Chapter 222: Like Fireworks (2)

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 222: Like Fireworks (2)

The old me hadn't been like this. So what kind of person had I been?

Little Hansu Lee, who spent most of his days in the hospital, had been an ordinary kid. He admired heroes and believed he would be someone special one day. However, the kid had learned as he grew up that dreams were just dreams. In the end, the ones who had the last laugh were the people who lived their lives rationally.

Missha, Ainar, Raven, Mr. Bear.

I solidified my top priority in my mind. No matter what happened, I would get them back home alive.

Clang!

Even as I made that resolution, I blocked the claws of the beast aiming at one of my comrades with my shield.

"Are you all right?"

"A-Ah! Thanks..."

I did not want to let go of this burning desire to save every person I could who was coursing through me. My head and heart felt hot, as hot as the breath I was exhaling right now. Had I always been such a hot-blooded person?

"Davers, if you're tired, go back and rest."

"...That won't happen. Not until you rest."

Why were all warriors such fools? In moments like these, I had the fleeting thought that I shouldn't have asked their names, but at the same time, I was glad I did.

With that, I let go of all doubt and all regrets. As if I had really become a character in a game, I focused on just one thing. A Shield Barbarian was designed to protect his comrades, and Bjorn Yandel had followed that character build to a T. What was the thing that he did best? No, what was it that he had to do? I already knew the answer.

[Your body is rapidly regenerating due to Recovery (Greater)'s effects.]

I narrowly maintained my tattered state through just potions. Even while knowing I'd probably be in much better shape if I received a priest's care, I did not request healing instead. The lower my HP was, the higher the defense stat of Orc Hero's passive skill rose.

"Behelaaah!"

The more I burned through my life force, the stronger I got. Then I could save more people, and those people who survived would help us overcome any remaining hurdles.

"Almost there!"

This was a reasonable choice. Let's trust that and move forward.

***

About nine hours had passed since we left the center of the map. The first two hours were spent sprinting like we were doing a speed run, and the remaining seven were spent clearing the way through the Fog of the Abyss. We'd taken a lot of damage. There were horrors we'd faced that were difficult to summarize in just a few sentences.

"We're here."

Eventually, we reached our first destination.

"How is it, is the portal open?" asked Kyle.

I swallowed a groan and made sure my voice was calm as I answered, "No, the portal has been destroyed."

The place we arrived at past countless corpses and puddles of blood was in ruins. In the spot where the headstone and opened portal should have been was absolutely nothing.

Squeeze.

Truly, it had been a long time since irrational sentiment had fueled my anger. So many warriors had died. Each of those people had had a family, and each was a precious life that should not have been discarded.

"So this was a pointless trip... Snap out of it. There are still two portals left. You need to decide where to go."

Forcibly pushing back the tide of emotion, I cooled my head as much as possible and got to thinking. North or south?

"Make the decision as quickly as you can."

I didn't even have the luxury to take my time and think it through. Even at this moment, a battle was being fought.

"Yandel, don't feel pressured. How can you choose something like that? It's just luck."

"Haha, a warrior always makes decisions with the heart, not the head!"

"Whatever choice you make, we will follow you."

"And even if it's the wrong choice, no one could blame you. If anyone does, I'll crack their skull open with my axe."

The warriors who'd teetered on the brink of death with me several times in that short time spoke words of comfort. These were fascinating people. How could they laugh while looking like that?

Smirk.

I closed my eyes.

We only have one shot now.

Realistically, it was impossible to check all three portals. Based on the time we had, we had determined that we had up to two opportunities and set east as our first destination.

There were several reasons for this:

1. If we chose east, we could then choose between north and south if the first portal was a bust. It was also possible to change routes during the expedition based on new information.

2. The Abyssal Blade Wolves weren't as tricky as other monsters, making this the path that would deal us the least amount of damage.

3. In the Den of Beasts, it would be difficult for Noark to set up a blockade. If a battle broke out, we determined this area would be best for us since we could use the simple strategy of using the walls to protect us on three sides, hold out until the very end of the seventh day, and then head down to the first floor.

...God damn it.

As I sifted through my thoughts, I realized something.

It was the wrong choice from the start.

From my point of view, it made sense to choose the east. But what about from the point of view of the other side?

I was too quick to choose.

I made plans to head in the direction that I favored because if that succeeded, it would have been best for me. I acted with the best-case scenario in mind. Anyone else would have done the same.

What direction would those bastards have chosen?

I asked myself again: which portal was the most advantageous for Noark? The answer quickly came to me.

North.

No matter how I thought about it, there was no better option than the Goblin Forest. There were three reasons for this:

1. The Abyssal Goblins were the trickiest out of the four monsters on the first floor. If we wanted to take that portal, many sacrifices would follow.

2. Since there was nothing in the terrain that could act as walls up there, it would be possible for them to set up a blockade. They'd have the advantage in combat.

3. Above all, the Goblin Forest was the shortest distance from the third floor. This was the most important part. These guys had stopped adventuring for six months, which meant they would be suffering from food shortages. They would've planned to mine mana stones after they pulled this whole operation off. After all, everyone in this world was obsessed with efficiency.

"So this was a pointless trip... Snap out of it. There are still two portals left. You need to decide where to go."

Forcibly pushing back the tide of emotion, I cooled my head as much as possible and got to thinking. North or south?

"Make the decision as quickly as you can."

I didn't even have the luxury to take my time and think it through. Even at this moment, a battle was being fought.

"Yandel, don't feel pressured. How can you choose something like that? It's just luck."

"Haha, a warrior always makes decisions with the heart, not the head!"

"Whatever choice you make, we will follow you."

"And even if it's the wrong choice, no one could blame you. If anyone does, I'll crack their skull open with my axe."

The warriors who'd teetered on the brink ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of death with me several times in that short time spoke words of comfort. These were fascinating people. How could they laugh while looking like that?

Smirk.

I closed my eyes.

We only have one shot now.

Realistically, it was impossible to check all three portals. Based on the time we had, we had determined that we had up to two opportunities and set east as our first destination.

There were several reasons for this:

1. If we chose east, we could then choose between north and south if the first portal was a bust. It was also possible to change routes during the expedition based on new information.

2. The Abyssal Blade Wolves weren't as tricky as other monsters, making this the path that would deal us the least amount of damage.

3. In the Den of Beasts, it would be difficult for Noark to set up a blockade. If a battle broke out, we determined this area would be best for us since we could use the simple strategy of using the walls to protect us on three sides, hold out until the very end of the seventh day, and then head down to the first floor.

...God damn it.

As I sifted through my thoughts, I realized something.

It was the wrong choice from the start.

From my point of view, it made sense to choose the east. But what about from the point of view of the other side?

I was too quick to choose.

I made plans to head in the direction that I favored because if that succeeded, it would have been best for me. I acted with the best-case scenario in mind. Anyone else would have done the same.

What direction would those bastards have chosen?

I asked myself again: which portal was the most advantageous for Noark? The answer quickly came to me.

North.

No matter how I thought about it, there was no better option than the Goblin Forest. There were three reasons for this:

1. The Abyssal Goblins were the trickiest out of the four monsters on the first floor. If we wanted to take that portal, many sacrifices would follow.

2. Since there was nothing in the terrain that could act as walls up there, it would be possible for them to set up a blockade. They'd have the advantage in combat.

3. Above all, the Goblin Forest was the shortest distance from the third floor. This was the most important part. These guys had stopped adventuring for six months, which meant they would be suffering from food shortages. They would've planned to mine mana stones after they pulled this whole operation off. After all, everyone in this world was obsessed with efficiency.

Stupid bastard.

I already knew about their food crisis, which was why I assumed there wouldn't be many troops waiting in front of the second floor. That was what I had placed my faith in for this plan. However, I had failed to make the connection to the Goblin Forest even though I had run all those simulations in my head.

One of three options? No, I just wanted it to be the easiest one.

I cursed my own foolishness. But instead of blaming myself even more, I grabbed the message stone.

Squeeze.

Now was not the time to retreat into myself and crumble. Blood had already been spilled, so what was important now was what we did next.

"We are going north."

When I announced my decision through the message stone, I heard Kyle's voice. "Goblin Forest, huh?"

"Is there something you want to say?"

"No. In fact, if you couldn't choose, I was going to recommend that first. The thought only occurred to me now, but I'm suspicious of that direction."

So this guy had the same thought as me. If only I had realized it sooner. Me or this man.

Enough complaining.

I started moving, leading the group that had followed me here. "Get ready. We're leaving again." Our destination was the Goblin Forest in the north.

"Ha, that ends our break."

"Let's go. We can rest once we're out of here."

Instead of breaking formation and heading back the way we came, I turned to take a detour.

"Grrr...!"

"Kyaaah!"

Beasts appeared without fail as soon as we left the portal's vicinity. Fighting more bloody battles with these bastards, we cleared the path for the rest. And a long while later...

"Grk, grrk!"

Slowly, Abyssal Goblins began to appear. That meant we had traveled a considerable distance from the eastern district where the Blade Wolves spawned.

"Grrk."

It was as small as usual, but a goblin with ominously black skin stared back at me.

"Kreuk, kreuk!" The bastard was laughing, just like the first time I fell into this cave.

"Prepare for battle!"

From now on, we would walk the hard road.

Goblins were rank-nine monsters, nothing special. You just had to be careful of their traps, and even those traps were nullified with a pair of proper boots.

[You have defeated the Abyssal Goblin. EXP +5]

However, rank-five goblins with "Abyssal" in their names were different. These sons of bitches turned into trickier monsters than even Trolls.

[The Abyssal Goblin has cast Random Trap.]

The effects of Random Trap were simple.

Click.

When stepped on, a random skill below rank five was cast on the target. Oh, for reference, buffs were excluded. You only ever got hit with attack and curse-type skills.

Whooosh!

The moment a trap activation sounded, a nearby warrior's body was swallowed up in flames. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it: Extermination. Among the rank-five skills, this was the one that dealt the greatest amount of single-target damage.

Stupid bastard.

I already knew about their food crisis, which was why I assumed there wouldn't be many troops waiting in front of the second floor. That was what I had placed my faith in for this plan. However, I had failed to make the connection to the Goblin Forest even though I had run all those simulations in my head.

One of three options? No, I just wanted it to be the easiest one.

I cursed my own foolishness. But instead of blaming myself even more, I grabbed the message stone.

Squeeze.

Now was not the time to retreat into myself and crumble. Blood had already been spilled, so what was important now was what we did next.

"We are going north."

When I announced my decision through the message stone, I heard Kyle's voice. "Goblin Forest, huh?"

"Is there something you want to say?"

"No. In fact, if you couldn't choose, I was going to recommend that first. The thought only occurred to me now, but I'm suspicious of that direction."

So this guy had the same thought as me. If only I had realized it sooner. Me or this man.

Enough complaining.

I started moving, leading the group that had followed me here. "Get ready. We're leaving again." Our destination was the Goblin Forest in the north.

"Ha, that ends our break."

"Let's go. We can rest once we're out of here."

Instead of breaking formation and heading back the way we came, I turned to take a detour.

"Grrr...!"

"Kyaaah!"

Beasts appeared without fail as soon as we left the portal's vicinity. Fighting more bloody battles with these bastards, we cleared the path for the rest. And a long while later...

"Grk, grrk!"

Slowly, Abyssal Goblins began to appear. That meant we had traveled a considerable distance from the eastern district where the Blade Wolves spawned.

"Grrk."

It was as small as usual, but a goblin with ominously black skin stared back at me.

"Kreuk, kreuk!" The bastard was laughing, just like the first time I fell into this cave.

"Prepare for battle!"

From now on, we would walk the hard road.

Goblins were rank-nine monsters, nothing special. You just had to be careful of their traps, and even those traps were nullified with a pair of proper boots.

[You have defeated the Abyssal Goblin. EXP +5]

However, rank-five goblins with "Abyssal" in their names were different. These sons of bitches turned into trickier monsters than even Trolls.

[The Abyssal Goblin has cast Random Trap.]

The effects of Random Trap were simple.

Click.

When stepped on, a random skill below rank five was cast on the target. Oh, for reference, buffs were excluded. You only ever got hit with attack and curse-type skills.

Whooosh!

The moment a trap activation sounded, a nearby warrior's body was swallowed up in flames. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it: Extermination. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Among the rank-five skills, this was the one that dealt the greatest amount of single-target damage.

"God damn it! Priest! Priest, priest!"

The priest being called provided heals as soon as the flames appeared, but it was useless.

Slump.

The warrior who had been clearing the way on the frontlines for over two hours collapsed in a charred heap, a truly pointless death. That was the damned thing about Abyssal Goblins.

"Krr, kreureuk!"

No matter what class you took or the cultivation method you used, there was bound to be a counter to it. And a random attack? If you got unlucky, you'd die without a prayer.

"Fuck, this is driving me crazy."

And on top of all that, an Abyssal Goblin's trap was impossible to detect in advance with the naked eye or magic. You just had to step on it.

"I-I can't go any farther. I'm sorry." The warrior who had come back up to the frontlines laughing even after receiving heals for an arm that got ripped off by a Blade Wolf shuffled back in fear.

It wasn't that I didn't get where he was coming from. Being too weak and getting injured because I couldn't avoid my opponent's attack was one thing, but getting killed for being unlucky? Even a warrior who had overcome a myriad of hardships would have a hard time getting over the psychological fear.

"I will go first," I decided, not because I wasn't afraid, or because I had some kind of noble mindset that allowed me to sacrifice myself for others with a smile. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"You guys follow behind me." The fact was, if everyone got scared off, there would be no end to this. In the end, that would kill everyone including me, which was why this was necessary.

Click.

At least one person needed to overcome fear and take the first step forward.

"Behelahhh!"

So I shoved my fear aside and sped up.

Click.

The traps were triggered at intervals of twenty steps. I hit a curse-type debuff.

[Your energy is greatly reduced.]

Then I triggered a continuous flame spell, Leech Flame.

[Your body is burning and any healing abilities are temporarily sealed.]

Then water damage, and actual lightning.

[Any ice damage you take is significantly increased for a certain period of time.]

Kablam!

All kinds of effects piled up on me, but I continued, relying on my +200 Mana Resistance from the Manticore. I stood by the first step I took—it was not meaningless.

Click.

I continued running. Suddenly, I heard people's voices in the distance, but that didn't last long.

"I-I..."

"Stop making a scene and step back. I will go next."

"Damn it, why! Why am I...?"

Those who passed by the others who had stopped or fallen followed behind me, starting with the barbarians. "We will follow the great warrior!"

"Behelahhh!"

"Haha! You said you have a family. This is a job for a single man like me," said a leader who had lost his team.

An abandoned knight stepped up to bat next. "...This, too, is a way of fulfilling my pledge to the palace. I will go next."

"God damn it! Priest! Priest, priest!"

The priest being called provided heals as soon as the flames appeared, but it was useless.

Slump.

The warrior who had been clearing the way on the frontlines for over two hours collapsed in a charred heap, a truly pointless death. That was the damned thing about Abyssal Goblins.

"Krr, kreureuk!"

No matter what class you took or the cultivation method you used, there was bound to be a counter to it. And a random attack? If you got unlucky, you'd die without a prayer.

"Fuck, this is driving me crazy."

And on top of all that, an Abyssal Goblin's trap was impossible to detect in advance with the naked eye or magic. You just had to step on it.

"I-I can't go any farther. I'm sorry." The warrior who had come back up to the frontlines laughing even after receiving heals for an arm that got ripped off by a Blade Wolf shuffled back in fear.

It wasn't that I didn't get where he was coming from. Being too weak and getting injured because I couldn't avoid my opponent's attack was one thing, but getting killed for being unlucky? Even a warrior who had overcome a myriad of hardships would have a hard time getting over the psychological fear.

"I will go first," I decided, not because I wasn't afraid, or because I had some kind of noble mindset that allowed me to sacrifice myself for others with a smile. "You guys follow behind me." The fact was, if everyone got scared off, there would be no end to this. In the end, that would kill everyone including me, which was why this was necessary.

Click.

At least one person needed to overcome fear and take the first step forward.

"Behelahhh!"

So I shoved my fear aside and sped up.

Click.

The traps were triggered at intervals of twenty steps. I hit a curse-type debuff.

[Your energy is greatly reduced.]

Then I triggered a continuous flame spell, Leech Flame.

[Your body is burning and any healing abilities are temporarily sealed.]

Then water damage, and actual lightning.

[Any ice damage you take is significantly increased for a certain period of time.]

Kablam!

All kinds of effects piled up on me, but I continued, relying on my +200 Mana Resistance from the Manticore. I stood by the first step I took—it was not meaningless.

Click.

I continued running. Suddenly, I heard people's voices in the distance, but that didn't last long.

"I-I..."

"Stop making a scene and step back. I will go next."

"Damn it, why! Why am I...?"

Those who passed by the others who had stopped or fallen followed behind me, starting with the barbarians. "We will follow the great warrior!"

"Behelahhh!"

"Haha! You said you have a family. This is a job for a single man like me," said a leader who had lost his team.

An abandoned knight stepped up to bat next. "...This, too, is a way of fulfilling my pledge to the palace. I will go next."

"This is insane. I've never seen something like this before."

"Ha, how are we supposed to back out here?"

"I've been thinking this since earlier, but you're a real wild bastard, huh."

The murmurs grew louder. I suddenly felt the presence of comrades right behind me, but I didn't look back. They didn't need someone who doubted and worried in front, but someone who pushed onward silently and steadily.

"A-All of you have lost your minds! You think others will recognize you for this?! Huh? As heroes?"

Not blaming those who dropped to the ground, we pushed forward with those who got up again.

"Goddamn it... I'm still going. After all, someone has to do it."

Click.

We pushed forward so we wouldn't have to leave anything else behind.

***

When I came to my senses, Ainar was carrying me. I didn't ask what had happened. This was already the third time I had stepped on traps over and over again and passed out after not being able to bear it any longer.

"How long has it been?"

"Please... rrrest more, Bjorn... Okay?"

Brushing off Missha's concerns, I got off of Ainar's back. I spotted Kyle. That guy would tell me. "How long has it been?"

"We'll be there in two hours."

"Yes, I see."

I'd passed out for about thirty minutes, then. The priests' divine power had already run out. I wondered how many more had died while I was gone.

"Mister..." I was about to walk forward when Erwen grabbed my wrist. "Can't you stay...? Other people are clearing the way now. Okay?"

It was a terribly selfish yet tempting offer. The old me might have even thought it rational.

"I have to go."

"Why... do you have to push so hard?"

"Because I'm sick of seeing people die."

I had high Mana Resistance, so even after stepping on hundreds of traps, I only ended up passing out. It was only a rank-five ability, after all. Even without Giantization, my body was strong. Something I had realized in the middle of all this was that I wouldn't die from this madness.

"Move." I pushed Erwen away and ran forward. My teammates no longer held onto me. When I sped up some more, I was able to rejoin the frontline in no time.

"Still not sick of it?"

Almost two hundred warriors were clogging up the passage. This was what happened after all of the warriors from that huge initial group we'd originally split in three spontaneously reassembled. This was different from the district of the Blade Wolves, after all. As long as the traps were stepped on at the front, the enemies that appeared from the side roads weren't all that dangerous.

The requirement for being up here was that you had to be above rank five, and had to have high Defense stats as well. Close-range warriors were accepted too, but long-range fighters were strictly excluded. That was because the Abyssal Goblins' specialty was not just their traps. These guys also threw weapons called Monster Bags. They exploded when thrown and a random monster below rank five appeared right in front of you. This wasn't an environment that spell casters and archers, for whom distance was everything, could survive in.

"...Is that a priest on someone's back?"

"Oh, we told her to take a break but she kept using her divine power and lost consciousness."

The priestess wasn't the only one being carried. Warriors with serious injuries who were grappling with the effects of potions were being carried by other warriors. And once they came to, they would probably carry other warriors.

"I see. When she wakes up, stop her with force if you have to. We have to save her for when we really need her."

"But that priestess is so stubborn, she won't listen to us at all."

"Then knock her out before that."

"Oh, that's doable." Although that meant committing sacrilege against a priest, the warrior nodded in acceptance. He knew this wasn't the time to judge.

"Then I'll head up." I nodded to the warrior and was about to move forward when the others bumped me back. Wait, did these guys just shoulder-check me? This was my first time experiencing that since waking up in this body. "...What is the meaning of this?"

The warriors shrugged nonchalantly at my question. "Can't you see we're waiting in line here?"

"Even if you are the captain, you have to stay in line."

"Bjorn Yandel, do you think you are some kind of hero?"

What? Wait, what is this bullshit?

I was incredulous but the warriors' expressions were sincere. "Get some more rest, Yandel."

"You deserve it."

Huh, I didn't know whether to be happy about this or not.

"S-Stop!" While I was quietly observing the others at work, there was a commotion up front. Stop? In this situation? Something had to have happened.

"Move." I hurriedly pushed through the warriors. This time, the puzzled group did not stop me.

"Uh, huh?"

"Wait!"

"Yandel? Why are you here?"

"We clearly told you to rest..."

When I reached the front, familiar adventurers greeted me, but there was something we had to deal with before I could answer their questions. What was the commotion about? But without me needing to ask, the answer was right in front of me.

"Anyway, welcome. Yandel, this is what the wizard was talking about, right?"

Beyond the passageway, in the darkness that swallowed all light, a giant eye blinked and watched me.

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, looks like it." What was denying it going to do? The second I'd met that eye, our encounter with the Lord of the Abyss, Berzak, became pretty much inevitable. Honestly, it was a miracle we hadn't run into him until now.

"Now what are you going to do?"

What else can I do? Follow the plan.

"Everyone, get back." I held up my mace and moved forward. Although I was approaching it with a weapon, that giant eye just continued to blink without backing away. It was a pretty creepy sight.

Is this your first time seeing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a barbarian?

I chucked the mace into the eye as hard as I could.

Chomp!

Like the token rank-nine monster it was, the eye disappeared into a flash of light with just one regular hit.

[You have defeated the Watcher of the Abyss. EXP +1]

[The Lord of the Abyss, Berzak, is starting to take a strong interest in you.]

Whew, it hadn't been long since I had woken up, but it looked like I was in for another hard time. I pulled out the message stone and immediately reported this to Kyle. "I just killed the Watcher of the Abyss. I need you to come here now."

It was time to move to Plan B.

"This is insane. I've never seen something like this before."

"Ha, how are we supposed to back out here?"

"I've been thinking this since earlier, but you're a real wild bastard, huh."

The murmurs grew louder. I suddenly felt the presence of comrades right behind me, but I didn't look back. They didn't need someone who doubted and worried in front, but someone who pushed onward silently and steadily.

"A-All of you have lost your minds! You think others will recognize you for this?! Huh? As heroes?"

Not blaming those who dropped to the ground, we pushed forward with those who got up again.

"Goddamn it... I'm still going. After all, someone has to do it."

Click.

We pushed forward so we wouldn't have to leave anything else behind.

***

When I came to my senses, Ainar was carrying me. I didn't ask what had happened. This was already the third time I had stepped on traps over and over again and passed out after not being able to bear it any longer.

"How long has it been?"

"Please... rrrest more, Bjorn... Okay?"

Brushing off Missha's concerns, I got off of Ainar's back. I spotted Kyle. That guy would tell me. "How long has it been?"

"We'll be there in two hours."

"Yes, I see."

I'd passed out for about thirty minutes, then. The priests' divine power had already run out. I wondered how many more had died while I was gone.

"Mister..." I was about to walk forward when Erwen grabbed my wrist. "Can't you stay...? Other people are clearing the way now. Okay?"

It was a terribly selfish yet tempting offer. The old me might have even thought it rational.

"I have to go."

"Why... do you have to push so hard?"

"Because I'm sick of seeing people die."

I had high Mana Resistance, so even after stepping on hundreds of traps, I only ended up passing out. It was only a rank-five ability, after all. Even without Giantization, my body was strong. Something I had realized in the middle of all this was that I wouldn't die from this madness.

"Move." I pushed Erwen away and ran forward. My teammates no longer held onto me. When I sped up some more, I was able to rejoin the frontline in no time.

"Still not sick of it?"

Almost two hundred warriors were clogging up the passage. This was what happened after all of the warriors from that huge initial group we'd originally split in three spontaneously reassembled. This was different from the district of the Blade Wolves, after all. As long as the traps were stepped on at the front, the enemies that appeared from the side roads weren't all that dangerous.

The requirement for being up here was that you had to be above rank five, and had to have high Defense stats as well. Close-range warriors were accepted too, but long-range fighters were strictly excluded. That was because the Abyssal Goblins' specialty was not just their traps. These guys also threw weapons called Monster Bags. They exploded when thrown and a random monster below rank five appeared right in front of you. This wasn't an environment that spell casters and archers, for whom distance was everything, could survive in.

"...Is that a priest on someone's back?"

"Oh, we told her to take a break but she kept using her divine power and lost consciousness."

The priestess wasn't the only one being carried. Warriors with serious injuries who were grappling with the effects of potions were being carried by other warriors. And once they came to, they would probably carry other warriors.

"I see. When she wakes up, stop her with force if you have to. We have to save her for when we really need her."

"But that priestess is so stubborn, she won't listen to us at all."

"Then knock her out before that."

"Oh, that's doable." Although that meant committing sacrilege against a priest, the warrior nodded in acceptance. He knew this wasn't the time to judge.

"Then I'll head up." I nodded to the warrior and was about to move forward when the others bumped me back. Wait, did these guys just shoulder-check me? This was my first time experiencing that since waking up in this body. "...What is the meaning of this?"

The warriors shrugged nonchalantly at my question. "Can't you see we're waiting in line here?"

"Even if you are the captain, you have to stay in line."

"Bjorn Yandel, do you think you are some kind of hero?"

What? Wait, what is this bullshit?

I was incredulous but the warriors' expressions were sincere. "Get some more rest, Yandel."

"You deserve it."

Huh, I didn't know whether to be happy about this or not.

"S-Stop!" While I was quietly observing the others at work, there was a commotion up front. Stop? In this situation? Something had to have happened.

"Move." I hurriedly pushed through the warriors. This time, the puzzled group did not stop me.

"Uh, huh?"

"Wait!"

"Yandel? Why are you here?"

"We clearly told you to rest..."

When I reached the front, familiar adventurers greeted me, but there was something we had to deal with before I could answer their questions. What was the commotion about? But without me needing to ask, the answer was right in front of me.

"Anyway, welcome. Yandel, this is what the wizard was talking about, right?"

Beyond the passageway, in the darkness that swallowed all light, a giant eye blinked and watched me.

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, looks like it." What was denying it going to do? The second I'd met that eye, our encounter with the Lord of the Abyss, Berzak, became pretty much inevitable. Honestly, it was a miracle we hadn't run into him until now.

"Now what are you going to do?"

What else can I do? Follow the plan.

"Everyone, get back." I held up my mace and moved forward. Although I was approaching it with a weapon, that giant eye just continued to blink without backing away. It was a pretty creepy sight.

Is this your first time seeing a barbarian?

I chucked the mace into the eye as hard as I could.

Chomp!

Like the token rank-nine monster it was, the eye disappeared into a flash of light with just one regular hit.

[You have defeated the Watcher of the Abyss. EXP +1]

[The Lord of the Abyss, Berzak, is starting to take a strong interest in you.]

Whew, it hadn't been long since I had woken up, but it looked like I was in for another hard time. I pulled out the message stone and immediately reported this to Kyle. "I just killed the Watcher of the Abyss. I need you to come here now."

It was time to move to Plan B.