After leaving the food at the square, following the lead of Park Chul-jin, we began to walk through the forest.
"...It's a good thing I didn't regress."
I've only made it to the 6th day once before.
In the past, when I lazily sat in the square, there were no events like this.
I've never heard of someone discovering the boss.
So, I guess it's the butterfly effect of me bringing people to the square... But I'm not sure why the future changed.
Silently walking were Park Chul-jin and Choi Ji-won.
The atmosphere was a bit tense, but I decided to ask what I was curious about.
"How did you know about us?"
Choi Ji-won raised an eyebrow slightly at the "us," but didn't object.
For reference, Park Chul-jin left the square at noon on the 2nd day. Choi Ji-won started distributing food after that.
They seemingly had no connection.
"...Kim Gun-do told me about you."
Park Chul-jin answered my question.
"But who is that?"
"Kim Gun-do."
I have no idea who Kim Gun-do is.
It felt like when a stranger says, "Hey, Jun-ho? Nice to see you!"
"He came from your group... but it seems you don't know him by name."
"Any distinct features?"
"He digs a lot in the ground."
"Ah!"
It seems the man who dug in the ground was named Kim Gun-do.
"He originally planned to dig in the square for 5 days... but with so many people, he couldn't stand the chaos. Now he's with us."
"...I see."
In the original cycles, Kim Gun-do disappeared on the 5th night.
Perhaps because I brought people to the square, he left earlier than planned.
And somehow he joined Park Chul-jin's group.
Is this the butterfly effect? It feels strange.
"We're here."
How long did we walk? Finally, Park Chul-jin stopped.
"...Wow..."
There were three decently made wooden houses here. They were small, but well made.
"Did you build these yourself?"
"No. One of our group was a carpenter, and his special ability is to easily process wood. This is his work."
"Oh, is his name Seong...?"
"...He was killed by a mutant goblin."
"Ah."
Come to think of it, Park Chul-jin didn't believe in the status window or the tower when he left the square.
He was stubborn and believed all of this was some kind of joke.
Now, he uses terms like 'special ability' and 'mutant goblin' naturally.
I wonder how much he had to go through to accept this reality.
It feels heavy.
"But where is everyone?"
The log houses were empty.
There were signs of life, but no people. It felt strange.
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
Could it be... everyone except Park Chul-jin was killed by the boss?
Did I just mess up?
"...They're hiding nearby."
It wasn't a screw-up. Thank goodness.
But why are they hiding?
Park Chul-jin, after taking a deep breath while sitting on a carved wooden chair, looked at us sharply.
"...Before I show you the boss, I want to ask you something."
Choi Ji-won, who had been staring somewhere, remained silent. Eventually, I replied.
"Yes, please go ahead."
Park Chul-jin, without taking his eyes off us, asked cautiously,
"How did you two learn to wield swords?"
This time, I was at a loss for words. I realized why he was so cautious.
To reiterate, today is the 6th day since entering the tower.
And Choi Ji-won and I, for just 6 days of self-learning, are too skilled with swords.
In modern times, why would anyone need to use a sword?
The very common-sense question, 'Where did you learn to use a sword?'.
The same question I once had for Choi Ji-won was now directed at me.
"...Let me explain first."
The first to speak was Choi Ji-won.
"My father was a master swordsman." "...A master swordsman?"
Indeed.
There was a reason why Choi Ji-won was skilled with the sword.
Having a sword master as a father, it makes sense she'd be proficient with a blade.
Come to think of it, Choi Ji-won never really showed off any flashy sword techniques.
It means she hasn't used any advanced styles like "Choi Ji-won style level 1".
Her foundation is solid, and her physical abilities are overwhelming. That's why she's so strong.
"...I also have some connections with swordsmen. May I know your father's name?"
Park Chul-jin asked cautiously, as if sensing something.
"...Choi Chul-soon."
"Ah."
Choi Chul-soon.
It seems like a name Park Chul-jin recognizes.
"About your... father's situation..."
"It's okay."
Park Chul-jin, who seemed suddenly apologetic, and Choi Ji-won, who calmly reassured him.
What's with this atmosphere? Why are they having a conversation that only they understand?
"...You probably know without asking, right?"
"I can feel it."
After their enigmatic exchange and a brief awkward silence,
"...Should I share my story?"
Now it was my turn.
"I... acquired my sword skills after coming to the tower."
"...Acquired?"
"It's a special ability. It's called 'Swordsmanship'. Grade B. Knowledge I didn't have before suddenly filled my mind."
Strategy name: 'I don't know?'.
The tower gave me the skill of swordsmanship. I don't know. For details, ask the tower!
Of course, the tower doesn't operate an inquiry window. Park Chul-jin was left speechless by this perfect excuse.
"...Choi Ji-won, can we trust this man's skills?"
"...I'd consider him among the top."
"If you say so."
Park Chul-jin, the firefighter, nodded after hearing Choi Ji-won's testimony.
"I'd like to see Kim Jun-ho's skills for myself, but..."
He leaned deeply into his chair and stared into my eyes.
"We don't have time. The situation is quite dire."
"...Dire?"
"You're aware of the message about the boss, right?"
"Yes, something like..."
- Clear Condition 1: Swallow the 'Golden Bead' hidden somewhere in the forest, and you can proceed to the next stage. However, only 50 beads exist.
- Clear Condition 2: Defeat the boss, Goblin Shaman, and a portal to the next stage will appear.
"Are you curious why we found the boss but didn't kill him immediately?"
Indeed, if they just killed the boss, a portal to the next stage would open.
Park Chul-jin looked formidable. His large axe, his muscles, and the aura he emitted all indicated his strength.
Why did such a strong person not defeat the boss instantly and instead came looking for us?
"...You'll understand when you see for yourself. Follow me."
Park Chul-jin got up and started walking.
"...Shall we go?"
"Let's."
Choi Ji-won and I followed him.
"We found the boss by mere chance. Kim Gun-do discovered a goblin tunnel while digging."
The deeper we went, the more familiar the smell became.
Stagnant, metallic, and unpleasant... the smell of a swamp. It seemed like we were heading to the edge of the forest.
"Exploring the goblin cave, we found an exit leading to the surface. That's when we discovered this place."
Due to my calling people to the square, Kim Gun-do left the square earlier than planned.
And when he started digging here, Park Chul-jin discovered the boss—a mysterious butterfly effect.
But I was losing my patience.
I felt a tingling sensation on my skin, the hair on the back of my neck stood up.
I could sense a presence. The creature was furious.
"There, that's the boss Goblin Shaman."
Squeak. Squeak.
As he said, an old goblin was breathing heavily.
The animal skull on its head indicated that this was the Goblin Shaman.
What was odd was that the boss looked in bad shape.
Greenish blood dripped from its mouth, and it looked so weak that a gentle push might knock it over.
It wore a bone on its head and held a lavishly decorated staff. Anyone could tell that it was the boss.
"...So, if we kill that weak-looking creature, a portal will open?" "Right."
The Goblin Shaman stands on intricate symbols, murmuring something incessantly.
"...This is a bit tricky."
The problem isn't the Goblin Shaman.
"Groooowl... Grooooowl."
Twitching muscles.
Eyes filled with madness.
In his hand, he tightly grips an enormous axe.
Although its body is humanoid, its head resembles that of a bull.
The boss, the Goblin Shaman, is struggling to maintain a seal.
The seal that binds the monster, the Minotaur, which had easily defeated me.