Episode 109 Baby Barbarian (2)
“Ugh.”
“Don’t move yet. The wound is not fully healed.”
“… …Did you save me?”
“Even using the highest level potions.”
When Mr. Bear woke up, he had a complicated expression on his face.
I’m glad I survived and everything is great, but I have a feeling that something is a little off.
Well, I guess you know the map.
If only he had died, how much benefit we could have gained.
[Thank you, 30 million stones would be—]
30 million stones.
It may not be an exact amount, but it’s probably close to the estimate of Jencia, who has a lot of experience in plundering.
Mr. Bear, who was familiar with the physiology of explorers, quietly muttered.
“… I was lucky.”
I agree with that.
How many explorers would choose to live rather than wait to die in such a situation?
“I won’t pay for the highest grade potion.”
That’s a given.
“How much does it cost?”
“Well, I guess 5 million stones would be enough.”
“… The highest grade potion would cost around 1 million stones?”
“Is that so? Then I guess I got harassed by the merchants.”
Mr. Bear was momentarily dumbfounded by my sly attitude, but then he snickered.
“It is true that the price of an item can vary depending on the situation.”
As expected of a seasoned 5th-grade explorer, it seems like you understood exactly what I was saying.
“5 million stones… … That’s a reasonable price.”
“Thank you for thinking so.”
“… … What on earth are you two talking about?”
You stay still.
Because we’re talking to adults right now.
“But I don’t have that much money right now. I’ll go back to the city and pay the 5 million stones.”
“Hmm.”
“Instead, I will leave this item for you, and I would like you to return it after paying for it in the city.”
Soon, Mr. Bear took out a skull-shaped bracelet and handed it to me.
“It’s a number item. I just used it once, but it’s still worth well over 5 million stones.”
After that, Mr. Bear gave a brief explanation about the item, but even without that, I already knew what it was.
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No. 7611 ‘The Corpse Maker’s Deception’.
An item that causes the wearer to enter a state of suspended animation when they receive fatal damage, and gain immunity to damage for a certain period of time.
Please note that it breaks when used three times.
‘I wondered how I was alive, and it was because of this.’
I also asked if it would be okay to give this instead of just 5 million stones, but Mr. Bear cut me off by saying that he would only give it as collateral and that he would pay me in cash later.
“Don’t even think about taking it with you, Bjorn, son of Yandel.”
What, how did you know?
When I flinch, Mr. Bear snickers.
“I’ve heard of a barbarian who hangs out with the Cat People. That girl also told me your real name several times.”
“Oh, did I do that?”
“Don’t worry. I understand that you don’t want to attract attention. I won’t go around saying anything.”
That’s fortunate.
I don’t know about anything else, but if it gets into the ears of a Dwalki or a dwarf, things get a little annoying.
Because I got out because I received a request.
“So what happened? Is that bitch dead? Did the two of you take down the Guardian?”
Mr. Bear, who had come back from the dead, first calculated the price of life and then asked about the next situation.
There were too many parts to explain in detail, so I just nodded. Fortunately, Mr. Bear, who knew his manners as an explorer, didn’t ask too many questions.
“Bjorn, son of the little Balkan Yandel. I thought it was an exaggerated story, but after seeing what happened today, I guess it wasn’t really like that.”
Even so, Jencia seemed surprised that the two of them took care of the Guardians together.
Anyway, we decided on a place and time to meet back in the city later, and while I was distributing the magic stones to the old man, his injuries were all healed.
“Bjorn, son of Yandel, and Misha Karlstein. Thank you for saving my life. I will not forget the favor you have shown me today.”
With those words, the old man exited the rift through the portal.
He was a really cool guy until the very end.
***
After Mr. Bear left, I took a moment to look into ‘The Corpse Man’s Deception’.
Two of the three jewels shone.
That means there are 2 uses left.
‘Let’s just keep this and return it.’
Just in case, I wore it on my wrist for now.
I remembered Mr. Bear’s words that I should definitely keep it and return it… but…
‘Well, I guess I’ll just have to use it well and return it.’
Anyway, I put that issue aside and took some time to think.
‘5 million stones… … .’
In exchange for the top-tier potion, I got a decent reward. Well, considering the 30 million stones, it’s a bit of a stretch.
‘I’ve really become a savage.’
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To be honest, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little greedy.
That makes sense, there’s no need to do anything yourself.
Whether Mr. Bear is a good person or a bad person.
If I had just waited quietly, I could have raised the soul imprint to level 6 in one go and still earned a huge amount of money.
but…….
I poured the potion into his wound.
It wasn’t because of a philosophical concern about how letting people die for money when there was a way to save them was any different from being a looter.
However, I didn’t do it because of Misha.
“… … Why, why are you looking at me like that? I’m suddenly feeling anxious again.”
“It’s nothing.”
Anyway, my level of ethics has fallen to the extent that it can fall.
I decided that it was not something I should do when my future colleague was right next to me.
However, after everything was over, I had this thought.
‘What would it have been like if I were alone?’
It’s not simply about enjoying wealth and fame.
In this world, money is power, and it is like life.
If Misha hadn’t existed, what choice would I have made in the face of that great temptation?
‘… … I guess it’s not really a problem we need to worry about anymore.’
Whether you like it or not, there will come a moment when you will know as you continue your exploration.
So I ended my thoughts and packed my bags.
“Huh? Aren’t we going out?”
Where are you going?
There are two things to pack.
I took Misha and walked along the ice passage.
A passage that was originally blocked, but was revealed when the tyrant Tarunbas appeared earlier.
If you continue along this passage, you can move to the second chapter you were in before.
“Wow… How on earth do you know this? Information about cracks is incredibly expensive.”
“Thanks to Ragna.”
“Ah, uh… that woman… … .”
When Ragna made an excuse about the secret library that was opened, Misha also let it slide.
Maybe because he doesn’t usually read books, he tends to believe things if you tell him he saw them in a book.
Boom-!
After reaching the second chapter, go up the stairs in reverse and destroy the third pillar from the top.
An item that increases cold resistance for one time only when consumed, which I passed over without taking it while observing the mafia.
“The character has taken a ‘magic ice cube’.”
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“Cold resistance is permanently increased by +3.”
I ate it because Misha had sufficient cold resistance.
Well, I’m thinking of giving the next one to him.
After passing the first chapter, we came out of the glacier cave and headed towards the starting point, passing the frozen lake.
Boom-!
A small pond near the starting point.
After breaking it with a mace, I dived into the ice water and retrieved a red ice ball.
“Now, eat.”
“Shouldn’t you tell me what it is first?”
Should I feed you something bad?
Even so, let’s give a rough explanation. Misha also cleared her anxiety and chewed and swallowed it.
“Misha Karlstein took ‘Bingjeong’.”
“Cold sensitivity is permanently increased by +3.”
In fact, ‘Bingjeong’ is the signature of the glacier cave.
Since it increases sensitivity and can be eaten up to three times, I always started from the Glacier Cave in the beginning when growing the Ice Tree.
‘Next time I cool down, I’ll have to start from here.’
It was quite chilly after diving, so we built a bonfire and dried ourselves.
I put back on the clothes I had taken off and hung up beforehand.
“Then it’s over now.”
“Oh, are you finally going out?”
what.
I took the blanket out of my bag.
“… …Why are you covering your mouth with a blanket?”
“You didn’t get much sleep last night because you had to stand guard. Let’s go and rest for a bit.”
In fact, there is no place in this labyrinth as safe as a cleared crack.
It’s a little cold though… … .
There is no better place to get a good night’s sleep.
“Don’t worry. There’s no one here but us.”
“… … Oh, I see. Then are you going to rest for a bit?”
“Yeah. It’s cold, so come here. Let’s just cover up together.”
“…Is that so?”
A cold wind brushing the bridge of my nose.
The warmth of a campfire.
As night fell, the dark blue Milky Way stretched across the sky and twinkled.
And in it.
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“Bjorn… a cat?”
Drrrrrrrr!
“So, are you sleeping?”
We closed our eyes for a moment.
***
“You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor.”
***
5th Class Explorer, Abman Urikfried.
He opened his eyes in the crystal cave and let out a long breath.
Only then did it start to feel real.
‘… … You came back alive.’
Due to an incident, I left the team I had been with for a long time and have been working alone ever since.
We went through many crises along the way.
Well, this labyrinth wasn’t an easy place to wander alone.
But never has it been more dangerous than this.
Should I say that I literally went to the gates of the underworld and barely came back alive?
‘… … I was lucky.’
I feel it again and again, but I was lucky.
Anyway, from the beginning, I met a crazy woman who entered the rift hiding her identity with the intention of plundering.
There was an explorer on the team who was good enough to save himself, despite having no connections.
And he also had a top-tier potion.
What are the chances of that happening?
‘I guess I should make an offering to the temple when I get back.’
No matter how many times I think about it, it is truly a miracle.
After briefly enjoying the afterglow of survival, he changed the subject in his mind.
‘By the way, Bjorn, son of Yandel… … .’
Bjorn, son of Yandel, the little Vulcan.
That name was heard several times in the city.
Of course, I didn’t think much of it at the time.
Is it just that someone special has appeared?
As a 5th-grade explorer, explorers with nicknames were nothing new to him.
but…….
‘He’s a funny guy.’
He was different from the typical barbarian.
Although he may look simple-minded, he was experienced, quick-witted, and good at negotiating.
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If I had to put it into words, it was similar to a barbarian who had been an explorer for a long time.
Pure, but never naive.
So you must have noticed.
The dark secrets of that woman that he didn’t even know about.
‘I got tinnitus at 3 months and now I’m already this experienced… … I’m sure I’ll become great.’
I didn’t have any ill feelings towards him whatsoever.
No, rather, I only felt grateful.
Although it is said that chasing money is the fate of explorers, how many people have been consumed by money?
They asked me for 5 million stones for medical expenses?
It could be seen that he was keeping his duty as an explorer just by not taking off all of his equipment.
Well, that behavior seems even more special because there are many who have forgotten that principle.
‘Well, that’s why the girl follows him like that.’
Abman thought of the Catwoman who seemed to be the Barbarian’s comrade. The Barbarian had given her the Yeti and Guardian essence without any price.
‘That girl is really lucky, too.’
It must be a blessing to have a colleague like this.
Well, if my old teammates had been half as good as him, I wouldn’t have had to walk around alone like this—
‘No, wait a minute… … .’
At first, it was just a fleeting thought.
But his expression changed and he began to think seriously.
‘Surely, this kind of guy might not be so bad.’
Even going through this, I was starting to feel skeptical about going alone.
‘… … Well, I can’t go around alone forever. It seems like there are only two people on that side too.’
Abman soon made a decision.
The various clans and regular teams that have been trying to recruit him will be disappointed if they find out… … .
I don’t know what to do.
‘If we meet in the city later, I guess I’ll have to bring it up.’
He really liked this barbarian.
