Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 281

Suddenly, a thought struck me.

That stone Amelia is holding in her hand right now…

Could that stone be the ‘treasure’ of that Lord Noark?

Of course, it was just a baseless hunch for now.

“…What’s that stone?”

As expected of a barbarian, I asked straightforwardly.

But Amelia’s answer was merciless.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Well, then make it so I don’t have to worry about it.

‘Judging by her reaction, it seems like that ‘treasure’ is correct…’

It doesn’t seem like she’ll answer even if I ask more here.

So, I also dropped my interest in that stone and focused on other things.

There was something more pressing than curiosity right now.

Fissh-!

A gap appeared in the barrier that was blocking the water like an aquarium glass, and water began to flow in through it.

「The sanctuary will soon disappear.」

It meant it was time to prepare.

First, I picked up my mace that had fallen on the floor and the pieces of my shattered breastplate and put them into my subspace [a personal storage dimension].

And…

“What are you doing? Come here quickly. Unless you want to be swept away by the water.”

I also took out a rope.

Amelia frowned, realizing what I was about to do.

“You’re not going to use a scroll?”

“Ah, are you talking about the multiple teleportation scroll?”

The multiple teleportation scroll was the core of Plan B.

I was so impressed by what happened during the fight against the Lord of the Abyss, Berzak, that I asked Kyle later if he could make a similar scroll, and he made it.

However, the maximum number of people was only two.

It was also impossible to specify coordinates, and it could only move to the location where the ‘coordinate transmitter’ was registered when the scroll was created.

‘I guess they wouldn’t have been able to make it into a scroll like this if they hadn’t lowered the performance in that way in the first place.’

Oh, by the way, Raven has the ‘coordinate transmitter’.

Usually, it’s in my subspace, but I told him in advance this time, so it should be outside.

In other words, if I just tear the scroll, I can go straight to my companions.

But…

“We caught the guy, and it’s not a dangerous situation, so why use that expensive thing?”

It’s crazy to use this just to be a little more comfortable.

Kyle said he would make it again anytime if I just got the materials, but…

When would I get all those materials?

Beyond being expensive, most of them were rare items that were difficult to obtain.

“So, come here and sit down quickly. Once the water is all gone, our companions will come and rescue us anyway.”

“Then until the water is gone?”

Well, you’re stating the obvious.

We have to hold our breath and endure.

It won’t take a few minutes, can’t you even endure that?

“…Fine, I’ll tie it myself.”

Soon, Amelia took out a large nail from her subspace and hammered it into the floor. Then, she took the rope from me and tied it to her torso.

“Ah, if you’re done, help me. I only have one hand.”

“…You’re something else.”

What, you’re going to help anyway.

When I raised my only remaining hand as if in surrender, Amelia tied my torso with the rope and secured it.

With that, the preparations were complete.

Fissh-!

I watched the water pouring through the holes in the sanctuary and had a brief conversation.

Surprisingly, Amelia started the conversation.

“It seems like the pain is gone now.”

Ah, I was trying not to think about it.

“…Ugh.”

Pain has a tendency to grow the more you focus on it.

So, I quickly changed the subject.

“My story is done, so can you tell me now?”

“…?”

“That stone. What is it for? Judging by the looks of it, it seems like the ‘treasure’ those guys were after.”

“Barbarian, I clearly told you not to be interested.”

Amelia drew a line with a cold voice.

But not being able to resist curiosity is one of the characteristics of a barbarian.

“No, even if you say that, it keeps shining next to me, so I can’t help but be curious! I’m not asking for much, just tell me why it’s shining. You seemed flustered earlier too.”

“That’s…”

Why is this stone emitting light?

Amelia trailed off, clenching the stone in her hand.

“I don’t know.”

“Huh? You don’t know?”

When I stared at her as if dumbfounded, Amelia clicked her tongue and glared at me confidently.

“Yes, I don’t know. Is that wrong? I don’t know much about this thing in the first place. It’s just that if I have this…”

Yes, if you have it?

I perked up my ears, not interrupting her.

「The sanctuary is disappearing.」

The barrier that was blocking the seawater broke, and water began to rush in like a disaster movie.

Tsk, of all the times.

‘I felt like I could have found out a little more if I had more time.’

It’s a shame, but what can I do?

I’ll have to ask more later if I get the chance.

“Hold your breath! Hold the rope tight!”

I took a deep breath and shouted loudly, and the cold seawater covered our bodies.

Swooooshhhhh-!

From now on, it’s time to just hold on.

If we just hold our breath and wait, the water will drain on its own. Then, our companions who went out on the boat will come back and find us.

But is it because of the lung capacity from the Stormgush essence [a magical power source]?

‘I can hold out for ten minutes easily?’

Even though I’m holding my breath, I don’t feel much discomfort.

It was a stat that I didn’t really use in the game.

That’s because if there was a need for underwater combat, I would have set everything up in advance, so there was no need for things like increased diving time.

‘But it might be surprisingly good…?’

Unlike the game, this is a world where you have to fight with your real body.

The lung capacity stat will also be helpful in combat.

I’m not Lee Han-soo who was just fiddling with a keyboard anymore. I know how important breathing is in real combat.

‘My body seems to be getting better too.’

The unique tingling sensation that occurs when an injury heals is spreading throughout my body. It’s not because this sea is not saltwater but has the properties of a potion.

It’s just the effect of the new skill I got.

「The energy of the sea permeates the character’s body.」

「Due to the passive skill [Origin], the natural regeneration rate is greatly increased.」

Stormgush’s passive skill [Origin].

The effect is simple.

When you touch seawater, your natural regeneration increases, and the longer the duration, the more the increase rises like compound interest.

I think a severed arm would grow back after about 10 minutes?

‘Well, I won’t be able to use this except on the 6th floor.’

I once tried to put seawater in an empty bottle and use it like a potion, but it was a complete failure.

Even if I kept it for an hour, the skill wouldn’t activate.

Seriously, what is the energy of the sea?

‘Anyway, I’ve finally regained my regeneration.’

A smile spread across my face without me realizing it.

The most disappointing part after the vampire essence disappeared was resolved. It’s a 3-star essence, and it’s not just an essence that’s focused on regeneration.

[Origin] alone has other effects.

‘I can replace this when I start farming 2-star essences later…’

I was watching my body recover in real-time, unable to hide my satisfaction, when…

‘Huh?’

I realized belatedly.

The torch I had lit while catching Stormgush went out as the water rushed in.

Even worse, it’s blurry because I’m in the water.

But why…

‘Why can I see?’

This time again, the cause was that unidentified stone Amelia had. Even though it was put in the subspace, it was emitting a brilliant light, acting as a light source.

As soon as I saw it, one question arose.

Putting aside how something like light can leak out from the subspace, which is based on spatial isolation.

‘Why does the light seem stronger…’

I tilted my head and pointed at Amelia’s subspace bracelet with my finger.

It was a gesture with this meaning.

‘Hey, is that okay?’

To that question, Amelia punched my chest with her fist.

‘Mind your own business.’

I think that’s what she meant.

But, seeing the light getting stronger and stronger, wouldn’t she also think it was unusual?

“…”

Amelia opened her bracelet and took out the stone.

The stone was emitting a light that was incomparably brighter than when it was in the subspace.

Oh, just by looking at it, something feels strange…

Thump thump.

Feeling uneasy for some reason, I hurriedly poked Amelia’s waist with my finger.

‘No, is this really okay?’

The meaning of my gesture should have been conveyed well enough, but Amelia didn’t answer.

As if she wasn’t even blinded, she just stared blankly at the stone like a possessed person.

‘Tsk, this is getting more and more unsettling…’

It was the moment I instinctively felt that something was wrong.

Flash-!

The stone emitted a pure white light as if it exploded, and my vision was filled with white.

That was the last of my memories.

Just like the day I was first dragged into this world.

‘Ugh, my eyes!’

And then I lost consciousness.

***

「Error occurred.」

「Unable to locate character’s position.」

「Character log transmission is temporarily suspended.」

「The administrator should promptly…」

「…」

***

When I opened my eyes, there was light beyond them.

The red light of the sunset as the sun headed beyond the horizon.

“Shit!”

Realizing the time, I hurriedly raised my upper body.

“A day has passed?”

It was night when I fought Stormgush.

But now the sun is setting?

That means I was unconscious for at least a day…

‘…Oh, what is this again.’

Soon, I was faced with a much more serious problem than the day that had passed.

‘My equipment, where the hell did it all go?’

Belatedly feeling the emptiness, I checked and found that my equipment was gone.

No, not just my equipment, but everything was gone.

My subspace ring, earrings, and even the magic underwear with the ‘acid immunity’ enchant were all gone.

A perfect, primordial naked state.

‘Did someone find me unconscious and steal everything?’

Well, if that’s the case, they would usually kill me?

No, in the first place, there was no one else on this island besides us.

What have the guys we sent out on the boat been doing all this time?

Ha, what the hell is going on?

“I’m going crazy.”

The words ‘my head is complicated’ are not enough.

I can’t explain this situation with my common sense.

Therefore.

“Hey.”

I shook Amelia, who was lying next to me.

Ah, of course, my gaze was directed elsewhere.

She was also in a state where all her equipment had been stolen, just like me.

“…Amelia, wake up.”

Huh? Please, wake up.

You were the owner of that stone.

What happened?

“Ha…”

I desperately tried to wake Amelia, hoping for an answer, but she didn’t react at all.

She seems to be breathing, so she’s not dead.

‘Damn it.’

I decided to stop waking her up for now and checked my surroundings. It was full of contradictions from the moment I opened my eyes, but there were still things I hadn’t checked scattered here and there.

‘Arm.’

Okay, let’s assume that my severed arm is fine because it regenerated thanks to the seawater.

‘Nail and rope.’

The nail and rope that were fixed to the floor to prevent us from being swept away by the water were gone.

We didn’t move to another island either.

It’s the same spot where the fight with Stormgush took place.

But…

‘The ground is already dry.’

The island was completely submerged in seawater, but the sand I’m stepping on is dry.

Is this physically possible in just one day?

I don’t know, but the most important thing is something else.

‘But I’m wet.’

If it was naturally dried by the sun, why are Amelia and I still wet…

Weeeeeeeeee-!

Then, I heard the sound of a bug’s wings flapping in the distance.

‘Well, well.’

An 8-star insect-type monster, ‘Krungbi’.

Originally, the main species that inhabits this Parune Island.

‘Why are you coming out now of all times?’

The words ‘I’m speechless’ are not enough.

The event ended a day ago, but they’re coming out?

These guys should only spawn in the next dungeon run?

‘Anyway, let’s worry about the rest later.’

I hurriedly got up.

And I found a suitable tree nearby and grabbed it.

The grip is nothing compared to a mace, but…

‘It’s usable as a disposable item.’

An 8-star monster should be enough with this.

Tadat.

I kicked off the ground and ran towards the insect monster that appeared from the bushes.

And…

‘Swing.’

I gave it a furious beating with the club.

Thwack-!

There’s no system message, but I felt a little relieved thanks to the familiar feeling in my hand.

Okay, at least my essence is fine.