bookpower Chapter 398: Expedition Force (3)
Chapter 398: Expedition Force (3)
Chapter 398: Expedition Force (3)
To summarize the result, the speedrun failed.
The portal to the 2nd floor was already open when we arrived, and we couldn't claim the first clear achievement.
Damn, I thought we could do it this time.
"How much time did we lose?"
"About 10 minutes."
10 minutes?
Even our arrival time was fast enough for a speedrun in the game.
It seems like the overall level of explorers has increased.
'Well, 10 minutes... if I just increase my movement speed, it might be possible.'
A stable speedrun strategy was crucial for maximizing experience gain.
That's probably why that Dragonkin woman requested to explore alone.
'I wonder if Raviyen succeeded in her speedrun.'
Raviyen, the Dragonkin woman.
She was the last member of our team, the one I added because of the deal with the Marquis.
She left the mansion as soon as the founding ceremony ended, without even participating in the banquet.
She said it would be much faster to explore alone, and that we could just meet on the 6th floor.
'If it weren't for the Marquis...'
Her individualistic mindset was a problem.
I wanted to correct it, but the Marquis intervened.
He said she had a special agreement with him, and that I should respect her autonomy.
He also asked me to refrain from forcing her to do anything.
Basically, he was telling me not to beat her up.
'...It's like I have a princess on my team.'
Of course, I wasn't going to give up on controlling her just because he said that.
I had to discipline her.
One way or another.
「Entered the 2nd-floor Goblin Forest.」
「Entered the 3rd-floor Pilgrim's Path.」
「Entered the 4th-floor Sky Tower...」
Anyway, her absence didn't affect our exploration. We continued as planned.
We speedran the first four floors.
And then we started practicing together from the 5th floor, where combat was unavoidable.
We naturally had a lot of conversations during that time.
"Hmm, it seems like you three really were living together..."
There were many personal conversations, but no one crossed the line.
For example, asking if my relationship with Erwen was as rumored.
Or being curious about my relationship with the Marquis.
Or wondering how we managed to stay hidden for so long.
Didi occasionally showed interest in those topics, but Ashid always intervened and changed the subject.
"But if—"
"Raines, I noticed something while watching you fight. Can your clone also use aura?"
"No, that's impossible."
"Is that so? It seems like your clone can use other abilities. I'm curious to know more about it. It's a rare essence."
At first, I thought it was a coincidence... but now I'm sure.
Ashid was intentionally diverting Didi's attention whenever he was about to ask something sensitive.
'He's a smart one.'
I don't know why, but he reminds me of Dwarkey.
Well, unlike Dwarkey, Ashid was much more sociable and eloquent.
He was also more mature and perceptive.
But that's why...
"Why are you looking at me like that, Schuitz?"
"I wasn't."
I couldn't help but think...
Riol Worb Dwarkey.
Would he have been like this if he had grown up?
_______________________
「Entered the 6th-floor Great Ocean.」
_______________________
18th day of the expedition.
We arrived at Starting Island Laimia after speedrunning most of the lower floors.
It was deserted, as expected.
No one would be here at this time, not after we had pushed ourselves to get here.
Except for...
"...There she is."
The royal reconnaissance team.
The elite members of large clans waiting for their reinforcements.
And...
"...Hello."
The other expedition teams who greeted us from afar, wary of our presence.
Wow, two teams had already arrived.
I had expected the dwarf woman's team to be here, but I didn't think the paladin, Jun's team would be faster than us.
"...There you are."
The island was deserted, so it was easy to find the one I was looking for.
Raviyen, the Dragonkin woman.
The last member of our team, the one I had to add because of the deal with the Marquis.
"The 3rd Team has arrived."
We were all gathered on the east side of the island, overlooking the 6th-floor portal.
James Kala, the Vice-Captain of the Sawtooth Clan, led the 3rd Team.
"...That team looks exhausted."
"It seems like they pushed themselves to get here."
I could understand why.
The official meeting date was the 20th, but they probably thought it would reflect poorly on their skills if they were the last to arrive.
It was a kind of power struggle.
'This is like herding cats.'
I was thinking about how to unite them when the sun started to set.
The 5th Team, led by the knight, Kaislan, arrived just as the sky turned dark.
"Damn it...!"
He clenched his fist in frustration, realizing he was the last to arrive, even though he had arrived two days early.
He was clearly overreacting.
"What are you doing? Get over here."
"...Alright."
He flinched and walked towards me.
I patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, we have two more days. It's not a big deal."
I stood up, using his shoulder as support.
"We're all here now, so there's no need to waste any more time."
"Are you finally going to tell us about the mission?"
"Ah, wouldn't it be better to have the other members step back?"
"It's fine. It's not a secret. And besides, they can't tell anyone anyway."
The other members, who had been awkwardly observing us, moved closer.
They had my permission, so they were free to listen.
"Tell us. What's the mission? You're the only one who knows."
Akuraba's curious gaze met mine across the flickering campfire.
I wish the dwarves would just sit on chairs.
The fire is blocking their faces.
It's not even that big of a fire.
Anyway, that wasn't important.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat and spoke with the authority of an expedition leader.
"I'm sure you're all curious. Where is Noark's base in the Dark Continent?"
"Yes. If they're using a portal to enter the 7th floor, there must be a starting point, like the Crystal Cave."
"Do you mean to tell us that the royal family has finally found it?"
"That's right."
My words, revealing the top-secret information I had received from the Marquis, caused a stir.
But it was too early to be surprised.
"Our mission is to attack their base."
We were a mobile strike force.
Our role was to infiltrate and destroy the enemy's core facilities while the main force distracted them.
"...There's something I don't understand. If that's our mission, why is the schedule so tight?"
"Are you planning to have us break through the Ghostly Canyon?"
"...That's insane! Unless we're with the main force, there's no way we can cross that canyon with just one ship!"
Damn, they're interrupting me again.
It was a typical characteristic of the Tang Dynasty army.
They couldn't hold back their excitement.
I had to clear up the misunderstanding before it got out of hand.
"We're not crossing the Ghostly Canyon."
"What? But you said we're attacking their base in the Dark Continent..."
"Last warning. Don't interrupt me again."
"..."
Okay, it's much quieter now.
I calmly explained the mission.
"The Ghostly Canyon isn't the only way to enter the Dark Continent."
"Ah! You mean...!"
They finally figured it out.
That's why I had them gather on the east side of the island.
"We're going to Ice Rock on the east side."
Just like the four 2nd-floor fields, Goblin Forest, Beast's Lair, Rocky Desert, and Land of the Dead, were all connected to the 3rd-floor Pilgrim's Path...
The 7th floor wasn't just the Dark Continent.
In other words...
"We'll enter the Dark Continent through the 8th floor and attack them from behind."
It was like eating a frozen cake.
It was hard to chew.
It might even hurt your teeth.
And you might even wonder if it's worth the effort.
"But the reward will be sweet."
"Anyone who doesn't understand, step forward."
"..."
"I'm glad no one is scared."
Then let's begin.