We were wandering through a maze. There were no cookies or balls, but nothing happened because we had Rotmiller.
«Wait, I'll leave one more mark at this point just in case».
Before I wondered what an explorer was for in a place where not even a guide could find the way, but it was all my arrogance. Coming up from the bottom step by step, Rotmiller was a truly versatile man.
«Can I see the map?»
«Clear.»
He made a map based on the path we took. It was not a crudely made map either, but rather an elaborate one reminiscent of a minimap. Just by pausing every 10 minutes and drawing something, he was able to do this.
«Okay, it's done, so give it to me. I need to update the map».
«...Here.»
Every time I saw Rotmiller move his pen over the map without hesitation, I was amazed. I didn't ask how it was possible because he had already explained it before.
«The terrain here isn't too complicated, so I can memorize it just by walking. To measure the distance, I can count my steps and write them down».
Apparently, making maps and observing was what I had the most confidence in, since I had been doing it for several years. I never thought this man was so talented. It was a bit unfortunate. More than a talent, it had to be the naturally acquired result of the hard work of someone without an innate ability.
«Sorry for taking the time. Let's go.»
After stopping for about 30 seconds, we walked through the dark labyrinth again. Rotmiller followed us closely. In his hand was not a crossbow, but a long sword. It was a change that came after several battles.
«This should be enough to retain one of them».
Rotmiller, whose stats had gone up, began to actively intervene in the battle, as the best explorers used to do to contribute their grain of sand apart from just searching.
«This time it's yours».
Following a warning from Rotmiller, who had a developed sense of smell, four Vaikundus appeared from the front. Four rank 6 monsters was a number I had never faced even on the fourth floor, but I wasn't particularly nervous or anxious. We had Dwalkie.
¡Soooot!
An upgraded ice spear was launched as soon as the monsters appeared. Even this was different from before. Then came two Ice Spears several times stronger than before.
I didn't know I could throw twice.
When I found out about this, I felt a little embarrassed. Despite being together for several months, I didn't really know much about them.
Damn sea.
Aside from having abnormally low mana, Dwalkie's talent in magic was considerable enough that he could use additional auxiliary magic while doing double casts.
[Riol Warb Dwalkie has cast Rank 8 Attack Magic Path Adjustment].
The ice spears flew overhead like cannonballs fired from afar without us having to move away to make room for them.
¡Caboom!
Before the battle even began, two of the rank 6 monsters turned into light and disappeared.
«Get rid of them and move forward. I'll take one of them with Missha again».
As I marked one of the monsters, Missha and Rotmiller teamed up to face the other.
¡Shoooooot!
About the time one was killed, after I completed the chant once more, Dwalkie's Ice Spear shattered the head of the Vaikundus that had been knocking me down. It took about four minutes.
«Bjorrrn, what are you doing? Let's go».
I cleared my thoughts and started walking.
«Hahaha, whatever comes up, don't worry. I, Riol Warb Dwalkie, will take care of it». This was the last change of our Half-Wit Team (half ingenious). Dwalkie was an idiot again.
***
Normally, mages benefited the most from this field effect, Guardian of Balance, because mages cannot eat essences. Inevitably, it was a structure in which its main statistic, mana, had no choice but to explode.
That still has a limit.
It was the first time I had seen a case as extreme as Dwalkie's. However, when I thought about it, it was an acceptable change. All of the wizards I brought into the game were talented, so their magic-related stats were high, unlike Dwalkie, the former half-wizard wizard.
«It really feels magical. As if all my shackles had been released».
Dwalkie was human and had a body that was far from exercise. Furthermore, his mana was at ground level, not to mention average.
Their statistics alone were three times lower than ours.
I didn't know anything about an all-human team, but with Missha, Hikurod, and I, there were three different races with naturally high basic stats on the team. And Rotmiller? Although he was at a disadvantage, he was not at all comparable to Dwalkie, as he was a veteran with four essences.
...Somehow all the statistics were for the magician?
Observing throughout the day, I finished analyzing the strength of the team. I was the one who suffered the most.
Can things really go so well?
Looking at the team as a whole, it had become at least twice as strong. Because Dungeon and Stone was a team battle game, rather than one person being particularly exceptional, the best efficiency came from everyone being able to do their bit. It was a little bittersweet, but that's also why I wanted to leave the Half-Wit team.
This will be our first and last team game.
Today I was able to see something that I had not seen so much in Rotmiller as in Dwalkie, but this has not changed anything. With a lot of effort and luck, it would be possible for both of them to permanently reach the level they had today.
However, it would take several years.
Besides, that would be the peak they could reach. In that sense, its disadvantages were too clear. Rotmiller's combat power could be filled with essences. However, to execute the move he wanted, he needed a seeker with the Guide skill starting from the fifth floor. Dwalkie? Double cast or not, a mage's greatest quality was his mana stat. That's probably why he wasn't accepted into the magic tower. It was a cold assessment, but by magic tower standards, Dwalkie's talent was nothing special.
When my thoughts reached that point, my heart suddenly froze. It wasn't just a sensation, but real.
[You have received cold damage].
A chill ran through my skin until it reached my bones. When I came to, Missha was huffing. «Hey, Bjorn! How long are you going to ignore me?»
«Oh, what did you say?»
«What did I say?! I said everyone is going to sleep, so keep an eye out!» After punching me a few times in the chest out of rage, Missha asked belatedly in a soft voice, out of concern: «But... are you okay?».
«I'm fine. I'm still cold, but it doesn't hurt».
«No, not that... You've been putting on a serious face since before».
I tilted my head in real confusion. «Yes?»
«Yeah. It's hard to explain in words, but... oh! It was like the face you make when I tell you to eat the carrots».
Uh, that makes it harder to understand.
«It doesn't matter, go to sleep. I'll keep an eye on it so don't worry».
«Mm, okay.» Missha returned to her seat, got into her sleeping bag and chatted with the other classmates. «Ugh, today was really exhausting.»
«Haha, it's understandable. Taken into uncharted territory and fighting all those rank 6» monsters.
«...Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I had a good time. I felt like I was on an expedition for the first time. So far, it has been different from the expedition I have longed for.»
«Ah, I think you know what I mean, Rrrotmiller.»
«Haha, I felt like an explorer in a story».
A few words were shared while they were lying down before the day was over. Of course, it didn't last long as this time was meant for rest.
«Oh, right. Dwalkie, you were amazing today».
«Not everything is my work. Being able to cast spells without having to conserve mana or calculate the formula over and over again? Any magician could have done it».
«Really? I don't know that. Anyway, you worked hard today. Good night».
«B-good evening, Miss Karlstein».
At the end of the scarce conversation, there was silence. It was 1:04 in the morning. An hour had passed since the star of the 20th. I kept an eye on the surroundings while checking my plans.
I'll be able to get that item in a few more hours, so now I just need to find the boss room.
With our current strength, fighting the boss didn't seem too problematic, so there was nothing to worry about. However, the downside was that if we weren't lucky, we wouldn't be able to get to the boss's room on time.
If we had only had one more week we could have taken everything we needed...
As I licked my lips in disappointment, I turned my head when I heard a crunch. I saw Dwalkie, who had gotten up from his sleeping bag. «Um, Bjorn...»
«Sleep, even if you can't. Tomorrow...»
«It's not that I can't sleep». Before I had time to say anything, Dwalkie stood up and came towards me. He lowered his voice so the others wouldn't wake up. «I have something to tell you».
Yesterday it was Rotmiller, so it seemed like this time it was his turn. «...Say it.»
«Do you remember what you said about Miss Karlstein's taste last time?»
«I remember.» He never forgot a lie once told. This way there would be no gaps later. Although it didn't make sense in the current situation. «So what do you mean?»
As she stared at him, Dwalkie opened his mouth with a determined look. «I was going to ask you if what you said was true. But now that I think about it, it doesn't matter if it's true or not». Dwalkie's voice was different than usual. There was not the slightest tremor, and the eyes that looked at me were also firm. «Whatever your tastes, it's okay. It would be cowardly to wish for your sincerity without showing my true self».
«...What do you mean by that?»
«You should know that I've been secretly admiring her.»
Ha, so it ended like this. I wish he would at least wait until we were back in town.
«If we survive this and return to the city...»
«For.» I hurried to cut off Dwalkie's words. There was a clear difference between thinking about it and saying it yourself.
However, he seemed to have misinterpreted my sincere concern. «Unsurprisingly, Bjorn, so do you...». Dwalkie pursed his lips and shook his head as if to shake his thoughts. He spoke with a voice stronger than ever. «Still, nothing changes».
«Stop talking. I know what you've misunderstood...»
«When I return to the city, I will reveal my feelings».
No, say the flag is wrong. Damn sea.
Suddenly, I started to feel as anxious as when I met Hans.
«This is all I had to say. Then I'll go». Dwalkie turned around and ran to bury himself in his sleeping bag. Shortly after, he let out a sleepy sigh. I was worried that he would waste his precious waking time because of this, but it seemed like today's trip had been pretty exhausting after all.
...At least he doesn't plan to declare himself.
I also tried to erase my worries and focus on my watch. Two more hours passed like this, and after waking Hikurod for his turn, I went to bed.
When I opened my eyes again, it was time to leave. For tonight, it was decided that only the dwarf and I would stand guard for four hours straight.
«They must both be tired, but they worked hard.»
«Haha, well it can't be helped. There's not much time left».
«Tomorrow it's my turn and Rotmiller's, so after today you can rest a little.»
We roughly cleared the camp and resumed our journey. Today's objective was unequivocal. Rotmiller summarized: «As Bjorn said, it seems that we have reached the outer surface of the labyrinth. From now on, we will only go in one direction along this wall».
In one corner of the Larcaz labyrinth there was a square structure. We had to defeat the middle boss there and get a hidden reward. For reference, I didn't know which of the four middle bosses would come out. This was random in the game.
Whatever it is, we can now easily defeat it with our combat power. Other than that guy, they definitely all have weaknesses.
«"Medhhg!»
We spurred our movement by defeating hundreds of Vaikundus, of which we had probably already defeated hundreds. However, there were still no signs of an essence coming out. Instead, mana stones piled up high above.
«Hahaha! Mana stones alone are already a good reward».
In fact, this was the second reward of the maze. There was nowhere on the fifth floor where rank 6 monsters came out as one type for easy capture. On the fourth floor, it was usually difficult to find even 20 of them in a day.
After traveling for about 12 hours, we arrived at our destination, a point corresponding to the corner of the maze.
«...A dead end?»
«It can't be, there really is nothing here».
«It could be in another direction, or in a completely random place».
«Haha, there has to be a way out, right?»
«There has to be, since this is a labyrinth.»
When the group reached the dead-end wall and each made a comment, Rotmiller looked at the wall carefully and murmured: «Wait a minute, there's something weird».
Honestly, I was a little surprised. Was it due to the sixth sense linked to the essence of the Mime, or simply to the observation of this old man? I didn't know the exact cause, but because of that, I didn't have to step forward pretending it was a coincidence.
Click, rattle.
When he touched something, the wall slid to the side to reveal a hidden space.
«Wow, the door is open».
«It could be dangerous, everyone behind!»
Hikurod jumped forward and raised his shield, and I hurried to join him. Of course, there was no such thing as a monster suddenly appearing.
«...I guess nothing will come of it».
This wasn't that kind of place. The space inside the wall was darkened, making it impossible to see it with the naked eye. In fact, it meant nothing to me.
«I'm going to take the lead.»
«Bjorn! It could be dangerous!»
«I'm fine. That's my role».
When I stepped forward in place of the indecisive-looking dwarf and entered, the torches on the wall illuminated the hallway instantly. I quickly checked what was around me.
«This is…»
There was a stone chamber of about six square kilometers, a magic circle with geometric patterns drawn on the ground, and a post with a goat's head adorning it.
«It's a sinister place...»
«I don't see a portal here. Can't we go?»
Seeing Missha and Dwalkie murmur like that, I smiled secretly. Well, they didn't know that, compared to the other rooms, this was nothing.
Anyway, since we got this room, finding the boss room will be a piece of cake. As for how to use it, I can pass Rotmiller some clues...
That took a weight off my shoulders. It made it a little harder to catch the boss, but if we were unlucky, the exploration could have ended without seeing his face.
How do I invoke it? If he just did it, it would seem very suspicious.
I was contemplating those happy thoughts when everyone, including me, shuddered at the same time.
«¿Eh?»
«...You too?»
After all, she wasn't the only one who felt the change.
«What is this? My mana suddenly increased tremendously».
«Me too. Why is my body like this?»
The slightly overwhelming pressure of my heavy armor after the loss of strength stats disappeared, as if I were wearing polystyrene cosplay armor. How could this happen? As soon as I realized the truth, I swore.
But what the hell...?
Vitality took over my entire body, the kind of change that couldn't be felt even with the gigantization. I already knew the reason.
«Red Miller.»
«...It seems like you have the same thoughts as me.»
Another explorer had entered this place.
The hidden field on the fourth floor, the Labyrinth of Larcaz, minimum of one to a maximum of five people.
Common sense suggested that this was most likely a team of five, but it was still too early to reach a conclusion. All possibilities were open. But at least one thing was certain.
[Balance Guardian Field Effect granted. Participant statistics are adjusted equally].
Whether it was one or several, they were terrifyingly strong.