STGB Chapter 614

Episode 614: Homunculus (1)

Test tube filled with green culture medium.

Dozens of Doppelars curled up in that test tube are all glaring at me.

It wasn’t a coincidence or anything.

One of them even blinked, and when I took a step, his pupils moved accordingly.

“…are you alive?”

To a modern person’s sensibilities, it was a grotesque sight that made me cringe involuntarily.

But…

“But I wonder what you’re trying to do.”

Having overcome countless hardships while living in the body of a barbarian, it was difficult to find the sensibilities of a modern person.

Of course, it’s not like it’s not there at all…

“Is this your first time seeing a barbarian?”

If you look at the exact numbers, wouldn’t it be similar to the truffles added to truffle oil?

After taking a quick look around, I moved forward.

plod trudge.

Every time I passed through the hallway, their eyes kept following me, but it didn’t really bother me.

In the first place, in terms of grotesqueness, there is no one that can beat the corpse golem.

Even then, this barbarian’s body did not flinch and just moved indifferently.

Tuk.

As I was walking quickly, the end of the hallway appeared. There was one more room, and when I carefully opened the door and entered, an interior similar to a laboratory was revealed.

A huge test tube was positioned like a pillar in the center, and it was filled with only green culture fluid…

Sigh.

Soon I turn my head to the side and see a bookshelf.

The bookshelves that filled one wall were filled with thick old books.

“Is it a disaster?”

I opened all the books from above to see if there were any clues, but there were no letters written on them.

Like a prop used for interior purposes.

‘Well, there’s nothing particularly new about it…’

In fact, empty books like this can often be found when exploring the labyrinth. That’s why sometimes books with content are sold at high prices in the city.

Like the ‘Necronomicon’ from Bloody Citadel.

‘But… what is this?’

I took my attention off the bookshelf and approached the center of the laboratory.

There was an unidentifiable lever in front of a huge test tube filled with only culture fluid.

If it were a game, it would seem like an interaction button would appear the moment you approach it.

It goes without saying, but it was difficult to bear.

Rattling rattling!

When I pulled it with moderate force, it moved all the way and the lever caught at the end.

And at the same time.

Flash-!

Light bursts out of the test tube.

It wasn’t a flash so strong that it hurt my eyes.

However, when the light died down, something had already formed in the culture medium in the test tube.

‘Doppel.’

The monster that was trapped in the test tube in the hallway.

It was amazing that Doppel was created in a test tube in an instant by pulling a lever, but that was all for now.

Do you think that might be possible in this world?

Rather, my attention shifted elsewhere.

‘If the left lever is generating key… what is the right one?’

I looked at another lever and immediately stretched out my hand.

Also, how can you tolerate this?

Rattling rattling!

Like a barbarian, he pulled the lever in one go.

And….

flash!

The light bursting out of the test tube was the same as before.

However, the result was quite the opposite.

‘It’s gone.’

As soon as the light faded, the Doppel disappeared without a trace in the test tube.

‘Is this a delete button?’

Well, I’m not sure.

Maybe it could be a button that sends it somewhere.

Well, it’s not that important in the current situation.

‘…So what on earth is this place?’

This was the biggest question that came to me after confirming the interactive effect of the two levers.

Creation lever and removal lever.

I understand everything.

But why is this place hidden underground and why was I able to get here?

I don’t think they made this place just to come down here and play with the lever alone…

“Hmm.”

If you think about it, when playing [Dungeon & Stone], there were hidden pieces that were not hidden pieces like this.

Isn’t it also present in other online RPGs?

There’s a notebook or a note left on the street, and if you pick it up, there’s someone’s story written on it.

Sometimes hidden quests start from such things, but in the end, the essence of the devices lies in naturally revealing the worldview of the game.

And if this is the case…

‘To give a clue to the truth that these races were artificially created?’

That’s about all that comes to mind.

Even before I came here, I had some idea of the secrets of this race, but that was only because I was lucky.

If it weren’t for the conversation I had with the vampire man at that time, I wouldn’t have come to that conclusion.

‘…Well, maybe this place really exists for that purpose?’

For reference, there was another reason why this hypothesis felt plausible.

Should I say that most of the first basement floor feels like this?

The more I explore, the more I feel like I don’t know why.

It felt like something invisible was trying to lead me somewhere and tell me something.

‘Anyway, it would be a shame to say that this is the end…’

Soon, I fell from the lever and searched the entire room. However, despite all that effort, no results were achieved, and there was only one thing that could not be checked in this room.

“Ha…”

I sighed and glared at the giant test tube filled with green culture fluid.

Even as a barbarian, who is synonymous with exuberance, this problem was bound to be a concern.

That’s because all that’s left is that test tube.

‘If I break it… will something come out?’

If you were playing the game, you would have pressed the attack button right away. Even if it becomes irreversible, you will be satisfied with the information you have and can retry.

From the beginning, [Dungeons & Stones] was that kind of game.

But…

‘It also means that it’s a game where you can’t know anything if you don’t try it.’

I was worried, but it didn’t take long to make a decision.

Ting-!

I flicked a city 100 stone coin with my thumb.

If you get heads, flip the coin one more time.

If it comes up tails, I plan to mercilessly hit the test tube with a hammer.

Degurrrrr.

The coin rolling on the floor stopped and the result came out.

It was the back.

‘Okay, there’s no need to feel remorse.’

As if I had been waiting, I swung the hammer and hit the glass of the test tube. I was worried that there might be an indestructible option, but fortunately the test tube shattered with a clanging sound, no different from ordinary glass.

Wow!

Green liquid pouring out of a crack in broken glass.

I was quite reluctant because I didn’t know who it was, so I climbed up on the desk to avoid getting wet.

Although it did tingle a little when I smashed it with a hammer, the area I touched didn’t sting or anything.

Chubbuck.

The liquid that had soaked the floor disappeared quickly, as if there was an invisible drain below, and only then did I get down from the desk and approach the test tube.

And…

grinning.

I smiled as I looked at the mysterious stone buried among the glass shards.

‘Yeah, I knew there was something there.’

Well, I’ve been playing this game for years.

When you look at it, you can see that red light is leaking through the cracks, as if lava is flowing inside. This is not an ordinary object.

Sigh.

So he bent down and picked up the stone with his gloved hands.

And….

“…Huh?”

I lost my mind.

***

「The character has acquired the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’.」

「The malicious genes imprinted on the character’s body are removed.」

***

When I opened my eyes, the first thought I had was one.

hungry.

I felt a stronger hunger than ever before, and this led to questions.

‘How much time has passed?’

There’s no way I’d be this hungry after losing consciousness for a moment.

First, I touched the floor and raised my body.

It was full of glass fragments, but thanks to its high physical resistance, it didn’t sting.

“….”

First of all, the surroundings had not changed from before.

The test tube was smashed and the bookshelf on one wall was in disarray because I had pulled out the books.

However, if I had to pick the only change….

“What the heck, where did it go?”

Even after washing my eyes and searching, I can’t see any stones.

I definitely lost consciousness when I finally held it.

When I came to my senses, it had disappeared like a bubble.

There were two cases that immediately came to mind.

1. While I was unconscious, someone threw a rock at me.

2. It was a consumable item that was used immediately after acquisition.

I don’t know which one is true, but I decided the latter was more likely.

It’s not like there are no items or events of this type in [Dungeon & Stone].

‘The problem is that I have no way of knowing what the effect is…’

Is it an elixir, a curse, or a buff?

As I cannot check the character log, I cannot know anything.

It is difficult to find changes in the body right away.

‘Anyway, how much time has really passed?’

For now, I stopped thinking about the rock and checked my watch.

The hour hand was still at a point that had passed about 7 hours since the last time I looked at it, but it was too early to feel reassured.

Luxury watches for explorers even display how many days have passed.

“…I was kind of hungry.”

As soon as I realized that more than ten days had passed, I sighed. Oh, I wonder how much mistreatment I will be subjected to by my colleagues when I return.

Creak, creak.

This is how I slowly chewed the beef jerky and filled my stomach first. Then he got up and left the laboratory behind.

Just like when I came here, as soon as I came out into the hallway, the Doppelors trapped in the test tubes glared at me.

Given the background of that concept, there was nothing particularly annoying.

But…

‘Should I destroy this too?’

The spirit of a barbarian is to act upon an idea.

As I passed through the hallways, I smashed test tubes and smashed the heads of all the crawling doppels.

However, other than feeling slightly better, I did not achieve any significant results.

“Oh, there was that too.”

As I passed through the hallway, another hole leading down caught my eye.

Now that you think about it, what is down there?

‘It’s too late, let’s check that and then go back.’

I think Amelia will be very angry, but she will still be just as angry if she goes back now.

I immediately climbed down the ladder and searched below.

Below is a similar structure to when I first entered this bunker-like space.

There is a straight passage and a circular iron door at the end.

The only difference is that even if you knock, touch, and scream, the door won’t open.

‘…It looks like some condition is needed to open it. No, but why did the first door open right away in the first place?’

I don’t know, but there was nothing more to do here.

After making that decision, I climbed up the ladder again and went back the way I came.

It didn’t take long to get to the point where there was a dimensional break that prevented Amelia from following in.

But…

“…what.”

For some reason, there was no one in front of him.

***

A sense of foreboding.

I never dismiss that feeling as superstition or just a whim.

Isn’t there a saying that ominous premonitions never fail?

In reality, the ominous premonition fits well.

Having that feeling means you already noticed it subconsciously.

Disparate parts of information encountered with eyes and ears.

Excited-!

My heart is beating fast.

Amelia or anyone else should have been here.

As a barbarian, if I act recklessly and disappear, the usual reaction has been for my colleagues to wait there with worry.

But why is there no one there now?

Even if you move somewhere, it would be reasonable to leave at least one person here.

‘I guess something must have happened.’

In that sense, I quickly climbed the ladder and came up to the ground. However, there was no one to be seen even on the ground full of bushes.

“Emily! Einar! Raven! Misha…!!”

Even if I scream, there is no reply.

Even though it’s quiet, it’s so quiet that it makes me wonder if I’m the only one left in this world.

I don’t know what the situation was, but it was necessary to first check the temple where the main unit was located.

ASAP AS POSSIBLE.

Ta-da-da-da-da.

With that thought in mind, I ran like crazy and after a day, the river I had passed by before appeared.

It was the biggest obstacle in getting to the temple.

Regardless of whether the river water is harmless to the body.

1. Barbarians cannot swim.

2. The ship that is dependent on me is completely broken during the rainy season and cannot float on the water.

3. The boat left nearby is not visible.

Of course, it is not a frustrating situation.

Although they can’t swim, barbarians can walk through rivers.

Just like this.

with a plop-!

Jump as far as you can, dive, and wait until your body sinks straight down and touches the bottom.

And….

coo!

After reaching your feet, walk as fast as possible, trusting your lung capacity.

“Whoa!”

Oh, I really thought I was going to die.

I can’t even see ahead, so I don’t know if I’m going in the right direction.

“Kehek kehek.”

After barely crossing the river, I ran toward the temple without even having time to shake off the black water.