Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Rules of Survival (1)

Rules of Survival (1)

“How did that woman follow us! Didn’t you say the Witch’s Forest was safe?!”

Misha shouts with a disgusted expression.

“That persistent bitch!”

I agree.

However, if we calmly analyze the situation instead of just cursing…

Once we entered the Witch’s Forest, that bitch wouldn’t have been able to pursue us alone.

So she must have looked for explorers to use.

By pretending to be a poor priestess who lost her companions to evil marauders.

“Excuse me, there seems to be a misunderstanding. That woman is a priest of Karui—”

“What! So they weren’t just marauders, but followers of that evil god!”

“No, I’m saying that it’s not us, it’s that woman—”

“Surrender yourselves and accept God’s judgment!”

The dwarf tries to reason with them, but the man, whose brain is pickled under the blessing of God, only understands what he wants to hear.

“Lord Davis! Please bring down God’s wrath upon these evil beings! Only then can my companions, who are wandering in the spirit world, let go of their resentment and return to God’s embrace!”

At the bitch Elisa’s cry, the opposing explorers draw their weapons in unison.

And we do the same.

Sometimes, fists come before words in conversations between explorers.

“Don’t worry about injuries and just focus on defeating the enemy! The blessings of Leathlas will be with you!”

At her words, which mean they should fight like dogs and she’ll heal them, the leader of the opposing side charges towards us, his eyes rolling back.

While shouting that annoying slogan.

“May the star that rises at twilight guide us!”

Honestly, I find it hard to understand why they’re going to such lengths to help that bitch.

I understand the guy who seems like a devout believer, but the other companions don’t have to do this, do they—

“Don’t hold back! If we kill them, our team will have a priestess!”

“Uooooooh!”

Ah, so that’s it.

They’re trying to kill us for practical reasons, not religious ones.

Now that I see it, that bitch must have made all sorts of promises as rewards…

Okay, I’ve grasped the situation to some extent.

Thud!

I block the leader bastard’s axe with my shield and shout.

It’s called sowing seeds of discord.

“Idiots! If a priestess joins, who’s going to leave the team?”

These guys were a 5-person team from the beginning.

In other words, if a priestess joins, one of them has to be kicked out.

As I bring this up right from the start, the leader bastard panics and shouts,

“Do, don’t be swayed by their evil words!”

Evil words my ass.

It’s obvious that they didn’t even think about this.

“Uh, uh?”

As if to prove it, the four explorers besides the leader hesitate for a moment.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long.

“Hmm, but it won’t be me.”

“Hmph, that’s something we can think about later.”

“One of us might die today.”

“I don’t care if she’s a priestess or whatever. Just selling those pieces of equipment alone will let me live comfortably for a year.”

Damn it, as expected of explorer bastards.

Each and every one of their reasons is fucking psychopathic.

So you guys just need justification and money, right?

‘Well, it’s good that they’re consistent.’

I start forming a shield wall with the dwarf and analyze the enemy’s strength.

‘Three melee warriors, two ranged attackers, and a priestess who’s cosplaying…’

As explorers who have reached the Witch’s Forest, the difference in our levels is negligible.

They even have one more person.

There’s nothing much to consider this time.

Even considering that the bitch Elisa can’t use the power of the evil god because she’s cosplaying…

We’re clearly at a disadvantage.

However, let’s at least try to come up with a strategy…

‘We have no choice but to take them out with a surprise attack.’

Therefore, I call the mage.

“Dwarkey!”

No need for long explanations.

“10 seconds! Just wait 10 seconds!”

He’s finally gained some experience, it seems, as he answers immediately when I call his name.

However, it seems like the other side has also gained experience.

“A mage! There’s a mage on the other side!”

They’ve also noticed Dwarkey’s presence and are focusing their attacks on him.

The dwarf and I can cover the three melee warriors…

Whoosh!

…but it’s physically impossible to block the arrow and projectile skill flying towards Dwarkey, who is chanting.

However, I’m not too worried.

We’re still an explorer ‘team’, aren’t we?

There’s no need for me to do everything alone.

“Ugh!”

Misha deflects the incoming arrow with her dagger, and Rotmiller blocks the projectile ability with his shield.

And at the same time, the spell is completed.

「Liol Wobu Dwarkey has cast the 8th-grade attack spell [Ice Spear].」

It’s not an Enhanced Ice Spear, but that doesn’t matter.

It’s not like our opponents are large monsters.

This is enough to send them back to God’s embrace with one hit.

Of course, assuming it hits a vital point.

Whoosh!

The resolve to shoot a spell at a person, not a monster.

The moment to exercise that resolve comes much sooner than expected.

What decision will Dwarkey make?

Kwaaang!

Contrary to my worries, the Ice Spear is shot directly towards Elisa’s head.

However, unfortunately, it misses.

This is why explorers are more troublesome than monsters.

“Whew, that was close. Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes! Thank you for saving me!”

She knew the magic was coming, and she knew it was likely targeting her, the priestess.

So there was no reason why she couldn’t block it.

An explorer who has reached the 3rd floor and is heading towards the 4th would have that level of physical ability.

‘…Phew, human bastards are the most annoying.’

It’s not easy.

Just like Rotmiller and Misha successfully protected Dwarkey, the opponents also don’t just stand there and take our attacks.

Therefore, it’s time to make a final decision.

We’ve tested the waters enough…

“Dwarkey! Use the voice control spell!”

“A, alright!”

As I give a firm order, not accepting any questions, Dwarkey chants the spell without objection.

Voice control.

Simply put, it’s a convenient spell that allows us to have team voice chat.

Now they can’t hear us even if we talk among ourselves.

I glare at the opponents and shout,

“Murad!”

“Why are you calling me!”

“Let’s run!”

“Euahahaha! That’s a great idea!”

Fortunately, even the dwarf, who has emergency command authority, agrees with my judgment.

Well, even he has that much brains, right?

Even if we win this fight, it will likely be a pyrrhic victory with only injuries. By then, that bitch will also use the power of the dark god without hesitation.

If we persist out of stubbornness, only a bleak future awaits.

“Misha! Take Dwarkey when you’re ready!”

“Got it!”

“Hikurod, use that thing when I give you the signal!”

“Alright!”

Misha and the dwarf nod without objection.

Rotmiller, who has the most important role, is left, but there’s no need to give him separate instructions.

He just gets it.

“Follow me closely as soon as I start running!”

As expected, this man is the only one I can rely on.

Anyway, I think that’s all the announcements…

“Now!”

The moment I give the signal, Misha slings the weak Dwarkey over her shoulder, finishing our preparations to escape.

And at the same time, the bracers worn by the dwarf emit a bright light.

「Hikurod Murad has used [Guardian’s Bracers].」

No. 3112 Guardian’s Bracers.

In the game, it had a constant 5% damage reduction, and its usage effect increased in power based on the amount of damage reduced.

For reference, that usage effect is…

「Strongly pushes back enemies and temporarily grants immunity to all harmful effects on allies.」

Area-of-effect knockback and debuff removal.

As befits a Numbered Item in the 3000s, its effect takes priority over field effects.

「Status effect [Disoriented] is removed.」

「Status effect [Auditory Hallucination] is removed.」

「Status effect [Visual Hallucination] is removed.」

「Status effect [Pain Amplification] is removed.」

The moment the three melee warriors who were clinging to us are thrown back…

My distorted vision returns to normal, and everything becomes clear.

Of course, the duration is short.

I don’t know how much the dwarf has been getting beaten up…

‘But it’s probably around 20 seconds at most.’

For reference, this time also takes into account the dwarf’s racial trait, which increases the efficiency of Numbered Items by 1.5 times.

But this is enough.

To buy time to escape.

“What are you doing! Let’s get out of here!”

Phew, it feels like we’ve been running away from something this whole time.

____________________________________________

Scout.

They are the ones who detect enemy movements first and guide their team members along efficient paths.

Then what are the qualities needed to become a scout?

The answer is simple.

‘Prior knowledge of the labyrinth and data accumulated through experience.’

With these two alone, you can find your way on the 1st and 2nd floors. And the 3rd floor, which is an open world with unchanging terrain features, is no different.

However, from the 4th floor onwards, it’s a different story.

Well, to be precise, should I say from the Witch’s Forest where the 4th-floor portal is located?

「The usage effect duration of the Numbered Item [Guardian’s Bracers] has ended.」

「Field effect - Witch’s Forest is applied.」

Compasses are useless, people’s sense of direction completely disappears, and the only landmarks are trees, but even those trees move as if they’re alive.

Therefore, from this point onwards, scouts need special abilities to find their way.

“This way.”

Rotmiller’s main ability is ‘sense of smell’.

Having adjusted his smell stat through essences, he accurately finds the path leading to the 4th floor even in this bizarre forest.

If your sense of smell reaches a certain level, you can smell the scent of magic power, and he uses that to find his way?

I don’t understand it well, but that’s roughly the principle.

However…

“The scout on the other side is also no ordinary person. Judging by the way they’re closing the distance towards us.”

Even so, those bastards are following us closely.

Of course, I can’t even sense their presence…

But if Rotmiller says so, then it must be true.

‘So in the end, the key is who reaches the 4th-floor portal first…’

Just as I’m organizing my thoughts…

Rotmiller, as if thinking the same thing, announces,

“We’ll increase our speed from now on.”

Now it’s a race against time.

If we can get there first, we can avoid unnecessary combat.

But if they catch up to us before that…

Then we have no choice but to fight until one of us dies.

‘The problem is, everyone is tired…’

Life doesn’t always go as you wish.

Especially when you’re exhausted and struggling.

“Miss Kaltstein, give me that guy!”

The dwarf decides to take over carrying Dwarkey to help Misha.

And that’s when the accident happens.

“Ack!”

Trying to save time, we attempt to hand over Dwarkey to the dwarf while running, which turns out to be a mistake.

Misha loses her balance and falls.

Fortunately, the dwarf had already taken over carrying Dwarkey like a sack of potatoes, but…

“Cramp! I think I have a cramp in my leg! I can’t move!”

Cramp my ass.

It’s obvious she sprained her ankle while falling.

“Don’t move and just stay still.”

I immediately stop and grab the back of Misha’s neck, lifting her up.

And the moment I sling her over my shoulder…

‘Damn it? What is this?’

The light disappears, and deep darkness engulfs my vision.

The dwarf with the torch was right in front of me just a moment ago…

“Bjo, Bjorn?”

“…Be quiet.”

I calmly open my backpack and take out a torch.

And I light it and insert it into the slot on my helmet.

As expected, the team members who were next to me just a few seconds ago are nowhere to be seen.

“Don’t tell me we lost them!”

Misha shouts in dismay.

And I answer…

I don’t want to believe it, but…

“It seems… that’s the case.”

We’ve been separated from the group in just a few seconds.

“Then what are we doing! Let’s go after them!”

Misha urges me, realizing the situation, but I choose to stay put.

Do we even know where they went?

“That way! They definitely went that way!”

That’s just how it looks to us.

In the Witch’s Forest, you can’t rely on sight.

If we go in the wrong direction, we’ll just waste time and get even further away from the team.

“In situations like this, staying put is the best option.”

Let’s trust our companions and my judgment.

Rotmiller is a scout with olfactory abilities, isn’t he?

He’ll realize we’re gone and come back for us soon.

“Um, Bjorn…?”

Ah, uh, hmm…

That’s what should have happened…

“How long do we have to wait?”

Even after a minute, the party that went ahead doesn’t return.

Damn it, what is this? Should we wait a bit longer?

As my worries deepen…

“Aak!”

We faintly hear a short scream from the darkness.

“Bjorn! Did you hear that! It was definitely Murad’s voice!”

Although I can’t be sure, it does sound like him.

If it’s not another accident, they should have returned by now to look for us.

However…

“They’re definitely in trouble. We need to go help—”

“Lower your voice.”

“Why?”

“We could be in danger too.”

Making noise is not a good idea.

We still don’t know what’s going on over there.

If it was just a monster encounter, they would have had time to come back for us.

“That’s why we need to go help them even more—”

In the first place, there’s no way to help even if we wanted to.

If we could hear a continuous sound, it might be different…

But we can’t find the right direction based on hearing a single scream.

That’s the kind of place the Witch’s Forest is.

“Mmph!”

Therefore, I first cover Misha’s mouth with my hand.

And I focus on my hearing.

“…Miller …bitch is …here.”

“…create an opening…….”

“Ha…… …no choice but to……!”

“At least…scout…need to kill…so they can escape…!”

“………….”

“…good! Escape……!”

Afterwards, I hear a few more faint cries, and then they completely disappear.

The forest is silent, without even the sound of the wind.

“…….”

Although an eerie silence fills the surroundings, I stand still and wait for about 5 minutes.

The party we lost doesn’t return.

It’s still too early to say for sure whether they’re dead or alive, but one thing is clear.

They won’t be coming back even if we wait any longer.

That means—

“We’re fucked.”

The two of us, a beastwoman and a barbarian, are stranded.

In the labyrinth filled with monsters and marauders.

And in the middle of this Witch’s Forest, where we can’t even find our way back without a scout.

Damn it.