Episode 139 Awakening (2)
“The character’s soul is infused with [Ogre Essence].”
“Strength increases by +140.”
“Anti-magic power increases by +80.”
“Physical resistance increases by +40.”
“All resistances increase by +10.”
“Natural regeneration power decreases by -40.”
“Perception decreases by -20.”
As soon as I opened my eyes, I checked the clock.
Fortunately, very little time had passed.
Ugh, I finished it off in a hurry just in case.
“… … .”
I watched my colleagues sleeping for a moment, then took out a knife.
And then he cut the back of his hand like he was sawing.
Square, square, square.
After applying force and going back and forth about ten times, a drop of blood flows out.
It was only when I saw the wound that wouldn’t heal that it really hit me.
The character concept really changed in an instant.
Kwak.
I clench my fist in the air.
The physical changes were clearly perceptible, but not as dramatic as when he had taken the orc hero essence.
It’s not that I can’t understand.
Not only is the vampire essence gone, but the ‘Guardian of Balance’ is still in effect.
‘You won’t be able to really feel how much your strength has increased until you go outside.’
I took a moment to calculate my gains and losses, looking out over the passageway lit by torches.
‘Oh my gosh… … .’
Ogre.
A 3rd-grade monster with stats and skills that would make any tanker go crazy. However, its essence was not included in my final combination.
It was more due to practical reasons than a judgment of inadequacy.
A 3rd grade monster that is already difficult to catch.
And on top of that, you have to get the color you want out of the 7 active skills?
Not only is the difficulty of obtaining it too high… … .
If we’re only talking about ‘defense power’, there exists a 4th-grade monster called ‘Steel Giant’ that is more efficient than this one.
‘However, the Steel Giant has the disadvantage of not being able to use weapons.’
Ultimately, it was a matter of taste.
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Should I take care of the damage or focus more on tanking?
The difference in performance between the two integers was small, so in most plays, the ultimate tank was chosen.
It is more reasonable to think that it would be better to focus on raising dealers by eating Ogre Essence.
Actually, that judgment was correct.
As a result, I was able to open the original version of the ‘Abyss Gate’ that no one had ever reached before.
but…….
‘If you look closely, the ogre is a bit better.’
The fun of this game is in the ability to change the voice acting style flexibly, and it also reflects the player’s skill.
To begin with, it wasn’t like the final combination was set in stone, with this being this and this being this.
All spaces except the core integer.
I decided on three or four candidates with similar performance for each role, and took the first one that came up and moved on to the next one.
What I wanted was to clear the game, not just complete the main character.
‘It’s a bit disappointing that it’s not a yellow essence, but it’s not enough to change the entire breeding method… … .’
I feel a little dizzy.
I was clearly expecting the best case scenario, so I ground up the vampire essence and added the ‘Steel Giant’, but should I say that the result was better than that?
‘What are the conditions? If you become a vampire guardian, can you be confirmed as a guardian and even get promoted to the second level?’
Pure question.
As a gamer, my curiosity is piqued, but I try hard to suppress my thoughts.
‘Is this about 30%? No, maybe 40%?’
I rethink my survival rate to fit the changing situation and think of new combat methods in detail.
To increase the possibility even a little.
Something I can do right now.
‘… … I’d rather take off my armor. There’s no way I’ll wait for him to get ready.’
Like a prosecutor sharpening his sword the night before a decisive battle.
Refine your plan and find better options.
‘The cognitive decline penalty isn’t as severe as you might think. With this level of muscle strength, you won’t be pushed back by force.’
The small pieces of the plan fit together one by one to form a single whole.
However, the more this happens, the faster my heart beats.
Thump-!
The future is like broken glass.
No one can perfectly predict the outcome.
No matter how complete the plan is, there will inevitably be countless variables that pop up. From then on, you’ll probably have to improvise to get by.
Just like when the hierarchical monarch was summoned.
However, rather because of that… … .
Thump-!
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Is there anything more you can do to prepare?
I wonder if I misunderstood something.
I think about it over and over again without compromise, as if I were taking a test that could determine my life.
How much time has passed like that?
“Bjorn.”
Rotmiller wakes up and quietly calls my name.
“Something is coming.”
It meant that it was time.
I quickly woke up my colleagues and checked my watch.
[09:47]
About 4 hours had passed since we took a break.
In other words, there were about 38 hours left until the labyrinth closed.
“That’s faster than I expected. They definitely have a way of tracking us.”
Rotmiller’s advice fell on deaf ears.
Not only was this information something I already knew… … .
If there’s any information I need to keep in my head right now, it’s not like that.
‘Yeah, it takes four hours from there to here.’
All prerequisites for New Plan A have been met.
so…….
Thump.
Now we have no choice but to roll the dice.
***
“Bjorn Jandel”
Level: 4
Physical: 424.4 (New +38.3) / Mental: 319.3 / Abilities: 496 (New +150.6)
Item Level: 967
Overall Combat Index: 1481.45 (New +188.9)
Acquisition Essence: Corpse Golem – Rank 7 / Orc Hero – Rank 5 / Ogre – Rank 3 (New)
***
Thud, thud.
The sound of footsteps in the darkness at regular intervals.
It comes towards us as if strangling us.
Take your time, don’t rush.
Turbuck-
Before long, the thing came within sight.
By the way, my companion is a poor old man.
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As he searches for us and is offered as a sacrifice, blood flows out of one of his frowning eyes.
“It’s so cruel.”
“Why on earth would the author do something like that to his colleague… … .”
Everyone frowned at the bizarre sight, but I quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Phew, so that old man was left in front of the portal.
If we had come together, there would have been no answer.
That was the kind of thought I had in my mind.
Turbuck-
The guy stops walking after a reasonable amount of time.
And then came the heavy silence.
“What, they’re all alive?”
The guy approaches me with a frivolous smile.
It was far from the reaction I had expected.
I didn’t think it was strange at all to suddenly stab him in the stomach with a sword.
what?
“I suddenly felt my strength return, so I thought someone had died.”
Those words relieved all my discomfort.
That’s why it was like this.
‘He was strangely quiet.’
He hasn’t noticed yet.
The fact that I swallowed my ‘restrained desire’.
Well, after hearing it, I guess it makes sense that he could think that way.
Until the next conversation.
“Oh, right. Did you eat some Baikundus essence?”
A guy who presents new possibilities even in the midst of all this.
For some reason, I laughed.
‘I didn’t know this kid could do such a thing.’
It’s a 3rd class essence.
Even if the stats are split among 8 people due to the Guardian of Balance, the increase is incomparable to that of Vaikundus.
This guy must have felt it clearly too.
but……
If you have already decided on the answer you want and are now looking for evidence to prove it, how can you possibly reach the correct answer?
‘Dragon Slayer, Regal Bagos.’
I added one more phrase about the guy in my head.
Surprisingly, this guy was a positive guy.
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But, was there something sinister about my laughter?
“… … Barbarian, you kept your oath, right?”
He loses his relaxed attitude and asks me.
I stared at the guy without saying anything.
An expression meaning, “What’s the point of saying it anyway?”
But it seems like even this wasn’t enough for him.
“Where is the thing, where is the thing?”
He asks me again.
This time there was annoyance in his voice.
Although he tried hard to deny it because of the sunk costs, he is slowly starting to feel it.
The truth that he may have been tricked.
“… … By any chance, did you already write it?”
Finally he asked, and I answered.
“Oh, it wasn’t intentional.”
“……what?”
“I’m sorry. I was just fiddling around with it because I was bored, and it broke.”
Despite my sincere apology, he trembled like an aspen tree.
He too is slowly beginning to accept the truth.
Warrior’s Oath.
That which the barbarians, who had only honor, had protected with their lives as if they were old shoes.
That he had been fooled by it.
“I never intended to keep my oath from the beginning.”
The tingling sensation of murder is felt through my skin.
But I stood tall and proud like a K-Barbarian from Korea.
“Oh, so you’re not saying sorry—”
“Die.”
By the time the voice was heard, the sword was already visible at close range.
In that short moment, we have narrowed the distance this much.
Even though I was provoking him, I was watching his every move internally, so I was able to react in time.
Swish.
Raise your shield.
And not just blocking it… … .
Boom-!
Strike the sword with all your might.
This is a countermeasure I came up with while simulating a fight with the guy during my remaining time.
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Isn’t it called an Archetype longsword?
Even if you try to block it, it’s clear that it’ll just make a hole in the shield.
“Dwalkie!”
As soon as I shouted and pushed the guy away with my overwhelming strength.
The magic that was briefed in advance is fired.
“Leol Warb Dwalki casts the 7th-grade attack magic [Cold Storm].”
Fortunately, it seems that while we were chatting and killing time, we managed to finish casting the magic spell.
Shh …
Sharp shards of ice swirl and fill the passage.
A chill so strong that it makes you shiver even when you’re stuck against the wall and out of range.
But ironically, at the end of the snowstorm, a strange heat was felt.
I knew what it was without even looking.
“Regal Bagos cast [Furnace].”
[blast furnace].
One of the abilities of the 4th grade monster, Lava Giant.
A buff skill that makes you immune to cold and fire damage when activated, and greatly increases your physical stats.
It was information from 10 years ago, so I was a little worried.
As expected, you still have that.
Crap!
I tore through the scroll without a second thought.
This is something obtained by defeating ‘Argos’, one of the mid-bosses, and according to the rules, it should have been used to catch the Minotaur.
“The Flame of Greed detects fire-based skills within its radius.”
“Target designation complete.”
“The ‘Essence of the Lava Giant’ held by Regal Bagos will be sealed for 48 hours.”
As the scroll burned away, the heat on the other side of the passage also ended.
Okay, I cut off one 4th grade integer.
I wonder what happened to that guy.
Shh …
The snowstorm that had frozen the entire passageway soon cleared.
The guy was standing there perfectly still.
Behind a black curtain as translucent as a glass window, without any damage.
“Is this all you believed?”
The bastard looked at us and smiled wickedly.
If you thought this surprise attack was a turning point, then it would be understandable.
But what should I do with this?
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‘I never thought things would work out this well.’
The skill he just used is [Dark Curtain].
And this skill doesn’t exist in the list of essences that Rotmiller mentioned.
In other words, one of the variables that was being monitored has been confirmed.
‘The remaining unknown integers are now one or two.’
Of course, you may have other number items, so you should keep an eye on those as well—
Wheeeeeek-!
Before I could even gather my thoughts, that new form of the bastard shot at me again.
I tried to hit the sword with my shield like before, but it was also an intelligent being that learned.
Phew-!
The shield cuts through the air.
When I realized it, I was feeling a slight pain and a foreign body sensation in my shoulder area.
Crunch!
Upon inspection, I found that the Arch-made longsword that had been slicing through the light metal shield had dug into my forearm.
About 3cm.
“… … ?”
A fleeting moment when our eyes meet each other.
I could see the confusion in his eyes.
I was planning on cutting off the entire arm, but why did it only go this far?
The answer is simple.
‘Hey, what’s my physical resistance level right now?’
Ogre’s passive skill [Ironhide].
A crazy skill that doubles physical resistance and additionally doubles physical resistance when attacking with a slash.
If the stats are similar to those of the ‘Guardian of Balance’, it is natural that it can withstand even the Archetype longsword.
but…….
‘Oh, I didn’t mean to show it this early.’
Until the golden opportunity comes.
If possible, I wanted to hide my sword by blocking it with a shield.
However, at this level, it would be possible to infer what kind of ability this is just from this.
‘head.’
Looking at the burn-covered Jeongsu-ri, I made a decision.
This is an active skill that the Ogre’s red essence possesses.
This is the first proper attack skill for me, who only had attack skills like [Flesh Explosion].
I don’t know why the skill name of the guy who has the nickname of Tyrant of the Forest is like this······.
“The character cast [Swing].”
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“The destructive power of blunt weapons increases significantly in proportion to your strength.”
Well, as long as it’s effective, that’s fine.
Phew!
I swung the mace with all my might.
