Waves 2

The dimensional collapse event was already brutal enough, but the narrow terrain only made it worse.

A limited surface area meant there was a limit to how many people could fight at once.

Once the group exceeded a hundred explorers, those on the edges were liable to misstep and get thrown into another dimension. Realistically, around sixty was the ideal number.

In other words, brute force and sheer numbers didn’t work against a dimensional collapse.

But that wasn’t the only problem. As the waves continued, casualties were unavoidable, and whether we could replenish our numbers depended entirely on luck.

And even that wasn’t the end of it.

Formation.

More than anything else, dimensional collapse robbed us of the freedom to choose our formation.

During normal exploration, we could switch between all kinds of formations—breakthrough, retreat, annihilation, and so on. But during a dimensional collapse, only a defensive formation was possible.

And even that defensive formation had to block enemies coming from every direction, forcing the vanguard to be spread out.

Needless to say, the difficulty level was extremely high.

The reason I had been able to do nothing but hold Valantis in place was precisely because of those traits unique to Dimensional Collapse.

After all, a limited formation meant that strategic freedom was also lost.

Just like this.

“Bethel-raaaaaaaaaaa!!”

For the first time since the battle began, I moved from the spot where I had been holding down Valantis alone.

It was something I never could have done during the Dimensional Collapse.

But now, we were in a stable period, free from those restrictions.

「The character has used [Wild Outburst].」

「The character’s danger level is above 500.」

「All monsters within range will prioritize attacking the character.」

I roared and activated the Aegis barrier’s ability, and Valantis charged after me as though possessed.

“Fall back! Aynar, get your attack ready!”

After ordering the main party to retreat, I ran to the other side, where it had previously been impossible to attract the attention of the monsters with my danger level.

All the monsters that had been attacking the group turned their attention towards me.

This was a strategy that could only be used now that the space restriction had been lifted.

Before, even if I drew their attention, they would have simply attacked the main party members standing in front of them. After all, there was a difference between “prioritizing” me and “attacking only” me.

Okay, this should be enough for mob gathering…!

Now, there was enough distance between me and the main party.

“Fire!”

At my command, the main party unleashed their most powerful attacks directly at my position.

This was a fighting style no ordinary tank could ever pull off.

BOOOOOM!

But that didn’t matter.

[All magic damage received is reduced by 50%.]

[Physical resistance increases in proportion to absorbed magic damage.]

Because I wasn’t an ordinary tank.

On top of that, I was receiving support from the main party even as they bombarded me.

[Maria Shur Eloyd has cast Dedication to the Hero.]

「In exchange for limiting the song and performance’s target to one person, its effect is tripled.」

[Maria Shur Eloyd has cast Aria of Comfort.]

「While the performance continues, the target character’s natural regeneration greatly increases.」

「Maria Shur Eloyd has cast Wind and Light that Covers Wounds.]

「While the song continues, the character receives high-grade healing…]

[…]

Any injuries I suffered healed almost instantly.

With the priests focusing all their healing on me, I wouldn’t have felt nervous even if a hundred monsters charged at me at once. Unless they possessed some kind of instant-death ability, even a Rank 1 monster wouldn’t be able to kill me.

Rule number one of the shield barbarian.

[Character has taken damage.]

What doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.

「Damage is accumulating. Damage is accumulating…」

「The character has used [Aegis’s Dragon Armor].」

It did not take long to finish off the stubborn Spear Dippers that had followed us all the way to the fifth teleport, along with the machine monsters from the Panthelion Ruins.

Honestly, after everything we had gone through up to this point, wiping them out felt almost too easy.

Of course, the fact that the wyverns hadn’t followed us here played a huge part in that.

Anyway.

Once the small fries had been dealt with and the area had quieted down, the presence of a single being became even more overwhelming.

“Graaaak! Gweeeeek!”

The guardian of the Grave Palace of Valantis.

The Star of Ruin, Valantis.

“Grak! K-kuek! Grweeek!”

Just like the first time I saw it, the creature was still vomiting up that repulsive bile while staring straight at me.

“Fire! Mages, ability users, whoever you are, use fire! Nothing else works on that thing!”

There was a brief pause before my order was answered.

Fireball, Rain of Fire, Lava Arrow, and more…

All kinds of fire-type skills flew toward the target.

“Graak! Th-the… the light…!”

There was not much to say after that. Phase one ended in only five minutes, and the rest was not particularly difficult either.

[Star of Ruin, Valantis has cast Oath of Immortality.]

Phase two began once its health dropped below half.

Originally, it would summon soldiers in proportion to the amount of bile it had vomited up, then strengthen itself based on their number.

Maybe this was the one advantage of the dimensional collapse.

Since we had already changed battlefields five times, the number of soldiers summoned here was low, allowing us to move into the third phase quickly.

[Star of Ruin, Valantis ignites.]

[An unknown being who desires the unclean has bestowed its blessing.]

[Valantis gains immunity to fire until the end of battle.]

[All resistances are greatly reduced.]

That marked the start of the third phase.

Even after cloaking itself in gray flames, the monster continued using the same skills as before. However…

[Star of Ruin, Valantis has cast Unclean Matter.]

This time, it did not merely spread across the field and inflict continuous poison damage.

Boom! Boom!

The black substance now exploded as well, dealing area damage. On top of that, Isolation, its aura skill, had gained additional effects, causing indiscriminate explosions to erupt all around the monster.

Of course, none of that mattered.

Just as I had ordered, the main group was still positioned outside its range.

“Stop using fire! Hit it with anything else!”

After that, attacks of every type except fire rained down on the monster, and at last, we reached the final stage—the fourth phase.

[Star of Ruin, Valantis’ health has reached 0%.]

[The condition for One Who Rejects Eternal Sleep has been met.]

This was the section where its passive activated.

Vwoong!

Soon, a gigantic black star, easily ten meters in diameter, rose into the sky. IIt was a kind of totem that rained debuffs down on us while continuously summoning soldiers to attack.

During this phase, Valantis would remain immune to all damage until that “star” was destroyed.

However…

If we had made it this far, then victory was already ours.

The moment I shouted, an answer came back immediately, as though she had been waiting for this exact moment.

“Aynar”

“URAAAAAAH!”

With a roar every bit as loud as mine, a single spear shot through the air like a bolt of lightning.

[The effect of Soul Pursuit will be applied on the next hit.]

Aynar had thrown the spear at Valantis’ main body, but the skill’s correction was absolute.

Whiiiiiiish!

As if it knew the monster’s weak point was not its body, the enormous spear bent at an unnatural angle and flew upward toward the black star.

It pierced the ominous star without the slightest resistance.

Then…

Stab!

A moment later…

Bang!

The floating black star burst into dust, and Valantis’ main body collapsed.

Thud!

As its massive body crashed to the ground, a brilliant light filled our vision.

[You have defeated Star of Ruin, Valantis. EXP +8.]

[Elite Guardian defeat bonus. EXP +5.]

The battle was finally over.

Now, what reward did we get for for all that hell?

Guardians had a 33% chance of dropping an essence.

And since Ainar had dealt the final blow, the 5% bonus from No. 9999 Beginner’s Luck would apply, raising the chance to 38%.

However…

“Th-the essence…!”

“…It didn’t appear.”

Unfortunately, no essence dropped.

It would have been pretty useful, especially since it could have been used with Amelia’s Self-Replication.

Well, there was no point dwelling on what-ifs. We had not come away completely empty-handed.

“Still, it’s a numbered item!”

“A numbered item dropped!”

We had gotten an item.

And not just any item.

A double-digit numbered item.

That was far more valuable than an essence.

But something felt strange.

Clack…

As I bent down to pick up the loot, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was heavier than usual.

***

Thirteen dead.

The moment the battle ended, I checked the damage report first and a miserable feeling settled over me.

We had thirty-nine people, and a third of them had just died. The casualties had come from every group.

One from the Armin Explorer Group.

Two from the Illuma Clan.

Seven from the Sawtooth Clan.

Even the three survivors who had joined us during the fourth wave were all gone.

Well, one of those three could technically be classified as a deserter, but we decided to count them among the dead.

Silence lingered over us.

The joy of having survived such a brutal battle spread like wildfire, but just as quickly as it came, it was replaced by grief and regret.

“It’s already been seven years. We’ve known each other for so long. I never thought I’d have to send you off like this.”

“This is suffocating. What am I supposed to tell his family when we return…?”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuuuuuck!!!”

Just because explorers were used to farewells did not mean they were emotionless monsters.

Losing someone close was equally painful for anyone.

Especially when that someone was family.

“…We’ll hold a funeral.”

At my murmur, a woman who had been sitting on the ground rose to her feet.

“But how…?”

It was Charlotte Emblut of the Armin Explorer Group. She was a mage who had joined the clan as an explorer together with her older brother.

“M-my brother… he’s gone. He’s gone… I-I should’ve held on to him… I should’ve held on to him…! I never should’ve left him there…!”

This was one of the curses of the dimensional collapse.

If you failed to retrieve the bodies amid the chaos, you would never be able to recover them afterward.

“Aah… AAAH…!”

She cried out in anguish and rage.

But even as I watched her crumble, I thought she was stronger than she looked.

At the very least, she was blaming herself.

“Aah…”

Suddenly, I remembered what had happened on the first underground floor.

Brian Emblut.

Though I had not been particularly close to him, he had been a good person. Even back then, when they lost a comrade, he had cared for and comforted his younger sister.

It was a rare sight in the labyrinth—something genuinely warm.

“Why…? Why me…? Why me…?”

Unable to keep watching Charlotte Emblut cry, I turned away.

Then I approached the priestess and said, “…I’ll prepare a place later. Could you offer prayers for the dead?”

“Of course…”

“Thank you.”

“But…”

Just as I was about to turn around after thanking her, the priestess called out to me.

“Will that… have any meaning?”

Her gaze was fixed on Charlotte Amblut.

Thanks to that, I could understand what she was asking even without a subject.

Was there any point in holding a funeral for the dead when we could not even bury their bodies?

Would it bring comfort to the dead, or even to those left behind?

No, perhaps from a religious perspective, it was impossible to lay the dead to rest without their bodies in the first place.

Either way, I answered without the slightest hesitation.

“There is. I’m sure of it.”

“I see… Understood.”

Some time passed, and once I judged that everyone had calmed down a little, we held the funeral immediately.

Fwooosh!

Following my instructions, the mages lit a fire on the bare ground without any real purpose, and the priests offered prayers before that hollow flame.

Prayers that only the living could hear.

Everyone was exhausted, but they still attended the funeral and took their place.

After the funeral ended, those who wished to remain stayed behind, while the others scattered a short distance away and closed their eyes to rest.

I was left with the awkward choice of whether to stay at the funeral or leave and get some sleep.

[00:01]

I checked the time absentmindedly and saw that it was already past midnight.

Aynar approached, tapped me on the shoulder, then walked past me.

“It’s time to sleep, Bjorn.”

I looked at her questioningly.

“We have to fight tomorrow too.”

Yeah.

This was only the end of the fourth wave.

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