Chapter 63 – The Shack (Part 2)

 

The 8th day of the state of distress.

Wandering through the Witchwood without any direction, we, strange as it may seem, have not yet met a single explorer. Given the peculiarities of the local area, we should have stumbled upon at least one, but in fact, there was nothing strange about it.

First of all, the Witchwood was huge.

Secondly, since it was not used as a main hunting ground, the number of its inhabitants was small.

Thirdly, we wandered aimlessly, and did not go to the center. The chances of meeting someone were decreasing.

In addition, at the moment, those who will pass by this place have already passed it.

However, I thought that when the closing time of the 3rd floor approached, some explorers would pass through it to climb to the 4th, as it was usually customary to try the floors before going upstairs.

So these people want to go up to the 4th floor?

This seemed very likely. Of course, that didn't mean we could trust them.

"Barbarian and Beastman?" Are there only two of you?

As I appreciated them as soon as I looked at them, so they appreciated us. However, it must be strange. The duo is not on the first two floors, but on the 3rd, and even in the Witch Forest.

The man, who seemed to be the leader of a team of five, came to a conclusion.

"You two... separated from your team?

"That's right," I readily admitted. It was good to bluff, but there was a time and place for it. If I were to deny it, we'd just look weird. And what can we get if we insist on our own? Of course, I have to be careful.

"Ahh!" Bjorn! Are we saved now?

"Stay where you are.

I pushed Mike, who was already fussing, blocked the front and slowly raised my shield.

"Don't be so wary. We are not bad people. On the other side, a middle-aged human woman appeared and smiled warmly. "I have a son and a daughter about your age in the city. I understand what you're worried about, but you're probably tired, let's go-...

"No, thank you.

Son and daughter? So what? Rather, it seemed more dangerous. Having children to feed meant that the motive to make money became even clearer.

"B-Bjorn, why are you doing this?" They can help us...

"Shut up."

How should I react if we meet researchers? During this time, I thought about it a lot. I came to the conclusion that first I need to ask for help.

Promising significant compensation for them getting us out of the woods would be a smart deal for them too. But in order to make a deal, it was necessary to find out who these people were. Identity verification was in the first place.

"I am Bjorn, son of Yandel.

"You're a very wary friend. I'm Hans Staub. In this team, I play the role of a scout.

When I said my name, the leader of the other side also responded.

But the problem was...

"Your name... Hans?

"Haha, that's a pretty common name.

— Exactly.

Why are there so many Hans in the world? Minus one point because of the ominous name.

"My name is Anuman Beit. My husband and I have a common store in the city-..

"There's no need for that," I interrupted the woman from retelling her personal data.

In the labyrinth, there was no way to check if this statement was true, and we had little time. Will we get their help or not?

Whichever option we chose, we had to make a quick decision.

2 warriors, 2 archers, 1 scout.

I quickly examined them from head to toe, checked their combat power, faces, expressions, voice timbre and atmosphere. Of course, there was no need to carefully study everyone. Sometimes intuition made more accurate decisions. Experience and knowledge were accumulated in the subconscious.

"Misha.

Soon I made a decision. There was no guarantee that this was the correct answer, but...

"Will you follow my decision?"

Long words were not needed. Misha gave a laconic answer to my question, in which a lot was missing.

— Of course.

It's cool. Now that I've got my consent,

"Enough performances. We'll leave now.

"Are you leaving?" Didn't you need our help?

Yes, but for some reason, my instincts are screaming that you're dangerous.

"Come to think of it, I don't think it's necessary. Misha, let's go.

"Okay!

"Hmm, all right, then," Hans said. "There's no reason why we should stop you. Good bye.

Ok. Now, when I asked them for understanding, hiding behind a shield, I slowly retreated, not taking my eyes off the group.

At that moment, I heard the familiar sound of something tearing the air apart.

*Whoosh!*

Before my brain could figure out what had happened, my body reacted.

*Whoosh!*

At the same time that my neck tilted to the side, an arrow passed near my ear.

Damn, how did they do it? It flew behind me. The bastards who fired the arrow were definitely in the front...

"Mrs. Bate, what are you doing?" One of the group members on the other side shouted something to the Lady Archer.

Wasn't that a mutual decision?

The lady who said she had a son and a daughter our age didn't speak quietly anymore.

"You idiots!" Haven't you seen what kind of equipment he has? It's made of litinum! Do you know how much it sells for?

"But they're still researchers...

"If you can't, don't get involved, boy. See that backpack over there? This is an expandable backpack. Something that you can't buy, even if you spend a whole year in a labyrinth.

Perhaps it was true that she and her husband owned a general store. This lady had a good eye, although I was not brave enough to compliment her.

"I, I can't.

"Then whoever wants to can get out.

"I'll join." This is not the first time. I'm not in a position to give up freebies.

Initially researchers, an agreement was quickly reached between them. I watched it closely.

Misha anxiously grabbed me by the shirt.

"B-Bjorn... Isn't it time for us to run away?

"Wait.

A scout was on their side. If we run now, we won't get very far.

He should be here by now...

"I... Kill... you...

Here.

I smiled bitterly.

That was the only reason I was trying to make a quick decision, whether it was killing or cooking. When Carnivaro emerged from the darkness, the group of researchers who targeted us were amazed.

— К-карниваро?

"Why are there two of them?"

This was because it was the 8th day of our stay in distress. They may have just entered, but we've already reached the 10th level of the [Witch's Eye].

"Misha, now.

I pulled Mike to me with one hand, and held the shield in the other, and rushed forward, not back.

[Carnivaro cast [Chasing Arrow]].

[Carnivaro cast [Chasing Arrow]].

On the right, Carnivaro put an arrow on his bow. Seeing this, I rushed even faster.

*Weeeep!*

Eventually, my barbaric dynamic vision recognized that two arrows were fired at the same time, but there was no need to worry about protecting my back. Now I had something to block them with.

"Ah!" Stop them!

"Wh-What are these things?!"

The moment my ignorant barbarian force pushed and thrust into the opposing group, I heard a scream. It was the guy who said he didn't want to be part of the attack on us.

"Ahhh!"

Hmm, so the arrow hit you?! Yes, usually the good guys are killed first.

*Bach!*

"Ahhh Damn, my leg!

An explosion rang out from the direction of Carnivaro. When I looked back, it turned out that Hans D, stunned by my dash, was running away and accidentally stepped on a mana mine.

" Mister Schaub!

Ok. At this moment, it seemed that the advantage completely passed to their side.

"Misha, from now on you run.

"Good.

I put Mike on the ground and ran forward without looking back.

"What are you all doing! Don't look at them, take care of the monsters!

For some time they could not pursue us.

***

Dungeon & Stone was a rogue-like game. It was worth dying, and that's it. The character disappeared. Of course, in the end, it was just a game.

A character could be resurrected and new equipment could be picked up. The main content of this game was to advance to the next floor with the information you gathered in the previous episode.

In Dungeon & Stone, death has become a part of everyday life. But what if the world of the game became real life? Character regeneration was not possible. Everything you saw, heard, or learned in this life lost its meaning at the moment of death.

And in this sense, I was lucky this time.

"But Bjorn, how the hell did you know these people would behave like that?"

"It was a premonition.

I was right to follow the quick judgment made by my subconscious.

When Mike realized the truth, she couldn't help but be surprised.

— ... Presentiment?

No wonder she agreed to obey me without asking questions. She seemed to think I must have an obvious reason.

"Their leader's name was Hans.

"Excuse me?"

"I hate that name.

Mike just stared.

"In any case, thanks to him, we were safely saved, and this is the main thing.

"Yes, but..." Mike broke away from her words with a slightly worried look and changed the subject. "Anyway, I never thought that this pretty woman would turn her back on us so quickly..."

Mike shuddered slightly, perhaps thinking of the old woman who was looking at us and screaming at the top of her lungs. Her rapid change in behavior seemed to come as a shock.

I didn't know if that would comfort me, but I said it briefly.

"In fact, she could be a very kind person.

"Hm?" What are you to them-...

"If only we didn't look weak.

And if we didn't have expensive things. If we had met not in the labyrinth, but in the city, this woman could have been remembered as a kind person. However, she put an arrow on the bow and drew it faster than anyone else.

"I don't understand... She wasn't friendly to us because we looked weak?

"Misha, why did you enter the labyrinth?"

"Because I need to make money...

"They're the same.

Money was a means of protection, especially in a world where non-payment of taxes was punishable by death. There must have been many other things she had to protect besides her own life.

— ... I think I learned a lot from this expedition.

"Then move faster. They can haunt us.

We sped up a little more.

How much time has passed?

Contrary to my fears, they didn't reappear even after more than an hour.

Perhaps the monsters attacked them first, but I'm sure the two Carnivaros didn't destroy them. Could there be another problem?

Hmm, that seems more logical. Perhaps Hans stepped on Mana Mina. If the scout was wounded, it could hinder their pursuit. Whatever the reason, it meant that one crisis had been successfully overcome.

Please, I hope this is the end of it.

Even hoping so, I forced myself to remain vigilant. I vowed not to relax until the very end. As always, the most shitty thing always came when you let your guard down.

The 13th day of being in distress. The time was 7 pm, exactly 53 hours before the closing of the labyrinth.

"Bjorn, I found it!"

We found a tree leading to the hut. Seeing that the light pouring from it had dimmed a little, it seemed that quite a while had passed since the entrance was formed, but petitioners were not chosen.

The fat is in the fire.

The worst was avoided. Even if we could only rest for 4 hours, we could survive the remaining 2 days at the expense of our mental strength. In other words, the chances of a safe return increased dramatically.

[You have entered the Witch's Hut].

Since every minute of rest was precious, I immediately put my hands on the tree and went inside. The landscape outside the window was the same as before: the smell of grass and flowers, the quiet chirping of grasshoppers, the sound of the wind in the leaves.

Gosh darn...

Unfortunately, there was something extraneous about this peaceful landscape.

[Current number of visitors: 5. Closed entry.]

Previous inhabitants. That is, those who discovered the hut before us.

"Bjorn."

"Shhh.

I closed Misha's mouth and quickly looked around.

One on the bed, another on a chair, a third on the lawn.

If you look out the window, there were places that I could not see from my angle, but it would be correct to assume that there were 3 people in front of us, since the hut was limited to five people.

What a headache.

I slowly approached the man who was sleeping on the grass. At that moment, tossing and turning in his sleep, the man lay on his side facing us.

I shuddered.

I didn't expect to see you here...

Surprisingly, it was a familiar face.