Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 318

How strong have I really become?

That’s been the question on my mind for the past few months.

In a game, I’d have a good sense of my level based on the stats, but it’s hard to get a real feel for it that way.

This isn’t just a game, after all.

‘In that sense, this might be the perfect opponent.’

Even a ‘regular knight’ capable of manifesting aura is considered on par with a 6th-floor explorer, and in one-on-one combat, they’re considered even more formidable.

However, my stats aren’t exactly lacking either.

Of course, my Soul Imprint is still only level 6, and my overall level is low, so the number of essences I possess is overwhelmingly less than the powerhouses of this era….

But I have an Ogre, a Bayon, and even a Storm Gush.

Three tier-3 essences.

The essence combination isn’t random either; it’s set up to create synergy.

Most importantly, the biggest reason tanks can’t stand up to knights is their lack of damage, but that’s covered by the Demon Crusher.

So, in other words….

‘The conditions are the same for both of us.’

One hit and we’re both done for.

“……”

“……”

An unexpected silence filled the dark staircase.

Did my strong stance make him feel uneasy?

‘Did I come on too strong?’

That thought crossed my mind as he cautiously gauged the distance between us.

However, the more he did, the more I focused.

And just like the old swordsmen’s duels that were decided in a single breath.

“……”

“……”

The match was decided in an instant.

Swoosh.

The first move came from the opponent.

Just one step.

The moment he took that one step up the stairs to close the gap.

“Pthoo!”

I bit my tongue and spat the acidic blood I had been holding in my mouth at his face.

However, he didn’t dodge it.

Like a boxer who doesn’t flinch even when a fist is flying at him, he extended his sword with an impassive stance.

That’s why the Corpse Golem essence is so broken.

No one knows about acidic blood.

It seems like he thought he could just shrug off some blood….

Chiiiiiiik-!

The acidic blood hit first, before his sword.

There was only the sound of melting, but no scream followed.

But no matter how much you train, as a human, it’s impossible to perfectly control your body.

His eyes temporarily closed, and the tip of his sword wavered.

Taking advantage of that opening, I twisted my body to the side and flew in.

Tap.

While airborne, the sword grazed my side.

It wasn’t a significant injury.

But did he realize that from the sensation of the sword?

Slick.

He raised the shield he was holding in his left hand.

Since his first move failed, he decided to endure this turn with defense.

A white aura formed on the surface of the shield, indicating that he had at least one defensive skill.

However, that was his second mistake.

This hammer has armor penetration.

Kwaaaang-!

The moment I mercilessly slammed the hammer down.

“Cough!”

He opened his mouth and spat out blood.

His eyes were filled with confusion.

Well, he probably couldn’t understand why his body was wrecked when he blocked it well with his shield.

But understanding and acceptance are different things.

Tap.

Realizing the danger of the situation, he kicked off the stairs and retreated.

Trying to buy time to regroup.

That was his third mistake.

I also have a grab skill.

Whoooosh-!

Using [Transcendence] and [Eye of the Storm] in tandem, I pulled him back in front of me.

And….

“N-No, don’t…!”

What do you mean, ‘don’t’?

Crack, crack, crack!

I kept hammering until his head was crushed.

***

“Ugh, I’m sweating.”

After confirming the kill three times, I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead. It was only a few seconds of combat, but it had taken a considerable toll on my mental energy.

Well, the reward was worth it, though.

‘Damn, the equipment starts at at least tier 4.’

The lord must have invested a lot; the equipment is pretty good. I couldn’t leave it behind, so I quickly stripped him and put the gear into my subspace [a personal storage dimension].

I had to take out some of the less valuable items because there wasn’t enough space, but that couldn’t be helped.

I suddenly remembered the note Amelia had left.

She told me to go alone after getting the Fragment of Records?

‘…What am I supposed to go do? I haven’t even found a place to store the equipment yet.’

No way, how could I just leave behind all this stuff I collected?

I can’t go until I figure that out.

Besides, I don’t even know how to use it.

‘Anyway, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so let’s grab that first.’

After looting, I left the naked corpse behind and went down the stairs.

Thud.

The staircase itself was very wide, but after going all the way down, I found a wide passage that could easily fit twenty people.

And at the end of it was a huge door….

‘It’s slightly open.’

There was no one in sight.

So, I approached the door as quietly as possible.

In the huge chamber beyond the door, which was designed as a shelter, there was only one person.

A balding head weathered by time.

A plump belly.

Fancy clothes that looked like they were made of good fabric, and overly thick double eyelids.

It was definitely the lord I had seen once from afar.

“…Is that you, Sir Omanus?”

Then, sensing my presence, the lord spoke in a voice full of anxiety.

Hmm, what should I do?

After a moment of thought, I just revealed myself.

“You are… the Iron Mask?”

The lord flinched when he saw me.

“Where is Sir Omanus, who was supposed to check what was going on, and why are you here….”

“Omanus is dead.”

“……”

“Oh, just so you know, I killed him.”

“……!”

When I stated the fact calmly, the lord’s eyes widened, and he started to back away.

Seriously, what a pointless thing to do.

As if he could escape that way.

“Ugh! Let go! I said let go! How dare you! Do you know who I am…!”

I quickly approached him, grabbed him by the back of his neck, and lifted him up. The lord started struggling, full of rage.

He was a very pathetic sight for the ruler of a city.

Jeez, even if it’s a panic room that no one knows about, he should have hidden with more guards.

“W-What do you want…! S-Stop! Let’s talk!”

While holding the lord with one hand, I patted his body and quickly searched for his belongings.

And soon, I found what I was looking for.

Amelia said he would definitely have it on him, and she was right.

I didn’t expect it to be a necklace.

Thud.

I snapped the necklace with force and then let the lord go.

The lord, who had his eyes wide open as he had his ancestors’ treasure stolen, shouted in anger, but he still had some sense and didn’t try to attack me.

‘Okay, I got this for now….’

Worried that it might activate just by touching it, I grabbed the necklace by the string and put the Fragment of Records into my subspace.

“You…! Do you know what that is!! Give it back! I said give it back!”

“You’ve been noisy since a while ago. Should I pull out some of your teeth?”

“……”

After shutting the lord up, I calmly asked.

“Do you know how to use the Fragment of Records?”

“You! You were after this… Ugh, ugh!!”

“Just answer the question. It’s just you and me here.”

“……Do you think I would tell you!”

Surprisingly, the lord was quite resilient.

At first, he was angry, then he said he didn’t know, and finally, after getting hit once, he revealed the story left by his ancestors.

“There’s no way to use it?”

“A-According to the known records, that’s right… It’s said that when someone called by the era comes near, it will emit light….”

That was unexpected information.

According to Amelia, even the lord of Noark didn’t know how to use it and just kept it in storage.

But in fact, he knew everything.

‘It wasn’t an active skill, but something that activates naturally when the conditions are met.’

I’m glad I asked, just in case.

“Now that my questions are answered—”

“Forget that, tell me this. If someone called by the era wants to go back, how do they do it?”

“What…? Why are you asking that—”

The lord’s eyes widened, as if he wasn’t completely stupid.

“You, could it be…!”

Well, I was being obvious, so he’d be an idiot not to notice.

I didn’t intend to hide it, so I just nodded.

“It’s as you suspect. So, tell me. How do I go back to my original time?”

“W-Well… I wondered how you found this place that no one knows about, but it was because of that….”

“More unnecessary talk.”

When I made a hissing sound, the lord’s face turned pale, and he quickly gave me the answer to my question.

“I-It’s said to be the same as when you came. When you’ve finished everything you need to do here, you’ll be called again….”

“That’s annoying.”

“……Can I ask you one question?”

Just as I was wondering what to do, the lord spoke to me.

“W-What kind of person was I in the future?”

The lord’s eyes were sparkling in a way that made me feel bad. Did he expect to be remembered in history as a hero or something?

“Why are you asking that?”

“I-It’s just curiosity… Since you came here, that future won’t exist anymore, but… I can still be curious, can’t I?”

Yeah, he really doesn’t know anything.

That’s why there was talk about a treasure that could change history by going back to the past.

“Oh, how did things go today? Did you succeed in driving out those Orculists from this city?”

“Are you that curious about the future?”

The lord nodded.

“Then close your eyes.”

“……I closed them.”

“What do you see?”

“I don’t see anything.”

That’s a relief.

It would have been a problem if he said he saw something.

“That’s your future.”

I slammed the hammer down with all my might.

***

Thud.

A pool of red blood began to form where the lord’s body had fallen, lifeless.

I turned my gaze away without any particular emotion.

Even if only half of what I had seen and heard during my months here was true, he deserved to die.

‘Besides, he was destined to die today anyway.’

For the record, the lord’s murder was known to the public as the work of the Orculists, and Amelia also believed that.

But, as it has been revealed.

The real culprit is me.

‘Well, it’s not surprising anymore.’

Actually, I was debating whether to kill him until the very end.

Even so, the reason I finally swung the hammer was one thing.

Even if I just left, there was a high chance that the lord would be killed by someone today, and history would be completed.

No, it would definitely happen.

Just in case.

If it turned out that the person I killed was just a decoy.

And the real lord escaped to the surface and completely deceived the world for 20 years while hiding his identity.

Unless such an absurd thing happened.

The result wouldn’t change—

“Huh…?”

I stopped walking without realizing it.

“Wait a minute.”

I felt like I understood the philosopher who shouted ‘Eureka’.

“……Deceived the whole world?”

I felt a current running through me from head to toe.