Chapter 14

The moment Erwen draws an arrow with a nervous expression on her face –

I push her forward.

“Eh?”

Erwen, who was suddenly pushed from the back, has to take a step forward to keep her balance. And in the process, her body comes into contact with the essence orb floating in the air.

Swaaaaaaaa –!

The essence effuses light, enveloping her form.

“Hey, you crazy bastard!”

Those bastards were aiming for the essence, after all.

“Stop moving! I told you not to move!”

Soon, a group of four adventurers arrive and halt about 10 meters away from us.

But so what?

The essence has already been eaten.

I take a step forward, my face undaunted.

“Why should I listen to you?”

“That essence was ours!”

I can roughly picture the following situation if Erwen hadn’t taken the essence.

I might have been forced to give it up.

We captured it by ourselves with Erwen’s arrows, so I thought things would somehow work out as long as we just take it.

“If you want to fight, go ahead. I’ll deal with you anyway.”

Four versus two.

Although we are the numerically inferior party, I respond with a strong tone.

The smaller the dog, the louder it barks.

In order to avoid fighting as much as possible.

Humans are also like beasts in that respect, and if they look down on you, they won’t hesitate to bite you.

“…”

The redhead, who seems to be the group’s representative, silently grits his teeth.

Come on, think like a leader.

If the essence still remained untouched, it might be a different story.

But now that the owner has already been decided, there’s nothing to gain from fighting with us.

So, it’s wiser to just give up and go back –

“… We demand compensation.”

What’s this, whining?

You guys must’ve regretted a lot when the essence appeared and then disappeared in front of your eyes.

But that’s no reason for me to consider your demand.

“We took the essence we got by ourselves, so what kind of compensation are you talking about?”

“Is there any evidence? It was us who just hunted that goblin.”

‘Do you have any proof?’ There’s no point asking such a old-fashioned question.

I mean naturally, there can be no such thing.

There are no CCTVs in the labyrinth.

In the end, words spoken by the one with power become the truth.

“Like I said, if you want to fight, go ahead. We won’t flinch either.”

I respond stubbornly, instead of any attempt to talk things out.

If you’re going to fight, go ahead; if you’re going to try and talk us into something, fuck off.

I don’t even give them any time to think.

“I’ll count down from three. If you can’t decide in time, we’ll consider you enemies.”

“Ah, uncle…?”

Why can’t you understand the atmosphere?

Be still. Can’t you see how scared they are, now that I’m going strong?

“Three.

“Two.”

“We will leave.”

He makes his choice before I reach one.

Seriously, even if it were me on the other side, if a tattooed barbarian this large was the one counting, I’d make the same decision.

Had it been me, I would’ve hidden the resentment burning in my heart, and would try and take revenge later…

They might not know any better either.

Soon they disappear from view.

“Did they leave?”

“Yes. I think so.”

“We’ll speed up till we reach the portal. Take the lead.”

At my instruction, Erwen starts clearing the way ahead at a breakneck pace.

I have a faint feeling.

Although we passed the encounter without bloodshed, it’s not over yet.

“Any sign of those guys?”

“I don’t feel any. Oh, there’s a group of goblins at 3 o’clock, what should we do?”

“Ignore them.”

“Yeah.”

Originally, I was planning to leisurely hunt some goblins on our way back, but there’s been a change of plans.

To leave the second floor as quickly as possible.

And if possible, go down to the first floor and get as far away from the portal as possible.

Hearing my plan, Erwen tilts her head.

“Will they follow us to the first floor?”

“It’s not about following. We just have the same destination.”

“What do you mean?”

It’s a simple guess.

They were a party of four.

And four is a pretty good number to be active on the second floor. But why were they moving towards the entrance rather than away?

The intention is clear.

“They, too, were probably planning to go down to the ground floor on the 7th day and return to the city. That’s why we met here at this time.”

“Ah…”

To put it simply, these guys came here to scout out the second floor, just like us.

So, even with double our number, they were scared of us and ran away.

Maybe it’s not a proper party, just a loose group of adventurers that happened to meet on the first floor and improvised.

“I see…”

Erwen quietly nods at my explanation. I don’t know if she understood correctly.

“You’re amazing after all!”

… So you didn’t?

“I’ll just follow your instructions from now on!”

Well, maybe that would actually be better.

Because people who try and clumsily work their brains are more prone to accidents.

“Uncle, it’s a goblin!”

“Leave it.”

“But it looks like it’s already found us, you know? It’s running our way right now!”

“What?”

As soon as I listen to the situation, I feel a sense of incongruity.

From the 4th day until now, there hasn’t been even a single goblin who noticed us first.

That’s how excellent Erwen’s senses are.

No matter how different these are from back then, even if we’re moving at a running pace now, this can’t be a mere coincidence.

Hasn’t she even absorbed an essence now?

“Try detouring in the opposite direction.”

“Yes!”

At my instructions, Erwen turns.

And that moment –

Hwoooooosh!

An arrow is fired from the same direction she turned to.

As soon as I sense it, I grab Erwen by the neck and pull her back.

“Khk!”

Erwen groans because of how much pressure I put on her airway…

It’s still better to just get choked for a little while.

Rather than being pierced in the neck.

Thunk!

As soon as I hug Erwen and cover my upper body with the shield, the arrow bounces off it.

Even such a glancing blow has so heavy an impact.

Is it that bastard with the crossbow we met earlier?

“I, I… could’ve, avoided it…”

Erwen squeaks some words out.

I’m sorry, but I don’t have the time to listen right now.

“Was there…”

“Just run.”

We start running again, diagonally, with Erwen in the lead.

“Uncle, you don’t need to pull me like that, even if there’s another arrow…”

“Be quiet. I’m thinking.”

Erwen’s voice tapers off as she bites her lips tightly.

I continue my thoughts while we run, still being vigilant about our surroundings.

I don’t know how they managed it, but they lured out the goblins. And now they’ve set up an ambush from the opposite direction, trying to gobble us up.

If I run away like this, will I be able to get to the portal safely?

‘No way.’

Looking at the possibilities, I judge the chance of success to be extremely low.

They have a crossbow in front of us.

The goblins are continuing their pursuit behind us.

You’d have to be lucky all the way to reach there alive…

Well, I’m not a guy with that kind of luck, to say the least.

“I’m going to have to fight.”

It’s time to catch a few breaths.

During that, I come to the conclusion.

“Erwen, use your talent.”

“Talent?”

“I mean, use the power of the essence.”

The essences dropped by monsters contain their special abilities.

For example,

[Goblin Archer]

This is the information that was displayed in the game.

Increases stats, and gives one passive and one active ability.

This information should also apply in this world.

There have been some variables so far, such as evil spirits, starting points, etc., but at least in these aspects the world has always been consistent with how things were in the game.

“Well, I don’t know how to use it…”

I smile as I look at Erwen, who is looking bewildered at the sudden and unreasonable demand.

“It’s alright.”

“What’s alright?”

“I mean you are already stealthed.”

As Erwen keeps running, her body turns hazy.

Although, the effect is weak enough for her to be seen even from afar…

“Stop.”

When she stops walking, the stealth effect becomes stronger.

This is why characters moved slowly in the game. As time passes while she stands still, the effect goes beyond translucence and she becomes almost transparent.

Although there is a clear sense of incongruity at the borders, it won’t be noticeable except at close range.

In this dark forest, even less so.

“Wow…”

Erwen exclaims as she looks over her own body.

She’s surprised, but so am I.

Although I think my reasons are slightly different from hers.

There’re no trigger words or anything like that, it seems to be a mechanism that activates skills according to just your will.

Anyway, let’s study this in more detail later.

“Erwen. Take this.”

“Yes?’

I hand the backpack to Erwen.

And give her rapid-fire instructions.

“Hide here, and when I give you the signal, shoot the crossbowman first. Never act before then. Understand?”

“What do you mean…”

“There’s no time. I know you understand.”

I quickly finish what I have to say and immediately start running.

“Wait, signal! What’s the signal –!”

A muffled shout comes from behind, but it’s much too risky now to go back.

Step.

I halt after moving about 30m away from the original position.

At first, I didn’t even want to leave so far.

If I’d stepped on a trap while running like this, I’d have been in big trouble.

“Gruck gruck!”

As I turn back, I hear the goblins coming from the front left.

And those sons of bitches…

I still don’t know where they are.

They haven’t made a single appearance since blocking our first step.

But I’m not worrying too much.

Because it’s obvious what those bastards are trying to do.

“Gruck, gruck!”

If they had been fighting the goblins, they’d have showed up first.

They must have lured the goblins towards us intentionally.

Returning to the present, I watch the goblins swarming towards me.

“Gruruck!!”

There are two swordsmen among the ten goblins.

It’s lucky that they don’t have any archers –

Twang!

… There you go.

I run towards the horde of goblins as an arrow strikes my shield.

Of course, I can’t run freely like I used to.

Because not only the goblin archer, but a human crossbowman also has me in his sights.

Twang!

After a period of about 10 seconds, another arrow flies in.

It’s the goblin archer this time too.

Twang!

After blocking the arrow with my shield, I smash the head of a goblin swordsman wielding a scimitar.

In return, I get a stab in the leg from another goblin’s carving knife…

Thwack.

Can’t be helped.

You have to take this kind of risk.

Once the number of goblins starts decreasing, they’ll feel impatient and show up too.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

While beating the goblins up thoroughly as befits this barbarian body that I’ve possessed, I gradually take more and more injuries.

Forearms, thighs, flanks, etc.

Individually, they’re not serious injuries, but it’s different when all of them pile up together.

Thwack!

The poison is beginning to affect me, because I can feel a tingling sensation spreading outward from the wounds.

But risking it all like this has allowed me to kill a total of 7 goblins already.

Hwooooooosh!

Arrows fly in.

Two at the same time.

Hwooooooosh!

They come from different directions.

One would be the goblin archer, and the other would be the crossbowman.

It’s difficult to block both.

I choose to protect my flank from the crossbow bolt with my shield.

Bang!

The sound the bolt makes is different from the goblin archer’s arrows.

Is this the power of a crossbow?

While I’m thinking that, hwooooooosh! A goblin arrow pierces my left elbow.

“Shit.”

It hurts.

Did it hit the bone? Not only is it painful, but I can’t even move the wounded arm any longer.

Fuck, I tried to stop the hit with my shoulder guard, but it’s harder to do that than I thought.

Thud.

I throw away the hammer in my right hand without any regrets.

I switch the shield from my paralyzed left hand to my right. If I have to choose between the hammer and the shield, the shield is always better.

In the current situation, even more so.

Puff! Puff! Thud!

With the shield in one hand, I take care of the last three goblins, and clear up the surroundings for the moment.

The goblin archer also seems to have scarpered, and the arrows have stopped.

I got injured while winning the first round, but have I at least pulled through?

I shout.

“Come out! You motherfucker!”

I never thought I’d say this to a human, not a goblin.

But really, are the two any different?

Hwiiiiiiiiiish!

Nobody comes out at my call, but projectiles keep being shot from afar.

It’s the human crossbowman.

As expected, I have no problem blocking.

But…

Bang!

Fuck, what is this?

On every direct hit, the crossbow bolt pierces the iron plate and reveals its tip on the other side.

One mistake, and will this hand also be done for?

As I cover my upper body with the shield and peer over the edge into the forest, a voice reveals itself before long.

“Barbarian.”

Three people show up in total.

A redhead, presumably the leader.

A samurai, with a single-edged sword similar to a Japanese katana.

And a beanpole with a sword-and-board.

The crossbowman is still in hiding.

“It really was you.”

“Yes, it was us.”

How did you lure the goblins? I don’t ask any questions like that.

Because that would only weaken my position.

“Come on, then.”

“Is it because you’re a barbarian? You’re still full of energy even after dealing with so many goblins by yourself. Where’s that fairy bitch?”

He’s running his mouth a lot, but after all, this is the purpose.

“I think you’ve handed her your backpack, too. It’s better to speak plainly if you want us to be gentle.”

As soon as I hear those words, I can’t help but burst out laughing.

If you tell me, I’ll let you gently depart. What kind of an idiot pushover[1] do you take me for?

“Crazy.”

The leader frowns at my sarcastic chuckle[2].

His face looks fed up.

Apparently, I look too much like a standard barbarian.

“There’ll be time enough for questions once we capture you.”

The leader exchanges glances with his colleagues, and together they all slowly close the distance.

Capture…

It’s a nice word to hear.

Just killing me won’t give them much profit, that’s true.

There must be several reasons why they dared make a surprise attack.

The magic stones we’ve gathered for 7 days. The equipment we’re wearing. Erwen’s beauty. To relieve their burning fires of envy, seeing how they had to watch us get something fortuitous right in front of their noses.

I’m feeling it all over again.

“Everyone, don’t be anxious, just think of it as hunting a large monster.”

Seriously, there are too many munchkins in this world only chasing after maximum efficiency[3].

Well, I guess the same might happen to me too in the future.

Sssk.

I slowly raise my hand.

I force my left hand, which hasn’t been moving properly since an arrow with paralyzing poison got stuck in the elbow, to the top of my head.

And…

“What are you doing?”

I raise the middle finger high.

Hwiiiiiiiiiiiiiish!

So that anyone who has lived in this world can see it as a unique sign.

Thunk –! Soon, a faint sound echoes through the forest.

Editor’s Notes:

[1] 호구 (hogu) – a very popular slang term meaning an idiot who lets others use him for their own benefit, a pushover.

[2] 실실 쪼개는 (lit. splitting yarn) means to laugh in a pretty rude/negative way.