STGB Episode 404
Dilemma(1)
The yellow glow from the traffic light ring can only mean one thing.
Something bad was about to happen, but if I overcame it, it would lead to a positive outcome.
“Could it be… there’s another traitor?”
This was the first thought that came to mind.
During the interrogation I hadn’t heard anything about an accomplice, but it’s possible there’s another mole from another group that even he didn’t know about.
If we don’t catch him, something negative will happen, and if we do, something positive will happen.
‘…Well, maybe the ring’s alert isn’t even about a traitor.’
As someone responsible for the lives of many, I kept the worst-case scenario in mind but decided not to dwell on it too much.
Nothing was certain yet.
I simply kept my guard up, observing my surroundings more carefully.
[The character has entered a special area]
[Field Effect—Glacier Eye is applied]
The day after the execution, we packed up our campsite and entered a deep pit that seemed to go right to the core.
A field structured like a massive cylindrical pillar.
The path along the outer wall spiraled downward like a staircase. Since it was the final gateway to the eighth floor, the difficulty was quite high.
The monsters that appeared weren’t significantly stronger than those we’d encountered before, but…
[Status Ailment [Whispers of Immortality] is applied]
A vicious curse that resurrects the fallen as undead, forcing them to attack their own team.
「Status effect [Deprivation of Opportunity] has been inflicted.」
Moreover, the so-called ‘golden time’ countdown was removed.
[All healing and recovery effects work in reverse]
To top it off, this damn debuff was added.
‘…What am I supposed to do if even natural regeneration works in reverse?’
In this place, even minor wounds never heal.
No, they actually keep festering and worsening.
And the higher the character’s natural regeneration, the faster it happens.
It’s a place that could be called the graveyard of tankers.
‘How many shield warriors did I lose in the game here…?’
Well, I don’t even want to think about it.
Probably burned through hundreds.
At least until I finally figured out the strategy.
“This place feels even creepier,” said Erwin.
“Erwin, stop chatting and stay alert. The beasts will appear soon. As I said earlier—”
“You mean I should be careful not to get hurt if possible, right? Hehe, got it.”
“….”
Because the path was narrow, the entire expedition was divided into groups, following one after another like a train.
Here, the importance of ranged attackers increased.
Because almost 90% of the appearing monsters were capable of flight.
“It’s gargoyles…!”
Not the Level 8 monster “Gargoyle Statues” from the Blood Tinted Castle, but actual gargoyles.
“There’s a Death Knight too!”
A Death Knight riding a gargoyle, swinging its spear.
[Keekeeheehee!]
The Banshee Queen and various undead spirit monsters spread curses while floating around.
Flying monsters, which are practically counters to melee fighters, appeared everywhere but they were intercepted and eliminated before they could get close.
「James Carla cast [Piercing Light].」
「Titana Akuraba used [No. 1911 Pavel’s Broken Pocket Watch]」
「Cooldown times are removed for 5 minutes.」
「Erwin Fornacci di Tersia cast [Elemental Fusion].」
Archers, support type, mages, and more.
Not only did our expedition have many ranged classes, but we also had four priests, so there was no shortage of firepower.
[Nialo Campbell has cast [Wave of Healing]
[Benjamin Orman has cast [Emergency Regeneration]…
“…”
Holy spells that deal a whopping 1.5x damage to undead.
Of course, not all the monsters were undead, but still, it wasn’t a big problem.
They still took enough damage anyway.
[All healing and recovery effects work in reverse]
Since we couldn’t even heal allies here, the priests served as ranged attackers.
[Defeated a Gargoyle +EXP 6]
[Defeated a Ghost Horse +EXP 4
[Defeated a White Wyvern +EXP 6
[Defeated a Blue Flame Bird…]
“…”
Monsters melted under high heal coefficients and A-o-E holy spells.
The Melee dealers focused on defense, dealing with cliff climbers and other creatures.
And…
“Battle over!”
“Resume movement after a 10-minute rest!”
After each wave ended, we quickly regrouped and descended further.
Time passed, and after several more waves with no injuries, we finally reached the first high ground.
At some point, the narrow sloping path ended.
A wide rock ledge jutting out from the cliff.
And…
“This is crazy. We’re supposed to fight that number without getting hurt?”
Hundreds of monsters filling the area.
This was inevitable, as the cave in the cliff was the respawn area for the Glacier Eye.
“What are you complaining about? We’ve had it easy so far; now it’s our turn to work hard.”
If the ranged classes shone on the sloping path, now it was time for the melee fighters to use their skills.
“Form up!”
“Stay focused every moment! If you don’t want to spend the next week nursing a rotting arm.”
The warriors formed a shield wall at the front.
And…
“Charge!”
We somehow pushed back the monsters to secure space.
Then, a melee battle unfolded.
While the warriors at the front risked injury to block the enemies, the ranged classes unleashed their firepower.
Perhaps because our forces were overwhelming, the battle itself was relatively manageable.
But even so…
“Damn it, my arm…! Aaaagh!!”
Injuries occurred.
***
We had a total of four casualties.
Among them, three had minor injuries—just scratches—so they wouldn’t lead to death.
We’re on schedule to reach the eighth floor in six days.
As long as they didn’t sustain additional injuries, even if the wounds festered and rotted, they could hold out until we could get treatment.
The problem was the one who was seriously injured.
“Am I… am I going to die?”
Rick Jergasta.
A melee fighter from James Carla’s team, his team was already one man down due to the absence of Pike Neldine.
Rick Jergasta was clutching his thigh, his bone protruding from his flesh.
“You won’t die! There’s absolutely no way, so don’t worry!” James Carla shouted
Right, those two have been friends for a long time.
“Scuiz! We must turn the expedition back and head up immediately!”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, ‘why’? If we leave him like this, he won’t be able to hold out until we reach the eighth floor.”
Hearing his desperate voice, I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. Would he have reacted this way if it were anyone else injured?
Probably not—he’d likely have made a cold calculation, Just like Akuraba over there.
“We’ve already spent an entire day coming down. Going back up and coming down again means we’ll waste a total of two more days.”
To save one person, twenty-eight people would waste two days in total.
Well, That’s just the start of the issue.
“Sir Carla, sorry but we only have food for five more days. Even as it is, we’ll have to starve all day at the end.”
Just as Kaislan pointed out, saving this one person would cost us more than time.
It would cost lives.
“Ah, thanks to the traitor in whose team?”
But is this guy really a paladin?
His sarcasm is something else…
“Enough about the traitor. Let me ask one thing. Did you think this expedition would succeed without any sacrifices, Sir Carla?”
The question left James Carla speechless, and Kaislan continued his cold words.
“Moreover, there will be more injured in the future. What will you do then? Go back up every time?”
Again, James Carla couldn’t say anything.
Gritting teeth.
He just clenched his teeth, unable to hide his frustration.
The reality that there was no one to help him was too harsh.
“It would be better to let him return to the gods peacefully. If you can’t, I’ll help you do it.”
In other words, Jun was suggesting to finish him off.
At this, the pitifully trembling James Carla looked at me and asked.
“Schuiz. Do you think the same…?”
I neither denied nor affirmed.
“Kaislan isn’t saying anything wrong, is he?”
In extreme situations, it’s usually like this.
Moments come when you must choose and sacrifice something.
But…
“Alright. I’ll do it,” James said.
What are you saying?
“Stop. It’s not time for that yet.”
I can’t let a valuable team member die.
Well, he might die during the expedition.
But at least not here.
“Pardon…?” he looked at me, dumbfounded.
Looking at James Carla’s bewildered face, I shrugged.
“We won’t go back up, but we also won’t leave a comrade to die here.”
At my words, all the team leaders made the same expression.
‘What the hell is this guy saying again?’
Exactly that expression.
Tsk tsk, that’s why beginners are like this.
“We continue descending.”
Time to use the strategy.
***
The Glacier Eye was my most hated area. But I’d finally discovered the strategy.
「All healing and recovery effects are reversed.」
The journey through Glacier Eye is long and takes a whole week.
There’s only one way to explain this crazy penalty in Dungeons & Stones.
A hidden solution had to exist somewhere, so I kept experimenting until I finally found it.
It was surprisingly simple.
“Distortion magic…?”
“Yes. From now on, in every battle, we will use distortion magic against the monsters.”
“The mages are already quite fatigued from using ‘Preservation’ magic. What’s the reason for adding more burden here?”
Because distortion magic is the key to the strategy.
Though it prevents magic stones and essences from dropping, it sometimes preserves monster corpses.
Wyvern Leather.
Adamantium.
Troll blood, a potion ingredient.
Various materials used in high-level spirit engravings are by-products obtained using ‘distortion magic.’
The monsters that appear in the Glacier Eye can all be hunted on other floors.
That’s why it took a long time to realize that distortion was the answer.
Why use distortion to farm materials in a place where we can’t use ‘Subspace’ and have limited inventory?
When we can hunt them more easily on other floors?
It was extremely inefficient.
Well, as usual, the damn game had the answer.
“…I didn’t expect such a method for healing injuries.”
As I explained the strategy, everyone marveled.
No one doubted me, even though it was something they’d heard for the first time.
“Impressive intelligence from Lord Tercerion, or should I say the royal family’s power? To know a tactic that even skilled explorers are unaware of.”
Just as they thought there was another strategist in my team when I caught the traitor by turning on my detective mode.
They thought the source of this strategy was elsewhere.
‘…Maybe it’s better that they misunderstand like this?’
Hmm, that seems better.
There’s no benefit in boasting here.
In our culture, humility is a virtue.
“Alright, everyone is tired, so let’s camp here tonight and resume in the morning.”
We judged that James Carla’s friend could hold on for two more days, so we spent the night on the rock ledge and resumed our journey early the next morning.
And…
[Riard Ashid has cast level 6 Time-Space Magic [Advanced Distortion]
「Mackelly Rayadas has cast level 6 Time-Space Magic [Advanced Distortion].”
[Vercil Gowland has cast level 6 Time-Space Magic [Advanced Distortion]…”
After casting countless Advanced Distortion, which has 1.5 times the chance of regular Distortion, we finally managed to preserve a corpse in the afternoon.
“Schuiz! Is this the thing you mentioned back then?” James Carla exclaimed.
Carla quickly retrieved a bead from the corpse, and I fed it to the wounded before it melted.
「Rick Juggersta consumed ‘Frozen Life’s Essence’.」
Okay, that’s one person saved…
“What about the remaining materials?” someone asked
We left the other monster corpses behind.
Although they could fetch a high price in town, we couldn’t carry more weight.
Of course, that was the logical choice—
Grrrrr (stomach growling).
But why couldn’t I make myself leave?
As I tried to pinpoint this subconscious resistance, a sudden thought hit me.
‘This is meat, right? It’s a bit spoiled, maybe, but…’
Thinking it was a good idea, I quickly ran over to Amelia to share it.
“Emily! I’ve found a way to solve our food problem!”
“You… What bizarre idea are you trying to pitch this time?”
“This time it’s not strange; it’s for real!”
“Sigh, fine, tell me.”
“Well…”
I explained my food-supply plan to Amelia.
And then…
Smack—!
I ended up getting slapped on the back for no reason.
‘…Is it really that bad? no matter how I look at it, I thought it was a good idea.