The moment the glowing red essence floated upward, the gazes of the group of explorers, who were only thinking about resting, sharpened. It was like a mirror, since our faces would not have been very different.
There was a heavy silence, but like quick explorers of judgment, it did not last long. The first to open his mouth was the hammer warrior on the other side. «An essence of the monster we captured has appeared».
«Um, Sr. Nelbo...»
«You can step aside, Mr. Wizard. I'll take care of this».
So you are the leader.
It seemed like this guy had already decided what position he would take in this situation
to claim ownership of the essence.
Chuckle.
Honestly, I didn't expect anything else. These were the same bastards who couldn't wait those few minutes and interrupted our fight. I murmured quietly: «Prepare for battle».
I said it more so that the other side could hear it than my companions, an expression of determination to see blood if they acted for no reason.
«Um, Mr. Yandel...» Raven expressed concern. It was a situation similar to that of the wizard on the other side saying: «Um, Mr. Nelbo...» to the hammer warrior. Certainly, the magicians seemed to be reluctant about this kind of thing. Was it because they had grown up in opulence?
I summed up the situation in one sentence. «Don't panic. There are only five more monsters in human form».
With that, the other side recognized that I was also the leader. The hammer warrior fixed his eyes on me and spoke pondered words. «Are you that kind of...?».
«Do you know me?»
Instead of responding, the hammer warrior raised the top of his helmet. The problem was that I still didn't know who he was. Had I seen him before? I was sure he would remember those terribly thick eyebrows. When I looked at him with incredulous eyes, the hammer warrior took off his helmet in frustration.
¡Flash!
Pure white hair shone on the white magic sphere floating in the air. Then I remembered. «...Bald!»
He was the guy I met when I went to negotiate with the district chief. He tried to score points for catching me. And to think that he would be disguised with a helmet.
«Pft!» For some reason, the opposing team members burst into laughter.
Embarrassed, Calvo turned red. «...Do you want to die, savage?» Calvo put the helmet back on and said: «You better watch your words from now on. There is no district chief here to protect you».
And now what? If I knew what my relationship was with the district chief, I couldn't say this. Well, it didn't matter. «And you better get lost. Unless you want to lose that head too».
«So you want to do this, huh?»
When I stepped forward, Calvo did the same. Our distance narrowed with the essence between us. The air became heavy and a chill that couldn't even be warmed by the heat of the canyon took hold of us.
Zippp.
From the front, Calvo's goalkeeper tightened his goal.
Clic.
From behind, I could hear Mr. Bear carrying his crossbow. In the silence, we could almost hear each other's breathing. It was like a stretched thread. The moment the thread broke, there would be a bloodbath. Baldy and I knew it.
«Bald man, if you leave now, we will give you the mana stone».
«I see that mathematics is not your strong, wild one. We catch the monster. Of course, the mana stone and essence are ours».
Nobody backed down. Only scout teams in the top 30% made it to the fifth floor. Even if we got the gist in our hands, getting even a single team member dead was more of a loss.
Squeeze.
Still, we wield our weapons and close the distance. A cold sweat ran down my back.
Stupid, greedy, bald bastard.
By custom, we had the property. He probably intended to follow that custom at first, probably handing over the mana stone coldly. Intervening in the battle must have been the result of wanting to rest as soon as possible. The problem was that an essence had appeared.
...Is there no other option but to fight?
Little by little, I let myself be carried away by my weak will and assumed the worst. The current composition was like the game of chicken. Whoever retires first would lose. If everyone wanted to be the winner, there would only be catastrophe.
«Bald, this is your last warning». I didn't just like to talk, but this time I tried to use words.
«Wow, I'm scared». The answer was a negative.
With this, I decided. If I really wanted it, I would see the end with my own eyes. Without that resolution, he would not be able to survive this ruthless world of explorers.
Now that we've come to this, I'll have to eat the essence for now.
The original plan was to store Ifrit's essence in a test tube and sell it. This essence did not suit me, Ainar, or Missha.
Step.
However, an essence was always useful if consumed. I'd rather eat it than give it to that bastard. The cost of erasing an essence was still low, so he would squeeze it to the bone and then throw it away.
We will fight by pushing them. We won't be able to take his team, but winning comes first right now.
Well, I was done organizing my thoughts. It was time to put them into action. That's when I was about to lift my feet.
«Everyone, stop!»
«Yeah. Mr. Yandel, put down your gun».
The magicians on both sides came forward and the situation entered a new phase.
«Mr. Wizard? I thought I told him to stay still».
«Mr. Nelbo, stop talking like that. It doesn't make it seem important». Calvo remained silent. «Answer». Still nothing. «If you continue like this, next time I won't enter the maze with you».
«...I'll stop». Calvo immediately lowered his tail at the scolding of the magician, who looked like a small child. No wonder the most dignified and brazen magician stood still. I was just humoring him.
I didn't hide my displeasure.
Bald and impostor?
Now I didn't even want to talk to him anymore. Anyway, the tension faded after Calvo lowered the gun and took a step back.
«The drawing of your tunic. Altemion School, right?»
«Yeah. Are you from the Warton School?».
«Haha, that's right».
I also knew the Warton School. Not only was it a fairly large school, but it more clearly remembered its uniqueness of pouring everything into water attribute magic.
«Soy Efrain Bello.»
«Arua Raven».
First, the magicians introduced themselves. Then, unlike the scouts who pulled out their weapons first, the two made a brief preamble.
«How is Altemion's Master? I saw it a year ago at the academic conference».
«Well, the Master is the same as always. And Warton's Master? Keep investigating?»
«Haha, of course. It is our most fervent wish».
It was kind of a conversation, We're family! It was like seeing high society. It was probably an effort not to complicate things, since everyone knew each other in one way or another.
«So what are you going to do now?»
Soon, Raven got to the point. «You are aware that asking for the essence of the monster we were hunting is a crazy pretension, right?».
«Hmm, I don't think it's entirely crazy. Customs are just customs, after all. It is clear that we got involved. So it is very likely that the committee recognizes it as a personal dispute between explorers».
Unlike us, who were about to fight like beasts, the magicians tried to find a solution to the problem through conversation.
«Even if it's just custom, it's hard to look favorably on those who broke it. But going to the committee for an essence... I think it would be more reasonable for your side to give it up».
«That's right...» The opposing mage interrupted his words. It meant that our magician had won the argument. «Yes that's right. So we will resign. I didn't want to do something like that in the first place».
So it could also be solved like this.
I guess I'm really meant to be a barbarian.
I lowered my mace. I didn't end up using it today, but the day would definitely come to use it. This was the labyrinth.
«¿Sr. Nice?»
«Stop acting bad.»
«Well, in this industry we have our own methods...».
Calvo looked at him to make him reconsider, but the magician's authority was firm. «Then I saw it wrong, Mr. Nelbo. This is not defending our rights, it is greed. I think I've shown him enough respect as a leader. But how is this different from being looters?».
Calvo couldn't say anything to the magician's valid comments and moaned. It didn't make me feel so good inside. I was starting to get curious to know what it would feel like to crush that shiny head.
«Mr. Yandel, what are you going to do with the essence?». While Calvo was scolded by the magician, we discussed how to get rid of the essence.
«Ahem!» Ainar's eyes said look at me, but I made the same decision as before.
«We will put it in a test tube and sell it in the city».
«Good and simple».
I was going to give Ainar a better scent later.
I don't have the money to feed her an essence right now, anyway.
Typically, when a team member took an essence, the team paid half of its asking price. Well, Missha and I could leave our share as debt, but it was unknown if Mr. Bear and Raven would agree to that.
«Ainarrr, cheer up. If we sell that one essence, you can buy tens of thousands of cotton candy. Hmm?»
«D-tens of thousands?» Ainar staggered at the overwhelming unity before regaining his strength. I guess he thought this option wasn't that bad.
Still, you'll have to start by returning the money I lent you first.
Anyway, once the discussion about eliminating the essence was over, Raven put the essence of the Ifrit in a test tube and we made way for the other team. It would all be over if they had passed by.
«You, what's your name?». Calvo stopped in front of me and asked.
What the hell? Are you threatening me right now?
When I looked him up and down, he cleared up the misunderstanding. «No, I mean... This can be called a predestined encounter, after all. At least I can ask you your name».
Destiny, shit. Still, I gave him my name. «It's Bjorn, son of Yandel.»
«Bjorn, son of Yandel?» Baldy tilted his head as if he had heard the name somewhere. He also revealed his name. «I'm Meltasen Nelbo».
So it wasn't Hans Nelbo. That calmed me down a little. «So, goodbye.»
It would be funny to shake hands here, so I ended the conversation. Calvo gave a bittersweet smile and continued walking. Starting with him, his companions passed by us one by one, squire, swordsman, magician and archer in that order.
The archer froze right in front of me. The reason was simple, because I glared at him, hard.
«Ugh, I'm very tired. Let's take it».
If it hadn't been for this bastard, this shit wouldn't have happened. In a way, this bastard irritated me more than...
«Hans! What are you doing? We're leaving.»
Soon, the archer avoided my gaze and walked away. I hardened like a stone... There was a Hans.
***
The 21st dawned. Four days had passed since we entered the fifth floor. Meanwhile, we continually followed the path down and hunted monsters. In the midst of that, Ainar also reached level 4.
Did you reach level 4 after entering the maze only three times?
In a way, he had grown up even faster than me. I also wanted someone to give me a free ride. Anyway, there were a few times when we found ourselves in a bad situation while fighting monsters, but the exploration itself went smoothly. I was worried that something might happen because of Hans.
Maybe it would destroy the essence...
It was a hopeful observation. If you looked closely, it seemed plausible. Even if we overcame the situation, we could have fought five against five, with the losers betting on erasing their characters. Simply put, it was plausible that the Hans effect would end with the fall of essence.
No, what the hell am I thinking? Damn bastards.
I didn't believe in jinxes, to be honest, until I met Hans.
«Mr. Yandel, do you still have to do that?». When I temporarily stopped to update the map, Raven spoke to me cautiously.
«What do you mean?»
«...I understand that you are working hard, but we won't be able to read that again anyway». Said like a magician who valued results more than effort.
I had no rebuttal to make. I really wasn't confident that we could get back to square one with this map. That's how complicated the paths of the Great Demon Realm were. Not only was it made up of several paths, but there were some points to climb with a rope.
«If I keep going, I will improve. It will be better next time».
I was the guide of Team Apple Narak. Although I wanted to live like a barbarian warrior, the harsh reality had led me down that path. Therefore, I had to practice doing this. I was sure Rotmiller wasn't very good at first either.
«Well, that leaves me with nothing to say... But isn't it difficult?»
«Well, it's annoying. But it's also fun in a way».
He didn't say it just to say it; It was sincere. Firstly, this could be considered a qualification, so I felt like I was maturing. They say prevention is better than cure. If I ever became helpless, like in the Witch Forest, this skill I was perfecting would help me.
More importantly, if I become a guide, getting the team where I want will be more natural.
«So are we going to continue down today too?»
«There is no other option.»
Just as the third floor consisted of several fields - Orc Colony, Witch Forest, Iron Rock Hill, etc. - the fifth floor also had named fields. Between these narrow, labyrinthine paths was a wide disc-shaped terrain, as the starting point. There was also a place that you could enter through a cave in a cliff. Until now we had discovered three fields like this, but all three already had owners.
It seems that there are more clans controlling the hunting grounds than there were in the game.
As someone who had just entered the fifth floor, this was very frustrating. To think that my growth would be hindered not because I didn't have the ability to take down monsters, but because of people.
Damn this patched reality game.
To capture monsters that only appeared in the fields, you had to pay a fee to the clan that occupied the place. Even if you paid the fee, you only managed to hunt them down once due to the supply and demand of experience points. I guess incorporating human nature into the game was impossible. In reality, the kick on the ladder was several times worse.
Kick all you want. Do you think I can't go higher for that?
Spending ten years on a game, he had learned all kinds of tricks and hidden elements. I had also been a whole year late on the fifth floor, so there was no nook and cranny I didn't know about.
Since we've come down here, we should be able to see it now...
The path to strength was here.