Chapter 6: Give and Take (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 6: Give and Take (2)
Dungeon and Stone was an unusual game.
Although companion NPCs were essential to the progress of the game, you could never trust them.
Especially if it was a bastard you'd just met.
***
I was walking through the cave.
Wobble, wobble.
Missing a shoe, my gait was off-balance.
Nevertheless, I was happy. The discomfort I felt now was something I hadn't been able to feel when I had been crawling on three legs.
I had recovered my human dignity.
Although, I didn't know how long it would last.
"Phew..."
I proceeded, securing my shield to my upper body. I no longer had to keep my eyes glued to the ground like before because there was finally light. The light emitted by the crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling brightened my surroundings.
The memories of crawling and bleeding through these halls felt like a distant dream now. I could affirm that being able to see was a blessing from god. It would allow me to slaughter those goblin bastards, there was no doubt about that.
"Ahh!"
"Grk?!"
Surprised by my cry, a goblin jumped out from behind a rock. Having already roughly predicted its hiding spot, I activated a skill on cue.
"Smash! Asshole!"
Smash was a skill with decent attack power that didn't consume MP. For reference, I just made it up.
Wham!
The goblin leapt and was hit by my shield, falling to the floor. I approached nimbly and stomped on the goblin's upper body with my foot.
"G-Grk!"
No use making pitiful eyes at me. I knew how cunning and evil these fuckers were.
"G-Grk!"
What, you're different? Then talk to your friend who died earlier, because that bastard was the one who made me like this.
Crunch!
I slammed the goblin's face as hard as I could with the edge of the shield. It was different from Smash, which only swung or pushed the enemy in front of me. The name of this was... Final Shield Attack.
Similarly, I had also just made it up.
Shhhhhh!
Soon, the goblin, who died a quick death, disappeared in the form of light. It was proof that evil had diminished in the slightest bit and that the world had become a little more beautiful. I picked up the mana stones left behind as a reward and stuffed them into my pocket. That was my tenth mana stone since entering the labyrinth.
"Whew, you weak bastards."
I had continued to encounter goblins since my first near-death experience. At first, I was nervous, but I soon realized that goblins were not a threat in the light.
They were not as smart as I had thought. That was made evident by the carelessly placed trap up ahead.
At least cover it up with some dirt. Are you stupid or what? If you leave it out in the open like that, who the hell is going to step on it?
The goblin traps were so shoddy that they could be detected even at a distance. And if you tried to pass by the trap without stepping on it, the goblins would jump out and attack first. Apparently, they only followed after you like a freak if you actually stepped on a trap...
Gradually, after figuring out the goblins' fight patterns, facing them became easier. First of all, their main weapon of choice was a short dagger, and their physical strength was that of a junior high student. On the other hand, I was now a muscular barbarian with a 6'5" tall body. In an outright battle, I could subdue a goblin within three seconds.
That meant I only had to be wary of surprise attacks, but it was possible to figure out the location of an ambush in advance using the traps.
Hmm, why not become a goblin slayer while I'm at it?
I immediately moved my hand to slap myself in the face.
Wham!
I was now wide awake because of the pain.
What was I just thinking...? I'm clearly going crazy.
If I weren't, there was no way I'd be entertained by such a pathetic thought. I couldn't get cocky just because I had killed a few goblins. I had only been given a second chance at life less than two hours ago. Plus, I had yet to solve any of my most recent problems.
"Ugh, I'm hungry..."
First, there was the issue of food.
The shield wasn't the only thing I had dropped while crawling through the darkness. About five days' worth of food had been lost due to a hole in the bag of food provided by the chieftain. Of course, I couldn't wander through the dark just to find it either. It wasn't like I was Hansel and Gretel.
While I was thinking that, I opened my pouch, took out a piece of bread, and ate it.
Bite, bite.
The bread was hard and lacked moisture, probably for preservation purposes, but by softening it with my saliva, I could feel the sweetness of carbohydrates on my tongue.
Why is this so delicious?
My tastes must have changed with this barbarian body. After a few bites, the bread that had been the size of my palm disappeared. I sighed, feeling the strange taste of regret and bitterness on my tongue.
I was thirsty.
This was the second problem.
Fuck, where do I find water?
***
[You have killed a goblin.]
[You have killed a goblin.]
[You have killed a goblin.]
[You have killed a goblin.]
[WARNING! Your hydration levels are low. Obtain drinking water quickly...]
***
Dungeon and Stone had a thirst mechanic. Of course, it only activated inside a labyrinth, and there was no need to carry drinking water because the gauge could be refilled with just a meal.
But this was not a game. To be more exact, this place was more like a different universe that was very similar to the game I knew.
It was already a hardcore game, but now that I'm living it, the difficulty is insane.
I wasn't too worried, though. It was true that water was a more important resource than food, but the chief of the tribe had not provided us with water. That obviously meant it was possible to be self-sufficient in the labyrinth.
It didn't take long to actually find it, either.
"Smash!"
I spent the next hour slaying goblins and wandering through a maze that was as complicated as an ant hill. Then, while following the sound of dripping water, I found a small pond.
Gradually, after figuring out the goblins' fight patterns, facing them became easier. First of all, their main weapon of choice was a short dagger, and their physical strength was that of a junior high student. On the other hand, I was now a muscular barbarian with a 6'5" tall body. In an outright battle, I could subdue a goblin within three seconds.
That meant I only had to be wary of surprise attacks, but it was possible to figure out the location of an ambush in advance using the traps.
Hmm, why not become a goblin slayer while I'm at it?
I immediately moved my hand to slap myself in the face.
Wham!
I was now wide awake because of the pain.
What was I just thinking...? I'm clearly going crazy.
If I weren't, there was no way I'd be entertained by such a pathetic thought. I couldn't get cocky just because I had killed a few goblins. I had only been given a second chance at life less than two hours ago. Plus, I had yet to solve any of my most recent problems.
"Ugh, I'm hungry..."
First, there was the issue of food.
The shield wasn't the only thing I had dropped while crawling through the darkness. About five days' worth of food had been lost due to a hole in the bag of food provided by the chieftain. Of course, I couldn't wander through the dark just to find it either. It wasn't like I was Hansel and Gretel.
While I was thinking that, I opened my pouch, took out a piece of bread, and ate it.
Bite, bite.
The bread was hard and lacked moisture, probably for preservation purposes, but by softening it with my saliva, I could feel the sweetness of carbohydrates on my tongue.
Why is this so delicious?
My tastes must have changed with this barbarian body. After a few bites, the bread that had been the size of my palm disappeared. I sighed, feeling the strange taste of regret and bitterness on my tongue.
I was thirsty.
This was the second problem.
Fuck, where do I find water?
***
[You have killed a goblin.]
[You have killed a goblin.]
[You have killed a goblin.]
[You have killed a goblin.]
[WARNING! Your hydration levels are low. Obtain drinking water quickly...]
***
Dungeon and Stone had a thirst mechanic. Of course, it only activated inside a labyrinth, and there was no need to carry drinking water because the gauge could be refilled with just a meal.
But this was not a game. To be more exact, this place was more like a different universe that was very similar to the game I knew.
It was already a hardcore game, but now that I'm living it, the difficulty is insane.
I wasn't too worried, though. It was true that water was a more important resource than food, but the chief of the tribe had not provided us with water. That obviously meant it was possible to be self-sufficient in the labyrinth.
It didn't take long to actually find it, either.
"Smash!"
I spent the next hour slaying goblins and wandering through a maze that was as complicated as an ant hill. Then, while following the sound of dripping water, I found a small pond.
There was already one explorer squatting at the pond and drinking from it. Excluding the blond's group, this was actually my first time running into another person...
But no words were exchanged. The other person looked at me from across the room and left without a word, and I didn't bother talking to them either.
The other adventurers I ran into after that were all the same. As soon as people saw me, they avoided me. There seemed to be an unwritten rule among adventurers that they did not interact with each other, just like in the game.
Well, maybe they just didn't want to get involved with a blood-soaked barbarian.
Anyway, after hunting more goblins, I ate some bread when I was hungry and drank water when I was thirsty before restarting the cycle anew. Time flew by like that.
"One, two, three, four, five, six..."
Counting the number of mana stones I had earned so far, I found that I had a total of forty-four. Converted to bread, that was equivalent to forty-four loaves.
If I thought of the days when I had been on the brink of death, this was truly a triumphant feat, but nothing was free in this world. In return, I was deeply exhausted.
This was the third problem I had.
I'm getting tired...
Since I was a living creature, I had to sleep. Not even a souped-up barbarian was special in that regard.
So, how did you sleep in a labyrinth where monsters existed?
There were two ways. I could put my life in the hands of the universe and just take a nap, or I could find an ally so we could watch each other's backs.
I had already decided which option I was going with.
Entrust my life to the universe? In my experience, the universe could not be trusted. In my case, at least, it really couldn't be.
Let's find an ally.
Of course, I wasn't planning on creating a formal team. Everyone had to be just as exhausted right now, so I planned to find a suitable person and form a temporary alliance.
In fact, even when I was playing the game, I used that strategy for most nights when my exhaustion meter was filled.
Trudge, trudge.
After making that decision, I focused on moving rather than battling and began wandering through the labyrinth. As I walked, I began to see groups of people everywhere, unlike before.
Trudge, trudge.
A group of two or three adventurers was resting, taking turns on watch. After evaluating their appearances and demeanors, I mustered up the courage to approach a few groups, but they were all a bust.
"I'm sorry, but we've got all the people we need."
Although they said that, I noticed that when I approached them, they frowned and covered their noses. The reason was very clear.
Assholes. How clean do you think you are?
I was grunting to myself inwardly when someone spoke to me.
"Hey."
He was a human man who looked to be in his thirties. His height was about six feet. Although he had a warm demeanor that seemed pretty kind, in his hand was a hammer coated in goblin blood.
The man smiled and asked me, "Are you looking for a night companion?"
What the fuck.
As I instinctively took a step back, the man tilted his head.
"Isn't that what you were looking for? I thought I could rest easy because you are a barbarian, but that's unfortunate."
Why didn't you say that in the first place, mister...
Apparently, "night companion" was slang for a temporary cooperative relationship. That was the phrase used in the game, too. I had always translated it as "night comrade" or "night buddy," but hearing it out loud in real life, there was something very perverted about it.
"...No, I actually am looking for a night companion."
"Are you? I'm glad. Then will you come with me?"
"I will."
So I became night companions with this man.
"My name is Hans."
"Bjorn, son of Yandel."
"Then can I call you Bjorn?"
The man seemed to have a lot of experience with this. He smoothly introduced himself and led the conversation.
"A group of three night companions is best, but that seems like a waste of energy at this point. Bjorn, what do you think?"
Simply put, he was saying the two of us should sleep together.
Maybe this man really was perverted? I didn't know if it was because of his slick tone of voice, but I kept getting the feeling I was being led into something weird.
"Fine."
"Good. If someone asks to join us, then we can discuss it with each other and decide whether to accept their offer or not."
After a brief discussion, we decided to guard each other that night.
However, the problem was...
"So, let's decide on the watch order with rock-paper-scissors."
Rock-paper-scissors seemed to be the law of the land here as well.
Shit, I'm not good at this game...
Once again, I had terrible luck.
"Hmm, looks like I won."
Damn it all.
"I'll put my trust in you. When a goblin or another adventurer approaches, wake me up. Got it?"
"...Okay."
"Here, take this."
The man lent me a watch with the numbers zero to twenty-three on the dial and was kind enough to teach me how to use it.
"When the short hour hand reaches here, you can wake me up."
Perhaps this was what most people thought of barbarians.
"Don't break it. It's expensive."
"...Okay."
How fussy.
Soon, the man took out a blanket, covered himself with it, and lay down using his backpack as a pillow. And soon after that, he fell asleep. I supposed this was what experience looked like. He looked damn comfortable.
If I asked him to lend me that when it's my turn, he'd probably say no, right?
"Phew..."
By the way, this night watch thing was super boring. The goblin bastards were nowhere to be seen, and there were no other adventurers trying to pass through this passage. Maybe everyone had found a night companion already and was resting?
As the silence continued, I continued to get sleepy. Still, time passed quickly. I leaned against the wall and thought about the future.
Then, "Hans, get up."
"...Did anything happen?"
"No."
"I see. Good work. Then hand me the watch and get some rest. I'll wake you up in two hours."
Before I could ask about borrowing it, the man packed his blanket back into his backpack and stood up.
Welp.
I quickly got over it, sat with my back to the wall, and pretended to nod off.
That was a given. No matter how kind or intelligent this man seemed, and even if he had no intention of harming me—
How could I trust a bastard I'd just met?
There was already one explorer squatting at the pond and drinking from it. Excluding the blond's group, this was actually my first time running into another person...
But no words were exchanged. The other person looked at me from across the room and left without a word, and I didn't bother talking to them either.
The other adventurers I ran into after that were all the same. As soon as people saw me, they avoided me. There seemed to be an unwritten rule among adventurers that they did not interact with each other, just like in the game.
Well, maybe they just didn't want to get involved with a blood-soaked barbarian.
Anyway, after hunting more goblins, I ate some bread when I was hungry and drank water when I was thirsty before restarting the cycle anew. Time flew by like that.
"One, two, three, four, five, six..."
Counting the number of mana stones I had earned so far, I found that I had a total of forty-four. Converted to bread, that was equivalent to forty-four loaves.
If I thought of the days when I had been on the brink of death, this was truly a triumphant feat, but nothing was free in this world. In return, I was deeply exhausted.
This was the third problem I had.
I'm getting tired...
Since I was a living creature, I had to sleep. Not even a souped-up barbarian was special in that regard.
So, how did you sleep in a labyrinth where monsters existed?
There were two ways. I could put my life in the hands of the universe and just take a nap, or I could find an ally so we could watch each other's backs.
I had already decided which option I was going with.
Entrust my life to the universe? In my experience, the universe could not be trusted. In my case, at least, it really couldn't be.
Let's find an ally.
Of course, I wasn't planning on creating a formal team. Everyone had to be just as exhausted right now, so I planned to find a suitable person and form a temporary alliance.
In fact, even when I was playing the game, I used that strategy for most nights when my exhaustion meter was filled.
Trudge, trudge.
After making that decision, I focused on moving rather than battling and began wandering through the labyrinth. As I walked, I began to see groups of people everywhere, unlike before.
Trudge, trudge.
A group of two or three adventurers was resting, taking turns on watch. After evaluating their appearances and demeanors, I mustered up the courage to approach a few groups, but they were all a bust.
"I'm sorry, but we've got all the people we need."
Although they said that, I noticed that when I approached them, they frowned and covered their noses. The reason was very clear.
Assholes. How clean do you think you are?
I was grunting to myself inwardly when someone spoke to me.
"Hey."
He was a human man who looked to be in his thirties. His height was about six feet. Although he had a warm demeanor that seemed pretty kind, in his hand was a hammer coated in goblin blood.
The man smiled and asked me, "Are you looking for a night companion?"
What the fuck.
As I instinctively took a step back, the man tilted his head.
"Isn't that what you were looking for? I thought I could rest easy because you are a barbarian, but that's unfortunate."
Why didn't you say that in the first place, mister...
Apparently, "night companion" was slang for a temporary cooperative relationship. That was the phrase used in the game, too. I had always translated it as "night comrade" or "night buddy," but hearing it out loud in real life, there was something very perverted about it.
"...No, I actually am looking for a night companion."
"Are you? I'm glad. Then will you come with me?"
"I will."
So I became night companions with this man.
"My name is Hans."
"Bjorn, son of Yandel."
"Then can I call you Bjorn?"
The man seemed to have a lot of experience with this. He smoothly introduced himself and led the conversation.
"A group of three night companions is best, but that seems like a waste of energy at this point. Bjorn, what do you think?"
Simply put, he was saying the two of us should sleep together.
Maybe this man really was perverted? I didn't know if it was because of his slick tone of voice, but I kept getting the feeling I was being led into something weird.
"Fine."
"Good. If someone asks to join us, then we can discuss it with each other and decide whether to accept their offer or not."
After a brief discussion, we decided to guard each other that night.
However, the problem was...
"So, let's decide on the watch order with rock-paper-scissors."
Rock-paper-scissors seemed to be the law of the land here as well.
Shit, I'm not good at this game...
Once again, I had terrible luck.
"Hmm, looks like I won."
Damn it all.
"I'll put my trust in you. When a goblin or another adventurer approaches, wake me up. Got it?"
"...Okay."
"Here, take this."
The man lent me a watch with the numbers zero to twenty-three on the dial and was kind enough to teach me how to use it.
"When the short hour hand reaches here, you can wake me up."
Perhaps this was what most people thought of barbarians.
"Don't break it. It's expensive."
"...Okay."
How fussy.
Soon, the man took out a blanket, covered himself with it, and lay down using his backpack as a pillow. And soon after that, he fell asleep. I supposed this was what experience looked like. He looked damn comfortable.
If I asked him to lend me that when it's my turn, he'd probably say no, right?
"Phew..."
By the way, this night watch thing was super boring. The goblin bastards were nowhere to be seen, and there were no other adventurers trying to pass through this passage. Maybe everyone had found a night companion already and was resting?
As the silence continued, I continued to get sleepy. Still, time passed quickly. I leaned against the wall and thought about the future.
Then, "Hans, get up."
"...Did anything happen?"
"No."
"I see. Good work. Then hand me the watch and get some rest. I'll wake you up in two hours."
Before I could ask about borrowing it, the man packed his blanket back into his backpack and stood up.
Welp.
I quickly got over it, sat with my back to the wall, and pretended to nod off.
That was a given. No matter how kind or intelligent this man seemed, and even if he had no intention of harming me—
How could I trust a bastard I'd just met?