Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 415

Hoo-ooh-ooh.

I exhale.

Hoo-ooh-ooh.

I take a deep breath.

Each time, a puff of breath escapes, like smoke from a cigarette.

Sluuuurp.

Frozen droplets of sweat fall to the ground.

My muscles scream, and my vision blurs.

But, so what?

Thud, thud.

One step at a time.

I focus on my breathing more than ever as I move forward.

At the very front of the two connected sleds, I grip the rope tightly, making sure not to lose it.

Thud, thud.

I pull the sled and keep moving forward.

It’s for a simple reason.

The troll summoner in charge of the sled was hit.

“How is Milburn Naria’s condition?”

“…She won’t last much longer.”

“I see…”

Crunch.

I unconsciously grit my teeth, recalling the battle that had just taken place.

The beginning wasn’t so bad.

「The character has cast [Giantification].」

I, having used [Giantification], blocked the path like a rock.

“Teirun Sheardiem.”

The mages used ‘Mana Shield’.

「Jun Archen has cast [Light of Protection].」

「Periton Eriaboti has cast [Holy Skin].」

「Benjamin Orman has cast [Damage Reduction]…」

「…」

The priests supported me with various shields and buffs.

It was a focused strategy.

In other words, a strategy that could be called all-in.

The strategy was effective.

「All healing and recovery effects are reversed.」

In an environment where even a single hit could turn into a fatal wound, the enemies couldn’t aggressively rush at me. In that state, we poured all our firepower on the enemies, taking advantage of the uphill terrain.

Not only skills, but we also threw healing potions.

We even laid healing zones on their side.

Whenever we had the chance, we grabbed the necks of the guys in front and threw them off the cliff.

「The status effect [Whisper of Immortality] is applied.」

「Upon death, the character will be resurrected as an undead.」

The dead enemies became undead and attacked nearby allies, and we maintained a solid formation while continuing our offensive.

But…

[Certainly… Regal Bagos, you alone would have been a difficult opponent.]

The situation changed when those guys joined the battle.

「Manua Repelles has cast [Iron Fist].」

「Ricky Eymond has cast [Step of Punishment].」

「Puruan Cullin has cast [Divine Descent]…」

About a dozen explorers armed with high-level essences that could be obtained from the 8th floor.

The moment they joined the battle, the front line collapsed.

[Schuitz, Leia’s mana is depleted!]

The mages who were casting mana shields on me were knocked out one by one, and to make matters worse, they jumped over me and infiltrated the middle of our formation.

The three paladins who were the main tank line.

Two knights who were the sub-tanks, and one warrior from the third team.

Close-range damage dealers like Ameliana Lavien tried their best to drive them out, but even that wasn’t enough.

[We, we have to retreat!]

All the members, including me, sensed defeat.

The reason for the defeat was very simple.

Their power was much stronger than ours.

If we continued to fight to the death, we could inflict considerable damage on them, but that was all.

In the end, it would lead to annihilation.

That’s why…

‘Giving up on wiping out all these bastards here is the best option.’

I immediately executed Plan B.

The core of Plan B was the summoner Milburn Naria from Team 2.

This woman is a wide-area, extreme-damage type summoner.

She summons three ice trolls, ‘Shamans’.

「Milburn Naria has cast [Harsh Command].」

「Milburn Naria has cast [Beast Taming].」

「Milburn Naria has cast [Latent Instinct].」

「Milburn Naria has cast [Stability]…」

As soon as my instructions were given, she cast all the buffs on her summons.

And…

「Summon Pippi has cast [Avalanche].」

「Summon Poppi has cast [Avalanche].」

「Summon Yeppi has cast [Avalanche]…」

The ice trolls simultaneously unleashed skills with power enhanced several times, buying us time to retreat.

But…

“Kyaaak!”

In the process, Naria was injured.

She had come to the front line, closely attached to the trolls, to maintain [Stability], which increased the skill range of her summons by three times, and was hit.

Fortunately, she maintained her concentration even while injured and controlled her summons, and we were able to retreat successfully.

And that’s how time has passed until now.

“Schuitz, are you okay…?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“…”

After Naria lost consciousness, all the members put on their backpacks and divided the food, but it was only enough for one sled.

Swoosh, swoosh.

I pull the sled and climb the uphill path.

I’ll have to switch with other warriors when it gets a little harder, but I can still endure it for now. With that thought, I emptied my head and moved my body.

“Ugh…”

Naria, who was lying on the sled, regained consciousness.

Covered with several layers of thick fur clothes and with warming stones fully activated, the first thing she said was this.

“I, I’m cold…”

“Just hold on a little longer. It’s because your body isn’t in good condition. You’ll feel better after you go up and get healed.”

“R, really…? Cough, cough!”

“…Yes, it will definitely be so.”

There was no reply.

Judging by the sound of her breathing, it seemed she had lost consciousness again.

Thump-

It feels like a cannonball has hit my heart.

A suffocating and frustrating sensation that makes me feel like I’m going crazy.

‘What do you mean, it will definitely be so…’

I hope this woman doesn’t die.

That’s sincere.

But, realistically, I know best that it’s impossible.

‘No, this woman knows it best…’

A body as cold as ice.

Death is approaching.

“Home…”

Then, another voice came from behind.

“I want to go… home…”

It was Naria’s voice.

At her weak murmur, I gritted my teeth and lied.

“You’ll be able to go. Definitely.”

“R, really… will I?”

“Yes. If you hold on.”

“…”

After that, Naria was silent again.

It was a long time before her voice was heard again.

“Mr. Schuitz… please, leave me here.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“It, it will be a little more… helpful… This is… that kind of place, isn’t it…”

I didn’t answer.

It wasn’t because I didn’t understand what she meant.

‘Whisper of Immortality’.

A terrible field effect that makes you resurrect as an undead, several times stronger, upon death.

She was saying that she would help even in that way.

“…”

“…”

Silence flows.

“P, please… answer me.”

At that voice, I admitted it.

Pretending to be virtuous any longer wouldn’t help this woman either.

Yes, so rather…

Clench.

I clenched my fist and barely opened my lips.

“Okay. I’ll do as you wish.”

“…”

“Is there anyone you want to tell something to in the city?”

The answer came after a long time again.

“…No. I, I can’t.”

“…Can’t?”

“I, I don’t have the right…”

Her voice trembled and was incoherent.

A pattern of change often seen before a person dies.

“Ah… I’m so sorry…”

“I didn’t want to deceive you. I also…”

“I’d rather, I’d rather, I’d rather I…!”

“Kuh-huh-huh-huh…”

I just assumed that this woman must have her own circumstances, and I didn’t delve into it deeply.

I just listened to her outpouring of resentment in silence and moved on.

How much time had passed since then?

“Now, put me… down…”

A voice with relatively accurate pronunciation was heard.

“Damn it.”

A warrior next to me cursed.

“May the warm light embrace your soul.”

The paladin closed his eyes and made a reverent sign of the cross.

As those who had seen countless deaths, they noticed that the last flame was burning.

“Ms. Naria… you’ve really worked hard.”

Akuraba, the leader of her team, smoothed out her disheveled hair.

And he carefully lifted her body and put her down.

“Thank you, Mr. Akuraba…”

“Thank you, no…”

Akuraba bit his lip as if enduring something.

And the other members laid Naria’s body on the fur clothes they had spread on the ground.

“…Go. Don’t look at me like that.”

Even at Naria’s words, we couldn’t easily take a step.

“You’re in a hurry, aren’t you? I’m fine…”

“…”

“Go.”

Damn it.

Crunch.

Something hot surges from within my chest.

But, I know it in my head.

“Schuitz, she’s right. We have to go now.”

I forced myself to take a step and started pulling the sled again.

“I’m not… scared…”

Naria closed her eyes weakly.

“Now, I’m going home…”

The more I stepped, the more her murmuring faded away.

“To my real home, where there’s the smell of coffee in the morning…”

Damn it.

[Well, now I’m regretting it. There’s no way the Archbishop would have really killed me. Hahaha…]

I now know the identity of the discomfort.

***

24 survivors.

The expedition that started with thirty members moves forward.

Even in a life-threatening situation, they carry an unshakeable unease.

“That thing Ms. Naria said…”

“Home… is it only that?”

Explorers who have spent many years in the labyrinth and have had various experiences.

Of course, there were many among them who knew.

What an evil spirit desires most when facing death.

“Then, was Ms. Naria an evil spirit…?”

“Shhh! Be quiet. It’s not certain yet.”

Questions spread among the members.

Also, someone was angry at the question itself.

“Are you all out of your minds! She was injured trying to save us, and she tried to help us until the moment she died! She chose to die alone for us! And you call her an evil spirit? Even if she were an evil spirit, what does it matter!”

It was a bad sign.

“No, we’re just… Isn’t it strange! Why would an evil spirit help us…?”

“You damn bastard! If you really don’t know, I’ll show you myself!”

It’s a complete mess.

“Stop it alllll!!!”

Kaislan shouted and intervened before a rift could form among the members.

“Are you all out of your minds! We should all be united, even if it’s not enough!”

I didn’t bother to stop his shouting.

I realized it myself through this incident.

To lead a group, sometimes you need to completely suppress them.

“From now on, if anyone utters even one more useless word, I will execute them immediately under the strict laws of the royal family! Do you understand?”

A coercive order close to a drastic measure.

In response, the members seemed to have come to their senses, closing their mouths and looking around.

Well, unfortunately, not everyone was like that.

“…Try it.”

A murmur that came from somewhere as the silence was about to end.

The owner of that voice was Puta Ricuban.

A man who was a close-range dealer and guide for Team 2.

“…Try what?”

“Don’t you all know it anyway? That we’re already finished!”

“You…!

“P, please stop! Sir Kaislan!”

Kaislan immediately raised his sword, but it was thwarted by the surrounding knights.

In response, Ricuban raised his voice even louder.

“Didn’t you see those guys earlier? They’re much stronger than us! And there are more of them! What will change if we run away like this? We’ll be caught by them soon anyway.”

“…Let him go, that’s an order.”

Soon, at Kaislan’s order, the knight who was restraining him sighed and stepped back.

Ha, at this rate, we’re really going to shed blood among ourselves?

“Kaislan, step aside.”

In the end, I had no choice but to stop the sled and head to the center of the commotion.

And…

Clench.

I strode forward and grabbed the guy by the collar.

“Kuh!”

“So, what do you want to say? That since the situation is hopeless, we should just give up and die? Do you really want that? If that’s the case, I can kill you first.”

“Cough, cough-!”

The guy who was grabbed by the collar coughed, but he didn’t lose his insolent gaze.

No, rather…

“If you want to try, try it.”

I was rather taken aback by his gaze, as if he didn’t care if he died.

“…What?”

I unconsciously loosened my grip, and the guy fell to the ground.

The guy shouted loudly, as if crying out in despair.

“What will change if we miraculously outrun them? A future where we return to the city and laugh? Do you think there will be such a thing?”

I have to kill this bastard to shut his mouth.

It was too late when I had that thought, as he had already said everything he shouldn’t have.

“Don’t you know? Why the main force didn’t come to save us! We were abandoned! Not because something happened, but because it was decided from the beginning!”

“…W, what are you talking about? That it was decided from the beginning?”

“Hah, nonsense! W, why would the royal family kill such important people as pawns!”

“Yes! I thought so too! Because everyone was so great! That was the trap!”

“…Trap?”

The situation was already far too late for me to fix.

I sighed and watched the situation.

“I, Puta Ricuban, belong to the Kealunerus Dukedom! I owed a great debt to the dukedom when I was young, so I’ve been dealing with dirty work ever since! I was sick of it and said I would retire, but the last thing they asked me to do was this expedition!”

“…”

“Don’t you know what this means? I was abandoned! They couldn’t just kill me, so they kindly put a hat on me and sent me to the trash can!”

“…”

“Hahaha! Looking at your faces, it seems like I’m not the only one with this kind of situation? Don’t you all have something that’s bothering you?”

Soon, the guy finished speaking, and for a moment, a heavier silence than ever settled within the expedition.

A silence that was like the calm before the storm.

“T, the guild abandoned me…? No, it can’t be. It can’t be. They said they would forgive my embezzlement if I succeeded in this mission…”

A murmur from someone who had fallen into panic.

In response, their gazes turned to each other.

‘Are you perhaps in the same situation?’

Gazes filled with such questions.

The team leaders received the most of those gazes.

Because they were the most prestigious among them. They must be hoping that they would step forward and say that it could never be true.

But…

“…Maybe we really were abandoned.”

The reality was cruel.

“I, Titana Akuraba, have constantly questioned the royal family about the dimensional collapse and demanded strict management. Perhaps that was annoying to them.”

The start was Akuraba.

“Recently, the clan leader has often shown signs of trying to keep me in check. But just for that…”

The second was James Kala, the vice-leader of the Cogtooth Clan.

“Hah… If I had to pick one, I’m similar to Kala. I’m not interested in the family’s title, but my brother might have felt a sense of crisis. That’s why I joined the military when I was young…”

Kaislan.

And…

“I was an inquisitor of the Tovera Church. My known mission was to find and execute church members who were tainted by the Karui Church… but I was disillusioned after seeing them frame their political rivals who had nothing to do with the Karui Church, so I resigned from my position. There must be quite a few bishops who want to hide their flaws.”

Finally, Jun’s confession.

With each team leader’s mouth opening, despair was engraved within the expedition.

However, perhaps they hadn’t given up hope yet.

“Schuitz, what about you?”

“You were recommended by the Marquis, and you even got the position of leader of this expedition.”

“Are you really similar to us!”

The members’ gazes turned to me.

‘There’s no reason to hide it now.’

I hesitated for a moment and then opened my mouth.

There was no need to go into detail like the previous cases.

“…I am Bjorn Yandel.”

One sentence was enough.