STGB Chapter 526

Episode 526: Island of Giants (5)

A portal tombstone found in the inner space of the cave.

As soon as I found it, I approached it as if possessed and raised my hand, but the tombstone was silent.

“also… Even the baron’s hands can’t do it.”

Well, that’s what I was expecting.

It was the same when I came here to ask for special conditions to open the portal.

This time, I’m sure you’ll need something ready.

Swoop.

When I checked the connection between the tombstone and the ground, there were already clear traces of the ground around it.

‘This time, there is nothing like writing below… … .’

Cheops, so you’re saying we should just keep heading on the ground? First of all, I asked this and that question to the first discoverer, Wight.

“Did you check the tombstone every day?”

“yes. Since I discovered it, I came here every day and put my hand on it, but there was no response.”

To put it simply, it means that tombstones do not react only on specific days.

“Are there any special phenomena or things that you should tell me about?”

“yes.”

“After finding the portal tombstone, why were you so skeptical earlier?”

It was a question that arose a little while ago.

When he first saw me a little while ago, this guy expressed anxiety in his heart. If there really was a way to escape, he doubted that it existed.

If so, why was it?

“… Isn’t it something you don’t know?”

The boy answered in a cautious voice.

“The place beyond this tombstone may or may not be outside.”

“ah… … .”

Certainly, that’s what I thought as soon as I saw the tombstone.

Because it is the first unknown layer that people’s feet have touched, nothing is certain.

When you activate that portal stele.

As we expected, it might open a portal that takes you back to the first floor or the city, but… … .

There is also the possibility of connecting to a completely different space.

‘Like the second basement floor.’

Of course, finding a way to make this tombstone work is the top priority.

There is only one way for an explorer to find out the correct answer.

It’s just that I’m just trying to interact randomly.

“How many people know about this tombstone?”

“Everyone I’ve been with knows.”

Hmm, then I guess there’s no need to secure it.

“For now, go back to where you were before.”

I finished investigating the tombstone at this point and headed to where my colleagues were. And he shared the story about the tombstone with everyone, including the Armin expedition team.

Originally, this requires collective intelligence.

“It’s an unknown tombstone… . But did you finally find a clue?”

“So everyone, feel free to say it. What should we do in the future to make this tombstone work?”

“… … Wouldn’t something change if we caught that giant over 40m tall?”

“There might be something at the end of the bookshelf in that library… … .”

As soon as I decided on a topic, various opinions came out one after another, starting with Versil, and I engraved them into my head one by one.

“I… If it’s the village chief, wouldn’t he know something?”

yeah, that would be a good way too.

Mule Armin, who was listening to the conversation together, asked me in a cautious tone.

“The village chief… Who are you?”

“I’ll stop by that island someday anyway, so I’ll explain to you then.”

“yes… … .”

After brainstorming time like that.

Some of the wizards of the Armin Exploration Corps left to investigate the tombstone, and the rest rested freely in the cave.

And time passed the next day.

After manning the newly recruited 12 unpaid slaves, exploration resumed.

There wasn’t much time now.

‘It’s already the ninth day… … .’

Based on the date I started exploring, it would be 59 days, but based on the time of the newly opened labyrinth, it is.

Anyway, when the 14th day ends, the rainy season begins, so you should explore the island as much as possible before that.

‘The rainy season is tricky, I mean… … .’

It’s already a waste of time when I think I’ll be stranded for a week.

No, not even a week.

Right after the rainy season, it is full of monsters, so normal exploration is difficult, and right before the rainy season, exploration stops because you have to move to a place to avoid the rainy season.

“Yandel, what are you going to do next rainy season? Are you going to spend it in the cave they found earlier? Or do you go back to that village?”

“I am thinking of going back to the village. I have something to ask the village chief anyway. If the Silver Lion Clan is still there, we can replenish our manpower.”

“Then I will have to leave the island in three days. We have time to go there.”

You can explore this island for the next three days.

It was a tight time, but the number of people increased and the exploration itself became much faster. Should I say it’s the feeling of lighting up the map while moving with the auto-hunting mode on?

“A bunch of trolls on the right… … !”

“Teirun Hervias!”

Pew-!

The rubbish mobs below level 5 get hit by the ranged dealers’ intensive fire without me having to step out, and disappear into light before I can properly approach them.

This is why explorers almost always move in clan units from the upper levels.

The more people there are, the easier it is to explore.

Well, there is a fatal disadvantage that you have to distribute a lot of profits as well.

“Sheruton. Is the map making going well?”

“yes. Would you like to take a look?”

FYI, I don’t do map making anymore.

Heckz Clan’s archer seemed to be several times better than me, so I entrusted him with it.

It also operates a reconnaissance team.

I assigned a few people to Mikhail Rectus, a former member of the Royal Investigation Department, and now he searches around the main unit throughout the expedition and brings me all the information in advance.

Just like this.

“Baron, three Nelfardons are ambushing three minutes ahead. What would you like to do?”

How to do it.

Three Nelfardons doing [Giantization]?

“If I’m avoiding it, do I have to go back a lot?”

“Not really.”

“Then make a detour.”

In the case of Nelpardon, there is no particular need for essence, and since it is an object that has already received experience points from the library, boldly skip it.

By moving while catching what to catch and avoiding what to avoid in that way, I was able to explore a wider area much more efficiently.

and the result.

‘I can say that the South is over at this level.’

It left the southern part of the map where more than 90% of the map was lit and expanded its territory to the eastern part.

And how long has it passed?

By the time I thought I should go back to my hiding place or set up a camp here and rest.

“Baron.”

Mikhail Rectus, who was out on reconnaissance, hurriedly returned to his base.

“Hipramagent 4 minutes ahead. The giant is sleeping alone.”

Hmm… … . how do you say this

***

Hipramagent.

The guy I met on my way to this island by boat and had to run away because he called his friends.

The village chief’s book said that he was half-submerged in the sea when he first found it.

That’s why I thought it was just a marine monster.

‘It seems that it only appears in the sea.’

Seeing that it was discovered on land, it seems that it is just an amphibious free object.

Anyway, that’s not what’s important… … .

“Alone?”

“yes. For now, yes.”

“Search the area as much as you can without provoking him. Maybe there are people like that back then. We decide what to do next.”

“yes.”

First of all, I ordered a detailed search for Mikhail Rectus, and then I organized my thoughts until he returned.

After I found out that this guy was a type of object that left a corpse, my enthusiasm cooled down, but I still had the thought of trying to catch it at least once.

That’s right, while staying in this layer, we’ll meet again someday.

‘It would be better to catch it while alone and learn the experience.’

What is the passive, and are there any more unconfirmed active skills? Judgment that you need to know such things in advance to be able to devise or not devise a relative law.

“There are no monsters within a 2km radius.”

Therefore, upon hearing the news from the reconnaissance team, they immediately set out to prepare for the raid.

I made a new formation, and prepared for the situation where he ran away from fighting like before.

and… … .

“Okay then let’s go.”

All that remains now is execution.

“Bur, are you talking already?”

“He might wake up. Maybe my own people will come back.”

Maybe it’s because it’s a second-class monster?

Some of them didn’t seem to be ready, but it would be a waste of time to wait here.

Swoop.

After that, we moved as stealthily as possible to the place where he was sleeping, then spread out and surrounded us in all directions.

However, the moment when the ranged dealers, centered on the wizard, were preparing a ‘very strong first bread’.

[Ooh… … ?]

The giant, who was crouching down like a shrimp, raises his head and looks at us.

The sound was blocked with magic, so he probably didn’t wake up after hearing it… … .

‘… Did you feel the magic?’

Whatever it was, it was already awake, so there was no reason to be cautious anymore.

“The character has cast [Giant].”

Immediately after linking up to [Transcendence], he raised from the weight class.

“Behel—laaaaaaaa!!”

Before he can stand up properly, he slams the hammer down on his shin.

Quaang-!

It wasn’t enough to break a bone, but it was enough to throw the body off balance for a moment.

Whoops-!

The massive giant collapses to the ground, thick clouds of dust obstructing the view.

It was a minor problem that often occurred during battle.

Shaaaaaaa-!

The wizards who were waiting in the rear quickly used wind magic to collect the dust, and once again, with my sight secured, I jumped at him and hit his jaw with a hammer.

and that moment.

[Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-!]

He looks at me from the front and lets out a roar.

It was so loud that you could feel the air vibrating.

‘Ah, surprise.’

For some reason, it hurt my pride that I had goosebumps all over my body temporarily.

thus… … .

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

I screamed as hard as I could while looking at him.

I didn’t think and act, but it unexpectedly helped to boost morale.

“What, what! Do not attack quickly!”

“Everyone just keep calm and stick to the plan!”

Wight Hex and Mule Armin came to their senses and commanded the members, and before long, a ranged attack flew in.

Arrows and attack skills, etc.

Most of them couldn’t do as much damage as the hammer I wielded, but… … .

Still, it was time wasted.

「Charlotte Amblot cast the 2nd grade attack magic [Spear of Annihilation].」

The joint magic of the three wizards belonging to the Armin Exploration Corps who have been breathing for a long time in the labyrinth.

Pooh-!

A huge white spear lodged deep in the giant’s underbelly.

It was a little surprising.

‘That doesn’t go all the way through?’

How high is your resistance?

I’m curious about the basic abilities, but that’s not what I’m concerned about right now.

“Barbarian, don’t go wild this time, take it easy—”

“Behel—laaaaaaa!!!”

Starting with Ainar and Amelia, the melee lines also actively stuck to him and attacked him.

The main target is his ankle.

FYI, this was an order I placed in advance.

Isn’t he a guy who has a habit of running away before he can do anything?

It is necessary to reduce the mobility in advance.

“He rises!”

“Mu, step back!”

He said he was trying hard to get in the way, but in the end he got up completely and stood with both feet on the ground.

and… … .

[Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-!]

I start running aimlessly in the opposite side of me.

‘What are all these freaky monsters?’

It’s ridiculous, but I didn’t want to experience what happened once again.

In the first place, this isn’t the sea at that time, is it?

「Erwen Fornaci di Tersia summons [Dichloe, King of Darkness].」

Black spheres rained down like a missile bombardment.

Surprisingly, he ran hard even after being beaten with his bare body, but there was a limit.

cooong, cooong-!

I ran out at once and clung to his back, which was slow to stumble.

Kwak Kwa Kwam-! Kwaaang-! Quaang-!

The spirit king’s bombardment was continuing, but it didn’t matter to me now.

Isn’t there a saying that the next thing to do is to have a temper?

No.12 Trust.

The thing that belongs to the top of the double number.

“Damage inflicted by an ally in bonded state.”

「The light of trust protects the character from that damage.」

This kind of strategy is also possible.