NoveLight ™
Chapter 58 – Rules of Survival (Part 1)
"How did this woman manage to follow us!" Didn't you say the Witchwood was safe? Mike shouted with a tired face.
"Persistent bitch!" Hikurod said.
I also agreed with this. If I had reasoned logically, and not just scolded... Once we entered the forest, that damn bitch wouldn't be able to track us down, so she was looking for the right explorer to manipulate him, pretending to be a poor priestess who had lost her comrades to vicious marauders.
"Listen, there seems to be some misunderstanding here. This woman is a priestess of Karui.
"What! cried the researcher. "Now I see that these were not mere marauders, but followers of an evil god!"
"No, it's not us, it's Eliza...
"Come, lay down your neck and be condemned by God!"
Hikurod tried to use his words, but the man, whose brain was obviously marinated by God's grace, could only hear what he wanted.
"Sir!" Please repay these wicked people with an iron mace, gentlemen! Then my comrades wandering in the afterlife will be able to leave their grievances behind and return to the arms of God!
At the same time as Eliza screamed, the opposing group of researchers pulled out their weapons. It was the same with us. In conversations with researchers, sometimes fists speak louder than words.
– Don't worry about getting hurt, just focus on killing your enemies! The blessing of Reatlas will be with you! Telling them that she would heal them even if they fought like dogs, the leader of the opposing team rushed at us with glowing eyes, shouting this fucking slogan:
"May the blessing of the twilight star be with you!"
To be honest, it was hard to understand why they would do this to help this. He seemed to be a committed believer, but the others were not required to do the same.
"Fight with all your might!" If we just kill them, our team will earn a priestess!
"Oooh!"
That's it. They tried to kill us for practical, not religious, reasons. Now that I saw that the bitch seemed to have made promises to them as a kind of reward...
Okay, to some extent I understood the situation.
*Boom!*
As soon as I blocked the bastard leader's axe with my shield, I screamed, planting the seed of rebellion.
"You idiots!" Which of you will leave the team when the priest arrives?
These bastards were a team of five people from the very beginning. If a priestess entered, one had to be expelled.
When I pointed this out, the leader exclaimed in bewilderment:
"Do not succumb to their evil intentions!
With what evil intent?
It was obvious that they hadn't even thought about it.
"Oh, yes?"
As if to confirm this, the four researchers, except for the leader, paused for a moment. Unfortunately, this did not last long.
"Hmph, but it probably won't be me?"
"Hey, can't we think about it later?"
"One of us could die even today.
"I don't care about the priestess. Just by selling their gear, I'll earn enough to have fun for a whole year.
Hell, I forgot they were researchers. All of them were fucking psychopaths.
So all you guys need is money and a reason, right? Yes, in general, it is better that you do not change.
I built a shield wall with Hikuroda and analyzed the enemy's combat strength. Three melee warriors, two ranged warriors, and one cosplayer priest... As researchers who entered the Witchwood, it was safe to say that there was almost no difference in levels between us. They even had one more person than we did. This time, there was nothing more to judge. Even considering that Elise was unable to summon the power of the evil god because of her cosplay, it was clearly a disadvantageous situation. Come up with some kind of strategy...
The only option is to crush them with one surprise attack.
I immediately summoned our magician.
"Dvalki!"
Long words were not needed.
"10 seconds!" Wait 10 seconds!
As soon as I called his name, Dvalki replied, proving that he was now more experienced.
But the other side did not lack experience either.
"A mage!" They have a magician!
Realizing the existence of Dvalka, the other side focused its attacks.
Three melee warriors could be covered by me and Hikurod, but it was physically impossible to block the arrows and projectiles flying towards the chanting Dvalka.
*Whoosh!*
But I wasn't too worried. Weren't we a team of researchers? I didn't have to do everything alone.
*Ears!*
Misha deflected the flying arrow with her dagger, and Brown blocked the projectile's ability with his shield. By then, the spell was complete.
[Riol Varb Dvalki cast an 8th tier spell, [Ice Spear]].
It wasn't the [Enhanced Ice Spear], but it didn't matter. The enemy was not even a large monster. It was enough to send them back into the arms of their beloved god with a single blow. Of course, this was based on the premise that the spear would hit a vital point.
*Wheep!*
Getting ready to use magic on humans, not monsters: The time to show this determination has come much sooner than we expected. What decision will Dvalki make?
*Bam!*
Contrary to my fears, the Ice Lance shot exactly at Eliza's head. Unfortunately, it did not make it. It is for this reason that researchers were more complex than monsters.
"Wow, that was dangerous. You all right?
"Y-yes!" Thank you for saving me!
The other team knew that a magical attack would be made, and that it would most likely be aimed at the priestess. There was no reason why they couldn't block it. An explorer who has moved from the 3rd floor to the 4th floor must have this power.
And again... Humans are the most annoying bastards of all.
Progress was not easy for us. Just as Brown and Misha were able to successfully defend Dvalki, our opponents did not suffer from our attacks. It's time to make a final decision. By this time, we have seen enough.
"Dvalki!" Use the magic of [Voice Control]!
"S-Good!" "When I gave a sharp command, clearly rejecting further questions, Dvalki cast a magic spell without objection.
[Voice Control] was, to put it simply, a handy magic that only allowed conversations between team members. Now, even if we were talking to each other, the other side wouldn't hear us. I looked aggressively at my opponents and shouted:
"Hikurod!"
"What is it?"
— Let's jump up!
"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Great idea!
Fortunately, the dwarf who had the authority to give orders in an emergency agreed with my decision.
Damn, he wasn't that stupid.
Even if we had won this match, it would most likely have ended in injuries. When the time comes, this crazy bitch will not hesitate to use the power of the dark god. No matter how hard we tried, only a bleak future awaited us.
"Misha!" When you're ready, carry the Dvalki!
"Good!"
"Hikurod, use this item when I give you the signal!"
"Good!"
Beastman and the dwarf nodded without disagreement. The most important task for Brown remained, but I didn't need to tell him what to do. At a glance, he knew what I was thinking.
"When I go, all watch me carefully!"
The only one I could trust was Brown. In any case, it seemed that there was nothing else to report at the moment.
"Now!"
As soon as I gave the signal, Misha finished preparing for the dash from Dvalka on her shoulders, as he had poor stamina.
At the same time, the dwarf's bracers shone with light.
[Hikurod Murad used the Guardian's Protective Bracelet].
No3112 is a guardian's protective bracelet.
In the game, this item gave a 5% damage reduction, and it had a power increase effect proportional to the damage reduction.
But there was another effect from its use.
[The user knocks enemies back violently, and all allies are temporarily immune to all harmful effects].
Wide area of effect and removal of debuffs. As a numbered item from the 3000th series, it took precedence over field effects.
The moment the three melee warriors were knocked back, our warped field of vision returned to its original state and became brighter, but it wouldn't last long. I don't know how many punches this guy took in that time, but it was about 20 seconds maximum.
This time also took into account Hikuroda's stats, which increased the effectiveness of the numbered item by 1.5 times. This was enough to have time to escape.
"What are you doing?!" Run!
For some reason, it seemed that we were being chased here and there throughout the expedition.
The first to sense the movement of the enemy and direct the team members to an effective route was the scout. So, what qualities do you need to become a researcher? The answer was very simple: data accumulated through previous knowledge and experience in the labyrinth. With the help of these two things, you could find a way on the 1st and 2nd floors, not to mention the 3rd, which was a kind of open-world concept in which the topography did not change.
However, from the 4th floor, everything was different. It would be more accurate to say that it began with the Witch Forest, where there was a portal to the 4th floor.
[Guardian's Protective Bracelet effect has expired. The Witchwood field effect is active].
The compass was dead, we were completely lost, and the only landmarks were the trees, but even these trees were moving as if they were alive. Therefore, in order to find the way, special abilities of a scout were required.
"This way."
Brown's main ability was his sense of smell. By adjusting his olfactory readings with the essence, he was able to accurately point the way to the 4th floor, even in this eerie forest. When the sense of smell reached a certain level, one could smell the scent of mana, allowing people like him to find their way. I didn't quite understand it, but that's about how it worked.
"An enemy scout doesn't seem to be an ordinary person either. They shorten the distance to our exact location.
Those bastards were still watching us very well. Of course, I didn't even feel their presence. But if Rothmiller said so, then it must be true.
Then, in the end, the main thing is who will be the first to get to the portal to the 4th floor.
As I thought about the current situation in my mind, Brown spoke as if he were of the same opinion.
"Let's speed it up.
Now it was a race against time. If we had managed to get there first, we could have avoided unnecessary skirmishes. On the other hand, if they catch up with us earlier? Then we will have no choice but to fight until one of the groups is defeated.
The problem is that everyone is tired...
It's just that life didn't turn out the way you wanted, especially if you're tired.
"Miss Karlstein, give it to me!" Hikurod decided to carry Dvalki instead of Misha, and that's when the accident happened.
"Oh!"
The mistake was that he tried to take Dvalki on the run to save at least a little time. Misha lost her balance and fell. Fortunately, Hikurod managed to pick up Dvalki and wrap him around him like luggage.
"A convulsion!" I think I have a cramp in my leg! She doesn't move!
Yes, exactly. It was obvious that she had dislocated it when she fell.
"Don't move and stand still.
I immediately stopped, grabbed Mike by the scruff of the neck and picked her up.
As soon as I put my arm around her shoulders, the light disappeared, and a deep darkness obscured my eyes.
Whore? What's it?
Hikurod had just held a torch next to me...
"B-björn?"
— ... Hush.
I calmly opened my backpack and took out a torch.
Then, measuring the distance with my hand, I lit a fire and placed it in the groove of my helmet. No wonder the team members who had been with me just a few seconds ago were nowhere to be seen.
"Have we really lost them?!" Mike almost shouted.
I didn't want to believe it, but...
"It seems that... It is.
In a matter of seconds, we were left behind.
"Then what are you doing?!" Let's follow them!
When Misha realized this, she hurriedly called me, but I preferred to stay where I was.
"How did I know where they went?"
"There!" They had to go there!
It was only in our eyes. In the Witchwood, you can't rely on your eyesight. If we had gone the wrong way and been away from the team, we would have wasted our time.
"At such moments, it's better not to move.
Trust your friends and your own judgment. Wasn't Brown an olfactory scout? By this time, he should have noticed that we were missing and returned to find us.
" Hey, Bjorn...?
Of course, it had to happen...
"How long do we have to wait?"
A minute passed, and the group still did not return.
Damn it, what was it? Should I wait any longer?
At the moment when my worries deepened, I heard a short, faint cry in the darkness.
"Ahhh!"
"Bjorn!" Did you hear that? It was clearly Hikuroda's voice!
I couldn't be sure, but it seemed to be so. If it hadn't been for another accident, they would have already come to find us. But ...
"They must be in trouble. We must go help...
"Lower your voice."
"Why?"
"Because we can also be in trouble.
Making noise was not a good idea. We still didn't know what happened there. If it was just an encounter with a monster, then they would have had enough free time to find us.
"That's another reason why we have to go to them...
Even if I wanted to help him, there was no way. Perhaps if I could hear a continuous sound at the same level, but I wouldn't be able to detect it among the screams of a man in the throes of death. The Witchwood was such a place.
"Mm!" So I covered Misha's mouth with my hand and focused on my hearing.
— ... Miller... bitch... Over there.
— ... Sandely j...
"Ha... I can't... and go away...!
"At least... scout... Amazed... so... can run...!
— ... Oh! Mouth...!
After this I heard faint voices several more times, like the throes of death, and soon they disappeared altogether into the forest, where not even the slightest breath of wind could be heard. I was enveloped in silence, but I stood still and waited for about 5 minutes. The missing did not return. It was too early to judge whether they were alive or dead, but one thing was certain: if they waited any longer, they would not return.
"We don't give a fuck.
This meant that I was left alone with a beastman girl in a maze of monsters and marauders, in the middle of the Witchwood, from which it is impossible to get out without a scout.
Whore.