SGB: Episode 29
Episode 29: The Rift (3)
[Dungeon and Stone] is full of instances where internal conflicts arise during gameplay.
And the cause of these conflicts is always, without exception, ‘money.’
For mages who are financially well-off, research might be their top priority, but explorers enter the labyrinth solely to make money.
And now this mage bitch has touched on that very issue.
“You’re taking all the loot from the guardian?”
The dwarf is no longer smiling pleasantly.
His voice is low, and his eyes, revealed between his bushy beard, gleam fiercely.
“Do I look like an idiot?”
The atmosphere instantly turns cold.
And sensing this…
Clack.
The human man places his hand on the hilt of his sword.
He’s not just a simple porter, as expected.
Breaking the heavy silence, Raven speaks.
“…Instead, I’ll give you all the magic stones from the rift.”
“You’re telling us to scavenge for scraps.”
“…I think it’s a reasonable calculation, isn’t it? It’s not like those items are guaranteed drops.”
Although she tries to hide it, Raven’s face clearly shows her fluster.
She didn’t expect such a hostile reaction, it seems…
I find her naive.
She should have expected this.
The guardian’s loot is the highlight of the rift.
And among that loot, the ‘Numbered Item’ is a treasure beyond compare for the dwarf.
“I can’t give up the Numbered Item.”
“…Alright. Then I’ll take the guardian’s essence. And please acknowledge my ownership of any other discoveries made using my knowledge.”
“Fine. Then we’ll split the Rift Stone fairly by rolling dice.”
Oh please, fair my ass.
The two of them start arguing about their own interests, completely ignoring Ainar and me.
It gives me a headache just watching them.
I’m starting to think it would have been better to bleed with 1st-floor newbies while clearing the rift.
At this rate, we’ll really be scavenging for scraps in this rift we worked so hard to enter.
Having no power is such a pathetic thing.
“Bjorn.”
“I know what you’re thinking, but stay quiet for now.”
“Alright.”
The things I need to do become clearer.
I need to get stronger.
Regardless of whether those bastards pull the ladder up after them, I need to climb up on my own.
That’s the only way I can protect my rights like them.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll give in today.
“Wait.”
“……?”
The two of them, who were having a relatively friendly conversation, turn their attention to me as I speak up.
“Do whatever you want with the essence and the Numbered Item. But we’ll take the Rift Stone.”
“You’re being greedy.”
“Do you think there will be a problem if the two barbarians aren’t here?”
Their gazes are sharp.
Damn, they were all smiles when we first met.
Alright, I was just testing the waters anyway.
“Fine, I’ll give up the Rift Stone. In return, give us priority for up to two essences, excluding the guardian’s.”
“Alright, that much is fine.”
“Same here.”
As expected, Raven and the dwarf readily agree to my demand.
This is probably the limit.
For people of their level, there wouldn’t be any essences that are particularly attractive besides the guardian’s.
“Then shall we go now?”
“Sounds good, my body is already aching from just standing around! Hwahahaha!”
Once the negotiations are over, the mage bitch and the dwarf are all smiles and laughter again, as if nothing happened.
Scary explorer bastards.
____________________________
After walking along the mountain path for some time, with the fortress visible between the ridges, we arrive at the fortress entrance and encounter two winged demon statues.
“Gargoyle statues.”
8th-grade monsters, Gargoyle Statues.
They’re tricky monsters that usually remain still but activate and use ‘Petrification’ when an enemy enters their line of sight.
The typical strategy is for one person to sacrifice themselves and take all the ‘Petrification’ attacks, while the others defeat the Gargoyle Statues to lift the curse, but…
Surprisingly, we have a mage with us right now.
“Kyaaaaak—!”
The gargoyles open their eyes and spread their wings as the dwarf and I approach.
At the same time, my lower body instantly turns to stone, but the duration is short.
“Artena Viar.”
Raven chants the ‘Curse Removal’ spell, and the battle begins in earnest.
Ainar and I take on one, while the dwarf takes on the other.
Kwaaang!
The short dwarf swings his hammer like a madman, shattering both of the gargoyle’s legs.
And as the gargoyle falls to the ground, he smashes its head with his hammer in a satisfying manner.
Is that the dwarven way?
It’s quite manly to just smash things from the bottom up.
Well, it’s not that different from what we do.
“You guys are pretty good too!”
There’s not much difference in the time it takes to destroy the Gargoyle Statues.
We’re also confident in close combat.
「Killed Gargoyle. EXP +2」
The two gargoyles disappear into light, dropping magic stones, but there’s no need to pick them up ourselves.
They float up on their own and go into a large pouch.
“I’ll collect the magic stones and distribute them to you periodically.”
“That would be great! Hahaha!”
The dwarf doesn’t seem worried that the mage will steal the magic stones.
Well, there’s no way a mage would care about such small change.
“Then let’s go!”
The dwarf smashes the old wooden door with his hammer, clearing the way.
Is this where the real dungeon begins?
I follow behind, feeling a strange sense of anticipation.
“We’ll need some light.”
“Rieit.”
A sphere of light appears on Raven’s hand, brightly illuminating the dark interior.
This space I’ve entered is the outer checkpoint.
It’s the place where they would have handled various administrative tasks, such as checking the cargo of carriages and the identities of passersby, before allowing them into the castle.
“Grooooan.”
As if drawn by the light and sound, rotten corpses rise from closets and under desks, approaching us.
“Deadmen.”
Deadmen.
They’re unranked monsters that don’t give experience points or even drop magic stones.
And their corpses don’t even disappear.
Except when they drop essences.
“Their attacks are just biting and scratching, so I’ll conserve my mana.”
Although there’s no magical assistance, it doesn’t take long to clear the entire room.
“While I open the door, could Mr. Murad and Mr. Yandel go upstairs?”
“I’ll take care of it quickly! Hahaha!”
Following the dwarf up to the 2nd floor, we find a space that seems like a shared bedroom.
There are about ten Deadmen here as well, but since the space is wider than the 1st floor, it’s easier to deal with them.
Thwack! Thwack!
We quickly clear the 2nd floor and climb the ladder to the rooftop without much conversation.
There are about a dozen soldier Deadmen wearing rusty armor and a commander Deadman with a slightly larger build.
It’s not exactly a first boss…
But it’s something we have to defeat to proceed.
“He’s just bigger, nothing different from other Deadmen, so let’s finish him off quickly! Hahaha!”
Once again, we quickly clear the area and search the commander Deadman’s clothes, finding a horn.
When we return to the 1st floor, the iron gate on the other side is already open.
“Having a mage around is really reassuring.”
With light coming in from both directions, the windowless interior has become quite bright, but it doesn’t matter.
We’ve finished everything we need to do at the outer checkpoint.
Now it’s time to cross the 50-meter-long bridge.
“Be careful of your footing, Lady Raven.”
“Ah, thank you.”
The bridge, which is partially collapsed, ends about 20 meters from the gate.
It’s not because it’s been destroyed by time or anything.
It was designed that way from the beginning.
Boooooooo!
I blow the horn we acquired earlier, and the drawbridge starts to descend with a creaking sound.
Of course, that’s not all…
「The long-dormant water magic circle has been activated.」
“Bjorn! Water is rising from below!”
The moat.
Water also starts to rise from the ditch that would have been dug around the castle walls to prevent invasions.
Blackish, red blood-like water.
This is why it’s called the ‘Crimson Fortress.’
The sky is red, and the ground is red.
But there’s something else that heightens the apocalyptic atmosphere.
“Bjorn! Hands! There are hands splashing around on the water surface!”
“They’re just Deadmen, don’t worry.”
“Hmph, who’s worried?”
As the blood-like water reaches the bottom of the bridge, the Deadmen who were splashing around climb up.
The drawbridge hasn’t even descended a fifth of the way yet.
The concept of this part is simple.
—Hold out until the drawbridge descends.
If this were a game, that’s the message that would have popped up.
“Grooooan.”
Without any specific instructions, everyone starts fighting back, pushing away the Deadmen or striking them with their weapons.
Thwack! Thwack! Kwagic-!
Although Deadmen are unranked monsters, they’re quite troublesome opponents here on the bridge.
If you fall down, it’s game over.
“It’s done.”
About a minute later, Raven completes the magic spell.
“Witerna Dertu!”
The name of the spell roughly translates to ‘Blade Storm.’
A strong gust of wind spreads out from us, who are in a tight formation, and it grinds up the Deadmen like a blender.
Ratatatatatat.
The dwarf exclaims, looking at the bridge now covered in Deadmen corpses.
“…That’s amazing.”
“It’s just Deadmen, what’s the big deal?”
Despite her humble words, Raven’s eyes are full of pride.
But it doesn’t feel arrogant.
This part wouldn’t be so easy to pass without a mage with area-of-effect attacks.
Afterwards, as we’re just crushing the occasional Deadmen that climb up onto the bridge, the slowly descending drawbridge finally connects with the bridge.
Kooooong!
The first chapter of the Crimson Fortress is over.
Disappointingly easy.
[Dungeon and Stone] is full of instances where internal conflicts arise during gameplay.
And the cause of these conflicts is always, without exception, ‘money.’
For mages who are financially well-off, research might be their top priority, but explorers enter the labyrinth solely to make money.
And now this mage bitch has touched on that very issue.
“You’re taking all the loot from the guardian?”
The dwarf is no longer smiling pleasantly.
His voice is low, and his eyes, revealed between his bushy beard, gleam fiercely.
“Do I look like an idiot?”
The atmosphere instantly turns cold.
And sensing this…
Clack.
The human man places his hand on the hilt of his sword.
He’s not just a simple porter, as expected.
Breaking the heavy silence, Raven speaks.
“…Instead, I’ll give you all the magic stones from the rift.”
“You’re telling us to scavenge for scraps.”
“…I think it’s a reasonable calculation, isn’t it? It’s not like those items are guaranteed drops.”
Although she tries to hide it, Raven’s face clearly shows her fluster.
She didn’t expect such a hostile reaction, it seems…
I find her naive.
She should have expected this.
The guardian’s loot is the highlight of the rift.
And among that loot, the ‘Numbered Item’ is a treasure beyond compare for the dwarf.
“I can’t give up the Numbered Item.”
“…Alright. Then I’ll take the guardian’s essence. And please acknowledge my ownership of any other discoveries made using my knowledge.”
“Fine. Then we’ll split the Rift Stone fairly by rolling dice.”
Oh please, fair my ass.
The two of them start arguing about their own interests, completely ignoring Ainar and me.
It gives me a headache just watching them.
I’m starting to think it would have been better to bleed with 1st-floor newbies while clearing the rift.
At this rate, we’ll really be scavenging for scraps in this rift we worked so hard to enter.
Having no power is such a pathetic thing.
“Bjorn.”
“I know what you’re thinking, but stay quiet for now.”
“Alright.”
The things I need to do become clearer.
I need to get stronger.
Regardless of whether those bastards pull the ladder up after them, I need to climb up on my own.
That’s the only way I can protect my rights like them.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll give in today.
“Wait.”
“……?”
The two of them, who were having a relatively friendly conversation, turn their attention to me as I speak up.
“Do whatever you want with the essence and the Numbered Item. But we’ll take the Rift Stone.”
“You’re being greedy.”
“Do you think there will be a problem if the two barbarians aren’t here?”
Their gazes are sharp.
Damn, they were all smiles when we first met.
Alright, I was just testing the waters anyway.
“Fine, I’ll give up the Rift Stone. In return, give us priority for up to two essences, excluding the guardian’s.”
“Alright, that much is fine.”
“Same here.”
As expected, Raven and the dwarf readily agree to my demand.
This is probably the limit.
For people of their level, there wouldn’t be any essences that are particularly attractive besides the guardian’s.
“Then shall we go now?”
“Sounds good, my body is already aching from just standing around! Hwahahaha!”
Once the negotiations are over, the mage bitch and the dwarf are all smiles and laughter again, as if nothing happened.
Scary explorer bastards.
____________________________
After walking along the mountain path for some time, with the fortress visible between the ridges, we arrive at the fortress entrance and encounter two winged demon statues.
“Gargoyle statues.”
8th-grade monsters, Gargoyle Statues.
They’re tricky monsters that usually remain still but activate and use ‘Petrification’ when an enemy enters their line of sight.
The typical strategy is for one person to sacrifice themselves and take all the ‘Petrification’ attacks, while the others defeat the Gargoyle Statues to lift the curse, but…
Surprisingly, we have a mage with us right now.
“Kyaaaaak—!”
The gargoyles open their eyes and spread their wings as the dwarf and I approach.
At the same time, my lower body instantly turns to stone, but the duration is short.
“Artena Viar.”
Raven chants the ‘Curse Removal’ spell, and the battle begins in earnest.
Ainar and I take on one, while the dwarf takes on the other.
Kwaaang!
The short dwarf swings his hammer like a madman, shattering both of the gargoyle’s legs.
And as the gargoyle falls to the ground, he smashes its head with his hammer in a satisfying manner.
Is that the dwarven way?
It’s quite manly to just smash things from the bottom up.
Well, it’s not that different from what we do.
“You guys are pretty good too!”
There’s not much difference in the time it takes to destroy the Gargoyle Statues.
We’re also confident in close combat.
「Killed Gargoyle. EXP +2」
The two gargoyles disappear into light, dropping magic stones, but there’s no need to pick them up ourselves.
They float up on their own and go into a large pouch.
“I’ll collect the magic stones and distribute them to you periodically.”
“That would be great! Hahaha!”
The dwarf doesn’t seem worried that the mage will steal the magic stones.
Well, there’s no way a mage would care about such small change.
“Then let’s go!”
The dwarf smashes the old wooden door with his hammer, clearing the way.
Is this where the real dungeon begins?
I follow behind, feeling a strange sense of anticipation.
“We’ll need some light.”
“Rieit.”
A sphere of light appears on Raven’s hand, brightly illuminating the dark interior.
This space I’ve entered is the outer checkpoint.
It’s the place where they would have handled various administrative tasks, such as checking the cargo of carriages and the identities of passersby, before allowing them into the castle.
“Grooooan.”
As if drawn by the light and sound, rotten corpses rise from closets and under desks, approaching us.
“Deadmen.”
Deadmen.
They’re unranked monsters that don’t give experience points or even drop magic stones.
And their corpses don’t even disappear.
Except when they drop essences.
“Their attacks are just biting and scratching, so I’ll conserve my mana.”
Although there’s no magical assistance, it doesn’t take long to clear the entire room.
“While I open the door, could Mr. Murad and Mr. Yandel go upstairs?”
“I’ll take care of it quickly! Hahaha!”
Following the dwarf up to the 2nd floor, we find a space that seems like a shared bedroom.
There are about ten Deadmen here as well, but since the space is wider than the 1st floor, it’s easier to deal with them.
Thwack! Thwack!
We quickly clear the 2nd floor and climb the ladder to the rooftop without much conversation.
There are about a dozen soldier Deadmen wearing rusty armor and a commander Deadman with a slightly larger build.
It’s not exactly a first boss…
But it’s something we have to defeat to proceed.
“He’s just bigger, nothing different from other Deadmen, so let’s finish him off quickly! Hahaha!”
Once again, we quickly clear the area and search the commander Deadman’s clothes, finding a horn.
When we return to the 1st floor, the iron gate on the other side is already open.
“Having a mage around is really reassuring.”
With light coming in from both directions, the windowless interior has become quite bright, but it doesn’t matter.
We’ve finished everything we need to do at the outer checkpoint.
Now it’s time to cross the 50-meter-long bridge.
“Be careful of your footing, Lady Raven.”
“Ah, thank you.”
The bridge, which is partially collapsed, ends about 20 meters from the gate.
It’s not because it’s been destroyed by time or anything.
It was designed that way from the beginning.
Boooooooo!
I blow the horn we acquired earlier, and the drawbridge starts to descend with a creaking sound.
Of course, that’s not all…
「The long-dormant water magic circle has been activated.」
“Bjorn! Water is rising from below!”
The moat.
Water also starts to rise from the ditch that would have been dug around the castle walls to prevent invasions.
Blackish, red blood-like water.
This is why it’s called the ‘Crimson Fortress.’
The sky is red, and the ground is red.
But there’s something else that heightens the apocalyptic atmosphere.
“Bjorn! Hands! There are hands splashing around on the water surface!”
“They’re just Deadmen, don’t worry.”
“Hmph, who’s worried?”
As the blood-like water reaches the bottom of the bridge, the Deadmen who were splashing around climb up.
The drawbridge hasn’t even descended a fifth of the way yet.
The concept of this part is simple.
—Hold out until the drawbridge descends.
If this were a game, that’s the message that would have popped up.
“Grooooan.”
Without any specific instructions, everyone starts fighting back, pushing away the Deadmen or striking them with their weapons.
Thwack! Thwack! Kwagic-!
Although Deadmen are unranked monsters, they’re quite troublesome opponents here on the bridge.
If you fall down, it’s game over.
“It’s done.”
About a minute later, Raven completes the magic spell.
“Witerna Dertu!”
The name of the spell roughly translates to ‘Blade Storm.’
A strong gust of wind spreads out from us, who are in a tight formation, and it grinds up the Deadmen like a blender.
Ratatatatatat.
The dwarf exclaims, looking at the bridge now covered in Deadmen corpses.
“…That’s amazing.”
“It’s just Deadmen, what’s the big deal?”
Despite her humble words, Raven’s eyes are full of pride.
But it doesn’t feel arrogant.
This part wouldn’t be so easy to pass without a mage with area-of-effect attacks.
Afterwards, as we’re just crushing the occasional Deadmen that climb up onto the bridge, the slowly descending drawbridge finally connects with the bridge.
Kooooong!
The first chapter of the Crimson Fortress is over.
Disappointingly easy.
___________________________
Now that we’ve crossed the drawbridge, there are three chapters left.
The city battle at the outer wall.
The underground prison of the inner wall.
The demon worship chamber in the lord’s castle.
“This is interesting.”
Entering the castle, Raven’s eyes sparkle as she looks at the ruins.
As if a treasure has unfolded before her eyes.
“A blacksmith, a tavern, an inn, a church, stables that must have been used by merchants… these ruins mostly seem to be public facilities.”
The dwarf chuckles.
“Is that so surprising, Lady Raven?”
“Of course. There were no farmlands or residential areas on the mountain path we came up, or inside the castle. That means there were no farmers. Aren’t you curious? How did everyone survive in a fortress city built in such a remote mountainous area?”
“There must have been alchemists in this dimension too. They would have turned magic stones into bread like us. Hahaha.”
“…Indeed, that hypothesis is the most likely among scholars.”
“Haha! Is that so? Even educated people have similar thoughts, I see!”
“But Mr. Murad, the interesting thing is not just that. The long drawbridge, the high castle walls… this fortress was built very practically. Who were their enemies?”
The dwarf, who was initially receptive, starts to distance himself as the conversation drags on.
“Why are you curious about such things? It’s all just an artificial space anyway.”
“An artificial space, indeed, ordinary people who haven’t properly studied dimensional studies might think so—”
“Stop it, Lady Raven, the monsters are coming.”
As we walk through the city towards the inner castle, monsters appear.
Deadmen, skeleton archers and mages, ghouls, and even the 8th-grade monster, Death Fiend.
The types of monsters appearing are not much different from the Land of the Dead, but the scale is vastly different.
There are at least dozens of individuals in each group.
“Everyone, gather around me.”
Moreover, while we’re dealing with one group, another group approaches, drawn by the sound.
Within a minute of encountering the first group, hundreds of monsters have surrounded us.
But at that moment…
The ‘Blade Storm’ we saw earlier sweeps through the surroundings once again.
Swaaaaaaaaaaa!
As expected of a spell used for slaughtering weaker opponents, it doesn’t wipe them all out like before.
Some ghouls survive with a limb or two severed, and the Death Fiends, known for their defense and regeneration, are unscathed.
But…
“I’ll leave the remaining monsters to you.”
Raven has done the work of several people just by wiping out the Deadmen and skeletons, which made up more than 90% of the horde.
“Ainar!!”
Ainar charges forward as I shout.
The target is the Death Fiend.
And the hunting method…
There’s no need to explain it in words.
A brief exchange of glances is enough.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
We’ve practiced our coordination hundreds of times, and now we’re at a level where we rarely make mistakes.
It’s called the (True) Double Barbarian Takedown.
Thud!
We lift both of its legs, slam it to the ground, and smash the Death Fiend’s head, making the dwarf flinch in surprise.
“…Is this how you usually hunt?”
It’s a look that says, ‘What kind of barbarians are these?’
“Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s quite, quite… refreshing, just like barbarians! Ha, haha!”
It’s not embarrassing at this point, but it’s a bit funny.
The dwarves’ fighting style wasn’t exactly elegant either.
“Rabiod Eheltun.”
There are seven Death Fiends left, but with Raven casting the ‘Wound Aggravation Curse,’ we can easily hunt them down.
Death Fiends without their passive ‘Physical Preservation’ are not that difficult.
“Now I understand why everyone says mages are amazing…”
Ainar mutters in a dejected voice, as if she has realized the power of a single mage through just two battles.
Raven doesn’t respond, but I see the corners of her mouth twitching.
She seems pleased to be admired.
The dwarf adds,
“Haha! Indeed, having a mage around changes the scope of what you can do.”
I agree.
If we were a 5-person party of newbies progressing through the ‘Crimson Fortress,’ we wouldn’t have dared to attempt such a head-on confrontation.
We would have started from the outskirts and gradually reduced the number of monsters, even if it took dozens of times longer.
“Hmm, well… that’s why I study so hard. Of course, talent is also necessary.”
Raven wriggles slightly at the continuous praise.
I’m starting to understand her character.
A talented young mage who pretends to be humble but enjoys showing off and is passionate about magic and research.
I’m starting to get a sense of how to handle her.
“Then, I’d like to take a moment to gather some research materials. Could you all help me if you don’t mind?”
“Of course, we should help, Lady Raven, considering how much time we have left thanks to you. Hahaha!”
“Thank you.”
Afterwards, we rummage through the ruins of the city, collecting antiques, books, soil, metals, Deadmen flesh and bones, and so on.
“We finished early thanks to you all. Then let’s move on to the next area!”
I’m momentarily stunned.
Huh? Wait, we’re done?
We killed all the monsters and even searched the surroundings thoroughly, but why aren’t they taking that?
“What are you doing there! Come on, let’s go.”
…They don’t know about it?
That easy-to-find thing that appears when you break the fountain statue?
Now that we’ve crossed the drawbridge, there are three chapters left.
The city battle at the outer wall.
The underground prison of the inner wall.
The demon worship chamber in the lord’s castle.
“This is interesting.”
Entering the castle, Raven’s eyes sparkle as she looks at the ruins.
As if a treasure has unfolded before her eyes.
“A blacksmith, a tavern, an inn, a church, stables that must have been used by merchants… these ruins mostly seem to be public facilities.”
The dwarf chuckles.
“Is that so surprising, Lady Raven?”
“Of course. There were no farmlands or residential areas on the mountain path we came up, or inside the castle. That means there were no farmers. Aren’t you curious? How did everyone survive in a fortress city built in such a remote mountainous area?”
“There must have been alchemists in this dimension too. They would have turned magic stones into bread like us. Hahaha.”
“…Indeed, that hypothesis is the most likely among scholars.”
“Haha! Is that so? Even educated people have similar thoughts, I see!”
“But Mr. Murad, the interesting thing is not just that. The long drawbridge, the high castle walls… this fortress was built very practically. Who were their enemies?”
The dwarf, who was initially receptive, starts to distance himself as the conversation drags on.
“Why are you curious about such things? It’s all just an artificial space anyway.”
“An artificial space, indeed, ordinary people who haven’t properly studied dimensional studies might think so—”
“Stop it, Lady Raven, the monsters are coming.”
As we walk through the city towards the inner castle, monsters appear.
Deadmen, skeleton archers and mages, ghouls, and even the 8th-grade monster, Death Fiend.
The types of monsters appearing are not much different from the Land of the Dead, but the scale is vastly different.
There are at least dozens of individuals in each group.
“Everyone, gather around me.”
Moreover, while we’re dealing with one group, another group approaches, drawn by the sound.
Within a minute of encountering the first group, hundreds of monsters have surrounded us.
But at that moment…
The ‘Blade Storm’ we saw earlier sweeps through the surroundings once again.
Swaaaaaaaaaaa!
As expected of a spell used for slaughtering weaker opponents, it doesn’t wipe them all out like before.
Some ghouls survive with a limb or two severed, and the Death Fiends, known for their defense and regeneration, are unscathed.
But…
“I’ll leave the remaining monsters to you.”
Raven has done the work of several people just by wiping out the Deadmen and skeletons, which made up more than 90% of the horde.
“Ainar!!”
Ainar charges forward as I shout.
The target is the Death Fiend.
And the hunting method…
There’s no need to explain it in words.
A brief exchange of glances is enough.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
We’ve practiced our coordination hundreds of times, and now we’re at a level where we rarely make mistakes.
It’s called the (True) Double Barbarian Takedown.
Thud!
We lift both of its legs, slam it to the ground, and smash the Death Fiend’s head, making the dwarf flinch in surprise.
“…Is this how you usually hunt?”
It’s a look that says, ‘What kind of barbarians are these?’
“Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s quite, quite… refreshing, just like barbarians! Ha, haha!”
It’s not embarrassing at this point, but it’s a bit funny.
The dwarves’ fighting style wasn’t exactly elegant either.
“Rabiod Eheltun.”
There are seven Death Fiends left, but with Raven casting the ‘Wound Aggravation Curse,’ we can easily hunt them down.
Death Fiends without their passive ‘Physical Preservation’ are not that difficult.
“Now I understand why everyone says mages are amazing…”
Ainar mutters in a dejected voice, as if she has realized the power of a single mage through just two battles.
Raven doesn’t respond, but I see the corners of her mouth twitching.
She seems pleased to be admired.
The dwarf adds,
“Haha! Indeed, having a mage around changes the scope of what you can do.”
I agree.
If we were a 5-person party of newbies progressing through the ‘Crimson Fortress,’ we wouldn’t have dared to attempt such a head-on confrontation.
We would have started from the outskirts and gradually reduced the number of monsters, even if it took dozens of times longer.
“Hmm, well… that’s why I study so hard. Of course, talent is also necessary.”
Raven wriggles slightly at the continuous praise.
I’m starting to understand her character.
A talented young mage who pretends to be humble but enjoys showing off and is passionate about magic and research.
I’m starting to get a sense of how to handle her.
“Then, I’d like to take a moment to gather some research materials. Could you all help me if you don’t mind?”
“Of course, we should help, Lady Raven, considering how much time we have left thanks to you. Hahaha!”
“Thank you.”
Afterwards, we rummage through the ruins of the city, collecting antiques, books, soil, metals, Deadmen flesh and bones, and so on.
“We finished early thanks to you all. Then let’s move on to the next area!”
I’m momentarily stunned.
Huh? Wait, we’re done?
We killed all the monsters and even searched the surroundings thoroughly, but why aren’t they taking that?
“What are you doing there! Come on, let’s go.”
…They don’t know about it?
That easy-to-find thing that appears when you break the fountain statue?
Comments
Post a Comment