Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 275

The line between life and death.

That line is drawn sometimes slowly, sometimes in a fleeting moment.

For explorers, it’s mostly the latter.

Most injuries can be healed with potions or divine power. So, unless you suffer a fatal injury or the team is wiped out, you usually survive.

Well, it’s not like such cases don’t exist, though.

“Ugh, please just wake up.”

A situation where potions or divine power don’t work.

Such situations happen occasionally.

Liole Worb Dwarki, the mage of Team Half-Pint.

He left his last words for the remaining members as he approached his confirmed death, and at that time, Misha and her companions had to feel a deep sense of loss.

Of course, there was a clear difference between then and now.

“Huh? You nameless woman. Please…”

Not a precious companion, but just a stranger.

Moreover, it’s not even a confirmed death like Dwarki’s.

There’s still a chance to overcome the crisis and survive.

Which way to go at the crossroads of life and death depends entirely on this red-haired woman and Misha.

“Ah, just wake up already!!”

Misha shouted, expressing her frustration, and swung her sword wildly. At the end of the sword were monsters that had come up from the beach.

Swish-!

Even as she cut, stabbed, and cut again, the enemies kept appearing.

Misha was now at her limit.

If she didn’t get out of this place right now, she might never meet Bjorn again.

However, carrying that woman was impossible.

Now that her injuries had somewhat healed and her breathing had stabilized…

Swish-!

How could she carry that woman and move in this situation where monsters surrounded them?

At least, that woman had to regain consciousness and be able to walk, even slowly, to clear a path.

“No, I’m really at my limit now… !”

Misha shouted again, hoping that this urging would reach the woman’s subconscious.

It was then.

“You are…”

The woman who had been lying like a corpse opened her eyes.

“Y-You’re awake! How’s your body, can you move?”

Misha asked with a delighted expression, but the woman only muttered as if organizing the current situation in her head.

“I see, so you’ve been protecting me all this time…”

“Yes! But I can’t do it anymore, okay? We need to get to a safe place quickly. Can you do it?”

The answer came after a very brief pause.

“I can’t move.”

“What?”

“But I can deal with these monsters. Take out the item I told you about from my pocket.”

Words spoken in a calm voice that didn’t seem like someone dying.

At that, Misha stopped blocking the monsters and quickly stepped back, opening the expandable pouch on the woman’s belt.

And she took out the item the woman had mentioned.

“A scroll? What the heck does this scroll do?”

“Declaration of Evil Extermination.”

Misha was genuinely surprised.

Not just any magic scroll, but a scroll imbued with divine power? How did this woman get such a precious item that isn’t even made anymore?

Many questions swirled in her mind, but they weren’t important.

“Ugh, if you had something like this, you should have told me before you lost consciousness… !”

Misha hurriedly tore the scroll, and immediately a semi-transparent barrier of divine energy blocked the monsters.

A moment of rest that had been given after a long time.

“Whew, I feel a bit better now. Hey, so what’s your relationship with Bjorn?”

Misha quickly approached the woman and asked what she had been curious about.

But…

“I am, with that barbarian…”

“…Yes, so with the barbarian?”

“…”

“…What? No way, you’re not sleeping, are you? Ugh! At least finish talking before you sleep…!!”

Misha, who was shaking the woman’s shoulder without realizing it, stopped her hand midway when she realized she was injured.

And she sighed and sat down on the floor.

As her body felt better, worries about her separated companions began to flood in again.

“…I hope everyone’s okay?”

At that moment, a strong wind blew from the beach.

A cold wind that was sticky, humid, and carried the salty smell of the sea.

Swoooosh-.

For some reason, she felt unusually uneasy today.

***

Battles where weapons clash to kill each other.

It’s common to get injured in such battles.

Even if it’s not anyone’s fault or mistake.

That’s why explorers easily fall into superstitions.

They know it themselves.

Injuries during battle are inevitable, and the severity of those injuries sometimes depends on ‘luck’.

“Mr. Yandel, Mr. Urikfrit… !”

What happened to Bear Uncle today was similar.

The drake’s claws broke Partsran’s sword, who was fighting on the front line.

And the broken blade flew and pierced his body.

It wasn’t his mistake.

If he had been more agile, he could have seen it and dodged it, but usually, you wouldn’t call that a mistake.

It would be right to say he was unlucky.

“Blood… ! The blood won’t stop… !”

Some people survive even after falling from the 10th floor due to a series of coincidences, while others lose their lives just by slipping.

[Dungeon & Stone] was a game that faithfully followed such an absurd reality, and I was greatly attracted to that aspect.

Until I opened my eyes in this body.

“Priestess! Please heal him quickly… !”

Anyway, the problem was the location where the blade had passed through.

It missed the heart, but the sharp fragment pierced his lungs and, not only that, went straight through.

A penetrating wound that causes the most bleeding.

Even his internal organs were damaged.

「Lylin Ershina has cast [Heal].」

The priestess poured out the little divine power she had left, but it was meaningless.

「The current target is designated as [Dragon’s Sacrifice].」

「All regeneration effects are not applied.」

The active skill of a 5th-grade monster, Drake.

That damn summoner bitch cast it as soon as she saw Bear Uncle’s injury.

“Where are you looking, barbarian?”

Damn it.

Kwaang-!

I want to rush over and check on Bear Uncle’s condition right away, but I don’t have the time.

And it’s the same for them.

“I’ll keep an eye on Mr. Abman, so everyone focus on fighting!”

Realizing that there was nothing they could do for Bear Uncle, who was on the verge of death, they had no choice but to entrust him to Erwen and return to the battle.

However, the situation was not good.

“…”

The absence of the mage Hans J.

That alone was fatal, and Partsran, who was overexerting himself to fill the gap, lost his weapon.

And to make matters worse, the broken sword fragment pierced Bear Uncle, further reducing the number of combatants.

“You said your name was Nebarce?”

“That’s right…”

“I’ll give you this bow back. You fight too.”

“…Are you sure?”

“You don’t want to die here either, do you?”

Erwen made a bold move by giving Nebarce a weapon, but the situation remained the same.

A 5th-grade monster, Drake.

Moreover, a summoner who was covered in support essences that enhanced summons or provided ranged support.

No matter how you look at it, the battle difficulty is very high.

In fact, it’s like fighting a 4th-grade monster, and on top of that, our condition was beyond terrible.

Erwen’s MP [Mana Points] and natural power were depleted, and the priest’s divine power was being consumed as soon as it was replenished.

Even Partsran, who was in the front line, had lost his sword.

Adding one archer wouldn’t drastically change the battle situation.

‘It seems difficult to expect help from them.’

It was bitter, but I had to admit it now.

The situation had changed.

So, the strategy needed to be revised.

Originally, I was planning to go for a long-term battle, as safely as possible, checking each of the opponent’s essences one by one…

‘There’s no time.’

Bear Uncle wouldn’t last long.

I had to end the battle as quickly as possible to make the drake’s skill be released.

And for that…

‘I have to give up what I have to give up.’

Some resolve was needed.

What to give up and what to gain.

I had already finished all the calculations.

Then, what about the opponent?

“You’ve become very desperate since your companion got hurt, barbarian!”

That arrogant bastard, who was smiling as if he had already won, what could he give up to stop me?

‘I’ll find out soon.’

I shouted and kicked off the ground.

“Behel—raaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

There was no vitality enveloping my body immediately after shouting as usual. It was natural since I didn’t have the MP to use [Wild Outburst].

However, the blessing of the ancestral god would be with me.

Our ancestral god cherishes warriors who rush forward with wildness.

Well, maybe not.

Whoosh-!

As soon as the distance closed, the bastard thrust his sword.

It had happened several times during the battle so far.

When the bastard thrust his sword, I would raise my shield to block it.

That alone would consume my turn, and the bastard would roughly stab my forearm or thigh and create distance.

That was the pattern until just now.

But…

‘Yeah, I’m not blocking it.’

Looking at the sword coming at me, I swung my mace without raising my shield.

So now it was the bastard’s turn to choose.

So, what are you going to do?

“… !”

The bastard, flustered by the sudden change in the battle structure, quickly stepped back, retracting his sword.

Come on, let’s trade blows like men.

‘I knew it.’

Since it was something I had expected, I kicked off the ground and changed direction as soon as the bastard created distance.

Towards the place where the drake with the summoner was.

‘[Leap].’

I used the MP that had recovered by just one use to [Leap].

Koo-oong-!

A cloud of dust spread out from the landing point.

Since I wasn’t in [Giant] state, there was no special terrain effect ‘recoil’.

It wasn’t an important part.

[Grrr?]

The drake, seeing me appear from the forest, opened its mouth.

Your breath stinks, you little shit.

Thwack-!

As soon as our eyes met, I hit its snout with my mace.

[Kweeeck-!]

Its head turned greatly, but it wasn’t a significant blow to a monster classified as medium-large.

But so what?

My goal from the beginning was that woman who was sitting on top with an annoyed look.

“Ah, really! You can’t even stop one of them!!”

I kicked off the ground again and bounced up like a spring.

And at that moment.

Thwack.

A sword pierced my back.

It was obviously that bastard from before.

How, did he close the distance already?

“Why now!!”

The summoner cried out as if whining, seeing me stiffen as the sword pierced my lungs.

At that action, I only felt a question.

“Why.”

Do you think I can’t move?

It’s not like there’s a hole in my neck.

Sluuurk.

I took a step forward while still pierced by the sword.

And at the same time.

Whoooosh-!

I swung the mace I was holding from top to bottom.

The target was the summoner’s crown, who had been whining all along.

Thwack-!

The sword that had been stuck in my back was pulled out, and my body twitched, but my arm didn’t stop.

However, in that instant.

Whoosh.

The bastard thrust the sword he had retrieved again.

Thwack-!

The area that was pierced was my elbow holding the mace.

Not only was the skin torn, but the joint was shattered, and the grip on my hand loosened.

You little shit, you’ve fought a lot of people, haven’t you?

Well, I guess we’re even?

‘[Flesh Explosion].’

I boldly gave up on my arm that was already useless.

Poof-!

Did he not know that [Acidic Fluid] was something I had noticed while fighting, but that my body would explode?

Chiiiiiiiiik-!

“Aaaargh!!”

The bastard, covered in my blood and flesh, groaned and stepped back.

That’s why the essence of the corpse golem is good.

It’s a rare essence, so almost no one knows about it.

The fact that it uses life force as a cost instead of MP is also quite useful in times like this.

Clunk.

At that moment, the mace I was holding fell and rolled on the floor.

It was a trivial matter.

Even if it wasn’t as good as the mace, the shield was also an excellent weapon.

Thwack-!

The summoner, hit by the shield, screamed and fell off the saddle, rolling on the floor.

I could see that one of her arms was bent in a strange shape.

It was a bit of a shame.

If it had been her head, it would have been possible to kill her instantly.

Unfortunately, the drake was thrashing around at that moment, so I couldn’t crush her cute little head.

‘…I guess I can do it one more time.’

Following the example of the barbarian who laughs eight times after falling seven times, I jumped off the drake’s back.

But what is this again?

Whooosh-!

My falling body suddenly shot upwards.

The drake had bitten my nape and thrown me away.

The summoner’s body quickly moved away from my sight, but it wasn’t all bad news.

Thwack-!

Taking advantage of the drake’s large movement, Partsran had stabbed the broken sword into its chest.

[Kieeeeeeeck!!]

Did he hit the heart?

The drake thrashed violently and then disappeared into light.

It had finally been unsummoned.

The status ailment would have been lifted as well, so now Bear Uncle could be healed with divine power.

I had achieved the first of my goals.

Kwaang-!

Thinking that, I quickly got up after being slammed into the ground.

It was at that moment.

Sluuurk-!

A sharp sword was pointed at my neck.

“You monster.”

No matter what praise the bastard was giving me, I didn’t have the strength to block or dodge that sword.

However, there was also a stroke of luck for the first time in a while.

The bastard couldn’t kill me now.

“Everyone stop! If you don’t want to see this guy die!”

The bastard shouted to my companions, and in response, my companions pointed their weapons at the unconscious summoner’s neck.

“You take that sword away, if you don’t want to see this woman die.”

A situation that was like a hostage exchange.

It was then, when a strange silence was lingering.

Tub-tub.

Two women appeared from the forest.

“B-Bjorn…?! W-What’s going on!!”

One was Misha, whom I had been searching for so desperately.

“It seems you’re in quite a predicament, barbarian.”

The other was Amelia Rainweils.

Why were these two together?

What the heck had happened?

Many questions arose simultaneously, but I focused on only one thing.

Was the appearance of these two a positive variable or not?

“Amelia Rainweils, so you’re still alive.”

The bastard spoke to Amelia while still holding his sword to my neck.

“It’s good that you’re here, now help us.”

“To say that to me after doing that, it must mean you have a reason, right?”

“Of course. That item is hidden somewhere on this island. If we die like this, it will be forgotten forever. Do you really want that to happen?”

At those words, Amelia frowned.

Having met this woman several times already, I could tell right away.

‘Damn it.’

That’s the expression she makes when she’s contemplating.

Our fate would probably be decided by that choice. I stared at Amelia with a body that couldn’t even make a sound.

“Belverson Erfner. Do you know about the two ways to make people angry?”

“…What?”

The swordsman made a dumbfounded sound at the words that were completely out of place.

Regardless, Amelia continued to speak.

“First, it’s to stop talking in the middle of a sentence. But unfortunately, I didn’t hear the second one. But based on my own speculation…”

“…Based on?”

The swordsman, who had taken the bait, couldn’t help but show his curiosity.

And it was the same for me.

Did this woman know the answer?

“…”

In a strange silence, attention was focused, and Amelia continued to speak without batting an eye.

“That is…”

“…”

“To stab them in the back while talking.”

Ah.

Tap-tap.

The moment Amelia finished speaking, a presence was heard from behind.

It was obvious what it was.

「Amelia Rainweils has cast [Self-Replication].」

The swordsman, belatedly realizing the situation, pushed me away and turned around.

But…

「Amelia Rainweils has cast [Asura’s Wrath].」

It was already too late.

Kwaaaang-!!

Amelia’s clone, who had appeared from behind, pierced the swordsman’s temple.

Thud.

The swordsman, who had fallen to the floor with unfocused eyes, muttered.

“W-Why… You, that item…”

“Yes, it’s what I’ve been longing for my whole life.”

“But why…”

Amelia, who had already approached, said, pressing her foot on the swordsman’s head.

“It doesn’t matter if you really hid it. I can just ask your younger sister. There’s no way she can withstand interrogation.”

She was truly a rational woman.