"Bjorn, are you going to the Holy Land today?"
"There was something I couldn't finish yesterday. I'll be back this afternoon, so don't cheat in training."
As soon as dawn broke, I headed to the Holy Land to obtain the third stage of the engraving. The cost was two million stones, the same as in the game. It also coincides with the fact that a new characteristic was granted each time the Spiritual Imprint reached a multiple of 3.
"Hahaha, I've never seen a barbarian with as much money as you. You have three paths before you." When I put the money in the jar, the shaman asked, "There is the soul of the flame, the soul of iron, and the soul of the wild. Warrior, which will you choose?"
I listened to the shaman's explanation just in case, but it didn't seem like anything had changed with the reality patch. And then: "I will choose the soul of the wild." I chose without hesitation because these traits were the main characteristics of the shield barbarian.
[You have activated Imprint of Immortality phase 3. Physical Resistance and Fire Resistance have increased considerably. Physical resistance has increased by +50.]
[A wild spirit now resides within your body. Your base threat level has increased considerably. Wild Blast can be used.]
Threat level: In other words, the probability of attracting aggro from monsters increased simply by breathing. Further, Savage Blast temporarily tripled the threat level and graded a physical bonus proportional to that number.
At first, he only used it occasionally when he was raising the greatsword barbarian.
Initially, I used to compensate for the barbarian's lack of survivability with Footprints of Immortality. However, back then, Savage Burst was a double-edged sword. The stronger the character, the more enemies appeared. Of course, it was different for the shield barbarian.
No risk, great reward.
Monster aggro? As a tank, it was remove welcome. By also increasing the physical level, not only did it further increase stability, but when used in conjunction with Gigantization, which greatly increased the threat level, you could experience an extreme temporary result.
I didn't know that the third phase of the engraving for the Gigantization would be finished in three months.
Although I was satisfied with my growth, I also felt bittersweet. All I did was fight to survive, but somehow, I ended up like this.
"I'm pulled, so you can leave."
It was 5 pm when I left with the Soulprint. Since Missha had promised to cook meat, I quickly stopped by the library and returned to the inn after checking the time of our appointment. After several experiments, I discovered the conditions that trigger the Wild Outbreak.
"Behell-aaaaaaaaah!"
That's how it worked.
***
[Bjorn Yandel]
Level: 3
Physical: 330 (New +50) /Spirit: 124 /Special Ability: 115
Item level: 828
General Combat Power: 822 (New +50)
Acquired Essences: Corpse Golem – Rank 7 / Vampire (Guardian) – Rank 5 /Orc Hero – Rank 5
***
At noon the next day, I headed to the meeting place by myself. The name of the store was «The Promise of Flowing Water», so I was wondering what kind of place it was, but it was just a regular dessert store. Fuck.
«... A barbarian?»
«What the hell? Is the owner in debt?»
As soon as I entered, all eyes turned to me. Somehow it was even worse than the library. It wasn't like I wasn't allowed to be here.
«Are you Mr. Yandel? Over here.»
Changing seats wasn't efficient, so I went and sat down. «Did you make the request?»
«Yeah. My name is Shavin Emoor, a 7th grade official in the Ravigion Administrative Office. You can call me Shavin».
«Clear».
Shavin Emoor, race: human. When the librarian said the applicant was a friend, she expected her to be young, but she appeared to be in her thirties. He seemed like a good person, but he would know his true personality after a little conversation.
«I didn't ask because I didn't know what you would like. What do you want to eat?»
«I want grilled meat with beer».
«... Sorry?»
«If not, it doesn't matter. I don't like sweets».
«Ah, I see...»
That should be enough silent protest at being called to a place like this. I hurried to the point. «So what's the request?»
«Haven't you heard from Ragna?»
«Ragna? Oh, you mean the librarian?»
Shavin shuddered at my question, then nodded as if he understood. «I guess you didn't know his name. True... makes sense to Ragna. Her name is Ragna Litaniel Peprock. She's not a bad girl, so please don't be angry».
I had nothing to be angry about since I had never asked him his name. I repeated the name to myself. «Ragna Litanel Peprock, huh?»
«Not Litanel, Litaniel».
Anyway, that. Why was it so difficult to pronounce his name? «... Is she a noblewoman?»
«No, it's not like that...» When I asked the first thing that came to mind, the answer I received was quite strange. «I can't tell you in detail. If he finds out, he will surely get angry».
So there was a story behind it, huh? «Tell me the content of your request».
«It's a simple patrol request. Sometimes criminals and non-tax payers hide in sewers, requiring regular patrols. But...» Shavin interrupted himself with a strange tone, as if he was waiting for something.
«... And?»
Just in case, I intervened, and Shavin continued the explanation looking like he was expecting just that. «But the scouts who usually take charge of patrols did not return from the Labyrinth this time. As you know, Mr. Yandel...».
«... You know?»
«There was a big incident on the third floor. Looks like they got caught up in it! It's a tragedy.»
He didn't know if it was a tragedy or not, but he did know that something was wrong with him. «That's why you decided to entrust the request to me».
«Yeah. As it is an official request from the administrative office, it cannot be entrusted to just anyone. So, while I was looking for the right person, Ragna told me about you».
«I see». I understood the basic context. Except... «Why was it me? There had to be others more suitable».
When I heard the details, it was more like a task than an assignment. The back office had to entrust requests to scouts as if they were dealing with a subcontractor, and the pay couldn't be very good either. However, even so, there would have been many willing to take charge of this request in the city.
This person hadn't been sent by the evil spirit hunters, had he?
Deep down, I had assumed even the worst, but the answer was absurdly concise.
«Aren't you the most talked about person these days?».
«What?»
«Honestly, I was a little curious. I also wanted to meet you in person...». Simply put, she took it upon herself to apply to the administrative office to satisfy her personal curiosity. «I'm going to buy some cookies to take away for later. Can I brag to my coworkers that you bought them for me?».
«...Do what you want».
Judging by that bright smile, it didn't look like an act. «So what are you going to do? The payout is only 200,000 stones, but it wouldn't be a bad offer for you either. I'm ashamed to say this, but...»
Again? Can't you tell me directly?
It was like he was playing with me. «... But?»
When I urged her again with a heartless question, Shavin happily continued: «There are people who consider receiving a request from the administrative office to be a reward in itself! Since our selection criteria are a bit strict, other organizations consider them proven talents, should I say?».
This time, the sentence ended with a question. Trying to explain it at the level of a barbarian's eyes, it seemed that many vaguenesses were mixed together. «So it means credibility will go up too». I was a barbarian with a modern mind and a wild body.
Shavin applauded my brief and concise summary. «Yes! In short, yes! Mm, well... with your reputation, you will surely receive many requests from here and there».
«Not exactly». I smiled bitterly. It had been two weeks since I gained the reputation of Little Balkan. However, it was the first time that someone contacted me to place an order with me. Broadly speaking, he could guess the reason.
It must be because I'm an ignorant barbarian.
There was a difference between being good at fighting and being smart. Maybe I could use this opportunity to alter public perception of myself. But, it shouldn't stand out too much either... Soon, I decided.
«That request, I will make it.»
***
«Then I'll leave now.» After hearing the details of the request, the barbarian left without any remorse.
Shavin smiled as he watched him leave.
He was the first interesting person I had known for a long time.
He had wondered why Ragna brought him up in the conversation, but now he could see him. I felt a sense of inner peace when talking to someone innocent, unlike so many others. That child must have felt the same, no matter how fleeting his words were. It was safe to say that it had been a few years since Ragna mentioned anyone else first.
Still, I was nervous, so I asked to meet him in person. But it didn't seem bad.
It seemed like he didn't know anything about Ragna either. Shavin took a sip of his tea and organized his thoughts. Next time, it would be a good idea to set a stage for the three of you and stage it as a coincidence. If he left them alone, they would never get to know each other in their entire lives.
Maybe I'm going too far...
The time had come for that boy to make friends.
***
Two days later, ten days before the Labyrinth opened, I arrived at the entrance to the sewer under the guidance of the staff, somehow along with the entire Half Witty Team.
«...Bjorn, you didn't say it was going to suck like that», Hikurod complained.
«I didn't know it was that bad either. But shouldn't you have expected it when I told you it was a sewer?».
«Well, yes, but...».
Yesterday, when we all met, I brought up the topic of the request I received and this is what happened:
«You do not have to share the application fee. Sewer exploration with all kinds of ghost stories? Ha ha ha. How can I miss an opportunity like that?». Hikurod laughed.
«Can I accompany you?» dwalkie asked. «My head hurts from reading books every day, so this will be a nice change of scenery».
Brown was thoughtful: «Hmm, sewer roads are complicated, right? It would be perfect to test my new skills».
«A place where criminals go to hide? It could be dangerous alone», Missha warned.
Everyone was bored of training every day, so it was decided they would play along. I just said yes. There was no need to share commission fees, so there was no need to shy away from free labor.
I don't know about the others, but Rotmiller, the explorer, will be a great help.
After passing Brown the map I received from staff, I placed a video recording device in the slot on my helmet to record the patrol process. With that the preparations concluded. «Let's get going». I took the lead and opened the iron doors, then went down the damp stairs that led to the basement. When I got to the last step, there was hardly any light, so I had to turn on a flashlight.
«Inside it's bigger than I thought».
«That's why there are people who live down here. Hahaha!»
The flowing water from the gutter and the ditch beside it created a gloomy atmosphere against the flickering light of the lantern.
"This way."
Following Brown's instructions, we walked along the ditch, careful not to fall into the water. The farther we got from the entrance, the darker the surroundings become
"Do you know anything about this? There's a myth that a terrible monster lives in the sewers..." The dwarf laid and spread rumors as if he were there for fun.
Missha and Dwalkie sincerely encouraged him. "Dwalkie, could there really be a monster here?"
"I've heard that all the waste from the tower goes down into the sewer. If reagents or monster corpses were found randomly and reacted, it would be possible to create such a creature."
"Is it?"
Of course not. Only our predecessor was paid 150,000 stones per patrol and went in and out of the sewer for two years without a problem
Splash, splash.
I sighed inwardly and moved my feet carefully. But was it because of the ghost stories Hikurod kept telling? Each step sounded much louder
Since the five of us have been here, it feels like we're in some kind of dungeon.
Damn, nothing bad was going to happen, right?