Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 388

In the dead of night, when everyone was asleep, an uninvited guest picked the lock and entered.

‘…….’

There were two options.

The first was to ask why he sneaked in and express my anger with ‘words’.

And the second was…….

‘……I hope you came prepared to die.’

To express my anger with my ‘whole body’.

As a simple barbarian, there was no need to overthink the right way to deal with an uninvited guest.

Squeeze-

I tightened my grip on the uninvited guest’s neck.

Because that’s the normal reaction, right?

For a barbarian dealing with an ‘assassin’.

‘Did the Marquis order you to kill me?’

‘……Kuh, keuk!’

At my question, the guy desperately tried to speak.

‘…N-No, that’s…! Wait, let’s talk for a bit—’

It was obvious what he was trying to say.

That he didn’t intend to kill me.

And in reality, that was probably the truth.

He wasn’t holding a weapon when he came in.

If he really wanted to kill me, the Marquis would have sent someone more capable than this.

I don’t deny that.

But…….

‘I have no words to share with someone who tried to kill me.’

But if I listen to that, I can’t go on a rampage, can I?

So, just sleep for a bit.

I’ll get compensation for this from your father.

Squeeze-

I tightened my grip, completely cutting off any sound, and then punched the guy, who wasn’t wearing any armor, in the abdomen.

Thwack-!

With a satisfying impact, the guy’s back curled up like a shrimp.

‘Keuhuk—!’

Oh, he didn’t pass out from that?

Then one more.

Thwack-!

‘Keuhuk—!’

Still, he’s holding up well, probably because he’s a knight.

Should I just break his jaw?

As I was about to change the point of impact upwards with that thought.

‘Kueok—!’

The guy, feeling a threat to his life, pulled out a sword from his waist.

A sword similar in size to the dagger I usually use to cut jerky. However, the size of the sword in the knight’s hand was meaningless.

Whoooosh-!

Blue aura instantly increased the size of the sword as a medium.

Swish-!

The dagger, emitting aura, rushed in like lightning, aiming for my wrist. Since he couldn’t release the hand gripping his neck, it seemed like he decided to cut it off entirely…….

It’s not something I can’t understand.

Most knights were the type of people who lived with the mindset that if something got in the way, they would just cut it off.

‘The character has activated [Iron Fortress].’

‘[Evolved Skin]’s effect is increased by 1.5 times.’

At the same time as I hurriedly activated the skill, the guy’s aura reached my wrist.

But…….

Clack-

The aura barely cut through the skin and got caught on the bone.

‘……!’

The guy’s eyes widened.

It was an expression not much different from the blood knight I had encountered in the Dark Continent in the past.

Why, why isn’t it cutting?

These bastards, who have been freeloading their whole lives using aura, can’t easily accept this phenomenon.

Of course, it’s not something I need to be considerate about.

‘So you were hiding a weapon too.’

Blood dripped from the cut skin on my arm.

However, I didn’t budge and still spoke while holding the guy’s neck.

‘You’re definitely an assassin.’

The guy shook his head violently, unable to deny it.

No, to be precise, he tried to but failed.

His strength was insufficient to shake his neck, which was caught in my hand.

He just widened his already wide eyes even more.

Whoosh-!

Until the moment a large fist crushed his facial bones.

Crack-

Alright, let’s go then.

***

I grabbed the back of the Marquis’s son, who had gone limp, and left the room.

However, unfortunately, a problem arose here.

‘How do I meet the Marquis?’

I don’t know where the Marquis is.

And it’s a bit awkward to wake this guy up and ask.

Drip, drip.

Ha, I want to meet the Marquis before the wound on my wrist regenerates naturally…….

Still, thankfully, my worries didn’t last long.

There’s a saying that if your body is good, your head doesn’t have to suffer [meaning if you are physically capable, you can figure things out].

‘If I just go out, I’ll figure it out.’

The place I’m currently staying is a detached building located on the east side of the main building.

I walk down the empty hallway towards the stairs.

The servants, who were visible everywhere when I entered the room, were nowhere to be seen.

It meant that they had blocked access in advance before sending the son.

‘Well, at least the first floor is fine.’

The first-floor entrance lobby was brightly lit even at night.

One of the servants, who was diligently standing guard in a straight posture even though no one was watching, discovered me and screamed.

‘Kyaaak-!’

Well, is it like a biological alarm?

‘What’s all the commotion!’

At the servant’s scream, the tightly closed main door swung open, and the knights who were on night duty entered the building.

There were a total of four.

‘Riehen Schuiz……! What is the meaning of this! And who is that person you’re holding!’

Unfortunately, they didn’t recognize the young master.

Well, should I not have hit his face?

‘Looking at the thread on his belt, he seems to be one of our Marquis family members.’

‘Even if you are a guest of the Marquis, do you think you will be safe after committing such an act!’

‘Put that person down and surrender!’

No less than four knights, emitting aura from their swords, surrounded me.

It was a situation where a normal explorer would have sweat dripping down their spine and their hands and feet trembling.

That’s probably what those guys know best.

That’s why they’re so arrogant.

‘I’ll say it one last time, surrender peacefully and wait for the Marquis’s judgment.’

‘What if I refuse?’

‘…Then we have no choice but to use force.’

‘Really? Go ahead, then.’

When I shrugged my shoulders and replied to what was practically a final notice, they frowned.

As if I had made a foolish choice.

Thud.

I dropped the son I was holding onto the floor and took out the Demon Crusher from my subspace [a pocket dimension or storage space].

And at that moment.

Tadat.

The four knights, exchanging signals with each other, rushed in from all directions at once.

How kind of them.

Kooong.

A whirlwind bloomed at the same time as I slammed my foot on the ground.

‘The character has activated [Eye of the Storm].’

I deliberately didn’t link it with [Transcendence].

In a battle with multiple opponents, the normal state is much more efficient.

Whoooosh-!

The guys who entered within a 5m radius were swept away by the strong wind and pulled towards me.

Of course, even in the midst of that, they swung their swords.

A knight’s strike that would easily pass through the heavy armor on my body and cut through flesh and bone without resistance, as always.

‘Uwaaaaaaaah!!!’

However, I ignored defense and swung the Demon Crusher again and again.

It’s a normal damage trade method for a damage tank barbarian.

Because if we assume that we’re going to trade blows one for one, I’m sure that I’m the one who will ultimately benefit.

Swoosh.

The guy who rushed in from the front swung his sword down.

But I didn’t allocate my movements to block or dodge.

Slice-

The blade was so forcefully driven in that it was lodged up to my collarbone.

Crack-!

I repaid him by hammering his temple.

And at that moment.

Slice-

The guy who rushed in from the left side cut my ankle.

‘Geez, how sneaky, going for the Achilles tendon.’

I almost lost my balance for a moment, but my tendon wasn’t severely damaged.

Therefore…….

Ziiik.

I quickly regained my balance with my other foot and kicked his face like a soccer ball with my other foot.

Kwaaaang-!

The guy flew far away and crashed into a pillar of the mansion.

Then, a dull impact sound occurred from behind.

Clack-!

Right, you didn’t cut, you stabbed.

‘75% reduction in piercing damage.’

No wonder I didn’t feel any pain.

‘W-What are you…….’

What, what’s with this guy again.

What do you have to say in this situation that you’re opening your mouth.

Crack-!

I turned around and punched his jaw with my elbow.

That left only one guy.

‘Uwaaaah!’

The guy, as if to avenge his fallen comrades, was swinging his sword at my neck with a menacing golden aura.

‘The neck is sensitive.’

This time, since there was no need to expend much movement, I raised my left arm and blocked it with my shield.

And…….

‘……Keuhuk!’

I forcefully kicked his stomach with my foot.

Whoooosh.

The whirlwind subsided as its duration ended, and it was exactly at that time.

‘…….’

The area had become quiet.

We had traded blows one for one fairly, but it was clear who the winner of the trade was.

While I was perfectly fine except for a few scratches, the opponent was already crawling on the floor.

‘Keueok……!’

Still, two of them are still conscious.

I thought the guy I kicked at the end might have died, especially the one whose temple I hit in a fit of anger.

‘Did he use some kind of defensive skill before getting hit?’

Still, the knight’s gait, staggering towards the open door, looked pathetic, probably because the damage to his head was significant.

‘S-Support…….’

Wow, as expected of a knight, he has a sense of duty.

That sense of responsibility was quite impressive, but since I didn’t want him to get too far away, I pulled him back with the combination of [Transcendence] and [Whirlwind] and then knocked him out with a flick on the head.

‘Then I can ask him where the Marquis is…….’

I then squatted down and pulled the head of the knight who had been kicked in the stomach to make him look at me.

‘I have one thing to ask—’

‘Ptooey!’

……Is this guy crazy?

Since I was always the one spitting out phlegm mixed with blood, I felt really disgusted, but I held back and asked again.

‘Where is the Marquis?’

‘In the end, you too, will follow, me.’

No, who said I was going to kill you?

It’s absurd, but seeing him spitting out curses with a resigned look, it doesn’t seem like he’ll answer even if I ask.

Therefore…….

Kwaang-!

After giving him a flick on the crown of his head, I continued to ponder.

‘Anyway, what should I do? Should I go out further?’

Well, there might be mages outside.

I don’t want to escalate things here in the first place.

It would be nice if I could just have a one-on-one meeting with the Marquis…….

Should I just wait until the son wakes up?

Swoosh.

As various thoughts flashed through my mind, I sensed a presence beyond the wide-open door.

I only lifted my head to check the location and slowly stood up.

‘……Looks like there’s no need to go looking for him.’

The Marquis was there.

***

The Marquis was wearing the same casual clothes as he had during the day.

It meant that he hadn’t gone to bed.

Well, it could be that he was awake because he was busy with work…….

Well, I wonder what the truth is.

No matter how I look at it, it seems reasonable to think that he was waiting and then appeared.

And the numerous troops next to him as well.

Swoosh.

As I stood up, the woman next to the Marquis placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

‘It’s alright, you stay still.’

‘…Yes.’

The guard immediately took her hand off the sword at the Marquis’s command.

I carefully observed the guard.

First of all, that woman was not a knight.

Because aura is only unique to humans.

‘A Dragonkin [a race of humanoid dragons].’

Soon, I confirmed that her pupils had the characteristics of a Dragonkin, and I turned my attention to her equipment.

And…….

‘Damn it.’

I realized what kind of object the sword the guard was wearing on her waist was.

‘No. 19 Exenis Dragon Sword.’

A conversion-type longsword that greatly amplifies physical damage and can convert physical damage into magical damage depending on the situation.

With my anti-magic power setting not fully completed, that sword is practically my counter weapon.

‘I’ve never heard of a guy like this…….’

If equipment follows skill, then that guy is definitely one of the strongest in this city. In the first place, it’s safe to say that there are no weak Dragonkin.

‘…….’

A moment of silence arose as I was assessing the situation.

The Marquis was the first to speak.

‘Shall we move to another place for now?’

‘How can I trust you?’

‘Hmm, then allow me to clear them out.’

When I nodded slightly, the Marquis gave a signal, and the knights next to him gathered their comrades and turned back.

And…….

‘Except for Ms. Lavien, everyone else, leave the mansion.’

The Marquis dismissed all the troops from the mansion.

Now, the only one left was the Dragonkin woman next to him.

The Marquis didn’t hesitate to say my real name, even with the Dragonkin guard present.

‘Yandel, Baron.’

‘…….’

‘I know why you did this. You probably misunderstood.’

Misunderstood…….

Well, from the Marquis’s point of view, it would have been absurd.

Even if I woke up midway because I wasn’t an evil spirit, he wouldn’t have expected the situation to unfold like this.

Especially in the middle of his own mansion.

Of course, there was no reason for me to be considerate of that situation.

‘Sending an assassin in the middle of the night and calling it a misunderstanding, you have some nerve.’

‘That’s why it’s a misunderstanding. I only wanted to confirm whether you were an evil spirit or not.’

‘……An evil spirit?’

I had been guessing the Marquis’s intentions for a long time, but I pretended not to know and asked again.

Ah, should I mix in some annoyance here to make it sound natural?

‘…Are you saying you suspected me of being an evil spirit?’

A question that clearly revealed hostility.

In response, the Marquis nodded indifferently.

‘It’s better to be sure about everything, wouldn’t you agree? You’ve probably heard of it, but evil spirits are dragged to a gathering every full moon. And during that time, they become completely defenseless. I swear, I only intended to check whether you would wake up or not during that time.’

‘…So?’

‘The confirmation is complete. You are not an evil spirit.’

At that, I let out a soft breath.

Because the biggest goal of this whole thing was exactly this.

‘Then why did you send your son?’

‘That’s… because I judged that there would be no problem even if you woke up if it was him.’

‘In more detail.’

‘First of all, I didn’t expect you to cause such a commotion. And secondly, I judged that he would be able to handle any situation if something happened.’

In short, it meant that he thought that his son would be able to subdue me even if an accident occurred.

‘Didn’t you think that he could have died at my hands? He’s your only son?’

‘If I only protect him, he will only grow up weak.’

Right, that’s your educational policy.

There are some slightly suspicious parts, but now I understand to some extent.

‘Well, now that the misunderstanding is resolved—’

‘Just because the misunderstanding is resolved doesn’t mean the resentment disappears. And the misunderstanding isn’t completely resolved in the first place.’

‘……?’

When I interrupted him, the Marquis frowned and looked at me.

Hey, does that mean I can’t say what I want to say?

‘See this, this wound?’

I held out my wrist so that the wound, which was already half-healed, was clearly visible.

‘This is a wound caused by your son ambushing me earlier.’

‘……He ambushed you?’

‘I was trying to have a conversation, but he suddenly started swinging his sword.’

‘If that happened, it’s natural to have a misunderstanding. I will scold him thoroughly.’

‘What about my damages?’

I not only showed my wrist but also showed the injuries I had sustained while fighting the four knights earlier.

Too small of injuries compared to the mess the knights were in.

However, the Marquis let out a hollow laugh but still gave me the answer I wanted.

‘Since it was something that happened due to our mistake, we will find a point of agreement that satisfies you.’

Okay, that should be enough compensation.

‘Then, shall we resolve the resentment and have a conversation? I also want to talk about the second condition you were going to tell me about tomorrow morning.’

‘Alright.’

When I nodded, the Dragonkin guard next to him naturally took out a chair from her subspace.

A chair that looked expensive and comfortable.

Heh, he made his subordinate carry around a chair like that in their subspace?

Nobles are…….

‘As I get older, my body is getting more and more uncomfortable. Ah, do you need a place to sit as well?’

‘I don’t need it.’

‘That’s a relief.’

‘So, what’s the second condition?’

Since there was no reason to have a longer conversation, I went straight to the point.

If the first thing I demanded in exchange for restoring my status was to participate in the war.

What exactly would the second one be?

‘Before we talk about that, I’d like to confirm one more thing.’

The Marquis dodged the answer with a sly smile and exercised his right to ask a question.

Ha, it’s hard to say no here.

‘Go ahead.’

When permission was granted, the Marquis brought up a somewhat unexpected introduction.

‘My son is my son, but the four knights you fought earlier were among the most skilled in the family.’

Was that so?

I destroyed them all before even seeing their skills, so it doesn’t feel real even if you say that.

‘So?’

‘I’ll ask you directly, without beating around the bush.’

The Marquis then asked me.

‘How strong are you?’

It was a somewhat unexpected question, but when I thought about it, it made sense.

There was no way the Marquis would know my exact strength.

He was probably just thinking of using my reputation in the war.

‘Hmm, judging by the lack of an answer, was it a difficult question?’

‘Not really.’

It’s not that it’s a difficult question, but rather a question that’s hard to answer.

How can you express a person’s strength?

Just as a person’s strength is as relative as time, a comparison is needed.

For example…….

‘That woman.’

When I stared at the Dragonkin guard, the Marquis had a slightly surprised look.

‘Are you saying you’re confident in your victory against Ms. Lavien?’

I shook my head.

‘No.’

Winning is a bit much.

I haven’t actually fought her.

It’s too early to be sure.

However, to the Marquis’s question about my combat power, I answered without a moment’s hesitation.

‘I’m strong enough to break through that woman and crush your head.’

Is this a satisfactory answer?

It probably is.

‘…….’

A slight tremor occurred in the Marquis’s body, who was always relaxed in front of me.

‘……You’re more insane than I’ve heard.’

Judging by the fact that such high praise came from the guard’s mouth.