29. Shouldn't a Porter Barbarian Strive for Easy Labyrinth Runs
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Shouldn't a Porter Barbarian Strive for Easy Labyrinth Runs?
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Clatter!
Dalmong entered the inn, carrying a basket filled with bread, dried meat, and cheese.
“All the other inns are the same. Complete chaos.”
He grumbled. He then noticed the Knights.
“Dalmong! Long time no see.”
The slightly drunk Knight Captain waved at him with a smile.
“Cain.”
The Knight Captain’s name was Cain.
“I thought we were closed.”
“I came to see your face. When else would I have the chance to do so?”
“Want to stay for dinner?”
Cain stood up.
“No. We’re on duty tomorrow, so we should head back.”
“Alright.”
“Let’s go. It was good seeing you, Dalmong.”
Cain and the other Knights left the inn.
Dalmong approached the counter and placed the basket on it.
“Why are you drunk?”
“Cain made me drink.”
Dalmong clicked his tongue at Jeong Yoo-shin.
“You’re not eating dinner. Go upstairs and sleep.”
“Yes. I apologize.”
Jeong Yoo-shin went upstairs and threw himself onto his bed.
He brushed his hair away from his forehead and stared at the dark ceiling.
“Teacher Mion’s panties…”
He closed his eyes.
“Lucky bastard.”
He drifted off to sleep, debating whether to tell Mion about Cain's comments.
The earthquakes continued for five days.
The people in the city were on edge.
Shops, guilds, and government offices were closed.
The temple’s orphanage academy and the Swordsman’s Guild were also closed for safety reasons.
This was also true for Dalmong’s inn, where only a few stranded guests were left.
Everyone was staying indoors, anxious and uncertain.
But Jeong Yoo-shin continued to train diligently.
He would do what he could.
It was a resolution he had made since arriving in this world.
He pestered Dalmong, who had nothing else to do, with questions about monsters, memorizing their characteristics, habits, and behavioral patterns.
He continued his training in the courtyard, earthquake or no earthquake, doing squats and running around with three sacks of flour on his back.
He relentlessly cast Sacred Weapon until his magic power ran out.
And when his magic was gone, he swung his sword until he collapsed from exhaustion.
He practiced diligently, honing his skills and ingraining them into his body.
Eat, shit, and train.
That was his life for five days.
His training, which began at dawn, didn’t end until evening.
The setting sun cast long shadows across the courtyard.
Jeong Yoo-shin sheathed his sword and sat down, his body drenched in sweat.
“Pant… Pant…”
As he caught his breath, someone called out to him.
“Working hard, I see? Barbarian.”
It was Karin.
“What brings you here?”
He asked without turning around. He heard footsteps as Karin’s voice grew closer.
“The labyrinth closure order has been lifted.”
‘Here we go.’
He turned around and found Karin’s face uncomfortably close to his.
Karin’s nose twitched, and she stepped back.
“Here’s a towel.”
“Thank you.”
He was drenched in sweat after a full day of training.
He instinctively started taking off his shirt, but he stopped himself.
“Please go inside. I’ll clean myself up and then join you.”
“Just do it. You’re a barbarian. Weren’t you about to take off your shirt anyway? Are you embarrassed?”
Karin chuckled.
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
He was annoyed by her condescending tone.
“Fine. Look if you want.”
He took off his shirt and wiped himself down with the towel.
The white towel moved across his six-pack abs, his toned chest, and his armpits.
Karin watched him silently.
Like an apprentice observing a renowned chef.
Gulp.
Karin swallowed.
He finished wiping himself down and was about to put his shirt back on when he hesitated.
‘It’s still damp.’
His spare clothes were upstairs.
He would have to walk through the kitchen and dining area shirtless, which was awkward considering there were still a few guests at the inn.
Seeing him hesitate, Karin asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to get a new shirt, but I can’t go upstairs like this.”
“I’ll get it for you. Where is it?”
He told her where his room was.
Karin nodded and held out her hand.
“Give me your shirt and the towel.”
“What?”
“Don’t you have a laundry basket? I’ll put them in for you.”
“I do, but…”
He hesitated.
“I can do this much. You’re working for me now.”
“Is that so? Here.”
He handed her his sweat-soaked shirt and the towel.
“Wait here, understand?”
“Yes. Oh, and…”
Karin ran off without waiting for his reply.
He was going to tell her that the laundry basket was under his bed, but she was already gone.
He crossed his arms and watched the sunset.
And then…
Ten minutes passed.
‘What’s taking her so long?’
It should have taken her five minutes at most even if she had crawled.
‘Should I go check?’
“Here’s your shirt.”
Karin returned with a clean shirt.
Her hair was disheveled, and her shirt was slightly damp with sweat, revealing her red bra. She must have been in a hurry.
“Thank you.”
He took the shirt and put it on.
“I checked your supplies while I was up there. You’ve packed only the essentials. Good.”
“Ah, that’s why you were late.”
He nodded.
“Yeah. Let’s go eat.”
“Alright.”
He followed Karin.
Her tail swayed lazily from side to side.
Her leather-clad buttocks jiggled slightly as she walked.
Dalmong, Jeong Yoo-shin, and Karin sat at a table.
“Karin-nim, has the labyrinth closure order really been lifted?”
“Yes. But the situation has changed. It’s a limited reopening. The official announcement will be tomorrow. The investigation team will be formed the day after.”
“That’s fast.”
“The higher-ups have already made their decision. So…”
Karin paused.
“The results of the investigation are in. They’ve analyzed the testimonies of the surviving explorers.”
Jeong Yoo-shin and Dalmong waited in silence.
“New monsters have appeared in the labyrinth.”
Silence.
Karin continued,
“I heard that there are new monsters on every level. The earthquakes were caused by them. Apparently, the new monsters are driving out the existing ones. Upwards.”
“Upwards?”
“To the shallower levels.”
“Can monsters move between levels?”
“Yes. It’s rare, but it happens. Didn’t you know?”
He remembered his battle with the Goblin Warrior.
So that was it.
He thought that it was just the world being unfair, but there was an actual reason after all.
“How can they move upwards?”
“There’s an abyssal energy that rises from the depths of the labyrinth. When it fills a level, portals randomly appear. They say those portals lead to the upper levels.”
Jeong Yoo-shin stroked his chin.
“But why did you say that they’re being ‘driven out’? Isn’t it just random movement?”
“Monsters avoid the portals unless it’s an emergency. We don’t know why.”
He had many more questions.
But he held back.
He would be entering the labyrinth in two days. He didn’t want to overthink things by asking too many questions.
He decided to ask only what was necessary.
“Which level is our party going to?”
Karin smiled.
“The tenth. And cheer up. You’re just a porter this time.”
‘That’s true.’
He scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.
‘Alright. I’ll take it easy this time.’
After a bit more conversation, Karin stood up.
“I’ll see you in two days, Skar.”
“Yes, Karin-nim.”
Karin then left the inn.
Jeong Yoo-shin said goodbye to Dalmong and went upstairs to his room.
He opened the door and was hit by a strange scent.
A thick, musky scent.
A childhood memory suddenly surfaced.
“[Mom! Why is the blanket wet and… shaped like that?]”
Young Jeong Yoo-shin had pointed at the blanket hanging on the clothesline.
“[Y-Yoo-shin… that’s…]”
His mother had stammered, flustered.
“[Sniff, sniff. Eww! It smells weird!]”
He had covered his nose and stepped back.
“[Yoo-shin!! Don’t smell it! Honey!]”
His father had gently grabbed his shoulder.
“[Yoo-shin, when a woman is… happy…]”
“[Honey!!]”
His mother had rushed over and smacked his father on the back.
He shook his head, breaking free from his reverie.
He had been lost in thought.
Hmm.
Surely not?
No way.
He approached the bed and touched the blanket.
It wasn’t wet at all.
He must have imagined it.
He opened the window slightly to air out the room and then threw himself onto the bed.
The scent lingered on the pillows and blankets as if Karin had been in his room for a long time.
The evening spring breeze drifted in through the open window.
He was too tired to move after a full day of training.
He wriggled out of his pants and tossed them to the floor. He couldn’t even be bothered to put them in the laundry basket.
‘I’ll change tomorrow.’
He closed his eyes clad only in his underwear.
And fell asleep.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Two days passed.
The labyrinth closure order was partially lifted, and an investigation team was formed.
Five high-ranking explorer parties.
Twenty intermediate-rank explorer parties.
Jeong Yoo-shin was the porter for one of the intermediate-rank parties.
He left the inn early in the morning and arrived at the entrance of the labyrinth.
‘Here we go again.’
He looked up at the massive stone monument.
The entrance to the Great Labyrinth.
His heart pounded with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
“You’re here?”
He turned around and saw Karin standing there with her arms crossed.
Her hair was tied back in a ponytail.
She wore black leather armor, two daggers were sheathed in her sword belt, and a small crossbow was strapped to her back.
She looked at him and said,
“Nice armor. Did you buy it with the money I gave you?”
“Yes.”
He thought back to yesterday.
He had gone to Boron’s blacksmith shop as soon as the labyrinth closure order being lifted was announced.
Boron, exhausted, was lying on the floor next to the light armor he had ordered two weeks ago.
“It’s a bit late because of the earthquake, but we were able to finish it on time.”
Einhorfer, who was the one talking to him instead of Boron, said.
“And here.”
Einhorfer handed him a bottle filled with a black liquid.
“What's this?”
“High-grade blood oil. It prevents grease from building up on your sword. It’s not much, but it’s the best I can offer you as thanks for saving my life. You can pay me back later.”
“Thank you. Give my regards to Boron.”
“I will.”
He took the light armor, returned to the inn, and double-checked his supplies. He packed the blood oil and the Anti-Poison scroll as well, just in case.
He had finished all his preparations and came to meet Karin this morning.
As he chatted with Karin, the other explorers began to arrive.
There were many unfamiliar races. Lion beast-people, large lizard beast-people…
And then he saw someone who caught his attention.
His eyes widened.
He found one.
A black-haired barbarian.
Over two meters tall.
A hulking, muscular physique covered in tattoos.
The man held a double-headed axe as tall as himself.
The infamous penis-wielding outlaw of the Labyrinth City.
The embodiment of lust who didn’t discriminate between men and women.
The fearsome female hunter.
Though he had heard countless insults against them, he had never actually seen one before. Now was his chance.
He stopped his conversation with Karin and observed the barbarian more closely.
“Hmm. Is that all?”
He just looked like a tall, muscular man with a powerful presence.
Perhaps it was because he was far away.
He tilted his head while observing the barbarian.
Then their eyes met.
The barbarian grinned.
‘What was that about?’
The barbarian stuck out his thick tongue and licked his lips.
‘What the fuck.’
A chill ran down his spine.
It was similar to how he had felt when he first saw Simus’ fighting prowess.
He instinctively gripped the hilt of his long sword. A sense of unease washed over him.
Just then, someone stepped in between him and Karin.
“You’re the porter?”
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his head. A tall elf man was looking at him.
“Yes.”
“I’m Lionel. Nice to meet you.”
The elf handed him a pack. Jeong Yoo-shin took it and slung it over his back.
A person in plate armor approached him.
Their face was hidden by their helmet, so he couldn’t discern their race or gender.
“I’m Gillian. A servant of the Light Spirit God.”
A paladin.
He also took the pack Gillian offered and slung it over his back.
Then there was a middle-aged human male in simple clothes.
“I’m Ahiman. A mystic.”
He had dark skin and looked vaguely Middle Eastern. Ahiman handed him his pack too.
A mystic.
‘Is that even a class?’
He swallowed his question. Judging by Ahiman’s stoic expression and tone, he wouldn’t get a friendly answer.
“Yes. Nice to meet you.”
He took Ahiman’s pack.
Karin smiled.
“You know me, right?”
“Yes.”
He took Karin’s pack as well.
Carrying all four packs was heavy.
He was glad he had packed light as Karin and Dalmong had advised.
He looked back towards the barbarian, but the man was already looking elsewhere.
“Attention!”
A man with dark blue hair shouted from the front.
“I’ve already explained the plan, so I won’t waste your time. Don’t be scared, and don’t die! Let’s go!”
The blue-haired man and his party stepped into the magic circle.
A flash of light, and they were gone.
One by one, the high-ranking explorer parties entered the magic circle.
The line shortened, and soon it was their turn.
“Let’s go!”
Karin said energetically.
The paladin led the way, followed by Karin and the elf. Ahiman and Jeong Yoo-shin brought up the rear.
They stepped into the magic circle.
Jeong Yoo-shin took a deep breath, pushing the barbarian out of his mind.
He was prepared.
He tightened his grip on the hilt of his long sword.
This was his third labyrinth expedition.
He was just a porter for an intermediate-rank party, but he wasn’t going to let his guard down. Even freeloading required a certain level of diligence.
The labyrinth was a dangerous place after all.
A flash of light, and a floating sensation.
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T/N - Finally, we get a glimpse of an actual barbarian. All I can say is: protect your butt cheeks, MC.