Chapter 9

I picture my attire in my mind.

A loincloth that looks like nothing more than a rag, a cloak made from a similar piece of cloth, a shaven head with a scruffy beard, and in my hand, a hammer with an iron rod attached to a spiked iron ball as large as an adult's head.

Objectively speaking, if I had to describe my current appearance in one word, it would be "Barbarian." I must look like a warrior from a primitive land or perhaps a new kind of monster.

Looking around the room, I see the corpse of a troll with a crushed head and the bodies of what appear to be adventurers.

Next to the troll's corpse, a small bottle containing a blue liquid lies on the ground. A drop item, no doubt. I pick up the bottle, open it, and drink it in one go. The faint sweetness soothes me. This is one of my small pleasures now. There can't be a potion better than an elixir, so I've drunk every potion I've come across. They are generally sweet, making them easy to drink and enjoyable. They come in blue, red, and occasionally silver or gold, with the gold ones being the best.

I look at the bodies of the adventurers. I would like to bury them, but there is no suitable place for that on this floor. No matter how far I've fallen, I won't desecrate the dead by looting them. I decide to offer a brief prayer and leave the area.

"Hmm..."

A groan comes from behind. Right, there was a survivor. Upon closer inspection, it's a young girl dressed like a town girl. She is emaciated, with cat-like ears on her head and a large backpack. She must be a subhuman porter... It's pitiful, but I can barely survive on my own right now. I give her a glance and leave the room.

I am currently on the 30th underground floor, and there is still a long way to the surface. The floors I've been on recently have been mainly infested with trolls, and there is nothing edible. I want to get back to the surface quickly, but I decide to go down to the lower floors to hunt hell hounds and replenish my food supply.

I walk as quietly as possible. I think I've become stronger, but if I let my guard down and get ambushed, I could be in serious trouble. I remain vigilant at all times, except in areas I consider safe.

Clunk!

The sound of a stone being kicked comes from behind. I turn to see the cat-eared porter following me at a distance. She would only be a hindrance if I go deeper now.

"Ugh! Grrrrr!"

I turn around and growl like an animal to intimidate her.

"Ah!"

The girl jumps back in surprise. She shouldn't follow me now. She must think I'm a low-intelligence creature that can't speak.

After a while, I look back and see a figure still following me from a distance. She's still following me. Well, I guess I'll have to get serious...

"Raaaaaah!"

I shout and run towards her.

Thud! Bang! Crash!

I reach the girl and, without hitting her, I bang the walls and floor with my hammer to make a loud noise.

"Kyaaaaaaa!"

The girl is startled and sits down on the ground.

"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"

I let out strange sounds, imagining a goblin, and after a while of banging the walls and floor, I start running towards the stairs leading down.

"Wait, please!"

The girl runs after me. Isn't she afraid of me? If I were in her position, I would run away as fast as I could.

When I no longer hear her footsteps, I turn around to see what's happening. The girl is squatting down.

Did she fall?

No, she is facing away from me, and I can see a shadow behind her.

A troll!

I was careless; it must have heard the commotion. I have no obligation to help her, but before I know it, I am running with my hammer in hand and passing by her side.

Crash!

I crush the troll's head with one blow.

I confirm the troll is dead. A blue bottle drops as a drop item. I just drank one, so I pick it up and throw it to the girl.

I start walking towards the lower floors again.

When I look back, the girl is following me.

Hmm, what should I do?

August 24, 2023: Added that the girl is emaciated.