Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Chapter 399: Expedition Force (4)

Chapter 399: Expedition Force (4)

Labyrinth entry, 18th day.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A medium-sized warship carrying thirty crew members set sail, cutting through the waves.

For reference, this was a warship supplied by the royal family, and its ownership had been temporarily transferred to me, the expedition leader.

While the team members went to their assigned cabins to organize their luggage, Amelia approached the navigator who was holding the helm.

"Excuse me."

"Ah, you're Emily Raines, right? What can I do for you?"

"How long will it take to reach Ice Rock?"

"I estimate about 12 days."

"Is Ice Rock closer than the Dark Continent? It took 15 days to reach the Dark Continent on the warship last time."

"The distance itself is similar, but the ships are different. The Type 7 warship we're on is classified as a medium-sized vessel, but it's known for its superior maneuverability."

"I don't understand how a three-day difference can be considered 'superior maneuverability'."

"The easternmost sea is different from the ordinary ocean."

"Hmm, I see."

Amelia, who had recently been showing a keen interest in sailing, nodded as if she understood.

"You seem to know a lot about warships."

"Haha, I have to. I've been sailing them for most of my life."

The only navigator on our expedition force was from the 5th Team, and he was originally a member of the royal navy.

Hmm, that explains why Kaislan was the last to arrive on the 6th floor.

He wasn't speedrunning with a navigator.

"Can you tell me more about warships?"

"I apologize, but I'm not allowed to disclose information about warships."

"I understand..."

"...But since we're on the same ship, I can't stop you from observing."

"I won't bother you."

As Amelia expressed her gratitude with a bright expression, I entered the ship.

And headed towards a room located deep within.

"Oh, you're all here."

"You ordered us to gather here after we finished organizing our luggage."

The team leaders were waiting for me in a room designed for leadership meetings, and I quickly asked them a question.

"Has anyone been to Ice Rock?"

Only Akuraba and James Kala raised their hands.

"No one else?"

"It's not a place people often go to."

"We've only been there a few times, for clan expeditions to earn achievements. We usually avoided it."

It wasn't a suitable place for ordinary hunting.

Even on this ship, where skilled explorers were gathered, I guessed that less than half had been to Ice Rock.

"I see."

I nodded and gave them their assignments.

"James Kala, you're in charge of training the members while we're sailing."

"Training?"

"Formation training, tactics, that sort of thing. We didn't have much time in the city. They're all experienced, so a few practice sessions on the deck should be enough."

"Understood."

We needed to expand the list of commands for the expedition leader.

Otherwise, there could be unexpected casualties in emergencies. We didn't even have a proper formation for retreat or escape.

"Since our destination is Ice Rock, we'll prioritize training for that environment."

"I'm glad you're keeping it short."

Okay, he's from a large clan, so he should be familiar with various formations.

"Titana Akuraba, you're in charge of managing the supplies."

"What about my authority?"

"I'm giving you full control."

I entrusted Akuraba with managing the consumables and equipment.

If Jun, who was from a religious faction, or Kaislan, the inflexible soldier, were in charge, there would be objections.

But Akuraba was a legendary explorer with years of experience. She would be able to handle any complaints from the members.

"Melend Kaislan."

Next was the knight.

He gulped, looking eager to receive his assignment.

He was kind of cute, in a way...

"You're in charge of maintaining order within the expedition force. If any conflicts arise between the members, you'll be the first to intervene and mediate. And if any unfortunate incidents occur, you'll be responsible for resolving them."

"You're making me your right-hand man. I understand. I'll do my best."

Uh, why is that being my right-hand man?

Soldiers have a different mindset.

"Then I guess I'm the last one."

Jun, the paladin, smiled and looked at me.

"How can I be of service?"

He had become surprisingly friendly after our spar.

Sometimes I wondered if he had ulterior motives...

But I ignored those thoughts and spoke.

"Explorers often seek out paladins during expeditions, don't they?"

"Yes, I've heard that. The labyrinth can be mentally draining."

"Listen to them. Be open to their concerns. And if you hear anything I should know, report it to me. That's your mission."

"The other races won't seek me out."

That's true.

The Three Gods Church was a human religion.

But...

"That's enough."

More than half of the expedition force were human.

And those humans were spread across the five teams.

If he listened to their voices, he would be able to gauge the overall sentiment within the expedition force.

"Is that all?"

Akuraba asked, and I nodded.

She then cautiously asked another question.

"Why are you delegating your authority to us? We're not your subordinates."

I couldn't help but chuckle.

'What a strange question.'

I answered without hesitation.

"Because it's efficient."

We're all on the same boat now.

_____________________

18th day of the labyrinth expedition.

The warship carrying thirty explorers arrived at its destination.

It was a bit early, considering the navigator's estimated arrival time of 12 days and 7 hours.

'Warships are really something else.'

It wasn't just about its ability to quickly cross the windless zone.

It was also impressive how it rammed through the ice floes in the eastern sea, relying on its sturdy hull.

The icebreaker on the bow was quite something.

Crack, crack, crack! Crack, crack, crack!

'It's not an official 'Frozen Sea' area, but...'

The warship crushed the ice floes as it sailed through the icy waters.

"We're here..."

The expedition members gathered on the deck, their breaths forming white clouds in the frigid air.

They were all wearing thick fur coats over their armor, regardless of whether it was leather, plate, or cloth.

They were supplies from the royal family.

'Damn, I prefer heat over cold...'

I also prepared myself mentally.

And...

"Hold on tight! We're entering the portal!"

As the navigator shouted,

?Entered the 7th-floor Ice Rock.?

The blue portal engulfed our ship.

Well, even without the visual effect, I could tell we had arrived at Ice Rock.

?Character has entered a special area.?

?Field Effect - Ice Rock applied.?

?Cold Resistance decreased by -100.?

The first thing I felt was a chill that pierced through my bones.

It was just the beginning.

The infamous effects of Ice Rock, the reason why most explorers avoided this place, were also active.

?Status Effect [Frozen World] applied.?

?Space-related items are deactivated.?

The status effect that rendered subspace pockets and expandable backpacks useless.

This one line was enough to drive explorers crazy.

"Let's unload the supplies!"

Akuraba, in charge of supplies, led the team members as they unloaded the 'Preservation' enchanted supply boxes.

We would be dragging these boxes from now on.

And...

There was another thing that made this place even more challenging.

?Status Effect [Starvation] applied.?

?Resources gained from consumption are reduced by 3 times.?

It meant that you would get hungry three times faster in this area.

That's why we needed so many supplies.

This was the main reason why most explorers avoided Ice Rock.

You could endure the cold, but not hunger.

Our time here was limited by our food supply.

'We have enough for a month.'

That was assuming nothing unexpected happened.

"Mister! They're ready to depart!"

The team members efficiently unloaded the supplies.

Five sleds loaded with boxes were waiting on the frozen ground.

"Let's go back."

After unloading the supplies, the navigator and I returned to the 6th floor on the warship.

We then transferred to a small rowboat and unsummoned the warship.

?Entered the 7th-floor Ice Rock.?

We rowed back to the same spot.

It was a bit of a hassle, but it was a necessary process.

We couldn't just abandon the warship.

"What are we going to do with this boat?"

What do you mean, what are we going to do with it? We have to leave it here.

I hid the rowboat in a secluded spot, making sure it wouldn't drift away.

That concluded the preparations.

"Each team, get into formation!"

The team members moved swiftly, forming their assigned formations.

They had been well-trained.

"Let's go!"

At my command, the expedition force began its march.

___________________________

The formation on the vast plain was simple.

My team, the 1st Team, was at the front.

The 3rd and 5th Teams were on the left and right flanks.

The 4th Team was at the rear, and the 2nd Team, in charge of supplies, followed us in the center.

Thump, thump, thump!

We marched forward, the heavy sleds dragging behind us.

"Mister, are those Ice Trolls?"

Three Ice Trolls were pulling the sleds loaded with supplies.

It was thanks to the summoner on Akuraba's team.

Otherwise, we would have had to pull the sleds ourselves.

"Halt!"

We had just left the starting area of Ice Rock and were about to enter the eastern region when the 1st Team stopped.

There was no need to ask why.

Crash, crash, crash!

The ice wall that had looked like a cliff crumbled, and a giant monster emerged.

"It's a Stonewinter!"

Three Stonewinters.

3rd-grade super-sized monsters.

Kuuuuuung!

Damn, this is Ice Rock, but...

Three 3rd-grade monsters right from the start?

"All units, battle formation!"

At my command, the team members moved swiftly.

Thankfully, no one seemed scared.

Well, with this firepower, three 3rd-grade monsters should be easy, right?

I thought that as I led the charge...

But that expectation was shattered quickly.

?Stonewinter defeated. EXP +7?

The first battle ended, and a heavy silence fell over the expedition force.

"...Casualty report."

I suppressed my frustration and asked the team leaders, and they answered nervously.

"Four minor injuries, three serious injuries. We're prioritizing the serious ones."

The injuries themselves weren't a big deal.

It could happen.

It was their first time fighting together.

And they had encountered three 3rd-grade monsters at once.

It was understandable.

The paladins could heal them.

But...

"And?"

"...One sled is half-destroyed, and the supplies are gone."

That was the real problem.

One of the super-sized monsters had reached the supply sleds.

And unfortunately, the ground couldn't withstand the weight and collapsed, taking a fifth of our supplies with it.

"What was the ratio of food in the sled?"

"...It was all food."

Akuraba's words made me curse.

"Damn it."

We had only been in Ice Rock for one day.

"We're increasing the pace."

The march of suffering had begun.