Chapter 12

The Decisive Battle’s Farming

“This is our base camp.”

I briefed Yernil on our plan.

“For the next two days. We’re going to search this entire area while collecting several types of consumables.”

In the game settings, the reason why labyrinths are profitable is because they’re spaces of creative economy where infinite resources are constantly pouring out.

Throughout the labyrinth, there are countless chests, boxes, containers, sacks, and storage compartments placed by who knows who, and from them come equipment, potions, precious metals, food, and even money.

Of course, what I want right now isn’t precious metals or food or money…

“Defense magic scrolls and oak barrels.”

These are the main objectives.

Useful weapons or armor would be nice too if they appear, but the probability is low.

And there’s one more most important thing.

“We’re going to do hellish training from now on!”

“Huh?”

“We’re going to kill about a hundred Goblins.”

“What…?”

Yernil, sensing that something was going terribly wrong, felt her vision go dark!

***

A mad wizard appeared on the peaceful 1st floor of the labyrinth.

“Fireball!”

“Fireball!”

“Lightning Shock!”

Like a heroic character with dual pistols… No, dual wands, running around causing a massacre.

Four Goblins appeared at once? Doesn’t matter!

“Fireball!”

“Ice Spike!”

“Fireball!”

“Ice Spike!”

You want to taste McCree, no, McClellan?

The sun is setting!

Bang! Bang! Kwagwang!

Turning the hourglass and unleashing fire hell on every monster group we encounter.

Goblin Warriors, Goblin Rogues, Goblin Archers – it doesn’t matter. Now that wisdom has exceeded 13 points, I can even pierce through shields.

Three types of Goblins? Bring as many as you want!

The number exceeds five?

Can’t intercept them all in one turn?

Yernil chance!

“Yernil! Shoot the Goblin Rogue on the far right in the head.”

Then I’ll take care of the four on the left.

“Fireball!”

“Fireball!”

“Fireball!”

“Fireball!”

Actually, I made sure to secure Yernil’s kills in every battle. At least one, sometimes two.

Because I thought that way, Yernil would level up too.

‘We killed a Venomic Spider.’

By my estimation, we’ve already surpassed level 4 and are heading toward level 5.

Level 5 is almost the limit on the 1st floor of the labyrinth. The three types of Goblins don’t give experience points from level 5 onwards.

But conversely, that means we can reach level 5. If we grind hard for two days.

Level 5 is an important growth milestone.

Because that’s when you can pick another special ability.

“Fireball!”

“Fireball!”

Farming focused only on light and profitable magic stones. All the trashy Goblin equipment is unnecessary.

The targets are boxes containing items or Goblin Shamans.

“I found it!”

Yernil shouted with her palm cupped next to her long Elf ear.

“I can hear a Goblin Shaman muttering just like you said!”

“Where? Where?”

My mouth is already watering!

“This way!”

“I’ll lead the way, so just point the direction.”

Because Yernil, you might step on a trap if you go ahead.

“Straight ahead for now!”

I proceeded, leading Yernil while carefully examining the floor, ceiling, and walls. Straight, right turn, right turn, straight, left turn.

Found it!

A Goblin Shaman appeared, holding a wooden staff and peacefully camping (?) with his subordinates.

“Gruluk?”

[It’s your turn. Remaining time: 60 seconds]

“Fireball! Fireball! Fireball! Yernil, arrow to the right! Fireball!”

The reason for hunting Goblin Shamans is because they often carry scrolls.

I need to find as many useful scrolls as possible in two days.

[Unlock Scroll]

▶You can unlock locks of low difficulty.

A dud.

What I’m looking for are defense magic-type scrolls.

“Next!”

I led Yernil to find and eliminate the second Goblin Shaman.

[Stairs Scroll]

▶You can instantly teleport to the front of the ‘stairs’ that lead down to the lower floors of the labyrinth.

Another dud.

I led Yernil to find a box for farming. A healing potion came out. Another dud.

“Over there!”

Found and eliminated the next Goblin Shaman.

[Cleanup Scroll]

▶You can automatically clean and organize a room.

Augh!

Something useful! Please!

***

About eight hours later, at base camp.

Yernil collapsed onto her sleeping bag as if fainting as soon as she arrived, and I gathered stones and firewood to make a fire.

“I’ll do it.”

Yernil approached and took over. Putting water in the pot and cutting potatoes, carrots, and beef to add in.

“We didn’t have much of a harvest today.”

She said.

“That’s right.”

I absolutely need defense magic scrolls and oak barrels.

This is trouble.

“Please eat, Caleb.”

Yernil handed me a bowl of cooked soup.

Resting my tired body while eating warm soup, I suddenly got hit hard with reality.

Is my body that was sitting in front of the computer in room 201 of Nokdu Villa in Nokbeon-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, safe?

Am I in a missing person state? Or did I die suddenly?

I hope it’s not the latter.

Humans are animals of adaptation, and greed has no end. At first, I was just chewing on potato scraps, but when I picked up Abisson’s backpack and ate this, it was like Michelin, but now it’s just so-so.

Same with Abisson’s sleeping bag.

When I first lay down, I thought my body would melt from that soft cushioning, but now it’s cold and uncomfortable.

If I could turn the boiler on hot and lie in a cotton blanket watching MewTube on my smartphone, I’d have no other wish.

“Sigh.”

I let out a small sigh and dry-washed my face.

Caleb.

You crazy bastard, get it together.

We’re still in the middle of the labyrinth, and you’ve gone soft?

“Um, Caleb.”

Yernil called me.

“Yes.”

“The sound of the larva moving has gotten much weaker.”

Going closer to look, it had less vitality.

It’s originally a creature that devours a human leg every 6 hours.

It’s been several hours since it finished eating the rest of Abisson’s thigh and started starving.

Poke.

I lightly poked the larva with the tip of my wand. Then it wriggled frantically and made squeaking sounds.

“It’s still alive. But it’ll die in two or three days. So we absolutely must farm defense magic scrolls and oak barrels tomorrow.”

“Caleb.”

“Yes.”

“Should we… Feed it Abisson…?”

Yernil.

You’ve become quite hardcore in just a few days.

Actually, it’s a method I had thought of too. The problem is…

“Damaging a corpse in a soul preservation state is a serious crime.”

“Ah?”

In the game setting, it’s treated as assault proportional to the degree of damage.

If the damage is so severe that resurrection becomes impossible?

Then murder charges apply.

“Speak with the Dead, or psychometry-type magic, can confirm whether we damaged the corpse. If we’re caught, it’s over. Besides…”

There’s another problem.

“We don’t have the tools to cut the corpse.”

I mean, saws or axes. All we have is one palm-sized multi-purpose knife, and with this, scraping and slicing centimeter by centimeter?

Just imagining it makes me think the Dungeon Master would come for an interview, saying I’m an excellent madness candidate.

Besides, even if we somehow manage it, how do we cut the bones? If we use magic, there’s a high chance the assault charge will change to murder.

“What if we bring Goblin corpses to feed it?”

Yernil is getting smarter!

Did you perhaps put points into wisdom?

“Goblin flesh is toxic.”

In-game, Goblin meat inflicts poison damage. Of course, since that’s by human standards, I don’t know if it applies to larva, too.

“There’s no need to choose unverified methods.”

I picked up a strip of bacon and put it into the larva’s mouth.

“Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!“

It liked it almost convulsively and swallowed it instantly.

Don’t die.

Little larva.

You still need to hold on.

***

Second day.

A miracle came.

[Magic Armor Scroll]

▶This scroll contains the 1st-grade defensive spell ‘Magic Armor’ magic.

“Found it! Found it!”

A Goblin Shaman we eliminated about three hours from the exit room, had dropped a defense magic scroll.

“Wahhh!“

Yernil also jumped up and down with joy.

And even more.

“I found an oak barrel, too!”

A few meters away from where we got the scroll, there was a huge oak barrel.

Oak barrels have the largest storage capacity among all types of containers that appear in the labyrinth. And they have the great advantage of being able to hold liquids directly.

“Let’s go! Yernil, please drag the oak barrel!”

“Yes!”

Yernil was overflowing with energy and clenched her fists. Wearing her bow like a crossbody bag, tilting the oak barrel slightly, and dragging it.

“I’m already experienced at dragging oak barrels once! Just leave it to me!”

The excited girl said a cute joke.

“Yernil.”

Sorry, but I need to throw some cold water on this.

“Yes?”

“That’s not the right direction.”

Yernil was trying to go back the way we came. Because she thought all the farming was done, and now we could just return to base camp and rest well.

However, our hellish training wasn’t over.

“We haven’t killed 100 Goblins yet.”

“…What?”

When I went to sleep last night, I saw we were still level 4.

“If we go back the way we came, there won’t be Goblins to hunt.”

Instantly, Yernil’s eyes changed to look similar to when she heard ‘settlement is at the village’.

“Not there, let’s go this way.”

The longest path, where the most Goblins swarm.

I had figured out how all the paths connect while going around yesterday.

We’re going to take a very long and rough detour.

“…”

Yernil’s vision went dark.

***

“Yernil! Put down the oak barrel and take your bow!”

“Yes…! Yees!”

When I shout, she quickly puts down the oak barrel and takes out her bow to nock an arrow.

Fireballs and arrows pour out, and the battle ends.

“Good. Let’s go again. Please handle the oak barrel.”

“Yes!”

Yernil’s guerrilla training began.

“Yernil! Take your bow!”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go again. Please carry the oak barrel.”

“…!”

“Yernil, bow!”

“Ahhh!“

“Oak barrel.”

“Go slowly!”

“Yernil, bow!”

“Eek!“

“Oak barrel!”

“Yernil!”

“Oak barrel!”

“Bow!”

“Barrel!”

“Bow!”

“Barrel!”

“Bow!”

“Barrel!”

“…”

In two hours, Yernil became exhausted.

“Huff… Huff…”

Breathing heavily from extreme fatigue.

Yernil.

You’re not losing trust, are you?

Just in case, I turned on the hourglass and asked her to sing a song, and fortunately it worked (?).

“Sunlight… Nice, strawberry… Forest… Huff… Huff… Pretty ears… Young lady…”

But what’s the condition of her voice?

“Huff… Huff… When she smiles, dimples appear… That young lady… Cough!“

Is this a necromancy spell or something?

“What song is that?”

“It’s a work song… From our neighborhood.”

I’m really sorry.

I want to drag it for you instead, but then, when the hourglass turns on, there’s enormous action loss in the process of drawing the wand.

“We’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer.”

“Yes… Caleb must have had a reason for making me do this…”

“…”

I eliminated an additional 35 Goblins with her and returned to base camp.

***

“Arrived… We arrived. Is it over now?”

Yernil, on the verge of fainting, sat sprawled on the floor as soon as she arrived.

“Rest for a bit.”

I used magic on the wall.

“Ice Spike.”

Making lots of icicles, breaking them, then stacking them neatly in the oak barrel.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to fill the oak barrel with water.”

When the Ice Spikes melt, the oak barrel will be filled with water. Since there’s no ‘Water Creation’ magic, this is the only way for now.

“Let’s sleep now.”

“Wahh!“

Yernil, who was exhausted from carrying the oak barrel and fighting battles, was delighted.

“Finally!”

Her eyes sparkled at the thought of sleeping soundly in the soft sleeping bag, but.

“I’ll sleep first.”

I quickly crawled into the sleeping bag and took the initiative.

Sorry, Yernil.

“…!”

Yernil instantly looked like the sky had fallen.

Am I being a bit mean right now?

“…I’ll sleep first. That’s okay, right?”

“…Yes…”

Yernil hung her head low.

It can’t be helped, Yernil.

I need to sleep first. That way, I can check the level up, pick special abilities, and coordinate strategies while you’re sleeping.

And when you wake up, we’ll immediately enter the exit room.

So this is the efficient order distribution.

“Please wake me up in 2.5 hours.”

[Caleb’s level has increased.]

▶Lv.4 → Lv.5

[Yernil’s level has increased.]

▶Lv.4 → Lv.5

Fortunately, Yernil leveled up too.

[Please select Caleb’s special ability.]

[Please select Yernil’s special ability.]

***

The water container is full.

Leveling up is complete, and special abilities are picked.

Yernil also slept well and woke up.

Along with a hearty breakfast, we also completed a detailed strategy meeting.

“From now on, we’re going to enter the exit room.”

But before that, just one more thing.

“Are you… Serious?”

Yernil’s pupils shook as she watched the crazy thing I was doing.

“Squeeeak!“

I’m in the process of extracting the Black Hornet’s larva from its egg sac.

“Ughhh!“

Even though it had been starving for over two days, it was such a bulky insect that it felt like doing heavy deadlifts.

Even in reality, I was far from exercising and could barely do 80kg deadlifts. This wizard’s body is even more frail than my real body.

Because strength is 0!

“Urgh!“

I barely managed to drag it out of the egg sac.

I was about to throw it aside, but I fell over while hugging the larva.

“Are you okay?”

Yernil ran over to support me. The larva screams and wriggles frantically on the floor.

“Squeak! Squeeeak!“

“Stay still, you bastard.”

There’s a reason I chased the larva out of here.

The reason Yernil would be horrified and the larva would be furious. A reason that would put me on the Dungeon Master’s madness candidate list.

“You’re really going to wear that egg sac?”

It’s to use this as armor.

“Yes.”

Black Hornet eggs boast tremendous defense against physical damage from the outside. In-game, they’re treated as objects that don’t break easily, no matter how much you hit them.

But they’re vulnerable to impact from inside the egg. It evolved this way so larva can easily break the egg when becoming adults. That’s the setting.

Therefore.

Slice!

If I stick my hand into the egg sac’s opening and carefully cut it with the multi-purpose knife, a hole will open.

Slice!

Like this.

After making several holes in the egg sac, I put it on by sticking my head in first, upside down. Stick my arms through the holes I made on both sides, and it’s complete.

“Done! How is it?”

“…”

‘It looks stupid but cool.’

That’s what her eyes were saying.

The name of this awesome breastplate is Black Hornet Egg Plate Chest Armor (Legend).

The reason it’s a Legend grade is because if it becomes known anywhere, it’ll become a real legend in various ways.

“Shall we go?”

My body swayed a bit after putting on the egg sac.

Plus, it smells bad and larva droppings, fluids, and Abisson’s corpse juices are dripping down, making it quite an ordeal.

But this is the only way.

Yernil dragged the oak barrel full of water.

I dragged the larva.

You are the sacrifice for the new special ability.

“Squeeeak!“

With the struggling larva, positioning Yernil behind me.

Click.

Finally, we opened the gates of hell.

***

It was an empty room, 15 meters wide and long. On the left were small stairs, a wooden platform, and a ladder, and in front was a large stone chair.

A human male was sitting there.

The former strongest on the 1st floor of this labyrinth.

Mister Backstab.

If this were a game, a message would probably be floating above his head.

[Madness]

It’s not there now, but the look in his eyes as he lifts his head has definitely gone bad.

Brittle hair, dry skin, chapped lips.

The Dungeon Master’s emblem is branded on his forehead.

A chilling wind blows from the adventurer who has been captured by the labyrinth’s magic.

Goosebumps rise on my spine.

Yernil’s breathing, which had been tense and shallow until just now, disappeared.

She stopped breathing entirely.

Don’t make the first attack.

That’s what I told her.

Even if you shoot a precious poison arrow, there’s a high chance he’ll dodge it.

“Hehehe.“

Mister Backstab suddenly burst into laughter.

‘Whew.‘

I also gritted my teeth from tension.

A possessed adventurer who caused game over eight or nine times out of ten, even when met with a 4-person party in the game.

And he’s even a rogue type who’s a wizard killer.

To think I’d be challenging this with my life on the line with a 2-person party.

Even I think this is crazy.

“Come at me, you bastard.”

Now I’m the strongest on this labyrinth’s 1st floor!