Bjorn Yandel the Barbarian - Chapter 132
Episode 132 Team Play (2)
A portal shimmering like an aurora in the North Sea.
There is a heavy silence in front of this.
Neither Misha nor the dwarf said anything and just looked at each other.
It was so unfamiliar.
The look Rottmiller is making right now.
hard.
Rottmiller’s tightly pursed lips trembled, as if the expression chi was shaking.
It was like seeing his bottom for the first time.
It must have been hidden deepest by self-control and an upright desire to improve.
complex.
“…It’s not too late now.”
After breaking the silence, Rotmiller opened his mouth.
“The three teams passed first. Even the most advanced team has only a 30-minute difference in terms of time. If you follow them quickly, you might be able to get ahead of them on the second floor.”
At first glance, it sounds logical.
However, if you look at the details, it is full of contradictions.
And the problem is that everyone nodded awkwardly despite knowing this.
“Ah ah! Then I’ll be fine. I, too, came so early, but it was a bit disappointing to just give up.”
“Ha ha ha ha! Yeah, wasn’t I the only one who regretted it?”
“…I agree with you too.”
nice people guys.
It’s obvious that these guys are thinking to package it like that.
Rather than spit out hateful sounds, it would be better to just force yourself to go along with it and suffer.
“Bjorn… how about you?”
Eyes gather toward me who has not yet expressed an opinion.
haha really annoying
Why do I always have to play this role?
He sighed inwardly, but spoke in a noppy voice.
“Do you all have problems with your hair?”
There was already a 30-minute gap on the first floor.
It means that the gap widens further on the second floor.
Isn’t our physical strength almost exhausted just by coming here?
“You’re going to outrun those who passed first in this state? Do you really think that’s going to happen?”
The three of them kept their mouths shut and avoided their gaze.
So I left them behind and stared at Rotmiller.
“This is where the Brown Rottmiller deterrence ends.”
“…….”
“I’ll hang out with you anytime on the 1st floor. But the 2nd floor is impossible for us. Don’t think about putting your teammates in danger because of your stubbornness.”
Rottmiller shut his mouth tight, as if indignant, and I said nothing more, staring at him.
The answer came a little later.
“I’m sorry. I must have lost my mind for a moment. Forget what I just said.”
“I already forgot.”
Soon after, Rotmiller brought out the words of apology, and when I coolly passed it off, the trio let out the breath they had been holding in.
Fortunately, it seems that the situation has been resolved without a fight…
‘It’s a headache.’
The problem is that nothing is over yet.
***
Explorer.
A position that exists to reduce movement time in a labyrinth where time reduction is the lifeblood.
Their fighting power is lacking compared to other jobs, but
their betrayal is always fatal.
That’s because it’s the only position that can cooperate with external forces.
‘Since the regional chief knew that, he must have tried to appease Rotmiller first.’
The explorer supervises the journey within the labyrinth.
In other words, pretending to be a guide and leading us to a place with a trap prepared by the local chief is quite possible.
‘……Didn’t I just have to take a break this episode?’
Brown Rotmiller.
I decided to trust him because I knew his usual appearance.
He has a personality that makes you feel stubborn.
The sincerity of staying away from luck and approaching hard work.
It was assumed that such a person would not go overboard no matter what tricks the district chief tried.
But how was Rottmiller today?
It was so foreign that it looked like a different person.
‘Maybe it’s because of that bastard.’
Of course, I think the possibility of betrayal is still low.
If this man wasn’t stupid, and had really made up his mind, he would have behaved as usual.
However, it was necessary to assume the worst and be careful.
‘……For now, let’s watch.’
Amid such anxiety, the exploration was resumed.
However, contrary to my concerns, Rotmiller led the group by showing only a rational appearance as usual.
「I have entered the rocky desert on the 2nd floor.」
I found the exact way in the desert where the compass was dead, and found a portal to the 3rd floor on the morning of the 2nd day.
「I have entered the 3rd floor pilgrim’s path.」
There was no big difference on the 3rd floor, which I arrived earlier than ever.
He went straight to the Witch’s Forest with minimal combat, and at 10:00 p.m., he took a break to improve his biorhythm.
It was the same at midnight, the start of the third day.
“Ha ha ha! I don’t know why I didn’t watch this and just slept!”
“It’s probably because I had no one to share it with.”
“Dwalkie, you just felt so bad.”
After waking up for a while, everyone watched as the third floor was dyed in silver light.
Should I say it’s a tradition unique to Tim Banpun?
No one said it first, but since the first exploration, it has always been like an unspoken promise.
「I entered the 4th floor of the Tower of the Sky.」
Anyway, the exploration went smoothly after that, and on the evening of the 7th day, we reached the 4th floor.
This also calmed me down.
It meant that there was no longer any need to be suspicious of Rotmiller.
‘It must have been my inclination.’
The fourth layer is an independent layer.
Once entered, after about 5 minutes, it becomes a space that no explorer can enter.
I was careful throughout the battle in case someone would enter, but no explorers entered until the first floor was cleared.
“Bjorn! What are you thinking so hard about?”
“Let’s go up.”
So, I completely let go of my worries and focused on my exploration.
Well not completely?
This is my personality, so I can’t help it.
Because I believe that there is no such thing as 100% in this world. Not to mention if you’re on an expedition where there’s nothing strange about what happens.
“I chose the stairs of wisdom.”
“I chose the stairs of courage.”
“I chose the stairs of wisdom.”
Anyway, after entering the 4th floor, I took the stairs of wisdom and courage alternately, focusing on increasing the number of floors.
Well, on the way, there was an amazing situation where all the stairs were patience…
“I chose the stairs of patience
. ”
It was a hallucinatory ordeal, but I was able to endure it.
It was enough to just pass it through one ear when someone appeared and said something.
To be honest, after the ordeal was over, it bothered me more.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaagh Bjorn…!!”
“Stop crying. Isn’t everything over?”
“If you abandon me too, you’re really alone!!”
I don’t know what the hell I saw or heard, but as soon as I passed the floor, Misha wailed loudly.
The dwarf was on his knees on the floor, frustrated.
“The sword I made is no better than scrap metal…….”
By the way, Dwalkie stared blankly into space like a man out of his mind, and Rottmiller clenched his fists in silence
……. looked like a person
‘……It bothers me.’
While they were coming to their senses, they checked the box in the center of the floor.
A reward that can only be obtained by taking the Trial of Endurance.
If you’re lucky here, you might get a number item or a random integer below grade 6, but… it
‘s nothing.
Sure enough, there were only twelve 7th grade magic stones.
“After resting, we will start again soon.”
After nearly 30 minutes of calming down, the exploration resumed.
And since then, nothing like this has happened.
He continued to climb the floor while beating monsters, and soon reached the 100th floor on the 12th day of exploration.
“I guess it’s the first time I’ve come this far.”
From the 100th floor, the trial difficulty is fixed to the highest level, and level 6 monsters appear more frequently.
However, there was nothing too dangerous here.
It was thanks to the growth of our two main dealers.
「Leol Warb Dwalki cast [Cold Storm], a 7th grade attack spell.」
“ Misha Karlstein cast [Ice Crushing].”
Dwalkie.
With Misha added to it, there was no difficulty against quite a few level 6 monsters.
With the 2nd tanker and the deal support, the stability has gone up dramatically.
Hmm… It’ll be a different story if a level 5 monster like a troll pops up like last time.
‘Still, the team has prepared a lot of things with public money, so the situation must be much better than then.’
In fact, it’s funny to worry about level 5 monsters on the 4th floor.
You didn’t even meet Hans on the way.
‘Looks like Rotmiller has come to his senses now.’
Unlike the anxious beginning, this exploration continued to flow smoothly.
And the car started on the 19th.
***
[06:32]
I checked my watch and looked around.
All four of them were sleeping comfortably in their respective places.
‘Since I’m awake alone, it seems like I’m staying up all night for the first time in a while.’
I buried myself in my sleeping bag again and closed my eyes, but I couldn’t fall asleep easily, perhaps thanks to my increased energy.
No, is it because there are already only 4 days left until the labyrinth is closed?
‘Something’s just plain silly.’
It’s something I’ve felt over the past few days, and my teamwork has improved considerably.
Should I say it feels a bit more fitting now?
Even if I didn’t give an order, each of them did their best, and they started to communicate to some extent through their eyes and gestures.
No matter what we do, we are gradually growing into a proper team.
‘Compared to the first time, it’s ridiculously different.’
Just looking at Dwalki, the change is stark.
The beginner’s tee is barely visible now, and the combat sense is increasing day by day.
However…
I feel a strange feeling about this fact, but I feel a bit regretful. It’s because I know that there won’t be much time left to be with them in the future.
‘Let’s not be swept away by emotions and think rationally.’
The first full-time team formed in this strange world.
I decided not to show affection to the people here as much as possible, but as long as I was a human, I could do as I pleased.
I’m sure you’ll think of this team a lot later—
Turbuck.
When my thoughts reached that point, I suddenly felt a presence.
I lifted my head to check, and it was Rotmiller.
“Did I wake you up?”
“No, I just woke up.”
“Then you’re lucky. I thought you woke up because of me this time.”
‘This time again’…….
Is it because of the mood that there is a bone in the words?
Hmm, probably not.
Rottmiller This man is a good wit. Pretending
otherwise “Why don’t we talk for a while while we’re awake?”
”
…That’s good.”
I got out of my sleeping bag and sat down with Rotmiller against the wall.
Then an awkward silence fell. “Oh,
isn’t this the first time since that day that the two of us talked?
I felt like I was choking for some reason, so I took out some beef jerky from my pocket and chewed
it .
Zuap, Zuap, Zuap. Yes,
it’s a little better to hear something like this.” ” … I
‘m
thinking of leaving the
team
after this exploration.”
“It’s because of me.”
Huh?
“What does that mean?”
“…Give me one of those, too.”
Rottmiller gritted his teeth as he handed him a piece of beef jerky.
It was a bit of a long story. ”
It cannot be said that the regional chief’s proposal is irrelevant to this decision. Wouldn’t the country also become greedy? I thought you would give me a position as a searcher for a large clan.”
“My heart kept pounding even though I knew it was a lie. It was then that I realized for the first time that it was time to leave this team.”
“Oh, but don’t be too pressured. Actually, it’s something I’m used to. Different races… No, don’t those with talent easily rise to the top?” “I
was on many teams for 8 years, and there were many things left behind because I couldn’t keep up with them. Sometimes I was banished, sometimes I came out on my own before it got worse.” ” That’s how
I , the explorer, survived.” ”
But this time it’s not easy.”
“Why?” ”
Because I care about
you guys.”
“…?”
“I knew it was time to leave, but I didn’t want to admit it. So I tried to hide what happened with the regional chief and follow him on this expedition. I wished this journey would continue at least a little. But…”
Rottmiller swallowed the jerky he was chewing slowly.
“Everything has to come to an end.”
Those words left me speechless.
Rottmiller looked straight ahead as if waiting for an answer. He didn’t say anything.
Just then,
the alarm went off and the colleagues started rustling one by one,
“Everybody, it’s time to wake up. I’ll be on my way, so you can get ready to leave.”
Rottmiller left to pack his sleeping bag.
I took a watch from my pocket.
[08:00]
It was time for the 19th day’s journey to begin
.
I
didn’t want to give affection to others, but I felt it, and I didn’t get swept away by it and made a reasonable decision.
The difference is…
‘I was just for myself, and this man was for us.’
It’s not that I didn’t have altruistic calculations either.
I thought that if I went upstairs with them, the exploration game would end only when one of them died.
So I wanted to finish it with my own hands before that.
“Bjorn!”
To be honest, the back of my
head feels tingly. I never thought he would have been thinking about this.
How did I reflect in his eyes?
What on earth did he think as he felt my wary gaze?
It was at that time when constant doubts ran through his head.
“Bjorn! How the hell are you selling your mind?”
Misha shook my shoulder and woke up from
my thoughts. “Stop messing around
and get organized
.”
Then, everyone gathered together and had a simple meal, then climbed the stairs.
‘Let’s talk when we go back to the city. The two of us are leaving anyway, so there’s no need to leave…’
My head was complicated, but for now, I just care about exploration. There are still 4 days left.
We
are able to easily defeat level 6 monsters, but the Tower of the Sky is a place where the difficulty level rises dramatically depending on the combination of monsters. Don’t be vigilant until you return to the
city—
” The ordeal has been completed.」 No
, it
wasn’t
just me
.