Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 136

A chill runs down my spine. “Hey, why isn’t anyone saying anything?” Just that one sentence. Even though we haven’t properly clashed yet. A tense vibration echoes in my eardrums. Thump-thump-thump-thump! The warrior’s heart, sensing a natural enemy, is pumping relentlessly, sending oxygen throughout my body. It’s preparing before my head can even process it. For the worst possible scenario. Sliiiide. In the ensuing silence, I only move my eyes to check on my companions. They’re all frozen in place, just as they were walking. They must be sensing it subconsciously. The ominous feeling that guy is radiating. “Hey, you there?” The guy frowns and speaks again. Thanks to that, my mind calms down a bit. Golden time. It’s not right to waste the precious seconds and minutes that will become even more valuable from now on. That’s why… “Are you all really just going to stand there?” I open my ears and fix my gaze on the opponent. And in that state, I quickly piece together information that might have been overlooked. [Hey, Barbarian. You should thank me, right? You would have caught it easily thanks to me.] He knew about this space. So, as soon as he sensed our presence, he immediately rushed towards the boss room. But… ‘Even so, he’s too fast.’ To arrive at the same time as us, who obtained the map? It’s impossible unless he found the way without hesitating at all. How could this be possible? No, to be precise. ‘What kind of skill is it?’ I need to figure that out. Because the plan for the future will change depending on it. Looking back, the answer was in the previous conversation. [If I hadn’t sacrificed another arm, we might have missed it?] Sacrificed an arm. Whose arm it is, is obvious. It must be that poor guy behind him. ‘……A priest of Karui, I see.’ There’s a priest of Karui among them. That’s a fortunate thing. If he had simply found the way with the ability of a scout, there would be no answer in the future, and… [I beg you. Please, just take what you want and let them go.] The old man, presumed to be a priest of an evil god, doesn’t seem to be very cooperative with that man either. ‘Could it be that he kidnapped the priest and forcibly changed his job? And the man who sacrificed his arm is in a similar situation?’ The time it takes to take about three breaths. Having calmly finished analyzing the situation, I opened my mouth. Because now, there’s no time. “Well, never mind. Just all of you—” “I never thought I’d meet an explorer in a place like this.” “So, you’re not mute?” At my answer that broke the silence, the guy sends a look of interest. Okay, I’ve bought some time for now. “Do you happen to know how to get out of here?” I ask what I already know, as if it’s natural. The more I look like a pushover, the more they’ll let their guard down— “You… what are you?” A chilling voice suddenly rings out. What? What did I do wrong? “Not green, and because of these shitty bastards, the yellow light is on?” A gaze filled with caution rather than interest or curiosity. My eyes involuntarily moved to the ring on the guy’s finger. It was similar to a Numbers item I knew. The one I usually called the traffic light ring, with green, red, and yellow gems embedded in it. No.6111 Fate Tracker. When green lights up, it means a positive event is nearby. When red lights up, it means a negative event is nearby. When yellow lights up, it means an event with both is nearby. The yellow light on that item was clearly lit. ‘Damn it.’ Is this what it means to have mixed feelings? The fact that yellow light is on means there was at least a small chance that I could beat that bastard. This is good news for me. The bad news is, he knows it too. ‘I’m screwed.’ Even the only advantage of the weak, which is to exploit the strong’s carelessness, has disappeared. All because of that damn ring. “You, you seem to know what this is?” To make matters worse, the guy noticed even my short reaction and openly revealed his true colors. Swish! The blue-silver blade drawn from the guy’s waist. The former blacksmith-in-training’s mouth reacted first to its dazzling brilliance. “Ah, a sword made of Arc…” Arc. A 6th-grade material that essentially trumps most Numbers items, and is considered the final stage in this world. That’s why I was secretly hoping there would be more enemies. Because the higher the floor the explorer is, the more extreme the difference in equipment, as well as the grade and number of essences. ‘At least floor 9.’ However, I didn’t turn away and accepted the cruel reality as it was. It’s not a clan of dozens of people. Assuming that skill follows equipment, the guy is a strongman who can easily operate on the 9th floor with a group of 5. He must have at least eight essences. And all of them are above grade 5. “Barbarian.” At this point, stats and everything else are meaningless. “Hand over the items you got inside.” A level where he can single-handedly slaughter all five of us without the help of a priest. “If you don’t want to die.” But, I made a decision. What I need to do to survive. Therefore… “Ah, are you talking about this?” I take out the gem I got from the boss room and hold it in my hand. Originally, this was Plan D. Giving them everything they want and begging for my life. “So you had it. Now, hand it over. Then I’ll let you live.” “……” I stared at the guy without a word. As the silence grew longer, my companions began to speak one by one. “…We’re okay. Just give it to him. We don’t even know what it’s for, anyway.” “I agree as well. It’s better to avoid a fight if possible.” Words not worth listening to. This gem is the only reason we’re still alive. To make a deal with a madman who kidnaps priests and converts them? They need to make sense. “My stomach…” As I carefully opened my mouth, attention was drawn to me. The guy was also quietly watching me. I could see a bitter smile on his lips. An arrogant smile as if he already knew what choice I would make. So, I also grinned. “Oh, my! I’m hungry!!” “…What?” The moment the guy was flustered by my sudden shout. I shoved the gem into my mouth without hesitation. And… Gulp-! I swallowed it forcefully. My esophagus was sore from forcefully shoving a gem the size of a tangerine, but who cares? That much will heal in a few seconds. “Burp-” The burp that came out as I held back the urge to vomit. Only then did everyone come to their senses. “What, what are you doing?” The guy asked with eyes gleaming with murderous intent. “I just felt like it!” I answered. After that, a brief moment of silence flowed. “……” “……” The guy had a look on his face as if to say, ‘What kind of crazy bastard is this?’ Well, aren’t our team members not much different? Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Not caring about other people’s gazes, and silently doing what needs to be done. Isn’t that the tradition of the Barbarian tribe? “Barbarian, don’t think you’ll die peacefully.” The guy kicks off the floor and shoots towards me. A speed that’s hard to believe is the same stats. Swish-! As if it’s worth the high price, the guy’s longsword pierces my shield without any resistance. The guy’s thoughts were obvious. He must be planning to kill me and cut open my stomach to take out the gem. But… ‘So what, what’s he gonna do about it?’ I used the force on the shield to adjust the position of the sword blade piercing through. Not to the outside, but towards my stomach. “…!!” Realizing my intentions, the guy quickly pulled out his sword. He must know it too. That the durability of this gem I swallowed isn’t that good. “Could it be, you were planning this?” I didn’t deny it. This is Plan E, which replaces all the discarded plans. “Burp—!” Cut me open, you bastard. Now, there’s no choice but to go all the way. *** The guy’s eyes are rolling. He’s looking for an opportunity. If he can cut off my head in one go, then he can really cut open my stomach and take it. But… ‘No way.’ I pat my stomach with my fist the size of a watermelon. Thump! Thump! The guy’s eyes twitch every time my hand swings. His face clearly shows that he’s worried that the thing inside my stomach might get damaged. “Ah, I’m just feeling a bit bloated.” “…Crazy bastard.” That was a welcome sound. No one avoids walking on fallen leaves in autumn. But what about filth? You might step on it by mistake, but no one steps on it on purpose. That’s why… Thump-! I stop patting my stomach. The core of Plan E is to not cross the line that seems like it’s about to be crossed. The warning seems to have been delivered enough. “What do you want?” The guy tried to talk. He must not want to provoke me, as he’s already put his sword back in his waist. ‘Okay, so this item is that important to you.’ I want to tease him while being a jerk, but I slowly moved to the opposite passage with my companions and got to the point. “Give me a day. Just one day.” “Not to spare your life?” The guy looks at me as if I’m strange. It’s understandable. Those who were in a similar situation as me must have all said those kinds of words to him. But… “I don’t beg for my life like that.” To be precise, I don’t do meaningless things. “Give me a day.” A day’s grace. I judged that this was the maximum the guy could allow. “Then I won’t do such cowardly things either.” “How can I trust you?” At my final offer, the guy asked briefly, and I pulled out the card I had prepared without a moment’s hesitation. “I swear on the honor of a warrior. We haven’t slept for days and are exhausted. But if you wait just one day, I will fight you fairly.” As if I wanted to do that from the beginning. As if I didn’t like this cowardly method from the start. When I glared at him, revealing my fighting spirit, the guy, who was hesitant, quietly asked. “Do you really think you can win?” I chuckled. Can I win? Well, I still think the chances are low. But, so what? “Is that a reason to give up?” I spoke the truth without any acting. The guy stared at my face. And after a moment of silence, he finally gave an answer. “Twelve hours.” A firm voice with no room for negotiation. “I’ll give you twelve hours.” That was the deadline the guy set. “I’ll tell you in advance, don’t think the same trick will work then.” The guy’s eyes and expression clearly showed his will that he would rather give up the item than let us go. So, I let out a long breath that I had been holding back. [05:40] I got the time I needed the most. *** I’m running through the maze. The formation is a bit different from usual. Rotmiller and the dwarf are at the front, and I’m following them from the rear. It’s a simple reason. “It doesn’t seem like he’s really following us.” Rotmiller said that, but… It’s uncertain how long the guy will keep his promise. I have to protect my own back. “So, what are you going to do now?” Rotmiller asked, leading the way at the front. No, it wasn’t just him. “Bjorn… are you really going to fight?” “Th, that doesn’t sound like a good choice. You saw it earlier, didn’t you? How your shield was cut like mud.” The questions and concerns that had been held back were directed at me. They had entrusted everything to me earlier, but they must have started to worry later. But, as of today, democracy is over. There’s not enough time to gather everyone’s opinions, persuade them, and proceed with the work. “Hicurod, Misha, Rotmiller, Dwarki.” I called out the names of the four people. And I asked. “I might say things you don’t understand or give instructions in the future. But can you trust me and follow me one more time?” “Of course!” The three except Misha didn’t answer right away. However, I believed in the image I had shown them for months and waited silently. The first to speak was the dwarf. “If it weren’t for you in the Crimson Fortress, I would have already been dead. I’ll trust your judgment.” The second was Dwarki. “Me, me too. Bjorn, I’ll believe in the destiny of the hero you possess.” The destiny of the hero. That speculation that was added like a seasoning when my nickname, ‘Little Vulcan,’ spread throughout the city, and that the shaman had also told me. It’s one thing if it’s the general public who are meeting me for the first time, but it’s a bit strange that he’s saying this seriously… Well, it’s a good thing in the current situation. “I was just trembling in fear when I faced him, I couldn’t do anything.” The last was Rotmiller. “I’ll believe and follow whatever you say.” I could feel deep trust in his short words. However, without any time to be sentimental, Rotmiller continued. “But, apart from that, there’s something I need to tell you.” “What is it?” “If my guess is correct, he’s a really dangerous person.” “Could it be, you have information?” I asked back with a look of delight, and Rotmiller answered. “A long time ago, I heard about an explorer who used an Arc longsword. According to rumors, he was cursed by a dragon and his whole body was covered in burns.” No, so who is that? Unlike me, who was only raising questions, the trio seemed to have someone in mind. “A dragon’s curse? Could it be…” “Dragon Slayer! Rotmiller, are you talking about the Dragon Slayer right now?” “Th, th, then does that mean that he’s a member of Orculris…?” I frowned as I listened to the trio’s urgent shouts. I still didn’t know who the Dragon Slayer was. But… ‘Orculris.’ The ancient word of this world that means the eye of the witch. I had previously learned about the group that uses this name through books. ‘A group of crazy bastards who say their goal is to kill the king.’ However, they can’t be seen as just crazy bastards. The fact that they have continued their existence for decades despite doing such crazy things proves the strength of each of them. Even though the royal family offered a huge bounty, they have only managed to kill seven so far? ‘I’ve gotten caught by a much more troublesome bastard than I thought.’ Apart from the bitter taste in my mouth, one thought becomes clearer. Running away is not the best solution after all. There’s a famous saying, isn’t there? “So, what should we do?” I took the map from Rotmiller and designated the destination. “We’re going here.” There is no paradise in the place you run away to. At least not this time.