The essence of the rank 7 Yeti had pretty decent abilities.
[Yeti: Strength +10, Agility +10, Bone Strength +15, Cold Resistance +25, Cold Sensitivity +15]
First, I had a couple of level 1 stats. Bone strength and cold resistance were also defensive stats ranked at higher levels. Add cold sensitivity?
This should be useful for a few years.
Sensitivity stats were key for attribute distributors like Missha. Just as physical damage increased when strength was high, attribute power adjusted depending on the sensitivity level.
As expected, she's lucky.
I felt this too in the Witch's Wood, but Missha was the complete opposite of me. Everything she did worked flawlessly. Just look at the Yeti essence—a blue one, by the way.
(P) Chills: Adds additional cold damage to all attacks and reduces the frost immunity of the affected target.
(A) Cold condensation - Temporarily increases sensitivity to cold to a great extension.
The passive ability was common, despite the color, but the one I wanted was missing from the Yeti's active abilities. Frostbite wasn't bad either, but comparing only potential, there was nothing else like it.
It's a skill that could have been used as the essence of a pawn if only the base stats were good. Anyway.
Cold Condensation shone brightest in the second half of the match. However, because the stat bonus was too low, I would have to remove it in the second half.
If the Yeti were a rank 5 monster, it would have been much better...
This game was unnecessarily balanced in these areas.
While thinking this, Missha asked, "How much could it be?"
"Hey?"
"How much could it cost that you're hesitating so much?!" What the hell, was he still on about that? "As you know, I spent a lot of money this time so I don't have much left..."
At this point, I almost wanted why I was acting this way, but when I thought about it, it wasn't as if I couldn't understand. That's how ruthless the explorer's method of distributing essences was. When an essence dropped, the group would search for the person who was supposed to pick it up. Once the owner was chosen, they had to pay the group members an amount based on the average value decided by the guild.
But it's a headache if there are no buyers on the team.
Not because they didn't need it, but because there were times when no one could afford the cost of the essence. Rather, this was overwhelmingly common. However, even in that case, they waited 30 minutes until the essence dissipated naturally before summarizing the exploration.
This means that there can be nothing good for another person that is done for free.
That's how the explorers were. However, Missha was lucky this time. «Don't worry about the money. Such distribution is only for those who will separate».
«Is that so?»
I was a barbarian who knew how to invest in the future. For my safe exploration, Missha needed to evolve into a better damage dealer.
«Then I'll eat it...?»
«Why do you keep looking at me? Go ahead, eat».
«Uhh, am I really going to eat it?»
Gosh, how many times did I have to say it? For Missha, who had been an explorer for a long time, it seemed uncomfortable to accept something without giving anything in return.
«Why do you doubt? It is enough for me that you continue by my side».
«Well, thanks for saying that, but... Ahh, I don't know more. I'm really going to eat it!» Despite that vigorous scream, Missha cautiously placed her hand on the essence.
[The Essence of a Yeti has seeped into Missha Karlstein's soul].
The essence emitted a light and intertwined in Missha's body. «... It feels so weird. Maybe because it's been two years?»
«You'll get used to it soon». I decided to explain the Yeti thing in detail later, when I had time, and turned to look at Jenson. It seemed like their discussion was over too. «What did you decide to do with that?».
Carlson answered my question carefully. «Umm... None of us will eat this».
It was a bit of an unexpected response. Were they going to throw away an essence? Those beginner bastards?
«Miss Jencia said that she saw the essence of the Frost Wolf's body come out»...
«AND?»
«If it's a Frost Wolf... I decided it was an essence that didn't suit me».
Was that so? I asked, watching Carlson's expression carefully: «Do you know anything about the Frost Wolves?».
Although their rank of 9 was low, the information about these guys was not well known because you could only meet them after reaching the sixth floor, excluding the cracks. How did the explorers on the first and second floors know about them? It wasn't impossible, but it certainly wasn't common.
«Um... I don't know the details, but it's a rank 9 essence, okay? There may be a better essence later...»
«...I see.» It was a little suspicious, but there was nothing wrong with his response. If we were outside it would be another story, but this was a rift, where the rate of falling essences increased enormously. It must have felt like a waste to fill his single essence slot with a rank 9 essence.
«Oh, of course I meant I'll take what's left over, I didn't mean anything else».
«I know. You don't need to explain it to me». When the interview with Carlson ended, it was Jencia's turn. «Are you the same as him?».
«Yes... I only have one free place, so I want to be a little more careful...».
Careful, huh? I didn't think that was something a swordswoman with the essence of a Goblin Archer should say.
«Well... erasing an essence costs a lot of money, right? So I thought I shouldn't make the same mistake as last time».
Learn from past mistakes, huh? If that was the case, there was nothing more to say.
«I'm sorry. You even gave it to us».
In the end, both interviews ended without much success. That was the disappointing part.
Gosh, I thought I could identify at least one of them more clearly.
My plan was to eliminate anyone who stepped forward to take this essence from the list of suspects. But none of them took it, and their answers were also realistic.
Damn, they're not all in this together, are they?
Even thinking about the worst case scenario, I stopped my train of thought. The final wave was about to begin.
«By the way... Is it all over yet?». Jencia murmured in an anxious voice.
Zzz, Zzzzz!
Just then, the time left over from dealing with the Yeti ended early, and the final wave of the second chapter began. The nine-layer ice wall had already shattered, and the hallway was four times wider than before.
«Up!»
The shattered roof cracked like a spider's web, revealing a beast 3 meters in diameter.
«Gwaaaaaaa!» Grayish-white fur covered the skin, with mane climbing up the spine and covering the area around the neck. It was a rank 7 monster whose main specialty was bipedal walking and tearing apart enemies with sharp claws.
«...He's a Lycanthrope!»
At Missha's shout, Mr. Bear expressed his doubts. «Isn't he too big to be a Lycanthrope? What is that club in your hands?» It was a reasonable doubt. That guy was the final boss of the rift we were in. If he didn't know that it was the guardian of the Glacier Cave, the tyrant Tarunbas, he would be confused. «We better be careful». Perhaps instinctively sensing that this was not an easy enemy, Mr. Bear nervously offered me some advice for the first time.
Of course, I ignored it. He may be the final boss, but fighting this guy would come a little later.
«Oh, be careful!»
Faced with the appearance of a monster that was clearly peculiar at first glance, everyone raised their concentration and prepared for what was coming next.
[The tyrant Tarunbas has discovered the intruders and is very angry. The tyrant Tarunbas has launched Ice Crushing].
The bastard hit his club.
Kwaaaaaang!
The shaking was so great that the entire surrounding area vibrated. Soon, the crack in the floor spread, as did in the ceiling.
«Uh, huh?»
«B-Bjorn!»
«...The ground is collapsing!»
The ground collapsed and we fell.
«Aaaaaaaaaaa!»
It was time to move on to the third chapter.
***
[You have entered a special area. Glacier Cave-Field Effect granted. The Hypothermia state abnormality is added. Agility is greatly reduced, and cold damage is doubled].
Up!
I raised my head above the surface of the water and let out the breath I had been holding. Then I got out of the water and lay down on the ground. The curses appeared instantly.
Damn reality patch.
In the game, all you had to do was wait for the loading window. Your HP was reduced considerably, but the third chapter began with the character at the edge of the water. But in reality?
I thought it was really the end.
Where we fell, an underground artery flowed, and very turbulently, too. I was forced to ride the swift current, carried back and forth as if dragging me. When I came to my senses, I was being thrown down a waterfall.
I guess that's why my HP decreased.
After hitting all the curves, my whole body hurt. I wanted to rest like that for a while, but after all, taking a break didn't suit my personality.
«B-Bjorrrn! You're OK? Wake up... hey, what do I do? Ah! I-it!»
When I opened my eyes, for some reason, I saw Missha's face right in front of me. I moved my chin away with one hand and stood up.
«Ah! What are you doing?»
That's what I should be saying. «It's Bjon, not Bjorn.» After muttering that quietly so that only Missha could hear it, I quickly checked the surroundings.
«Agh! Aghhhhhh!» First, I saw Carlson gagging and regurgitating water.
«Um, are you okay?» Next was Jencia, who kindly patted him on the back.
As for Mr. Bear, «It's damn cold». He was warming himself in front of a bonfire that had been lit somehow. When our eyes met, Mr. Bear gestured to me. «If you're awake, come».
«Thank you».
«Wow, do you usually carry fir wood?».
«Since I travel alone, I have no choice but to take everything».
I guess it was true that he was traveling alone. I wasn't sure, but I dried myself off in front of the bonfire. Soon, Jensen also approached and crouched down silently.
«...Do you know where the werewolf from before disappeared?». Carlson asked, shivering from the cold.
Mr. Bear responded bluntly: «How could we know? It's not that I studied beforehand. Do not disturb my rest».
«Oh yeah... Sorry».
After that, the maintenance and rest time followed. They all took off their clothes and equipment and hung them near the bonfire, then ate something simple.
«It's strangely cold».
Although we were quite dry and still warming ourselves by the fire, the cold did not disappear. It was better than being completely wet, but it was like we couldn't warm up beyond a certain level.
Soon, Mr. Bear came to a conclusion. «I guess this is a special area».
«Special area?», Jencia asked.
«Oh! Are you talking about a place like the Witches' Forest?»
«Yes, it is not natural for the body to harden like this despite the cold».
«Hmm, is it that cold? I really can't tell...» Seeing us shaking in front of the bonfire, Missha tilted her head. It was not to deceive us; his words were probably sincere. Their tolerance to cold would be much greater than ours.
The punishment would also have been much less.
Missha had a contract with Skadia, an Ice Beast. It was the type of upgrade with the biggest stat bonus, and since this time he even ate the essence of a Yeti, his cold tolerance would be about 40. In Dungeon and Stone, 40 was not a low number at all. My pain tolerance was only 70. Aside from the amount of damage reduction, even if it was that low, he wouldn't feel the cold.
«...Are you really cold?» Missha asked me.
«Nothing happens. It's cold, but it doesn't hurt».
«Uh, I don't know what you mean...»
It was just like I said. I may have been shivering from the cold, but it didn't hurt. But I guess my answer made me sound more pitiful.
«Ugh, ignorant barrrbarian». Missha sighed, then moved towards me. Instead of the clothes that were drying, he gently waved his rolled up blanket and made a ridiculous proposal. «Come here. You will feel betterrr».
What was this girl talking about?
Whistle.
Judging by Mr. Bear's whistles, he didn't think he was the weird one either.
***
Preparation time was longer than expected. It took a long time to dry all the clothes and equipment.
«It's taken too long».
It had been 12 hours since we entered the crack. Since it had opened around 7pm, it meant I hadn't slept in a total of 31 hours.
«Um... there don't look like there are monsters here. Why don't we rest a little?» At Carlson's suggestion, everyone agreed to take a short break.
«We'll sleep on that side», I said.
«It will be cold».
«I have emergency firewood».
«If you say so».
It wasn't reasonable to all sleep next to a bonfire, so I lit another one further away. We decided to take turns in the guard. That would cut sleep time in half, but sleeping less and living sounded more appealing than sleeping as much as you wanted in death.
«Bjorn, you sleep first», Missha offered.
«Before that, I have something to discuss with you».
«What?»
Since we finally managed to be alone, we delayed sleep and caught up on missed conversations. First, the essence. He would have to know what he ate to be able to use it better in real battle.
«Wow, have you memorized all that?».
«It's nothing special. Anyway, listen carefully from now on». After reciting the information about the essence in the standards of this world, I lowered my voice even further and continued. «Did any of those three act suspiciously on the way here?».
I deliberately sent Missha to the back of the group. The apparent reason was to guard the rear before a battle broke out, but the real reason was mainly the observatory. My opinion was that since she would be following from the back, she would get a good view of the behaviors of others.
«Mm, suspicious? I'm not sure».
«I see. Very good. If possible, keep a closer eye from now on».
«I will.»
The conversation ended there, and I snuggled under the blanket and lay down. Then, I reviewed Carlson, Jencia, and Mr. Bear's words and actions to see if I'd missed anything. I observed their every move through the day. Scattering clones amidst mundane conversations, I gathered information. That's how it turned out,a prime suspect was identified.
But as expected, there is inconclusive evidence.
It still wasn't enough to conclude they were the mafia. If only I had one more clue...
I was slowly drifting off to sleep with that train of thought when Missha gently shook my shoulder. "Hey, Bjorn. Now that I think about it, there's something strange..."
I was pulled, but I listened to her story. "Good job, Missha."
"Oh, did I help?"
"Of course."
That wasn't all. The last piece of the puzzle was finally in place. I looked toward Mr. Bear's campfire and smiled.
I wandered which of the three it would be. So it was you. From the mafia.