STGB Chapter 208

Episode 208 Leader (1)

Slowly advancing, vigilant in all directions.

This is a change that happened to us a few minutes ago.

I stopped running towards the second floor and paid more attention to safety.

It was an inevitable choice.

Fog obscuring the view filled the entire cave.

“…I’ve heard of this. It’s black magic. It’s said that black magicians used it in subjugation in the past.”

heart beats low

pounding-!

Even though Raven was removing the fog with wind attribute magic, the visibility was only about 5m in radius.

It is difficult to deal with risk in such an environment.

Because the place where I am standing is not simply a game made of HP/MP.

A single mistake can lead to death.

A world where there is no button like ‘redo’.

pounding-!

You have to stay alert.

In order to return alive without losing anyone.

“Mr. Yandel…….”

In the past, we were too weak to protect ourselves.

That’s why I had to lose a colleague.

It was a crisis that could not be overcome without it.

How about this time

‘Yes, because I’m much stronger than then…’

I engrave positive parts in my head so that my body does not stiffen with tension.

It was then.

“Mr. Yandel!”

“Don’t scream.”

“Then answer at once.”

“So what do you mean?”

Raven aboard Einar asked cautiously.

“Is going to the second floor the right choice?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“There are a lot of knights from the royal family. There must be a lot of large clans. Wouldn’t it be safer to join them?”

It’s not an incomprehensible story at all.

No, if we were near the starting point, I would have chosen that option.

But in the current situation, well…

it doesn’t seem like a particularly good option.

There is one thing to correct.

“Over half of the large Raven clans did not enter the Labyrinth.”

I heard it from the fox mask at the round table.

Large clans dissatisfied with the royal family launched a massive boycott.

Well, some of them seem to have withdrawn after noticing that the royal family kept records of such clans in the killing book…

but even so, the number is not likely to be many.

“…At a time like this, of course.”

It’s not like that, it’s because it’s a time like this.

“In the direction of Abman?”

“It’s over there.”

I checked the location of the portal with Mr. Bear and continued to find my way. This is also a change that occurred after the fog covered the cave.

The compass started not working.

“……If I just find the portal, will it be all right?”

“It’s not safe on the second floor. But all you have to do is go to the fourth floor.”

The Sky Tower is an independent tier.

Once we get there, we should be able to safely return to the city even in the midst of this war.

Also, that’s the best for us right now—

“No. I mean, there might be no defenses on the portal side.”

“What do you mean?”

“Literally. If I were a tactician on Noark’s side, I think I would have found a way to get rid of the way to the second floor.”

That’s… that’s right.

But what do you mean?

You should try it once.

Thanks to the use of the dimensional instability phenomenon, aren’t we already in the outermost situation?

“If it becomes impossible to go to the second floor… what will you do then?”

Unlike usual, Raven keeps asking me questions. Seeing this makes me think he’s worried too.

Well, you need someone to depend on.

Because I have little experience in this area.

“At that time, as you said, I will join the people in the city. There is no other way than that in the first place.”

I tried my best to stay calm.

I don’t know if this is really the best way, but at least one person should.

“If it’s explained, we’ll move on.”

“Yes……”

It was the time when he was moving as fast as possible toward the second floor.

“Finally meeting someone. Do you guys know how this happened?”

I met an explorer.

A team of explorers consisting of three humans and two beasts.

The level of equipment is similar to or above ours.

Well, they couldn’t be low-level explorers since they came all the way here during this time.

If they join, the power will rise significantly.

But before that, there is something to check.

“First, the dog tags.”

Are these puppies really trustworthy?

***

“That’s real.”

“So it’s fake?”

As soon as we met, we confirmed that we were from the city through the dog tags engraved on our wrists.

And we talked naturally.

Originally, we would have gone our separate ways as soon as the dog tags were checked, but

now it was an obvious emergency.

“Do you know anything?”

“Not much. Except that Noark did something.”

“Noarkra…… that’s how it was.”

I narrowed my eyes as I saw the opposing leader nodding at my words.

“Are there no wizards on your side?”

It is a well-known story that there are few normal wizards on Noark’s side.

“As you can see.”

However, the other side proudly shrugged.

“We’re a team that’s aiming for public value. There’s no reason for a wizard to exist.”

Shiva, this makes sense again.

When speedrunning, wizards rarely participate.

Not only is it a burden due to its slow movement speed, but the magician doesn’t get any experience points even if he does a speed run.

Therefore, I tried Tongseongmyeong.

“I am Bjorn, the son of Yandel.”

Just as I have a nickname of “Little Vulcan,” I judged that if the other side had a reputation, I might have heard the name.

“It’s Hansen Calders.”

“Hansen?”

“Oh do you know me? Maybe we know each other across the bridge—”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

I shook my head.

I was shocked because the tone was ominous, but I was hearing the name itself for the first time.

If so, what should I do?

Cha Hansen, who was worried, exchanged whispers with a colleague.

“Little Vulcan? Ah! The barbarian of that hierarchical ruler!”

It seems that there was someone among them who knew my name.

Hansen’s gaze changed a little more favorably.

“Looking at it now, he’s a famous guy? How about moving like this? It doesn’t seem like we’re exploring each other.”

Hansen’s first offer to join.

“Could you give me a minute?”

“A few minutes. I’m too anxious to stay in one place.”

After asking for Hansen’s understanding, I had time to discuss with my colleagues.

Isn’t there a saying called collective intelligence?

Judgment that these people might have found a heterogeneous part that I couldn’t find.

“I’m not sure. I think it’ll be safe with more people… But I think it’d be better for Bjorn to do as you say.”

“I’m just like Misha!”

First of all, my sister-in-law expressed her intention to thoroughly follow my choice.

Mr. Bear was on the opposing side.

“Something’s strange. At that level, the name must have been known, but it’s the first time I’ve heard of it? It’s possible that he’s a looter even if he’s not from an underground city.”

This is a bit nerve-wracking.

Among us, Mr. Bear has the widest feet.

“What do you think, Raven?”

“There doesn’t seem to be anything strange about it. So wouldn’t it be better to just join in? The dog tag was fine.”

um yes that’s right

I was relying on Raven the most, but now I think I have to change my mind.

Is it because this is the first time this has happened?

He also doesn’t turn his head like usual.

“Don’t worry about the dog tags, just look at the person thoroughly.”

“Yes? What does that mean… Ah!”

Raven realized the true meaning of my words and opened his mouth.

Now that the situation has come to this point, it is foolish to only believe in dog tags.

Because there is no possibility that he made a fake.

The number of cases is two.

Did they work like eating mustard while crying because they couldn’t make a fake?

Or did you believe in it because you made it up and throw a number boldly?

I still don’t know which one.

That is why you must trust your intuition and make a choice. Like when playing [Dungeon and Stone], which is game over if you die once.

“I don’t know. Just let Mr. Yandel decide.”

As if Raven was confused, he left everything to me.

Why the hell has he gone so mentally?

“Raven, wake up. In the Tower of Perforation, you weren’t fine even when there was an assassin hiding next to you.”

“It’s different now than then. Now, when I make a mistake, other people suffer.”

Oh, that was it.

I learned something new about Raven.

I never thought I would be the type of person who can’t make decisions when I have more responsibilities.

it’s not that i don’t understand

Someone dies in my judgment.

Overcoming the burden and making a decision is never an easy task.

Because this isn’t a game.

It’s not just that one character you’ve been raising just dies and ends.

‘Shit.’

Ultimately, the decision is in my hands.

It’s nothing new, though.

‘It’s a headache.’

I sighed and stared at the group of Hansen at a distance.

If there was a wizard among them.

Even if it’s not that, if it’s an explorer you’ve heard of or a team belonging to a famous clan.

If so, it would have been a little easier for me to have faith.

‘Neither way.’

Unfortunately, the time given was short.

“Have you made your decision?”

“okay.”

Soon I was done worrying.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, but I will decline the offer I just made.”

It was my final choice that I didn’t have to gamble for nothing.

“Really? It’s a pity.”

Unexpectedly, Hansen nodded without showing any displeasure. He already seemed to understand why I had made this decision.

“A prudent person survives long. I hope to see you again later.”

“What are you guys going to do?”

“I’ll go to the second floor first. I’m not sure if it’ll be fine there either. It’ll be better than here.”

“I see. See you in the city when the opportunity arises.”

“What are you doing? Let’s move.”

After a short conversation, Hansen’s group left first and disappeared into the fog.

Did I really make the right choice?

food.

I forced a smile as if to erase my doubts and anxiety.

When did you make a choice because you knew the outcome?

“We’ll start off soon too.”

I just have to believe and move on.

***

About 5 minutes after parting with the Hansen group, we found five bodies.

It wasn’t the Hansen group that went first.

They were stripped of their equipment and were naked, but there was no problem verifying their identity.

“It’s a knight.”

“…A knight?”

“yes. The tattoo on the back of the neck here. It’s the pattern of Viscount Terten.

” “It’s like a stigma to have the family pattern on it.”

To be precise, it’s as if it’s not a person, but an object.

Maybe that’s why?

It makes my taste bitter for no reason.

It’s a world where even knights are treated as consumables. “…Not all aristocratic families are like this.”

I

put my thoughts behind Raven, who recited as if he was defending himself.

The corpse of a knight and four soldiers,

and the surroundings with no traces of battle. .There

was only one meaning:

“There is a monster.”

“Yes. Looking at the wounds, it was all done in one blow. Seeing that the scars are the same, it doesn’t seem like they attacked multiple people.”

Knights who use auras are the strongest in human warfare and are the swords that protect vested interests in this world where magic and supernatural powers exist.

But to die without doing anything

. I can feel that I have stepped into the snow.

The knight who must have wielded a sword and enjoyed great authority all his life died like an extra.

No, he must be dying even now.

Like the subjugation of Noark that took place underground a few months ago.

“When will he die?

” It’s been about 20 minutes.”

Yes, it’s not very close.

It was a positive clue, but it’s

too early to be relieved. From now on, it won’t be strange what happens.

“Are they… going to start a real war?”

Mr. Bear frowned and murmured, ”

After seeing the knight’s corpse, I could feel the current situation with my whole body. Well,

we

haven’t fought anyone yet

.” Abman.”

“…….”

“They’re already at war.”

We’re lucky enough to be in the outermost periphery,

so we haven’t experienced the aftermath yet. Well, that

‘s only a matter of time now.

?”

I sighed at Raven’s question.

I don’t know how many times it’s already been since I came down to the first floor.

We were again put at a crossroads.

“There is only a portal in this direction.”

“No need to explain. The one who killed this knight must have gone there.”

The

only way out I determined was the second floor portal .

‘I didn’t come down to the 1st floor because it’s a fucking animal’s den.

‘

Even if I don’t want to regret it,

I regret it. I never thought that trivial choice would put me in such a fucking situation.

It’s as if the heartless world is testing me.

Whatever choice I make is fine.

But the responsibility is all yours Hey,

my

eyes went to my colleagues

without realizing

it

.

.”

Soon I made a decision.

I don’t know who the person in front of me could be.

Maybe a member of Orculis. There are

n’t many strong people like this, even Noark.

That’s how the car was about to turn away.

“Ha really. Are you just going back !

”

A voice

came from

beyond the

fog

.

A man wearing only a pair of clothes.

A skull mask was worn on his face.

“What kind of barbarian is so shy? Yes?”

His body stiffened at the sound.

It was the first time he had heard it.

It was as clear as that.

But.

” Phish.”

It was somehow familiar.