this world only because of a cheat sheet.
Which one is the right person…
Step.
I stepped closer and calmly said.
"Last question, Ibaekho."
"…"
"Do you really think you're the right person?"
Surprisingly, he didn't answer immediately this time.
He was feeling the sting.
The difference between him and me was clear.
"…"
I silently waited until he answered, and finally, he looked away and shrugged.
"…Fine. Let's try. You're the most famous explorer in Rafdonia, so I'll see your skills this time."
That's more like it.
After a very peaceful discussion to settle the ranks, we began moving in earnest.
Whispers came from behind.
"What the hell is up with Baron Yandel…? Ibaekho losing ground?"
"I'm surprised too… Ibaekho actually backing down…"
GM quietly whispered in response to Aures.
But that didn't mean Ibaekho didn't hear.
"Hah! Like I'm some snake? When did I ever back down? I was just curious why he's so confident!"
"…Hahaha."
"Baekho! I didn't say anything!"
Ibaekho snapped, and they both shut up as if nothing happened.
That was funny, but I still gave a warning.
"Quiet down. Even if nothing happens now, there's no guarantee it'll stay that way."
"Y-yeah!"
Why are all the top explorers so fidgety?
If only they were all like Amelia.
Surely everything would be at peak efficiency.
"I feel a slight breeze. Luckily, the exit seems close."
After about twenty minutes, archer Briot said this, and shortly after, the exit appeared.
"It's dark…"
Outside the cave, there was no better visibility.
The outside was pitch-black, like the labyrinth.
"It's still night. We'll see something once the sun rises."
Ibaekho seemed unconcerned, but I wasn't.
"…It doesn't seem simply dark because it's night."
"Huh?"
"Look. The light doesn't spread far, like in the labyrinth."
"Oh… now that you mention it, that's true."
Ibaekho frowned, finally realizing the alien nature of the darkness.
"Oh… does that mean this might be the labyrinth?"
"Well… we'll have to find out."
"Okay. I'll trust only the Baron. You said you'd handle everything."
…Is he some kindergartner?
He came to this world way earlier than me, so his mental age should be higher.
"Yeah, I'll handle it, so be quiet."
I put a finger to my lips, and Ibaekho frowned as if displeased but said nothing.
Regardless, I focused on my task.
We just passed one field and entered a new one.
Naturally, we had to start searching.
"There's no water."
Contrary to my expectation of a river or lake nearby, no water could be found despite the search.
Then why is the cave filling with water?
Rain wouldn't cause water to pool here…
'There must be some other reason…'
Thinking deeply about this, I continued searching.
I roughly mapped the area around the cave entrance and marked coordinates so we could find it anytime.
After some time…
"Havelion, current time?"
"9:18. The sun should have risen long ago."
"Yeah, so…"
Even after a long time, no sign of brightening was visible.
Therefore…
"The possibility that this isn't outside the city walls has increased."
"Meaning… we're inside the labyrinth?"
"Well, it's possible."
No one dismissed my words as absurd or delusional.
After all, Auril Gavis once opened a portal connecting the labyrinth using a dimensional stele from outside the walls—
"Baron, look at this!"
At that moment, archer Briot called me over.
I approached and saw a man-made structure I hadn't noticed before.
"A ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don't copy, read here) stele?"
Of course, the stele Briot found was completely different from a dimensional stele.
It was a large monument similar to the one in the crystal cave on the first floor.
"Havelion, can you read this?"
"No, I've never seen this script before."
The monument was carved with glyph-like characters resembling pictographs, which even I, capable of reading ancient languages, couldn't decipher.
"Start an investigation. It might be some magical structure."
"Yes, understood."
I left the stele investigation to the GM and the ruin scholar, then checked my map again.
The forest area had no special features except for huge craters scattered around.
'Maybe it's more efficient to pick a direction and head straight.'
While thinking of the next plan, I waited for the stele research to finish.
Suddenly—
Everything momentarily turned bright white.
Kraaaakkkkkaaakkkk!!
A thunderous roar like the sky collapsing filled the world.
And then…
Sssshhhhhhhhhh—!!!
A heavy downpour started.
At first glance, it might seem like just severe stormy weather…
[Kiyyeeeeek-!!]
Coincidentally, monsters appeared as the strange weather began.
"Over there! Monsters are running this way…!"
The first monsters we encountered since arriving here.
Fortunately, they weren't a new species.
Hmm, I don't know if that's a relief.
"Brakiaistel! A Grade 5 beast-type monster using psychokinesis and water-element abilities!"
The GM stood up and shouted a briefing.
The GM's information was accurate.
But one crucial detail was missing.
Brakiaistel.
It's only a Grade 5 trash mob.
"Graveyard…"
It appears only on the 9th floor.
-x-X-x-
The Ninth Floor of the Labyrinth — the Graveyard.
It's the final gate before the Tenth Floor, where the Abyss Gate exists.
A monster that appears only there showed up.
Of course, it's an entity we had hunted before in the basement's first-floor library, and defeating it was not particularly difficult, but…
"Brakiaistel has been defeated."
The appearance of this monster implies a lot.
'So… this place isn't actually inside the labyrinth.'
The location where we are now is not within the labyrinth.
The royal family had sealed off the labyrinth itself, and clear differences from the labyrinth could be found everywhere—differences obvious enough that we didn't recognize it at first.
That said, calling it simply 'outside the city walls' still felt off in many ways.
Anyway…
'I should have guessed when I saw the craters…'
Everything is confusing, but one thing is certain.
Though there may be some differences from the labyrinth, this place is a replica modeled after the Ninth Floor 'Graveyard.'
And perhaps because everyone realized this…
"…"
"…"
A strange silence immediately wrapped around our party the moment the battle ended.
"Huh? Why do you all suddenly look like that?"
Only Lek Aures was unaware of the current situation.
He could be considered in a similar position to Ainard on our team…
'Why do warriors always end up in this kind of position?'
I briefly wondered but knew it wasn't the time to think deeply.
How long did that silence last with only Aures tilting his head?
Shwaaaaaa-!
A torrential downpour.
"This is…"
Ibaekho murmured quietly while gazing at the fallen Brakiaistel.
"This might actually be dangerous…?"
His words summed up better than anything the predicament we currently faced.
The Ninth Floor is not a place to enter unprepared.
Just then…
Shwaaaa—
Like stage lights turning on, a red glow poured down from above, covering a radius of about 50 meters.
It was a famous field effect of the Ninth Floor Graveyard.
"Huh…? What's this…?"
Aures stood dazed as if he'd met someone familiar on the road.
"If you know it, why are you standing still? Move away!!"
The moment I shouted urgently, everyone snapped out of it and moved beyond the area.
Of course, those with slower speed took extra care of the mage and priest.
Being mobile and being agile aren't the same.
Mages need casting to move quickly, and Jaina, Karui's priest, needed to summon a mount…
Clench.
In emergencies like this, there's no time for that.
Tap-tap.
Only GM, caught off guard by the sudden situation, barely escaped the area.
Kwaaaang!
A meteor of red light crashed into the ground where we had been standing, exploding violently.
And then…
Huuuuu—!!
The blast wind was strong enough to easily push aside a grown man's body, kicking up dust.
Thanks to the pouring rain, visibility quickly recovered, but…
"Is everyone alright?"
Wow, my whole body is covered in goosebumps.
"…From now on, we have to stay alert all the time."
As the dust settled and we looked at the crater created at the impact site, my legs suddenly felt weak.
No wonder — this is how it went in the game.
'Instant death.'
That meteor carries an instant death effect.
If you get hit within a 5-meter radius at the center, no matter how you've built your character, the game-over screen pops up immediately.
Even at the edges, it still deals fixed damage…
Which doesn't matter much anyway.
Most tanks would die in one hit from this.
"Phew…"
Seeing my stunned comrades, I empathized briefly, then shouted loudly.
If a meteor fell, the aftermath would probably be the same as the game.
"Everyone, get a hold of yourselves!"
As I shouted to rouse everyone's spirits—
Flash!
A bolt of lightning struck straight into the center of the crater.
And then…
'So it's this guy too.'
A white bud-like form appeared instantly where the lightning hit, quickly growing and taking shape.
A bipedal humanoid monster, with two arms and a neck standing upright along its spine.
Of course, that classification is nominal; it's far from human.
No human is made of light like electricity flowing through the whole body…
Zzzzzzt!
The problem starts with its size.
There's no such thing as a human that big.
Unless it's a barbarian with [Giant Form].
"Gigazerros…!"
As usual, GM began explaining upon seeing the monster, but this time the tone was different.
"It's an incredibly agile monster using powerful electric attacks, unlike how it looks!"
Unlike before, GM quickly finished explaining in rapid-fire.
But that meant one important detail was missing.
"It's a Grade 2 monster, so be careful!"
Gigazerros, a Grade 2 monster, also only appears in the Graveyard and ranks near the top for single combat power among Grade 2 monsters.
I usually called it the 'Thunder Giant.'
Because no matter how you look at it, that name fits Gigazerros better.
"Gigazerros used [Thunder Strike]."
It drew its shield and rushed forward, electricity exploding off its body like a thunder giant.
Zzzzzzt!
Guarding was useless.
Area skills «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» like this can't be blocked by Aegis' barrier.
You just have to take it…
"Character used [Scales of Greed]."
Blue scales sprouted on my already [Giant Form]-enhanced body.
The 'Dragon Mode' gained through the 'Bellarios' essence.
'Ouch, that tingles.'
Electricity emitted from the Thunder Giant shocked my muscles into spasms…
"Character is now [Paralyzed]."
That was the damage taken.
"Paralysis is removed."
Thanks to my anti-magic setup, paralysis was gone in less than two seconds.
But when I glanced behind…
'Ibaekho still hasn't recovered?'
You still haven't perfected your CC-defense mechanisms?
'No wonder you haven't reached the Tenth Floor yet.'
Smiling knowing Ibaekho's weakness, I dashed forward with renewed vigor.
And then…
"Character has entered the area of [Short Circuit Zone]."
The moment I approached the monster, white spheres suspended in the air discharged electricity, connecting to my body.
"Character's spirit power steadily decreases."
"Spirit power consumption causes fixed damage proportional to the amount consumed."
"All damage from Gigazerros is applied as electric damage."
"Character entered [Conductor] state."
"When taking electric damage, [Thunder Strike] is activated."
[Short Circuit Zone].
An aura-type passive skill that every electric melee character hopes for.
Zzzzzzt!
The Thunder Giant slammed its massive fist into me.
"Guard success."
"Aegis' barrier absorbs all damage."
I blocked and absorbed the impact, but…
Like droplets scattering, white particles fell around me, from which lightning struck.
Hm, 'struck' might not be the right word?
Tssszzz!
Just like light speed can't be tracked by the eye, when I came to, the white lightning from those particles had connected.
Though the damage wasn't huge…
"Character took electric damage."
"[Thunder Strike] activated."
Electricity exploded from my body, sending lightning bolts in all directions.
This time, the effect was amplified 300% more than before.
Zzzzzzt!
Fortunately, I had already put distance behind me, so the damage wasn't severe.
But…
'Looks like I can't expect melee support in this state…'
I quickly judged the situation and ignored the stinging sensation, grabbed the monster's body, and dashed forward, widening the gap with my teammates.
I felt my condition worsening in real time, but that didn't matter.
Everyone has their role.
If the tank's role is to take hits…
"Jaina Flyer summoned [Healing Leeches]."
The healer's job is healing.
Tap-tap.
Transparent leeches latched onto my body, continuously restoring HP and MP.
"Jaina Flyer cast [Curse of Regeneration]."
For some reason, this continuous healing skill is considered a 'curse.'
"Jaina Flyer summoned [Life Vessel]."
A structure like an altar appeared at the center of the battlefield, connecting everyone with red threads.
'Okay, tanking is solid enough now…'
The rest is up to the dealers.
"…Huh?"
…And then the incident happened.
What is the most important job in Dungeon and Stone?
If someone asked me, I'd answer without hesitation:
The most important job is the tank.
That makes sense.
If the dealers lack skill, you just can't kill the monster.
But if the main tank's specs aren't enough, it usually ends in total annihilation.
Since I've always been the tank, I managed to keep my team safe through dangerous expeditions.
…Except for a few times.
Anyway.
I value tanks more highly than mages or priests.
But…
'Damn this new map.'
Outside the city walls, a kind of new field, and here, where we came through a mysterious dimensional stele, all my common sense was useless.
Because…
"…Huh?"
While tanking and dealers were steadily dealing damage—
The Thunder Giant suddenly acted abnormally.
It ignored me and charged toward the dealers behind…
Flash!
With a blink-type movement skill, it was impossible to stop it midway.
"Ugh! Ahhh…!"
Unfortunately, the first victim of this sudden action was GM.
GM quickly activated a mana shield upon seeing the monster appear right in front…
Crack!
The hastily formed mana shield of a Grade 2 monster was easily broken and a clean hit landed.
But the shield did help reduce the shock.
Otherwise, GM might have died in one blow.
"Damn it! Havelion! Are you alive?"
"Y-yes! Alive!"
"Then heal fast! If that bastard dies, we won't be able to fix the magic circle!!"
We hadn't even found a way to escape yet, so what good was a magic circle…
Under Ibaekho's shout, Jaina started focusing on healing GM.
And then…
"Behel—laaaaaa!!!"
Just as I was rushing to mark the monster again—
Flash!
The monster used its teleport skill and vanished before my eyes.
'What the hell…?'
That sudden behavior wasn't once but twice.
Denial was pointless now.
'Threat level doesn't work…?'
The 'Threat Level' raised by [Giant Form].
And the absolute aggro effect of 'Aegis' Barrier' triggered by that Threat Level.
The monster was ignoring both.
As if it wasn't judged a monster but a 'person.'
"Hold tight!"
"Kyah!"
Fortunately, the archer reacted to the second ambush and pulled the healer to safety.
Still, the situation was grim.
Zzzzzzt!
This wasn't a trivial monster—it's Grade 2.
If tanking fails, there will definitely be casualties…
'What do I do now?'
It was the first time in a long while I felt utterly helpless against a monster, and my mind became overwhelmed.
"…Damn it."
Ibaekho clicked his tongue at the Thunder Giant.
His tone wasn't just frustration—it sounded oddly regretful.
"I really didn't want to show this."
…What?
As if he knew a way out of this situation.
"Everyone, run as far away as possible."
Ibaekho murmured, extending his hand forward.
And then…
Zzzzt—
A dark sphere formed before his hand, spinning as it sucked in the surrounding air.
'Wait a minute.'
This looked familiar…
"Run! If you get caught, even the Baron won't be safe!"
Ibaekho shouted urgently and dashed off, with Aures following immediately.
I quickly pulled myself together and followed.
Seconds later…
"Charging is enough."
Ibaekho murmured briefly.
Kwaaang!
The dark sphere exploded, engulfing the area in a black flash.
"Gigazerros defeated +EXP 8"
Everything went pitch black as if blinded, but I had no doubt the fight with the Thunder Giant had ended.
I knew exactly what skill I had just seen.
"Star's Extinction…"
The active skill of Deadred, Lord of Darkness, with destructive power unmatched by any essence—undisputedly the strongest attack skill in Dungeon and Stone.
'Crazy…'
He actually had that skill…?
-x-X-x-
"Deadred, the Lord of Darkness.
One line is enough to explain just how powerful this guy is.
He's the ruler of the 7th floor, the Dark Continent.
Well, in the case of the 7th floor, there are unusually two rulers…
But that doesn't mean their power is any less.
Anyway.
'How on earth did this guy manage to eat that…?'
To be honest, I just can't wrap my head around it.
Unlike the cheat version where you can just crush things with essences, on original difficulty, if you don't know 'that method,' it's practically impossible to clear.
Could it be that I underestimated Ibaekho all this time?
Maybe this guy is unexpectedly impressive.
'…Or he just got incredibly lucky.'
I don't know the exact circumstances of how he obtained Deadred's essence, but if I were to guess, it's probably been a very long time since he got it.
For one thing…
'Because the last time he was summoned was almost eight years ago.'
Given that the labyrinth is always full of explorers, secretly summoning a floor lord is impossible.
So, there's no chance to obtain it within the last eight years, even if you wanted to.
Ah, of course, by natural means.
'If it's the royal family, they probably have at least one floor essence stored in a test tube.'
It's also possible, through some deal, that Ibaekho obtained it.
Though that possibility seems slim given the circumstances.
'…So he really was summoned that day.'
The day when Ibaekho, dreaming of a harem while exploring the labyrinth, was exposed by a companion's betrayal.
Surprisingly, that timing fits exactly.
So I thought the royal family used the excuse of a floor lord to cover up the incident with Ibaekho.
I'd heard that explorers were dying en masse in the labyrinth.
'Surely it was Ibaekho who summoned it.'
If I speculate again, it would've been Ibaekho who summoned the floor lord.
When cornered, you have to gamble to shake up the game.
"Every time I see it, its terrifying power never ceases to amaze…"
Lost in thought, Aures next to me let out a long sigh and muttered.
"Is everyone unharmed…?"
Still, since he's a tank, it seems like a habit to ask about his comrades' well-being first.
"I'm fine."
"Same here."
While healer Jaina and archer Briot snapped out of it to answer Aures' question, the GM, still slung over my shoulder like baggage, was different.
Should I say he was still out of it?
"…W-what exactly was that just now?"
What, has this guy never even beaten the Lord of Darkness in the game?
I immediately recognized the skill as soon as I saw it.
"I-I've never even heard of such a supernatural ability existing…"
But I understood that vacant expression.
Even I was getting goosebumps from actually seeing its power for the first time.
Let alone someone who had no idea such a skill existed.
Chiiiiiik—!
The steam created as the heavy rain falling on the heated ground evaporated soared high like at a fire scene.
Of course, that didn't last long.
The heat cooled quickly, the steam vanished, and visibility was restored.
"..."
A crater far larger than when just one meteorite fell.
Inside stood only Ibaekho, lonely and solitary…
"Surprise!"
Soon Ibaekho looked up at us with a playful expression and waved.
Seeing that, he seemed like just a funny guy…
'Who would have thought a nuclear bomb was hidden behind that smiling face.'
Maybe I should reconsider now.
I was certain he wouldn't lose if we fought.
"What are you waiting for? It's all over, so come on!"
At Ibaekho's call, we approached the crater again.
"Old man of ruin! Take a look at this first! This is really expensive, right?"
Ibaekho pointed with sparkling eyes to a spot where a pure white orb lay.
Chijijijik—!
Inside the orb, electric currents danced like a plasma ball.
You know the kind?
The sort you might see as a prop in a tarot shop.
"This is… the 'Orb of Thunder.'"
"Oh, right, that's the name. So how much is it worth?"
"For wizards, it's a treasure that's hard to put a price on."
"No, I'm asking how much though?"
At Ibaekho's persistent question, the ruin scholar roughly guessed the price, and Ibaekho's eyes went wide.
"Wow, it's that expensive? That could've been a disaster."
I could relate to Ibaekho's relief.
Wasn't it the skill that erased a space over 70 meters in radius?
If it were an ordinary monster, it would've been completely annihilated with no byproducts to collect.
"Uh? We just pick it up then?"
"Though it's the first time I've actually seen one, I know that byproducts don't require any special magical treatment."
"Oh, I see… then give it here."
The dropped 'Orb of Thunder' immediately disappeared into Ibaekho's pocket dimension.
For some reason, my stomach hurt, but I said nothing.
Not simply because Ibaekho was much stronger than expected.
'I have to credit the skill he showed.'
It was a secret trump card skill he'd been hiding.
If he'd saved it to show only at the end, the battle would've been much harder.
Besides, we didn't immediately need the 'Orb of Thunder.'
'It'd be nice to make a hammer with it when I go to the deal-tank barbarian…'
But since we already got the 'No.87 Crawl's Demon Crusher,' it wasn't that meaningful, and no one in the party needed a thunder weapon.
So this time, I decided not to claim a share.
If something we really want appears later, we can use this concession as leverage.
"Okay, loot's done… let's get back to work."
Having finished the loot, Ibaekho immediately turned his back and approached a monument that had fallen to the ground when the crater was formed.
"Well, luckily there's not a single scratch. Should we just put this into the pocket dimension as is? Might have some value as a material."
When Ibaekho said that, it felt like he was trying to change the subject.
'Maybe he's avoiding bringing up [Star's Extinction]?'
I couldn't tell his true intention, but because of that attitude, the timing to talk about the essence was lost.
'…Though asking probably wouldn't have meant much.'
Anyway, I was also curious about the monument, so I quickly approached them.
Ibaekho and Aures were in the middle of trying to put the monument into the pocket dimension…
"Step aside. I'll help too."
When I joined in, the monument, which weighed more than a ton, was easily lifted.
And then…
"Ugh?!"
As soon as the edge entered the pocket dimension, it was violently bounced out by a tremendous repulsive force.
Kuuuung—!
The monument crashed halfway into the ground with a heavy thud.
"Damn! What is this!"
Ibaekho fussed while the GM crouched beside the monument.
"…This is very unusual. There's absolutely no magical circuits or anything inside, yet the pocket dimension has such intense rejection."
"It is definitely suspicious."
"Yes… we need to investigate it more precisely over time."
"What do you think? I want to investigate this for a while… Ah, Baron, you agree?"
Watching Ibaekho trying to regain initiative naturally, I smirked but nodded.
"Yeah, I agree."
Heavy rain poured down.
A dangerous area where meteorites even occasionally fell, but maybe this is the key to returning where we belong.
"Well… then we'll first analyze the composition. Aures, could you hold this for a moment?"
"Oh! Of course!"
Time passed quickly.
The 9th floor, Star Grave.
Strictly speaking, it's a place very similar to that, but anyway.
This place wasn't good for thoroughly researching anything in one spot.
Swoooosh—!
The pouring rain # Nоvеlight # was like a storm, rising the water level like a flood beyond cold or discomfort.
Kwahaaaang—!
Meteorites occasionally fell.
Flash!
Lightning, blizzard, strong winds, hail, earthquake, hurricane, and so on.
All kinds of natural disasters occurred, and during all that, monsters kept appearing and fighting was unavoidable.
The problem was…
"Hey, if we had a week, shouldn't we have figured something out by now?"
"..."
"Old man of ruin, I didn't think you were like this, so why? If you can't do it, just say so. That way we won't waste our time. Okay?"
Even after a week of precise examination, all we found out was that this monument was very sturdy.
But on the bright side, there was some gain elsewhere.
As the number of battles increased, we learned more details about the monsters here.
'The threat gauge is completely dead.'
It's hard to draw aggro here properly.
Not because of some field effect or anything making threat zero.
Just…
"It seems like it's because the monsters here are intelligent."
At first, monsters would charge excitedly, but if I stood firm, they quickly changed their minds and targeted the dealers first.
Like they were learning.
'Since aggro doesn't work properly, the difficulty feels like three or four times harder.'
Of course, it wasn't that I narrowly survived every battle.
There were some truly dangerous moments, but…
Isn't it said that humans are the most adaptable animals?
"Monsters spotted north-northeast ahead!"
"…Reditrous."
"To your positions!"
Instead of charging forward as the main tank alone, I stayed near the group and acted as a shield.
And…
"It's only one! Don't rush, focus on protection!"
Using the fact that monsters here were extremely few compared to normal fields, we fought as safely as possible.
"Hey, why are you trying to collect all the materials from these grade 5 trash mobs? We have no space, so just dump the bulky ones!"
"Even if the grade is low, they're very rare materials. If we return to the city later—"
"You're so greedy. Even if we only bring back the essentials, that'd be a huge haul."
"..."
Among the byproducts, I kept mostly the valuable ones and discarded the rest.
Since returning to the city would take at least several months, the inventory might be full by then.
It was a choice to reduce time waste.
"…So, Baron, what do you plan to do?"
"I think it's time to stop investigating and start moving."
"Where to?"
"First, I think it's best to just keep moving steadily in one direction."
"Well, that might be better. But which direction?"
We were currently on the 9th floor Star Grave.
And in the center is the 'Primeval Land.'
By the way, if certain conditions are met here, you can summon the 'Primeval Dragon' and kill it…
'But summoning it means game over, so I'll skip that…'
I said the destination I'd been thinking of.
"To the west."
"To the west from here… the Old Rock Grassland? Why there?"
Simple reason.
"There's a 'Spirit Gate' in the Old Rock Grassland."
"Oh, you want to check where it leads?"
"Well, not sure if it even exists."
"I see. I thought you wanted to go there for the level 8 engraving materials!"
…That perceptive guy.
"Enough, let's get moving. There's no use investigating here any longer."
"Yes, yes! Everyone heard that? Let's go!"
After wrapping up, we moved westward as planned, and about four days later, the Old Rock Grassland appeared.
And…
"…Ha, I never imagined we'd be stuck here."
About halfway through the Old Rock Grassland, a dead-end blocked us.
Swoooosh—!
A gray world, dying and losing all color, like what we saw once on the Lapdonia coastline.
"Don't get close. Touching it means instant death."
Oh, so if we push here, Ibaekho dies?
I thought that for a moment but didn't try it.
First priority was to work together to get out.
"Let's try moving around following the boundary."
From then on, we moved with the boundary on our left.
One day, two days, three days, four days…
And then, fifteen days.
After moving quickly for a whole 15 days, we gradually grew silent.
The more we completed the map's outskirts, the more ominous certainty rose.
"Hey, um…"
"Just stay quiet. Nothing's certain yet."
"Okay…"
Two more days passed, bringing us to the 17th day.
We returned to the Old Rock Grassland again.
We'd made a large loop with the boundary on our left…
Siiiiiick.
Drawing a line connecting the incomplete circle on the map, I sighed deeply.
No longer was there any point in denial or holding back.
"Damn it."
We're trapped here.
-x-X-x-
A dimensional monument given by the man we met outside the city walls.
And the unknown land we crossed through that monument, strikingly similar to the 9th floor Star Grave.
At first, I thought this place might be inside the labyrinth…
'But I guess not.'
This place lies outside the city walls.
The high intelligence of the monsters here supports that, and the fact that when you defeat them, their byproducts remain intact confirms it.
The problem is…
'It's impossible to walk back around.'
This place is basically an 'island.'
No, it's even more isolated than an island.
Even if its location is somewhere on the continent, it's completely surrounded by a gray boundary line, making it impossible to go beyond.
In other words, physical escape is zero.
"…Baron? What do you plan to do now?"
Ibaekho glanced at me and asked.
I was somewhat dumbfounded.
After all the subtle power struggles to wrest command, now that things turned out this way, he suddenly pretends nothing happened.
"You're the one who said we should take a big loop and that there must be a way out somewhere, Baron."
"I think I said there 'might be' a way out."
"Oh, isn't that the same thing?"
I wondered how such an annoying guy existed, but I'd heard it's best not to get sensitive in times like this.
So I just ignored him and got to the point.
"We did get some results, didn't we?"
"Yes. We found out we're properly trapped here. Right?"
Ah, should I just hit him once?
That urge surged up for a moment but I held back, thinking of patience and [Star's Extinction].
"…Yeah, that alone is enough of a result. Besides, the map's roughly complete."
"But only the outer edges are drawn. The inside is still empty."
"That means now we just have to search those empty parts. Surely somewhere there is the dimensional monument originally here or one connected to another place."
I said this with confidence honed by many leadership experiences, but Ibaekho just glared at me indifferently.
"Isn't that just baseless confidence? How do you know there's a dimensional monument?"
Well…
'[Dungeon and Stone] is that kind of game.'
Of course, that might be a naive thought.
This place is the 'outside of the city walls'—somewhere I've never been in the game—and the reality I experienced here is definitely different from a game.
But…
"So what do you want me to do?"
That wasn't just empty words.
Even if it feels like we're trapped in a bottomless pit with no escape, there must be a way out somewhere in the world.
That's my iron rule and belief.
"If you don't have confidence, are you just going to sit here and rest?"
"No, that's not what I meant—"
"Then just quietly follow me. Even if you all say no and give up, I will definitely find a way."
When I looked him straight in the eyes and said that, Ibaekho fell silent for a moment but then answered with a tone of admiration.
"Wow, Baron, you really have a way with words. Have you always hypnotized everyone like this?"
At Ibaekho's words, the archer beside him added.
"That was a fascinating experience. For a moment, I really felt no worries at all."
"Hahaha! I never thought the Baron would say anything wrong! We have to do something! Just staying still will only make us hungrier!"
When even Aures laughed heartily and stepped forward, the slightly tense atmosphere softened.
That's why every team needs at least one positive warrior.
Having led many times, I know the difference such a person makes is huge.
"Alright then, let's set off again."
…Let's go.
From now on, we have only one job.
We have to personally explore every unexplored area to find the 'dimensional monument' or any way out.
The problem is that we have to thoroughly check this vast area.
So our exploration method was very simple.
"Under trees, cliffs, caves, small gaps, structures… anything noticeable, report immediately. Got it?"
Not only the scout archer Briot, but every member of the team carefully scanned the surroundings even while moving.
If anything was found…
"It looks like a shallow pond, but it's very deep. It's a perfect place to hide something."
"Good, let's stop for a moment and check it out."
We used magic to detect, but still felt uneasy and went directly into the water to check.
Some complained if we had to go that far, but I never compromised.
That dimensional monument 'Deilan' claimed to have found was also hidden in a difficult-to-find cliff crevice.
Only this much effort would allow us to draw conclusions later.
That there is no 'dimensional monument' here.
So we must seek other methods.
"Baron! Look at this! Doesn't this seem suspicious?"
"Where exactly?"
"Here, here! The flower petal is broken!"
"…Enough. Let's keep moving."
Of course, we filtered out and saved time listening only to real concerns.
"Why! Didn't you say to report even the smallest thing before?"
But still.
The flower petal is broken. What do you want me to do about it?
How the hell am I supposed to verify this?
"Prince Ruin Genesis! Can't you check this out?"
When I ignored it, Aures went whining to the old man of ruin.
Naturally, the old man didn't grant that request.
"Come on."
"Prince Ruin Genesis!!"
"Then let's keep moving."
So the search resumed.
Because the search was thorough, progress was slow, but the map steadily filled.
'We've finished about 70% of the Old Rock Grassland…'
The current layout of the area we're in is simple.
Centered on the 'Primeval Land' where we first teleported through the portal.
To the west lies the 'Old Rock Grassland.'
To the north, the 'Deadly Poison Lava Field.'
To the east, the 'Dreamlike Waterfall,' and to the south, the 'Dragon Bone Mountain.'
Except for the Primeval Land, all are cut in half by the ash boundary, creating fragmented fields…
'The biggest problem is probably the Dreamlike Waterfall…'
The Deadly Poison Lava Field and Dragon Bone Mountain are both based on the 9th floor, so they're difficult, but nothing compared to the Dreamlike Waterfall.
If we have to thoroughly search to find a dimensional monument, it's even harder—
"Someone! Human tracks!"
…Huh?
"It's real. Definitely human footprints."
While exploring the Old Rock Grassland, we suddenly found traces of humans.
And we, who were searching for 'suspicious things' without any basis, couldn't just ignore it.
"Briot, you lead from now on and track those footprints. Full speed ahead."
I gave the order quickly, and we chased the traces at top speed.
And after some time…
"..."
In the middle of the grassland stood the back of a man.
He wore shabby clothes as if he hadn't washed in months.
Based on this description, he shared traits with 'Deilan' who had lured us here…
But then.
As soon as the man sensed our presence and turned around,
We realized he was neither 'Deilan' nor human.
There was a black spider stuck to his face.
"…What, it's a Bayon."
A Grade 3 humanoid monster, Bayon.
A monster who is also the original owner of my [Transcendence] skill.
By the way, he mainly appears in the 'Land of Immortality' on the 7th floor Dark Continent.
But occasionally shows up in the 9th floor Old Rock Grassland as well.
"Hah, I was certain it was Deilan."
"In the end, a wild goose chase…"
Our party seemed disappointed knowing the true identity of the footprints, but honestly, I was quite glad to see this monster.
I had to keep my expression in check.
'Finally found it.'
Bayon is one of the monsters you have to kill most often when training the shield barbarian.
Not only because you need to get [Transcendence],
But also because its byproduct 'Parasitic Spider' rarely appears in the auction house.
"Well, Baron, you're lucky? It drops level 8 engraving materials."
"..."
"I'm jealous. Means you still have a long way to go to get stronger."
Ibaekho joked with a sharp bone-related pun, stretching his arms as if warming up.
Then…
Tada—!
He dashed immediately toward Bayon.
If you've led before, such a sudden move can be infuriating.
"Wait!"
"It's just a grade 3 monster, what's the big deal?"
It is just a grade 3 monster.
Not wrong, but Bayon is quite dangerous.
Unlike other monsters, its combat power varies wildly by individual, and its abilities differ, so it's standard practice to scout before fighting.
Kwahjik—!
…Well, maybe it doesn't matter?
"Ah! That felt good!"
Ibaekho's black aura-powered punch pierced Bayon's heart, and it collapsed.
At the same time, I felt something rising within me.
It was a feeling all explorers know well.
「Bayon defeated. EXP +7」
When I killed 'Gigazeroth' before, I was so frantic I wasn't sure, but here the experience was definitely gained.
"Let's see… let's loot the Baron's engraving materials… okay?"
Approaching the completely dead Bayon to remove the spider stuck on its face, Ibaekho suddenly froze.
"Baekho? What's wrong… Ugh! What is this?!"
Seeing Aures approach startled too, it seemed something unexpected had happened.
So I quickly checked Bayon's corpse—
"…Huh?"
What is this?
When the spider was removed, revealing Bayon's face, I was as shocked as the others.
"…His face is blackened, but isn't this that person?"
The humanoid monster 'Bayon' we met in the Old Rock Grassland
Had Deilan's face.
The situation increasingly slips deeper into the labyrinth.
Deilan, who lured us here, disappeared.
Why had he transformed into a monster and wandered this place?
"…Could we get your insight?"
At GM's cautious request, the ruin scholar spoke.
"I'm not certain, but I once read in an ancient book. 'Bayon' are said to be ancient explorers who died in the labyrinth."
Coincidentally, I already knew this.
I studied the game's world setting every day hoping to find info about hidden pieces.
"Ah! So that's why Bayon uses essence like explorers!"
"That may be, but there's little evidence. It's more like folklore for public entertainment."
"…Is that so."
What exactly is our situation?
Becoming more and more unknowable, I forcibly took the byproducts from Ibaekho.
Curiosity is curiosity, but this is important.
'Only one more material left for the level 8 engraving…'
Now there's only one material left for the 8th-level engraving.
'Well, I think I can get it quickly using the outside-of-city-walls characteristics…'
Still, encountering 'Bayon' here where the population is low, and where they rarely appear, means we're pretty lucky—
"Oh! Looks like it really is Deilan! I found an ID card in his pocket!"
At that, Aures excitedly stood up.
In one hand the size of a watermelon was a business-card-sized ID card.
"Let's see, the name is…"
Thump—
"Hans…? Ah! Right! That's it! Hans!"
Thump—!
My heart pounded violently.
I made a quick decision and shouted urgently.
"Prepare to move!!"
We have to get out of here.
As fast as possible.
-x-X-x-
It had been a long time since I'd last seen Hans.
So long, in fact, that it almost felt like a surprise to meet him again…
It was Hans.
'Last time was K…'
Hans Kaiser.
Back when I was active as Rihen Shuitsu, I happened to encounter him on the Dark Continent.
And…
'Less than two hours before, the Noark ambush started.'
In the end, we got through it without major losses, but it could have been disastrous.
If Raven hadn't changed her mind midway, my journey that day might have ended trapped in the "Cage of Silence."
Anyway, that's not what matters…
'Hans L.'
That's the code name of the Hans we just met.
Well, I'm a bit skeptical whether a monster-turned-dead guy is really classified as 'Hans.'
Still, better to be cautious.
Thump—!
Following the wildly pounding rhythm of my heart, I shouted with all my might.
"Prepare to move!!!"
Of course, no one understood my reaction.
"…Huh? Suddenly?"
"We don't detect any monster presence at all…"
Ibaekho and the archer gave puzzled looks.
But seeing the urgency on my face, they straightened their posture and readied themselves.
"This is an emergency. We must get as far away from here as possible."
"No, but why—"
In emergencies, action beats words.
Ignoring all questions, I took off running first, and everyone followed me without understanding why.
Not just because of crowd mentality, but because they trusted that I had a reason for this behavior.
"…Let's move out! Baron Yandel wouldn't act like this without a reason!"
Thus began our unexpected escape.
But even as they followed me, they kept asking questions.
"Baron! So what is it? Tell us! At least what we're running from!"
Fair questions, but I had no answers.
Because I didn't know.
What exactly we were running from.
"…You'll find out soon enough."
That was all I could say, so I dodged the questions.
"This Baron is really frustrating!"
Ibaekho sounded exasperated but didn't stop or slow down.
Some time passed.
"…A person?"
At the edge of our vision appeared the silhouette of a person.
"Not a person, it's a Bayon."
A monster with dark skin and a black spider clinging to its face.
Surprisingly, it wasn't just one.
"…There are quite a few."
Starting from one at the front, five more Bayons appeared from the shadows.
"Hey, Baron! What now!"
"Take them out as fast as possible and keep moving."
"Okay, everyone heard that?"
As soon as I gave the order, the party switched to battle mode and engaged the Bayons.
The fight itself wasn't difficult.
Since there were many enemies, Ibaekho didn't recklessly rush in as before, and though fast, carefully assessed each Bayon.
"What the hell! Why are they using all their skills?"
"…It's the Essence of the Guardian!"
"What? This weakling has the Essence of Pianil?"
These Bayons had much higher essence levels than expected, so the fight took some time.
'Fifteen minutes…'
Though killing six grade 3 monsters in that time was fast, my unease about Hans L. made it feel long.
'Anyway, no one got hurt, so that's good…'
I wanted to move on immediately after the battle, but my control didn't stretch that far.
"Hey, are we leaving all this behind? Wait a moment. Let's finish looting."
Ignoring my rush to move, Ibaekho started looting.
When I protested there wasn't time, he just said to tell him why it was urgent if it mattered.
"Sigh…"
I was frustrated too.
Honestly, even if I wanted to say something, I couldn't.
If I said it was because of the name 'Hans,' they'd just laugh.
Unless they saw, heard, and felt it themselves, no matter the example, they'd dismiss it as superstition.
And after that, they wouldn't humor my stubbornness.
So I had no choice but to watch them loot.
"Six Bayons… that's unusual."
"Yeah. Maybe in the Land of Immortality, but not common here."
Two mages exchanged opinions.
As they said, so many Bayons was abnormal.
But…
'This can't be all.'
It was hard to believe the 'Hans effect' ended there.
After all, what we'd suffered was no small matter.
"Okay, loot's done!"
Anyway, Ibaekho finished quickly, and we were ready to move again.
But someone else held me back.
"Wait! Wait, everyone hold on!"
The tank of Ibaekho's team, Lek Aures, shouted as if he'd found something.
I tried to ignore him thinking it would be nonsense again, but—
"These guys! Their faces look familiar!"
That couldn't be ignored.
"Briot! Come check this out! Aren't these guys explorers on our side?"
"…What do you mean?"
At Aures' request, the archer approached and checked the Bayon corpses with the spiders removed from their faces.
And…
"That's right. Not all, but [N O V E L I G H T] some faces are familiar."
Agreeing with Aures, Briot nodded.
Hearing this, the GM cautiously proposed a theory.
"Could these be the companions of the man called Hans Deilan?"
"…Huh?"
"You know, I heard they were once over a hundred people wandering the outside world together… I wondered if these might be them…"
"Eh? But weren't they said to have scattered?"
Aures expressed doubt, but I thought it was quite possible.
The best place to hide a lie is beside the truth.
'Hundreds remaining outside the city walls is truth.'
But their scattering is false; perhaps they got caught up in some incident.
There's actual evidence for that.
"…I think they've been monsters for at least several months."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know much about Bayon, but look at this one's neck wound. Surely this injury led to death and then 'monstrosity.'"
"…But?"
"But the blood stains on the upper chest are at least several months old."
A rational deduction worthy of a mage used to experiments.
Even the old man of ruin nodded in agreement.
"Hmm… then maybe that Hans Deilan guy actually died months ago and turned monster—"
I interrupted mid-sentence.
"Deilan."
"…?"
"Don't say 'Hans.' Just call him Deilan."
Because whenever I heard 'Hans,' my body twitched reflexively.
"You worry about the strangest things."
He cut me off and teased, then the old man continued.
"Anyway, if Deilan died months ago and turned monster, things get complicated."
"Yes. That means the 'Deilan' we met wasn't really Deilan."
"Huh? What are you both talking about? I don't get it at all!"
"Aures… Simply put, someone pretended to be 'Deilan' and led us here."
"…What! Have we walked into a trap?!"
Jaina explained, and Aures screamed in shock.
It was now familiar, so the two mages just kept chatting as if ignoring him.
"If our theory is right, this isn't the end for the Bayons."
"Yes… We don't know the truth, but if over a hundred people had an accident here…"
"Then many Bayons might still be wandering nearby."
The two concluded with a banter.
"Monster approach detected!"
The scout archer Briot shouted loudly.
"Five… no, six… seven, ten, fifteen…? The number keeps increasing!"
Briot reported the number detected in real time.
From five initially, the number quickly grew past thirty.
"Monster flood! This can rightly be called a monster flood!"
A monster flood is an explorer term for monsters suddenly swarming…
"Wow, a monster wave?"
Players also call it a monster wave.
"Briot, where did the flood start?"
"Everywhere. They're swarming from all directions. Like we're the target!"
A clear abnormality.
Bayons, which were rare and scattered, suddenly gathered in dozens.
'…Did killing one trigger something?'
The details are unknown, but it was time to act rather than hesitate.
"Even with this team, dozens might be too much."
"If other monsters show up or a meteor falls mid-fight, it'll be a big problem."
"The northeast direction has fewer numbers."
"Lead the way. We'll avoid combat as much as possible."
"Yes."
We assigned the archer with the widest detection range to lead, and followed behind.
Being a top-class scout, he skillfully avoided most Bayons.
"This way!"
Using keen intuition, he expertly led us through without bumping into them.
"How's our archer's guidance? Not bad, huh?"
Ibaekho boasted, and the archer smiled awkwardly.
"Baekho, it was only possible because there was a gap. …If we'd stayed at the original spot and realized late, battle would've been inevitable."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"At first I was unsure, but now I'm certain. If we'd been there when we first killed a Bayon, we'd have already been completely surrounded when we detected their presence."
Briot's humble words made Aures excited.
"Oh, really?! Amazing, Baron! You said we needed to run!"
"…I'm curious too. How did the Baron know?"
The archer agreed, and Ibaekho's eyes gleamed slyly.
"Heh… Maybe our Baron has a skill like that? Let's see, what detection skills does a tank have…"
Believing I had such a detection skill, Ibaekho started shadow boxing sincerely.
"Hmm, [Irritable Muscle] doesn't have that effect, [Needle of Regret] definitely doesn't, and 'Fate Tracker' didn't react either… What could it be?"
Ibaekho threw guesses one by one, but I said nothing.
Because how could I say it was not a skill but 'Hans'?
Even if I explained, no one would believe me, and it's better for me if they think I have another skill.
So I kept silent and focused on breaking through the Bayons' encirclement and escaping.
Time passed again.
「Character entered a special zone.」
We left the Old Rock Grassland and entered a new field.
「Field effect — Deadly Poison Lava Field is applied.」
「Character's poison resistance is fixed at 0.」
「Soul recovery speed decreased by 99%.」
「Warning: Beware of explosions!」
Boiling green lava.
Thick poisonous gas like smoke.
"…Looks like they're no longer following."
The scout said the situation was over upon entering the new field.
"We survived."
"Thankfully, the pursuit isn't unconditional."
We escaped the Bayon monster wave.
But my warrior's pounding heart still said otherwise.
Thump—!
This can't be the end.