Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Novel 2025 - Chapter 70, 71, 72
C70, 71, 72
Chapter 70: Barbarian Hero (3)
I’m running with all my might.
Leading the way with my truly monstrous body that’s about 5 meters in diameter.
Thud! Thud!
Every time my feet touch the ground, it makes a sound like a large monster’s footsteps.
“Don’t fall behind and follow closely!”
Behind me are 23 clan members and Misha, and behind them are about 40 3rd-floor explorers who weren’t swayed by Jack Reacher’s instigation.
The reason they joined us is simple.
[If you hand over all your equipment, we’ll take you with us.]
McGrane is a rationalist who wants to recoup even the slightest loss…
…and he judged that the more sacrifices, the better.
「Character has cast [Sacrificial Engraving].」
「Character’s physical stats temporarily increase based on the number of sacrifices within a 100-meter radius.」
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
Power surges through my body.
And along with that power, an unbearable urge to destroy takes over my entire being.
‘This must be because of Fighting Spirit.’
Still, it’s a relief.
That I don’t have to suppress this urge.
“Kyaaaaak—!”
Miniature versions of Riakis’s clones fly towards us from the front.
Although they’re still over 2 meters tall even though they’re miniatures…
They’re still small fry.
Whoosh!
I swing my mace without mercy.
Since my body has become so large, it feels like I’m swinging a spoon instead of a mace.
Well, I guess the ones getting hit would think differently.
Thwack-!
One of the clones that got hit in the solar plexus turns to dust and disappears.
If it were the old me, I would have had to hit it a few more times for it to die.
I’m realizing just how much my physical stats have increased.
However, the problem is…
Kwaaang-!
Every time I smash one of them, an explosion occurs.
Not where the clone died, but right where I’m standing.
「Riakis’s Hatred is triggered.」
「Character takes significant chaos-attribute damage.」
This is why the presence of a main tank is crucial in the [Crack of Evil] pattern. These self-destructing clones deal guaranteed damage to whoever killed them.
In other words, no matter how high your damage output is, whether you’re a renowned swordsman or a famous archer, it’s useless here.
Kwaaang-!
It’s a level of damage that would have instantly killed a fragile mage.
My whole body is tingling.
Even with Pain Resistance, it’s this bad, so if it weren’t for that, I would be groaning every time one of them explodes.
Sizzle!
The black liquid that’s splattered all over my body melts away with smoke.
The parts that are in bad condition have already lost their muscle and exposed the bones beneath.
However, there’s no problem.
I’m a barbarian of darkness who has inherited the legacy of the vampire.
「Due to the passive skill [Source of Darkness], the character will not die until the heart is destroyed.」
I just need to protect my heart somehow.
Well, even that seems like a matter of time in my current state…
Clang!
Even as I’m smashing the clones to dust and clearing the path, glass bottles keep flying towards me.
And the priests who are hurriedly following behind are also pouring out heals as much as they can.
“That was dangerous! Don’t kill too many at once!”
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
“If you can hear me, answer me!”
No, that’s not easy.
In [Gigantification] state, the threat level, or the probability of drawing monsters’ aggro, increases according to your size.
And for barbarians, who are already large, the increase is insane.
It’s practically like being in permanent taunt mode.
The reason the explorers following behind are able to move so comfortably is all thanks to this.
They’re all swarming towards me.
“Hey!! Can’t you hear—”
“I hear you.”
Still, I adjust my pace as McGrane advised, and Misha’s brother and the other melee warrior, who are right behind me, detonate the clones.
However…
“Priest! What is the priest doing! He, heal us!”
Catching just two or three of them and acting like that is not very reliable.
I don’t like how the priest’s heals are being spread out either.
And most importantly, if I adjust my pace, I can’t maximize the effect of the passive skill.
「Character’s health is below 50%.」
「All resistance and defense stats are increased due to the passive skill [Hero’s Path].」
The Orc Hero’s passive skill, [Hero’s Path].
This skill, which activates when your health is below half, increases all types of defense stats.
And based on my research…
‘The maximum effect is applied when it’s below 20%.’
In the first place, the reason I needed the Orc Hero essence was because of this.
No matter what color the essence is, the passive is the same.
“Alright, both of you go to the back.”
“What? I can still—”
Geez, where does a damage dealer get off trying to imitate the role of a noble tank?
“Something might appear from behind.”
I then coax the two damage dealers to the back with kind words.
McGrane, who was watching from behind, doesn’t say anything this time either.
He just shouts,
“There’s only 10 minutes left. The final stretch is important, so please give it your all.”
Yeah, just keep cheering from back there.
_______________________________________
5th-grade explorer, Tailon Kaltstein.
As he retreats from the front lines, a middle-aged man speaks to him.
“Oh, you’re here now?”
“Yes, Lord Hernesion.”
Tailon nods, and the face of Anton Hernesion, the mage of his regular 7th team, brightens up.
“Right, the vice-leader made the right decision. We need to be on guard here too, in case something appears from behind. Don’t you think so?”
“Yes, of course…”
Tailon swallows his bitter emotions and answers weakly.
And as if to avoid conversation, he averts his gaze.
At the end of his gaze is a barbarian.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
Countless monsters swarm from the darkness.
And the barbarian, who looks even more monstrous than the monsters, swings his mace while shouting.
Kwaaang!
He hears the sound of an explosion, the umpteenth time, and Tailon bites his lip.
Crack-
He feels disgusted with himself for nodding in agreement when the vice-leader said he made the right decision, asking if something might appear from behind.
‘Damn it.’
The truth is simple.
In the first place, it wasn’t even the vice-leader who told him to retreat. It was that barbarian.
The barbarian who was a member of his half-breed sister’s team, the team with that half-assed mage who couldn’t even say anything when told to get lost in the encampment…
The barbarian he had thought of as just another warrior.
[Something might appear from behind.]
He couldn’t refute those words spoken without even looking back.
No, he didn’t.
Although it was a short time, he thought it was something a human shouldn’t do.
Kwaaang!
Every time he swings his weapon, excruciating pain comes back.
It’s impossible to avoid, no matter how agile his body is.
The problem is that this fact makes his body sluggish.
His hands stiffen and won’t move, even though he needs to keep swinging his weapon.
It’s truly pathetic.
“Hey, don’t mind it too much. Anyone could do it if they didn’t feel pain.”
Did his expression give him away?
The man next to him says as if to console him.
One of the only two warriors left who retreated from the front lines with him.
“I’ve heard that essences with Pain Resistance generally have low ratings, but if this kind of tactic is possible, it needs to be reevaluated.”
He keeps his mouth shut even at the man’s consolation.
Because he initially thought the same way.
That drinking potions like that is only possible with Pain Resistance, and besides, his role is different from that barbarian’s.
Although they’re both warriors who fight on the front lines…
His role is to find an opening and deliver a fatal blow to the enemy’s neck, not to tank with his body and buy time.
Kwaaang!
So it’s a natural result.
There’s no need to feel self-deprecating.
Yes, that’s what he thought.
But…
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!”
The more he watches that large back, the more questions he has.
‘How can he not hesitate in that state…?’
Flesh explodes and melts like water.
The beasts that lunge at him tear into the exposed bones with their teeth.
But even in the midst of that, the barbarian swings his weapon with perfect accuracy, without a moment’s hesitation.
Unlike himself, whose body had stiffened.
He’s continuously doing what needs to be done.
‘But is this something anyone can do?’
No way.
In the first place, even with Pain Resistance, I heard that you don’t completely lose the ability to feel pain…
And even if that weren’t the case…
“They say no one can match barbarians in valor, and it seems to be true.”
“It’s like he doesn’t know what death is.”
Having potions, a priest, and a vampire’s essence doesn’t make you invincible.
As a famous explorer once said…
There’s no such thing as an immortal being in the labyrinth.
And that includes that barbarian.
‘There’s no point in denying it any longer.’
Ironically, acknowledging it makes him feel lighter.
To silently do what needs to be done in a life-or-death situation…
How many people are unable to do even that simple thing?
Just look at the changed reactions around him.
“The vice-leader’s foresight is truly amazing. I didn’t expect that man to perform so well in that role.”
“Does anyone know that guy’s name? Someone like that should be somewhat well-known…”
“What happened with the vice-leader earlier? If someone like that joins the clan, it would be very reassuring…”
Even if they don’t know the details like Pain Resistance, they can’t help but feel it as they watch.
That this barbarian saved them.
“Just thinking about what kind of situation we would be in without him is horrifying.”
“Misha, was it? What exactly is that girl?”
“Uh, uh, I don’t know…”
Someone asks about his half-breed sister, but unfortunately, they can’t get a proper answer.
However, listening to the mumbling of the mage Hernesion next to him, he thinks to himself…
“If Balkan, who was called the hero of the barbarian tribe, were to come back to life, he would probably look like that…”
There’s no need to wonder about that barbarian’s name yet.
“It’s over! I can see the end!!”
“Speed up!”
Everyone will know soon enough.
___________________________________
「Field effect [Crack of Evil] disappears.」
___________________________________
The moment we escape from the darkness…
Whoosh!
A loud roar like a storm erupts.
And at the same time, a crimson beam shoots from the ceiling towards the center of darkness.
Kwaaang—!!
It’s a sight as if the apocalypse is upon us.
McGrane mutters as he watches this,
“That was close.”
“I agree.”
Beyond the darkness that has disappeared like mist, there’s nothing left.
All that remains in the place where the Orc Encampment used to be are traces of destroyed land.
My mind, heated from the excitement of battle, cools down.
If we had been even a little late in escaping…
‘I would have died on the spot, regardless of [Source of Darkness] or whatever.’
Actually, saying it was close is an understatement.
My Soul Power, or MP, was completely depleted as we were entering the final stretch, and since the explorers who went the other way all seemed to have died, the clones started swarming in like a tidal wave.
It’s a miracle that we escaped in time.
But it’s not over yet.
‘No, the real prayers should start now.’
I quickly check the number of survivors.
Exactly 30 people.
It’s because a large number of the explorers who followed us after handing over their equipment as payment died.
‘In other words, the probability is 1 in 30. No, with Misha, it’s 1 in 15…’
It’s low, but it’s a probability that’s hard to be relieved about.
I don’t let my guard down and observe the changes in the others.
That’s when…
“Bjo, Bjorn…?”
I hear Misha’s voice from next to me.
Her voice sounds somewhat flustered.
“So, somehow, my body won’t move…”
I turn my head to look at Misha, and I see her frozen stiff.
「Misha Kaltstein has been designated as [Prey].」
「Misha Kaltstein enters an incapacitated state.」
Damn it, is this for real?
McGrane lets out an exclamation that I can’t quite understand.
“That’s surprising. I didn’t expect that to come from your side.”
“Wh, why is everyone looking at me like that…?”
There’s no time for a long-winded explanation.
I ask, just in case,
While looking directly into Misha’s brother’s eyes.
“Do you have any intention of taking her with you?”
“Th, that’s…”
“That would be difficult. We’re in a situation where we can’t afford any more casualties.”
McGrane draws a firm line, speaking for Misha’s brother, who is having difficulty answering.
However, I ask again,
“Do you feel the same way? Regardless of your relationship, she’s still your sister, are you just going to leave her to die?”
“Bjo, Bjorn… I’m fine, so please…”
You’re fine my ass.
Your life is on the line.
“So what’s your answer?”
When I ask again firmly, he glances at McGrane and answers briefly,
“To me… this side is more important than family.”
Bullshit, that’s because you don’t consider her family.
He’s an asshole until the very end.
“We’ve wasted precious time.”
I mutter and pick up Misha, who has turned into a log, slinging her over my shoulder and securing her with a cloth.
And I quickly check the time.
[23:45]
About 15 minutes left until the labyrinth closes.
It’s a time that can be considered short or long, depending on how you look at it.
「Lord of Chaos Riakis awakens.」
It seems like it’s going to be the longest 15 minutes of my life.
———————————————–
Chapter 71: Barbarian Hero (4)
[Prey]
Those afflicted with this status effect enter an incapacitated state.
Think of it as a kind of curse.
However, the difference is…
‘That Riakis’s aggro is fixed on the [Prey], right?’
In other words, we need to create some distance before he wakes up.
That’s the only way to increase our chances of survival, even if it’s just a little.
Just as I’m preparing to leave quickly…
McGrane asks Misha bluntly,
“You’re not abandoning her?”
“Of course not.”
What a stupid question.
I chuckle as if it’s not even worth listening to, and McGrane nods as if he approves.
“Valuing your companions is also an important virtue for explorers. Are you really sure you don’t want to join the clan?
“Yes.”
“Even if we help protect that woman together?”
“…Still no.”
“Hmm, that’s unfortunate. If you were the one designated as [Prey], you wouldn’t have a choice.”
That’s true.
I don’t think Misha could carry me on her back and run away for 15 minutes alone. She would have chosen to survive, even if it meant taking the risk of joining the clan.
But is this what explorers are like?
It’s fucking psychopathic to say that to someone’s face.
“Anyway, the deal ends here. We’ll be on our way, so let’s meet in the city if we get the chance.”
“If we can return alive.”
“Well, I’m sure you can. I have a feeling.”
Phew, I wish they would stop jinxing it…
I listened because I thought they might offer some helpful suggestions, but it was a waste of time in the end—
“I hope your journey goes smoothly. What are you all waiting for! Let’s get started!”
As McGrane shouts at the clan members, lights start erupting from everywhere as if they’ve been waiting.
「Daniel Carmine has cast [Blessing of Wind].」
「Character’s movement speed is greatly increased.」
「Tarotes Pian has cast [Navigation].」
「Character’s Soul Power regenerates faster.」
「Aaron Diflane has cast [Flame of Regeneration].」
「Character’s physical regeneration is greatly increased…….」
「…….」
「…….」
Is this what they call loyalty?
Their MP must be almost depleted after escaping from that place, but they’re showing this kind of kindness…
Although they firmly refused to help Misha, it’s only right to express gratitude in this situation.
“…Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it, just don’t die. If you guys die, that thing will come for us.”
McGrane, who has spoken words that are truly befitting of an efficiency freak, then starts preparing to leave with the clan members.
Well, it’s easy for me, I just have to carry her and secure the backpack so it doesn’t fall off, but it’s different for them.
“Then we’ll be on our way first.”
“Alright. We’ll go in the opposite direction once you leave.”
You’re really rational until the very end, mister.
Since there’s nothing more to be upset about, I smirk, carry Misha on my back, and start running in one direction.
[Grooooowl—!]
Soon, I hear the bastard’s roar from afar.
___________________________________
I’m being chased.
Hanging on the barbarian’s back like a sack of potatoes.
We’re running away from a scary monster called the Lord of Chaos Riakis or whatever.
“Huuuk, huuk, huuk…”
My body is hot.
Not a metaphor, but literally.
The heat he’s emitting as he runs can be felt on my skin, like pouring oil on a bonfire.
[Grooooowl—!]
I can’t turn around to check, my body is stiff.
But I can hear it.
That chilling roar is getting closer and closer.
“Bjorn, son of Yandel.”
So I call out his name.
There’s no response, as if he didn’t hear me.
So I call out a little louder.
“Bjorn, son of Yandel!”
“Speak.”
“That’s enough.”
I know too.
That monster is chasing me, not Bjorn.
That’s why everyone looked at me like that.
Even my own family, connected by blood.
Because my existence itself is a burden.
“What do you mean?”
He asks.
As if he doesn’t understand, as if he’s annoyed by the unnecessary question.
So I speak as cheerfully as possible, like I always do.
“This is enough. You’ll die too at this rate. We’re not that close, are we?”
There’s no response.
So I shout a little louder.
“If it weren’t for you, I would have died a long time ago! And be, besides, you fulfilled my lifelong wish at the end!”
The response comes with a slight delay.
“That’s funny.”
“…What?”
“You have no intention of dying, so why are you saying things you don’t mean?”
His voice is somehow cynical.
I feel like I’ve made a mistake, so I make an excuse.
“I’m not saying things I don’t mean, I really—!”
“You’re just scared of being abandoned, aren’t you?”
I feel like he’s hit the nail on the head.
Is that why?
My voice gets even louder.
“Why don’t you understand! I just don’t want to be a burden anymore!”
“So that feeling is more important than your life?”
“…….”
I’m speechless at his words.
Why is this barbarian so good with words?
I don’t know, but he says with a hint of annoyance,
“Stop beating around the bush and just ask me to save you if you want to live. Then you’ll at least have a chance of survival.”
Simple words, like a barbarian.
But I think I understand what he’s trying to say.
Since we got lost in the Witch’s Forest, he has shown me how to think and act to survive.
‘I must have looked pathetic to him…’
He always said it.
If you want to live, do what you need to do.
Then what do I need to do right now?
Well, I’m sure it’s not giving up and lamenting to someone who’s trying to help me just because I was abandoned by my family.
“Bjorn.”
I call out to him again.
I’m starting to understand.
What I should have done.
“If you save me, I’ll follow you and help you for the rest of my life.”
If I was really afraid of being abandoned…
I should have at least tried something to prevent it.
However…
“That’s something I’ve heard before.”
His answer makes me realize my mistake, and my mind goes blank.
Uh, then what should I say?
The time for contemplation is short.
“I’ll give you all the money I earned from this expedition if I survive! How about that!”
He chuckles and answers,
“That’s more like it.”
_________________________________
“I’m, glad you like it…”
I hear a sigh of relief from behind my back.
I let out a sigh of a different kind and accelerate my run.
Phew, it seems like her mental state is taken care of.
She won’t bother me any further, right?
‘The problem starts now…’
I quickly glance behind me.
I see hundreds of Chaos Spirits chasing after me.
Of course, these guys aren’t a big problem.
Although they have the characteristic of relentlessly pursuing once they aggro onto you, their movement speed is slow.
Unlike that bastard.
[Grooooowl—!]
We started with at least 3 kilometers of distance, but he’s already this close.
At this rate, he’ll catch up within 5 minutes.
Of course, assuming our current speed is maintained.
「The duration of [Blessing of Wind] has ended.」
「The duration of [Navigation] has ended.」
「The duration of [Berserker] has ende…….」
「…….」
That’s the biggest problem I’m facing.
The various buffs cast by the Dzarwi Clan are starting to expire one by one.
The vitality that filled my body is gradually fading.
My footsteps are noticeably slower now.
‘It’s probably 3 minutes at most in this state.’
I consider the variables and revise my plan.
Of course, nothing much has changed.
In the end, there’s only one thing I can do right now.
Run with all my might.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter-.
As expected, it starts raining after about 2 minutes.
It’s a sign that the bastard is right behind us.
In fact, the number of Chaos Spirits blocking our path has also increased significantly.
However, I don’t bother looking back.
I just accept that the time has come and take out the thing I’ve been saving.
「Character has cast [Gigantification].」
「Character’s size increases, and threat level and physical stats increase proportionally.」
My muscles and bones grow in an instant.
My arms and legs also lengthen proportionally.
And my overall combat index must have increased with the rise in physical stats.
But what’s important here is the increase in movement speed.
Thud! Thud!
Although each step creates a heavy vibration, my stride itself is much wider than before.
However, unfortunately, I can’t maintain this state for long.
It’s because my Soul Power, or MP, was completely depleted when we escaped from [Crack of Evil].
‘In this state, it’s probably 2 or 3 minutes at most.’
I use all my knowledge as a veteran player to estimate the remaining time.
It’s a good thing I received the [Navigation] buff that increases Soul Power regeneration speed, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to maintain it for even a minute.
“Misha, what’s the time?”
I mutter briefly, and Misha, who had been holding the watch in her hand beforehand, answers hurriedly.
“Uh, 56 minutes!”
“Precisely.”
“196 seconds left!”
Right, so there’s a little over 3 minutes left.
Until this damn labyrinth closes.
“If you’re bored, just keep track of the time and count down.”
“Ah, alright! One hundred ninety, one hundred eighty-nine…”
While Misha counts down, acting as a timer, I enter the final sprint.
Now, shouting the battle cry that’s stuck in my mouth.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
As if the ancestor god is pushing my back, my body moves forward rapidly.
“One hundred seventy, one hundred sixty-nine…”
The closer the second hand gets, the more raindrops fall.
And the number of enemies blocking my path also increases.
Therefore, what I have to do also changes.
Until now, I just charged forward, focusing on running regardless of whether they followed or not…
But now I have to clear a path as well.
“It’s going to sting a bit.”
Could it be that she didn’t hear me because she was concentrating?
Or maybe she thought it was more important to do her part, no matter what?
It’s probably the latter.
Misha doesn’t answer and just focuses on counting down.
「Chaos Spirit has been destroyed.」
「The location is eroded.」
A Chaos Spirit hit by my mace, which has been coated with holy water, explodes and splatters mucus.
Although it must have touched her skin, Misha continues to focus on counting down.
As if that’s the only thing she can do.
“One, one hundred sixty-five!”
Therefore, I also do my part to the best of my ability.
I smash the Chaos Spirits that are swarming in like a tidal wave, sometimes even leaping over their heads with my massive body.
[Grooooowl—!]
I put all my effort into creating distance between us and that bastard.
Is that why?
“One hundred twenty, one hundred nineteen, one hundred eighteen…”
My right arm, which has been covered in slime, starts to tingle.
Damn, is it ‘Paralysis’?
I make a quick judgment and switch the positions of my shield and mace.
“Ni, ninety!!”
Suddenly, I feel a hot flame from behind.
It’s obvious what it is without even looking.
‘Breath attack.’
Fortunately, there’s no significant damage.
No, in fact, since it landed behind me, many of the Chaos Spirits that were aggroed onto me must have been blown away.
But it’s too early to rejoice.
The fact that he used his breath attack means that I’ve entered his attack range.
“Seventy-five…”
1 minute and 15 seconds left.
Following the breath attack, I’m hit by a direct attack for the first time.
Kwaaang!
His giant front paw slams down on the spot where I was.
My barbarian combat senses kick in, and I manage to dodge to the side just in time, but…
“Seventy-four…”
When I look ahead, I see the bastard blocking my path.
A massive body with a diameter of 30 meters.
Even the Orc Hero’s ‘Fighting Spirit’ is useless against that giant form that saps your will to fight just by looking at it.
Well, Fighting Spirit is only meaningful when there’s at least a chance of fighting back.
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
My heart is beating like crazy.
It’s understandable.
Veteran knowledge or whatever, there’s no way to guarantee survival against that guy in my current state.
Misha also seems to have instinctively sensed this, as she stops counting down.
“Bjo, Bjorn… that’s enough.”
Phew, here we go again.
I thought she had graduated from whining.
[Grooooowl—!]
I immediately turn around and run away as the bastard roars right in my face.
It’s still noisy behind me.
“Can’t you hear me! Just leave me and run away—!”
I mutter firmly,
“Stop it.”
Say something that makes sense.
“I’m not going to leave you to die.”
Run away and abandon her now?
Then who’s going to pay for the Frost Spirit Ring I invested in?
“Why, why… why are you going so far for me…?”
I answer briefly as I jump over a group of Chaos Spirits.
“We already made a promise, didn’t we?”
A comrade oath.
A promise to help each other.
It’s a huge loss if I can’t use her enough to make the ring’s price worth it.
“Promise? You’re going to die with me just because of a promise?!”
Misha shouts as if she can’t understand…
“Who said anything about dying?”
I’m going to survive.
Like a true efficiency freak, I’ll take every reward I can get…
…and return to the city outside this labyrinth.
Of course, it’ll be a hell of a lot of work, but…
It’s nothing special.
In the first place, I’ve never gotten what I wanted without taking risks—
Kwaaang!
A giant front paw slams down from above.
I try to dodge, but I’m a bit late.
“Bjo, Bjorn! Your arm…!”
My arm holding the mace is torn off.
Not just injured by the claws, but literally ripped off.
However, what I need to worry about right now is something else.
“What’s the time?”
“Le, leave me. No, you’ll definitely die too…”
Her voice trembles as if she’s in a state of panic.
I run forward with all my might and shout,
“Misha Kaltstein! Tell me the time!”
“…60 seconds! 60 seconds left!!”
Right, so I just need to hold out for 1 minute.
‘So much for taking it easy.’
I then stop running.
And I turn around and look at that giant bastard.
My instincts are still telling me to run away immediately.
But I’ve made a judgment.
That running away is impossible now that he’s this close.
“Yo, you made the right decision. If I die, then that guy will…”
Even if we run, we’re still within his attack range.
Just look at what happened a moment ago.
If I hadn’t turned around and run away, I could have dodged without losing my arm.
That’s why I charge forward.
“Kyaak! Wh, what are you doing?!”
“If you have time to whine, count down.”
I ignore Misha’s complaints…
…and hope that the ancestor god’s blessing will be with my fate, even if it’s just a little.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
I run towards the giant bastard, not in the opposite direction.
And at that moment…
“Fi, fifty-five…”
Misha starts counting down again, as if she’s had a change of heart.
And that giant bastard opens his hideous mouth and spews flames.
It’s the moment my judgment is proven correct.
“Fifty-four…”
If I had followed my instincts and run away…
Then the only future that awaited me would have been becoming a roast pig along with Misha.
But I didn’t run away.
That’s why…
“Fi, fifty-three!!!”
…I was able to slide between his legs just in time and escape from the radius of his attack.
“Fifty-two!!!”
He stomps his hind leg, which is his center of gravity, without even giving me time to get up from my slide.
Thud-!
I roll to the side and dodge.
But immediately after, he steps back and tries to scratch me with his front paw.
“Fi, fi, fi, fifty…”
I duck and dodge.
Because I carefully observed what the Dzarwi Clan was doing and memorized his attack patterns.
“Forty-nine.”
Stomp.
I jump to the side like a grasshopper and dodge.
“Thirty.”
Scratch.
I either lie flat on the ground like a bug or roll between his legs to dodge.
“Twenty-six…”
I jump with all my might to avoid the tail that swings at me.
I’m replicating exactly what the warriors of the Dzarwi Clan did against him for hours.
In fact, besides the breath attack and the Dark Orbs, these three are all the physical attacks he has.
Well, he’ll reveal new patterns after he finishes off the [Prey]…
“Twenty.”
…but there’s no way.
[Grooooowl—!]
The bastard lets out a loud roar.
He seems angry, as his attacks become even more ferocious.
“Seventeen.”
As if he wants to try an unpredictable attack, he swings his tail again in succession.
“Sixteen.”
I jump over it like I’m skipping rope.
But maybe my jump wasn’t high enough…
Thwack!
My ankle hits his tail, and my balance is thrown off.
“Fifteen… Kyaak!”
My body spins in the air as I fall.
I somehow manage to roll on the ground and get up quickly, but my left ankle is completely shattered.
In the meantime, he slams his front paw down.
“…….”
I roll to the side once more.
And I sense it.
I was a step too late.
If I’m lucky, I might die—
Kwaaang!
Damn it, what the hell?
Surprisingly, my ominous premonition was wrong for once.
「Character’s Soul Power is insufficient.」
「[Gigantification] ends.」
My body shrinks in half, just in time.
I turn my head to the side and see a giant footprint right next to me.
If the timing had been even slightly off, my head would have been a smashed watermelon, splattered all over that spot.
Tadat.
I feel a sense of dread and quickly get up.
I feel pain from my shattered left ankle, but I can just ignore it.
‘It’s been 10 seconds.’
Instead of Misha, who seems to have fainted after hitting her head on the tail and falling, I count down in my head.
‘9.’
The situation is not good.
‘8.’
Somehow, these Chaos Spirit bastards have gathered and are closing in on me.
And my body has become sluggish because my ankle is fucked up.
Therefore—
‘7.’
…I climb onto the front paw that he slammed down.
‘6.’
However, since the bastard will definitely try to shake me off…
‘5.’
…I grab onto his hide with my remaining arm and my strong barbarian teeth.
There’s no way it will work.
Kwaaang!
He slams onto the ground again, and my body is thrown back by the recoil.
Surprisingly, he catches me in mid-air with his other foot.
Swoosh!
The bastard snorts with satisfaction, as if he’s finally succeeded in the hunt.
His open maw rapidly approaches.
If he bites down with those vicious teeth, my Laetium armor or whatever will be gone in one bite.
But…
“You’re too late, bastard.”
This is a world where there’s a labyrinth, there are monsters, and dead monsters drop items and disappear, isn’t it?
「The labyrinth is closed.」
My vision blurs.
Darkness swarms in an instant.
I look at the bastard faintly visible in the center of the darkness and think to myself…
‘Lord of Chaos Riakis.’
He was definitely a bastard as shitty as the force he displayed in the game.
Even though we didn’t even reach the second phase, there was nothing I could do in my current state except get chased and beaten up.
But…
If the day comes when I see him again—
[Grooooowl—!!!!!]
—it will be different.
_______________________________________
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
_______________________________________
When I open my eyes, I see light.
Although the weather is gloomy, it’s still a brilliant light that’s incomparable to the labyrinth.
‘I’m alive…’
Misha, who had closed her eyes for a moment as if enjoying the warmth of the light, sits up abruptly.
‘Bjorn! What happened to Bjorn?’
She comes to her senses and looks around the Dimensional Plaza, and she feels a different atmosphere than usual.
“Priest! Call a priest!!”
“Ho, hold on! We’re back in the city!!”
There are injured people everywhere.
Their cries for help.
“What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know, even when I asked the guild staff, they were too busy to answer.”
Those who don’t know about the situation murmur and grow more curious.
Well, that’s natural.
Although it’s common for explorers to survive miraculously when the labyrinth closes, it’s rare for this many injured people to appear at once.
“Did you hear? It seems like a Floor Master appeared on the 3rd floor.”
“What? A Floor Master?”
“…Then those people must all be explorers who were on the 3rd floor.”
Misha slowly takes a step forward, her body heavy with a headache.
“Hey! You seem to have come from the 3rd floor too, just sit here and rest—”
A male explorer approaches, but Misha doesn’t answer and pushes him away as she walks.
“Get out of my way.”
Resting? Receiving treatment?
That’s all fine, but there’s something she needs to do first.
So she continues walking, searching the crowded Dimensional Plaza.
That’s when…
“That guy is going to die soon.”
“Even for a barbarian, he won’t make it in that state…”
Barbarian.
Misha heads towards the voice as if possessed by that word she heard nearby.
She pushes through the crowd of onlookers and heads towards the center, and just as they said, there’s a barbarian there.
“Bjorn…”
Misha slowly approaches him.
One arm is torn off, his left ankle is bent at an unnatural angle…
…and his entire body is covered in black slime.
She can guess what happened after she fainted without even seeing it.
He must have fought desperately.
To survive, as he always has.
“Don’t get too close! A priest is coming, so it’s better to just leave him—”
She thinks she understands why everyone is just watching from afar.
Misha doesn’t answer and approaches him, quietly placing her ear against his chest.
Although her cheek stings from the slime…
…Misha lets out a sigh of relief involuntarily.
Heave- heave-.
He’s breathing rhythmically like a baby in deep sleep.
“Haa, he was just sleeping. You scared me…”
Her arms and legs lose strength.
But Misha gathers her strength and wipes the slime off his body one by one with her hands.
So that he can rest a little more comfortably.
“A priest is coming, so don’t worry and rest.”
Once she wipes the slime off his face, she can finally see Bjorn’s expression properly.
He looks very peaceful.
As if he has finished everything he needed to do.
Suddenly, a mage’s words come to mind.
[If Balkan, who was called the hero of the barbarian tribe, were to come back to life, he would probably look like that…]
It was something the mage who was admiring Bjorn as he cleared the path said.
Of course, Misha doesn’t know who Balkan is.
But…
“I think I understand what that mage meant.”
If there is a hero, he would definitely look like this.
————————————————–
Chapter 72: Ghostbusters (1)
I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling and thought.
The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the gloomy sky unique to this city…
‘This must be a temporary tent set up for patients. There must have been many injured besides me.’
Indeed, when I looked to the side, I saw beds lined up close together.
I grasped the situation as naturally as breathing.
Silence fills the tent.
Most of the well-worn beds are empty.
That means…
‘Quite some time must have passed.’
Therefore, my task is clear.
First, confirm how much time has passed.
Just as I’m about to slowly raise my upper body so as not to shock my muscles, I feel a heavy, foreign sensation on my abdomen.
A chuckle escapes my lips as soon as I realize what it is.
‘Where did she go, I wondered…’
Misha is sleeping on my stomach.
Even making her characteristic purring snores.
While I’m proud that she stayed by my side to nurse me, I wonder what the point of it is.
‘Well, she must be tired too.’
The priestess of Karui, Elisa.
Being stranded in the Witch’s Forest.
The chase with the Lord of Chaos, Riakis.
Thinking about what we’ve been through, I can’t blame her.
But…
«Misha, wake up.»
Right now, my curiosity takes priority, so I wake Misha up without hesitation.
«Hmm? Ugh… Bjo, Bjorn! You’re awake! Your body? How’s your body, are you okay?»
«As you can see, I’m fine.»
My shattered left ankle moves well, and my arm that was ripped off has been restored to its original state.
So, the first question.
«Did you use a top-grade potion?»
«No, a priest came and healed me.»
«How much was the treatment?»
«Do, don’t worry. The, the guild provided disaster relief funds, so it wasn’t much…»
No, that’s why I’m worried.
«So how much was it?»
«…300,000 stones.»
«I see.»
Whew, at least it’s much cheaper than a top-grade potion.
I was worried because she’s a priestess, but it seems like the guild’s relief funds were quite generous.
«Why are you making that face? You did well.»
«But Bjorn likes money…»
Uh, that’s true, but…
What kind of image do I have in her eyes?
«Even so, money can’t be more important than your body.»
It wasn’t just healing some mashed-up flesh.
It wasn’t reattaching a severed limb either.
It was the process of healing an arm that was ripped off, bone and all, and that we even left behind in the labyrinth.
‘There’s no way natural regeneration would have been enough.’
I let go of any lingering thoughts.
When we tested the limits of regeneration during the experiment with Raven the other day, it took an enormous amount of time even for a severed finger to grow back.
Anyway, onto the second question.
«So how much time has passed since we left the labyrinth?»
«About 6 hours.»
Hmm, no wonder it’s still bright outside the tent.
A whole day hasn’t passed.
«What about the backpack?»
«It’s fine. And so are the contents!»
«And the magic stones?»
«I exchanged them all for money, including yours.»
«Did anyone come looking for me while I was unconscious?»
«Ah, Hikurod and his group came by!»
«…The dwarf?»
Misha slowly explains what happened as I tilt my head.
To summarize, she reunited with Hikurod and his party about 5 hours ago when they came to check on us…
«I’m glad all three of them are okay. So where did they go?»
«They said they were tired after confirming that you were alive, so they went to sleep.»
«I see.»
I don’t feel any resentment.
It would have been the same if I were in their shoes.
After all, it’s not like I would wake up any faster if they stayed here. We can catch up when we meet in two days.
«Then what else do I need to do to leave this place?»
«Just pack your things and leave. I’ve already taken care of the annoying stuff.»
«I see.»
Just as I’m about to get up and remove the blanket, Misha hurriedly stops me.
«Wait, don’t get up!»
«……?»
«Fi, first, put this on…»
There’s no need for further explanation.
«Ah…»
While Misha turns her back and looks away, I put on the new clothes that were neatly folded on the table.
But to even buy me clothes beforehand…
She’s surprisingly considerate, unlike her usual clumsy appearance.
«Do the clothes fit?»
«They fit well.»
To be honest, they’re a bit too small…
But in the first place, finding clothes that fit in this city is difficult.
Anyway, when we step out of the tent, the sun is setting.
«Misha, where’s your accommodation?»
«8th district.»
«Then we can go together.»
Since we’re heading in the same direction, we walk back to our accommodations together, and the contrast between our surroundings and our appearance is striking.
People are walking around in clean everyday clothes, not heavy and rigid metal armor.
«Bjorn, what are you looking at? Let’s go, I’m exhausted.»
After walking along the clean street for about 30 minutes, we reach the inn.
For reference, Misha’s accommodation is apparently about 10 minutes further from here.
«It’s closer than I thought.»
«I know, right? Why didn’t we know this before?»
«Anyway, go now. You must be tired. Thanks for today.»
«Wai, wait!»
Just as I’m saying a quick goodbye and about to enter the inn, Misha grabs my wrist.
«Is there something else I need to know right away?»
«No, it’s not that…»
Then what is it?
As I look at her with an expression that says ‘just tell me what you want’, Misha chuckles and lets go of my wrist.
«Forget it, you’ll just scold me for repeating the same thing over and over again.»
«The same thing?»
«Then I’ll be going, see you tomorrow!»
Misha runs away before I can ask anything else.
«Tomorrow?»
Wasn’t it the day after tomorrow that we were supposed to meet?
Her last words are a bit confusing, but I don’t want to think about it and just enter the inn. And after a quick wash, I have a simple meal on the 1st floor.
Only after lying down on the bed do I realize…
‘I made it back alive again.’
I’m alive.
Damn it.
The next day at noon.
Knock, knock. I hear a knocking sound on the door and wake up. I was going to ignore it and keep sleeping, but they’re persistent.
«…Misha?»
«As expected, you were sleeping.»
«Why are you here? Wasn’t the meeting time tomorrow night?»
Misha chuckles at my grumpy question and unfolds a bundle on the table.
I look, and it’s food.
«Come sit down quickly. It’s bad for your health to sleep without eating.»
No, barbarians don’t care about that kind of stuff.
As I stare at her with a dumbfounded expression, Misha grabs my arm and pulls me.
«Just come without complaining. You can sleep more after you eat, right?»
Although nothing would happen if I skipped a meal or two, I comply because of her sincerity.
The menu is stir-fried vegetables with eggs and grilled meat.
«How is it?»
«…It’s delicious. Did you make this yourself?»
«Where else would they sell something like this?»
Geez, she could have just said yes.
Anyway, I really didn’t expect it, but she’s surprisingly good at cooking.
«At first, I cooked for myself to save some money, but it was kind of fun, so I’m still doing it.»
«Hmm, but didn’t you say you were staying at the inn?»
«Ah, that’s true, but I became friends with the chef, and he lets me use it if I ask.»
«I see.»
«Bjorn, you should try it too if you get the chance. You can save a lot of money, and it’s good.»
Cooking?
She really has no qualms about saying anything to a barbarian. Or maybe she just doesn’t know barbarians well?
«Cooking is a warrior’s shame.»
«Is, is that so?»
I nod firmly, and Misha makes an ‘I see’ expression and then cautiously makes a suggestion.
«If that’s the case, I can cook for you…»
What is she talking about?
«No need, why go to such lengths? It’s easier to just buy and eat.»
«I, I guess so?»
«By the way, how did you know about the lake? I don’t think I told you about that.»
«Ah, that? When I asked the innkeeper where the barbarian was, he just told me.»
«…I see.»
We continue chatting and eating, and soon the plates are empty.
«So what are you going to do? Sleep more?»
I think for a moment and answer,
«Since things have turned out this way, I think I’ll go to the commercial district for a bit.»
I was originally planning to sleep until tomorrow night, but I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep even if I lie down again.
It’s a kind of compulsion.
Unless I’m about to collapse from exhaustion, I can’t stand putting off things that need to be done and just resting.
«That works out well. Misha, you come with me too.»
«Huh? Me too? I was going to go back and sleep more…»
Misha trails off with a bewildered expression.
Based on experience, I need to be firm in situations like this.
«You’re the one who woke me up. Take responsibility.»
«Hmph, alright. I had to go drop off the equipment anyway…»
Where do you think you’re going?
____________________________________________
First, we sell all the equipment we acquired.
Since we already paid the Dzarwi Clan about 2 million stones worth of equipment as a protection fee, it’s not as profitable as I expected.
‘Among these, the ones we got from Hans’s group need to be divided into five…’
Still, after selling the equipment and various consumables of the three religious fanatics, we’ve gathered quite a bit of money.
The fact that one of the three had an expandable backpack was a big help.
Well, that also meant they had more to pay, but…
«…500,000 stones for repairs?»
«It’s Laetium equipment. If it was just bent or warped, it would be different, but with this much corrosion, it can’t be helped.»
Even so, isn’t that too much?
500,000 stones to repair equipment that cost a total of 4 million stones?
Is this guy trying to rip me off because I’m a barbarian—
«Bjorn, don’t be so unreasonable. He’s not wrong…»
Although it hurts my heart, seeing Misha, a 5-year veteran explorer, say that, it seems like it’s a normal price.
So I just pay it.
‘…Just how much of a loss is this?’
For an efficiency-obsessed gamer, what’s scarier than muscle loss is gold loss.
I go over it one by one.
‘I left the mace behind in the labyrinth with one of my arms, I used a high-grade potion on the way, 300,000 stones for treatment, 500,000 stones for repairs…’
The more I think about it, the more my stomach hurts.
If I hadn’t handed over 2 million stones worth of equipment as a protection fee, I could have laughed it off…
«Bjorn, don’t worry too much. I’ll work hard and earn money in the future…»
Right, let’s think positive.
Actually, the second biggest gain from this expedition is her, isn’t it?
Ah, of course, the first one is the Orc Hero essence.
‘We also got a lot of consumables like potions, so we saved a lot of money that we would have had to spend later…’
«Bjorn, what are you doing? Let’s go in.»
I finish my thoughts and enter the inn with Misha. It’s not Misha’s or my accommodation, but an inn located in Commelby, the commercial district.
«I can’t believe the carriages at the platform stopped running.»
«That’s why I said we should move quickly, didn’t I?»
«Alright, alright, stop nagging.»
I enter the inn and ask for two rooms at the counter, and Misha hits me on the back.
«Are you crazy! Do you know how much it costs per day! Just get one.»
«…Get one?»
But shouldn’t it be the opposite?
«Do you think this is Ravigion! A place like this usually costs over 10,000 stones per night!»
«I see. One room should be enough.»
Now that I think about it, I deserved that slap on the back.
I came here because it seemed relatively cheap, but 9,000 stones per night?
The prices are insane in the city center.
My total food expenses for the last month were a little less than 20,000 stones.
‘There was a reason she wanted to move quickly…’
Still, the room itself is worth the expensive price.
It’s not the studio apartment style I used to stay in, but a structure with a separate living room, bedroom, and bathroom.
There are windows, of course, and the living room even has a small terrace, and the room has a faint scent of flowers.
«Bjorn, look at this! It’s soap from the Artian workshop! They even let us use this for free!!»
Misha, who was initially nagging me about wasting money unnecessarily, discovers something and disappears into the bathroom.
When she comes out, she has a very satisfied expression.
«Bjorn, let’s really work hard and earn money from now on.»
I think she’s overreacting, but as I lie down on the spacious bed, I can’t help but agree.
«Yeah… let’s work hard.»
Phew, a bed should be this soft.
‘When will I be able to sleep in a bed like this every day…’
I realize once again that I have a long way to go.
A city where barbarity and civilization coexist.
To live more like a human being in this place, how many more marauders and monsters do I have to kill?
Snore!
My eyes close gently before I can even contemplate deeply.
______________________________________
At that time, when most people are asleep…
The bar where those who miss today have gathered is as noisy as usual, or perhaps even more so.
«Hey, did you hear about that?»
«You mean the Floor Master that appeared on the 3rd floor?»
«Yeah, I heard the Dzarwi Clan lost over thirty people because of that bastard.»
«Thirty people is nothing. The guild will announce it tomorrow, but the total death toll is in the hundreds.»
«So they still haven’t caught the culprit who summoned the Floor Master?»
It’s a topic that explorers can’t help but be interested in.
However, besides the news that everyone knows, there’s a story that’s slowly spreading through word of mouth.
«Ah, do you guys know? I heard this from one of the survivors… it seems like one person played a big role in the Dzarwi Clan surviving that much?»
«One person? Are you talking about Vice-Leader McGrane, the Iron Lion?»
«No, from what I heard, it was a 3rd-floor explorer who happened to be there.»
«Hmm, is there anyone among the 3rd-floor explorers who could do that? What’s his name?»
«That’s…»
Bjorn, son of Yandel.
A barbarian who reached the 3rd floor in just three months.
His unbelievable bravery, which saved countless people from danger, is spreading, sometimes word for word, sometimes with a bit of exaggeration.
However, the ending of each story always comes down to one thing.
«The mage who told me the story didn’t hesitate to say this about the barbarian.»
«What did he say?»
«Although he’s still young and hasn’t achieved the feats of a hero, he’s definitely following in their footsteps. So, borrowing the name of a hero who was more courageous and greater than anyone else…»
A title.
Another name that only explorers with both skill and fame can obtain.
«He’s nothing less than a Little Balkan.»
That title is being mentioned everywhere.
____________________________________
「Character’s fame has increased by +1.」
「Character’s fame has increased by +1.」
「Character’s fame has increased by +1.」
「Character’s fame has increased by +1…….」
「…….」
「…….」
「Warning: The probability of special events occurring for the character has increased.」