I walked on a trembling canyon. I was in the lead, in the rear was Iron Bear, the tank's assistant, and the rest was grouped closely in the center.
«¡Keeeeek!»
Every time we walked, I could hear the sound of ghost-type monsters beyond the darkness. This was the feature of one of the four routes that connected to the sixth floor, Ghost Canyon.
[You have entered a special area. The Ghost Cannon-Field Effect] is granted.
The ground shook vigorously every few minutes. There was a gloomy background sound emitted by the ghosts.
[Restriction state anomaly is granted. Darkness resistance and physical endurance have decreased -100.]
Not to mention this unpleasant sensation as if the skin had thinned somewhere.
It seems gloomier now that I can't see the explorers.
It had been a day since we entered Ghost Canyon but we still hadn't found anyone from the industry. The only thing we had found so far were monsters.
[You have defeated a Cursed Stone. EXP +4]
[Has defeated the one Corrupt Creature. EXP+2]
[You have defeated a Blood Ghost. EXP +5]
[You have defeated a Dakirion. EXP +5]
[You have defeated an Ancient Spider. EXP +2]
Well, still, this was closer to an advantage. We were able to get most of the experience points available on this route with a single scan.
I think we just have to stop by here one more time and catch the ones we couldn't separately...
«Be careful not to fall».
Aside from stopping every time the ground shook, all of our time was spent in combat and movement. You only rested during camp. It was a bit of a tight schedule, but still. Since we had saved quite a bit of resistance on the fourth floor, it would be fine for a few days.
«It's fascinating. I thought the next district would be Frost Canyon».
«At that time we were not ready to go to the sixth floor. This route is the closest to reach the sixth floor».
«Hmm, I've heard of that... But if it's for that reason, wouldn't it be better to stop by the Hellfire Gorge, which we're familiar with, rather than this place we've never been before?»
«But we have collected all the achievement points there.» I brought us here, providing all kinds of reasons to Raven, but there was actually a different reason for taking this route.
Because I already have the essence that is found in the Frost Canyon.
The essence I originally intended to feed Missha I obtained as a reward from the palace.
And most importantly, that guy comes here.
The monster we had to catch and defeat if we wanted to enter the sixth floor appeared on this route. Of course, I couldn't say that this guy was the target. If he did, he would have to answer the question of how we were going to find that guy and he didn't have a good excuse. The best thing was to say that we had been lucky.
«Sir»
¿Eh?
«This time we have to go this way».
Finishing my thoughts and looking forward, there was a three-pointed path standing in our way. In reality, it was ambiguous to call it a three-pointed road.
«This time there is some distance to the other side. I'll go first and throw the rope».
Jumping more than thirty meters at a time using the Jump, I threw the rope I had prepared beforehand to the opposite cliff. This was the fun part of the fifth floor of the Great Demon Realm. In this way, the routes available for selection increased depending on the character's ability.
«The installation is complete! Let's move on now!»
When the rope installation was finished, the team members climbed the rope to where I was. Thanks to the slope, there was no need to sweat profusely. You just had to hook onto the rope and slide down.
«Then I'll be back».
After moving I used Jump to cross to the other side and recover the rope. I couldn't leave it for single use, could I? It cost a lot of money to get a specially made rope with this length.
«Erwen, how much have we gone down?»
«About a seventh.»
«Then we can reach the sixth floor in a week.»
«Yeah. As long as we can maintain the current speed».
We continued to receive guidance from Erwen and quickly got off. His navigation method was different from mine, so he didn't make maps, but he didn't get lost or go around in circles either.
«The fairy girl is very good at finding her way».
«I haven't reached the sixth floor yet, but I have tried all four routes while working with a clan. And, of course, you should do it so much when you direct us to the portals, Mr. Abman».
«Please. The location of a portal means nothing on the fifth floor. You should be more confident».
Although she was never given a bad thought, Erwen demonstrated her own ability, making the team see her in a better light. Lately, his relationship with Missha had also improved quite a bit.
«Sis! Come deeper. It can be dangerous outside...»
«Okay, thanks.»
Anyway, moving along the shortest route following Erwen's directions, it was time to find a camp to rest.
«This looks good».
The place I chose to camp was near the edge of a cliff, a place where you only had to stand guard on one side and even if something went wrong, you could just jump onto the side path about fifteen feet away. Of course, the order of the night guard didn't really matter.
«Bjorn, wake up.»
«¿Otro monster?»
Because monsters appeared every twenty minutes on average, we had to pick up our weapons while we slept. This was the same for Raven, who lacked stamina. We tried not to wake her up because of the small numbers as much as possible, but when dozens showed up at once, we had no choice.
«...I'm going to sleep again». Raven yawned.
«Yes, you have worked hard».
Raven snored silently with no response. It was fun to watch. She had become a true explorer.
«Ha, he doesn't even wake up at the slightest sound anymore».
«No, I think he wakes up every time there is a sound. If it doesn't seem like a big deal, he goes back to sleep».
«That's good. Actually that's the hardest thing to do».
«Even if it's difficult, it's time for you to get used to it».
«Yes, that's right... In the end you get used to everything...»
Like my relationship with Missha; Just as at first it was uncomfortable after entering the maze but now we could have a conversation without much discomfort, time gets you used to everything.
«Anyway, you should sleep too. I will stand guard».
«Although there are still a few minutes left until your turn».
«It's more annoying to wake up again».
«Mm, but I feel bad, though...»
Why did you have to feel bad? We had to wake up in twenty minutes to fight again, anyway.
***
After that, the exploration continued and it had been ten days since we entered the fifth floor. However, we were still on the fifth floor.
«How long until the sixth floor?» I asked.
«I think it will take a day», Erwin responded.
«¿To this speed?»
«Sí.»
«We may think it will be two days to be sure».
Unfortunately, as the exploration progressed, our movement speed decreased. It was because our resistance was gradually approaching the limit. It would have been stranger if it were normal when we struggled all day without getting adequate sleep. The explorers were not superhuman. They were just much more capable than ordinary people.
Well, still. We caught that guy yesterday.
Although the program took longer than expected, we achieved one of the secondary objectives of the expedition. The Rank 5 Soul Eater was a unique monster in many ways. There was the fact that only one of these guys showed up when the maze opened.
[Has defeated a un Comealmas. EXP +177]
The experience points themselves were meaningless. At first, when I saw the XP log, I thought it was a bug. How was I supposed to know there would be a monster that randomly gave you between 100 and 200 experience for the first hunt?
I wonder how much I received.
From now on I couldn't calculate the XP exactly, but I didn't regret it. With this, I finally reached level 6.
[Your level has increased. Soul Power increased +30. The maximum absorbable essences has increased +1.]
Corpse Golem, Orc Hero, Ogre, Manticore, and the Bayon essence obtained as a palace reward; This was the reason why I entered the maze without erasing the Corpse Golem even though the essence points were filled with a total of five essences. Since I had been copying quite a bit of XP, I thought I could level up just by catching this guy.
«No matter how few explorers there are, I never thought we would meet this guy. We were really lucky».
«Haha, I told you several times. Luck follows this team».
How lucky? You do not know the efforts I made to meet the conditions of appearance without you knowing.
«Aruru, this is no longer a team, it's a clan!»
«Ah, sure... Sure, sure.»
«Stop chatting and concentrate.»
As team leader - no, clan head, now - I made sure everyone's concentration didn't drop too much as we moved forward. Excluding the delay in the program, the exploration seemed to go smoothly, but it was not without some scares. The troops themselves surpassed the fifth rank rank thanks to palace rewards, but where the hell were the specifications for everything?
«Miss Karlstein, it looks like we have to repair the armor as soon as we get out».
«Ah, C-true ... Ugh, honestly. It hasn't even been long since I bought it. What waste».
There was an incident where Missha was hit squarely by a spear summoned by a Soul Eater. Of course, she was not injured.
«Missha, what is waste? If it weren't for that, you'd be dead yesterday».
The blade pierced Missha's armor deep into the area around the heart. If it had penetrated even the depth of one more finger, it could have been deadly. Even thinking about it now, it was dizzying. If he was still wearing the grade 2 leather armor obtained by killing Jencia, who was his first Player Elimination opponent, it wouldn't have even lasted that long.
I'm so glad I spent a little more money getting a Grade 5 leather armor instead of a Grade 4 leather one.
«I mean, a waste is still a waste...»
Huh, you still haven't come to your senses.
«Enough. Don't even think about saving money on equipment in the future».
«Okay...»
This was the reason why low physical endurance equipment was not acceptable. You just couldn't be calm.
«Ahem, this is comforting and all but why don't we start moving?» Mr. Bear said.
After a brief moment of discomfort from scolding Missha, we resumed our exploration. After a day we had descended the entire Ghost Canyon until we reached the ground at the bottom, and after moving there for another half day, a portal appeared.
«Wow, we really are on the sixth floor...»
«It's also the first time I'm here».
«I'm getting really excited for some reason. I've heard so many things about this place».
As befits the moment of entering a new apartment, everyone let out their exclamations. Of course, the feeling was mutual for me too.
I finally reached the sixth floor.
The first day I saw the execution of tax criminals in the square, I thought the following: To live in a house with a kitchen, receive medical treatment when necessary and be able to lead a quiet life with three puppies after retiring at age fifty, I needed get to the sixth floor. Even here I had to work and save like a dog until I retired. So... As for how to get home, I had to think about it later.
However, I didn't expect to get here before two years had passed.
He arrived at least three years earlier than expected, but it didn't mean he would have been lucky. Thirteen months had passed since I woke up in this body. It could be called short, but too many things had happened to me in that time. I fought hard but I still lost someone, and through that legacy, I grew into who I was today.
«¿Bjorn?»
«Oh, I had something to think about for a moment.»
«You enter first. You are the one who brought us here». Mr. Bear tapped me on the shoulder.
Raven hit me in the side with her wand. «Yeah. Is right. If it weren't for you, Mr. Yandel, I wouldn't have entered the labyrinth».
Oh, no, no.
«Then let's go in».
I started walking towards the portal.
[You have entered the Great Sea on the sixth floor.]
Blue sky and throbbing sun, the smell of salt carried by the wind, and the sound of crashing waves.
¡Shaaaaa!
When I found balance in the air and landed, the first thing I saw was a wide sandy beach. The sand was almost white and beyond the water-soaked mud stretched an emerald sea.
«Those...»
Everyone was mesmerized by the sight. I wasn't much different either. That's how beautiful everything was. And unlike those who saw the sea for the first time, it moved me in a different way.
That's how we were stunned, looking beyond the horizon like people who had forgotten the time. Actually, I came to my senses a while ago.
There is no need to interrupt this moment.
Taking my eyes off the sea, I looked around and observed the surroundings. The starting point on the sixth floor was Laemia, the Island of Beginnings. The game was always full of people, but now there was no one.
At this time they would have already set sail.
Then I turned my head towards the sea again and approached Missha to speak to her. «Missha».
A brief call of his name was enough. «Oh yeah. Good. We have to start with that...» Realizing right away what he had called her for, Missha took out an item she had been hoarding.
Raven tilted her head at this. «What is that stored inside the glass bottle? Looks like an explorer badge...»
«An explorer badge is correct».
«Oh, it could be...»
«Sí, es de Dwalkie.»
When we held a simple funeral for Dwalkie between us, we burned most of his belongings but left this. It was the dwarf's request.
«I have heard that this place is so mysterious that time flows separately and even has seasons, even though it is inside the labyrinth. Please do this for him. I'm sure he'll thank you».
«...Even if I've never been there before?»
«That's why you'll like it. Dwalkie will like it, for sure».
Now, I was wondering how he would really feel. I couldn't be sure, but it was here.
«Could you wait a minute?»
«Of course. Forward». Raven didn't say much and took a step back with the other teammates to give us time alone.
«Missha.»
«Sí.»
Missha and I headed past the sandy beach towards the sea.
¡Chwaaaaa!
Like a beating heart, the edges of the waves fell and rose repeatedly. Missha bent down and dipped her fingers in the ocean. «It's colder than I thought...».
«Ya veo.»
«It would have been nice if we came together...»
«Yeah.» It really would have been. Even when we got to the third floor I was dizzy as a child.
«...i think I can now understand why explorers always call it a vast world.»
Just a little more. If his time with us had been a little longer, he might have seen the real night sky spread far and wide instead of a Milky Way spread out on a blocked roof.
«Dámelo».
«¿Eh? But...»
«If we put it down here, it will obviously float down.»
«Oh, that's true...»
Without having to explain it scientifically, Missha understood what she was talking about when she saw the waves. So I received a custom-made glass bottle from Missha and went into the sea. The shallow waters gradually became deeper and I moved as far away from the island as possible.
«...This should be enough».
Even after using Gigantization the water rose just below my neck. I threw the glass bottle as far as I could.
¡Splash!
Before long, the bottle fell into the water and rose to the surface before riding the waves to the other side of the island. Well, I got it on the first try. If that didn't work I was going to take a boat.
«Anyway, I tried to make it work with Missha but it didn't work», I said, watching the glass bottle float away. Then I giggled, because I found it funny. What was he doing? «Rest a little».
I swallowed everything he wanted to say and turned around, thinking it was something he would never hear, anyway. But all the time I thought this: What would Dwalkie think of me now?
He probably would have been happy.
Even if this had been an act for those left behind, that guy would have laughed. No, rather he would have liked it because it was made for us, because that was his nature.
¡Chwaaaaa!
Feeling the push of the waves against my back, I looked back again and prayed briefly. I didn't know where that glass bottle would end up.
¡Chwaaaaa!
But I prayed that those rippling waves would take her where he wanted.