Chapter 12 - The Second Floor (2)

I'd more or less expected to find a portal. Of course I had. Running into the blond man's party of high-level adventurers was itself evidence that a second-floor portal lay in the direction I'd come from. That was why I'd followed the blood trail with such confidence the moment I found it.

But even I hadn't expected this. Who would have thought the portal was less than ten meters from my starting point?

"This is driving me insane."

Memories of crawling around on three limbs unfold like a panorama. Just how unlucky am I? If I'd taken a few steps in the opposite direction, I could have activated the portal and gotten some light. Then I could have seen that fucking trap and avoided it!

"Mister, please tell me. Don't just stand there looking so scary. If I've done something wrong, I'll fix it..."

What has she been going on about all this time, anyway? Oh, it's because of me. Explaining would be a pain, so I'll just make something up.

"Never mind. I was just remembering the past."

"Oh..."

Erwin looks relieved, then her gaze turns sympathetic. I couldn't believe it. The blood trail, the scraps of bread, the sandal, the look on my face. She'd pieced together everything I'd gone through on my first day from those clues alone? Her?

"I'm sure they're in a better place now."

Of course she hadn't. I knew I could count on her.

"Yes... Thank you."

Judging by that, she seemed to think I was reminiscing about some companion I'd lost long ago... But I didn't feel any particular need to correct her. It was too long a story to explain every detail. More importantly, telling someone about it would probably make all that pent-up frustration come boiling out. Let's just bury this story.

"Are you ready to head up?"

"Honestly, I'm still scared, but somehow I feel like I won't die as long as I'm with you, Mister."

Come to think of it, she has this strange habit of being terribly long-winded. A simple yes would do.

"Then let's go."

"Okaaay..."

The moment I stepped into the portal with Erwin, my vision went pure white. Just like when light had burst out of my monitor.

A brilliant flash!

[00 : 57]

Just as my fourth day in the Labyrinth began.

「You have entered the second floor: Goblin Forest.」

I had reached the second floor.

* * *

If someone asked me how I felt right now, this would be my answer: like I'd been rolled around in a giant frog's mouth for ages before it spat me out.

"Eek!"

My body hurtles through the air as though something has flung me out. I didn't let out an undignified shriek like Erwin, but judging by the results, she fared better than I did.

THUD!

While I landed hard on my ass, Erwin quickly regained her balance and landed on her feet without a problem.

"Wow, that startled me. The older girls never told me about that."

I'm reminded all over again that she's physically gifted, too. That's a kind of agility a barbarian could never have.

"Mister, is this the second floor?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, nobody said anything about a forest. Are you sure?"

"What you heard was probably about a different part of the second floor."

"A different part?"

Do elves not share information about the Labyrinth properly? How does she not even know this?

"The first floor has four portals in each of the cardinal directions, and they lead to different places depending on the region."

"Oh, now that you mention it, I think I did hear that!"

... So she'd just forgotten. When I gave her a look of utter disappointment, Erwin flusteredly spoke up.

"Oh, the third floor! They said all the routes join up again from the third floor onward. Right?"

Apparently, she wanted to show off what she knew. I gave her a casual nod of agreement, and she smiled in satisfaction. I'm starting to get a feel for how to handle her.

"Well, what do we do now?"

"Wait. I'm thinking."

First, I calmly surveyed the terrain around us. I needed to establish what was the same as the game and what was different. Things like flying about three meters after passing through the portal just now. The sort of thing I couldn't have known from the other side of a monitor.

"Hmm."

I took another look around. Behind us was the portal, which we could use to return to the first floor whenever we wanted. Not a single living creature was visible in the clearing, which had a radius of about fifty meters. Though I couldn't say what might be among the trees in the distance.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"Stay put."

The second-floor map is a forest. It's as dark as night, but the lights scattered across the sky like the Milky Way provide some visibility. It feels about as bright as an alley without streetlights.

Time passing won't bring daylight, though. We're inside the Labyrinth, after all. That's probably not even a sky, just a very high ceiling. Though there are floors with a real sky and sun.

"Let's get moving."

"Huh? Where are we going?"

"We'll explore the surrounding area, using this place as our base."

I'd already put together a rough plan back on the first floor. But there were a few things I needed to check to see whether it would actually work. So, first things first: what was right in front of me.

BANG!

Erwin flinches when I abruptly swing my hammer at a tree on the edge of the clearing.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"Checking whether I can knock down a tree."

"Why would you check that?"

"I was planning to build a palisade around the portal."

"Hmm, I see."

Only then does Erwin nod in understanding. Answering every little question is such a pain.

"Anyway, that plan is out."

Erwin didn't ask why. She had eyes, too, after all. I'd hit the tree with all my strength and only chipped off a little bark. What kind of tree is this? It's a rock.

"Then what's the next plan?"

"We search the area as planned. And from now on, you take the lead."

"... Me?"

I decided I wouldn't be taking questions.

"You have two jobs. Go ahead and look for traps. And stay as alert as possible for any sign of enemies."

"... We're dividing up the work, then. All right."

To my surprise, Erwin readily accepted her assigned role. Why did that leave me feeling disappointed? Was it because I'd already prepared everything I was going to say to persuade her?

"Still, something about being in a forest feels nostalgic. Even though I know there's nothing here but monsters."

Erwin walked into the forest, talking about something I couldn't relate to at all.

"Oh, I don't see any traps, but just in case, try to follow exactly where I walk."

What's this? Since when did she become so reassuring? She really was striding along as though she wasn't afraid of traps at all. Before long, Erwin murmured softly.

"There's a trap."

I can't see it.

"Look over there. You should see it hidden under the leaves."

No matter what she says, I still can't see it. Erwin gives me a look that says, 'How can you not even do this?' then picks up a stone and throws it.

CLANG!

There really was one. How could she spot it from this far away in such darkness? Even knowing about elves' detection abilities beforehand, seeing them in action with my own eyes is still amazing. So there was a reason you were striding along so confidently.

"What do you think?"

"You seem good at throwing stones."

"... That's all?"

"What else do you need?"

Erwin's shoulders, which had been drawing back proudly as though this was her moment, drooped. The perfect time to offer a carrot. Subtly, so it wouldn't be too obvious.

"Finding traps is an ability I expected of you from the start. You're already a full-fledged explorer. Don't get so excited about doing what you should."

"Hmmm..."

She's trying to hide it, but from behind I can plainly see her shoulders giving a little pleased twitch. Now I've got her figured out completely. I should be able to keep handling her this way.

"But that means I'm pulling my own weight, right? As a full-fledged explorer?"

"Yes."

Though the split is still nine to one. Anyway, my variation on that 'warrior in your own right' line our chieftain loved so much seems to have worked better than expected.

"That's strange, though. No matter how closely I listen, I don't think there are any goblins around."

Of course there aren't. The second floor isn't like the first. A trap doesn't necessarily mean there's a goblin nearby. It's easier to treat second-floor traps as just part of the terrain. There are countless ones scattered everywhere, after all.

"Let's stop chatting and concentrate."

"Okay."

I put myself back on alert and searched the area. This place was called Goblin Forest in the game. Aside from the traps, its defining features were that goblins usually traveled in groups of ten to fifteen, and mutant varieties such as goblin swordsmen and goblin archers occasionally appeared.

Of course, farther out on the outskirts, there were more mutant varieties and higher-grade monsters... But that wasn't much of a concern for us, since we only planned to poke around the entrance area near the portal.

"There's nothing nearby, at least."

We finished searching within a radius of roughly two hundred meters around the portal. There were countless traps, but we'd found no groups of goblins.

"What should we do?"

"First, clear every trap in this area. Then gradually expand our search."

We gradually widened our territory, disabling traps from a distance with stones. We'd need to flee to the first floor if things got dangerous, after all. Stepping into a trap while running would be a disaster.

It happened once we'd expanded our radius beyond five hundred meters.

"Mister."

Erwin stopped and spoke in a near whisper. I, too, quieted my breathing.

"A group of goblins."

"How many?"

"I'm not sure. Definitely more than ten, I think..."

"How far?"

"About fifty meters. I don't think they've noticed us yet. What should we do?"

Why is she asking something so obvious?

"We fight."

Erwin didn't argue. She was a little scared, but she knew it herself. We had no choice but to fight anyway. If she'd really wanted to avoid fighting, she shouldn't have entered the Labyrinth.

"How much closer can you get without being noticed?"

"Without you, Mister, I think I could get within thirty meters. Any closer would be impossible. Goblins have a better sense of smell than you'd think."

"I see."

After a brief moment of thought, I decided to follow the plan I'd mentioned earlier. Erwin then slowly made her way through the undergrowth toward the goblins.

So that's an elf for you. Watching her walk through the undergrowth without so much as a rustle amazes me every time.

"..."

Soon, Erwin stopped. She looked back toward me, and when I nodded, she turned around, nocked an arrow, and fired.

WHOOOOSH.

Did it hit? I couldn't tell. It was too far away to hear the impact. I hoped she'd put it right between the eyes again.

THUD THUD THUD!

The instant she loosed the arrow, I sprinted straight toward Erwin.

"Grrk!!!"

"Grrrrrk!!!"

Even as the frenzied goblins came charging, Erwin was calmly preparing her second shot.

WHOOOOOSH!

I think it every time: her rate of fire is insane. That was something I never really felt while watching it in the game.

THUNK!

One of the charging goblins fell. The arrow had hit its neck, not between its eyes. Well, even an elf would have trouble hitting that exact spot on a moving target at a distance.

"Erwin, fall back."

"Yes!"

Erwin retreated without hesitation and disappeared from my view. Now all I could see ahead of me were goblins swarming toward me. Three times as many as I'd encountered on the first floor.

Even if they were only goblins, this many ought to have been a little intimidating... Yet, surprisingly, I felt no fear at all. No, quite the opposite.

THUMP!

The warrior's heart in this body stirs with bloodlust, setting my head ablaze.

"Grrk, grrk!!"

"Grrrrrk!!!"

Listening to the menacing howls of all those goblins, I shouted right back.

"SPAAAARTAAAAAAA!!!"

Come at me, all of you. Fucking bring it.