Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Exploration (2)

Exploration (2)

Arrua Raven.

Flowing blonde hair.

A small stature, a little over 150 centimeters.

And a skinny physique, making her look like a child at first glance...

But she's the scariest when she's serious.

Just like now.

"Did you know, Mr. Yandel?"

"I didn't expect it to be this bad either."

Raven's eyes narrow even further as I answer honestly.

However, I just scratch the back of my neck, like a barbarian.

We're already in the labyrinth, what's she going to do?

"I'll navigate from now on. Avman, you just tell me where the portals are."

"...Alright."

The bear-like man also readily hands over the reins without saying much, as if intimidated by Raven's gaze.

Now, this is the important part.

"Ha, seriously..."

Judging by her expression, it seems like she realized she was tricked, but she's holding back her words, deciding to wait and see.

So I have to show her clearly during this expedition.

That a Guide having a terrible sense of direction doesn't significantly hinder exploration.

Before curses start flying from that small mouth.

"Then let's go."

I quickly find the way, using the bear-like man as a compass.

Although I can feel Raven's distrustful gaze on my back, I'm not too worried.

After all, even the 1st floor can be navigated just by knowing the four cardinal directions.

'They said that if you just take the wider passage at forks, you'll get it right more than half the time.'

'They also said to avoid mounds since they're likely to be dead ends.'

'And from the outer areas, always head towards the darker paths with fewer crystals.'

Various tips I learned from observing Rotmiller, the purely effort-based navigator.

I use these tips to minimize wasted movement, such as having to backtrack because of dead ends.

And as a result...

"Oh, we got here faster than I expected?"

We reach the dark zone, the outermost area, earlier than expected.

Ah, and it's much easier from here.

Normally, we would have to search for the portal by exploring the surroundings instead of relying on the compass, but...

"It's that way."

...we have a Guide who can sense the location of the portal without having to do anything.

So we just have to follow in that direction.

Of course, the portal was already opened by another explorer.

「Entered 2nd Floor Goblin Forest.」

Raven's expression softens considerably after we reach the 2nd floor.

"12 hours to reach the 2nd floor... not bad."

Right, it's safe.

Well, there's no reason for her to complain since we planned for 13 hours to clear the 1st floor during the exploration planning stage.

"No wonder you gave us so much time even though we have a Guide."

Although Raven glances at me with a look that says she was tricked, she's surprisingly not holding a grudge.

Don't tell me, is she the type who's okay as long as the results are good?

'How rational.'

In that sense, I try my best to prevent our schedule from going awry on the 2nd floor as well.

Although we made a tight plan of clearing it within 24 hours...

"Avman, which direction?"

"That way."

There are eight portal steles in the Goblin Forest.

However, once one is activated, the rest turn into ordinary stones. Therefore, the standard procedure for later teams is to search for portals by circling the outermost area.

Ah, for reference, I heard it takes about 2 or 3 days on average.

Assuming the team doesn't have a Guide.

'If you have a Guide, one day is enough. There's no need to circle around.'

We head straight towards the direction where the portal is open, without even needing to take out the compass.

"Raven, can you increase the number of light orbs?"

"Three is no problem."

The absence of a professional scout isn't an issue either.

The fact that the entire forest is filled with traps?

It's no longer a threat since we're illuminating the surroundings as bright as day.

Well, the goblins keep swarming because of the light, but...

"Grrr—!!"

...I'm at a level where I can handle dozens of goblins even if they attack all at once.

"Let's rest here for today."

We prepare to camp around 9:00 PM.

The location is the outer area of the Goblin Forest where Hobgoblins start to appear.

"...Do explorers usually force march like this?"

It must have been a tough day for Raven, whose first proper expedition this is, but you have to adjust your biological rhythm on the first day when you still have stamina.

"We'll usually camp around this time, so it will be easier from tomorrow."

"...Well, it's interesting since it feels like a real expedition."

"Stop chattering and go to sleep. We have to keep moving tomorrow."

"Okay. Wake me up if something happens."

As usual, Raven is excluded from keeping watch.

We acknowledge that she's done her part just by setting up an alarm spell.

"Um, Bjorn... about Ainar, is it okay to leave her alone later?"

Misha cautiously expresses her concern, looking at Ainar, who's next in the watch rotation, but I chuckle and say firmly,

"It's fine. She won't fall asleep."

Ainar is unexpectedly reliable in this aspect.

She has a distrust of humans, and barbarians consider it shameful to break a promise.

She kept watch properly even when we were traveling together.

And back then, it was much more tiring since we had to keep watch for four hours each and couldn't sleep much.

"Hmm, I see... I guess I was a bit prejudiced."

After 8 hours of camping, with the four of us taking turns keeping watch for 2 hours each, we resume exploration early in the morning.

And we find a portal before noon.

「Entered 3rd Floor Pilgrim's Path.」

The expedition continues smoothly even after arriving on the 3rd floor.

The battles are so easy that they're not even good for practice, and navigation isn't a problem either.

The bear-like man doesn't get lost in places where there are no roads, like the 1st floor or the city.

「Character has entered a special area.」

「Field effect - Witch's Forest is applied.」

The Witch's Forest, which I was secretly worried about, is also the same.

We easily clear it by tying ourselves together with ropes like dried pollack and having the bear-like man lead the way.

And so, time passes, and now...

"Ooh, a tower! Bjorn! There really was a tower in the middle of the forest!!"

"Huhu, I told you, didn't I? There are many amazing things in the labyrinth."

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"

"...Right, you just felt like shouting, didn't you?"

We reach the portal to the 4th floor.

And it's only the afternoon of Day 8.

'This is almost as fast as when Rotmiller was with us.'

I'm satisfied with that fact, but at the same time, I feel a bit bitter.

As expected, can effort really not overcome talent?

"Mr. Yandel, what are you thinking about?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

"Th, then shouldn't we go in? The whole forest is vibrating with an ominous magical energy, and I feel nauseous."

Could it be that her natural mana sensitivity is high?

Although she didn't actually throw up, Raven is experiencing worse motion sickness than Dwarkey.

So I want to make her feel better quickly, but...

"Wait a minute, we can't enter until the portal changes color."

"Ah, right. I've heard about that. You do that because another team might be inside, right?"

"If we don't, we might be mistaken for marauders and attacked."

Raven endures patiently as I give her a reasonable explanation.

The portal changes color after a while.

"Alright, let's go in."

It's time for the real climb to begin.

_________________________

「Entered 4th Floor Tower of Heaven.」

_________________________

Tower of Heaven.

It's a unique floor where a random combination of monsters appears on each stage.

Since I usually call this place the Tower of Training, I was planning to practice our synergy here.

But...

'...There's no point with this level of power difference.'

I realize it after the first battle.

Our combat power is on a completely different level compared to Team Misfits.

It's to the point where it's impossible to practice our synergy on the 4th floor.

「Character has cast [Gigantification].」

The giant mace, whose size and performance have increased significantly thanks to [Unification]. Combined with the attack skill [Swing], even 7th-grade monsters feel like goblins.

And the key here is that we have a separate main damage dealer.

「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Dangerous Substance].」

The bear-like man, a 5th-grade archer who can wipe out everything in the vicinity with his one-shot, one-kill attacks, and his high-grade tank summon named 'Iron Bear'.

「Arrua Raven has cast the 6th-grade attack spell [Flame Baptism].」

And on top of that, we have Raven, the traditional mage with insane utility, who possesses not only all four elemental attack spells, but also over a hundred curse and support spells.

'Right, a team needs at least three carry positions.'

The team's completeness has increased significantly.

We're at a level where we can clear any bizarre combination of monsters below 6th-grade within 3 minutes, using the most appropriate methods.

'Although they're lacking compared to the three of us, Ainar and Misha are also pulling their weight... As expected, we'll have no problems on the 5th floor even in our current state.'

Therefore, we focus on climbing the Tower of Heaven instead of practicing our synergy.

However, we don't progress as quickly as I thought.

The reason is simple.

Although the combat speed itself is incomparable to Team Misfits...

...we don't have a professional scout.

'It's all good, but it's a shame that it takes so long to clear the Trial of Wisdom.'

The Trial of Wisdom is a shortcut.

Instead of having to go through a maze filled with traps and monsters, it allows you to skip 5 stages at once.

And unlike the Stairs of Courage, there's no 4-hour cooldown before you can choose the next staircase, but...

It took Rotmiller about an hour to clear it.

It takes us about five times longer.

"Bjorn, can't we just fight monsters?"

I'm also frustrated, just like Ainar, but there's no other choice.

If we only choose Courage, it will take over 16 days to reach stage 100. It would be impossible to clear the 4th floor before the labyrinth closes.

"It's too late today. Let's rest and continue climbing tomorrow."

It's already past 10:00 PM, even though we only cleared one Trial of Wisdom after entering the tower, so we prepare to camp.

Of course, it's quite different from our usual camping.

We just spread out our sleeping bags wherever we want, without even deciding on a watch rotation.

"We don't have to keep watch in the labyrinth!! Misha, my mind is blown!!"

"Huhu, I think I understand how you feel. Even I had trouble sleeping when I first came here because I couldn't adapt easily—"

Snore!

"Hey, I'm talking to you...!"

Ainar passes out as soon as she lies down in her sleeping bag, and Misha sighs and starts preparing for bed, wiping her body with a wet towel.

"Bjorn, why do you keep glancing at me?"

"I wasn't."

"Come on, turn your head. We're companions, companions! It's too late to regret it now."

No, I'm telling you, I wasn't looking.

I sigh and focus on wiping the blood off my mace.

But could it be that she's not happy with that?

"Tsk."

Misha clicks her tongue as if for me to hear.

It's a change that happened after she moved to my inn.

She said we should pretend like nothing happened, but she's been playfully bringing up that day more often.

Well, I don't mind, though.

'...Maybe this is better.'

Misha confessed her feelings to me, and I drew a clear line. No matter how much we try to pretend like nothing happened, it can't be undone.

So she must have thought about it and made a decision.

It's less awkward to just tease me about it than to constantly be careful with her words.

"Then I'm going to sleep first."

"Alright."

Misha then gets into her sleeping bag and closes her eyes, and I check the side and see the bear-like man also spreading out his sleeping bag and preparing for bed.

Snore!

I take Ainar's greatsword and wipe it clean while I'm at it.

And as I'm doing that, Raven approaches me.

"Do you have something to say?"

"Yes."

"Go ahead."

"I did the calculations, and at this rate, we won't be able to stay on the 5th floor for long even if we reach it."

...So she actually calculated it.

Geez, this is why mages are...

Of course, I can understand her concern.

The more time we waste here, the less time we'll have to explore the 5th floor.

"Our income will also decrease compared to other teams."

"...This is our first expedition. It's taking time now because we don't have a professional scout, but we'll get faster."

"If you say so."

Raven doesn't say anything else and returns to her sleeping bag.

It's not because she's completely convinced by my words.

She'll probably come back with a radical solution if it takes 5 hours to clear the Trial of Wisdom every time.

'...Enough, let's just sleep...'

I put the cleaned greatsword next to Ainar and get into my sleeping bag.

And after some time...

[Mr. Yandel, just listen.]

I wake up to Raven's voice echoing in my head.

It's the 'Whisper' spell.

But why did she wake me up using magic?

[I felt something was off while I was washing up, so I used a detection spell...]

[There's one more person here besides us.]

[So don't move.]

The reason is simple.

Honestly, I don't know how she can speak so calmly...

[That person... is right behind me.]

Our mage is in danger.

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