Chapter 8 - The Night Companion (Part 1)

 

I'm walking through the cave. But this time without hobbling.

[Character equipping worn-out leather boots].

[The overall item level has been increased by 5].

The boots turned out to be a little spacious. Thanks to this, I learned one more thing. The man's legs were quite large for his height. In any case, the shoes were quite sturdy, so stepping on the trap would not leave such serious injuries as last time.

[The character is equipped with a two-handed hammer].

[The overall item level has been increased by 30].

This hammer was made of a piece of iron and was about 3 feet long (1 m). When the man used it, it was a two-handed blunt weapon, but I was strong enough to wield it with one hand.

[The character has equipped shoulder guards].

[The overall level increased by 13].

The shoulder pads were made of iron. I tied my shoelaces a little looser, and they fit perfectly. Putting on protection without anything underneath, I looked like a gladiator.

[The character has equipped a backpack.]

[Inventory size increased].

Now, blood-stained mana stones didn't need to be stored with bread, and they were much less bulky to move around.

I took out a piece of jerky and chewed on it. There were only a few of them, and they were nothing more than a snack, but they tasted better than bread. I cut the remaining pieces with a penknife and preserved them well so that they did not come into contact with the liquids.

On the 2nd day, I ended the primitive life.

When I was thirsty, I drank water from a water bottle. If I wanted to know the direction, I took out a compass, and if I wanted to know the time, I looked at my pocket watch. The health potion also helped to deal with possible injuries.

What an irony. Now that I've killed a man, I've been able to live like a human.

***

[Bjorn Jandel]

Level: 1
Constitution: 25
Spirit: 37 (New +1)
Special Abilities: 1
Item Level: 72 (New +48)
Total Combat Strength: 81 (New +13)

***

Bashing with a shield was a good move, but with the right weapon, it was different.

*Crunch!*

The goblin disappeared into the light with a single hammer blow.

If I had known this was going to happen, I would have just chosen the gun when I started. After all, the shield could be bought later with the money saved.

At that time, I didn't know that I could fight so well. Maybe it was because I was in the body of a barbarian, but when I fought, it seemed to me that my body was not mine. I should have gotten used to it by now, but the fact that this body continued to exceed my expectations still surprised me.

"I'm tired as hell.

Yawning, I picked up 2 mana stones that fell nearby and put them in my bag. This was a change that occurred at the beginning of the 2nd day. Goblins began to appear in groups of two. Tomorrow, their number will probably increase to 3, and this will continue until the 7th day, when the labyrinth closes. This was the case in the game.

In this sense, everything was not so bad yet. My combat power has increased thanks to new equipment, and thanks to various supplies, the journey has become a little safer. Everything went quite smoothly.

Except my eyes were constantly closed.

Since yesterday, I've kept moving and fighting the goblins. But I managed to sleep only less than 10 minutes, and even then I fell asleep standing up.

I wanted to sleep. I didn't even need blankets and pillows. I could even curl up into a ball on the bare ground.

If it's...

I almost fell asleep and tripped over a rock.

"Oh, damn!

Despite the fall, I was lucky. If it were a trap, I would face real problems.

"I could have slept for real...

As soon as I made this decision, I leaned against the wall, holding a shield and a hammer in both hands. Even though I didn't have any night companions by my side, it was safer. If I'm ambushed anyway, I'd rather have it be a goblin than my companion. If that happens, I'll have a better chance of surviving being stabbed with a carving knife. This is compared to if I had been beaten with a hammer in my sleep.

*Step*

Bloody hell.

I woke up to the sound of footsteps, to which I had already become accustomed.

They were nowhere to be seen during my four-hour night shift, but they had to show up when I was dozing alone. I understood why my uncle had told me to be on my guard.

... Stubborn bastards.

I immediately rushed forward and threw the hammer at the goblin's head.

* Come on!*

"G-Grk...

There were only two goblins that were sneaking up, but one of them turned around and ran away as soon as his friend turned into mush.

Yes, run away. I don't even have the strength to follow you.

— Ха, засранцы...

When I checked the time, less than 10 minutes had passed. In the end, I was left with no choice but to return to the cave and hunt more goblins. When I was tired and couldn't take it anymore, I leaned against the wall and dozed off for a while.

There were a few times when I fell asleep, but only two moments when I really thought I would meet my creator. At first I felt someone's presence and opened my eyes. The shadow explorer was quietly approaching me.

When our eyes met, he smiled guiltily and then stepped back and disappeared. Just thinking about it gave me goosebumps... If we talk about close meetings, then two times was more than enough.

Moreover, now another close clash was taking place.

[The character was attacked by a goblin in a dream.]

For the first time, I opened my eyes in pain rather than presence.

The goblin was right in front of me. As soon as I hit it with my hammer and killed the one in front of me, another of those bastards jumped up.

"G-Grk!!

I immediately determined the cause of the pain.

Oh my God, I got a carving knife stuck between my collarbones.

... Damn, that's why my left arm didn't move well.

At least, it ended only in pain.

If I were a little shorter, or if the goblin was a more agile jumper, this carving knife would bite into my neck.

I gritted my teeth and pulled out a knife.

*Shh!*

Then, taking a potion out of my bag, I dropped a few drops on the wounded area. As soon as I closed the plug and put it back in the bag, the blood began to boil and recover quickly.

*Shh*

The bastard who made this potion was a psychopath?

For some reason, it hurt more than when I was cut with a knife.

"Ah, uhhhhhh.

After about 5 minutes, the pain was gone. Such pain should drive away all sleep, but my eyelids are much heavier than before.

If I stopped concentrating for a moment, my vision became blurred. It's time to make the call I've been putting off.

Although the barbarian's body was set up to sense murderous intent, there was clearly a limit to such slumber. And I just woke up after being stabbed.

I need to rest.

When I checked the time, it had been about 14 hours since I had left my uncle. Perhaps the explorers active on the 1st floor were slowly wandering around in search of night companions for today.

And indeed, wandering around the neighborhood, some researchers came up to me first.

"Hey, barbarian, are you looking for a night companion?"

Yes, and very passionately.

"Hmph, you look pretty tired. Will you come with me?"

"The barbarian is trustworthy. If you go, there will be three of them.

"How about uniting?"

I felt like a popular prostitute. Maybe it was because we had all been in the same situation for about 2 days now, but no one talked about how I smelled. Or maybe the smell wasn't a problem in the first place?

True, my yesterday's appearance, covered in blood and staggering due to the absence of one shoe, was somewhat tense.

"Really?" What a pity.

Numerous offers poured in, but I rejected them all and continued down the tunnel.

Ha... Are there no other strong barbarians here?

The best option for me was to meet a barbarian comrade and become a night companion. The problem was that even now, on the 2nd day, there was no sign of barbarians anywhere.

"Are you looking for your people?" Hmm, it won't be easy.

"Is it difficult?" Why?

"Even a barbarian who has just finished the coming-of-age ceremony will be at the top within two or three months. I don't know for sure, but there will be less than a hundred of you guys on the 1st floor.

When I took a closer look, it turned out that barbarians in general were a rarity on the 1st floor. True, it was strange to have such a body and still prowl around the 1st floor. 99% of the researchers I met on the 1st floor were ordinary people.

"Why don't you join us?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't.

- I see. I pray that Rafdonia will be with you on your journey.

"Thank you.

This man looked quite trustworthy, but at the end of the conversation, I continued to move. Now that I knew that the heart of a barbarian was valuable, all researchers began to seem to me like dubious bastards.

*Click*

I took out a compass. Ever since I got it, I've been heading south, but I still haven't made it out of the goblin zone. I realized again how big the 1st floor is.

... Should I give up the search for my fellows?

I didn't have to think long. I decided to stop looking for a needle in a haystack and formed a realistic plan.

It doesn't have to be a barbarian. I'll just get myself a night companion... excluding any of the people.

I decided to look for representatives of another species, which made up less than 1% of the population. An elf who cherishes promise or a dwarf with a valiant character like a barbarian would be best.

It didn't really matter if they were of a different race. Unlike most people, they had patience. If they had time, they had the talent to climb all the way up so as not to go blind for a penny and harm another explorer.

Having made this decision, I wandered around the cave for about an hour.

And...

[You met an unfamiliar wounded elf].

Finally, I encountered representatives of another race.

***

As soon as our eyes met, a strange, suffocating silence reigned in the air.

The pointy-eared elf sat with her back against the wall, staring at me without saying a word. Was she sleeping alone, without a companion?

Her amber eyes, glowing like a cat's, expressed anxiety and deep hostility.

It was clear that she wanted me to just pass by, but...

As the confrontation dragged on, the elf rose from her seat with a nervous face. She seemed to shudder and moan.

Her posture was unnatural. When examined, I saw a wound on her abdomen.

"You're wounded.

It was not deep, but still long... a cut that could not have been made by a goblin's carving knife. I quickly came to a conclusion.

"Was it a man?"

The elf did not answer. She must have been afraid of me. I could understand that. I would also be very frightened if someone of my height came up to me when I was injured.

Besides, this elf is a woman, and a very small one. Maybe not even 5 feet (150 cm.)?

In any case, it was not a bad situation...

"Have mercy on me."

And?

"Please." Only once, Uncle Varvar. I have a younger brother and sister that I have to take care of in the city.

I was trying to understand what this development of the plot was when the elf knelt down without hesitation. At some point, tears appeared in her eyes.

"I beg you."

And? What kind of spineless elf is this?

To be honest, I thought she would be a cool beauty because of her looks. Most of the elves in the game talk and have a similar personality.

Oops, if I knew she was like that, I would have approached it completely differently. I have to clear up this misunderstanding before things get any worse.

"I have no intention of killing you," I said with correct pronunciation, maintaining eye contact.

Eyes are windows to the heart, so if I give her time to calm down, she will understand that my words are sincere...

— ... Do you have to do it, Uncle Varvar?"

What does it mean?

An identity crisis followed.

"Just once, please let me go just once."

When my silence dragged on, the elf stepped back with an even more frightened look and unbuttoned the collar of her shirt. I was dumbfounded.

I felt like a pervert harassing a high school girl in front of her school. This misunderstanding made me feel terrible.

What kind of life are these barbaric bastards leading? What kind of reputation can we have that this kid has gone this far?

"Hah...

I involuntarily sighed.

What should I do? Would the misunderstanding be dispelled if I showed her that I was not such a trash, more by actions than words?

It seemed like a good idea. I took a step back, took some herbs and bandages out of my bag, and tossed them to her.

"Heal your wound first. Let's talk later.

"Is this Likho's leaf...?"

So it was Likho's sheet. Now I could use it with peace of mind. All this time I was worried that it was poisonous.