Chapter 20: Ascending (5)
Blood dripped from his wound, and yet Gerbaut’s expression didn’t change. Not even slightly. His grip on the spear never changed, his breathing remained steady, and his posture never faltered. It was as if the blood soaking his side belonged to someone else.
"You okay?" He asked calmly as he placed his other hand on the wound and pressed it to stop the bleeding.
Misha stared at him, her vision blurring from tears. "You’re hurt!"
How could he even ask her if she was okay? A normal person would be lying on the ground right now.
Gerbaut took out a bottle of red liquid and gulped it down in one go. Then he merely looked at her for a moment when–
"GRAAAAH!!!!" The goblin chieftain’s roar shook the clearing.
Misha flinched, and she instinctively took a step back.
The massive creature pushed itself off the ground, blood pouring from the wounds covering its body. Its yellow eyes burned in fury as it fixed its gaze on them.
Gerbaut turned and rolled his shoulder once. "Stay back."
The goblin’s hand moved toward its belt, where something hung there... a whistle.
The chieftain wrapped its fingers around the whistle and raised it toward its mouth.
Seeing that, Gerbaut immediately charged forward.
The chieftain blew–
Nothing happened since Gerbaut’s strike shattered the whistle. The whistle exploded into splinters, fragments scattered through the air, and not a single sound escaped.
For a second, the goblin simply stared at the broken remains in disbelief. Then its face twisted. "KRUAAAGHH!!!" The roar sounded even angrier than before.
The goblin swung its axe with both hands, but Gerbaut stepped inside its reach, and the massive blade crashed into the ground. Before the goblin could recover, Gerbaut’s spear flashed forward.
Misha’s stomach dropped. Blood continued running down Gerbaut’s side. Every movement left another crimson streak across his armor, yet he never slowed down. He acted as though it were nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Her chest tightened. He was fighting like that because he had to protect her. That realization hit harder than the sight of the wound itself.
She bit her lip and took a step forward. She wasn’t going to hide behind him anymore. She wasn’t going to let him die on her watch, especially not because of her when she has the skills to help him. So when she saw the opening, she took it.
Be brave, Misha! You can do this!
The goblin chieftain raised its axe to crush Gerbaut, leaving its lower body exposed for a second.
「 Passive Skill in Effect: Weapon Mastery 」
「 Elevated stress and fear levels detected. Emotional interference reduced. 」
Misha lunged before that chance could vanish. She drove her sword forward, felt the point punch through the tough hide, and buried the blade deep in the creature’s thigh.
The chieftain lurched sideways with a savage roar. Its thick leg buckled under the force of her strike, and its huge frame swayed as pain ripped through it. Misha ripped her sword free at once, and jumped back before the monster could crush her in its rage.
But Gerbaut never let it recover. He stepped in like a hunting wolf and thrust his spear brutally. The blade tore across the goblin’s chest in a savage slash, ripping through muscle and leather alike.
Flesh split. Blood burst out in an arc. The massive goblin jerked, dropped to one knee, then crashed face first into the dirt with a heavy, final thud.
Misha stared at the fallen chieftain, her breath coming fast, her pulse hammering in her ears. The smell of blood and mud filled her nose. Her hands trembled around her sword hilt, but a fierce heat still burned in her chest.
They finally brought it down.
Ding!
「 〔 FLOOR QUEST 〕
Hunt the Chief Goblin (1/1)
Time Remaining: 91:54:22 」
「 Congratulations! Floor Quest Cleared! 」
「 〔CONTRIBUTION RANKING〕
1. Gerbaut
2. Misha Apocalypse 」
「 〔FLOOR CLEAR REWARDS〕
EXP: +420
Tower Coins +90
<Items Obtained>
Goblin Ear x4
Goblin Leather x2
Wolf Fang x2
<Contribution Bonus>
Tower Coins: +95 」
Misha stared at her rewards. It was her first earnings from the Tower and it felt rather fulfilling. She finally can earn coins without worrying where to get them.
「 〔LEVEL UP〕
Lv. 2 —> Lv. 5
—
Current EXP: 495/600 」
「 〔SYSTEM NOTICE〕
You have reached Level 5.
The Attributes System has been unlocked.」
「 〔ATTRIBUTES〕
Strength ..... 8
Agility ... 11
Vitality ..... 7
Perception .... 12 」
「 〔TITLE EFFECT ACTIVATED〕
The One Acknowledged by the Tower 」
「 Trait growth rate increased 」
「 〔TRAIT PROGRESS〕
—
Analytical Thinking (Lv.3)
Progress: 71% -> 91%
—
Calm Under Pressure (Lv.3)
Progress: 64% -> 86%
—
Steady Hands (Lv. 2)
Progress: 56% -> 98% 」
「 〔SYSTEM NOTICE〕
Steady Hands is close to leveling up. 」
Misha looked over her progress and found no room to complain. She even managed to unlock her attributes. What mattered the most for her were the coins though.
But then again, the difference between her current self and the trembling woman who had stepped into the Basement Floor felt vast. Today, she fought alongside Gerbaut and survived.
"Here, you keep this."
Misha turned to Gerbaut who stood a few steps away. He was holding a small compass in his rough hang."B-but..."
"This is a common reward on this floor. You need it more than I do."
Why was he still standing? Was it because of the potion he drank earlier?
If she lost that much blood, she would probably be on the ground already. Yet he stood there handing out rewards as if they had merely finished a walk through the forest.
[ 〔 Tracker’s Compass 〕
Grade: Rare
Description: A compass that points toward a marked target. ]
Misha blinked at the item, then at Gerbaut. He may have called it common for this floor, yet he still offered a reward he received without hesitation. That alone told her how differently he viewed loot, danger, and survival.
Her fingers curled around the compass with care. The casing felt cool against her palm.
In a place like the Tower, an item that could guide her toward a marked target held countless uses. She could follow an enemy, and she could even use it to avoid getting lost if the marked function allowed enough flexibility.
"You can sell it but I suggest you keep it," Gerbaut said. His tone stayed calm and matter-of-fact. He did not make the gesture seem grand. Then he reached into his subspace and pulled out a bottle filled with green liquid. The potion glimmered faintly in the air between them.
Misha tightened her grip on the compass and watched Gerbaut put the potion over the wound on his side. The liquid hissed softly as it touched the sliced flesh.
Her stomach turned. Just staring at it, she couldn’t help but think that yhe cut looked painful.
Gerbaut’s brow twitched for a brief moment. That tiny reaction told her everything she needed to know. Even so, he remained completely still. He didn’t groan, nor did he complain.
Misha lowered her gaze, and the guilt sitting in her chest grew heavier. She could still remember the goblin’s attack that was meant for her.
"This will only stop the bleeding, we’ll have Elyes tend to this later." His calm voice pulled her from her thoughts.
Misha stared at the ground, her words stuck in her throat. "... I’m sorry."
The apology came out quieter than she intended. She swallowed and continued, "Because of me, you got hurt..."
She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. If Gerbaut hadn’t moved when he did... even when time became slow, she already knew what would have happened. The thought alone made her stomach twist.
"It’s not your fault."
Misha slowly lifted her head to look at him.
Gerbaut secured the empty potion and rose to his feet. His expression remained unreadable as ever. "Just be grateful enough you lived."
The words hit harder than expected. It was not because they sounded harsh, it was because they sounded honest... genuine.
Misha fell silent as she looked at the blood staining his clothes, then she turned at the man standing there as though none of it mattered.
A strange frustration stirred inside her. It was not toward Gerbaut but towards herself.
She had entered the Tower knowing it was dangerous, knowing people could die. Yet she still remained weak and because of that, someone else had to get hurt.
===
By the time they returned to the cave, the others had already prepared dinner.
The smell of warm food drifted through the air. Misha hadn’t realized how hungry she was until that moment. Her entire body felt sore. The fight with the Goblin Chieftain had drained her, but the constant fear of making a mistake had drained her even more.
Nyxie spotted them first. Her eyes moved to the blood soaking Gerbaut’s side, and immediately her carefree expression cracked at once. "What happened to you??"
Gerbaut gave a small shrug. "Got stabbed."
Yara immediately rose from her seat. "That’s not something you should say so casually."
Misha found herself nodding in agreement.
Exactly! Who would answer like that?
Elyes let out a long, tired sigh. "Sit down."
Gerbaut did as told without complaint. He took out the pair of glasses and gave it back to him, then he took off the damaged armor so that the mage could inspect the wound properly.
Once the damaged plates came off, the injury looked even worse than it had outside. Blood still stained his skin, and the torn flesh around the stab wound made Misha’s stomach tighten.
Elyes narrowed his eyes. "I need to close this."
Misha sat nearby and watched quietly. Now that she could see the wound clearly, guilt pressed harder against her chest.
Gerbaut, meanwhile, acted as though none of it bothered him.
Before Misha could dwell on it any longer, an arm wrapped around her shoulders.
Nyxie pulled her close with an easy grin. "So."
Misha blinked. "So?"
"How did things go?"
The question pulled the whole fight back into her mind in a rush. Her fingers tightened into fists.
"... I stabbed things." The words left Misha’s mouth so plainly that even she paused.
Was that not exactly how Gerbaut would say it?
Nyxie stared at her for a second, then she burst out laughing. "Looks like you’re growing up to be like Gerbaut!"
Misha puffed her cheeks at once.
Nyxie poked one of them with shameless delight. "Keep stabbing things and one day you’ll kill a boss in a single stab!"
"..."
A bowl suddenly appeared in front of them.
Misha looked and found Jules standing in front of her.
"H-here..." His smile looked slightly awkward. "Y-You must be exhausted."
The warm scent immediately reached her nose which made her stomach betrayed her with a low growl.
Heat rushed into her cheeks. "Thanks..."
Jules retreated the moment he handed it over, as if staying any longer would only make things worse for both of them.
"Good work both of you."
Misha turned to Yara. The woman’s smile held an easy warmth that softened something tight in Misha’s chest. She liked hearing the simple acknowledgement from her.
Then Gerbaut spoke, "She did fine. Allowing her to come with me was a good decision."
Misha froze for a moment. He wasn’t someone who spoke more than necessary so for him to say she did fine...
Her vision blurred. She blinked, making a droplet landed into her porridge.
As she stared at it, another tear followed. Then before she could even realize it, tears continued to roll down her cheeks.
The fear she held back during the mission, the stress of trying not to fail, the pressure of surviving in a place where one mistake could kill her, all of it surged up at once.
She quickly lowered her head and took a large spoonful of porridge, hoping nobody would notice her.
That hope lasted less than 5 seconds.
Nyxie glanced over and spotted the tears, she endes up grinning widely. "Oh?"
Misha already knew she was doomed.
Nyxie reached over and aggressively ruffled her hair.
"Wha–"
"What’s this?" Nyxie laughed. "I didn’t think you were actually a crybaby! How adorable!"
The entire cave immediately looked their way.
Misha’s soul nearly left her body. Her face turned bright red and she hurriedly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "M-My eyes are just sweating!"
Silence filled the cave for a few long seconds
Then Nyxie laughed even harder. "Yeah, right!"
Yara covered her mouth, though her shaking shoulders gave her away. As for Jules, he quickly looked away to save what little dignity Misha had left. Even Elyes shook his head while he continued to treat Gerbaut’s wound.
Misha could do nothing except hunch over her bowl and bury her face in it, as if the porridge had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world.
