Takelan Arbenon couldn't believe it.

What am I doing?

He brandished his sword. With all the strength left in his body, he moved his hands to kill the enemy. But at the same time, he constantly asked himself why. His wife, the most precious thing he has, is dead, so why should he live?

To this question the barbarian answered:

"Because someone has to bring the news""Yes, I forgot about it..."

Takelan, who was in a state of despair, listened to his words and set off on this difficult journey.

Should I tell the news to the families of the victims? He was well aware that this was not for this. The barbarian, unlike himself, managed to protect everything that was his own.

"I repeat again! Everyone stop!"

With an unwavering voice, he prevented a maddening tragedy.

"I am the head of the Nartel clan, Melter Fend." I'm Lacey Nareth of Heindel Church." I'm a battlemage from Rafdonia."

It was recognized by famous researchers.

"Behella

Leading the difficult path from the most dangerous front line, the great barbarian led them to their goal. This man was a born leader. As Takelan thought, he had the ability to touch people's hearts.

Here's why...

Takelan wanted to see this great man fall into despair at the loss of something dear to him.

Only that could calm him down a little. Yes, what happened was inevitable. Even such a person couldn't do that, right? It is quite natural that he could not save his guys either.

With the nauseating motive of finding solace in misfortune, Takelan set off.

*Colic!*

Yes, he had, but now he was wielding a sword to save more than just himself.

"Oh, thank you. You're Takelan, aren't you?"

—... — he didn't answer.

"You're a quiet guy.

A man who had lost his long-term comrades fought with all his might for a stranger.

Takelan could not understand this.

*Colic!*

Why am I still fighting?

Because I haven't seen the despair of this barbarian yet?

No.

If so, why?

"Ha, reinforcements in such a situation?"

"We're going to die, aren't we?"

"Ha, that drives me crazy. And we have come this way.

"Enough small talk, fight!"

"Yes, I refuse to die like that!"

How did these people fight to the end, even with a premonition of their death?

"Comeee!!ee

Looking around and seeing the eyes of the researchers, Takelan soon understood the reason.

*Kaboom!*

Behind the place where explosions were constantly heard, from where countless enemies flocked, a huge man fought, still not losing hope.

'Behella

***

The situation was bleak, but the darker it became, the more I remembered the positives.

Equipment is located on the level of the 2nd or 3rd floor.

There were many of them, but the individual strength was much smaller. Well, if they had good skills, they would have climbed up a long time ago. The remnants of Noark attacked us interspersed with an army of corpses, but it didn't really matter to us now. At our level, a single corpse summoned by a Clown was an even greater threat.

The only problem is that it will take a little more time to clear the path.

Actually, this was the most unpleasant moment. Time was not on our side.

We needed to take down Clown as quickly as possible and attack Blue Mane or Scholar of Destruction to have a chance of winning...

But then the Noark bastards came along.

In this situation, the rear formation will fall apart...

There was less and less time. As my impatience grew, I applied more and more force to the hand holding the mace.

*Crunch!*

And again killed with one blow.

"Ahh!"

But while I was cutting down my enemies, the number of my allies was also decreasing. In the face of death, people were more truthful than ever. Someone appealed to their families or confessed their love, someone cursed the king, and someone even revealed an identity that they would never reveal to the world.

"Look... on his face... Hey, I'm an evil spirit.

—... A what? What are you...?!

"I'm sorry I lied... and thank you for everything... *cough!* Mom, I'm finally home... I lingered...

Yes, it cannot be that there are no players among all these people.

*Tudum!*

It occurred to me that everything was unreasonable. We overcame all these difficulties to get to this place. Is it really going to end like this in vain?

… No, it can't be.

I gathered my trembling heart into a fist. It's not too late to be disappointed after I fall. After all, the arms and legs were still moving.

As long as the lungs stopped breathing and the blood cooled down, it was still possible to fight.

*Crunch!*

Waving my mace, I thought to myself, how on the first day of my appearance here,

What do I have to do to survive?

First, understand the situation.

"Kyle!" How are things on your side?

"[So far, we've managed to hold on, but things don't look good.]

It seemed that the rear where ranged classes such as mages and archers had gathered had suffered greatly. I believe that this is natural. I was sure that the researchers from Noark had attacked on their side as well. Since most of the warriors were on this side, it must be difficult to deal with them.

It seems that we are surrounded on all sides.

Surprisingly, there was a way to retreat: the portal through which we came. Kyle didn't mention it to boost morale, but I was sure some had already escaped through him to the 1st floor. Fleeing has always been an attractive option, especially if your life was at stake.

— … Yandel, how about we go down and do some repairs? The warrior turned to me, as if consulting.

But it seems that Kyle heard it through the Message Stone...

"In the end, we'll have to climb back up to avoid the monster, but these guys won't be kind enough to give us time to form a formation again," Kyle said decisively, so that I would stop thinking about it.

It was a pointless action because I hadn't even thought of doing it in the first place. Zero is not the same as one. If Kyle and I were right, then no matter how you look at it, it was one. We have to win here, no matter what it takes.

"How is Melter Fend?" I asked about another battlefield that could potentially become a variable.

But this time there was no positive answer.

[He's holding up well, but it doesn't seem like a quick win].

In that case...

"Bjorn!"

I looked away in surprise and saw a suicide bomber approaching us at arm's length.

— [Dertu Teiran]!

Fortunately, Raven used the magic of [Gust of Wind] to knock the suicide bomber back.

*Clap!*

The suicide bomber exploded with a loud sound, spilling out his bodily fluids. The rest of the corpses remained unharmed, but the Noark explorers who came as reinforcements did not.

*Chhhhhhh!*

Those who were nearby melted on the spot. And even those who were hit by just one drop of liquid turned white and began to stumble. There was a bitter taste in my mouth. Rafdonia or Noark, they treated people as expendable equally.

"Then what about the Scientific Destruction?"

We continued our conversation without even taking a breath. This was the information that could be the most important in the current situation.

"Can you kill him?"

"[Now that the magic circle is complete, I'll try. But...] Kyle paused. He didn't seem to be confident in himself. "I'm sorry, I thought I had caught up with him, but the gap between us has only widened.]

I had no intention of chastising him. If this person had escaped through the [Portal], we wouldn't have gone that far. Furthermore, the Scholar of Destruction was a mad Magus even from my point of view.

"[But, as I said, I'll buy a little time. I'll try to strike in that time, no matter what it takes, even at the cost of my life].

Those words suddenly reminded me of Dvalki.

"You mean that awakening magic?"

— [... Something like that].

"Will you be all right?"

"[If I was afraid of the price, I wouldn't stay in this place. I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

—... Got it.

I did not use empty words, saying that there was no need for this. It was not only a pretense, but also...

"Ahhh!"

Who in this room is not fighting to put their lives on the line?

Not even me.

For example, if I were to fall now, people would be saddened, but not surprised. It was such a battle.

"[Then what are you going to do now?]

I laughed at Kyle's cautious question. Did he really have to ask that?

"[Maybe you'd better go back and fight with us, and then-...]

"Don't," I interrupted his words decisively. Even though now that the Noark explorers had come in as reinforcements and we were outnumbered, I replied, "The plan remains the same.

Kyle Pevrosk had the Scientist of Destruction, and Melter Fend had this wolf bastard.

"We'll take the Corpse Collector.

"[I thought so]," a chuckle was heard over the Message Stone.

"Why are you laughing?" Do you think we can't do it?

"[No, I didn't mean that, I just remembered something you said earlier.]

And what did I say?

[You said that warriors laugh when they are struggling, please add mages to that].

Hmm, we warriors laugh more merrily.

"If next time you show a more manly laugh.

"[Next time, huh?]

Or maybe jokes were inappropriate in this situation?

I regretted it a little, but soon a much lighter voice came in response.

"[Yes, next time is not bad. You know what? If I come back, I will start writing a book. A book about my life. It was my childhood dream].

"I'll read it if the opportunity arises.

If I write a book, can I use your words in the text?]

"What words?"

"That warriors laugh when it's hard for them. It's strange, but these words don't get out of my head.]

I just said it without thinking. It's kind of embarrassing when it's taken so seriously. But that's not something I would change if I could go back.

"Do what you want."

Kyle laughed out loud at my answer.

"[Haha, really? Then there won't be any problems].

It was a much more cheerful laugh than before.

***

The current battle structure was somewhat complex. First, a line of long-range expedition damage dealers was centered around the portal.

The soldiers covered them nearby. At first, we only had to fight off the army of corpses from the front, but in the end, it ended up like this, because the Noark explorers attacked us from behind.

Probably, hell reigns there too.

During the regrouping, Fend and his clan members remained in the middle of the battlefield, raiding Bluemane. I was sure that they were having a hard time, just like us. Since we were also separated from the main group to capture the Corpse Gatherer, it could be said that it was a kind of separate unit. In this sense, the time has come for an interim check.

"Raven!" How many people?

"What?" Oh, I think there are about forty of us!

Hell, a lot of people have died in that time. I'm pretty sure there were more than a hundred of us at first.

*Shaaaa!*

Suddenly, a ray of light shot out from the ground. A giant red magic circle covered the entire battlefield in an instant.

—... This is the formula of spatial magic!

Raven was the first to read the formula, but that was all she had time to understand.

Kyle's calm voice came from the Message Stone.

"[Don't be surprised, sooner or later it had to happen.]

"So the plan is all right?"

"[Yes, I knew the old man would use that spell].

At these words I felt relieved. Apparently, if the Scientist of Destruction used spatial magic, then Kyle could use this guy's mana in reverse and cast another spell.

That was the rough plan, but I didn't know the detailed principle, because I wasn't a magician. This was not implemented in the game either. Probably, this was the limitation of the 2D game format.

But...

I should be prepared, too.

In any case, I had to act expecting it to work. There is no other way.

*Shaaaa!*

Soon, the light emitted by the magic circle reached its peak, and everything around it turned pure white. At that moment, I heard Kyle's voice again:

"[I'll be back].

*Flash!*

A blinding flash engulfed the battlefield.

[Kyle Pavrosk cast a rank 2 space-time spell [Parallel Universe]].

There was ringing in his ears. When I opened my eyes, I saw a vague picture of the unchanging battlefield.

I muttered briefly:

"Kyle, did it go well?"

There was no answer. Perhaps this meant that the spell worked. Now Kyle was supposed to start a one-on-one fight with the Scientist of Destruction in a virtual space recreating the Goblin Forest.

I hope he comes back as a winner... But we must prepare for the worst.

Kyle decided that he could at least buy some time. During this time, something had to be done on this side as well.

"What are you all doing?!" Run!

Stopping for a moment because of a clear white flash, I led the squad again and continued the breakthrough. Without the interference from the Scholar of Destruction coming at every moment, it was much easier to march.

This should be enough.

After an unknown amount of time, we finally reached the necessary distance. There was no longer any need to risk one's life for a breakthrough. I entrusted the detachment to Teterud, who together with me cleared the road.

"Black grouse, you will take the others back at once."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

The road had already been cleared, and communication had been established.

"Have you heard?" We stop here and go back!

"But it doesn't seem to be that easy either.

"Well, I'm sure Yandel will take care of that side!"

"Forward!"

Soon Teterud led the remaining group back to the place where Fend was. Although it was difficult to get to it from here, I was sure that they would get there. And as soon as they get there, it will help in catching the wolf.

"Come on, everybody on board."

As soon as I said that, Misha quickly jumped up and landed on my left shoulder in [Gigantization].

"Are we really going to go alone?"

Next came Ainhar. She didn't fit on my shoulder, and I wrapped my left arm around her waist.

"Oh! Now I understand why Aruru is riding me!

"Please excuse me.

Descending from the Bear, whose summoning had been canceled, Raven sat down on Misha's lap.

—... This is a very strange feeling.

The largest, Mr. Bear, put his arms around my neck and hung on it.

"Now you really feel like we're one team!

Finally, Ervena sat on my right shoulder.

Ha, now I'm a means of transportation.

When I was about to leave...

"Wait.

Daria stopped me.

I already guessed what she was going to say, so I put an end to it in advance.

"As I said, I can't leave Ervena.

No matter how she used her position as an older sister, I couldn't give it to her. Ervena was the key to this strategy.

"That's not the point. I'm walking too.

"What?"

Then you know what shame is.

—... What kind of look is this?

"Nothing. Come here.

I stretched out my remaining hand and grabbed Daria by the waist.

"Gyyyy...!"

"Kill him!" Kill him and it's all over!

Noark's damn explorers from the 2nd floor, including the corpses summoned by Tricky, were gathering in real time. I bent my knees slightly and looked ahead. Between Clown and me stood more than a hundred Noark researchers, followed by an army of corpses.

It should be about 60 meters away.

After checking the distance again, I bent my knees even more, as if squeezing a spring.

"Hold on tight.

This time, instead of a low jump, I jumped with all my might.

[You cast [Jump]].

In an instant, my body flew upwards, and the entire battlefield appeared in front of my eyes.

"I'm flying!" I'm flying!

Melter Fend swooped down on Wolf in siege formation. The black grouse ran in their direction. The main team gathered in the center.

The finishing touch was the bastard Clown, who was laughing at me from a safe place in the distance.

"Oh...

The moment I reached the peak of the height, someone pulled my hair with all his might. Damn, I'll have to make a handle on the armor next time.

"Kyaaa!"

My body, which had flown along the parabola, rapidly headed down. The clown, who was sitting on top of the monster's corpse, saw me and turned his pet around.

Do you think it will work now? If you are going to kite, then do it more intensively.

*SLOWLY!*

My body hit the ground like a cannonball.

[Your total weight is greater than 500 kg or more.

Due to [Recoil], the remnants of Noark and corpses nearby flew into the air in unison, except for the corpse of the monster that Tricky was riding. His weight must have exceeded my 500 kg, because he didn't even move. Of course, this was a small problem.

"I didn't think you had the essence of Manticore. Hee-hee!

The clown was still looking at me with calm eyes. He seems to be quite amused. If I could, I'd like to have a few words with him, but I was quick to undo [Gigantization]. My body quickly shrunk.

"Kyaa!"

Seeing that the comrades who were clinging to me fell out, the Clown said in an exaggerated loud voice:

"Oh, my God! Have you run out of MP? And you've worked hard to barely get here. What a pity.

Hey, I'm not wasting MP. Well, maybe when he gets a kick in the ass, he'll stop talking in that stupid voice.

"Ervena."

"Oh, yes!

As soon as her name was called, Ervena used her special ability.

[Ervena Fornassi di Tercia applied [Elementalization]].

[Elementalization] was a special ability of Evan's rank 5 monster, and it was a skill that had a rather unique concept even in Dungeon & Stone. The effect was simple. The user would enter a state of mind and become immune to physical damage, and...

[Ervena Fornassi di Tercia offered to sign a contract with you].

They could then make a contract with one person to temporarily share multiple abilities with them.

"Uncle, take my hand," came a voice that sounded out of this world.

As if possessed, I grabbed Erwena's outstretched hand.

And at this very moment...

*Ears!*

A strong flame flared up and consumed my whole body, as if protecting me:

Elemental Barbarian Mode (Fire).

"Ervena, put the fire away."

—... A what? Oh, yes!

Only after hearing my words, Ervena quickly changed her attribute.

*Crackle!*

My already thick skin cracked like dry earth and became even thicker.

[The Spirit of the Earth takes up residence in your body]

[Fire damage is halved]

[Water damage doubled]

[Poison Immunity Bonus]

[Using blunt weapons increases destructive power]

[Physical Resistance increased significantly]

[…]

Real men choose a stone.