Chapter 859: Terrible News (2)
I could not understand it at all.
Why were there three [Stakes] lodged in me, when there should have only been one?
Was the effect slightly different in reality compared to the game?
Shwaaaaaa!
The effect of them scattering into light as soon as they struck me seemed identical to the game…
“Ah.” (Hanho)
This time, too, the question did not linger long. (Hanho)
It was not because another [Stake] had been shot from somewhere. (Hanho)
It was just… (Hanho)
[Grrrrrr…!] (Monster)
[Keoheong! Keoheong!] (Monster)
The monsters that filled the area saw me stop and began to charge all at once, leaving me no choice but to flail in constant agony…
Surprisingly, thanks to that, the question was naturally answered. (Hanho)
“Aah…” (Hanho)
I did not know why this phenomenon had occurred. (Hanho)
But… (Hanho)
“Ack, ack…” (Hanho)
The three [Stakes] that had now vanished into light. (Hanho)
Those [Stakes] were not a simple visual error; they were all real. (Hanho)
And how could I tell? (Hanho)
Kwaaaaang-!
The magic damage hit hard, as if my Magic Resistance had dropped. (Hanho)
It would likely be difficult to properly utilize the [Scales of Greed] in this state. (Hanho)
Hwoooong~!
My Soul Power must have greatly decreased, as I felt a hollow sensation in my heart. (Hanho)
Join Discord
It was so uncomfortable that it kept bothering me. (Hanho)
But… (Hanho)
‘Well, the returns are certainly definite, aren't they?’ (Hanho)
Even though the fangs of a Rank 3 monster were lodged deep in my eyeball. (Hanho)
Ssk. (Hanho)
The moment the fangs were pulled out, my vision was restored. (Hanho)
Even with a Natural Regeneration Ability of over twenty-five million, the aftereffects of physical loss disappear, but even considering that, this speed was absurd. (Hanho)
「The character's Natural Regeneration Ability stat is over 5,000.」
Thus, I reached a conclusion. (Hanho)
About my current state. (Hanho)
「Hyper Regeneration Bonus」
I never thought this would activate when I was not even in a countdown. (Hanho)
“Ha…” (Hanho)
This is ridiculous. (Hanho)
「The regeneration speed of physical loss is drastically shortened.」
I felt the need to correct all my previous judgments. (Hanho)
“Bahella-aaaaaaaaaah!!!” (Hanho)
From now on, the Essence of Tears is one with me. (Hanho)
—
I was running through the Labyrinth. (Hanho)
Kuuung, kuuung!
Every step I took, a heavy sound echoed from my ridiculously large body. (Hanho)
[Gweeeeeek!] (Monster)
As if aggroed by the sound, all sorts of monsters followed me, making bizarre noises. (Hanho)
The accumulating pain made it feel as though the wrinkles on my brow were being tattooed in place, but… (Hanho)
“Ehehehe…” (Hanho)
Why did laughter keep bubbling up? (Hanho)
In truth, I knew the answer. (Hanho)
I had just finished experimenting with my stats. (Hanho)
“Kekekeke.” (Hanho)
First, the Hyper Regeneration bonus. (Hanho)
Even if an arm was blown off, if I tensed my muscles, a new arm would sprout in one second. (Hanho)
There were absolutely no aftereffects, not even a slight feeling of stiffness, and it was possible to move it in its original condition the moment it grew back. (Hanho)
Of course, it was not without a price. (Hanho)
「A lost body part has been regenerated.」
「Consumes 5% of HP.」
When [Hyper Regeneration] was used, HP was consumed in proportion to the severity of the injury. (Hanho)
However, it was not exactly a loss. (Hanho)
After all, I would lose about that much blood even if my arm were simply cut off. (Hanho)
More importantly, there was something else that was truly crucial. (Hanho)
“Uhit, uhihi…?” (Hanho)
A little while ago, I ran into a Rank 2 monster and used it to enter the [Disapproval] state, and in that state, I used a [Stake] to confirm the thing I was most curious about. (Hanho)
‘I never imagined it, but it really works…?’ (Hanho)
My body becoming soft? The pain? Being unable to consume the Floor Lord Essences I wanted? (Hanho)
“Kikik.” (Hanho)
Well, I suppose it just was not meant to be. (Hanho)
Honestly, I did not care anymore. (Hanho)
From now on, there was only one thing I needed to worry about. (Hanho)
How I should arrange my final build to raise the potential of the (New) Shield Barbarian even higher. (Hanho)
That was all. (Hanho)
However, that part could wait until I returned to the city, scrubbed myself clean, and contemplated it deeply. (Hanho)
Kuuung, kuuung!
Therefore, I continued to run. (Hanho)
Weaving through the monsters that could never kill me even if I just lay down and slept, (Hanho)
Hwoooong~!
I did not even flinch at the sight of the new terrain that appeared beyond the dimensional wall. (Hanho)
And why would I? Who was I? (Hanho)
‘The (New) Shield Barbarian.’ (Hanho)
Any trap on any map was fine. (Hanho)
I was confident that I would never die. (Hanho)
As long as it was not the landmine tiles on the Tenth Floor, which had a gimmick that could kill you instantly without a countdown. (Hanho)
“Oh…?” (Hanho)
Come to think of it, those do exist, don't they? (Hanho)
“Hmm…” (Hanho)
Nah, but surely I will not run into them. (Hanho)
The Labyrinth is so vast. (Hanho)
And even among those tiles, there are only a few instant-death ones. (Hanho)
Kuuung, kuuung─! (Hanho)
Yes, let's ignore that possibility. (Hanho)
Besides, my plan before becoming the ‘(New) Shield Barbarian’ was to just keep running, right? (Hanho)
Well, it seemed like I would not need to rely on the group of survivors anymore. (Hanho)
‘I have to find them.’ (Hanho)
My companions were scattered somewhere in this Labyrinth. (Hanho)
Ainar and Bear Uncle, and the rest of Armin's expedition. (Hanho)
The Anabada Clan. (Hanho)
And finally… (Hanho)
Misha. (Hanho)
‘Just how clumsy is she to get separated on her own in the middle of all that—’ (Hanho)
Just then, I felt something approaching from behind. (Hanho)
Tadat. (Hanho)
But I did not bother to turn around. (Hanho)
I was also in the middle of training to take hits. (Hanho)
It was not like I would dodge it even if I turned to look, and after taking so many hits, I had realized something. (Hanho)
It was better to get hit without knowing. (Hanho)
When you had information, you would needlessly anticipate how much it would hurt, making you flinch without realizing it— (Hanho)
“B- B- B…!” (Misha)
“… Hm?” (Hanho)
Was there a monster that made this kind of sound? (Hanho)
No, more than that, the voice sounded familiar… (Hanho)
“Bjor-nnnnnn…!!!” (Misha)
Hearing my name so clearly, I quickly turned around, and at that moment, the figure rushing from behind wrapped their arms around my head, obstructing my vision. (Hanho)
Ah, of course, it was not a big deal. (Hanho)
I already knew who the voice belonged to. (Hanho)
“Misha?” (Hanho)
Misha Karlstein. (Hanho)
My companion since our days in Team Half-Wit… and, well. (Hanho)
‘Is the Hans effect finally over…?’ (Hanho)
To think we would meet this quickly. (Hanho)
—
“Uwaaaaaaaaah!!” (Misha)
Misha, who had flown at me like a shot put, began to wail like a child the moment she hugged me.
Well, it was not that she was actually sobbing… (Hanho)
It was more like a child throwing a tantrum or a fit, letting out all their sorrow. (Hanho)
But this was not a good environment to talk… (Hanho)
Ssk. (Hanho)
First, to secure my vision, I grabbed Misha by the scruff of her neck, placed her on my shoulder, and resumed my sprint. (Hanho)
But had she still not calmed down? (Hanho)
“Uwaah! Right, I knew you'd be alive-nyang! I knew you'd be alive-ooo!” (Misha)
“That's my line.” (Hanho)
“I'm so glad, really-nyang!! I'm so glad-ooo!” (Misha)
Misha, seemingly overcome with emotion, kept punching the back of my head. (Hanho)
“Uwaaaaaaah!! You Barbarian bastard!” (Misha)
Whack! Whack!
Well, I could tell she was that happy. (Hanho)
I even felt similarly. (Hanho)
“What have you been doing all this time-nyang! I searched everywhere for you, but couldn't even find a trace-ooo!!” (Misha)
Whack! Whack!
I get it, so I wish you would restrain yourself a bit. (Hanho)
I wouldn't know about before, but in my current state, it really hurts. (Hanho)
So… (Hanho)
“Uh… Misha? First, calm down.” (Hanho)
“I almost died so many times while looking for you…!” (Misha)
“It hurts, so stop now.” (Hanho)
“Hurts! You deserve to be hit more, you irresponsible Barbarian bastard! Did you think I'd be happy if I survived by running away and leaving you behind-nyang?” (Misha)
“Strictly speaking, you didn't run away alone; everyone did. Besides, I was planning to follow, but things went wrong. Oh, and don't hit me. My Essences have changed, so it really hurts if you hit me like before.” (Hanho)
“?” (Misha)
After clearing that up, I glanced sideways, and Misha, sitting on my shoulder, had a strange expression. (Hanho)
It was a look that seemed to say, ‘What is with this bastard?’ which then shifted to something like, ‘Ah, right, this is the kind of bastard he was…’ (Hanho)
Of course, after that, she returned to normal. (Hanho)
“That's right…! Ainar! Ainar disappeared with you back then…! Have you not met her-nyang?” (Misha)
“I've met Ainar.” (Hanho)
“Really-nyang? Everyone thought it would be hard to meet…!” (Misha)
…
Did she understand it as me meeting Ainar right away? (Hanho)
It was a hassle to explain, so I omitted the part about me using the Spirit Gate to find her. (Hanho)
“Anyway, things went wrong again, and she got separated during the last stabilization period.” (Hanho)
“What?!” (Misha)
“Ah, don't worry. She's not alone; she'll be with trustworthy people.” (Hanho)
“Uhm… I'm glad to hear that, but what on earth happened…?” (Misha)
Tsk, I have a lot of questions, too. (Hanho)
But I guess it's the same for Misha. (Hanho)
However, it was too long a story to explain in detail, so I shortened it again. (Hanho)
“It just sort of happened that way.” (Hanho)
“Are you kidding me-nyang?” (Misha)
In the end, I had no choice but to explain in a bit more detail. (Hanho)
Ah, of course, if I told her I met the Lord of Tears and used the ‘leave me behind’ strategy again, I would probably get scolded… (Hanho)
“No, it's true. We ran into a pretty strong monster, and I just happened to get separated during the fight.” (Hanho)
“Sort of happened is not an answer! You just got clumsy and did it, didn't you?” (Misha)
Sensing that I was about to get scolded even more, I quickly changed the subject. (Hanho)
“I'm glad you're safe, Misha.” (Hanho)
“Oh…?” (Misha)
“I was worried. From the moment I heard you were separated alone until now.” (Hanho)
“Ah, uhm… Oh? But… how did you know that?” (Misha)
“I heard it from a survivor I met by chance. That you were wandering around looking for me on your own.” (Hanho)
“Ah… Y-you did-nyang? That's quite a coincidence…!” (Misha)
“Thank you for being alright, truly.” (Hanho)
“… Ah, ahaha… W-why are you talkin like that-nyang…? I'm not a child…” (Misha)
“W-well… I'm glad too-nyang. That you're safe…” (Misha)
“Oh, is that so?” (Hanho)
“Huh?” (Misha)
Okay, seems like the topic change went well. (Hanho)
Now, let's get to the main point. (Hanho)
“Alright, now tell me. What on earth happened while I was gone?” (Hanho)
At that question, the rapid-fire back-and-forth that had continued since our reunion came to a halt for the first time. (Hanho)
Misha suddenly fell silent. (Hanho)
I glanced sideways at her and saw her face had grown completely stiff. (Hanho)
Hoo, right… (Hanho)
There was no way nothing happened on their side. (Hanho)
“Tell me, Misha. Don't worry about sparing my feelings, tell me everything without hiding anything.” (Hanho)
“Bjorn… you have to listen calmly-nyang…? Ah, nothing's certain yet, so…” (Misha)
I wonder if Misha even knew? That there was no other phrase as anxiety-inducing as that. (Hanho)
“I get it, so hurry up.” (Hanho)
Only after I urged her once more did Misha's story finally begin. (Hanho)
What exactly had happened while I was gone. (Hanho)
“When everyone heard you were carried off by a dragon, they were in an uproar-nyang. Erwen was rampaging, saying she had to go find you right away, and all the while, monsters were pouring in…” (Misha)
Opinions were divided. (Hanho)
The faction that said we had to find you, and the faction that said that was realistically impossible. (Hanho)
The one who stepped up and resolved the situation then was Amelia. (Hanho)
“She said that surviving came first, before finding you. Of course, there were people who objected…” (Misha)
“But?” (Hanho)
“But when she asked if you'd be happy if one of us died while looking for you, even Erwen seemed to agree. No, actually, it was more like she was overwhelmed by her presence…” (Misha)
Anyway. (Hanho)
Amelia's logic was very simple. (Hanho)
She said that someone like me would be fine even if carried off by a dragon, so we should just hold out until I came back on my own. (Hanho)
I was not the least bit upset by that judgment. (Hanho)
No, I was grateful. (Hanho)
She'd said she hated the Vice-Captain position and all that, but in a crisis, she was the one who took charge. (Hanho)
“So what happened after that?” (Hanho)
“We kept holding on. Whenever we ran into survivors, we accepted them all to bolster our ranks, and the situation wasn't too bad-nyang. Ah, that old Guild Master guy did suddenly disappear in the middle of it all…” (Misha)
“Ah, that guy is fine, so don't worry.” (Hanho)
“I wasn't worried-nyang…?” (Misha)
“Is that so?” (Hanho)
Heh, you made this Barbarian feel awkward. (Hanho)
Anyway, the story about the Guild Master was not a particularly important part for either Misha or me. (Hanho)
“So, what next?” (Hanho)
“Ah, yes… And then…” (Misha)
Misha took a breath before continuing. (Hanho)
“We met an incredibly scary-looking demon-nyang…” (Misha)
The Anabada Clan had encountered a demon-type monster. (Hanho)
The time was the middle of the third wave. (Hanho)
The place was the Demon Worship Hall in the Bloodstained Fortress. (Hanho)
“What did it look like?” (Hanho)
“Ah, well…” (Misha)
After hearing a very specific description from Misha, I pressed my lips together. (Hanho)
“Guiltigos…” (Hanho)
The third stabilization period. (Hanho)
The Rank 1 demon-type I had faced in the Bloodstained Fortress. (Hanho)
Thump—!! (Hanho)
As I recalled it, my heart inexplicably began to race, and a ringing sound echoed in my ears. (Hanho)
It was only natural. (Hanho)
Guiltigos, the Rank 1 demon-type monster that had taken up residence in the boss room, munching on the bodies of other monsters. (Hanho)
I clearly remembered the sight of it. (Hanho)
Piiiiiiiiii—! (Hanho)
Around it, equipment and bones presumed to belong to explorers were scattered about. (Hanho)
