SGB: Episode 15
Episode 15: Return (2)
"Percy? Percy!"
The leader urgently calls out someone's name.
Naturally, there is no response.
The instruction I gave Erwen was to shoot the crossbowman first, no matter what.
"What the hell did you do?"
Only then does the leader ask me.
But even as he does, he seems to have a guess, as he looks warily not at me but behind me.
This is a huge mistake.
I hate people who ask questions with the answer already decided.
Smash!
The moment the leader's gaze momentarily shifts towards the bushes...
I dash forward without hesitation and swing my shield.
Whoosh!
Unfortunately, I don't feel the satisfying impact.
If it were a goblin, it would have surely turned into light and disappeared.
"Illis! Now's your chance!"
The leader calls out, and the samurai dashes towards me, executing a horizontal slash with a disciplined posture.
Clang!
Sparks fly from the shield.
Crazy, what is this impact? I almost lost grip of the shield.
But despite my surprise, I charge towards the three of them.
It's to distract them and give Erwen a more certain opportunity.
However...
Whoosh!
Another Smash misses.
Is it because they're 2nd-floor explorers?
Dealing with these guys, I feel the shield's reach being short for the first time.
But the more I think about it, the more I close the distance, swinging my shield aggressively.
That's when I hear the sound I've been waiting for.
Whoosh!
Erwen's support fire finally begins.
However, the arrow doesn't hit the forehead, neck, legs, or arms. The tall guy with the sword and shield blocks it with his shield.
"I'll block the arrows! Don't worry about them and deal with the barbarian!"
No wonder he was the only one not attacking.
Did he decide to focus solely on the arrows?
As expected, humans are too troublesome compared to goblins.
Thud!
As I block the samurai's attack with my shield, the leader slyly swings his sword, aiming for my left arm.
Slash-!
Fortunately, I react in time, so it's not deep.
It's cut, but it's already a broken arm, so it doesn't matter much, and it doesn't even hurt that much because of the paralysis poison.
"This, this monster..."
The leader mutters as he sees me not even flinching after my arm gets cut.
Damn it, stop making excuses. It's your own fault for being weak.
I push the samurai away with my shield, using the force of his attack.
That's when support fire comes in again.
Whoosh!
She must have changed her sniping position, as it's coming from a completely different direction than before, but the tall guy is no slouch either.
Thwack!
The tall guy blocks the arrow with his shield again.
Does he think he's some kind of outfielder? He even throws his body to block an arrow aimed at someone else.
Just as I'm starting to feel impatient with the lack of progress...
Whoosh!
The shield, riddled with arrows like a porcupine, starts burning rapidly.
"Damn it!"
Unable to withstand the heat, the tall guy throws his shield away.
Sorry, our archer is a spirit archer.
You should have used a solid iron shield like me, you cheapskate!
Whoosh!
With the annoying shield gone, Erwen shoots another arrow without hesitation.
"Aaaaaak!"
It hits the tall guy's shoulder.
He drops the sword he was holding and becomes useless.
"Illis! I'll take care of the fairy!"
The leader, finally grasping the situation, leaves me to the samurai and runs towards the bushes.
It's too late to catch her.
Damn it...
It seems like I have no choice but to trust Erwen.
"Give up, barbarian."
The samurai steps back and speaks with dignity.
This is why humans are so annoying.
Where does he get off trying to act tough? It's obvious he's just trying to buy time until the leader returns.
Tadat!
The samurai's expression contorts as I dash forward and use Smash.
"Why are you scared when you're alone?"
"I'm not alone!"
I asked the samurai, but the tall guy answers as he gets up.
He's holding the one-handed sword he dropped earlier in his left hand.
But...
Whoosh!
Is it because he's right-handed? His swordsmanship is pathetic.
Thwack!
I neatly dodge the tall guy's attack by taking a step back and then stomp on his knee with my foot.
The tall guy screams, his neck veins bulging.
"Aaaaaak!"
Uh, I didn't expect it to bend like that.
The tall guy collapses to the ground, holding the protruding bone of his knee with both hands.
I contemplate finishing him off while I have the chance, but unfortunately, the samurai prevents me from doing so.
Clang!
No matter how many times I block it, I can't get used to its weight.
Why is this guy hanging out with these weaklings?
Does he have some kind of story?
I don't know, but it will be the biggest mistake of his life.
Whoosh!
As I use Smash, the samurai expertly creates distance and dodges it.
Immediately, I discard my shield and dash forward again, reaching out.
It's called... Pretending to Smash and then Reaching Out.
I'm too tired to come up with names anymore. It's not even fun.
"Keugh!"
The samurai, whose neck is grabbed, has a bewildered expression.
"I guess you didn't expect this?"
I pull the samurai towards me with my overwhelming strength.
And instead of my useless left arm, I bite into the samurai's neck with my mouth and—
Crunch-!
Rip it off.
"Ah, ah, aaa..."
The samurai can't even scream.
He stumbles back with a dazed look, his neck spewing blood like a fountain, then...
Thud, he collapses to the ground.
"Mister!"
Did she take care of the other one on her own?
As soon as the battle ends, Erwen rushes out from the bushes.
"Mis...ter?"
I spit out the chunk of meat that was in my mouth and wipe my lips with my arm.
Damn, it's so fishy.
The difficult battle is over.
No, wait, was it just difficult for me?
Erwen seems to be in the same condition as when we parted ways, as she finished her part before engaging in close combat.
Compared to her, I'm a complete mess.
"Mister! Drink this quickly."
Erwen hands me a potion as I kneel on the ground, my tension released.
Gulp, gulp, gulp...
I cautiously finish the potion bottle as if drinking poison.
It's poison, but according to Erwen, it's better to drink it since the wounds are not concentrated in one place.
Anyway, is it because I drank the whole bottle?
It feels completely different from usual.
"Keueueueueuk."
Something is boiling up inside me.
I feel a pain as if small chestnuts are bouncing around in my blood vessels, and my skin is so itchy it's driving me crazy.
This continues for over 10 minutes.
"...Mister, hang in there."
Erwen wipes the sweat off my body with the same handkerchief as before.
Is it because of the poison? Or just because I'm dirty?
I don't know, but the white handkerchief has turned completely black.
...I should buy her a new one later.
"It's alright. I'm fine now."
Feeling a bit better, I get up with difficulty.
I look down at my body and see scabs forming over the various cuts and stab wounds.
If I drink one more potion, even these will disappear, but I decide not to.
"This place will be scarred..."
So what if there are scars, I'm a barbarian.
"Water."
"Yes, yes! Here you go."
Erwen quickly rummages through the bag and takes out the canteen at my one word.
I feel like a master.
Gulp, gulp, I finish the whole bottle, and my energy gradually returns.
Was water always this delicious?
The veins that were bulging all over my body have also subsided.
"Take out the watch."
With Erwen's help, I check the time.
And I freeze.
[23:20]
Damn, it doesn't even give us time to rest.
Exactly 40 minutes left until Day 7 ends.
If we don't make it down to the 1st floor by then, we have to spend three more days in this goddamn place.
"Erwen, take off their clothes."
"Ye, yes?"
No, not you, them.
As I point to the corpses with my hand, too tired to speak, Erwen unclenches her hand that was clutching her collar.
"No, leave the clothes. We don't have time, so let's just take the equipment, magic stone pouches, and backpacks."
"Yes, yes!"
Erwen moves quickly, as if she knows we're running out of time.
"Ah, I'll also bring the red-haired man's and the crossbowman's stuff!"
Yeah, be careful not to step on any traps.
While Erwen is gone, I strip the samurai and the tall guy of their equipment.
I discard the breastplate, the samurai's sword, and the charred wooden shield...
After sorting through the equipment, I roughly assess their value and loot only the expensive-looking ones.
And as I'm stuffing them into my backpack, Erwen returns just in time.
"Ugh..."
The two backpacks she's carrying look quite heavy.
Sorry, but I can't help you because I'm carrying three.
I check the time once more.
[23:35]
Only 25 minutes left now.
"Let's run."
"Are you sure? You look exhausted..."
"Don't worry about it."
Erwen looks worried but nods and clears the path after seeing my expression.
And so, the forced marathon begins.
"I'll follow you no matter what, so clear the path as quickly as possible."
"Yes."
I put Erwen in front and keep running, regulating my pace.
Maybe it's because of the mental fatigue, but my body feels strangely heavy.
No, is it just because of these backpacks?
...But I can't abandon them. I went through all that trouble, so I deserve a reward. That's how a just world should work, right?
"Whew, whew, whew..."
How much time has passed?
I can see the portal in the distance.
Erwen, who arrived first, is waiting for me there.
Her expression, a mix of encouragement and concern, is like that of a female protagonist in a youth manga.
Damn, this makes it feel like I'm the one who's going to be left behind.
Feeling uneasy, I gather all my remaining strength and quicken my pace.
And...
"I'm going in first!"
"Eh, I, I am too!"
Unlike a manga, there's no emotional embrace. We enter the portal.
Flash!
The light that bursts out is the same as usual.
But somehow, I feel like the light is embracing me.
My impression of returning to the 1st floor is not much different from when I entered the 2nd floor.
It feels like I'm being ejected from something's stomach.
"Kyaa!"
Unfortunately, even the result is the same as before.
No, is it even worse?
Thud-!
While I'm thrown to the ground as if I'm being grabbed by the hair and tossed aside, Erwen lands safely again.
…How the hell is that possible?
When we were thrown to the 2nd floor, at least we flew up in a parabola, but this time it was almost like a fastball in baseball.
Damn it, my bones ache.
"This is kind of fun!"
Yeah, I bet it is.
If I were her and there was someone like me next to me, I'd find it funny too.
"Whew..."
I get up from my spot, stretching my stiff body and brushing off the dirt.
And I check the time.
[23:58]
We barely made it.
I don't want to say we were lucky.
Then there would be too many things to blame the heavens for.
If things go well, it's thanks to me. If they don't, it's my fault.
Living with that mindset is better for my mental health.
"You worked hard, mister."
"Yeah, you too."
We exchange farewells, looking at each other for a moment.
Wait, I feel like I forgot something...
"Loot distribution!"
"Ah, right! The essence!"
Erwen and I both shout as if we just remembered.
"Essence?"
"Yes! You said you wanted me to promise you something!"
Ah, right, there was that too.
Only now do I remember what I had forgotten.
However, there's no time for a long conversation.
I quickly check my watch again.
[23:59]
There are about 15 seconds left, judging by the second hand.
I quickly close the watch and look up at Erwen.
So, that, that... what was the name again?
I think it was Black something...
"Black Whale! Let's meet at the Black Whale Tavern!"
"Yes!"
Erwen nods at my urgent shout.
Now, I think it's safe to—
「The labyrinth is closed.」
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
Ah, damn it, I didn't tell her the time.
"Percy? Percy!"
The leader urgently calls out someone's name.
Naturally, there is no response.
The instruction I gave Erwen was to shoot the crossbowman first, no matter what.
"What the hell did you do?"
Only then does the leader ask me.
But even as he does, he seems to have a guess, as he looks warily not at me but behind me.
This is a huge mistake.
I hate people who ask questions with the answer already decided.
Smash!
The moment the leader's gaze momentarily shifts towards the bushes...
I dash forward without hesitation and swing my shield.
Whoosh!
Unfortunately, I don't feel the satisfying impact.
If it were a goblin, it would have surely turned into light and disappeared.
"Illis! Now's your chance!"
The leader calls out, and the samurai dashes towards me, executing a horizontal slash with a disciplined posture.
Clang!
Sparks fly from the shield.
Crazy, what is this impact? I almost lost grip of the shield.
But despite my surprise, I charge towards the three of them.
It's to distract them and give Erwen a more certain opportunity.
However...
Whoosh!
Another Smash misses.
Is it because they're 2nd-floor explorers?
Dealing with these guys, I feel the shield's reach being short for the first time.
But the more I think about it, the more I close the distance, swinging my shield aggressively.
That's when I hear the sound I've been waiting for.
Whoosh!
Erwen's support fire finally begins.
However, the arrow doesn't hit the forehead, neck, legs, or arms. The tall guy with the sword and shield blocks it with his shield.
"I'll block the arrows! Don't worry about them and deal with the barbarian!"
No wonder he was the only one not attacking.
Did he decide to focus solely on the arrows?
As expected, humans are too troublesome compared to goblins.
Thud!
As I block the samurai's attack with my shield, the leader slyly swings his sword, aiming for my left arm.
Slash-!
Fortunately, I react in time, so it's not deep.
It's cut, but it's already a broken arm, so it doesn't matter much, and it doesn't even hurt that much because of the paralysis poison.
"This, this monster..."
The leader mutters as he sees me not even flinching after my arm gets cut.
Damn it, stop making excuses. It's your own fault for being weak.
I push the samurai away with my shield, using the force of his attack.
That's when support fire comes in again.
Whoosh!
She must have changed her sniping position, as it's coming from a completely different direction than before, but the tall guy is no slouch either.
Thwack!
The tall guy blocks the arrow with his shield again.
Does he think he's some kind of outfielder? He even throws his body to block an arrow aimed at someone else.
Just as I'm starting to feel impatient with the lack of progress...
Whoosh!
The shield, riddled with arrows like a porcupine, starts burning rapidly.
"Damn it!"
Unable to withstand the heat, the tall guy throws his shield away.
Sorry, our archer is a spirit archer.
You should have used a solid iron shield like me, you cheapskate!
Whoosh!
With the annoying shield gone, Erwen shoots another arrow without hesitation.
"Aaaaaak!"
It hits the tall guy's shoulder.
He drops the sword he was holding and becomes useless.
"Illis! I'll take care of the fairy!"
The leader, finally grasping the situation, leaves me to the samurai and runs towards the bushes.
It's too late to catch her.
Damn it...
It seems like I have no choice but to trust Erwen.
"Give up, barbarian."
The samurai steps back and speaks with dignity.
This is why humans are so annoying.
Where does he get off trying to act tough? It's obvious he's just trying to buy time until the leader returns.
Tadat!
The samurai's expression contorts as I dash forward and use Smash.
"Why are you scared when you're alone?"
"I'm not alone!"
I asked the samurai, but the tall guy answers as he gets up.
He's holding the one-handed sword he dropped earlier in his left hand.
But...
Whoosh!
Is it because he's right-handed? His swordsmanship is pathetic.
Thwack!
I neatly dodge the tall guy's attack by taking a step back and then stomp on his knee with my foot.
The tall guy screams, his neck veins bulging.
"Aaaaaak!"
Uh, I didn't expect it to bend like that.
The tall guy collapses to the ground, holding the protruding bone of his knee with both hands.
I contemplate finishing him off while I have the chance, but unfortunately, the samurai prevents me from doing so.
Clang!
No matter how many times I block it, I can't get used to its weight.
Why is this guy hanging out with these weaklings?
Does he have some kind of story?
I don't know, but it will be the biggest mistake of his life.
Whoosh!
As I use Smash, the samurai expertly creates distance and dodges it.
Immediately, I discard my shield and dash forward again, reaching out.
It's called... Pretending to Smash and then Reaching Out.
I'm too tired to come up with names anymore. It's not even fun.
"Keugh!"
The samurai, whose neck is grabbed, has a bewildered expression.
"I guess you didn't expect this?"
I pull the samurai towards me with my overwhelming strength.
And instead of my useless left arm, I bite into the samurai's neck with my mouth and—
Crunch-!
Rip it off.
"Ah, ah, aaa..."
The samurai can't even scream.
He stumbles back with a dazed look, his neck spewing blood like a fountain, then...
Thud, he collapses to the ground.
"Mister!"
Did she take care of the other one on her own?
As soon as the battle ends, Erwen rushes out from the bushes.
"Mis...ter?"
I spit out the chunk of meat that was in my mouth and wipe my lips with my arm.
Damn, it's so fishy.
The difficult battle is over.
No, wait, was it just difficult for me?
Erwen seems to be in the same condition as when we parted ways, as she finished her part before engaging in close combat.
Compared to her, I'm a complete mess.
"Mister! Drink this quickly."
Erwen hands me a potion as I kneel on the ground, my tension released.
Gulp, gulp, gulp...
I cautiously finish the potion bottle as if drinking poison.
It's poison, but according to Erwen, it's better to drink it since the wounds are not concentrated in one place.
Anyway, is it because I drank the whole bottle?
It feels completely different from usual.
"Keueueueueuk."
Something is boiling up inside me.
I feel a pain as if small chestnuts are bouncing around in my blood vessels, and my skin is so itchy it's driving me crazy.
This continues for over 10 minutes.
"...Mister, hang in there."
Erwen wipes the sweat off my body with the same handkerchief as before.
Is it because of the poison? Or just because I'm dirty?
I don't know, but the white handkerchief has turned completely black.
...I should buy her a new one later.
"It's alright. I'm fine now."
Feeling a bit better, I get up with difficulty.
I look down at my body and see scabs forming over the various cuts and stab wounds.
If I drink one more potion, even these will disappear, but I decide not to.
"This place will be scarred..."
So what if there are scars, I'm a barbarian.
"Water."
"Yes, yes! Here you go."
Erwen quickly rummages through the bag and takes out the canteen at my one word.
I feel like a master.
Gulp, gulp, I finish the whole bottle, and my energy gradually returns.
Was water always this delicious?
The veins that were bulging all over my body have also subsided.
"Take out the watch."
With Erwen's help, I check the time.
And I freeze.
[23:20]
Damn, it doesn't even give us time to rest.
Exactly 40 minutes left until Day 7 ends.
If we don't make it down to the 1st floor by then, we have to spend three more days in this goddamn place.
"Erwen, take off their clothes."
"Ye, yes?"
No, not you, them.
As I point to the corpses with my hand, too tired to speak, Erwen unclenches her hand that was clutching her collar.
"No, leave the clothes. We don't have time, so let's just take the equipment, magic stone pouches, and backpacks."
"Yes, yes!"
Erwen moves quickly, as if she knows we're running out of time.
"Ah, I'll also bring the red-haired man's and the crossbowman's stuff!"
Yeah, be careful not to step on any traps.
While Erwen is gone, I strip the samurai and the tall guy of their equipment.
I discard the breastplate, the samurai's sword, and the charred wooden shield...
After sorting through the equipment, I roughly assess their value and loot only the expensive-looking ones.
And as I'm stuffing them into my backpack, Erwen returns just in time.
"Ugh..."
The two backpacks she's carrying look quite heavy.
Sorry, but I can't help you because I'm carrying three.
I check the time once more.
[23:35]
Only 25 minutes left now.
"Let's run."
"Are you sure? You look exhausted..."
"Don't worry about it."
Erwen looks worried but nods and clears the path after seeing my expression.
And so, the forced marathon begins.
"I'll follow you no matter what, so clear the path as quickly as possible."
"Yes."
I put Erwen in front and keep running, regulating my pace.
Maybe it's because of the mental fatigue, but my body feels strangely heavy.
No, is it just because of these backpacks?
...But I can't abandon them. I went through all that trouble, so I deserve a reward. That's how a just world should work, right?
"Whew, whew, whew..."
How much time has passed?
I can see the portal in the distance.
Erwen, who arrived first, is waiting for me there.
Her expression, a mix of encouragement and concern, is like that of a female protagonist in a youth manga.
Damn, this makes it feel like I'm the one who's going to be left behind.
Feeling uneasy, I gather all my remaining strength and quicken my pace.
And...
"I'm going in first!"
"Eh, I, I am too!"
Unlike a manga, there's no emotional embrace. We enter the portal.
Flash!
The light that bursts out is the same as usual.
But somehow, I feel like the light is embracing me.
My impression of returning to the 1st floor is not much different from when I entered the 2nd floor.
It feels like I'm being ejected from something's stomach.
"Kyaa!"
Unfortunately, even the result is the same as before.
No, is it even worse?
Thud-!
While I'm thrown to the ground as if I'm being grabbed by the hair and tossed aside, Erwen lands safely again.
…How the hell is that possible?
When we were thrown to the 2nd floor, at least we flew up in a parabola, but this time it was almost like a fastball in baseball.
Damn it, my bones ache.
"This is kind of fun!"
Yeah, I bet it is.
If I were her and there was someone like me next to me, I'd find it funny too.
"Whew..."
I get up from my spot, stretching my stiff body and brushing off the dirt.
And I check the time.
[23:58]
We barely made it.
I don't want to say we were lucky.
Then there would be too many things to blame the heavens for.
If things go well, it's thanks to me. If they don't, it's my fault.
Living with that mindset is better for my mental health.
"You worked hard, mister."
"Yeah, you too."
We exchange farewells, looking at each other for a moment.
Wait, I feel like I forgot something...
"Loot distribution!"
"Ah, right! The essence!"
Erwen and I both shout as if we just remembered.
"Essence?"
"Yes! You said you wanted me to promise you something!"
Ah, right, there was that too.
Only now do I remember what I had forgotten.
However, there's no time for a long conversation.
I quickly check my watch again.
[23:59]
There are about 15 seconds left, judging by the second hand.
I quickly close the watch and look up at Erwen.
So, that, that... what was the name again?
I think it was Black something...
"Black Whale! Let's meet at the Black Whale Tavern!"
"Yes!"
Erwen nods at my urgent shout.
Now, I think it's safe to—
「The labyrinth is closed.」
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
Ah, damn it, I didn't tell her the time.
before watches or even clocks were readily made, people actually needed to meet in a similar way. With no precise time, I mean. So in a way, it's kind of fitting lol
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