Recruiting the Scout Explorer Greatly Reduced Dorne's Party Fatigue
The recruitment of the scout explorer had drastically reduced Dorne's party's exploration fatigue.
When it had just been the three warrior buddies, each of them had to handle vigilance, combat, and loot collection all by themselves. But now, Eresa was taking care of vigilance and loot gathering on her own, and her 【Pathfinder】 ability wasn't just about finding paths—it provided tremendous psychological relief as well.
There had always been that subtle mental pressure of wandering aimlessly through the labyrinth's pitch-black darkness, so dense that even lanterns couldn't fully pierce it. Worst case, you might not find an exit portal—like the odds of getting struck by lightning—and starve to death. That's probability for you.
Upon reaching a crossroads, Eresa activated [Danger Sense].
"Dorne. There's an enemy that way. Just one or two, and it seems to be running from us? Do monsters run away too? It's not like a golden goblin or something, right?"
"If it were a golden goblin, it would've triggered [Opportunity Sense] instead of [Danger Sense], don't you think?"
"Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Then what is it?"
"Probably a goblin wolf rider..."
"Goblin wolf rider? Goblins riding wolves?"
"Rare, but they exist."
The three warriors exchanged glances and grinned.
"Should we wait around the middle of the passage, then?"
"Yeah. Let's go that far, stop moving, and get ready to fight."
Dorne's party walked only to the agreed spot and set down their bags. They positioned one lantern to watch the rear just in case, while the rest illuminated the front as thoroughly as possible, leaving no blind spots. Keeping some distance from their dropped gear, they waited and shared intel on goblin wolf riders.
"A goblin wolf rider is exactly what it sounds like—a goblin on a wolf. The one we saw had a bow, and unlike other goblins that charge blindly, it brings packs of goblins to explorers."
"Way different from Layer 1, huh?"
"Yep. Layer 1 goblins don't move around; they only chase if they spot you."
"So parties confident enough to handle goblin packs could just let it go?"
"Two or three times, sure. But each failure brings more goblins. Annoying if it shows up while you're sleeping, but you can stomach it up to three."
As they discussed the goblin wolf rider, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed from afar. Accompanied by the wolves' claws scraping the floor, a goblin pack came rushing in.
-Kerrrr!
-Kek! Kegak!
The goblin wolf rider's expression was smug as hell. To the three hyped-up warriors, it was just hilarious.
-Pak!
Before the clash, Eresa's bolt flew first. The lead goblin dropped, and the pack trampled it while slamming into the three warriors. Confident in their strength, the trio simply raised shields and shoved back. Dorne's iron shield in particular made a regular goblin topple a warrior goblin behind it. As three goblins tangled and fell, Dorne didn't even step forward—he smashed down with his long hammer from standstill, finishing them.
The hammer's downward strike was fast and powerful as expected, but even its recovery motion carried majestic force.
Raon's sword easily severed a regular goblin's neck, while Lilia stabbed goblin faces with her spear held in reverse grip. She took out the last warrior goblin. The sword-and-shield goblin tried lowering its shield against Lilia's leg-aimed thrust, but her spear whipped like a snake to pierce its throat—it died without reacting.
-Tabapak! Tabapak!
The mounted goblin beat a hasty retreat.
-Ting!Pak!
Thud.
The goblin archer loosed an arrow at Dorne but got reversed by Eresa's crossbow. True to its high quality, the bolt buried so deep between its eyes that the fletching touched skin.
"Nice shot, Eresa. Aside from the slow reload, you're a solid crossbow user. Why'd the guild papers say you're clumsy in combat?"
"W-Well, I didn't used to hit like this. Half my shots missed...!"
"Huh. Weird. Well, you're nailing it now, so no issue."
Eresa's marksmanship had improved due to psychological changes. Before, she was the party outcast, a money sink exploring recklessly. In that stifling environment, her timid nature made peak performance impossible. But joining a fixed party—Dorne's family-like group—gave her stability. The struggles of seeking independence, journeying to the labyrinth city, earning three abilities despite poor combat skills... it had been a long road for Eresa.
"Heehee..."
A tough time, now past.
The goblin wolf rider had already brought goblin packs twice. The rider Eresa had just sensed was about to be discarded like dirt on a grave mound.
The three warriors hugged the wall at the corner where the rider would reemerge. If Dorne's long hammer and Lilia's even longer spear both missed, Eresa's crossbow would target the rider. If they nailed it, her bolt would go for the riderless wolf.
-Thud, thud, thud. Tabapak, thud, thud.
Footsteps approached, and finally, the goblin pack rounded the corner. At clash time, an unexpected variable hit.
Dorne's hammer, Lilia's spear, Raon's sword—all swung at the lead goblin, missing the wolf rider. Eresa scanned the pack with wide eyes before spotting the rider lurking at the rear. As her crossbow aimed, it ducked low behind other goblins. The bolt whistled through empty air and thunked into the labyrinth wall.
The goblin wolf rider that threw this curveball didn't watch the fight or shoot its bow—it just turned and vanished. By the time Eresa reloaded, it was long gone.
Dorne's party didn't see it, but the departing rider's expression was eerily human.
Dorne's party steadily wiped out the dozen-plus goblins the wolf rider had brought the third time. The small victory was overshadowed by the major variable.
"Eresa. How'd it pull that off?"
"It didn't lead from the front like before—instead, it sent the other goblins at us from the back. When I aimed, it ducked to hide! Then it didn't even watch the fight and just left!"
Dorne felt an ominous premonition—like a truck barreling from outside your headlights.
"Eresa. If we hustle straight to the Layer 3 portal from now, how long?"
"Hmm... Factoring in how 【Pathfinder】 changes direction at crossroads... Fastest two days, latest three."
"Listen up—time's short." Lilia and Eresa's faces grew grave; Raon, oblivious to the crisis, focused. "We're prepping for the worst. That wolf rider's no ordinary monster. It's acting to keep us from resting long. Normally, we'd have faced twenty goblins this fight. It only brought one pack. And it left without checking the winner. Slim evidence, but that's it."
"Gasp..."
Raon finally got it and inhaled sharply.
"So from now, we push nonstop to the Layer 3 portal. Risky entering Layer 3 exhausted, but better than drying up in Layer 2. Leader's call. Move! Ditch magic stones! Grab only goblin warrior wooden spears! Eresa!"
"Y-Yes!"
"No [Danger Sense] till the Layer 3 portal. At crossroads, only 【Pathfinder】. Conserve mana."
"Got it! I'll save as much mana as possible!"
Dorne's party snatched the fallen goblin warrior wooden spears and bolted.
-Clack, clack, clack.
The three warriors' iron-plated boots drowned out Eresa's light steps.
-Clack, clack, clack, clack.
Dorne's party pierced the labyrinth at a steady pace under Dorne's lead—he'd made himself pacemaker. As fast as possible, but no running. Heavy bags, weapons, padded armor—sprinting two days? Impossible. They lacked stamina-boosting abilities yet.
-Hup, hup, whoo— Hup, hup, whoo—
Dorne even taught breathing techniques. The warriors used superior strength for near-run speed-walking; short-legged Eresa gave her bag to Dorne, crossbow to Lilia, and jogged slowly.
Dorne keenly monitored his comrades' conditions en route. If anyone hit limit, he'd shoulder them for rest. Below ventilatory threshold, he could go forever.
Soon, bodies adapted to the strain. Then came mental trials for Dorne's party. Worst was doubt.
A full day of forced march. No wolf rider sightings. No [Danger Sense] to save Eresa's mana, so no clue if it lurked nearby. The four self-imposed marathoners heard human treachery whisper.
'Is the goblin wolf rider really that dangerous?'
'Is it even chasing us?'
'Even if it is, better to sleep short and fight rested?'
'Good night watch, no problem...'
Even leader Dorne wasn't immune. He slapped his cheeks with 【Iron Man】 strength, endured with its toughness. Loud smacks silenced complaints.
Then, at no crossroads, Dorne's party halted.
-Hup, whoo... whoo...
"Ah... goblin village..."
They faced a palisade taller than themselves. No threat in peak condition—but now? Over 24 hours marching, sly wolf rider maybe trailing. Too late to backtrack; last crossroads too far. Dead-end path after long trek.
Dorne decided fast.
"Break through. Kill 'em all. As planned: I tank one fireball, charge. Drop bags and lanterns—lanterns rear. Torches inside."
Exhausted comrades followed orders without gripe.
"Goal one: No injuries. Goal two: Finish fast so wolf rider can't flank from rear. I smash palisade—you guard front. Eresa, skip archers/shamans: rider if another, else warriors."
"Yes..."
"Got it..."
Dorne steadied his ragged-breathing team.
-Suuuuuuck, whhooooo—Hup!
-Kwaaang!
Dorne whipped arm and hammer sidearm-style; flimsy palisade crumbled.
-Kek? Kegak?
Goblins floated question marks at the midnight sledgehammer on their intact fence.