Inside the cave, we encountered a portal stele.
As soon as I discovered it, I approached it almost as if in a trance and placed my hand on it, but the stele remained silent.
“As expected... even the Baron can’t do anything about it.”
Well, this was sothing I had anticipated.
The portal opening always requires a special condition, just like when we ca here.
It’s likely that so sort of preparation is required again this ti.
Shh.
Upon checking the joint between the stele and the ground, there were clear signs that the surrounding earth had already been dug up.
‘There’s no inscription this ti...’
Tch, does that an I’ll just have to keep butting my head against the ground? I threw so questions at White, the one who first discovered it.
“Have you checked the stele every day?”
“Yes. I’ve co here every day since the discovery and placed my hand on it, but there’s been no reaction.”
In other words, it doesn’t respond only on specific days.
“Is there anything special, any unusual phenonon you need to tell about?”
“No.”
“Then why were you so skeptical earlier?”
This was the question that had just crossed my mind.
Earlier, when I first saw , he had expressed so anxiety. He seed to be questioning whether there was really a way out, whether such a thing even existed.
Why was that?
“...Who knows?”
He answered cautiously.
“Whether the place beyond this stele is the outside world or not.”
“Ah...”
That was exactly what I had thought when I first saw the stele.
Since this was the first ti a human foot had touched this unknown layer, nothing about it could be certain.
When we activate the portal stele, we could end up in the first floor or return to the city as expected, but...
There’s also a possibility it leads to a completely different place.
‘Maybe the 2nd basent floor.’
Of course, finding a way to activate this stele is the top priority.
An explorer’s way of solving things is simple.
They just interact with everything they can, regardless.
“How many people know about this stele?”
“Everyone who’s been living with knows about it.”
Hmm, then there’s no need to keep this secret anymore.
“Let’s go back to where we were.”
At this point, I decided to end the investigation of the stele and head back to where the others were. I shared the information about the stele with everyone, including the Armin Expedition team.
When it cos to places like this, collective intelligence is key.
“We still don’t know where the stele leads... But we’ve finally found a clue, haven’t we?”
“Alright, feel free to speak up. What do you think we should do next to activate this stele?”
“...If we capture that giant over 40 ters tall, could sothing change?”
“There might be sothing at the end of the bookshelf in the library...”
Once I set the topic, a variety of suggestions poured out, starting with Versil, and I absorbed each one into my mind.
“Do you think the village chief might know sothing?”
That’s a good idea.
Muul Armin, who had been listening to the conversation, cautiously asked .
“The village chief... who is that?”
“We’ll visit that island eventually. I’ll explain when we get there.”
“Yes...”
Once our brainstorming session ended, so of the Armin Expedition’s mages and others left to investigate the stele, while the rest took a break in the cave.
The next day, after arranging the labor for the newly added 12 unpaid slaves, we resud the exploration.
There wasn’t much ti left.
Has it already been 9 days...
If I count from the day the exploration started, it’s the 59th day, but based on the ti in the newly opened labyrinth, it’s 9 days.
Anyway, after the 14th day, the rainy season starts, so we need to finish the island exploration before then.
The rainy season is a real hassle...
The thought of being stuck for another week makes ti feel wasted already.
No, it’s not even a week.
After the rainy season starts, monsters swarm, making normal exploration impossible, and right before the rainy season, we need to move to a safe place to avoid it, so exploration cos to a halt.
“Yandel, what are we going to do during the next rainy season? Should we spend it in that cave we found earlier, or go back to the village?”
“I’m thinking of going back to the village. I still need to ask the village chief sothing. If the Silverfang Clan is still there, we could also gather more manpower.”
“Then we’ll need to leave the island in three days. We’ll need ti to get there.”
We have only three more days to explore the island.
Though the ti is tight, the increased manpower has made exploration much faster. It’s like having the map revealed while on the move with the auto-hunting mode on.
“To the right, a group of trolls...”
“Teirun Ervias!”
Boom—!
The low-level mobs under level 5 are wiped out by the ranged dealers’ concentrated fire, vanishing before they even get close.
That’s why explorers at higher floors tend to move in clans.
As the number of people increases, exploration becos much easier.
Of course, the drawback is that the loot has to be split, which is a major disadvantage.
“Sherutin. How’s the map-making going?”
“Yes, would you like to see it?”
By the way, I’m no longer the one doing the mapping.
Hext Clan’s archer is much better at it, so I’ve entrusted the task to him.
Also, we’ve been running reconnaissance units.
I assigned so people to Mikhail Lectus, a forr royal investigation departnt agent, and now he’s been sending back all the information from the reconnaissance team surrounding the main body during the expedition.
Just like this.
“Baron, there are three Nelphardons lying in ambush 3 minutes ahead. What should we do?”
What should we do?
Three Nelphardons casting Gigantism?
“Will we have to go around and take a long detour?”
“That’s not necessary.”
“In that case, we’ll go around.”
Nelphardons aren’t really worth the essence, and since they’ve already finished their experience farming at the library, we decided to skip them.
In this way, we tackled what needed to be tackled and avoided what needed to be avoided, making the exploration much more efficient.
As a result...
‘I think we’re done with the southern region.’
Having mapped over 90% of the southern area, we moved to the east to expand our territory.
How much ti had passed?
When I started to think about heading back to the hideout or setting up a camp here to rest...
“Baron.”
Mikhail Lectus, who had been out scouting, returned urgently.
“4 minutes ahead, Hiphramagent. The giant is sleeping alone.”
Hmm... What should we do now?
Hiphramagent.
The one I encountered on the way to this island, who caused to quickly flee when it called its friends.
The chief’s book ntioned that it was half-subrged in the sea when it was first discovered.
So, I had wondered if it was purely a marine monster.
‘It seems it doesn’t only appear in the sea.’
Now that I’ve found it on land, it looks like it’s a versatile amphibious creature.
Anyway, what’s important now is not that...
“Alone?”
“Yes. For now, yes.”
“Then, search the surrounding area without provoking it. There may be more of its kind, just like last ti. We’ll decide what to do after that.”
“Yes.”
After issuing the detailed search order to Mikhail Lectus, I took so ti to think while waiting for his return.
Even though my enthusiasm had diminished after realizing it leaves corpses behind, I still thought it was worth trying to capture it at least once.
Since I’d eventually run into it again while staying in this layer.
Better to catch it when it’s alone and get so experience.
I needed to confirm its passive abilities and any other unconfird active skills. Only by understanding these things could I devise a strategy for dealing with it.
“Within a 2 km radius, no monsters exist.”
As soon as I received news from the reconnaissance team, I began preparing for a raid.
We reorganized the formation, anticipating that the monster might escape again during the battle, just like last ti.
And then...
“Well, let’s go.”
Now, all that was left was to execute the plan.
“Already?”
“Couldn’t it wake up? Its kin might return.”
Perhaps it was a monster estimated to be level 2?
So of the team seed unprepared, but wasting ti here was not an option.
Shh.
We moved as quietly as possible to the giant’s sleeping spot, then spread out to surround it.
Just as the mages and ranged dealers were preparing for a strong first strike...
[Uhhh...?]
The giant, curled up like a shrimp in its sleep, lifted its head and looked at us.
We had blocked the sound with magic, so it wasn’t because it heard us...
‘...Did it feel our magic?’
Regardless, since it had already woken up, there was no reason to act cautiously anymore.
The character has cast [Gigantism].
I imdiately followed up by linking it with Transcendence, increasing my size first.
“Veeell—laaa!!”
Before it could fully stand, I slamd my hamr into its shin.
Crash—!
It wasn’t enough to break its bones, but it was enough to throw off its balance just as it was trying to rise.
Boom—!
The giant fell to the ground, kicking up a dust cloud that obscured the view.
A minor issue that often occurs during battle.
Shhhhhh—!
The mages at the back quickly used wind magic to clear the dust, and once the view was restored, I rushed in and struck its jaw with my hamr.
And then, at that mont...
[Uooooooo—!]
It roared at from the front.
The sound was so loud I could feel the air vibrating.
Ah, that startled .
A chill ran down my spine, my hair standing on end, and for so reason, my pride was hurt.
So...
“AAAHHHH—!!!”
I scread back at it with all my might.
I didn’t think about it or plan {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} it, but surprisingly, it helped boost my morale.
“What’s going on? Attack already!”
“Everyone, stay calm and just follow the plan!”
White Hext and Muul Armin snapped back into action and started directing the team, and soon, the ranged attacks began flying.
Arrows, ability attacks, and more.
Most of them couldn’t deal as much damage as my hamr, but...
They did buy us so ti.
Charlotte Amblett casts 2nd-grade attack magic [Spear of Annihilation].
A combined magic spell from the three mages of the Armin Expedition, who had worked together for a long ti in the labyrinth.
Thwok—!
A huge white spear pierced deep into the giant’s lower abdon.
I was a little surprised.
It didn’t even go through?
How high is its mana resistance?
I couldn’t help but wonder about its base stats, but right now, that wasn’t my concern.
“Barbarian, don’t go wild this ti. Take it slow—”
“Veeell—laaa!!!”
Ainard and Alia, along with the lee line, also charged in and began attacking.
The main target was its ankles.
This was the order I had given earlier.
After all, this creature has a tendency to run away before it even starts fighting.
It was important to reduce its mobility first...
“The monster is getting up!”
“Back off!”
Despite our efforts to stop it, the giant finally fully rose and planted its feet firmly on the ground.
And then...
[Uooooooo—!]
It suddenly started running toward the opposite side.
What the hell kind of cowardly monster is this?
It was absurd, but I didn’t want to go through the sa thing again.
This wasn’t the sa sea as before, was it?
Erwen Fornaci di Tersia summons [King of Dark Spirits Dichloe].
Dark orbs rained down on the giant like missile strikes.
Surprisingly, it continued running despite being hit by them, but eventually, it reached its limit.
Boom, boom—!
I imdiately ran up and clung to its back as it slowed down from staggering.
Crash, crash—! Boom—!
While the spirits continued their bombardnt, it didn’t bother at all now.
The power of essences followed by equipnt makes all the difference, right?
No.12 Trust.
Among the Double Numbers, one of the highest-tier items.
The damage dealt by allied units in the bonded state.
The light of Trust protects the character from the damage.
With this, strategies like this are possible.
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