SGB: Episode 53
Episode 53: Team of Misfits (3)
After the shocking confession that I don’t have a mother…
“Uh, uh…”
“I, I see…?”
An awkward silence falls, and bewildered gazes are directed at me.
I quickly add an explanation.
“My mother passed away after giving birth to me. And my father never returned from the labyrinth when I was young. So even though I’ve become an adult, I can’t meet them even if I want to!”
For your information, the story I just told is 100% true, something I heard from Ainar.
“Oh my…”
“You must have gone through a lot at a young age.”
Is it because it was a confession from the youngest barbarian in the team, who just finished his coming-of-age ceremony?
A look of sympathy starts to appear in their eyes as they look at me.
“Bjorn, you don’t have to pretend to be fine in front of us.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had such circumstances, and I talked about family…”
“Bjorn, I can’t be your parents, but if you want—”
What is this guy saying?
I decide not to listen to the rest of the dwarf’s words.
“It’s fine.”
Although I suddenly feel like I’ve become the most pitiful one among them… well, what can I do? I don’t have to worry about it since it’s not true.
It’s not like I really don’t have a mother.
And most importantly, I’m a munchkin barbarian who has become a 7th-grade explorer in just 3 months, following an elite course, unlike these guys.
The most important thing is always the essence, the essence.
‘Hmm, but come to think of it, am I really the most pitiful one?’
I suddenly have the thought that it might be true.
I was dragged into this game world that I never wanted to be in and had to overcome several life-threatening situations.
Damn, why is my life so miserable?
“Bjorn, your expression isn’t good! Are you thinking about your mother?”
“Yeah, something like that…”
“If you miss your family, you can call me your sister—”
I cut off the cat-eared girl’s words as she tries to go on and on and get to the point.
“Anyway, what are we going to do now?”
We can’t hunt in the Orc Encampment, our first destination, because of those bastards.
Of course, they said it was okay if we stayed in the outer area, but how much would we be left with if we hunted at this pace and split the loot five ways?
“I think it would be best to go to the Witch’s Forest.”
The dwarf, acting like the leader, suggests an idea.
The Witch’s Forest refers to the vast forest surrounding the portal leading to the 4th floor.
Monsters of 7th to 8th grade mainly appear there, and among them, there are even incorporeal monsters with physical immunity.
“Of course, it’s not a good match for us since we have many melee warriors, but it shouldn’t be too bad with a mage.”
“Hmm, in that case, wouldn’t it be better to just go up to the 4th floor?”
Rotmiller, who had been listening attentively, suggests a new idea.
I also think this is a better option than the dwarf’s idea.
The Witch’s Forest is generally seen as an area that explorers have to pass through out of necessity, and its advantages as a main hunting ground are minimal.
‘And there are no essences that I can absorb among the ones that drop there.’
However, the problem is that the dwarf doesn’t seem to like this option at all.
“The 4th floor… is a bit too early.”
I also understand the dwarf’s concerns.
7th and 8th-grade monsters mainly appear on the 3rd floor. And it’s the same on the 4th floor.
However, there’s a crucial difference between the two.
“As I’ve said repeatedly during our meetings, I’ve seen many teams get wiped out because they underestimated the 4th floor and went up too hastily. One time, my team almost met the same fate.”
The presence of 6th-grade monsters.
From the 4th floor onwards, there’s a slim chance of encountering 6th-grade monsters.
The encounter rate is about once every three days if you spend the whole day exploring, but…
It ultimately means that if you operate on the 4th floor, you’ll inevitably encounter a 6th-grade monster.
‘Whether or not you have the strength to overcome that one encounter… that’s the tricky part.’
Even in the game, there were many times when I entered the 4th floor with a barely sufficient level and ended up paying the price.
So the dwarf’s words do make sense.
“It’s not too late to decide on going to the 4th floor after we’ve coordinated for a few more days.”
Regardless of the deep emotional connection or increased bond that we’ve formed through this incident…
We’re a newly formed team.
It’s only been 3 days since we entered the labyrinth, and we’re still not used to each other.
“And as you know, this is Dwarkey’s first time, and it’s also Bjorn’s first time reaching the 3rd floor.”
To summarize, the dwarf’s argument is that going to the 4th floor is fine, but we shouldn’t be too hasty.
“Hmm, then we can just go to a different area on the 3rd floor, right? The Greentail Wetlands seem like a good option…”
Misha, who had been listening to the debate with a troubled expression, suggests a new idea.
And she’s immediately rejected by Rotmiller.
“If we had taken that route from the beginning, it would be different, but going to the Greentail Wetlands now would take at least six days.”
The labyrinth closes after 7 days on the 1st floor, 10 days on the 2nd floor, and 15 days on the 3rd floor.
But to invest more than 7 days in travel now? It means that even if we leave now, we’ll only be able to hunt for 5 days.
“In that case, it might be a better option to go back to Steelrock Hill.”
“Is, is that so? I didn’t know since I’ve just been following along…”
Misha scratches her cheek with an awkward smile at Rotmiller’s expert-like words.
Tsk, I kept listening to their conversation just in case, but nothing much came of it.
It’s time for me to step in and wrap things up.
“How long are we going to just stand here and talk? We’ve talked enough, so everyone gather around. Let’s decide what to do by majority vote.”
“Majority vote?”
“Why? Do you prefer rock-paper-scissors, Rotmiller?”
“No, but that’s a bit…”
Rotmiller makes a disgusted expression at my question. I was just joking, asking if there’s a better way…
Is it because I’m a barbarian?
Unfortunately, no one seems to have realized that it was a joke.
“I agree with deciding by majority vote.”
“It’s simple, but it’s the most reliable method.”
“I’m fine with anything!”
Anyway, we conclude that we’ll decide our next move by majority vote.
And I’m the first to cast my vote.
“I think it would be good to go up to the 4th floor.”
I judge that taking the initiative will help sway the opinion even a little bit.
“…Suddenly, the 4th floor feels dangerous. It feels like we’re making a hasty decision.”
“Uh, Miss Kaltstein thinks so too?”
“…….”
Regardless of their reactions, we each take turns stating our opinions, and the conclusion is reached quickly.
“Whew, since you all have the same opinion, there’s no point in being stubborn.”
We’re going to the 4th floor.
After the shocking confession that I don’t have a mother…
“Uh, uh…”
“I, I see…?”
An awkward silence falls, and bewildered gazes are directed at me.
I quickly add an explanation.
“My mother passed away after giving birth to me. And my father never returned from the labyrinth when I was young. So even though I’ve become an adult, I can’t meet them even if I want to!”
For your information, the story I just told is 100% true, something I heard from Ainar.
“Oh my…”
“You must have gone through a lot at a young age.”
Is it because it was a confession from the youngest barbarian in the team, who just finished his coming-of-age ceremony?
A look of sympathy starts to appear in their eyes as they look at me.
“Bjorn, you don’t have to pretend to be fine in front of us.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had such circumstances, and I talked about family…”
“Bjorn, I can’t be your parents, but if you want—”
What is this guy saying?
I decide not to listen to the rest of the dwarf’s words.
“It’s fine.”
Although I suddenly feel like I’ve become the most pitiful one among them… well, what can I do? I don’t have to worry about it since it’s not true.
It’s not like I really don’t have a mother.
And most importantly, I’m a munchkin barbarian who has become a 7th-grade explorer in just 3 months, following an elite course, unlike these guys.
The most important thing is always the essence, the essence.
‘Hmm, but come to think of it, am I really the most pitiful one?’
I suddenly have the thought that it might be true.
I was dragged into this game world that I never wanted to be in and had to overcome several life-threatening situations.
Damn, why is my life so miserable?
“Bjorn, your expression isn’t good! Are you thinking about your mother?”
“Yeah, something like that…”
“If you miss your family, you can call me your sister—”
I cut off the cat-eared girl’s words as she tries to go on and on and get to the point.
“Anyway, what are we going to do now?”
We can’t hunt in the Orc Encampment, our first destination, because of those bastards.
Of course, they said it was okay if we stayed in the outer area, but how much would we be left with if we hunted at this pace and split the loot five ways?
“I think it would be best to go to the Witch’s Forest.”
The dwarf, acting like the leader, suggests an idea.
The Witch’s Forest refers to the vast forest surrounding the portal leading to the 4th floor.
Monsters of 7th to 8th grade mainly appear there, and among them, there are even incorporeal monsters with physical immunity.
“Of course, it’s not a good match for us since we have many melee warriors, but it shouldn’t be too bad with a mage.”
“Hmm, in that case, wouldn’t it be better to just go up to the 4th floor?”
Rotmiller, who had been listening attentively, suggests a new idea.
I also think this is a better option than the dwarf’s idea.
The Witch’s Forest is generally seen as an area that explorers have to pass through out of necessity, and its advantages as a main hunting ground are minimal.
‘And there are no essences that I can absorb among the ones that drop there.’
However, the problem is that the dwarf doesn’t seem to like this option at all.
“The 4th floor… is a bit too early.”
I also understand the dwarf’s concerns.
7th and 8th-grade monsters mainly appear on the 3rd floor. And it’s the same on the 4th floor.
However, there’s a crucial difference between the two.
“As I’ve said repeatedly during our meetings, I’ve seen many teams get wiped out because they underestimated the 4th floor and went up too hastily. One time, my team almost met the same fate.”
The presence of 6th-grade monsters.
From the 4th floor onwards, there’s a slim chance of encountering 6th-grade monsters.
The encounter rate is about once every three days if you spend the whole day exploring, but…
It ultimately means that if you operate on the 4th floor, you’ll inevitably encounter a 6th-grade monster.
‘Whether or not you have the strength to overcome that one encounter… that’s the tricky part.’
Even in the game, there were many times when I entered the 4th floor with a barely sufficient level and ended up paying the price.
So the dwarf’s words do make sense.
“It’s not too late to decide on going to the 4th floor after we’ve coordinated for a few more days.”
Regardless of the deep emotional connection or increased bond that we’ve formed through this incident…
We’re a newly formed team.
It’s only been 3 days since we entered the labyrinth, and we’re still not used to each other.
“And as you know, this is Dwarkey’s first time, and it’s also Bjorn’s first time reaching the 3rd floor.”
To summarize, the dwarf’s argument is that going to the 4th floor is fine, but we shouldn’t be too hasty.
“Hmm, then we can just go to a different area on the 3rd floor, right? The Greentail Wetlands seem like a good option…”
Misha, who had been listening to the debate with a troubled expression, suggests a new idea.
And she’s immediately rejected by Rotmiller.
“If we had taken that route from the beginning, it would be different, but going to the Greentail Wetlands now would take at least six days.”
The labyrinth closes after 7 days on the 1st floor, 10 days on the 2nd floor, and 15 days on the 3rd floor.
But to invest more than 7 days in travel now? It means that even if we leave now, we’ll only be able to hunt for 5 days.
“In that case, it might be a better option to go back to Steelrock Hill.”
“Is, is that so? I didn’t know since I’ve just been following along…”
Misha scratches her cheek with an awkward smile at Rotmiller’s expert-like words.
Tsk, I kept listening to their conversation just in case, but nothing much came of it.
It’s time for me to step in and wrap things up.
“How long are we going to just stand here and talk? We’ve talked enough, so everyone gather around. Let’s decide what to do by majority vote.”
“Majority vote?”
“Why? Do you prefer rock-paper-scissors, Rotmiller?”
“No, but that’s a bit…”
Rotmiller makes a disgusted expression at my question. I was just joking, asking if there’s a better way…
Is it because I’m a barbarian?
Unfortunately, no one seems to have realized that it was a joke.
“I agree with deciding by majority vote.”
“It’s simple, but it’s the most reliable method.”
“I’m fine with anything!”
Anyway, we conclude that we’ll decide our next move by majority vote.
And I’m the first to cast my vote.
“I think it would be good to go up to the 4th floor.”
I judge that taking the initiative will help sway the opinion even a little bit.
“…Suddenly, the 4th floor feels dangerous. It feels like we’re making a hasty decision.”
“Uh, Miss Kaltstein thinks so too?”
“…….”
Regardless of their reactions, we each take turns stating our opinions, and the conclusion is reached quickly.
“Whew, since you all have the same opinion, there’s no point in being stubborn.”
We’re going to the 4th floor.
_________________________________________
Despite the dwarf’s concerns, there’s a reason why I pushed for this decision.
Of course, this decision was made by majority vote, but…
It doesn’t really matter.
If I had judged that entering the 4th floor was too early, I would have made them stay on the 3rd floor even if it meant crushing their self-esteem.
“Hmm? It feels like it suddenly got a bit colder…”
“Hmm, already? We still have a long way to go before reaching the Witch’s Forest…”
“No, it feels different from that, I can’t really explain it.”
Under Rotmiller’s guidance, we continue to trudge through the darkness towards our destination.
The dwarf still has a troubled expression.
‘He wasn’t like this in the Crimson Fortress, but he’s become overly cautious lately.’
Is it because it’s his first time as a team leader, and he even personally met and chose each team member? He seems to be carrying a strange sense of responsibility.
There’s no need for that since he’s just a figurehead leader…
‘Well, maybe it’s because he doesn’t know I have the vampire essence?’
The dwarf doesn’t know my exact specs.
So he would be a bit more apprehensive about going straight to the 4th floor.
The fact that he hasn’t realized how good his Numbered Item, the ‘Guardian’s Bracers’, is, must have also played a part.
“Hikurod, when we enter the Witch’s Forest, don’t hesitate to use ‘that’ thing.”
The dwarf shows a look of contemplation at my advice, and then nods with determination in his eyes.
“I’ll do as you say.”
No. 3112 Guardian’s Bracers is a high-grade equipment piece worth a whopping 50 million stones.
And as the saying goes, ‘seeing is believing’.
The dwarf asked us not to reveal to the other team members that he possesses such a valuable item.
‘But there’s no point in having it if he can’t use it when he needs to.’
It’s not like I’m the owner anyway.
We were just having a sentimental moment about relying on each other a while ago, weren’t we?
“What do you mean by ‘that’? What is it? Why are you guys talking about something only the two of you know!”
“You’ll find out when the time comes.”
I roughly ignore Misha’s curiosity and do a final check.
‘If the tank line’s specs are this good, we should be fine against 6th-grade monsters. The problem is the damage dealer line…’
Their specs are a bit lacking, but I’ve gained some confidence after hunting with them for a while in the Orc Encampment.
As long as the front line is solid, we should be fine even against 6th-grade monsters with this team composition.
‘As long as they don’t troll from the back and die first.’
There were a lot of NPCs like that when I played the game.
These guys won’t be like that… right?
‘Ah, damn it, I’m getting anxious again?’
Unlike me, who is belatedly worried, Misha looks slightly excited.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been to the 4th floor, so I’m a bit excited!”
I hear that this is her first time returning to the 4th floor since the team she was on disbanded a year ago…
But is it because she’s a cat-person?
I feel like I can hear purring sounds whenever she exhales.
“We should start looking for a place to camp.”
As we move along the outskirts of the Orc Encampment, it’s time to take a break.
“Rotmiller, everyone seems to have stamina left, how about we move a bit further?”
“We’ll have to travel for three more hours to find a better place than this.”
“Hmm, alright then.”
For reference, it’s around 9:00 PM, which is almost the same time we camped on Day 1 and Day 2.
Honestly, I’m quite impressed.
‘Is this what a skilled scout is like?’
Rotmiller must have considered camping points based on our route and adjusted our movement speed accordingly.
Even though there’s no day or night in the labyrinth, it’s still better to keep rest times consistent.
“Rotmiller, what’s the schedule for tomorrow?”
“I think we’ll be able to reach the Witch’s Forest by tomorrow afternoon.”
Hmm, then we’ll enter the 4th floor the day after tomorrow.
He answers immediately without any buffering, like a human GPS.
“Bjorn, you were the last watch, right? You’ll have to suffer quite a bit once we enter the forest tomorrow, so get some rest today.”
“Alright.”
Today’s first watch is the dwarf, and the last watch is me.
Since the Witch’s Forest is a place where melee warriors have to suffer the most, it was decided that way regardless of the order.
Well, even if I sleep, I’ll probably wake up once or twice.
Despite the dwarf’s concerns, there’s a reason why I pushed for this decision.
Of course, this decision was made by majority vote, but…
It doesn’t really matter.
If I had judged that entering the 4th floor was too early, I would have made them stay on the 3rd floor even if it meant crushing their self-esteem.
“Hmm? It feels like it suddenly got a bit colder…”
“Hmm, already? We still have a long way to go before reaching the Witch’s Forest…”
“No, it feels different from that, I can’t really explain it.”
Under Rotmiller’s guidance, we continue to trudge through the darkness towards our destination.
The dwarf still has a troubled expression.
‘He wasn’t like this in the Crimson Fortress, but he’s become overly cautious lately.’
Is it because it’s his first time as a team leader, and he even personally met and chose each team member? He seems to be carrying a strange sense of responsibility.
There’s no need for that since he’s just a figurehead leader…
‘Well, maybe it’s because he doesn’t know I have the vampire essence?’
The dwarf doesn’t know my exact specs.
So he would be a bit more apprehensive about going straight to the 4th floor.
The fact that he hasn’t realized how good his Numbered Item, the ‘Guardian’s Bracers’, is, must have also played a part.
“Hikurod, when we enter the Witch’s Forest, don’t hesitate to use ‘that’ thing.”
The dwarf shows a look of contemplation at my advice, and then nods with determination in his eyes.
“I’ll do as you say.”
No. 3112 Guardian’s Bracers is a high-grade equipment piece worth a whopping 50 million stones.
And as the saying goes, ‘seeing is believing’.
The dwarf asked us not to reveal to the other team members that he possesses such a valuable item.
‘But there’s no point in having it if he can’t use it when he needs to.’
It’s not like I’m the owner anyway.
We were just having a sentimental moment about relying on each other a while ago, weren’t we?
“What do you mean by ‘that’? What is it? Why are you guys talking about something only the two of you know!”
“You’ll find out when the time comes.”
I roughly ignore Misha’s curiosity and do a final check.
‘If the tank line’s specs are this good, we should be fine against 6th-grade monsters. The problem is the damage dealer line…’
Their specs are a bit lacking, but I’ve gained some confidence after hunting with them for a while in the Orc Encampment.
As long as the front line is solid, we should be fine even against 6th-grade monsters with this team composition.
‘As long as they don’t troll from the back and die first.’
There were a lot of NPCs like that when I played the game.
These guys won’t be like that… right?
‘Ah, damn it, I’m getting anxious again?’
Unlike me, who is belatedly worried, Misha looks slightly excited.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been to the 4th floor, so I’m a bit excited!”
I hear that this is her first time returning to the 4th floor since the team she was on disbanded a year ago…
But is it because she’s a cat-person?
I feel like I can hear purring sounds whenever she exhales.
“We should start looking for a place to camp.”
As we move along the outskirts of the Orc Encampment, it’s time to take a break.
“Rotmiller, everyone seems to have stamina left, how about we move a bit further?”
“We’ll have to travel for three more hours to find a better place than this.”
“Hmm, alright then.”
For reference, it’s around 9:00 PM, which is almost the same time we camped on Day 1 and Day 2.
Honestly, I’m quite impressed.
‘Is this what a skilled scout is like?’
Rotmiller must have considered camping points based on our route and adjusted our movement speed accordingly.
Even though there’s no day or night in the labyrinth, it’s still better to keep rest times consistent.
“Rotmiller, what’s the schedule for tomorrow?”
“I think we’ll be able to reach the Witch’s Forest by tomorrow afternoon.”
Hmm, then we’ll enter the 4th floor the day after tomorrow.
He answers immediately without any buffering, like a human GPS.
“Bjorn, you were the last watch, right? You’ll have to suffer quite a bit once we enter the forest tomorrow, so get some rest today.”
“Alright.”
Today’s first watch is the dwarf, and the last watch is me.
Since the Witch’s Forest is a place where melee warriors have to suffer the most, it was decided that way regardless of the order.
Well, even if I sleep, I’ll probably wake up once or twice.
_________________________________________
“Bjorn.”
I open my eyes at the whispering voice.
I see Rotmiller’s face under the flickering torchlight.
So, Rotmiller was the one before me…
“…Is it my turn now?”
“Not yet.”
“Then why…”
As I’m rubbing my sleepy eyes…
I freeze.
Dwarkey, the dwarf, and even Misha. All the team members except for me are already awake.
And they’re all armed.
I ask briefly,
“Monsters?”
“Both.”
Monsters and explorers…
Just as I’m about to ask how far away they are, I hear an urgent shout from beyond the darkness in the distance.
“Damn it! To chase us all the way here…”
“Run!”
It seems like they’re explorers being chased by monsters…
Rotmiller closes his eyes and sniffs, then mutters briefly,
“Now I understand for sure.”
“What do you mean?”
He usually frowns when something is wrong, so I can’t help but feel uneasy.
And as expected…
“The ones heading towards us… I’m sure they’re the ones we encountered when we arrived at Steelrock Hill.”
This situation is getting interesting.
“Bjorn.”
I open my eyes at the whispering voice.
I see Rotmiller’s face under the flickering torchlight.
So, Rotmiller was the one before me…
“…Is it my turn now?”
“Not yet.”
“Then why…”
As I’m rubbing my sleepy eyes…
I freeze.
Dwarkey, the dwarf, and even Misha. All the team members except for me are already awake.
And they’re all armed.
I ask briefly,
“Monsters?”
“Both.”
Monsters and explorers…
Just as I’m about to ask how far away they are, I hear an urgent shout from beyond the darkness in the distance.
“Damn it! To chase us all the way here…”
“Run!”
It seems like they’re explorers being chased by monsters…
Rotmiller closes his eyes and sniffs, then mutters briefly,
“Now I understand for sure.”
“What do you mean?”
He usually frowns when something is wrong, so I can’t help but feel uneasy.
And as expected…
“The ones heading towards us… I’m sure they’re the ones we encountered when we arrived at Steelrock Hill.”
This situation is getting interesting.
They're about to meet some assholes I bet.
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