Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 193

Once in the Land of the Dead.

Once under the sewers.

Once by chance in front of our inn after Noark was closed.

‘If I count today, that’s a total of four times.’

At this point, it’s hard to call it a coincidence.

Therefore, it was necessary to change my attitude towards this woman.

“…Aren’t you leaving?”

“Yes, I’ve changed my mind.”

There’s a saying that knowledge is power.

Until now, I’ve been avoiding her, trying to ignore my interest because I didn’t want to get involved…

[…She’s not human.]

[Amelia Rainwales.]

Somehow, we’ve even come to know each other’s names.

It means that avoiding her is no longer an option.

‘Now I need to find out. What exactly is this woman doing?’

If someone keeps hanging around your house, you should naturally check who they are.

Whether they’re someone you should report to the police and kick out.

Or someone so scary that you should abandon your house and run away.

You need to know that to respond correctly.

“Jingkasar Peljain!!”

After waiting for a moment, the rooftop door burst open.

What came in was a bald man wearing a black eye patch.

It seems he’s the leader of the eastern forces…

“How dare you enter our territory without a word, you must be prepared to… But, your hair…?”

The bald man, who had made a grand entrance, trailed off.

Jingjing’s jellyfish cut [a hairstyle with short, choppy layers] must have been shocking.

“…Could it be, was it a wig?”

“…”

Jingjing couldn’t say anything and hung his head low.

A moment of silence followed unexpectedly.

But perhaps there was too much animosity built up between them to feel any sense of camaraderie?

The situation, which had been paused for a moment, resumed.

“J-just because of that, do you think I’ll feel sorry for you and let you go! Today, I’ll end my bad blood with you!”

“Puh, puahahah! You, a newbie who’s never even been to a labyrinth, do you think you can beat me just because you have more numbers? Especially against me, a 6th-grade explorer?”

The bald man declared war, and Jingjing, with an awkwardly exaggerated laugh, showed his confidence.

To be factual, he’s not even 6th grade.

When I pressed him because he was too weak, Jingjing confessed that he was actually 7th grade.

‘There’s no way he’d be so relaxed against dozens of people, is he so confident because he trusts me?’

It’s kind of funny, but the bald man was serious.

“Yes, I know you were a 6th-grade explorer. But that’s why I brought a great person.”

“…?”

“Guys, clear the way!”

At the bald man’s words, the dozens of goons behind him stepped aside, creating a path, and a woman appeared through it.

Amelia Rainwales.

An 8th-floor explorer from Noark.

“Barbarian? Why are you here…”

She appeared among the men with a bothered expression, and then frowned when she saw me.

I felt a little bit of satisfaction.

I was just as surprised when I first saw you.

“I should be the one asking that. Why are you here?”

Amelia chose her words carefully, as if organizing her thoughts, and then the bald man, who was watching the two of us, cautiously opened his mouth.

“…Are you acquainted with that barbarian?”

He had come relying on this woman, and he seemed worried that she might be friendly with me.

“Quiet.”

Amelia muttered briefly, and the bald man flinched and shut his mouth.

And about three seconds passed.

“Bjorn Yandel, hand over the man next to you to me.”

Amelia, having finished organizing her thoughts, suddenly made such a demand.

Of course, there was no way I would agree to that.

“This guy is my subordinate.”

Barbarians don’t abandon their subordinates.

…At least, not if there’s no reason to.

“…Boss!!”

Jingjing looked at me with a moved expression when I answered immediately without hesitation.

On the other hand, Amelia looked like she didn’t understand.

“…Subordinate?”

She had a look that said she didn’t understand why I, a rising star in the explorer industry, was here and why I was acting as the boss of a gangster group.

I muttered briefly.

“I have my reasons.”

“I see.”

Amelia nodded coolly.

She could have asked what my reasons were, but she didn’t, probably because that’s just her personality.

“Then I’ll take him by force.”

Amelia immediately took out a dagger and took a fighting stance as the negotiation broke down.

Does she think she’s a barbarian?

I quickly opened my mouth.

“Wait, let’s talk first.”

“Talk?”

“Yes.”

The situation is different from when we met at the inn.

I don’t have any allies to help me, and Bipron is a lawless zone where power is the law.

Of course, it’s right to solve it through conversation.

I haven’t set up my aura-blocking gear yet.

If your body is weak, your head has to suffer.

“That’s interesting. I didn’t expect you to say that first. Are you perhaps planning a surprise attack?”

“Surprise attack? I don’t do such cowardly things.”

I didn’t hide my insulting feelings.

In the sewers, I did throw a mace and rush at her while talking, but there was no reason to be ashamed.

My memory of that time was erased.

At least from her perspective.

“…That’s ridiculous.”

Even though she wanted to argue, she couldn’t.

However, Amelia moved on with just one word, without looking frustrated.

Her body was still prepared for a surprise attack.

Is she finally acknowledging me as a worthy opponent?

“First, let’s get these guys to back off.”

“Alright.”

After a brief agreement, I glanced at him, and the bald man was the first to notice and led his goons down the building.

Then it was Jingjing’s turn.

“Um…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t abandon you.”

“Yes!”

He looked uneasy, but he trusted me and went downstairs.

Now, only the two of us were left on the rooftop.

So, it was time for a frank conversation.

“Amelia Rainwales. What brings you here?”

“Why should I answer that?”

“Isn’t it funny for adults to fight like kids?”

“…You must be twenty years old now?”

Come on, between people who know each other, let’s not get caught up in trivial things.

Jingjing and the bald man might be older, but in this industry, the stronger one is the elder.

“Anyway, the answer?”

Amelia hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth.

“You first. Why are you in Bipron?”

“I got caught using my ability in the city. I thought it would end with a fine, but they told me to live here for 20 days. Today is my third day.”

“And the subordinate?”

“That guy tried to rob me, so I beat him up and took over.”

Amelia chuckled.

“You really live as you please.”

It wasn’t a sarcastic nuance.

No, rather, you could say it contained a bit of envy?

“It’s your turn. Why did you come here?”

It was a question I had asked several times.

Amelia finally told me her situation, albeit briefly.

“I’m looking for an explorer who might be here. So, I agreed to help them with one thing in exchange for their help.”

“I see.”

I roughly grasped the situation.

At first, I wondered why she would ‘trade’ with weaklings…

‘She must have wanted to handle things quietly. If I made a scene like I did, the word would spread.’

It seems things will work out easier than I thought.

That’s what I was thinking when…

“I’ll say this in advance, I didn’t intend to break my promise.”

Huh?

Amelia continued, as if making an excuse, as I tilted my head.

“I… I didn’t expect to meet you here either.”

Ah, that.

It was the promise not to come find me again.

I never dreamed that she would be concerned about that first in this situation.

Does she have some kind of obsession with ‘promises’?

“Don’t worry. I don’t think you broke your promise.”

“Is that so…”

Now that I roughly understood the situation, I got to the point.

“Anyway, it’s a relief. With this issue, there’s no reason for us to fight at all.”

“Does that mean you’ll hand him over?”

“No, there’s no need to do that. You need someone to use, right? I’ll lend you my subordinate.”

“I heard the Western Alliance has the smallest force here.”

“You’re more informed than I thought.”

“It’s been over ten days since I came here.”

“I see.”

I nodded.

Certainly, as Amelia said, the Western Alliance is a small elite force.

Though they’re too weak to be called elite.

At least, the eastern guys would be better at finding people.

But…

“Don’t worry about the small number of people.”

There’s still no problem.

Rather, I don’t understand why she didn’t think of something so simple.

That the number of subordinates is small?

Why worry about such unnecessary things?

“From today, the east is also my territory.”

I can just copy subordinates.

***

I thought she was an inflexible woman who valued ‘promises,’ but surprisingly, she was the same as me in this aspect.

Amelia was also a person of efficiency.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“Does that mean you agree?”

“Before that, what do you get by helping me?”

“…Just do me a favor later.”

“Then I refuse. I have a feeling you’ll ask for something I can’t handle.”

Well, that didn’t work.

Well, it’s okay. The important thing wasn’t the favor anyway.

“Then let’s just call it a service. It’s better than fighting you and wasting my strength.”

Perhaps it was a convincing excuse, Amelia nodded and agreed to the deal.

Therefore…

“H-how did that person turn out?”

“‘Turned out’ is informal.”

I kicked the bald man, who was awkwardly facing Jingjing on the first floor, in the stomach.

It’s important to seize the initiative when ‘recruiting’.

“Keok!”

The bald man, hit in the solar plexus, collapsed to the floor.

“You bastard!!”

At this, the eastern guys who filled the first floor rushed at me.

Swords, hammers, spears, skewers…

The guys mercilessly stabbed from all directions with the weapons in their hands.

There was no need to block them.

“No, why is this…”

Even though they aimed for exposed skin, the weapons couldn’t even cut my skin and bounced off.

It was a predictable outcome.

They came in groups of dozens to catch one Jingjing, so how could they pierce me?

How high is my physical resistance?

“Is it all over?”

“…No.”

“Behel–raaaaaaaa!!!”

It didn’t take long.

I instilled fear with [Wild Outburst] and crushed a few guys as a demonstration, and the battle was over.

Dozens of men, overwhelmed by the overwhelming difference in power, didn’t even dare to run away.

I grabbed the bald man by the collar and lifted him up.

“What’s your name?”

“P-Philip Laser!”

“From now on, I’ll call you Baldy.”

Okay, so the introductions are over.

As I was about to proceed to the next step, Baldy asked blankly.

“W-who are you?”

I corrected the error first.

“Not ‘you’.”

“…?”

“Your boss.”

“Boss…?”

The bald man, with a confused look, turned his gaze to Jingjing, who was hiding in the corner.

He seemed to understand the situation then.

Yeah, he was treated like this too.

“You came at the right time, give me a potion.”

“…Potion?”

“My subordinate is hurt, so I have to heal him.”

Amelia glanced at me as if looking at a strange creature, then took out a potion and handed it to me.

Cheeeeeeek-

Soon, after giving him the potion, Baldy screamed and writhed, and after waiting for a moment, he regained his senses, sweating profusely.

He still had a look as if he was dreaming.

It seems like the whip was enough, so it’s time to give him a carrot.

“I’m leaving in 17 days.”

“Yes?”

“Just saying.”

In short, it means to think of it as stepping on poop and just endure it until then. After that, I went back to Baldy and Jingjing and ordered them to gather all the people.

“Since there are many people, the dimensional plaza would be good. Would five hours be enough?”

“T-that’s absurd–”

“Yes! It’s enough!”

Jingjing shouted boldly, interrupting Baldy.

Should I say he’s worthy of being a senior?

Answering ‘YES’ to anything is the greatest virtue of a subordinate.

Especially if the boss is a barbarian.

“Then it’s settled, go out now.”

As time was short, the subordinates who received the order quickly ran out to carry out their mission.

Their appearance was quite satisfactory.

‘Is this why everyone is so obsessed with power?’

I chuckled and turned my gaze to Amelia. And I asked as if I wasn’t interested.

“So, tell me now. Who do I need to find?”

I had been curious since earlier.

She’s from Noark, after all.

There’s also the possibility that she’s looking for someone under the orders of Noark, not of her own will.

‘In this situation, someone is even releasing people to search in the underground city…’

It might be an important clue.

Knowing information that others don’t know is helpful. If it’s information that’s not relevant to me, I can use it later at the Round Table to pretend to be knowledgeable.

I judged that there was nothing to lose either way.

However, unlike my expectations, Amelia only answered the characteristics of the person.

“He’s an old man, but he might be disguised.”

“That means you can’t distinguish him by appearance. Then how do you find him?”

“The tattoo on his back. I heard that it’s impossible to hide it with any magic.”

Hmm, so I have to check everyone’s back as I see them?

“Any other helpful characteristics?”

“No.”

“You don’t even know his name?”

“…It’s meaningless since he would have used a fake name anyway.”

“Still, you never know. Just tell me.”

When I asked casually, Amelia hesitated for a moment as if she was thinking.

But perhaps she judged that it would be useless to say it?

She then recited one person’s name.

“Auril Gabis.”

What?

“Auril Gabis?!”

“…Do you know him?”

“No, I was just pretending to know him.”

I mumbled vaguely and started to manage my expression.

Thump, thump, thump!

My heart was beating like crazy.

Of course, it was natural.

Auril Gabis?

Isn’t that the name of the author of the ‘Comprehensive Sea Record’ series and the creator of [Dungeon & Stone]!