Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 483

Pilgrim (2)

Four adult men with slightly better stats than me.

To be honest, I was a little worried since I had always relied on stats and skills to beat monsters and looters, but it turned out to be an unnecessary concern.

‘……This is easier than I thought?’

It would be a different story if I were fighting four of them head-on with my bare fists. But with proper weapons and a shield, the numerical disadvantage wasn’t a big deal.

I could see everything, really.

Well, I guess it’s only natural since I grew up fighting monsters like Amelia since I was a newbie?

Clack!

When an enemy attacks, I deflect it with my shield.

And then, I repeatedly slam my mace into the obvious openings they leave while attacking.

Whack-!

After slamming my mace into one soldier’s crown, there was only one soldier left.

“……I, I don’t want to die.”

The young-faced soldier, who had been staying in the safest rear position during the fight, sensed defeat and turned to run away.

Hey, that’s not fair to your dead friends.

I grabbed my shield like a boomerang and threw it forward with all my might.

Whoosh-!

The skill is called Shield Arrow.

A tragic skill that I practiced hard to get a ranged attack when I was a newbie, but ended up not using much.

Thud-!

The soldier, hit in the back of the head by the shield, fell forward, and I quickly approached and captured him.

“Let, let go! Let me go……!”

The soldier was in a panic, struggling with all his might.

“I have something I want to ask you.”

“Like I’d answer you… Keuhuk!”

I punched him in the solar plexus, and he calmed down from his excitement.

“Kehk, keheok, keuk……!”

Now that it was possible to have a conversation, I began to extract information from the soldier.

First, the thing I was most curious about.

“Where is this place?”

“What… do you mean…….”

What do I mean?

I’m asking because I really don’t know.

“Just answer me. Where is this place?”

“……The Pilgrim’s Cave.”

Hmm, it looks like a crystal cave to me.

“Then, what is your purpose?”

“To capture all the escaped pilgrims and put them on the judgment stand—.”

“Don’t shout. It echoes.”

After that, I quickly fired off questions, resolving my doubts and turning uncertain information into certain facts.

There was quite a bit of information to organize.

Information 10: There are other pilgrims besides me.

The total number is four, including me.

It seems like Erwen, Bersil, and Ainar are all in similar situations as me…….

Information 11: The pilgrims’ goal is to activate the witch’s altar hidden in the cave.

It looks like this is the clear condition.

Even if it’s not the clear condition, going there will at least allow me to join up with my companions.

‘If information comes out so easily from just one soldier, everyone else will find their way here, right?’

Ah, of course, where the witch’s altar is located is another problem.

But I had a hunch about one place.

The very place where we used to raid.

The dark zone in the center.

The common area where the Gavrilius Monument, the first to set foot in the labyrinth, is located.

If something is hidden in this cave, it must be there.

‘……Otherwise, there’s no reason to make us start on the outskirts.’

I roughly get the concept of this event.

The rocky desert, the goblin forest, the beast’s den, the land of the dead.

The four characters who started at the entrance connected to the second-floor field each overcome their trials and join up in the center.

‘I’m sure there will be a boss fight there, or the next phase will start…….’

But how did this event even get triggered?

Just because there were four people in the raid?

No, that can’t be it.

There were times when one character died in the middle, and we hunted the Lord of Terror with four people.

‘……Let’s think about the conditions later and focus on攻略 [strategy] for now.’

I finished the interrogation and left the area.

***

First try.

For a true gamer, there is no time as exciting and thrilling as that moment, and I have always been like that.

But…….

Thud.

That’s only when playing a game.

When it becomes reality, the situation is completely different.

Thump, thump, thump.

Every moment is scary and guarded.

The thrilling excitement is gone, and what remains is a chilling tension and one thought that is etched into my mind.

‘I absolutely cannot make a mistake.’

I have to succeed perfectly on the first try.

Because this isn’t a roguelike game where you get better as you die.

There is no second try here.

「The character has defeated ten Imperial soldiers.」

「All stats increase by +1.」

「The character has defeated fifteen Imperial soldiers.」

「All stats increase by +1.」

「The character has defeated twenty Imperial soldiers.」

「All stats increase by +1……」

I moved around hunting soldiers in groups of five or less, thinking of reducing the number of enemies, and I gradually felt my stats increasing.

‘Is it every time I catch five……?’

I don’t know exactly how much my stats are increasing, but for now, that’s how it is.

‘I don’t know how the boss monster will appear, but I need to grow as much as possible while moving.’

As much as I want to focus on hunting to raise my stats, my top priority is to move to the center.

It was a thoroughly rational decision.

‘In this kind of format, I can’t rule out the possibility of a time-proportional penalty.’

A way to get stronger and plenty of time.

This game isn’t kind enough to give you both at the same time.

The game [Dungeon & Stone] that I’ve enjoyed.

‘…If there’s time left, I can hunt there. Let’s move for now.’

How long had it been since I focused on moving rather than hunting and headed towards the center?

‘…It feels like at least seven hours have passed.’

It’s about time for the information to be updated.

Information 12: The labyrinth is not a place you can escape from just because it’s closed.

The labyrinth should have been closed a long time ago.

I’m still standing here.

Of course, there was also anxiety because of that.

‘……It’s not like a case where if you don’t escape within the time limit, you’ll be trapped inside, right?’

This is also a variable that cannot be ignored.

But there’s no point in worrying about it yet—.

“It’s a pilgrim!”

Then, a shout came from the passage beyond the side path.

How could they know when they couldn’t even see each other?

While wondering, I quickly prepared for battle, but no soldiers appeared from the side path.

No, rather, the soldiers’ footsteps were getting farther away.

“Catch him!”

“Filthy witch’s servant!”

Only then did I understand the situation.

Someone else is nearby, not me.

Tadat.

Without looking back, I ran in the direction the soldiers had run.

‘Ainar? Bersil? Erwen? Who is it?’

While I was wondering who was being chased by the soldiers, I saw the soldiers stopping and gathering in the distance.

‘……They’ve gathered all the soldiers nearby.’

Nine soldiers blocking all three passages.

And Bersil Gowland, surrounded by those soldiers.

“O, don’t come! Don’t come!”

Bersil trembled and swung his bone wand.

From the perspective of a warrior like me, it looked like he never intended to hit them in the first place.

Of course, the soldiers didn’t budge.

“What are you doing! Catch him quickly!”

“Kya, kyaak!”

In the end, Bersil was subdued by the soldiers without even putting up a proper resistance.

‘How did he even get this far in one piece?’

I don’t know, but there was no time to think about that.

Whether it was a principle of summary execution, the soldiers immediately knelt him down and prepared to cut his throat.

‘Damn it, nine is a bit tough…….’

Unfortunately, there was no other option.

I couldn’t just watch Bersil die.

Whack-!

Without thinking any further, I slammed my mace into the back of the head of the soldier at the very back.

“…It’s an ambush!”

As soon as I took down one, all eyes turned to me.

Well, then there’s no need to move secretly from now on.

“Behel—raaaaaaaaaa.”

I ran forward, putting my weight on my shield.

It was an unavoidable choice.

“What are you doing! Get that woman first—!”

How am I supposed to save the hostage by slowly taking them down one by one?

“Ugh, ugh!”

Based on the enhanced stats I gained while coming here, I pushed away two soldiers and jumped into the center.

And the moment I picked up the kneeling Bersil.

Thwack-!

A longsword pierces deep into my side.

“Hey, Yandel?”

“…Greetings later.”

The path I had come through was blocked again by the soldiers who had fallen from the charge and had now gotten back up.

I need to change my positioning first.

I don’t have great physical resistance, and I have no chance of winning when surrounded on all sides.

“Hold on tight.”

“Huh? Ah, aak!”

After making Bersil grab my neck and hang on, I went back the way I came.

I pushed one away with my shield.

Tadat.

The moment I tried to jump out, a stinging sensation arose in my thigh.

Thwack-!

Damn spear-wielding bastard.

I smashed the spear shaft stuck in my thigh with my mace and continued my dash. Thanks to that, I managed to save Bersil and break through the encirclement in an instant.

However, the problem is…….

‘I can’t run away with this leg.’

Well, at least I don’t have to worry about my back.

I quickly put Bersil down and sent him behind me.

The soldiers were slowly approaching from the other side of the straight passage.

‘Due to the nature of the passage, the maximum number that can attack at once is three.’

And the number of soldiers left is eight.

‘…This isn’t good.’

I was injured in the side and thigh from overdoing it. Moreover, if the battle drags on, there is a possibility that other soldiers will hear the noise and gather.

Clench.

As I lowered my upper body and lowered my center of gravity, expecting a difficult battle.

「Bersil Gowland has cast [Rising Flesh].」

……Healing started to come in.

***

[Rising Flesh].

The active skill of the 7th-grade monster, the Dark Worshiper.

It was activated by Bersil Gowland.

‘…What is this?’

A mage using a core skill?

A bizarre phenomenon I’ve never seen while playing [Dungeon & Stone].

However, there was something to do before satisfying my curiosity.

‘If this is the case, it’s a different story.’

The only thing I need to ask Bersil right now is not how he was able to use that skill.

“Bersil, how many more abilities can you use?”

“One more in three minutes.”

“Good.”

My injuries were already completely healed.

Moreover, there is a way to recover even if I get more hurt in three minutes.

In other words, it means I can fight much more aggressively.

Tadat.

I released my defensive stance and ran forward, swinging my mace.

And…….

Whack, whack-!

I suffered several minor injuries as I increased the proportion of attacks, but I won the battle as a result.

「The character has defeated seventy Imperial soldiers.」

「All stats increase by +1.」

I caught seven and the remaining two fled.

I didn’t bother chasing the ones who ran away.

“Hey, Yandel…….”

“……Let’s change locations first. Before the ones who escaped call for backup.”

“Ah, yes!”

I looted only one armor and one shield of a suitable size for Bersil and quickly left the area.

And…….

「Bersil Gowland has cast [Rising Flesh].」

I received healing in a safe place and started talking.

“What is this? How are you using abilities?”

“I don’t know either. I was just able to use it naturally after I opened my eyes… It was amazing. It’s like a new organ has been added to my body? I think I’m the first mage to experience this?”

Hmm, I don’t need such a long explanation.

As I was about to say something, Bersil coughed and restrained himself.

“Ah, anyway, that’s not the important thing. I have one more ability I can use besides this.”

“What is it?”

“I think it’s [Assimilation].”

[Assimilation] is a gnome skill.

The effect is to create a stealth barrier with a radius of 3m.

From what I heard, Bersil had been using stealth skills to get here…….

‘Are they giving mages buffs by giving them skills?’

Hmm, it seems like it.

A mage with no combat experience needs that kind of balance patch to survive.

“It was really a big deal. I was resting because I was low on soul power? And then I ran into the soldiers… I couldn’t even use stealth after I was discovered.”

“Where was your starting location?”

“…Huh?”

“If you looked outside before the barrier disappeared, you would know.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I was so flustered that I ran away right away and didn’t check.”

“Ah… is that so? Well… it can happen. It’s not that important anyway. By the way, how did you manage to figure out that you had to come to the center?”

“Huh?”

“…Huh?”

Bersil and I tilted our heads at slightly different times.

“You didn’t… come to the center on purpose?”

“Is this… the center……?”

“…….”

Yeah, he just came here while running away.

It’s a relief. It’s a good thing I was the one he ran into.

“……So, what happened to you, Yandel? How did you fight and win against ten soldiers? What is that equipment? I didn’t even recognize you at first!”

After finishing his story, Bersil asked me various questions, and I shared information by telling him what had happened so far.

Start at 0 minutes after opening my eyes.

Confirmed skill seal, stat seal, and equipment disappearance.

I learned that we were ‘pilgrims’ through the conversation between the soldiers just before the barrier broke.

Also, I realized that my companions might have started in the opposite locations because the outside of the barrier was similar to the goblin forest…….

I saw that the soldiers were using ‘language’ and decided that I could extract information through interrogation.

And then, I escaped.

20 minutes later.

I realized that monsters were helping us.

After observing the soldiers fighting the monsters that were chasing me, I grasped the level of the soldiers, and I also learned that this cave looked dark to them.

30 minutes later.

Deciding that I needed to gather information, I hid behind the brightest crystal and ambushed them.

After barely winning a three-on-one battle, I looted the equipment and increased my combat power.

45 minutes later.

I ambushed the soldiers wearing the Imperial set.

After winning the battle, I started the interrogation.

At this time, I obtained a lot of information, and through the information that ‘the pilgrims’ goal is to activate the witch’s altar hidden in the cave,’ I set the goal for what I had to do.

2 hours later.

I focused on moving, catching soldiers as I encountered them to raise my stats. This was because I was worried about the variables that could occur if time was delayed.

And…….

About 7 hours later.

“This is now. Is that enough?”

Whew, then I think the information sharing is over.

“Now, let’s move quickly. We need to hurry to the center. There’s a high chance that the witch’s altar is there.”

Even after my words, Bersil didn’t follow.

He just stopped and stared blankly at me.

“……Did you perhaps know about this situation in advance, Yandel?”

“Huh?”

What is he talking about?

If I had known, I wouldn’t have made such a mess.

“Of course, I didn’t know.”

“But, how do you know all that……?”

It was a truly absurd question.

‘……Isn’t he also a player?’

Why is he so amazed by such obvious decisions?