I Made a Contract with a Devil, but the Price is Strange

“Go that way. That way!”

The shouts of miners echoed through the corridor. Every time I passed by here, I noticed how industrious these people were.

With such perseverance, they could go deeper, so I don’t understand why they live like this in the goblin layer.

‘I’m not in a position to talk.’

It wasn’t really my place to say, given that I spent every day just playing games at home when I lived in Korea. I didn’t even try to find a job back then.

With a bitter smile, I passed through the goblin layers. As I went down the stairs, a vast plain stretched out before me.

『6F – 10F』

Whoosh—

Unlike the cave without a trace of wind, natural phenomena occurred here intact.

The sun was in the sky, and beneath it, white clouds floated. Rain fell occasionally, and there was even morning and daytime.

It could be said that this was a completely new world. I don’t know how this is possible. It was a part I never paid attention to when playing the game.

While walking through the field, I heard the sound of rustling bushes from the side. I glared in that direction with my mace raised.

“Keruluk—”

—Crack!

The moment the goblin poked its head out, I smashed its head.

Its eyeballs popped out, and the tongue it had extended was cut by its teeth. Its skull was completely crushed, and blood gushed from its nostrils and mouth.

It was clearly an instant death.

‘Good performance?’

I quietly admired the mace in my hand. The dwarf had said its performance wasn’t good, so I didn’t expect much, but this striking power was sufficient.

Swoosh—

It was certainly comfortable to swing like this. Probably thanks to the perfect weight balance.

“Keruk! Kerururuk—!”

A shout was heard as I was about to cut open the body. I quickly got up and hid in the bushes opposite to where the sound came from.

“Keruluk? Keruluk. Kerururuk…”

Soon, several goblins appeared, pushing through the bushes. Counting directly, there were as many as eight. I suddenly realized that the cave above was truly a tutorial stage.

From here on, mistakes were not allowed. If I had companions, they could have complemented me, but I didn’t.

‘Let’s focus.’

The sudden tension made me want to smoke a cigarette. Suppressing the urge, I spoke in a small voice.

“Flame.”

Fwoosh—

A bright red flame rose among the goblins.

“Kerururuk!?”

I immediately controlled the flame to attack the closest one first. The flame stuck to its green skin and began to burn everything.

“Keruk! Kerururuk!”

The goblins were momentarily bewildered. One of them pointed in my direction and shouted. It was clearly the leader, judging by its better equipment.

Swoosh—

At the goblin leader’s command, the enemies threw stones they were holding. Four goblins trampled the weeds and charged at me.

Quite a fast speed.

As the distance with the enemy suddenly decreased, I immediately spoke.

“Fire Wall.”

A red line was drawn on the ground, and flames rose along it. The goblins, not expecting it to appear so suddenly, crashed directly into the wall.

“Keruru-eeeugh-!”

Since the flames had no physical force, they passed right through, but their appearance was definitely not normal. Their entire bodies were bright red, and blisters had formed here and there.

The burned goblins rolled on the ground in intense pain. Tears, snot, and even urine came out.

Crack—!

I quickly approached them and struck their heads with my mace. It was an easy task, except for the slight annoyance of them rolling around.

Four out of eight goblins died. The situation had completely reversed in an instant.

“Keruk! Keruluk? Keruk- Keraruruk!”

The goblins trembled in fear at my power. The ones beside them said something to the goblin leader. Probably suggesting a retreat.

“Kerawik! Keruk, Kerururuk!”

But it didn’t seem to have that intention.

Its face was distorted, and it was tightly gripping its weapon. It was clearly the appearance of a monster seeking revenge.

“Keruluk! Kerwik…!”

The ones beside it turned around.

Crack!

The moment a subordinate tried to escape, the goblin leader crushed its head with a club. The movement of the one following stopped abruptly.

“Keruk! Kerarulak! Kerueewik—!!!”

It pointed at me and shouted. At its roar, a subordinate goblin approached me, sobbing. The goblin leader followed behind. Its intention was obvious to anyone.

‘Here…’

Swoosh—

I took a stance and swung my mace at the approaching goblin. My gaze was directed not at the subordinate but at the goblin leader.

“Burn.”

Fwoosh-

Flames rose above its eyes. The goblin leader fell forward in the position it had been running in.

“Kerueeeugh-!”

At the sudden scream, the expression of the goblin at the front became strange. It didn’t understand what was happening. There was no need to know anyway.

Crack!

My mace crushed the brain that would have been thinking, if it had been. Blood splattered everywhere. I immediately approached and kicked the goblin leader’s head.

Crunch-

A sound like vertebrae being torn. Its neck bent in an unnatural direction. It was instant death without needing confirmation.

“Phew.”

As the battle ended, I sat down.

The tension dissipated. I had worried about whether I could handle eight of them, but fortunately, it was possible.

There weren’t many dangerous moments. It was truly a one-sided battle. I felt a bit of confidence growing. To think my abilities worked in the plains layer as well.

I got up with a broad smile. I cut open the bodies, took out the magic stones, and put them in my pouch. One of them had turned completely to ashes from the flame, so I didn’t need to go through it.

‘Still, I shouldn’t be too rash.’

Goblins weren’t the only creatures in the plains layer. There was a reason it was nicknamed the Green Hell.

Walking through the plains, I checked my remaining magic power. Just over 60% left. Considering that it continuously recovered, it wasn’t that little.

‘I should conserve a bit.’

I should try to handle things by moving directly as much as possible. It wasn’t good to rely too much on the ability Egun gave me.

“Woooooork—!”

I stopped walking at the cry suddenly heard from afar. Anyone would recognize this as an orc’s roar.

There was only one case when an orc would make such a sound: when engaging in battle. This meant there were other adventurers nearby.

‘Should I go take a look?’

I was a bit curious about how others fought. I also wanted to know their level before fighting orcs.

I moved following the continuous roars. Perhaps because the field was so vast, it was farther than I thought.

Clang—!

A heavy metallic sound rang out.

The number of adventurers in the party was five. In contrast, there were three orcs. While the adventurers had the numerical advantage, they didn’t seem to be overwhelming.

‘They seem to be getting pushed back?’

The party composition had three in the front line, and two holding bows and crossbows. There were four men and one woman. She could be called the lone flower.

Clang— Clang—!

Red sparks flew between the humans and orcs.

The orcs kept swinging their axes to strike the shields. A large man was seen being pushed back step by step. He shouted something. Probably meaning he couldn’t hold any longer.

As if my guess was right, an arrow from a crossbow immediately flew and hit an orc’s arm. If it had hit the head or neck, it would have killed it in one shot.

“Kyaaaak!”

While the orc’s face hardened, an adventurer fighting an orc beside it screamed. One arm was cut off, and blood was spurting out.

‘It’s over.’

The warrior fighting the orc had his neck cut off. Blood gushed out, soaking those nearby.

“Kwahaha—!”

The corners of the orc’s mouth rose to the sky. It was a very happy, broad smile. Its voice must have been good, as the laughter reached all the way here.

“Wraaaark-!

Was it stimulated by the activity of its comrade? Another orc fighting with a different warrior roared and charged more fiercely.

In contrast, the adventurers who had lost a comrade shrank back even more. They had become passive.

The adventurers in the front line shouted something. The man and woman holding the bow and crossbow also kept talking. Though I couldn’t hear their conversation, I had a feeling they were fighting among themselves.

‘This is why parties need to be well-formed.’

When I enjoyed this world as a game, I also formed parties to descend into the labyrinth. Of course, most didn’t end well.

The labyrinth drove people crazy, and there were no adventurers who wouldn’t betray in the face of death. Just like them.

“You fucking bastards!”

For the first time, I heard a human’s shout rather than a scream. The voice was filled with rage.

It couldn’t be helped since the two who had been shooting arrows from behind—the man and woman—had betrayed them and run away. This was also a common occurrence.

“Tsk tsk.”

I was right to come down alone. Even if I had formed a party, nine times out of ten, I would have been betrayed and abandoned like that.

There was nothing more to see, so I turned around. The deaths of the adventurers didn’t particularly sadden me. Death in the labyrinth was as common as pebbles on the road.

But there was a gain. I found out how strong orcs were.

‘This could be dangerous if I’m not careful…’

Unlike when dealing with goblins, I need to be a bit more tense.