A space shrouded entirely in darkness.
Flash—!
Like dawn breaking over the horizon, light began to spread rapidly, coloring the whole world.
Whooooosh—!
The wind blew fiercely, as if it might suck you in.
Brrrrring—
A ringing in my head accompanied by a headache, and new knowledge began to imprint itself on my mind.
Ah, is it really new knowledge?
"Phew, I'm alive at last."
When the psychiatrist in the dream told me to speak Rafdonia's language, I was so ashamed I couldn't say a word, only moving my lips.
Well, now that I'm back, it doesn't matter.
I lowered my head and looked at my hands.
Unlike the small hands of Hansoo, these were rough, coarse, and thick-veined—barbarian hands.
Clench.
I clenched and unclenched my fists several times to check my body condition.
Tap, tap.
Familiar footsteps echoed in the distance.
I turned toward the sound and, as expected—
Tap, tap—
The girl I briefly saw when pulled into the dream world appeared like a ghost and approached me.
"Alice Groundia."
As I murmured her name, the earth witch stopped and looked at me intently.
"I clearly told you not to come back."
"…"
"Why on earth have you returned?"
There was an oddly sad emotion in her voice.
I smirked and answered.
"Because this is where I belong."
But perhaps that answer was not enough.
Hearing my response, the girl looked up at me with a resentful expression and continued as if arguing.
"This was the world where your dream was realized."
"But it was fake."
"You know it's not fake, don't you?"
Hmm, well…
Indeed, the more time I spent there, the more I sensed it wasn't just a simple dream world.
But, as I said before.
"I don't care. That's not where I belong."
Once again I firmly stated my will, and the girl stayed silent for a while.
Whooooosh—!
The endless wind blowing.
And as time passed, the world became more than half washed in white light.
Crackling—
With the sound of something breaking, a boundary between darkness and light formed between the witch and me.
"I think I made my intentions clear. Aren't you going to send me back now?"
Breaking the short but long silence, I asked.
The earth witch clenched her fists like a child.
"You will suffer more pain and sadness there."
Oh, so that's how it would be?
"Still want to go back?"
A childish question fitting the girl's image, but I listened seriously and answered.
"Yes. I'll go back anyway."
I had no objections to the fact that it's a dog's world where I always have to watch my back and worry about my survival and my companions'.
"You'll lose something precious again. The pain you've felt so far won't even compare—you will despair deeply."
Just hearing that made it hard to breathe.
"So what?"
Isn't that what life is?
It's tough and painful, and you always want to run away.
And I, Hansoo, always ran away in reality, so I lived ignorant all my life.
Running away is not the answer.
The life of a warrior taught me that.
So…
"No matter how much it hurts, I will go forward."
"No matter what shitty things happen, I will struggle desperately to survive till the very end."
"Because I'm a barbarian."
As I finished speaking, the girl stepped over the boundary into the darkness and took one step back.
Whooooosh—!
The darkness shrank by the same amount I advanced.
Oh, this is kind of fun.
Thud.
I took a bigger step forward.
The girl did not back away.
She just stood still and spoke to me.
"You have…"
Thud.
"Chosen to live as Bjorn Yandel."
Thud.
The witch watching me wore a strange, hollow smile.
"In the end, you were no different from us."
…Huh?
"Us? What do you mean?"
I stopped walking, confused, and asked, but she gave no answer.
"You pretend not to run away, but you are running away all the same."
"No, so what does that mean—?"
Just as I said that, taking a bigger step forward—
"Yes, we were right after all."
The girl turned her back and walked into the darkness.
Tap, tap.
The footsteps grew faint.
And with them, the darkness faded.
"Hey, wait!!"
I tried to follow, but for °• N 𝑜 v l i g h t •° some reason, no matter how slow she walked, the distance between us did not close.
Tap—
The faint footsteps disappeared completely as the whole world was covered in light.
"Baron… Yandel…!"
A man's voice thundered through the space.
The voice was distorted and cut out intermittently like noise, but suddenly became clear and distinct.
"Ah! Baron Yandel!"
"Hah…"
The ending was a little awkward, but—
"Hey! Get up already, pleeease!!!"
"I'm awake, stop shaking me."
"…Huh?"
Finally, I returned.
To where I should be.
I was a little worried, actually.
Where would I go if I cleared [Dungeon and Stone] again?
Would I inhabit a completely different barbarian body and start the coming-of-age ritual from scratch?
Or would I wake up decades ago, or decades later?
What if my comrades and I had disappeared into history?
And only a few who survived into the future greeted me as old men?
Well, the answer turned out to be delusion.
"Stop shaking me, I'm awake."
When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the deck of a ship.
I was soaking wet, sprawled out, and Ibaekho was grabbing my shoulder, shaking me hard…
"…Huh? Tongue… No, Baron? Oh! You're awake! Are you okay?"
Ibaekho took a step back as if startled when I opened my eyes.
I quickly and briefly confirmed the most important things.
"What's the situation? Is it an emergency?"
"Oh, no. The danger is over."
Oh, that's a relief.
The last thing I remembered was being chased by Dryzen and falling underwater, so I thought it was an urgent wake-up situation.
"How long was I asleep?"
"Not long."
"Exactly how long?"
"Uh… about 30 minutes?"
Thirty minutes…
I felt relieved but somehow empty.
I'd spent at least half a year there.
"What about the others?"
"The mages are exhausted and meditating, and the rest, as you see, are fine."
Okay, so nothing unusual happened while I was asleep.
So I took it easy and listened to the story.
"Tell me exactly what happened after I fell off the ship. Don't leave anything out."
Maybe thinking info sharing was important, Ibaekho started immediately.
In short:
"The moment I saw you fall, I jumped in."
He jumped into the water to save me.
By the way, awakened monsters beat him up badly, and he almost died…
'I filtered out his unnecessary detailed heroics.'
Using wit and improvisation, Ibaekho finally managed to rescue me from sinking.
Luckily, the barbarian's heavy skeleton and armor saved me.
Otherwise, I'd have been swept away by the current and fallen over the waterfall, never to be saved.
"After that, we barely got back on the ship and escaped quickly."
"That easily…?"
I couldn't quite believe it from the story.
Even if the mages burned all their magic to activate the defensive runes on the ship, it was surprising they held out against first-class 'special boss' Dryzen until saving me…
And then 'just escaped well' was all there was.
"To be honest, I don't understand either. That's really all it was. We just ran like hell and they left us alone? They barely touched us when holding out on the ship."
According to Ibaekho, there were many questions about Dryzen's behavior.
Because that monster is normally not so docile.
But since he said so, I let it pass for now…
"Then why did you wake me up in such a hurry? There didn't seem to be any particular danger."
Ibaekho's expression changed oddly when I asked next.
"You don't know? You're asking? Ah, never mind."
"What the hell are you trying to do?"
I gave him a 'are you kidding me?' look, and Ibaekho cleared his throat repeatedly and answered as if nothing had happened.
"Ahem! Of course I was urgent! Your heart stopped back then!"
"…What?"
"I really thought you died! I was so shocked!"
Only then did I notice Ibaekho's appearance was terrible.
He really looked like he almost died in the water.
Soaked, with broken gear and unhealed wounds all over.
'Did he scream like that because my heart stopped?'
I suddenly felt embarrassed for seriously considering shoving Ibaekho under the ship in the chaos.
But…
'Still, he saved me for a reason. It wasn't because he truly cared about me.'
Thinking about it, he only saved me with all his might for his own benefit and purpose.
So don't be too grateful.
Yeah, that's the cold logic fitting Rafdonia.
"Ibaekho, I have a question."
"What is it?"
"No, never mind. It's nothing."
"What? You want to see me go crazy?"
Startled by the sudden 'brother' title, I noticed the others didn't seem to care.
Well, Ibaekho is the kind to say anything to anyone.
"What? What? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"
"I said it's nothing."
"Ah!! That makes me go crazier!!"
Seeing Ibaekho get several times louder than usual, I considered telling him just to calm him down, but decided against it.
Because…
'Why didn't you just leave me to die?'
That was the real question.
He was the one who once planned to kill me and revive me with the Resurrection Stone.
Today, after I die, he could use the Resurrection Stone I carry to resurrect me.
Then he could manipulate me at will while my memories were erased.
But…
'He probably didn't know.'
Thinking about it, Ibaekho couldn't be sure if I still had the Resurrection Stone.
Misha might have it, or I might have entrusted it to someone trustworthy.
He's smart, so he probably judged the highest chance was that I had it.
'My pocket dimension can't be opened before I die. It was a gamble for him.'
So I stopped asking.
Because if I mentioned it, he would learn I had the Resurrection Stone.
That could become a variable later…
'I really feel like I'm back.'
I smiled at the thought, and Ibaekho looked like he remembered something and asked me.
"Oh, right! Since I'm done asking what I wanted to ask, can I ask one more thing?"
"Go ahead."
"While you were unconscious, you smiled occasionally…"
"And?"
"What kind of dream did you have?"
Ibaekho's question made me hesitate.
'What kind of dream did I have…?'
If I honestly told him what I experienced, he'd think I was crazy.
Just like people in that world thought so.
Whether the earth witch or parallel world or whatever, they'd think it was a hallucination from sleeping due to field effects.
'That's funny when I think about it.'
But what's funnier is that I don't really know either.
Whether what I experienced was a real dream or if I actually visited a real alternate world.
Whether the witch I met was real or an illusion.
Thump—
I'm still a bit confused.
In fact, since waking, my memories from there are fading.
Like only some memorable scenes remain when you wake from a dream.
"Why won't you say? Did you have a sexy dream or something? Were you trapped in an orgy hallucination… or something like that?"
"It wasn't like that, so don't talk nonsense."
"Then what was it? You can tell me at least this much, right? Between us."
What are we between each other?
I wanted to retort but figured it'd just drag on, so I summarized shortly.
Not much.
Something you might experience once in a lifetime.
"It was just a stupid dream."
So no reason to feel sorry.
-x-X-x-
"The ship cuts through the starlit waves as it slowly advances."
"Oh, since no monsters have appeared, I guess the aggro's completely off now?"
"Baekho, what's aggro?"
"Ah, how many times do I have to explain it before you remember?"
"..."
The shipboard was peaceful as if no danger had ever existed.
"Glad you're safe, Baron."
"Yeah, glad you're safe too."
The GM, having finished recharging MP, greeted belatedly and was about to make conversation when Lek Aures suddenly laughed loudly and interrupted.
"Ha ha ha! I always believed you'd get up just fine! There's no way an immortal giant like you would die here!"
"Immortal giant… what's that supposed to mean?"
"Ah! That's a nickname I just came up with! Cool, isn't it? Fits you perfectly!"
"That guy's babbling nonsense again. Why are you taking him seriously? Just ignore him."
After Ibaekho advised the GM, he awkwardly nodded, and Lek Aures hung his head deeply as if wounded.
Ah, but that moment didn't last long.
"Oh dear! Why did I join a team like this? There's nowhere else that treats warriors so poorly as here!"
Like bowing to gain momentum, Aures noisily resumed his loud talk.
Apparently used to this, the archer quietly keeping watch by the railing changed the subject.
"By the way, this time there are two."
There was no need to ask who the "two" referred to.
Priestess Jaina and Grandpa Destruction.
Both asleep due to the field effect.
"Baekho, are we continuing the search as is?"
"Well… I'm not sure. Ask the Baron. He's our new leader, full of personality and freedom."
"Leaders… what does that mean?"
"Ah, never mind, just ask the Baron."
"…If you look closely, Baekho seems to babble nonsense more often than Aures."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"…Nothing."
The archer, grumbling about Baekho's nonsense, quickly changed stance and approached my side.
"So, Baron, what do you plan to do? Will you continue the search of Dreamlike Lake as scheduled?"
Hmm, well…
It's been a question I kept pondering…
Alright, I've decided.
"Let's postpone Dreamlike Lake for now and first search Yonggol Mountain."
"Yonggol Mountain, huh…"
The archer seemed to think for a moment upon hearing this, then nodded.
"Not a bad choice. Somehow the ship's already near Yonggol Mountain."
"Besides, with Dryzen already appearing near the waterfall, a proper search there would be difficult. It's more reasonable to search Yonggol Mountain first, then come back here once things calm down."
I shot Ibaekho a glance that said if he had objections, say them now; he just shrugged as if saying 'do whatever.'
'So cool on the surface.'
If he had other ideas, he'd have opposed first.
Anyway, once the destination was set, things went smoothly.
We steered the ship steadily toward Yonggol Mountain.
Because the speed wasn't fast, no monsters appeared.
But…
"…Hmm?"
There was a moment of unease.
"Everyone but you is asleep."
Everyone except Grandpa Destruction and me had fallen asleep due to the field effect…
'What's the probability of that?'
The chance of over half the crew falling asleep at Dreamlike Waterfall was very low, so I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Could this be a sign of misfortune?
With such thoughts, I carefully steered the ship while scanning around.
"…"
Man, this silence is awkward as hell.
"…"
I almost wished a monster would just jump out to break the uncomfortable silence.
Eventually, I broke the silence first.
"Hey."
I called out bluntly; Grandpa Destruction, standing by the railing, turned to me.
If he heard me, wouldn't it be polite to answer rather than just stare?
But if he were that kind of grandpa, none of this would be happening.
So I decided to ask what I'd been curious about.
"What exactly is fate?"
"A truly broad question."
"You said before that after me, Erwen was born with the next highest amount of fate. I'm curious what that means."
"Though now, staying by your side, she's nearly lost her light."
"No, I mean, what exactly is that fate?"
I asked again. Grandpa Destruction shifted his gaze to the starlit waves flowing beneath the railing.
"There are many types of power in this world. Magic power, divine power, mana. Not only those commonly known, but emotions like anger and love also become sources of power, and so can be considered 'resources.'"
"…So?"
"Fate is difficult to define precisely, but I consider it one such power. Especially because it wears down the more it's used."
"Wears down the more it's used?"
Hearing my question, Grandpa Destruction nodded.
"Fate isn't infinite. Most people only have three or four, and even those can decrease depending on choices."
Hmm… I listened quietly but felt like I was at some cult seminar.
"Wait, this seems to be drifting off-topic."
"But you're the one who asked what fate is."
"I was just curious about what you meant to Erwen."
Refocusing the conversation on what I was really asking, Grandpa Destruction finally gave an answer.
"Erwen Fornaci di Tersia, is it…"
"Yeah, what did you mean by what you said to her?"
"Exactly as I said. That day, she carried the next largest amount of fate after you, so I tried to eliminate her if possible."
"But you failed."
"Yes. And that fairy I couldn't kill that day has now grown strong and is called the Blood Duchess."
"Is all that power of fate?"
"Yes. Ordinary people aren't given such fate. Whether to be a chef or a scholar—that's the fate of normal people. They cannot become absolute kings or leave their names in history."
Grandpa Destruction looked away from the flowing water beneath and met my gaze.
"Unlike you."
"…?"
"With the amount of fate you carry, you can do or become anything. Even becoming the king of this city isn't impossible for you."
"…"
"Assuming, of course, that you can coexist with the fate that strongly pulls at you."
"That fate?"
I tilted my head questioning, and Grandpa Destruction chuckled.
"Ha ha, don't you know? You are destined to open the Abyssal Gate someday. No matter how great your fate is, you cannot change 'the record.' Well, you'd know better since you've experienced it firsthand."
Experienced firsthand…
Seems like Grandpa Destruction knows about my visit to the era 20 years ago.
'Well, he's been practically inseparable from Ibaekho these past few years.'
A pause in the conversation emerged.
Taking advantage, I glanced around.
Everyone except Ibaekho was deeply asleep with no sign of waking soon.
So…
"Belvev Ruinjeness."
"It's been a long time since I heard the full name."
"What scheme are you cooking up with Ibaekho?"
Honestly, while asking, I didn't expect a real answer.
But…
"There's no particular scheme."
"Don't you think I wouldn't notice you're trying to use me behind my back?"
"Hmm… I don't know Ibaekho's thoughts, but I have no intention of using you. Traveling with Ibaekho is because our goals align in other ways."
"Then… what goal did you align on?"
Even though I asked in a probing tone, Grandpa Destruction answered coolly as if it wasn't a secret.
"To return to the original world without opening the Abyssal Gate. Ibaekho calls that Plan B."
"Ah…"
Ibaekho mentioned Plan B before.
But from what I heard, Grandpa Destruction seems uninterested in me and only focused on Plan B…
"Is returning without the Abyssal Gate really possible?"
I cautiously asked; Grandpa Destruction answered without hesitation.
"Possible. Theoretically."
"Theoretically?"
"I haven't tried because much preparation is needed. And that's why I travel with Ibaekho."
"I see."
"Anyway, whether you believe me or not, I'm truly not interested in any dark schemes targeting you. Unless my method fails."
"Still, since you travel with Ibaekho, don't you know something?"
"Well. Ibaekho must have some thoughts, but I haven't asked. That's not my business. Even if asked for help, I wouldn't have anything to do."
"As long as it doesn't benefit your goal?"
"Exactly."
Though he could have denied it, Grandpa Destruction agreed immediately, which oddly made me trust him.
He really seems to have no interest in me.
"…"
Like in love, sometimes playing hard to get is important.
Watching him lost in thought ★ 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ gazing beneath the railing, my curiosity only grew.
'Come to think of it… this grandpa was an 'evil spirit' too.'
Specifically, from the previous generation of evil spirits.
They came from another world, not Earth, summoned here not by a game but some other method.
Since the generations differ, I've barely interacted with them directly.
"Ruinjeness, what kind of world did you live in?"
"The world I lived in…"
Grandpa Destruction looked far away, pondering, then gave a totally unexpected answer.
"I don't remember. I was brought here when very young."
"…What?"
"I found a book under a dark cave and read it every day. Now, the only clear memories I have are those scenes."
Could that be why, when I saw him in the community 20 years ago, he looked like a child?
I don't know, but he continued.
"One day I woke up in an adult body and began survival based on the knowledge from that book. And now here I am."
An unfamiliar form of possession.
Usually, whether old or young, the soul enters a 20-year-old body, making the person younger, but this was completely the opposite.
While his story was fascinating, a question arose.
"Then why are you so obsessed with returning?"
If memories of the previous world are vague, the longing for it should be weak.
So why does he want to return?
Smiling slightly at my pure curiosity, Grandpa Destruction asked back.
"On the contrary, why don't you want to go back?"
Uh, well…
"…Because I like this world better?"
Though many reasons were left unsaid, that was the essence.
I no longer regarded this brutal world as brutal.
In fact, after living in a dream world with a modern background, I repeatedly thought…
How can such an unreal world exist—
"I'm the opposite."
"Hm?"
"I don't like this world. That's why I want to return."
His voice and eyes showed no emotion.
What kind of story did this grandpa have?
It was a very intriguing moment, but unfortunately the conversation ended there today.
"Ugh…"
"Looks like some are starting to wake up."
Damn, if I pushed a little more, I might have heard more.
"I'm going to check on Briot, you watch Ibaekho."
What timing…
-x-X-x-
The ship that had been steadily cutting through the starlit waves finally stopped at the shore.
Rustle.
The moment my foot touched the ground, feeling like gravel beneath it.
「Character has entered a special area.」
「Field effect—Yonggol Mountain—applied.」
The change of entering a new region was felt immediately throughout my body.
「Status abnormality [Dragon's Curse] applied.」
「Physical resistance reduced by 50%.」
It was like skin once as hard as steel now softening to the toughness of rock.
But that wasn't all.
「One random essence has been sealed.」
Ugh… stats all dropping at once.
'Feels like both main stats dropped together…'
Any explorer would understand that deep, hollow feeling.
As I felt and adapted to the new status, Ibaekho gave instructions to everyone.
"Everyone, first check and test! Use each of your essences one by one!"
Following the orders, the party members tested their skills in turn to find which essence was sealed.
But I didn't need to.
Because I could tell right away on the first try.
'Storm's Eye.'
That skill, usable as a grab when combined with [Transcendence], did not activate.
"Oh? Baron, you already checked?"
"Lucky me."
Though I said that, it was pretty much what I expected.
Among my essences, only 'Storm Gush' had both strength and agility attached—the so-called dual stats.
I noticed it as soon as I stepped off the ship.
'Anyway, this is probably the best outcome.'
Last time, the Bellarios essence was sealed, leaving me defenseless against magic resistance.
But since I took 'Storm Gush' with the intention to erase it someday, this time it wouldn't much affect exploration.
Unlike Ibaekho.
"Ah, damn it…!!!"
"Baekho, what's wrong?"
"Why of all the essences, did the tier essence get sealed!!!"
In Ibaekho's case, the essence with the highest value among those held—the tier essence—was sealed.
Since he set other essences as supports for the tier essence, the lost combat power must have been even greater.
"…Ah! That's a big problem!"
"Maybe we should just return and come back later?"
"Forget it! To reset a sealed essence takes ten days, when would we wait that long? Unless the rest of the gacha is all terrible, it's inefficient."
Ibaekho waved his hands like an uncle and then asked everyone in a quiet voice.
"So… how did it go for you all? Did you get a good one?"
"Uh… I'm much better than before. I lost one combat-related essence, but it won't hinder my role…"
"I'm very satisfied!"
"What about you, Baron?"
"Same here. The least important essence got sealed."
"Oh, I see…?"
Ibaekho awkwardly smiled, surprised that everyone was satisfied.
Or maybe he thought it was better that way.
"Well then. Since I lost something, others gained. They'll carry the team from the bottom."
"Baekho… what's the bottom…?"
"There is such a thing. It's the annoying guy who picks up the scraps alone and gets carried by others in every lane."
"Lane…?"
Hearing the conversation between Ibaekho and Aures, one thing was clear.
'That bastard is 100% top lane.'
For reference, I was a jungler.
Well, that's not important now.
"Okay, once you all finish checking, let's get moving."
After the preparations, exploration officially began.
Rustle, rustle.
A gray field where small bone fragments piled up like sand grains along the shore.
True to its reputation for numbers, we soon met monsters without walking far.
Step, step.
「Skeleton Kinghelm defeated.」
「Lich defeated.」
「Zombie Lord defeated.」
「Bone Drake defeated.」
「Dark Knight defeated…」
Monsters appearing less than five minutes apart.
That was Yonggol Mountain's biggest feature.
If specs were lacking, hunting itself was impossible, but the top level was relatively low compared to other fields.
Except one case.
'Better not even think about that—it's ominous…'
Anyway, after that, we planned routes focusing on unexplored spots to fill the map's blanks.
The battles themselves weren't too difficult, but one drawback was the priest's class.
If she were an orthodox priest rather than Karui's priest, she'd be more helpful against undead.
'Well… considering how much the priest contributes in battle, no complaints.'
Besides, she had one skill useful against undead.
「Jaina Flyer summoned [Undying Lord].」
「Gains control over all undead monsters grade 5 or below within radius.」
Jaina Flyer.
A recent recruit by Ibaekho.
'She's quite a wonder.'
Where the hell did such a high-level Karui priest suddenly appear? To raise one that much must have required huge sacrifices.
"Ten minutes break, rest as you wish."
Taking advantage of the break, I approached Jaina.
"…?"
She frowned as if wondering what I wanted as soon as I came near.
She probably thought I was there for something bad.
"What is it?"
"Nothing serious, just a quick question. Not personal, so don't worry."
"Go ahead."
"That guy… is he quiet?"
I asked carefully; Jaina furrowed her brows.
"That guy? Karui."
I added the subject just in case she didn't get it, but her expression didn't relax.
"I understood what you meant. I was just wondering why you'd ask that if it's not personal."
"Again, it's not personal. As a teammate, I have to be aware of variables."
"…So what's the worry?"
"Exactly that. I'm curious if Karui is quiet. Didn't we come outside the wall without properly offering 'sacrifices'?"
'Sacrifices' meaning human offerings.
Karui demands sacrifices for power, and priests must periodically enter the labyrinth to kill innocents.
Perhaps she somewhat accepted my concern.
"…You don't need to worry about that."
"Can you be more specific? I want to really not worry."
After repeated asking, Jaina sighed deeply.
"Once outside the wall, Karui's voice can no longer be heard. Naturally, no need to offer sacrifices."
"No need or can't offer?"
"…Can't offer."
Oh, I see.
Then she can't use skills requiring sacrifices.
"By the way, I think the ten minutes are almost up?"
"…Right. Everyone, wake up."
I wanted to ask more, but unfortunately the break ended, and the exploration resumed as planned.
Outside the walls, sacrifices cannot be made.
Besides that new info, a question came to mind.
'…Why does the bond with Karui break outside the walls?'
Karui is supposed to be one of the so-called 'gods,' so isn't that strange?
KRAAAAASH!
As a meteor fell, the heaps of bone fragments on the ground scattered like a mountain.
And…
Swoosh.
From the crater formed by the meteor, a huge black form rose.
[Grrrrrrrrrr…]
At a glance, it resembled a skeleton.
But the differences were:
The bones were black.
The thickness and shape of the bones were different.
And…
'That black iron mace in its hand.'
No. 687 Siege Slayer.
A grade 3 monster known for always appearing with the exact same Numbers item despite being a 'normal monster.'
"Bandedemon! It's Bandedemon!"
Bandedemon.
A rare monster appearing only under certain conditions—when meteors fall on Yonggol Mountain during rain.
I never thought I'd face it outside the city walls.
"Prepare for battle—"
Just as we hurried to get into battle stance, the GM waiting behind shouted excitedly.
"Wait! Hold on!"
"…Huh?"
"If three people kill Bandedemon, there is a very reliable info that the essence is guaranteed!"
Uh…
'Isn't that the info I once shared at the round table?'
Hearing him talk, it felt like the information really leaked from that round table…
"If battle starts now, no essence will drop, so decide first—"
"What are you talking about?"
"Eh?"
"So you want three people to kill it? Just for one grade 3 essence?"
Ibaekho's typical cynical criticism was aimed at the GM.
"To get essence here, 'Distortion' magic must be cast first. But what if 'Distortion' fails?"
"Uh…"
"What kind of short-sighted mage only thinks about showing off knowledge whenever possible?"
"N-not that—I just wanted to suggest some options—"
"No, seriously think about it. Why aim for essence here? Just killing it drops the Numbers item perfectly."
Actually, I thought the same as Ibaekho, only without the rude attitude.
Usually, Bandedemon is a monster you catch with 'Distortion.'
The byproduct's value is high, but if Distortion succeeds, you get the Numbers item.
And…
'Here outside the walls, which is opposite to the labyrinth.'
In the labyrinth, casting Distortion makes corpses disappear and creates essence drop chances; killing normally keeps corpses intact.
Simply put, here if you just kill it normally, you can loot the Numbers item it carries.
"Beheh—raaaaaaah!!!!"
No room to hesitate which was better; I immediately roared battle cry and charged at Bandedemon.
「Bandedemon casts [Strike of Sorrow].」
The mace swung with a fierce glow that sent chills down the spine just by watching.
I knew that no matter what, getting hit barehanded would break a bone somewhere.
'Yeah, no wonder they call me the tank.'
Bandedemon's attacks were slow but each hit was near-instant death level powerful.
Its pure strength rivaled or exceeded that of an ogre…
And on top of that, I had to fight with physical resistance halved by Yonggol Mountain's field effect.
Because of that, it was standard for agile characters to perform evasion-style tanking like tightrope walking.
Unless the tank was overwhelmingly skilled.
Like this.
「Defense success.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
No need to bother dodging—just push the shield up to block.
[Gruk…?]
Why the reluctant look?
Didn't I design my build to keep 5th-grade skill [Gigantify] until the end?
If I combine Aegis Barrier and [Gigantify], I can block attacks normally judged unblockable at normal size.
"What are you doing?! Stop attacking!"
Once aggro was drawn to me, the hunt began in earnest.
Being outside the walls, aggro occasionally jumped, but it wasn't dangerous.
In the first place, it didn't have great mobility.
「Leighton Briot casts [Aim Stance].」
「Next ranged attack gains special effects proportional to aim time.」
Bandedemon couldn't shake me off with its limited mobility, and eventually collapsed under concentrated fire from the others, unable to reach them.
Boom!
Unlike in the labyrinth, Bandedemon's corpse didn't disappear in a flash of light.
"What, Grandpa? Just loot that and stop?"
"Aside from the eyeballs and spine bones, there's nothing worth extra time."
"Oh, really?"
After looting byproducts, Ibaekho picked up the iron mace from Bandedemon's hand with both hands.
"Wow, this is heavy—."
"What are you doing?"
"Huh? It's heavy, so I'm putting it into my extra space."
"Why is it going to your extra space?"
I grabbed Ibaekho's wrist with one hand and touched the 'Siege Slayer.' Ibaekho made a 'what is this?' face then chuckled.
"Ahaha, right. Baron, you're not part of our team, huh?"
"This kind of thing should be clearly arranged."
"But last time, you gave up the engraving material without a word?"
"That's why I remember being given the other byproducts afterwards."
"But if you're going to be so strict, isn't the ratio weird? There are five of us and two of you."
Being fellow explorers, Ibaekho's voice sharpened as soon as money was mentioned.
But there was nothing awkward about it.
How many years have I been an explorer now?
From the 'Bloody Fortress' with the dwarf and Raven, such situations are everyday.
Well, same for him too.
"Splitting teams over loot and wiping out in the labyrinth isn't a joke anymore. How about deciding this cleanly?"
On the dice quietly held in Grandpa Destruction's hand, I placed my own.
"…I'm fine with that."
He agreed it was the fairest way, but Ibaekho looked dissatisfied.
"Hah… do we really have to? Just one concession would've been enough."
"Why bother conceding?"
"No, I'm not going to use it. I thought it'd be good as a swap weapon for our warrior."
"Oh… Baekho! You were thinking that much about me—"
"Quiet. Don't interrupt."
Aures came over with arms spread but awkwardly lowered them again, and uncomfortable silence followed.
"…"
"…"
Ibaekho studied me like reading my mind; I didn't avoid his gaze and implied I wouldn't back down.
Maybe that's why.
"Fine… then let's roll the dice since it's been a while. One roll per person? There are five of us, so five rolls; two of you, two rolls. The highest total wins, okay?"
"Let's do that."
Just as we were about to finish agreeing, the GM timidly raised a hand.
"Um… can I join? If I win, I take the prize…"
Hah, no one can be trusted.
"That's for you and the Baron to settle… Shall we start? I'll roll for you guys."
"Uh… Baekho? Maybe everyone should roll their own dice?"
"Don't you trust me?"
"No, it's not that…"
"Good then."
Ibaekho dictatorialy ended the debate and started rolling the dice. I swallowed hard and watched the dice results.
And…
'2'
One new fact learned during the process.
'3'
What the hell.
'2'
He rolls worse than me?
'4.'
Two dice with max six each, and this total was pitifully low.
But quantity is power.
"9…?"
"9, huh…?"
"Doneeeee!!!"
Ibaekho rolled five times and finally got a high total of 9.
"Then… I'll try once…"
GM also rolled just in case but was disappointed.
"Ah… 8."
"So only the Baron has to roll now?"
"…"
"Hey, since you rolled, don't say you're conceding?"
"…"
"If you'd just given it, I would've conceded this much already."
"Quiet. I'm concentrating."
I silenced Ibaekho, gently tightening my fist holding the dice.
Then…
The weight and feel of the dice.
The breeze brushing my skin.
Sensing every detail, I knew the moment was 'now.'
Shwaaaak.
I opened my palm and scattered the dice onto the board.
As always, it took just a moment for the outcome to be decided.
Roll roll roll.
The dice stopped rolling, revealing the result.
"…Huh."
"…12?"
"Twelve."
The highest possible total with two dice.
"Damn, that's annoying. No cheating, right?"
"Baekho, no artificial interference detected."
"Man, Baron, your luck is unbelievable."
Accepting the result, Ibaekho turned his back to the 'Siege Slayer' lying on the ground and said casually.
"Hah… what are you waiting for? Just take it already."
"Uh…"
The situation was crystal clear.
Having 'luckily' won the dice roll, I obtained the most valuable loot of this exploration.
That was definitely a joyful ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) thing.
But…
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
Why?
'Did I… just win the dice…?'
Why does my heart keep pounding so fast?
-x-X-x-
The Siege Slayer is an incredibly valuable item.
Not just because of its stats, but especially because, compared to Numbers items of similar rank, it commands a high price.
'There are quite a few mace warriors in this world.'
Swords, hammers, maces, polearms, spears…
There are countless weapons, and in most games, maces are considered niche weapons.
But…
'Not a bad weapon at all.'
In Dungeon & Stone, mace types are pretty decent weapons.
They have a slow attack speed penalty, but their damage output surpasses nearly every other weapon.
Of course, that's assuming equal user stats.
No weapon can match a mace that employs centrifugal force.
At least for beginners.
'I also leveled them a lot at the start…'
Though I switched to other weapons later due to mace limitations, that was just my story.
People here don't have a second or third playthrough.
The more you use a weapon, the more skilled you get, and most explorers whose livelihood depends on it don't easily switch weapons.
Meaning they often use the same weapon from start to finish.
'Above the seventh floor, there's always at least one mace user.'
There are actually many mace users among explorers above the seventh floor.
The problem is supply can't keep up with demand.
That's because there are very few Numbers items that are maces.
'Effectively, this is their final weapon.'
Though it's only equipment in the 600 range, there's no better choice for a mace user.
And mace users know this well.
They fetch high prices at the auction house for this reason…
'But that's not the important part now.'
I shook my head, forcibly clearing distracting thoughts.
No.687 Siege Slayer.
A rare item good to sell or use as a swap weapon.
That item was now in my hands.
And I got it by 'luckily' winning the dice roll.
Thump!
At first, I couldn't tell why my heart was pounding so hard.
Was it joy? Or anxiety?
But as time passed, I realized.
Thump thump thump thump!
This feeling was not excitement in a good way.
Even when I got Aegis Barrier, my heart didn't beat this fast.
No matter how happy I was.
"What are you doing? Keep going?"
Standing there dazed was uncomfortable, so I pulled myself together and picked up the Siege Slayer.
「Character equipped No.687 Siege Slayer.」
「Overall item level increased by +2,800.」
As soon as I grasped it, I felt changes in my physical stats.
That's because the item had stats attached.
And percentage stats, no less.
「Strength increased by 40%.」
「Agility decreased by 80%.」
Agility dropped while strength rose.
Overall specs weren't comparable to the Demon Crusher, but this was the main reason I judged I could use it sometimes.
Because I could boost strength when needed.
'But man, the body really feels sluggish now.'
Of course, there were also gains.
I'd need to test to know for sure, though.
'Swing.'
I tried using a skill in the air.
After all, a 'mace' counts as a blunt weapon.
"Huh? Baron, why so slow—"
Just like that.
Paaaaang!!!
The mace sliced through the air with a blast of wind.
All of us, including me, flinched.
"Huh?"
Seeing those faces, I made my decision.
'Better to keep it than sell it.'
I got a new weapon.
Though I wasn't free from unease.
The more I liked the Siege Slayer, the more anxiety grew.
But…
Thump!
Yeah, better think of it as a reward.
A reward for all the hardship endured in the dream world for months.
Thump!
Uh… but I still need to stay alert.
This could be a harbinger of the next misfortune.
Whatever happens suddenly, I have to be ready.
Yes, then—
"E-e-e—!"
Suddenly the archer shouted urgently.
"Everyone, dodge!"
…Huh?
This happens so fast?
What on earth was going on?
The moment the incident happened, I quickly scanned around.
One of my habits—to see and judge for myself.
Maybe because my agility dropped, my senses dulled.
No immediate threat was felt.
But…
"…Shit!"
"…!"
The expressions of those around me were so urgent.
Not just expressions—everyone was hurriedly moving away.
"Jaina!!"
The archer rushed the sluggish priest.
"Grandpa!"
Ibaekho helped Grandpa Destruction up.
"Piggyback!"
The dazed GM was hurriedly carried away by Lek Aures nearby.
Until then, I didn't know what was happening, but one thing was crystal clear.
Thump!
This place was dangerous.
I had to run with ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) them.
So I tried to move my legs.
'Damn it.'
Wearing Siege Slayer made my body 80% sluggish.
I was too slow.
Realizing this late, I tried to put the weapon back into extra space, but the golden time was already lost.
"Look up!!"
Ibaekho shouted, looking back at me while carrying Grandpa Destruction.
'Up…?'
Noticing his gaze toward the sky, I unconsciously lifted my head.
And…
'Ah, so that's why they ran.'
Only then did I realize why they were so desperate.
[Kiyaaahhhh—!]
A chilling pterodactyl-like scream as a colossal flying creature descended from the sky.
The only unique case in Yonggol Mountain's generally moderate difficulty.
One of the infamous 'Three Star Graves.'
Grade 1 Undead species.
'Bone Dragon…'
Though called 'bone,' it's neither a drake nor a dragonian.
「Character is within range of [Dragon Pierce].」
The true dragon, bearing the passive symbol of the dragon race.
Oh, and this passive's effect is simple.
「There is a gap in ranks.」
If below level 10, a debuff ignores all resistances like 'Anti-Magic' depending on level difference.
At level 9 it's 'Paralysis' only…
Level 5 or below is instant death.
Level 6 causes 'Stun' and 'Soul Exhaustion.'
Level 7 brings 'Rigidity' and 'Soul Exhaustion.'
And for level 8 characters like me…
「Character is stunned for 10 seconds.」
A damn state where the body is frozen for ten whole seconds—and that's not all.
The stun doesn't just happen once; after a certain time, it triggers again, and as the fight drags, stacking counts trigger special effects.
That's why dragon raids always recommend level 10 raids and minimum level 9.
…But that's not what I should be thinking about now.
'Transcend.'
I quickly cast a skill while stunned.
「Character cast [Gigantify].」
First, I boosted raw stats with Gigantify (Transcendence).
「Character cast [Iron Wall].」
Physical resistance.
「Character cast [Scales of Greed].」
Maximizing magic resistance.
And at the same moment.
Kwahhhhh!
The beast that landed with a crash crushed my rock-solid body with its front paw.
The physical collision was bearable.
"Ugh…!"
Though I involuntarily gasped and spat blood, I endured.
But the real problem came next.
「Character took physical damage.」
A passive all dragons share, like [Dragon Pierce].
「[Dragon Claw] condition triggered.」
Its effect is straightforward.
"Magical damage equal to physical damage dealt is applied."
That cursed passive applies magic damage when you deal physical damage, and vice versa.
In other words, hybrid damage hits.
Beeeeeeeeep!
I felt something explode inside, and a nickname sounded in my head.
My carefully leveled shield warrior was near death after one hit, but that was expected.
This is Dungeon & Stone.
Grade 1 monsters are all insanely strong, especially dragons.
「Jaina Flyer summoned [Healing Leech].」
「Jaina Flyer cast [Curse of Regeneration].」
「Jaina Flyer cast [Emergency Transfusion].」
「Cursed blood…」
Luckily, Jaina was already casting beforehand, so healing began immediately as damage came in.
Hmm… maybe 'lucky' is premature?
「Body rapidly regenerates.」
「Body rapidly regenerates.」
「Body rapidly regenerates.」
「Body rapidly regenerates…」
An injury that could have been fatal began to heal instantly, but nothing changed.
I had already counted down as soon as my body stiffened.
'Four seconds.'
Four seconds left until stun is over.
And in that time, if this bone dragon hit me twice with normal attacks or once with a skill…
'I'd be dead. It's a grade 1 monster.'
No matter how well-built, no one can survive unguarded hits from grade 1 monsters.
Just like this.
Kwahhhhh!
The bone dragon's front paw struck again.
Like a cat playing with small animals, it moved lightly.
But for the target, it wasn't light at all.
"Ugh…!"
It felt like two-thirds of my life had vanished.
Yet the beast's front paw moved again.
But it wasn't aiming to stomp this time…
'Looks like it's spreading its wings.'
Damn.
「Bone Dragon cast [Bone Breath].」
It was preparing to shoot.
The moment I sensed the next action, my vision blurred.
'If I get hit…'
I'd definitely die.
That was how dangerous the situation felt.
"You bastard!!"
Then I heard Ibaekho's voice from behind.
Tat-dat!
What? Coming to save me?
Tat-da-dat!
How is he running here?
As if unaffected by [Dragon Pierce]…
'Ah… he's already level 10…'
One more fact about Ibaekho.
Given the situation, I wondered if this even mattered anymore—
'…Nope.'
My mind cleared completely despite the heavy blows.
Even if I'm on the ninth floor where anyone can die just breathing, would I really die here so pathetically?
Whoosh!
The bone dragon spread its wing-like bones again and opened its jaws.
Then…
Paaaaaahhhht!
It blasted a black beam breath.
But I never closed my eyes.
Though I was stunned, I couldn't even perceive it.
Kkwaak.
That's right, isn't it?
I had already steeled myself to this and turned my back in the dream world without regrets; giving up now would be ridiculous—
"Safe!!"
At that moment, Ibaekho's voice came close, and something yanked me sharply backward.
'That was kind of touching.'
I never expected a dragon's breath to be saved from.
'Zero seconds.'
As I counted silently.
「'Stun' state has ended.」
My stiff body softened.
At the same time, Ibaekho shouted.
"What are you doing! Raise your guard!!!"
Did he see the same timing I did?
Had he timed the stun duration too?
I'll have to ask later, but for now I raised my shield and covered myself.
「Defense success.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
Ha, I really thought I was done for.
-x-X-x-
Bone Dragon.
The special boss of Yonggol Mountain, like Dryzen of Dreamfall Waterfall.
Honestly, it still feels a bit surreal.
Not only did I face Dryzen just recently, but now I'm seeing this guy with my own eyes.
'My luck is seriously cursed.'
I sighed involuntarily, but what else could I do?
The situation was already happening—I had no choice but to deal with it.
Pshhhhhhh—
At last, the breath that had been scorching my shield ceased.
"Hyung, you okay?"
Ibaekho, who had grabbed my nape and was pulling me back, whispered quietly so no one else would hear.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Fortunately, Bone Dragon's breath was a relatively narrow laser-like beam shot in a straight line.
If it had been a wide-area blast like other dragons, there would have been damage beyond the shield.
[Krooooooar!]
The Bone Dragon roared as if displeased that we blocked its breath.
Looking at it, I asked Ibaekho one thing.
"Did you calculate that?"
"Calculate what?"
"Stun duration. Did you come exactly timed to rescue me?"
"…No? I just ran because I wanted to be with you, even if I couldn't save you."
So he did calculate.
Surely, no explorer would rush straight into the middle of a breath attack when survival seemed impossible.
"Enough."
I smiled involuntarily and pulled Ibaekho's hand off my neck.
Whether calculated or not, nothing would have changed anyway.
"Thanks. For coming to save me."
"..."
What? No reply after I finally thanked him?
Could he be shy too…?
"…Then why were you so slow? If everyone had retreated on time, this wouldn't have happened."
…Right. He's embarrassed.
Feeling awkward, I half-sat up.
"Got any plan now?"
"No. I just ran to save you."
I see.
"Well, running might be hard now. You're inside Dragon Pierce."
But… did that sound like he was especially blaming me?
I couldn't tell, but I immediately defended myself.
"Whether inside or not, I wouldn't have escaped like that. The fact it appeared from the sky means we'd already drawn aggro."
"Huh? But if you'd kept your distance and ran well—"
Hey, talking back?
"That wouldn't have worked."
"..."
"But since I took the first hit alone and dodged the breath, we saved two people."
Hmm, if I think that way, maybe I'm the one who should be thanking him—.
"Ah, enough. Look ahead!"
At Ibaekho's shout, I refocused on the front.
I saw black orbs forming in the air around the Bone Dragon towering over 20 meters tall.
「Bone Dragon casts [Blessing of Dark Mana].」
Another active skill common to all dragons.
Well, aside from Bone Dragon, others have just 'Blessing of Mana' instead of 'Dark Mana.'
Though the skill's form differs, it's still a tier 1 defensive skill.
After all… there's a saying that the best defense is a good offense.
Like this.
Fshhhhh-!
The black orbs that had been hovering like drones around ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the dragon flashed and fired magical waves at us.
A smaller-scale version of the breath the Bone Dragon had shot earlier.
「Defense success.」
I blocked one coming head-on.
Kwah-ang-!
Ibaekho shattered another coming at an angle with a hammer strike.
'What do we do now…?'
My thoughts grew complicated.
The objective was simple, though.
A dragon raid?
If successful, we'd get enormous rewards.
Essences might be hard to expect outside the labyrinth, but dragon byproducts are far more valuable.
Dragon bones and dragon hearts.
'No dragonhide since it's a Bone Dragon…'
Clearing the raid would grant achievements, and for me, it would add a stack to the 'Blessing of Earth Dragon' I got from dragonborn lore.
But…
'The raid's for later, once we're ready.'
We cannot kill that thing by ourselves now.
So our one goal at this moment:
"Have you thought about how to escape?"
How to get safely away from the Bone Dragon that already has aggro.
While considering that, I commanded the battle.
"We'll help!"
"One by one! Don't come close all at once—come inside one by one!"
I brought in the party members one by one into Dragon Pierce's range to minimize risk.
Because if several were incapacitated at once, protecting them would be even harder…
「A gap in ranks exists.」
「Lek Aures is stunned for 10 seconds.」
We had to bring them in sequentially so the second pierce phase wouldn't be a problem.
Dragon Pierce passively reactivates after a certain time.
We had to plan so that from the start of battle, each person gets incapacitated one by one…
"I don't care."
Surprisingly, Grandpa Destruction was unaffected even inside the area.
'So this grandpa's level 10 too…?'
Of course, mages and priests can't get essences, so level doesn't matter for them.
But that doesn't mean levels don't exist.
They also gain experience from killing monsters.
And…
'Only warriors get stunned.'
Surprisingly, except for me and Lek Aures, everyone else only got the level 9 debuff 'Paralysis.'
「A slight gap in ranks exists.」
「Leighton Briot is paralyzed for 10 seconds.」
The archer is also level 9.
「A slight gap in ranks exists.」
「Jaina Flyer is paralyzed for 10 seconds.」
The Karui priest, too.
「A slight gap in ranks exists.」
「Jurven Havelion is paralyzed for 10 seconds.」
Even the GM who hasn't entered the labyrinth in years is level 9.
'…This really is a veteran team.'
A mix of feeling I need to work harder and that I must get through this moment well coexisted.
And with that in mind.
"Havelion, Ruin Genesis. I have a question for you two."
Before executing a sudden plan, I asked the two mages something.
They both gave positive answers.
"…It's possible, though."
"Are you seriously thinking of using that magic to escape?"
Of course, the answers were positive, but everyone—including the mages—showed uneasy reactions.
"Is that… really doable?"
"Or is there another way?"
"..."
They couldn't suggest any alternatives but still complained.
"What's with you all? I don't think it's bad. Don't get me wrong. We're not in a position to pick and choose."
Ibaekho actively agreed with me, and we finished planning.
So now it was time to execute.
"Beheh—raaaah!!"
As soon as the mages began drawing the magic circle, I shouted a battle cry and charged forward, with Ibaekho right behind.
From now on, we had only one goal.
"Baron, you know, right? To do this, we need to bleed that bastard at least 10%."
"I know."
We had to get past Bone Dragon's phase 1.
With only the five of us, excluding the two mages.
"If your plan fails, you know we have to go to plan B, right?"
"..."
"Don't worry. I've prepared plan B."
I was really curious about what Ibaekho's plan B was.
In many ways.
"Those who survive the worst situation must live."
…Suddenly, I didn't want to hear that.
If plan A succeeded, I wouldn't need to know it anyway.
"Lend me your shoulder!"
As we got closer to Bone Dragon, Ibaekho used my shoulder as a springboard and jumped high.
Fshuuuung-!
Black orbs around shot lasers at the airborne Ibaekho, but he evaded with acrobatic steps through the air.
Then…
Kwaaang-!
He boldly landed an uppercut to the Bone Dragon's jaw.
[Groooooar-!!]
Unfortunately, the damage didn't seem significant.
Whoosh-!
Arrows fired from behind also didn't deal great damage, and priest Jaina was focused more on support than offense.
'Lek Aures is basically a pure tank…'
Because his damage potential was so low, I placed Aures in the rear.
His role in this raid was to block ranged attacks flying toward the mages, archers, and priest with his body…
'…But Baekho lost that skill.'
As the battle progressed, the damage was so minimal that I felt helpless.
Without [Star's Extinction] from Ibaekho, our main damage dealers were basically just the mages.
But the mages were completely occupied with drawing magic circles and out of the fight…
'They wouldn't be any better even if they joined.'
Mages only support until phase 3.
Since Bone Dragon is a dragon…
Until phase 3, it's 100% immune to magic damage.
「Leighton Briot cast [Ability Stacking].」
「Leighton Briot cast [Tension Enhancement].」
「Leighton Briot cast [Tension Enhancement]…」
Basically, the damage dealers were Ibaekho and Leighton Briot.
'Or three if I count myself?'
I put my empty hand into extra space.
And then…
「Character equipped No.687 Siege Slayer.」
「Overall item level increased by +2,800.」
I equipped the new weapon I recently obtained during the roughly 3-second delay from extra space.
「Strength increased by 40%.」
「Agility decreased by 80%.」
Then, with a noticeably sluggish body, I swung the mace with all my might.
Pwaaaang!!
At least today.
「Character cast [Swing].」
「Character's strength stat is over 1,200.」
「Deals double damage to enemies with over 90% HP.」
I was the main damage dealer.
One, two, three minutes…
Until this point, it wasn't too hard.
It felt like doing a bit of grinding.
Like repeatedly striking an unbreakable ore with a pickaxe.
But then…
Five minutes.
The battle noticeably became much harder.
As time passed, Dragon Pierce activated again, causing another stun.
I was hit a few times by its front paw and nearly died, but the healing kept me alive.
The Bone Dragon's back paw was still intact.
Ten minutes.
The archer Leighton Briot's MP ran out from continuous skill use.
However, thanks to the mages who completed the magic circle and began support spells, the lack of MP wasn't very noticeable.
The Bone Dragon's back paw was getting a bit battered.
Twelve minutes.
Jaina's resources depleted, and the healing to me and Lek Aures stopped.
On the bright side, I'd gained know-how for quickly swapping the mace in and out of extra space.
Now it only takes about two seconds.
Ah, the Bone Dragon's back paw was noticeably damaged too.
Seventeen minutes.
Lek Aures, who had been taking all ranged projectiles with his bare body, finally collapsed and was incapacitated.
The Bone Dragon started to watch its back paw more carefully.
Twenty-one minutes.
Ibaekho was badly injured trying to save my stunned self.
With him gone, it got several times harder to land mace hits.
But the end was near.
Twenty-two minutes.
I failed to guard in time and got hit hard.
I thought I'd gotten used to the attack patterns, but a surprise attack caught me off guard.
Twenty-three minutes.
An injured party member appeared in the exposed rear after Aures withdrew.
Karui priest Jaina.
A laser looked like it struck her abdomen properly; whether she's alive, I don't know.
Twenty-four minutes.
Ibaekho, who had been drinking potions behind, returned to the battle.
His mace swings per minute increased.
From now on, focus on one thing.
Swing the mace, put it in extra space.
Roll to the side with the lighter body, avoid the front paw.
Repeat. Repeat again.
Twenty-five minutes.
Ibaekho mentioned plan B.
What I heard was ridiculous.
He suggested we just take the destruction scholar and run, and kindly told him that's why he has no friends.
Twenty-six minutes.
Swing the mace.
It's tough.
Twenty-seven minutes.
Swing the mace.
Feels like I'm going to die.
Twenty-eight minutes.
Swing the mace.
My MP's almost gone.
Should I really use plan B?
'…No way.'
Forget it. I swung the mace—
'Huh?'
Just as I felt the strike feel a bit different, the mace shattered the Bone Dragon's back paw that had been full of cracks and hit the ground.
Twenty-nine minutes.
One of the Bone Dragon's legs finally broke.
Meaning the objective was achieved.
Four legs, horns, wings.
In-game, the Bone Dragon loses 10% HP if any of these are broken.
So…
「Bone Dragon casts [Mastery of Magic].」
Phase 1 ended.
「All magic effects cast in range increase tenfold.」
No need for me to command.
The two mages, who had waited for this moment, activated their magic circle.
「Belvev Ruin Genesis cast 4th-grade spatial magic [Multiple Teleport].」
Though it's a frequently used spell, that's how it is.
If a spell is often used, there's always a reason.
Swooooshhhhhh-!
With [Mastery of Magic] active, this magic circle lets you travel ten times farther than normal.
In other words, we could teleport all the way to the Primordial Land in an instant.
No way this guy could follow us there—
[Where are you going?]
"…Huh?"
Did I just mishear that—?
「Bone Dragon casts 'Dispel'.」
Wait a second.
'Bone Dragon is… casting Dispel…?'
That's not how the game works…
Thump!
My mind went blank, and nothing came to me.
「Belvev Ruin Genesis's mana exceeds 1,000.」
「Successfully resisted Bone Dragon's [Dispel] to some degree.」
Flash!
For some reason, the teleport's usual effect flared up intensely, engulfing me in a bright light.
「Incomplete spell.」
「Character moves to a random coordinate.」
-x-X-x-
When the flash faded and my vision returned—though I wasn't even sure if I could call it "returned"—my eyes opened to a blurry, hazy scene.
Still, gathering all the sensory input I had from my body, I realized—
Whoooosh—
I was sinking underwater.
And fast.
Kwoong—!
As soon as I regained my senses, my body hit the maximum depth, sending a heavy vibration through me.
At the same time—
"Ah, that stings."
A sharp pain blossomed in my shoulder.
Like something sharp had pierced it.
Startled, I quickly turned my head to check beside me, and saw a monster clinging tightly to my shoulder, biting down like a goby fish.
"…Uh, that thing is…"
A 5th-grade fish-type monster, a Hoppfish.
Even through my blurred vision, I recognized the monster biting my shoulder—and naturally realized where I was.
Because this monster only appears in two places:
The 6th floor sea, and the Dreamfall Waterfall in the 9th layer Stargrave.
No need to guess which it was.
「Character has entered a special zone.」
「Field effect — Dreamfall Waterfall applied.」
Additional info popped up, and the rough cause-and-effect situation formed in my head.
The Bone Dragon's 'Dispel' succeeded in teleporting me.
But it was incomplete.
'Looks like everyone else got teleported to random spots… and I alone ended up here…'
Suddenly, I worried about the others.
For classes like Ibaekho's solo-ready type, maybe it's possible—but for mages or priests, surviving alone on the 9th floor is almost impossible.
But…
'That's enough worrying.'
Right now, I should focus on surviving myself.
So I swung my arm and shook off the Hoppfish biting my shoulder.
Then…
'Let's go.'
I dragged my heavy body forward, still underwater.
Finding the right direction was easy.
The current in Dreamfall Waterfall always flows toward the center of the field.
If I just floated the boat on the water, it would inevitably drift toward the waterfall.
So if I walked in the opposite direction, I would eventually reach land.
Judging by the presence of the Hoppfish, the land wasn't far.
Therefore…
Splash, splash.
I carefully stepped on the ground that swallowed me up to my ankles each time.
But unfortunately, obstacles kept appearing.
'Seriously losing my mind here.'
Every step woke nearby monsters sleeping under the water, and they aggroed on me.
Fwoooosh—!
I tried swinging the Demon Crusher out of annoyance, but it didn't help much.
Slowed by water resistance, hitting underwater monsters was too difficult.
Whoosh—!
They would nimbly retreat when I swung, then approach and bite me as if nothing happened.
'Damn bastards…'
In the end, I gave up trying to shake them off and focused on moving forward.
Some clung to me, biting and gnawing, but I ignored them and just kept walking.
"Puhhaaaat!!"
Since it was still near where Hoppfish spawn, I soon reached land.
Well… sort of soon.
'Whew, I really thought I was done for.'
Near the end, I almost suffocated underwater, but thankfully managed to get out just in time.
Now, it was time for revenge.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
I smashed the monsters that dared to follow me onto land with my hammer until they lay sprawled out.
"Haa, haa, haa…"
After fighting fiercely with the Bone Dragon and then struggling underwater, I was so exhausted I couldn't even move a finger.
So I lay flat on the ground, taking a rest while organizing my thoughts.
As always, the most important question in a crisis:
What should I do next?
No deep pondering was needed.
'First, I need to regroup.'
Alone, I had to cautiously explore the 9th layer and reunite with the scattered party members.
That was the top priority.
A secondary goal would be to find clues or a way to escape the Stargrave while doing so.
"Huff…"
Suppressing the urge to lie down and rest more, I forced myself to get up.
I was relatively advantaged at survival in the 9th layer, but everyone except Ibaekho wasn't.
So as the easiest one to move, I had to try harder—
"…Huh?"
As I tried to take a step, I froze.
I had no idea why.
"…Jaina?"
I'd already found the first party member.
She was no more than five meters from where I had been lying.
'Why didn't I see her before?'
I thought that, but also understood why.
Honestly, I wasn't in a state to notice.
Anyway, that wasn't the important thing—
"Jaina!"
I ran quickly to check her condition.
From a distance, she looked like a corpse, but thankfully she was still alive.
At least for now.
Swiftly, I removed the thick coat she always wore tightly.
Underneath was her teal chest armor.
No. 2,578 Sky Breastplate.
Not an item that boosted stats, powers, or regeneration, but ranked highly in defense.
I always called it her "life jacket."
'That's what kept her alive.'
Ironically, though, it was also causing her death at this moment.
The breastplate's chest area was deeply dented, pressing hard on her lungs.
Judging by that, her ribs were probably all broken too.
'Shit… how do I get this off?'
It was quite a tricky situation.
To treat her, I had to remove the armor first, but in her current state, that was impossible.
So…
"This is to save you. Understand."
I told unconscious Jaina what I was about to do and asked for her understanding.
I slid my fingers into a small gap in the armor.
Then…
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
I pulled hard, °• N 𝑜 v l i g h t •° tearing the armor apart from both sides.
If the armor had been in normal condition, it would have been impossible, but since it had been severely crushed earlier, its durability dropped.
The armor slowly opened and then suddenly ripped apart.
'Will it be repairable?'
That thought crossed my mind, but I chose not to care.
If not, I'd just buy a new one.
I looked like I had saved quite a bit of money.
Ciiiiiik—!
After removing the armor that would surely block healing, I immediately poured a potion on her.
Bubbles fizzed visibly.
Just seeing that made me feel the pain, but she was so close to death that she didn't even react to the healing.
So I poured another potion and kept checking her condition nearby.
Ciiiiiik—!
Only the creepy sound of fizzing continued for a while.
"Ugh… uuh…"
Jaina seemed to regain some consciousness as faint groans escaped her lips, and she began to writhe.
Then I noticed—
'She has a tattoo on her side.'
Tattoos on explorers aren't unusual, but Jaina's was somewhat unique.
First, it was very small.
About the size of a thumb.
It was crude, like drawn by an amateur, and the color had faded as if a long time had passed.
'…Could she be from Noark?'
When I was in Noark, the slum's pinnacle, I'd seen kids with such crude tattoos.
None were by their own will but forced by others—well, rather, by a moment of indulgence.
Like the tattoo under Amelia's eye.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
About ten minutes passed as Jaina kept twisting her body and groaning roughly.
Then she started breathing heavily and muttering to herself.
"..."
Her voice was so soft and slurred at first I couldn't understand.
It sounded like chanting in a dialect.
But the more I listened, the more I realized.
I still didn't understand the words, but—
"uck..."
It wasn't the language of this world.
'…So she was an evil spirit after all.'
Maybe it was the 'evil spirit language' Ibaekho joked about daily, unconsciously slipping out.
But somehow, I doubted that.
"Huff… huff…"
After watching for a while, her muttering stopped, and her breathing gradually normalized.
From experience, it was now the right time to talk.
"Are you feeling a little better?"
I shook her shoulder lightly and her eyelids fluttered open weakly.
"What… what happened…?"
Wow, even upon waking she tried to understand the situation.
Usually, those types survive longer.
Maybe it's because she's from [Dungeon and Stone].
"What do you remember?"
"The boat… got hit… then I passed out…"
"You passed out, so the plan went as intended and the multiple teleport magic was cast.
But the Bone Dragon's interference made the spell incomplete."
"Incomplete…?"
"Seems like everyone was teleported randomly.
I landed in the middle of Dreamfall Waterfall, barely swam to shore, and found you unconscious."
"That happened…?"
"How's your body? Can you stand? We want to move soon, since we've been here too long."
"Please… help me a little."
I helped Jaina up, but she couldn't stand, so I carried her.
"Oof…!"
"It'll be easier if I just carry you."
"..."
Staying in one place too long wasn't good, so we started moving with Jaina on my back, talking as we went.
"Where are you headed?"
"To the Primordial Land. Since it's central, everyone will likely wake up and head there."
Besides, the Primordial Land connects every area, so depending on the situation, we can quickly get to the destination.
"Anyway, try to avoid fighting as much as possible.
When you regain strength, do some detecting."
"…Sounds like some kind of tool."
"If you don't want to, just recover fast.
It'll be easier for me, too."
"..."
And so began the two of us traveling together.
Maybe because it was just the two of us, her speech was much more coherent than usual.
'Maybe because she knows if I abandon her, it's over.'
I don't know, but she even gave me a somewhat humble thank you.
"…Thank you for saving me."
"If you want to thank me, heal me well in battle later.
Looks like Aures gets more healing spells even though you're both injured."
"…That's just your imagination."
Hmm, I'm not so sure…
"By the way, you were an evil spirit too?"
I asked casually at a totally unexpected moment.
I felt her grip on my shoulder tighten.
"Guess that's right."
Hearing my muttering, Jaina stayed silent for a moment.
Then I chuckled.
"Why bother hiding it?
Just being with Ibaekho is enough to make you a traitor to the palace."
Maybe that pushed her to admit.
"…How did you know?"
"I heard you muttering in 'evil spirit language' while you were unconscious."
But her reaction to my proof was surprising.
"Me…? That can't be…"
"Usually, people who talk in their sleep don't know they do it—"
"No, that's not it.
It just… doesn't make sense."
"Doesn't make sense?"
She seemed confused.
After hesitating a long while, she spoke.
"I'm an evil spirit, but I have no memories of that other world."
…Huh?
What was that supposed to mean?
-x-X-x-
"The fact that it's an evil spirit is true, but I have no memories of that other world."
As soon as I heard that, the famous saying about drinking but not driving came to mind. Why is that?
At first, it sounded ridiculous, but after a moment, a lightning bolt struck inside my head.
"Could it be… that you were resurrected by the Resurrection Stone?"
If that were the case, it would explain everything.
Using the Resurrection Stone requires several conditions, but the biggest penalty is, of course, the 'erasure of memories.'
I've even experienced this myself—I revived a comrade only for the intimacy level to drop to zero, causing them to leave the team and the Resurrection Stone to go to waste—.
"The Resurrection Stone…?"
But what's with that reaction?
"I don't know what you mean by that, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the Resurrection Stone."
"Then why don't you have any memories?"
Jaina's hands clenched tightly when I asked.
"I… previously sacrificed all my memories of that world to Karui. That's why I have no memories."
Ah, I see.
I was dead certain it was because of the Resurrection Stone.
This is a bit embarrassing.
'…So you can sacrifice memories too, huh?'
Thinking back to when I played as Karui's priest, it's not completely impossible.
Every time all attempts failed and we neared 'game over,' he inevitably made a proposal.
He said he would save you in exchange for a price…
That price was always random, with many different options.
Like dropping intimacy with all characters to zero.
Taking one of your held essences.
Permanent physical defects, or even demanding the life of another companion NPC.
'The worst was when the price was to return to the city and become a wanted criminal.'
The deal with Karui is absolute.
Even if the payment is 'postpaid,' failing to keep promises results in divine punishment and death.
Anyway, that's not the main point…
"You must have been in a really desperate situation to sacrifice your memories, huh?"
I muttered briefly, and Jaina made a mysterious expression.
"Yes… probably. Maybe."
Hmm, that sounds like she's just brushing it off.
I debated whether to press further, but surprisingly, she spoke first.
"That day, I paid the price twice. Once to move us all to a safe place… At that time, I lost my memories of the original world."
"And?"
"The other time was… to save a dying person. But in exchange, I lost all memories of 'that person.'"
"…Was that person precious to you?"
"I'm not sure, but surely they were. To pay such a price, they must have been."
"What happened to that person?"
"There's nothing to happen. They died in the labyrinth not long after."
"..."
"You don't ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) have to take it so seriously. Even though they died right in front of me, I didn't feel much of anything."
Listening to Jaina's calm voice, it hit me strongly why the people of this world call Karui an evil god.
"Then how did you end up traveling with Ibaekho? Are you trying to return to the original world?"
"No, I'm not interested in that world. I don't remember anything about it anyway. For me, this side is reality, and that side is like a dream."
The circumstances were quite different, but in some ways, it was very similar to my case.
Maybe that's why.
At first, I only intended to get information, but I gradually grew curious about Jaina's story itself.
"There's only one reason why I travel with Ibaekho."
"What is it?"
"To regain my lost memories, I have to offer a huge amount of sacrifices."
"I see…"
As Jaina said, it's not impossible to reclaim the prices paid to Karui in [Dungeon and Stone].
Permanent physical defects can also be restored, if the sacrifice is sufficient in Karui's judgment.
"I travel with Ibaekho because it's easier to obtain high-quality sacrifices that way. There's no other reason."
Phew, I didn't expect this kind of situation…
Since she said she has no interest in memories from the modern world, it's clear which memories she wants to reclaim.
But there's one question I still have.
"…Why do you want to recover your memories so badly?"
She no longer remembers 'that person.'
She said clearly she felt no emotion when they died.
Then why is she going this far?
"Just… it feels suffocating."
Jaina's answer was very simple.
"When that person died that day, I couldn't understand a single word or expression they gave me. That was so frustrating and annoying… Why? Is that strange?"
"…No, not at all."
After that, Jaina's detection spell sensed a monster nearby, ending the conversation. We didn't talk about related topics anymore.
Still, the conversation kept swirling in my mind.
'An evil spirit that lost its memories…'
The world really holds all sorts of stories.
Kraaaaaaang!
Setting aside the periodic meteor showers characteristic of the 'Star Grave,' the ancient land's climate changes every time.
And it's always harsh and cruel to humans.
"Hah… hah…"
This time it was a heatwave.
Well, I'm not sure 'heatwave' even properly describes it.
Fffft!
Smoke started to rise from the raw flesh of creatures that couldn't withstand the heat, and in severe cases, they caught fire and blazed up.
Still, thanks to the Flame Orb's fire resistance, we didn't get burns or sustained damage, but the heat was unbearable.
If only we had a mage to turn on the air conditioning.
"…We're surrounded."
"What should we do?"
"Running away at our speed is impossible, so we have no choice but to fight."
Despite trying to avoid battles with monsters while moving, we inevitably had to fight sometimes.
A tank and a priest.
Not the best combination for hunting monsters, but somehow, it worked.
Because…
「Jaina Flier casts [Rotten Wind].」
「It deals continuous dark attribute damage within range and lowers physical resistance.」
Jaina wasn't a typical priest.
「Character uses [Swing].」
I'm not exactly a normal tank either.
Crack!
We could handle monsters up to grade 4 between the two of us.
Well, slowly, but still.
Boom!
"There's Bartanus!"
"Get on my back!"
Anyway, when monsters above grade 3 appeared, we hurriedly fled.
As a priest-tank combo, fighting for hours wouldn't be impossible, but that's only one-on-one.
There's no point in spending hours to kill one monster.
'…Huh?'
I suddenly stopped while leading the way. Jaina asked anxiously why.
Instead of answering, I pointed with my hand.
A roughly torn cloth was hanging on a tree.
Signs of humans we hadn't noticed on our previous pass.
Swish.
I reached out and unfolded the tied cloth. There was writing inside.
[If you see this… …, ...to the monument.]
The middle was blackened and burnt by the heatwave, making it unreadable, but it was easy to understand what it meant.
"They want us to go to the monument in the center of the ancient forest."
Ibaekho, the Old Doom Grandpa, the archer, the GM.
It seemed one of the four left this message on the path to the central monument…
"Why four people…?"
"Do you think Aures left this?"
"Oh, I get it."
"Anyway, if we go to the central monument, we can meet one more person."
Good news at last.
Because except for Aures, the other three are all dealers.
Whoever is there among the four completes a damage, tank, and heal combo.
Then our safety and movement speed will greatly improve.
"Let's move quickly."
"Yes."
Worried about possibly missing each other's path, I moved as fast as possible.
And…
One hour, two hours, three hours…
We pressed on without even a short break.
Suddenly, a familiar man's voice came from the empty air.
"…My lord, the Baron?"
Damn, I was startled.
I almost swung my hammer without thinking.
"…Havelion?"
I looked toward where the voice came from, and the GM appeared as if the invisibility spell was lifted.
Surprisingly, we met a companion even before reaching the destination…
"Baaaron!!!!"
I lightly sidestepped the clingy GM and asked,
"Did you hang the cloth on the tree?"
"Ah, no. I found it recently and was following it!"
Hmm, so that's how it is.
Things are somehow falling into place.
This means someone else who hung the cloth is waiting at the monument.
In an instant, the number of people went from two to four.
"What happened to the Baron—."
"We're almost there; let's talk when we arrive."
I was curious about GM's situation, but since the distance was short, I focused on moving with heightened senses.
About thirty minutes later…
"What is this…?"
We pushed through the bushes and saw the familiar monument buried in a crater in the distance.
But the problem was…
"Was that always here?"
"No way."
The place where only the monument should have been had a strange structure that was hard to identify.
It looked like the door of a temple entrance had been removed and placed on bare ground.
There was a staircase going down, but it was too dark inside to see clearly.
Also…
"The letters there are red… That wasn't like this before, right?"
"Yes! From my investigation, I'm certain. This phenomenon didn't exist."
The top line of the monument, which had undecipherable hieroglyphs, was glowing red.
What on earth was happening?
I was confused, but the biggest question was different.
"…So why is no one here?"
We followed the message on the cloth to this place, but the person who was supposed to be waiting wasn't here.
"Let's wait a bit. Maybe they went to hang more cloth nearby."
"Yes… I'll investigate the monument. I'm detecting magical flows different from before…"
"I'll check that structure. It feels very familiar."
"Familiar feeling?"
"It's hard to explain in words, but just think of it as an aura related to an ancient existence."
"…Got it."
While two of them started investigating, I kept watch and observed their progress.
And…
'Why isn't anyone coming?'
After three whole days of waiting here, I started to think this was pointless.
"Luckily, it's not too late."
The Old Doom Grandpa appeared leisurely from afar.
It was hard to believe a mage had been wandering the ninth floor alone for over three days looking this intact.
'…So he's somewhat experienced at soloing as a mage?'
It was amazing, but before talking about his skills, I had to ask.
"Did you hang the cloth?"
"…Cloth?"
He acted like he didn't know anything about it. When I told him about the cloth on the tree, the Old Doom Grandpa said he never saw anything like that.
"I just came here thinking someone might show up at the center."
"So you don't know who hung the cloth either?"
"No, I think Ibaekho did it."
"How can you be sure?"
"Aures wouldn't have done it, so there's only one person left."
"Huh? But couldn't it have been Briot who left it?"
When the GM asked with a puzzled look, the Old Doom Grandpa said firmly,
"Briot is dead."