Chapter 129: A Bit Too Large 4
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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Although the sudden appearance of a knight-type golem seemed to shift the genre of the game, in my view, this game is unmistakably a dark fantasy.
Before I accumulated a decade's worth of experience, the amount of people that have died before my eyes is uncountable.
I guess it chased them directly since no crossroads appeared?
That was also the case for the 30th floor.
As I walked, tapping my shield rhythmically, I came across remnants of adventurers scattered haphazardly along the pathwayobliterated by the massive boss introduced for the main scenario quest.
To call it remnants felt almost too generousmore like pitiable fragments.
From the crushed fragments of armor to the measly remains of a bow, torn cloth, and bloody flesh scattered about, it was evident that this creature did more than just crush; it devoured.
Considering one reaches the 30th floor as at least a party of four, the remains barely equate to one-third of a person.
The adventurer's badge must have also been completely disintegrated, making it impossible to even report to the adventurer's guild.
Is it a worm-type, not a snake? Maybe even a Mecha-Worm?
With no way to even collect the remains, there was nothing left to do.
The lingering scent of blood suggested the boss monster had passed this way not too long ago.
The pathways twisted and turned, but I hoped not to encounter the Mecha-Worm before returning to the clearing where Mecha-Kaiden was waiting.
I simply pressed forward.
As I continued, ensuring my shield's rhythmic tapping echoed through the cavern, an urgent voice reached my ears.
Hey, what are you doing?!
Stop right there!
From a large pathway, fit for the wandering of a boss monster, two adventurers crouched in a small offshoot, more like a tiny cave than a pathway, and called out desperately to me.
They must have hidden from the boss monsters rampage and heard my shield's sound.
They might have been part of that unlucky party.
I looked at them calmly, and the two of them, a man and a woman, stared back with despair evident in their eyes.
Their faces were dirty even in the dim light of the cave.
The man, with short, scruffy hair and a neatly-trimmed beard, appeared to be a warrior.
Yet, he had discarded his weapon in his flight.
The woman, with her hair flowing down to her shoulders, might be a rogue, given the various tools hanging at her waist.
Didn't you see it? There's something bizarre roaming the 30th floor!
You seem confident wandering alone, but don't push your luck. Our tank was fighting against a cave spider and was torn apart in an instant without even a chance to react!
Their attempt to whisper yet emphasize their urgency was almost comically endearing.
They must have been part of a four-person team with two warriorsone for offense and one for defensea scout for guidance, and a rogue to detect traps.
They may be trying to dissuade me out of concern for their own safety but, in this medieval fantasy land where the concept of human rights doesnt exist, this would rank them among the kind-hearted.
Theyre concerned about others even when theyre scared out of their wits.
"Did that creature just pass this way?"
"Yes, it did! That's why we need to leave quickly. Can you sell us a lantern if you have a spare one? Or guide us to the passageway leading to the 29th floor? Obviously, we will pay you generously."
It seems this party, perhaps due to overconfidence, only had a lantern with their scout.
I didnt tell Han Se-ah about the one lantern per person rule for nothing; heres a perfect counterexample.
Their faces showed concern.
Perhaps they feared I would keep tapping my shield like a madman, or maybe they worried I would abandon them.
Seeing their desperate expressions, I handed them a lantern from my waist pouch.
Normally, I would escort them to the gate and earn some reputation points, but right now, defeating the main scenarios boss monster is my priority.
"Hey, are you sure you'll be okay? That thing is so massive it fills the entire corridor."
"Don't worry. It's about average size for a large monster."
"Judging by how you're traveling alone, you must be a senior adventurer. We intend to compensate you through the guild. May I ask your name?"
"Im Roland, senior adventurer. I'm familiar with large monsters, so dont stress too much. I'll handle that creature. Just make sure you get out of the tower."
"Th-thank you..."
Contrary to the fearful warrior who continued to voice his anxieties, the rogue calmly accepted the lantern.
She may not be a scout, but as an adventurer, she should be able to avoid the monster.
Once they reach the 20th floor, they can use the gate to escape, and their chances of survival are much higher than in the days without gates.
The rogue, lantern in hand, glanced around and started walking towards the lower floor passage with a hunched posture.
The warrior, having discarded his armor, followed silently.
He seems to have good judgment.
Since they're not planning to fight, shedding the armor and making a run for it makes sense.
Watching their scared, prey-like figures, I noticed an update on Han Se-ah's stream.
A refreshed quest window appeared.
[A massive unidentified monster has began wreaking havoc accompanied by a deafening noise.]
[Adventurers fall victim to the monster that doesnt differentiate between monsters and adventurers.]
[They say the monster is drawn to the noise of battle...?]
"Oh, looks like Roland ran into something. The quest window just updated. Will it refresh again when he encounters the boss monster?"
-A 6 natural-born tank... being used for quest shuttling?
-So we need to find the boss first now before progressing?
-Quests involving robots are needed outside too. We're ready to work, BB Games.
-If something's happening, we should change the camera perspective.
-Right, let's check out what Roland is up to.
Reacting to the viewers' comments, Han Se-ah pretends to gaze down a corridor while discreetly manipulating a hologram.
At the same time, her stream started showing me instead of the rest of the party in the hangar.
Of course, the adventurers responsible for the new quest logs had already vanished into the darkness of the cave.
All that was reflected in her stream was the back of me, walking over fragments of bodies and rhythmically tapping my shield while holding a baton-shaped magic tool.
-It's like a whole different genre over there.
-Are those red lumps... adventurers?
-Wanted to see other adventurers, but all I see are those who used to be adventurers.
-Pick mecha or gore, stop flip flopping damn
-Seeing that, getting my guts stomped out by goblins feels pretty mild
No matter how many gacha characters and beauties there are in Heroes Chronicle, it's a game filled with bloody combat, not suitable for minors.
Viewers watching the stream, who probably had their fair share of in-game deaths, began sharing all sorts of experiences.
Of course, it's not like some fantasy novel where senses are 100% linked, making it a death game.
But even without feeling the pain, seeing your avatar get slashed isn't a pleasant experience.
Some have had their bellies torn by goblins, while others were turned into minced meat by orcs.
Han Se-ah has never died once and now, she's riding robots all by herself.
Naturally, it's an opportunity for the chat to berate her.
"Why am I suddenly getting cursed at here?!"
These guys are harsh. Really harsh.
Watching that, I continued on my way.
But this boss monster, is it not hearing the sound of my shield because its own movements are too loud?
It's huge, so it must have moved quite a distance by now.
Damn it.
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Raei Translations
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Aaaaaarghhhhhh-
I screamed at the top of my lungs, the cave echoing with the mana-infused roar.
Why did I silently follow the boss monster?
I should have just lured it out with noise from the start.
No matter how many times I bang my shield, the chittering sounds of dozens of goblins will always drown it out.
The baton-shaped magic tool isn't designed to make noises like a drumstick.
Another problem was the boss monster's mechanics.
If it reacted to even the smallest noises, the players would be ambushed long before they found the hangar.
Then, they would repeatedly fail without ever realizing what they needed to do on this floor.
Come oooooon- Over hereeee-
I hurriedly followed after it, banging my shield, but the long boss monster ignored me and went after the cave spiders.
Could it be that noise isn't the way to lure it, but some other trick?
[They said it responds to sound, right?]
[The source of the noise turned out to be a gigantic worm with a rock-like hide.]
[Adventurers claim it's native to the desert. Why's it in a cave?]
Han Se-ah's quest log was updated on the stream.
Despite the update, the long, giant worm ignored me and sped off into the distance.
That's why I now look ridiculous.
Desperately trying to catch the worm, I run around the pathways screaming like a madman.
I would've preferred to charge at it head-on, grab its tail, and either drag it back or even beat it to death.
But in reality, that was impossible.
Damn it! Why are you so fast!
With mana enhancing my physique, I can run faster than a horse.
I searched online and found out that a horse's average speed is about 88km/h.
So, I should be able to run at a steady pace of 90~100km/h without getting tired.
Yet, that damn boss monster was just slightly faster than me.
That's why, before the adventurers could even react, they were caught by the boss monster.
My enraged screams echoed throughout the cave.
The creature slaughtered every nearby monster before it finally responded to me.
...But if that bastard's a tad faster than me, what do I do when it finally starts chasing me?
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