Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 253

I’m dashing through the flames.

“Hoo, hoo.”

My nose catches the acrid smoke.

Thump! Thump!

I’m sprinting through the debris of buildings that have collapsed from the fire.

Ah, the reason my footsteps sound like this is simple.

I activated [Gigantification] to increase my fire resistance, even if just a little.

‘How far have I come?’

I tried to guess my exact location while running, but I’m not sure.

The royal palace, which always gave me a sense of direction when I came to this city, is not visible because of the smoke.

I have no choice but to keep running for now.

Whirr-!

Anyway, about an hour passed like that.

During that time, I learned two things.

First of all.

Whoosh-!

These flames engulfing me from all sides are clearly not from a simple fire.

Flames that not only spread but also explode at regular intervals?

‘It must be magic—’

Kwaaaang-!

I quickly stop thinking and move my shield in the direction of the explosion.

A red shield that is far superior to the one I temporarily borrowed from the knights after hearing about the assassin.

「The Lava Shield has absorbed the flames.」

「Your character’s soul power is restored in proportion to the amount absorbed.」

No. 4819 Lava Shield.

I brought it because of the passive stat of +30 fire resistance when equipped, but it’s the most useful item right now.

‘Ha, if I had just come in without it, I would have been in real trouble.’

As they say, life is about being prepared.

I thought I would never use the ‘soul power recovery’ option because it’s an item that only reacts to attack skills and magic.

If it weren’t for this, I would have saved [Gigantification].

Then, about the second thing.

“……”

It’s quiet everywhere I go.

The sound of buildings collapsing, flames raging, and the city burning fills my ears, but…

So far, I haven’t encountered a single survivor.

Not a single scream, let alone a request for rescue.

‘……Still, it’s a relief that there aren’t that many corpses.’

For reference, most of the corpses I encountered were lying down facing the opposite direction from me.

They had fled inward to escape the fire that started from the outskirts.

Because the royal palace is also there.

‘I hope Raven arrived there safely……’

While hoping that he had avoided this situation, I continued to run through the flames.

Because it might not be the case.

According to the guard, the entire southern part of Karnon was engulfed in flames. And Raven’s lodging is in the very center of the south.

‘It feels like it’s about time to come out……’

Thud.

I stopped walking.

In front of me, a stone structure was appearing through the hazy smoke.

Kwaaaang-!

Even at this moment, there were repeated explosions, and there was no place that was intact, but it was not difficult to recognize the shape because it was such a large building.

The 3rd Public Platform of the Imperial City of Karnon.

I quickly scanned the surroundings and was stunned.

‘Son of a bitch.’

The address Raven mentioned is right near here.

Of course, I don’t know the exact location.

But what does that matter?

There is no place that is intact, no matter where I look, east, west, south, or north.

“……”

I held my breath for a moment and focused on the sound, but all I could hear was the damn fire.

Then, what happened to Raven?

Did he escape in time as I had hoped?

“Arua Raven—!!!”

I shouted with all my might, just in case.

Judging that there might be someone nearby hoping for rescue.

However, there was no response even after several shouts.

So, I was about to resume moving towards the royal palace when.

[……Yandel-ssi?]

A voice echoed in my head.

The ‘telepathy’ magic that any mage can do as a basic skill.

[What? Why are you here, Yandel-ssi?]

……He was really near here.

What would have happened if I had just left like that?

While feeling dizzy, I shouted urgently.

“Where are you—!!”

[Come a little further down the road opposite the platform, then you’ll see me.]

Soon, as I moved according to Raven’s instructions, a plaza appeared.

Raven was near the central fountain.

With about a dozen survivors.

Swish.

As I stepped into the magic barrier that blocked the flames, I saw Raven standing proudly, leading his small group.

“Why are you here, Yandel-ssi?”

Um, can’t you at least welcome me a little?

Reality is different from movies, after all.

In movies, they would run and hug each other at times like this.

“Don’t tell me…… did you come all the way here because of me? Through those flames?”

What are you talking about?

“I was taking a walk.”

I blurted out, feeling somehow embarrassed.

I was really glad he was safe.

***

“By the way, why are you still here and not near the royal palace? If there was a fire, you should have run away immediately? Do you have any sense or not?”

After joining up with Raven, I first listened to his situation. Why was he still near his house and not near the royal palace?

The reason was simple.

“That’s……”

Raven was using the new knowledge he had learned in the temporary laboratory he had set up in his lodging.

So, he didn’t hear about the fire in time.

“The lodging is near the platform, so it’s convenient, but it’s also noisy. I usually live with noise cancellation on……”

By the time Raven noticed the anomaly, the surroundings were already covered in flames.

But it wasn’t too late yet.

He could have escaped if he wanted to.

However……

“If I had just left then, everyone would have died.”

The moment Raven saw a woman collapsed on the street holding a child, he decided to stay here.

Because he is the type of person who, even though his judgment is cold, tries to uphold his morals as much as he can.

Maybe he thought it would be okay at that time.

That the fire would be extinguished soon if he just held on a little longer.

He couldn’t have predicted that it would escalate into such a serious situation.

“……I’ll apologize for now. I never dreamed that you would come looking for me like this, Yandel-ssi.”

I told you, I was taking a walk.

“What apology?”

He’s so small, acting like an adult.

“You did well.”

“……Yes?”

I said, looking at the survivors who were staring at me with uneasy eyes.

“You have to save the people you can save.”

No matter how I look at it, I don’t feel like they are just NPCs [Non-Player Characters].

They are the same people as me.

Even if they call people like me ‘evil spirits’.

‘By the way, it seems like there are no nobles.’

Looking around, I realized that most of them seemed to be ordinary citizens.

It wasn’t a strange thing.

Even though it’s the Imperial City of Karnon, 90% of the population are commoners after all. Those who live and work here for the convenience of the nobles.

“Hey, where did you get that equipment?”

As the situation was gradually being resolved, Raven questioned my firefighter gear, including the Lava Shield.

Is it because he’s a mage?

Even in this situation, his curiosity comes first.

I briefly explained the origin of the equipment I was wearing.

Then, Raven’s gaze became a little strange.

“It’s really amazing. I can understand my teacher, but the others are not the type of people who would do that.”

“You know who it is even though I didn’t say who it was?”

“I have a rough idea. The mage society is wide but also narrow, so everyone knows who is close to whom.”

Oh, I see.

But we can’t just keep talking about this, so let’s cut it short here.

“So, how is this barrier? Can you use it while moving?”

As we got to the main point, Raven also changed his expression and answered seriously.

“I can use it. It will be much weaker, though.”

“So, what do you think? Do you think it can hold up?”

“You used the ‘Orb of Fire’ now, right? If I add my ‘Cold Blood’ magic to it, I think it can hold up somehow.”

“Is your magic power okay?”

“……I think I’ll have to try it to know.”

Raven, like a mage, did not give a definite answer, even as a formality.

In other words, it’s that close to the edge.

However, neither of us suggested abandoning them.

“Everyone, you’ve heard the story, right? We’re going to move now, so if you have any objections, please speak up now.”

Soon, Raven explained the plan to the survivors again, and of course, no one objected.

“Then, let’s go.”

As soon as Raven finished preparing to change the barrier to a mobile one, we came out into the flames.

“How is everyone? Are you okay?”

“I-I can manage. Mage-nim [a respectful title for a mage].”

The survivors were sweating profusely, but they didn’t seem to be hot enough to get burned.

They seemed to have difficulty breathing because of the smoke, but Raven used wind magic from time to time to push away the smoke and replenish oxygen.

“Keep up so you don’t fall behind.”

The range of the Orb of Fire is 15m in radius.

I started jogging, adjusting my speed so that the survivors wouldn’t fall behind outside of that range.

Kwaaaang-!

I blocked the explosions in front, and Raven took care of the back.

“How’s your magic power?”

“I’m still fine, so don’t worry about it.”

It was a relatively stable move, except that Raven’s magic power was being consumed in real time.

How much time had passed since then?

“The flames are definitely getting weaker.”

“Does that mean we can get out of here soon?”

“If my prediction is correct.”

It was the first positive news I had heard in a long time.

The survivors, who had reached their physical limits, also began to show their tenacity with hope.

However, good news comes with bad news.

“……There’s magic power ahead!”

Raven, who was in the middle of a conversation, suddenly shouted urgently.

At that, I also quickly looked ahead.

It was that moment.

‘Son of a bitch.’

A huge fireball was visible in front of me.

I reflexively raised my shield to block it, but……

「The single absorption limit has been exceeded.」

「Your soul power is greatly consumed in proportion to the amount absorbed.」

Instead of recovering, I felt my energy being drained greatly.

‘Crazy.’

A fire-attribute attack that the Lava Shield can’t block.

‘Who the hell is……’

I raised my head.

The first thing I saw were the debris of buildings floating around.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

The burning stones were clumped together, transforming into the form of a golem.

From behind, I heard Raven’s dazed voice.

“Yandel-ssi. This magic is……”

“Stop, I know without you saying it.”

5th-grade summoning magic, Fire Giant.

It was magic I had seen once before.

‘……No wonder the fire was so unusually hot.’

I strengthened my grip on the mace and continued to stare straight ahead.

Thud, thud.

I couldn’t even hear the sound of walking, but beyond the flames, an old man and a man following him appeared.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Soon, the old man stopped walking and said.

“You’re lucky.”

Yeah, it couldn’t have been this easy.

***

The Destruction Scholar, Belbebe Ruinjenes.

‘I can’t believe I’m meeting him here.’

My chest is already feeling stuffy, but I did learn one thing.

‘So, it was the Noark bastards’ doing after all.’

These guys were the culprits behind this fire.

Well, when I think about it, it’s obvious.

Who else would cause such a mess in the city?

“Raven.”

I put everything aside and gave the order first.

“You take the people and get out. You said we’re almost there, so you can do that without me, right?”

“But……”

Don’t talk back.

“Listen to me. Have you ever lost out by listening to me?”

After a moment of silence, an answer came back.

Not verbally, but through telepathy.

[……I’ll bring the people as quickly as possible.]

After that, Raven used wind magic to push away the flames, creating a path, and led the survivors away.

Surprisingly, the Destruction Scholar just let them go.

I was ready to stop him immediately if he tried anything.

‘Yeah, you also think it’s easier to fight if there are no mages on my side, right?’

I could roughly guess what they were thinking.

It’s not that I don’t feel any sense of unease, but if that’s not the case, there’s no reason for them to let them go so easily……

“Since when was it?”

Huh?

“I heard you were in the royal palace. When did you come here?”

What the hell is this all of a sudden?

Before I could even tilt my head, the answer appeared before my eyes.

“Just now.”

A man in his twenties appeared from the flames as if he had been there from the beginning.

“Hey, old man.”

“……Old man?”

“Who told you to set a fire? Without my permission?”

Lee Baek-ho frowned at the Destruction Scholar.