Surviving The Game as a Barbarian — Chapter 113

DAY 21 IN THE LABYRINTH. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN FOUR DAYS SINCE WE GOT TO THE FIFTH FLOOR.

ASIDE FROM AINAR HAVING REACHED LEVEL 4, THERE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY...

...IS WHAT I HAD HOPED, BUT NOPE!!

I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE IN JINXES OR SUPERSTITIONS.

LET ME REPHRASE THAT. I REALLY DIDN'T, UNTIL I MET THOSE SUCKERS.

HANS!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HURRY UP!

I FEEL LIKE I'VE STEPPED ON A BIG PILE OF CRAP.

YOU'RE GONNA BREAK THE PEN, MR. YANDEL.

I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO DO THAT ANYMORE.

THAT? OH, YOU MEAN THE MAP.

U YEAH. I KNOW YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST, BUT HONESTLY, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO READ THAT ACCURATELY.

...I'LL GET BETTER AT IT. IT'LL BE A MUCH BETTER MAP NEXT TIME.

I GOT NOTHING TO SAY TO THAT, IF YOU INSIST.

BUT AREN'T YOU TIRED?

HMM.

IT'S TEDIOUS, BUT KIND OF FUN.

A MAP...

IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M MAKING PROGRESS.

IF I BECOME THE NAVIGATOR OF THE TEAM,

IT'LL BE EASIER TO SUBTLY LEAD THE PARTY TO PLACES I WANT.

FOR THOSE HIDDEN PIECES.

SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING. LET'S GET MOVING.

ARE WE GOING TO KEEP WALKING ON THE ROAD AS USUAL?

YEAH. IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE ANOTHER CHOICE.

TRUE, BUT THERE REALLY AREN'T MANY MONSTERS ON THE ROAD.

THEY'RE BEING RIDICULOUS! MONSTER ZONES SHOULD BE FOR EVERYONE!

I AGREE, BUT WE STILL CAN'T PICK A FIGHT WITH CLANS. THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THEM.

AFTER FINALLY MAKING IT TO THE FIFTH FLOORRRR, TOO...

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE UNABLE TO HUNT BECAUSE OF OTHER ADVENTURERRRS.

WHY AM I GETTING THE FEELING THAT THERE ARE WAY MORE CLANS TAKING CONTROL OF HUNTING ZONES THAN IN THE GAME?

WE WERE STOPPED FROM ENTERING THREE FIELDS IN THE PAST FEW DAYS.

THEY DEMANDED A PAYMENT FOR THE RIGHT TO HUNT IN THOSE AREAS.

AND EVEN IF WE PAID UP, WE WOULD ONLY GET A TEMPORARY PERMIT FOR EXPERIENCE.

YOU HAVE DEFEATED XXXX. YOU HAVE GAINED 3 EXP POINTS.

OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH.

YOU CAN LEAVE NOW.

NOT ONLY THAT. THEY WOULDN'T LET US COLLECT ESSENCES OR MANA STONES.

THE INJUSTICE HERE IS WAY WORSE THAN IN THE GAME.

HMPH.

TRY YOUR BEST TO KEEP IT UNFAIR.

I'LL STILL CLIMB ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS...

...TO MAKE PROGRESS.

113

PRETTY TASTY?

DID YOU KNOW...

...THAT COMMON PEOPLE THINK THE TOUGHEST PART OF EXPLORING THE LABYRINTH IS THE BATTLE AGAINST MONSTERS?

HOWEVER, IF YOU ASKED ACTUAL ADVENTURERS THAT QUESTION, THEY WOULD GIVE VARYING ANSWERS.

THE LACK OF LIGHT.

BEING UNABLE TO SLEEP FREELY.

TERRIBLE HYGIENE AND UNCOMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S NOT AS BAD ON LOWER FLOORS, BUT UPPER-FLOOR ADVENTURERS...

TENDED TO COMPLAIN MORE ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

I SEE.

AFTERNOON OF DAY 22

WE HAD JUST DEFEATED EIGHT HELL HOUNDS AND WERE ABOUT TO GET SOME REST.

YUP, THAT'S WHY...

...LARGE CLANS NORMALLY SPEND THE FOLLOWING MONTH IN THE CITY AND TAKE A BREAK,

AFTER RETURNING FROM AN EXPLORATION IN WHICH THEY ADVANCE TO FLOORS SEVEN OR ABOVE.

I ALSO HEARRRD THAT.

HOW MANY NODS FOR ONE COTTON CANDY AGAIN?

IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, JUST BE STRAIGHT TO U THE POINT.

...WH-WHY DON'T WE HAVE A PROPER MEAL TODAY INSTEAD OF DRIED MEAT? LIKE, SOMETHING COOKED OVER FIRE.

ARE ALL MAGES LIKE THIS?

YOU COULD HAVE JUST SAID YOU WANTED TO EAT SOMETHING NICE TODAY.

OKAY. WE CAN DO THAT.

R-REALLY?

BUT IT WILL SMELL NICE,

AND MONSTERS MIGHT BE ATTRACTED TO IT.

WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT, THEN?

W-WELL...

I ACTUALLY WAS PLANNING TO SAY I CAN TAKE CARE OF THE SMELL WITH MY MAGIC IF YOU DECLINED.

YOU CAN TRY THAT.

SH-SHE REALLY USED MAGIC!

WE HAVE TO SPEND SOME TIME HERE ANYWAYS.

SUPER-MEATY TOMATO STEW, MADE BY MISSHA

IT'S INCREDIBLE, YET AGAIN!

MISSHA! WHY DON'T YOU MARRY ME IN THE FUTURE?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, MS. AINAR?

MS. KARLSTEIN IS GOING TO LIVE WITH ME.

UHM, THANK YOU FOR ENJOYING THE FOOD I MMMADE,

BUT...

...?

IT REALLY DOESN'T SMELL MUCH LIKE YOU SAID. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD DO THIS WITH MAGIC.

I APPLIED MY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AIR CONTROL AND COMBUSTION MAGIC.

BASICALLY, I GATHERED ALL THE ODOR IN ONE AREA AND BURNED IT.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M HAVING A PROPER MEAL ON THE FIFTH FLOOR.

OTHER MAGES I WORKED WITH IN THE PAST MUST HAVE BEEN INCOMPETENT, I MUST SAY.

OR YOU COULD JUST SAY I AM COMPETENT AND DETAIL-ORIENTED.

YOU TWO SHOULD EAT AS WELL.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR BOWL?

YEAH. WE WILL BE ON WATCH DUTY.

HMM...

STILL NO SIGNS YET. I WAS HOPING IT WOULD APPEAR BEFORE WE FINISHED EATING.

D-DOES IT TASTE WEIRRRRD?

I-MADE A LOT...

OH, IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, AS USUAL.

I GET WHY AINAR AND RAVEN WERE SAYING THEY WANT YOU TO MARRY THEM.

R-R-R-RRRRREALLY?!

S-SO YOU WOULD LIKE TO EAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS EVERYDAYYYYY...

WHAT'S WRONG WITH HER?

HUH...?

THERE! THE BLACK MOSS IS DISAPPEARING!

RAVEN. I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS IN THE AREA.

WHAT? THAT'S--

USE YOUR DETECTION SPELL. LET'S CHECK IT OUT.

O-OKAY.

SOMETHING'S OVER THERE!

I WILL FOCUS MY MANA THERE!

KIUH?

AWWW...! S-SO CCCCUTE!

LOOKS TASTY!

WHAT...?

TALK ABOUT LUCK!

WE ENCOUNTERED A MILA RODEN DURING OUR FIRST ADVENTURE TOGETHER!

H-HOLD ON! I HAVEN'T USED DISTORTION MAGIC YET!

AT LEAST TWO OF THEM KNOW JUST HOW VALUABLE THAT THING IS.

YOU HAVE DEFEATED MILA RODEN. YOU HAVE GAINED 3 EXP POINTS.

HERE LIES MILA RODEN, A TIER-7 BEAST AND VICTIM OF ADVANCED DISTORTION.

WE JUST HUNTED DOWN AN EXTREMELY RARE MONSTER THANKS TO MR. YANDEL.

ISN'T THIS AWESOME, MR. URIKFRIED?

IT'S MY FIRST TIME KILLING ONE, ACTUALLY.

IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT. USING DETECTION MAGIC NEAR A CHUNK OF BLACK MOSS IS A SUREFIRE WAY TO FIND ONE.

BUT TO BE FAIR, IT TOOK ME OVER ONE YEAR ON THE FIFTH FLOOR TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

IS THAT BEAST REALLY THAT RARE?

ITS HIDE CAN FETCH A GOOD PRICE DUE TO THE BEAST'S RARITY, WHILE THE TENDONS ARE MAGICAL INGREDIENTS.

THAT'S NOT ALL.

WHAT MAKES THIS BEAST ABSOLUTELY VALUABLE IS THIS.

IT'S THIS MIRROR.

MIRROR?

YEAH. I HEARD YOU CAN ENTER HIDDEN REALMS WITH THIS ITEM.

LIKE A RIFT.

HOLY..

IT'S SO CONVENIENT!

I HAD TO SPELL EVERYTHING OUT FOR MY OLD TEAM MEMBERS...

MAYBE I CAN FINALLY ACT LIKE A NORMAL BARBARIAN!

SO HOW DO WE USE THAT THING, RAVEN?

UHM, I'M NOT TOO SURE ABOUT THAT.

THERE WERE NO INSTRUCTIONS IN BOOKS...

EQUIPPING THE MIRROR ON A MAGE AND CLICKING THE BUTTON ONCE WAS ALL IT TOOK IN THE GAME.

COME ON, RAVEN!

THIS MIRROR... SEEMS TO HARNESS MAGICAL ENERGY.

MAYBE IT'LL WORK IF I EXTEND MY MANA INTO IT.

W-WAIT A MINUTE!

LET'S CAST THE COMPANIONSHIP SPELL FIRST.

AH, THAT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT IDEA.

WHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE. I GUESS BOOKS DON'T TELL YOU EVERYTHING.

ALRIGHT, HERE I GO AGAIN.

YOU HAVE ENTERED MIRROR OF FIRE.

WOW, IT CERTAINLY FEELS LIKE A RIFT.

BJORN, MONSTERS ARE COMING!

FULL OF MONSTERS, JUST AS I EXPECTED!

GET READY TO FIGHT!

THE GREAT NETHERWORLD ON THE FIFTH FLOOR...

HAS SEVERAL MYSTIC MIRRORS ACROSS THE MAP...

...FROM WHICH MONSTERS SPAWN AND TRAVEL AROUND.

BUT CLANS DON'T SHARE THE MIRRORS AND SIMPLY KILL EVERY MONSTER THEY SEE.

THAT'S WHY THERE AREN'T MANY MONSTERS AWAY FROM THOSE AREAS.

HERE COMES THE QUESTION.

WHERE DO ALL THOSE MONSTERS, WHICH CLANS ARE CAMPING IN THE SPOT TO KILL, COME FROM?

FIELD EFFECT OTHERWORLD WILL APPLY.

ESSENCE DROP RATE IS SLIGHTLY INCREASED.

TO PUT IT SIMPLY,

I USED TO CALL THIS HIDDEN FIELD...

...THE COW ZONE.

I'M NOT EVEN EXPECTING A LOT.

JUST TWO ESSENCES. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING!