Leader (3)
Leader (3)
Thick bones instantly cover his entire body.
「Abet Nekrapetto has cast [Bone Armor].」
The man chuckled and looked straight ahead.
The flames that had caught onto the bones were quickly extinguished, but the remaining flames in the passage formed a wall, blocking the path.
“Hmm, I didn’t expect you to run away.”
Should I chase after them?
The man contemplated, looking at the other side of the blazing flames, and then decided to give up.
Although he wasn’t curious about the second way to piss someone off…[…Captain, it’s the knight’s corpse.]
[As expected, he set a trap here too. Everyone, be on guard. There must be enemies nearby.]
Explorers appeared from another passage connected to the 2nd-floor portal just in time.
There were about 20 of them.
They seemed to be a small clan, judging by the identical emblem on their chests…
“Tsk.”
The man clicked his tongue in displeasure and moved on.
His mission in this operation was to block anyone trying to escape through the 2nd-floor portal.
It was originally the Dragonslayer’s mission.
“That snake-eyed bastard is useless. Useless.”
If he had just recovered in time, he would have been able to join the main force in the center and focus on his specialty, mass slaughter.
“Well, I’m sure they’ll take care of the ones who ran away.”
There’s no need for him to chase after them and kill them.
Just thinking about it was already annoying.
I just have to do my job.
That’s when, as he was heading towards the 2nd-floor portal…
Buzz.
…the message stone in his pocket vibrated.
[Nekrapetto, what’s the situation on your end? Did you reach the target location?]
“Oh, Vice-leader! Don’t worry. I arrived a long time ago, and I’ve blocked it off so that not even a single rat can escape. Pfft!”
Although he answered confidently, the reply came after a long pause.
To be precise, it wasn’t even an answer.
[…What’s with that tone? And that strange laughter?]
“Strange laughter?”
The man tilted his head in confusion at first, but then he chuckled as he realized what it meant.
“Ah, it’s just a habit, Vice-leader, don’t worry about it.”
[Habit?]
“Yeah, a habit that comes out when I’m wearing a mask.”
[…I don’t understand what you’re saying. Anyway, contact me immediately if something happens.]
The call ended there.
The man tapped the skull mask he received as a supply with his index finger.
He suddenly thought of the Round Table members.
‘Fox and Goblin definitely entered.’
He wondered how many of them would be alive and attend the next gathering.
He was already looking forward to it.
__________________
We’re running with all our might.
Anxiously, in case he’s chasing after us.
“Huff, huff.”
That’s when, after over 10 minutes of sprinting through the passage…
“Did we lose him…?”
…the bear-like man muttered.
I felt a surge of anxiety at his jinx-like line, but I didn’t say anything.
I had a similar thought.
‘To be precise, it’s not that we lost him, but that he’s not chasing us.’
But it’s a fact that we can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“Let’s slow down from now on.”
“…Aren’t we running away anymore?”
“He’s not the only one we have to be wary of.”
We’re currently in the Crystal Cave, shrouded in fog.
If we move too quickly, it will be difficult to react to unexpected dangers in time.
It’s safe to say that the entire 1st floor is a minefield—
“Bjorn, shouldn’t we have fought?”
Huh?
“What do you mean, Ainar?”
“The Corpse Collector? It was a chance to spread your name even further! But you ran away!”
Right, no wonder she was so quiet.
This is what she was unhappy about.
She tends to admire me as if I’m some ancient barbarian hero.
A chance to gain fame, my ass.
‘I’m just grateful that no one got hurt.’
A Necromancer’s true strength is revealed when they start pulling corpses out of their subspace pocket.
And the Corpse Collector even has a Numbered Item that gave him his fame.
It’s his signature item, similar to the Dragonslayer’s Dragonslayer.
If he had taken that out, some of us would have definitely died or been seriously injured.
But…
“Ainar, don’t be ridiculous.”
Misha coldly rebukes her before I can even say anything, and Ainar shrinks back.
“I, I’m okay…! I can understand since you’re an adult. But ho, how can I explain this to the young warriors…!”
Ah, so that’s the real problem.
Ainar tells the young warriors at the sanctuary about our expeditions.
It’s so embarrassing that I want to crawl into a hole, but I’ve been letting her do it since I thought it would increase my support within the tribe.
“Just make something up.”
“That’s not right! Warriors don’t lie!”
“Tsk! Are you going to talk back?!”
Ainar shuts her mouth as Misha scolds her firmly.
Her slumped shoulders make me feel bad.
A barbarian’s charm lies in their confidence.
I hesitate for a moment and then speak.
“Ainar, we didn’t run away.”
“Huh?”
“He ran away after seeing us.”
It’s the typical barbarian mental victory.
“Wh, what do you mean? Don’t tease me… I, I also thought that!”
Hmm, I didn’t know that.
I repeat myself with a serious expression.
“I’m not teasing you. Ainar, a wise warrior also knows how to choose the battlefield. We retreated to fight on favorable ground, and he ran away because he knew that.”
Ainar furrows her brows as if in deep thought and then asks cautiously,
“Is that… really true?”
I was secretly worried, but it seems like it worked. Ainar returns to her usual cheerful self as I nod firmly.
“Mr. Yandel is…”
“What? Do you have something to say?”
“No. I was just thinking… that this is the kind of person who should be a leader.”
Raven shakes her head, looking at me with a strange gaze.
It seems like she was impressed by me comforting Ainar, who was disheartened.
“Then let’s keep moving.”
We end the small talk and continue cautiously, observing our surroundings.
Our destination is the center of the 1st floor.
The place where I judged a bloodbath would be taking place.
“Wouldn’t it be better to open another portal?”
“It won’t be much different.”
I’ve completely given up on the option of heading towards the 2nd floor.
The Corpse Collector was standing guard at the path leading to the Goblin Forest.
‘He’s probably trying to block the portal.’
If my prediction is correct, there’s a high chance that someone of a similar level is waiting at the other portal.
“If that’s the case, I’ll follow your judgment. Yandel, you have good intuition in these aspects.”
We continue forward, pushing through the fog.
After some time…
Clank, clank.
…we encounter a group of about 10 people at a crossroads.
We’re already within each other’s line of sight when we sense their presence.
Fortunately, they don’t seem to be enemies.
“…Knights.”
They’re all wearing knight armor, and each armor has their family emblem engraved on it.
Well, it’s not impossible to disguise themselves if they’re determined…
“Explorer, raise your wrist so I can see your identification tag.”
…but judging by their arrogant tone, it seems like they’re the real deal.
Therefore, I follow their instructions and show them my identification tag, then ask,
“Is the identification tag important?”
It’s the information I’m most curious about.
The knight answers briefly,
“To some extent.”
“I’d like to hear more details.”
“There was someone who ambushed us using our identification tags. We suffered quite a bit of damage because of that.”
“I see.”
“Now that your curiosity is satisfied, lower your weapon and stand against the wall. Until we pass.”
The knight then speaks authoritatively, and I obediently follow his instructions.
The atmosphere is truly hostile.
All the knights are drenched in blood, as if they’ve been through countless battles.
But I still have to ask what I need to ask.
“Can you tell me what’s going on?”
“…That’s a suspicious question.”
“We headed straight to the 2nd floor as soon as we entered, so we don’t have any information about the inside.”
“Hmm.”
The knight, who was walking, stops and stares at me.
It’s a gaze that’s trying to determine whether I’m telling the truth.
That’s when, as I start to regret asking…
“Hello. I’m Arrua Raven, a mage from the Artemion school.”
…Raven steps forward and reveals her identity.
“If you’re suspicious of our identities, we can prove it with magic—”
“Stop, don’t come any closer. If you don’t want to die.”
“No, but I—”
“Do you think there are no mages in Noark?”
Raven shuts her mouth, speechless at the knight’s menacing voice.
“…….”
“…….”
A heavy silence falls upon us.
“Sir Garfizel, there’s no way they’re from Noark, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
The situation is reversed as a knight from the backline intervenes.
“How can you guarantee that?”
“Because he’s a famous explorer.”
“Hmm, this guy?”
The knight who seems to be the leader tilts his head, looking at me, and I do the same.
“…Do you know me?”
“Of course.”
The knight who received my question pushes up the visor of his helmet.
And a familiar face is revealed.
So, his name was…
“Kars Erimore?”
“It’s an honor that you remember. It’s been a while.”
Kars Erimore.
It’s the knight from Baron Martoan’s family whom I met at the Count’s estate.
Although he was an apprentice, he was still a knight.
I can’t believe I’m seeing him again here.
“So who is this?”
“His name is Bjorn Yandel, he’s more famous in the city by the title of Little Balkan.”
The knight’s gaze changes as my identity is confirmed through my connection with Kars.
“Little Balkan… I’ve heard of you. In social circles, you’re called the ‘Knight Crusher’, right?”
His gaze is far from favorable.
But at least he’s no longer suspicious of us as enemies, so it’s much better than before.
“So, can I hear what’s going on now?”
The knight briefly explains the situation.
That explorers from Noark attacked them as soon as they entered the labyrinth.
That there were even some among them who had identification tags, so they suffered significant damage in the beginning.
And that they’re currently gathering their forces and protecting explorers in the dark zone of the center after the fog appeared.
“By dark zone of the center, do you mean the place with the monument?”
“Yes, go there. You’ll be safe if you can reach it.”
It’s good news.
I stop him as he’s about to leave and ask cautiously,
“Are you guys going to the portal?”
“…Why are you curious about that?”
Geez, he’s prickly.
“Because we’re coming from there.”
“Interesting.”
I share the information I know with the knight who’s showing interest.
After all, we can be considered allies.
I can’t just let him die.
“The Corpse Collector is near the portal. So if you see any corpses in the passage, be careful. It means he’s also found you.”
Unexpectedly, the knight listens to my words and then nods without questioning them.
“Every piece of information is valuable in times of war. The Corpse Collector… Thank you for telling me.”
He even expresses his gratitude and hands me a ring.
“If any knight suspects you, show them this and tell them about me. It will vouch for your identity.”
“…I’ll put it to good use.”
“Then I’ll be going. I don’t have time.”
The knight leaves with his party as soon as I receive the ring.
He doesn’t seem as annoying as before.
He’s a guy who knows his duty.
‘It seems like it’s not enchanted with the size adjustment spell.’
I try to put the ring on my pinky finger, but I give up and hand it to Misha.
“Huh? Me? You’re giving it to me?”
“It doesn’t fit my finger.”
“…Th, then I guess I have no choice.”
Misha then holds out her left hand.
What? Does she want me to put it on for her?
“Ahem…”
I turn her hand over so that her palm is facing down and then place the ring on her finger.
“Put it on.”
“Geez, you’re so shy.”
…What is she talking about?
___________________
We increase our speed after meeting the knights. The smell of blood intensifies as we leave the outskirts and approach the center.
“Even here…”
“Stop looking and keep moving.”
Corpses are visible every few minutes, wherever we go.
Most of them are naked.
They’re taking everything even in this situation.
Well, we’re all the same, so I have nothing to say.
“Yandel! Ambush!!”
We’ve also had quite a few battles on the way here.
About nine times now?
Once, they ambushed us after checking our identification tags, and the rest of the time, they attacked as soon as we encountered them, drawing their weapons.
Most of them were around 5th-grade level like us…
…but there haven’t been any major problems so far.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!”
After all, we’re quite strong on average.
We’ve grown to the point where we’re aiming for the 6th floor, and our combat power is high since we don’t have a professional scout.
“Bjorn, what about the two who ran away?”
“Leave them. We don’t have time, just gather their equipment quickly and let’s move.”
Equipment piles up in my subspace pocket as we travel.
It feels like I’m in a dungeon with an unlimited PK concept.
‘I didn’t expect to feel this kind of thrill on the 1st floor.’
My anxiety gradually grows.
Although we’ve been moving without any major problems so far, how long will this last?
“Bjorn…”
“Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”
I try not to show my anxiety and continue leading the team forward.
And after some time…
“Halt.”
…we encounter a group of unknown explorers at a crossroads.
There are about thirty of them.
They seem to be resting after a tough battle, and they immediately take out their weapons and become wary as soon as they see us.
Thump!
My heart pounds like crazy.
If they’re from Noark, we’re as good as dead—
“Uh…! Mi, mister?!!”
That’s when I hear a familiar voice.
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