Episode 37. Old colleague
The white-haired goblin old man smiled wryly.
“Would you like to enter the village?”
His question had complex meaning.
However, adventurers visiting this place for the first time could not understand the meaning of the question.
Because you can only know what happens in a village by experiencing it yourself.
“I’m going in.”
The goblin flicked his tongue with a meaningful expression.
“From here, advanced monsters start to appear. If you get caught by them, you may not be able to get out even if you die. Is that okay?”
“yes.”
“haha-. “On the outside, he looks like just a child, but he is a great adventurer who is not afraid of death despite my warnings.”
“Because I have already experienced death.”
“Have you experienced death?”
I just slightly raised the corner of my mouth without answering.
The white-haired goblin frowned, probably thinking my reaction was a joke.
“From here, not only your life but your soul can disappear.”
“It doesn’t matter. “If I die, what good will it be if I still have a soul?”
“That means you can’t even become Bae Hu-ryeong.”
“I have no intention of doing so, so would you please open the way now?”
“… “You’re a fun person.”
The goblin struck the ground three times with his staff.
Thump, thump, thump.
At the same time, the two goblin statues blocking the entrance to the village moved to both sides to open the path.
Coo coo coo coo coo.
“I wish you luck.”
I waved lightly and headed inside the village.
* * *
As I entered the village, I immediately began to understand the situation inside.
It was evident that a battle had taken place, as the corpses of animals were strewn everywhere and burning firewood had not yet been extinguished.
‘It looks like the ordeal started before we arrived.’
There was no trace of victory or defeat. However, it was clear that the previous adventurers had failed to climb.
If we had succeeded, we would have seen at least a dozen goblin corpses, but there weren’t even those.
Rox walked while holding the handle of the mace, as if he felt some energy.
“Dean, I feel like I’m living somewhere not far away.”
“He is the goblin champion.”
“Goblin Champion?”
“Yes, I told you before I came. “In this tower, there are guys called apostles waiting for adventurers on every tenth floor.”
There are a total of 10 apostles we must meet while climbing to the top of the tower.
And the apostle who guards this place is one of the top five most powerful.
In terms of ability alone, he is a powerful person, or rather a monster, who can never let down his guard.
Siegfried flew through the sky and quickly scanned the inside of the village, pointing his finger as if he had found something and shouting loudly.
“There it is! Disciple, he is over there!”
I walked in the direction Siegfried pointed. And there I was able to meet someone called the Goblin Champion.
‘of course.’
Now, it is not a living creature, but just a statue.
Coo coo coo coo.
A goblin with a body larger than an adult human and devil-like horns on its forehead.
“Is this the goblin champion?”
Rox tilted his head.
I heard that the Goblin Champion is definitely an apostle guarding this place, but he’s standing here like a stone statue that can’t do anything.
“that’s right.”
“Shall I break it?”
It was a Rocksdown idea.
“No, it’s impossible.”
“why.”
“try.”
“Try it?”
“okay.”
I took a step back, inviting him to try it himself. Rox glanced at me with a suspicious expression and swung his mace strongly.
Boom-
If the statue had been just stone, it would have shattered into pieces.
Rox’s power was that great. Because his physical strength surpassed human limits and was at the level of an ogre.
bang!
But the results didn’t come out the way he wanted. The statue was fine, and his hands were trembling intensely as if electricity was flowing through them.
“Ahh!”
The only one who was shocked was Rox.
He rolled on the ground in so much pain that he couldn’t even hold his weapon. How painful it must be for him to have his super strength returned to him. He swung it with all his might.
“What is this stone?”
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“It’s magic.”
“Magic?”
“So, do you remember the white-haired goblin before we entered the village?”
Rox slowly rolled his eyes and nodded.
“huh.”
“That guy is the monster in charge of the trials on this floor.”
“to? That old goblin guy from earlier? No, the owner here is a goblin champion.”
“That’s right, and that old man from earlier is Bae Hu-ryeong, the goblin champion.”
“… Bae Hu-ryeong?!”
I said, swiping the stone statue of the goblin champion with my palm.
“This guy, Bae Hu-ryeong, is in the village, and when the number of adventurers here fills up, the trials begin.”
“Even monsters have Bae Hu-ryeong.”
“You too.”
Rox shrugged his shoulders.
“That’s right.”
“I will deal with this guy, so don’t worry.”
“Yeah, but I heard that guy is really strong. Why are you trying to deal with it alone?”
In my past life, it took me a long month to pass this level of trials.
At that time, like a fool, I did not understand the trials the tower presented and just fought the enemy in front of me.
‘Yes, I did.’
So I was stuck on this floor for a long time.
‘but.’
I am different now.
This time I won’t repeat what happened. Because I know all the climbing routes hidden on this floor.
* * *
As time passed, adventurers began to gather one by one in the village.
All of them had unusual appearances, and more than seven out of ten were aurors or skilled people who knew how to use mana.
“Cynthia, isn’t that the kid you saw at the arena this time?”
A man with ponytails and large glasses closed his book and whispered. A woman with long light blue hair who appeared to be her colleague responded.
“that’s right.”
“Oh my, you’re lucky. I see that there are some useful guys this time. “I might succeed in climbing.”
“If they are cooperative.”
“How could you not cooperate?”
The pony-haired man spoke while stroking the human statue next to him.
“Everyone who doesn’t join us will die. “He could be cursed and turn into like this guy right now.”
“… Okay, where is Alfredo?”
“They said they were going to pee for a moment-”
As soon as the ponytail finished speaking, a bald martial artist with a protruding belly like a tomato came running towards me, waving his hand.
“Howdy! “I got lost on the way, so I’m a little late!”
Cynthia shook her head.
“You idiot.”
Bald Mutuga answered her, panting.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Cynthia, why are you so upset today? “Is it that day?”
“The day you die?”
“… “Did I do something wrong?”
“Ask that about your goblin-like face and orc-like belly.”
A man with ponytails waved his hand and came between the two, ending the conversation.
“Stop, stop. I’ll stop talking about useless things here. “Let’s plan how to climb this time.”
Cynthia answered with a sour expression.
“Why do you need to plan a plan? “Let’s just go into the church like last time and take care of the monsters that come in.”
“That’s a good strategy, too. “But isn’t there a better way?”
The bald martial artist raised his hand cautiously.
“How about this? On the way, I saw that among the adventurers who reached the 10th floor this time, there was a guy I met in the arena.”
“oh! “You saw it too?”
“Yeah, wouldn’t it be easy to climb up if we join hands with them?”
“Yes, but… .”
The pony-haired man continued speaking while looking at Cynthia’s gaze.
“The question is whether they will try to join us. “When I saw you in the arena, your skills were not average.”
“I’ll take care of that.”
“you?”
“Yes, I know it when I see it. Why did they come here? And what do you want?”
“What do you do if you find out?”
“What to do? “I’m asking them to cooperate together so they can get what they want.”
Cynthia whispered.
“You idiot, I wonder if it’s as easy as it sounds.”
The bald martial artist continued speaking, pretending not to notice.
“Okay then, I’ll take care of the negotiations, so follow me.”
He walked confidently as if showing off to the two.
Pigtail Glasses and Cynthia followed behind him, pretending not to win. Then, they arrived at the grave at the end of the village and faced Verdin.
“hello.”
Verdin, who was sitting on the fallen tombstone, glanced at Mutuga and did not greet him.
There was silence between the two. No, I should say three since Rox was watching from a few steps away.
Mutuga, unable to endure the awkward time, spoke again.
“hey.”
“say.”
“Oh, yes. This is my first time meeting you, so I don’t know what to call you. “Can I call you Sir Knight?”
“As convenient as possible.”
“Then, sir. I would like to make a good suggestion to the driver. “Can we talk for a moment?”
Verdin shrugged his shoulders.
“I wish you could tell me your purpose briefly and simply.”
“sure! that… It’s nothing special. We are gathering colleagues to join us through this ordeal. “I came to see you because I thought it would be nice if the driver could join me.”
“What if you don’t like it?”
“Si, I can’t help it if you don’t like it. Wouldn’t we be of great help to each other if we worked together? Not only will you succeed in climbing, but you will also get better rewards. “I heard that the greater the number of people who succeed in the trial, the greater the reward the tower gives.”
Mutuga glanced at Verdin and Rox alternately.
As time passed and neither of them responded, he spoke again.
“What do you think?”
“Nine to one.”
“Nine versus one?”
“We got it. You work. “Think about it if you distribute the rewards like this.”
Mutuga’s face stiffened at the absurd suggestion.
“Oh, no, I think that’s too harsh-”
“It’s okay if you don’t like it.”
“How about 7 to 3? “I guess it’s because our party has a lot of people.”
“I told you a little while ago. “It’s nine to one.”
“but… .”
Cynthia, who had been listening to the two’s conversation, walked forward with long strides and stood behind Mutuga.
She placed both hands on her waist and looked down at Verdin with an annoyed expression.
“Hey, no matter how strong you are. Does it make sense to get 9 out of 10 rewards in a trial where we all fight together?”
Verdin raised his head and saw her face.
He made eye contact, thought about something for a moment, and then looked Cynthia up and down.
“name.”
“what?”
“What is your name?”
The two glared at each other as if they were fighting.
As a few seconds passed, Cynthia answered, looking into the distance with a defeated expression.
“Cynthia.”
“Cynthia?”
“Yes, Cynthia. Why are you suddenly asking my name? “In this situation, are you trying to make a statement?”
As soon as Verdin heard her answer, he burst into laughter.
-Hahaha!
‘Is God really on my side?’
I never thought I’d meet Cynthia, a divine spellcaster, here.
He couldn’t hide the smile on his face.
‘I can’t believe I met someone who can open the hidden piece so quickly.’
It’s a change of plan.
He looked at the adventurers who came with Cynthia in turn, then nodded slightly and said.
“That’s fun. fun. okay… . Then let’s do it like this. Instead of doing it together, we will get 7 rewards and you will get 3. Instead, we will put one more condition.”
“… condition?”
“Okay, conditions.”
“What.”
Verdin stood up and patted his butt. He said with a smile, pointing at Cynthia with his index finger.
“You will climb with me from the next floor.”
fantasy,
