Zid's and Hanson's bodies are buried amongst the goblins, invisible.
Hundreds, thousands of pairs of red eyes are fixed on us.
"Jena, see the wall behind you?"
"I see it."
"Climb that wall."
The high wall we had our backs to. Above it spread the roof of a building. Jena glanced back briefly.
"If I do this, I'll be escaping alone."
"Who says? After you climb, I'll climb next. Then Aaron. You go up first and give us a hand."
"Got it."
Aaron is in bad shape.
He doesn't even seem to have the energy to talk, just taking short, gasping breaths.
"They're coming! Aaron, hold your position!"
"I'll go first!" Jena began climbing the stone wall.
"Kiyaaaaaaa!"
Dozens of goblins surged forward at once. I slashed in a semicircle. The goblins' chests split open, revealing their insides. Aaron also swung his spear wildly.
"Don't use thrusts! You can't take one at a time!"
I blocked a sword strike with my shield, then bashed back.
The number of goblins I had to face simultaneously increased drastically. Even I couldn't block and dodge everything. Minor wounds started appearing all over.
"I'm up! Hurry up!"
"Going!"
I mustered my remaining strength and swung wide. Goblins were sliced into pieces.
And immediately turned and climbed the stone wall. Parts were chipped, providing footholds.
[03 : 12]
"Aaron, you climb too!"
"..."
"Can't you hear me!"
Aaron snapped back to reality suddenly and looked this way.
"S-sorry, didn't hear. C-coming!"
"Grab my hand." Jena extended her hand. I grabbed her blood-stained hand and pulled myself onto the roof. Below, Aaron was scrambling up hastily.
"Take my hand." I extended my hand from the roof.
Just as Aaron grabbed my hand and started pulling himself up.
"Kerk!" Aaron choked.
"..."
A sword was embedded in Aaron's calf.
The blade was lodged deep in a crack in the wall.
"I-I don't think I can..."
"Jena, hold onto Aaron."
Gripping the edge of the roof, I climbed down the wall.
"What are you trying to do?"
"Cutting off his foot. Pull him up immediately after I cut."
"...Alright."
Holding onto the roof with my left hand, I swung the sword in my right hand hard.
An awkward position with poor leverage, but I had to cut it clean in one go. I recalled the feeling of slicing through the straw scarecrow in one strike.
"Aaaaaaaargh!"
Aaron's leg sprayed blood as it fell into the open area below.
"Pull him up!"
Jena grabbed Aaron's right hand with both of hers and hauled him up.
Hot blood flowing from the severed leg splashed onto my face.
"Ptui."
I spat out the blood that got into my mouth and climbed back onto the roof.
['Aaron (★)' is Bleeding. Health decreases periodically.]
Aaron didn't even have the strength to struggle, lying limp on the roof.
I looked down below the roof.
"Ha, really."
An uncountable number of goblins were gathered below the roof. The goblins looked up at us, screeching.
"Are we safe?"
"You think so?"
One goblin crouched down. Another goblin climbed onto its back and crouched. The goblins started forming a pyramid.
"Wow, they're smart."
"Smart my ass!"
The topmost goblin could reach a crack in the stone wall. Creating steps like this, goblins gradually climbed the wall.
I surveyed the roof. Damaged brick fragments lay scattered on the unstable roof. I threw a brick at the goblins below.
"Kuek!"
A goblin hit squarely on the nose by the brick plummeted.
"Don't let them up!"
"Yes!"
[01 : 58]
Even the few bricks we had ran out.
Now goblins were climbing up from all sides. Jena gripped her dagger in a reverse hold.
['Aaron (★)' has fallen into a Near Death state. His life is in danger!]
Aaron lies like a corpse.
Not dead, but it wouldn't be long. The bleeding was too severe.
"Use Aaron's spear. Just stab everything that comes!"
Jena held the dagger by the blade between her index and middle fingers and threw it. The dagger lodged itself between a goblin's eyes.
Picking up the spear, Jena began stabbing downwards. I also held my sword long and wildly stabbed the goblins climbing up.
The topmost goblins fell, taking those below them as companions. But more were climbing than falling.
Knock goblins off one wall, and goblins climb up another. Go to that wall, and they climb up the original one again.
'Any other escape routes...'
Kicking a goblin trying to grip the rooftop, I scanned the surroundings.
'Damn it.'
Other rooftops are already occupied by goblins. Their eyes glowing crimson, they glared at us.
"Kyaaak!"
"What, were you stabbed?!" I quickly looked back.
Jena getting hurt now would be trouble. I couldn't block four directions by myself.
Jena clutched her right arm.
Not injured, but the spear she was holding was gone.
"I dropped the spear."
"Trying to give me a heart attack!"
"What do we do now?"
"What else? Kick them off!"
Jena lay flat on the sloped roof and kicked the face of a climbing goblin. With a kuek, the creature tumbled away.
[ 01 : 24 ]
"Kiii, kiiiik!"
Dozens of hands surged below the wall and grabbed my sword. Green skin tore and bled, but the goblins ignored it and pulled the sword down.
"Kuh!"
Without hesitation, I let go of the sword. It disappeared, swallowed by the wave of goblins.
All that remained was a battered, blood-stained shield.
I smashed the edge of the shield onto hands gripping the roof. Severed goblin fingers flew through the air, spraying blood.
"Too, too many! How much time left? I can't hold on anymore!"
"30 seconds, just 30 seconds!"
"Feels like an hour has passed!"
"It's true, just trust me once and hold on a little longer!"
[ 00 : 32 ]
My vision blurred.
My right eye was covered in blood, making it hard to see.
Couldn't tell if it was my blood or goblin blood.
My body was demanding rest.
Stop now. You've done enough.
Gritted my teeth.
Forced my weakening mind back into focus.
I can't die here. I have pride too. On the 5th floor, only the 5th floor!
Finally, one made it onto the roof.
Smashed its neck with the edge of the shield. As it fell, it swung its sword. My right arm was deeply cut. Blood sprayed thick.
['Han (★)' is Bleeding. Health decreases periodically.]
Unreasonable.
I couldn't understand why I had to suffer like this here.
This wouldn't happen on Earth. Slept in warmth, ate delicious food.
Why me.
Why me!
[Skill Awakening!]
['Han (★)' has acquired the 'Berserk Temperament' skill!]
"You sons of bitches!"
I threw the shield at a goblin just climbing up.
A short scream came from beside me.
"Ugh!"
['Jena (★)' is Bleeding. Health decreases periodically.]
"Not, not dead yet?"
"It's okay, I can hold on."
A dagger was embedded in Jena's side.
Her dress fabric stained red.
Aaron's eyes showed only whites. His body trembled uncontrollably. Blood pulsed intermittently from his severed leg.
He could die at any moment.
"Don't die! Just don't die until it's over! Then we can go back."
"I, I think this is it for me..."
"Shut up!"
Can't block anymore.
Dozens of goblins surged onto the roof at once.
"Retreat, towards the inner roof, get to the inner roof."
"Inner roof or not, there's no space!"
"Go when I say go!"
Feeling faded from my right arm.
Anemia setting in, the world spun around me.
"Kererek, Kerlarereklak!"
"You want to kill me? Fine, come on, come on all of you, bastards!"
No sword, no shield.
Can't even perceive how many seconds are left.
Can't worry about what happened to Jena.
"Kiaaaa!"
Dozens of goblins rushed simultaneously.
Blood-soaked blades aimed to tear my entire body apart.
And.
[ 00 : 00 ]
As if time stopped, the goblins froze, swords aimed at me.
[Stage Clear!]
['Han (★)', 'Jena (★)', 'Aaron (★)', Level Up!]
[Reward – 30,000G, Iron Ore(B) X 3, Leather(B) X 2, Plank(B) X 2]
[MVP - 'Han (★)']
"..."
The landscape of the ruined city, the countless goblins, Zid's and Hanson's bodies faded into light.
White light enveloped my body, repairing the wounds. Feeling returned to my arm, my bursting lungs found breath again, torn muscles healed.
The dagger stuck in Jena's side fell out on its own, and new flesh sprouted from Aaron's severed leg.
"Ah, ahahah." Jena sat down, laughing hollowly.
"Can you give me a hand? My legs gave out, I can't get up."
Wordlessly, I extended my hand.
Jena took my hand, staggered several times, then pulled herself up.
"Did we... survive?"
"...Yeah."
A familiar room.
[Climb the Tower, Save the World!]
[Main Dungeon: Current Floor - 5]
The message on the left mirror announced the clear.
Kurrr.
With a familiar vibration, the waiting room began its ascent.
Aaron lay collapsed on the floor of the Rift of Time and Space.
He seemed unconscious, but was breathing regularly.
He survived too.
"Is it like this starting from Floor 5? If so, really..."
"This time was unusual."
Recalled the battle.
The three divided passages. The swarming goblins.
A structure forcing annihilation if even one person failed their role. If Zid and Hanson had been raised just a bit more, there wouldn't have been a need to fight so desperately.
Survival missions aren't that difficult once the party is established. It was just unlucky timing, hitting it when we were most vulnerable.
I picked up the iron sword and shield lying forlornly on the floor.
The equipment, which had been covered in blood, was restored cleanly.
"Ah, really unfair! If I knew this would happen, I would've trained harder!" Jena grumbled, slinging the bow and quiver over her back.
Her voice was bright, but her complexion wasn't.
Zid and Hanson died.
I hefted the collapsed Aaron onto my back.
Coming out into the plaza, Dika ran over as if waiting.
"Hyungnim, good work!"
I silently walked towards the dorm.
"Are Zid and Hanson inside? Sister Chloe prepared something delicious."
"They're dead."
"Huh?"
"Dead, I said."
Dika froze mid-step.
I ignored him and entered the dorm.
Several people in the lobby glanced at me. I laid Aaron down on the lobby sofa. Placed his spear beside him too. Since his wounds are healed, he should regain consciousness.
[The Master calls. Those named, come out!]
Isel's yelling echoed from the plaza.
Looks like they intend to raise sub-parties on the lower floors.
'My head hurts.'
I have no intention of getting sentimental just because someone in the waiting room died.
Here, especially for me running the forefront of the tower, death will be commonplace. But the pounding headache couldn't be helped.
I opened the door at the very end of the hallway and entered. It was my assigned room in the dorm. I was now used to this place too, not just the modern-style house.
I threw myself onto the bed.
[Congratulations, Master! You have safely cleared Floor 5. The Daily Dungeon is now unlocked. Gather various materials to strengthen the waiting room and heroes.]
With Floor 5 cleared, a message announcing the unlock of the Daily Dungeon appeared.
'Come to think of it, did I get the Berserk Temperament skill...'
Composure and Berserk Temperament cannot coexist.
Clearly a bug.
Composure, keeping reason intact in any situation.
Berserk Temperament, drastically boosting combat power at the cost of reason.
It must be related to my constitution, being half-Master, half-hero.
Don't know yet. At least for today, I don't want to think about it.
Things will get busy again starting tomorrow.
I'm close to the 1-star level cap of 10, and the Daily Dungeon for obtaining materials is now open. Time to aim for the 2-star promotion.
So, let's just rest for today.
I closed my eyes.