Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 421

The moment I heard my comrade’s shout from behind.

“…It’s an enemy! A new enemy has appeared!”

My mind went blank, like a light bulb suddenly burning out.

‘What the… What the hell is this…?’

The shout sounded so surreal, but the acceptance itself was faster than I thought.

‘A new… enemy, you say…?’

It couldn’t be a joke.

Nor could it be a report born from some misunderstanding.

So… that report is the truth, without any errors.

Clench.

I unconsciously clenched my fist.

And at the same time, I unconsciously started looking for the cause of the situation.

What the hell did I do wrong for this kind of messed up thing to happen?

Hans isn’t even with us?

Could there be a Hans I didn’t notice? Not with us, but with the pursuers over there?

When my thoughts reached that point.

Slap-!

I slapped my cheeks with both hands.

Not too hard, because that would be dangerous, just enough to snap me out of it.

‘Lee Han-soo, don’t be ridiculous.’

It’s a kind of avoidance psychology.

Looking for Hans when something unfortunate happens.

‘It’s just how things turned out.’

What was it like in the Larcaz Maze?

When we accidentally encountered the Dragonslayer and went through all that hardship, even losing a precious comrade.

Was Hans there then?

How about in the first floor crystal cave where the Lord of the Abyss appeared?

There was a miracle where there wasn’t a single Hans among nearly a thousand people, but did things go smoothly?

Looking back, that was the case.

When really messed up things happened, Hans wasn’t there.

It’s as if the heavens were determined not to give me a loophole to shift the blame.

‘……Then, was Hans actually a lucky charm?’

I suddenly had that thought, but well.

It doesn’t seem like that either.

Still, thanks to that silly thought, my head felt a lot clearer.

Pfft.

What does it matter if it’s Hans or whatever?

I just need to do what I have to do.

So, in that sense……

I think.

I gave up hope of being rescued.

I threw away food, and I threw away equipment.

Even after running away like that, I had to helplessly watch my comrades get caught and die.

That’s just how survival is.

Giving up, and giving up again.

Deceiving myself that it was the most rational choice in an irrational situation.

“Yandel! Please give us some instructions quickly!”

So, what should I give up now?

Damn it, I already know the answer.

“Jun, I’ll leave this place to you for a moment.”

I quickly passed the baton and headed to the rear.

No sooner had I turned my back than I saw the ranged unit running towards us from behind.

And behind them, the enemies were following.

“Mister… !”

“Erwen!”

“There are about a dozen of them! They don’t seem like knights, but they use aura! Gerod is holding them off alone right now!”

Ventis Gerod.

An ability user belonging to the 3rd team.

A man who everyone liked despite his unnecessary positivity and smiling face.

“Thanks for letting me know. Hurry and join the main force following Akuraba.”

“…Be careful!”

After that, I brushed past Erwen and arrived at the rear, where he was lying on the ground, scattering hot blood.

Shwaaaaaaa-!

The blood, steaming as it came into contact with the cold air.

‘Right… another one died.’

If it weren’t for this man, more people would have been hurt and killed.

Thump-.

My heart tightens for a moment, but this cruel reality doesn’t give me time to grieve.

Swoosh.

I raise my head and gaze at the front.

I see a dozen enemies over Gerod’s corpse.

As soon as I saw them, I remembered the conversation I had with the leader of Orculius in Noark.

[Human female.]

[A pointed, red aura that seems specialized for daggers.]

[All characteristics of the Rose Knights.]

The Rose Knights.

A special unit directly under the royal family that handles special missions such as assassination, infiltration, and sabotage.

Right, so the day I meet them has finally come.

Drop, drop, drop, drop—.

A woman holding a dagger dripping with blood stands still, staring at me.

She was similar to Amelia when I first met her.

A gaze that doesn’t show any emotion.

And……

“Viscount Bjorn Yandel.”

A voice so dry that the expression ‘barren’ is not enough.

“According to the information, he has at least a level 2 or higher sword defense ability. His assessed combat power is two levels higher than each of us, so be careful when facing him.”

As soon as the woman’s business-like briefing ended, they took a stance ready to pounce at any moment.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way looking at an enemy, but I genuinely felt a chill down my spine.

I’m not afraid of some guy who doesn’t even know me yelling that he’s going to kill me, but these guys aren’t like that, are they?

Professionals trained solely for the purpose of killing.

Thump-!

Even though we haven’t even clashed weapons once, the warrior’s heart beats, sensing a difficult battle.

But……

Clench-.

So what?

“Did the Marquis send you?”

I asked, maintaining a posture ready to respond immediately, but there was no answer.

“……”

Man, their eyes are fierce.

Is it like, ‘I don’t talk to people I’m going to kill’?

Even the faint hope I had disappeared with their thoroughly professional appearance, but I still wish they would tell me at least this one thing.

“How did you know to wait for us here?”

“……”

“Huh? Tell me. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t explain this one thing. Aren’t you even a little bit sorry for us?”

Even with my joking tone, the woman didn’t change her expression and just stared at me before quietly opening her mouth.

“…We were just on standby as a precaution due to someone’s persistent request. The intelligence department also judged that the possibility of you actually coming this far was slim.”

“Slim, huh……”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Indeed, what are the chances that a hastily formed expedition team, which met for the first time a few days ago, would complete their mission after such a difficult journey, be abandoned by their allies in the middle of enemy territory, and still manage to find their own way here?

The word ‘slim’ wouldn’t be enough to describe it.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“It’s just that I don’t think we can win against you guys.”

And that’s because, does it even make sense to have such a force on standby to block even that slim possibility?

It feels like a huge wall is closing in from all sides.

It feels like there is no exit no matter where I turn.

“Then the conversation is a failure.”

Then the woman muttered, looking at me.

“Failure?”

“Those who have lost their will don’t have that look in their eyes.”

What, so the reason you answered was actually because you wanted me to be discouraged?

I said, as if complaining.

“That’s strange. I was feeling quite desperate right now.”

“Then are you planning to die like this?”

“No, I have to try as much as I can.”

“Yes, there are occasionally people like you. Those who never use death as an escape……”

At my answer, the woman’s expression changed for the first time. It was very subtle, but it seemed like she was feeling a little sorry, or something?

Of course, I don’t know what it’s really like.

Maybe I just saw it wrong.

But even if I saw it correctly, nothing would change.

“It seems like the conversation time is over.”

I said.

“……”

The woman didn’t answer.

We both know.

“Behel—raaaaaaaa!!”

That no further conversation is needed.

***

Anti-aura essence, Bol-Herchan.

Thanks to this, I was able to evolve into a nightmare for knights, but that doesn’t mean I’m invincible.

Because there’s no such thing in [Dungeon & Stone] in the first place.

Slicing, slicing, pshook-!

It’s not like I’m being sliced like tofu, but every time a dagger touches my body, small injuries accumulate.

The priest’s divine power ran out a long time ago, so I can’t expect any healing.

In the midst of that……

「The character has been poisoned by royal mixed poison.」

「The character’s physical stats are over 700.」

「The poison resistance stat is over 100.」

「The poison effect is reduced by 70%.」

They must have put a lot of stuff on the blade, as the wound area tingles and the tingling sensation spreads around.

There’s even something that worsens the wound, preventing natural regeneration.

And so, the injuries steadily increase.

Whoooosh-!

I swing my hammer like I’m swatting away flies, but this time too, it just cuts through the air in vain.

They climb the walls, do somersaults in the air, and suddenly change direction with braking abilities that defy the laws of physics.

They avoid all my attacks, and if they see even the slightest opening, they slice my body with their daggers.

Of course, each injury isn’t that big, but……

Slicing, slicing-.

My body, which was already relatively slow, becomes even more sluggish, and the number of times I get injured increases.

If the terrain was a little wider and a dozen of them had attacked from all sides, I would have been a rag on the floor a long time ago.

“…Ugh!”

My body staggers forward.

Immediately, a dagger is swung towards my neck.

‘Right, now!’

As if I had been waiting for it, I put strength into my feet and swung my hammer upwards.

But……

‘Ugh, just get hit already!’

Damn it, this doesn’t work either?

It’s like I’m fighting a machine, not a person.

It’s a situation where I can’t help but say, ‘What a crappy game.’

「The character has cast [Soul Dive].」

「Soul power is regenerated in proportion to the soul power consumed.」

I immediately used [Soul Dive], which had cooled down, and recovered the MP that was heading towards the bottom.

And right at that moment.

“We’ll help too!”

Reinforcements arrived.

It was Lavien and Amelia, who should have been guarding the front line with the Noark guys.

“What about the front? What happened to the front?”

Amelia answered my question.

“The guys are maintaining a standoff after coming out of the glacier’s eye boundary.”

Right, so they’re recovering.

Waiting for our power to decrease while we fight these guys. Well, it’s a wise decision since they don’t know what’s going on and aren’t sure if the Rose Knights are their allies.

‘Damn it, why did I have to get stuck in the middle?’

I raised my shield to protect my upper body.

Thud-!

The dagger bounces off as if it hit an iron wall.

However, even as time passes, I don’t feel the usual pain in my lower body.

Normally, they would have been stabbing at my lower body as if they had been waiting for it.

Why is that?

I realized the reason as I looked at the Rose Knights, who had ambiguously distanced themselves.

‘Ah, it’s because of them.’

They couldn’t stab as freely as before because they were wary of Amelia and Lavien on either side.

Right, it’s the rule that a minion should be dealt with by a minion.

‘Hoo, at least I have some breathing room now.’

I shouted so that Akuraba in the rear could hear me.

After all, I’m the tank and the commander of the expedition, right?

I have to do both roles at once.

“Akuraba, if you can, tell the Noark guys to keep maintaining that state!”

It’s heartbreaking to give time to the Noark guys who were just about to finish us off, but there was no other way—.

‘Huh?’

But what is this?

Even though I shouted loudly, there was no reaction from the Rose Knights. It’s not that they’re just ignoring me, but they have expressions as if they didn’t hear anything.

“Emily, is voice control magic working right now?”

“Ah, it seems the mages who came down used it.”

“…Came down?”

No, what does that mean?

Lavien answered, deflecting a dagger that was aiming for my shoulder.

“At the same time as the attack started from behind, the priests and mages used levitation magic to escape this way together.”

“Escape? Could it be… were there enemies above too?”

“Yes. Priest Royta Mamender died in the surprise attack.”

“I see……”

Why is it that I only get bad news?

Not only were those dozen people not all of the enemies, but even one of the priests died……

‘Now there are 19 of us……’

The expedition team that started with 30 people has already been reduced this much.

Even if we manage to return alive, there won’t even be half of that number.

Clench-.

The resentment I had been holding back rises in my chest.

I kept giving up and giving up again.

It’s not like I gave up a golden future.

I fought, bleeding, for that future, which was no different from rolling in a pile of dog poop.

But why does the irrational situation just keep continuing?

I want to curse and blame God right now and shout.

But……

“Uaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

I shake off my heated breath.

I even forcibly remove the heat that covers my mind.

Because what we need right now isn’t hot anger.

At least in this moment, I can’t be like that.

“…Akuraba!”

“Yes, what is it!”

“You don’t have to help here, so everyone recover your strength as much as possible. There will be a time when we need to use a lot of power soon.”

The opportunity comes only once.

***

There was no one who said that it was a ridiculous plan, or that everyone would die if they followed my words.

“…Okay. I’ll do as you say.”

Akuraba immediately carried out my instructions, and so did the other members.

Did I get some recognition as a leader during the last expedition?

If so, then I feel a little proud.

It seems like my hard work wasn’t completely unrewarded.

“Behel—raaaaaaaaaaa!!”

The Rose Knights’ offensive becomes even more fierce as the rear support is cut off.

“Yandel is fighting more than ten enemies alone! Block them somehow!”

To make matters worse, the Noark guys, who had finished their preparations, also ended their standoff and began to attack in earnest.

And all we did was one thing.

“Hold on!!”

Just hold on somehow.

With the priest’s divine power depleted and the ranged support stopped.

Holding out while maintaining the front lines on both sides.

“Uaaaaaaaaaaagh!”

We were being harassed while surrounded on both sides, but surprisingly, it was more manageable than I thought.

‘It’s like they already treat us as corpses.’

The Noark and Rose Knights, who had accepted our annihilation as a foregone conclusion, were having a silent staring contest.

‘If we all die, they’ll have to fight each other again, right?’

Well, whatever the feeling of being ignored.

The enemy’s carelessness was a positive sign for us.

Thanks to that, that time finally came.

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The canyon shakes as if there was an earthquake.

Shwaaaaaaa-!

From the bottom of the cliff, which was only filled with abyss-like darkness, a white chill rises in the form of a mist.

「The character has been exposed to [Hate’s Chill].」

「Additional effects are added to all types of status ailments cast by the Glacier Mage Cariadea.」

The Glacier Mage Cariadea.

He finally arrived after crawling up from the bottom.

‘I didn’t plan to use him like this……’

Is that why there’s no end to planning?

“Damn it! Break through!”

At this point, a desperate shout erupted from the Noark side.

“…We’ll finish this as quickly as possible.”

It was much more polite, but the Rose Knights also seemed to be flustered.

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘Could it be that I was the only one here who calculated the time the boss would arrive?’

Well, that’s why they were so relaxed.

[Greeeeeeeeeee]

Thousands of skeletons waving their arms above the incoming mist. And in the center of the mist, the Elder Lich, Cariadea, glaring at us with red eyes.

“Yandel, everything is ready!”

The ‘big one’ that I had asked the ranged dealer line for was also ready at the right time.

So……

“Fire.”

Now, we have no choice but to try.

「James Kala has cast [Piercing Light].」

「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Elemental Synthesis].」

「Titana Akuraba has used [No. 1911 Faveler’s Broken Pocket Watch].」

「Bersil Gowland has cast the 3rd grade attack magic ‘Flames of Extermination’.」

「McKelly Leiaders has cast the 3rd grade attack magic ‘Condemnation’.」

「Liard Ashd has cast the 3rd grade attack magic ‘Magic Ray’……」

Not only the ranged dealers, but everyone who had at least one ranged skill was the same.

They poured out their skills with all their might, as much as their cooldowns and MP allowed.

Not the Noark side.

Nor the Rose Knights side.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwang-!

Towards the Elder Lich who had just appeared.

「The first soul vessel of the Glacier Mage Cariadea has been destroyed.」

Whew, so the firepower was enough.

[Kieeeeeeeeeek!]

The banshees that were pulled out of the mist scream in pain and go berserk.

And at the same time.

Drrrgrrrk, drrrgrrrk, drrrdrrr, kkkk.

The Elder Lich, who had instantly restored his shattered bones, reaches out his hand towards us.

「The Glacier Mage Cariadea is casting [Soul Extraction].」

[Soul Extraction].

That pattern he uses in phase 2.

I took a breath and closed my eyes.

“Hoo……”

That was all I could do.

The dice were thrown in the midst of the fierce storm just now, weren’t they?

「All characters within range are stunned.」

I can only hope that a good number comes up.