Before finishing Gigantization, I looked around, the cavity in the central region expanding as wide as a square, once again.
At this moment it looks like Gwanghwamun Square.
Explorers easily outnumbered thousands standing densely and looked my way. I was wondering how many there were exactly. I didn't dare count them. Including the people who were still beyond the hallways due to the crowd in the center, the number would be truly absurd. Now I realized that the numbers you heard about and read about were different in real life.
If he had seen this, would that bastard have made a different decision?
The thought came to mind, but I quickly erased it. It was a meaningless hypothesis and not something to worry about right now.
«¡Behell-ahhhhhhh!»
«...We wanted you to talk. Why are you screaming suddenly?».
«I wanted to do it!»
To be precise, with this crowd, I was getting nervous. Yelling made me feel a little better. I was a barbarian, yes, so there was nothing in this world I couldn't do.
«Listen everyone!» In a silence difficult to imagine coming from so many people, the attention was focused on me. I was getting embarrassed and all. «Let's put our heads together! With so many people, there have to be some ready!».
I put on an iron face and continued. I already had plans prepared from A to Z, but I judged that it would seem suspicious if I revealed all that in front of so many people.
«¿Eh?»
«That's all...?»
Those who waited for this while holding their breath had expressionless expressions. Some faces also seemed disappointed.
«What did you expect from a barbarian?»
That was the only downside to being a barbarian. You couldn't pretend to be a smart character and direct the situation. Well, without a barbarian it would have also been impossible to stop the fight sooner.
«Then why did you scream so passionately before!»
«A wise warrior unleashes his wrath in the right place. This is not where we should shed our blood».
«No, I know what you mean, but...»
The explorers didn't know what to say. I strictly stuck to playing dumb. After all, he had achieved the goal of saving the knights for now. No, not only that, he had even managed to create an environment for everyone to gather and talk, and had left a deep impression on the people. I had achieved everything for my first goal.
The middle-aged wizard who introduced himself as a war correspondent defended me and changed the mood. «He is not wrong. Each one has their role. Since this comrade has stopped senseless bloodshed and allowed us to meet like this, he has already done a greater job than everyone else.»
I guess I left a good impression.
«Roles, huh? That reminds me of a passage from The Book of Monarchy. The role of a ruler is not to fight, but to create the will to fight».
«Haha, I never thought anyone would actually read that book. Nice to meet you. Was it Melter Fend from the Nartel Clan?»
«Yes sir.»
«Oh, do you know me?»
«You are quite famous».
The two people chatted briefly and exchanged friendly glances. It was a bad phenomenon. Not only did we not have time to socialize, but these were explorers who were once abandoned by the authorities. If they saw us bonding on our own, they were sure to get nervous.
«Enough, let's talk! Does anyone have any information we don't know?». I played dumb and meddled in their conversation to make sure it didn't get off topic. These guys needed to have an argument for my plan to work, and we needed to get closer to the conclusion I came to earlier, even if that was a little cumbersome for me.
When no one approached, Fend threw the ball. «First, we need to determine why the palace troops abandoned us».
«Correct! So far there have been no problems resisting, but why...?».
This was the biggest contradiction of the current situation. Those who were angry at having been abandoned came to their senses and expressed their doubts. As there were many people gathered, the answer came quickly.
«It's probably due to the Lord of the Soil». This came out of the wizard Kyle's mouth.
«...The Lord of the Soil?»
«But so far we've blocked it fine!»
«So far we have done it. The commander was probably afraid of the thing that appears after the ninth Floor Lord is defeated.»
«...The thing?»
«The Lord of the Abyss, Berzak. Another Lord of the Floor named like that». Most were confused by the name they had never heard before. Kyle gave a brief explanation. «It is because of this monster that the scouts must make a report to the guild before defeating the Soil Lord. That's how calamitous it is».
«Enough that not even hundreds of knights and large clans can defeat him together?»
«No, not up to that point. But...» Kyle interrupted himself and looked into the distance. «We are not the only ones in this cave».
Noark and Rafdonia were here, and even the Lord of the Abyss, Berzak.
«The commanders made a decision. If he starts a battle with Berzak, Noark will surely interfere with our side».
«Come to think of it, there have been no raids since day one...»
«Damn, it was all they wanted from the beginning!»
It was a kind of elimination war, a co-destruction strategy in which Berzak was used to inflict tremendous damage on himself. That is why the commander of the Royal Guard chose to withdraw, because high-ranking scouts and knights were valuable forces that were difficult to replenish in a short time. I wanted to at least protect them for that damn emperor.
«Wait! Isn't that a little strange, then? If they knew something so dangerous would come out, why didn't they try to go up earlier?».
An explorer pointed out a contradiction. It was also something I thought about carefully, but the answer was really simple.
«I think I can answer that». This time, it was the priestess of Heindel Church who spoke. «On the first day of entering the maze, a search party was sent to the second floor portal. This is information I heard while treating a gentleman who returned alive».
«¡Dinoslo ya!»
«The western portal connecting to the Rock Desert is unfortunately no longer usable.»
«Is it no longer usable?»
«The Fallen Scholar. That cursed wizard has apparently destroyed it».
This was a criminal who could be said to be at the executive level of Orcules. When that name was mentioned, a commotion broke out. In the middle of it, I organized my thoughts in silence.
West, ¿eh?
So now the odds were one in three? It was valuable information.
«If the west is blocked, then we just have to go to another portal!», shouted someone in the crowd, but few responded. That was because it was a natural response.
«The other portals have not been checked, but the knight said that it is very likely that the Fallen Scholar has already been there».
«So...»
«Yes, we are completely trapped here». When the priestess finished speaking, there was great silence. However, the discussion continued.
«Noark's bastards really made up their minds this time».
«So what are we going to do now?»
«Aside from the monster Berzak, if they find out that our core strength has disappeared, they will surely invade us».
The explorers participated in the conversation more actively than before, but there was no gain. There were not enough clues to devise a countermeasure.
When that happened, I would intervene and give clues. «Everyone thinks too narrowly. A skilled warrior always anticipates the enemy's next move before acting».
«These guys planned months for this day. Surely they prepared for the scenario of us escaping through a portal».
«...To be honest, I think it's stranger that they expected that.»
Hmm, that was true. It was certainly something the average person wouldn't even think about.
Kyle and select others did not take my words lightly. «That makes sense. Maybe his plan was to corner us to make us use the portal».
«Yeah. So the real war may not be this, but the next. There won't be many wizards in the city who can use portal magic anymore».
«Their goal may be internal turmoil between the palace and the explorers. If this news reaches the city, distrust of the palace will surely explode. Well, all that assuming we come back alive».
These were all questions I had asked myself at some point, a situation where everything made sense.
«I just don't know what they're looking for».
While no answer came up, Kyle asked me: «What do you think? I think your opinion is important».
«What do you mean?»
«You also just pointed out the crux of the matter. I'm curious about your warrior intuition».
I reflected on this for a moment. Having asked many questions and speculations so far, he had already come to a conclusion. Of course, I wasn't sure it was correct. «I think we were the target from the beginning».
«Oh? Not knights and great clans?» Kyle intervened with interest, but not everyone was like that.
«That doesn't make sense. If they knew that the knights were going to use a portal, why would they use this strategy? In a situation where the cream has all escaped, it will only be a loss for them to choose co-destruction». These were the words of a bastard who behaved friendly towards the other talents throughout the discussion, but who treated me with special hostility.
I didn't know why he behaved like that with me. Was it because he didn't have hair? I smiled satisfied and said: «Why do you think they want to die with us? For them, all they have to do is go up».
«As I said before...»
«They just have to leave a portal and escape there».
This was my conclusion. Wasn't this world full of efficiency freaks? If I were the leader of the enemy side, this would be the only plan of action I could think of.
Because this is the most profitable for them.
Once they burned more than a hundred high-ranking mage portals, they could wait for the next opportunity. Not only that, but they could also reduce the emperor's influence in the city... and more importantly, even if the cream was gone, it was possible to wipe out ten thousand scouts without spilling a single drop of blood. As long as the core of the force had disappeared, we would never be able to defeat Berzak in this lifetime.
But was it difficult to admit it? The guy was speechless for a moment before coming to his senses and making an ignorant rebuttal. «It can't be that simple...»
No, he tried. Kyle nodded slowly. «So you thought that too».
Hell, I already had that in mind and he still asked me?
That made me a little uncomfortable, but I kept the words to myself. Wow, that's why I didn't want to stand out so much. Still, it seemed more like a test of my abilities than a doubt about myself.
Just then, a commotion was heard outside. I couldn't hear it because it was far away, but the news didn't take long to arrive.
«¡commander!»
«What's happening?»
«The Noark bastards blocking the hallways have all disappeared!».
Kyle smiled bitterly at me. «Looks like you and I were right».
Now we really needed to hurry.
***
Now that we knew Noark's plan, it wasn't difficult to come up with a countermeasure. Although it was not a perfect solution, it was clear what had to be done.
«We also have to go up to the second floor».
«But do you know where?»
«At least we know it's not from the west. Let's divide ourselves into three and search».
The group would divide into three and run towards the portals on the second floor. Of course, it wouldn't end there.
«Even going up is a problem! Those guys will definitely be there...!»
From the pan to the heat. More adversity awaited us after that, but what about that?
«Isn't it better than dying here? From now on, it is each person's individual choice». Kyle spoke coldly and no one chose to stay, at least around us.
«So how will we divide the forces?» One explorer asked for a detailed strategy.
Before Kyle - who was beginning to lead the conversation - could speak, I intervened. «I think we should divide into groups of three hundred».
«Three hundred? When do we already lack personnel?».
Ugh, this bastard again.
«Even if there are more people, it is difficult terrain to fight properly. It's better this way». In technical terms, it meant guerrilla warfare. I didn't bother to say it, but everyone understood the meaning of those words.
«Hmm, you're right. A battle is one thing, but the larger the group, the more people will survive. That will distract the monster».
«Most of us will die if we encounter that monster anyway, so you want us to serve as bait for us to survive».
It truly was a ruthless strategy. However, everyone agreed without dissenting. This was the good part of the explorer industry. He didn't waste time discussing things like acceptance.
«So how should we organize it?»
«Let's figure it out on our own. I have no intention of working under anyone's orders».
«Yeah, we don't have time anyway».
When the plan was more or less established, a scout ended the conversation and left. He was the leader of a small unknown clan. From that moment on, a commotion broke out.
Some recruited comrades to join them. «This is the Red Light Clan. I'm looking for those who want to get out of this damn place with me! Anyone above rank 6, whoever it is, no matter how many there are!»
Some looked for a nest to fit into. «One of our team members has rank 7. Can't you let it go?»
Within that uproar, Nartel Clan commander Melter Fend immediately set about recruiting the wizard. «Sir Kyle, I know you're alone. Would you like to join our clan?»
Welp, I was going to do that first, but seeing how friendly those two behaved before, I didn't think that man would refuse.
Then I should move quickly before everyone is snatched away.
«Then I'll go now. See you on the other side.» After briefly saying goodbye, I turned around. Going back to my teammates, who were in the crowd somewhere, I planned to gather some talents. It was going to be quite a challenge to gather three hundred people as a barbarian sucker.
I was about to move with that thought in mind when the battle mage, Kyle, stopped me. «Wait, what are you going to do? I am sure that you will assume the position of leader».
«Of course.»
«Then take me too».
¿Eh?
"¿Por qué?"
«I'm just following my instinct. I have a feeling people will gather for you.»
«...Will you trust your intuition when your life is at stake?»
When I looked at Fend, who offered to recruit him first, Kyle smiled and replied: «A wizard who willingly chooses to remain in this chaos cannot be sane».
That's true too.
«Okay. I hope we work well together».
He now had a high-ranking mage. This was a very positive indicator. Using this I could gather better members.
«Take us with you.» Before I could take a single step, a group of knights approached me. Inspecting the familiar face of the gentleman in front, I realized it was the man being hit with a resigned expression when I first arrived here. «Four officer knights and six apprentice knights. We won't delay you».
What, are you trying to return the favor? That works for me.
«Okay. Follow me.»
The group of knights stood behind me. Before I could take another step, someone called me. «Wait.»
It was Fend. What was this? Was it because I stole the wizard before his eyes? He didn't seem like a sore loser like that...
«Which direction are you going?»
«It is.» Since the west was blocked, the east was good. Even if the first attempt failed, we could turn north or south depending on the situation.
«Coincidentally, that's my address too. Why don't we go together?»
«I have no intention of going under you».
«Don't worry. I will follow your instructions».
«What?» This was also unexpected. He also didn't look like someone who would work under anyone's orders.
What is this? Is there a hidden camera?
«So, your answer?»
«...If you follow my orders correctly.»
«Then it's decided.»
Soon, Fend and his clanmates stood behind me. To be honest, I was speechless. He hadn't made any offers yet. How come so many had already gathered?
«¡Behell-ahhhhhhh!»
«Follow the next chief!»
Before I could take a few more steps, the barbarians ran and followed me. Well, this was obvious.
«Sir!»
«Erwen? Where is your clan?»
«My sister thinks it will be safer this way! Will you take the two of us too?»
«Of course.»
The fairy sisters, who seemed to be watching nearby, also joined in. That wasn't the end.
«If that's okay with you, I'd like to go under you.» This was a rank 4 team that was active on the sixth floor.
A priestess who stayed behind to save others said: «I think you can save most people».
«Haha, a loyal person is more trustworthy at times like this. Take us too». Even a clan of dwarves that was quite famous in the city spoke.
All I did was walk, but numerous people approached me and asked me to go with me.
«Didn't I tell you? I told you people will gather for you. A magician's intuition is usually correct». Kyle looked at me and smiled significantly.