Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 531

It didn’t take long for our entire exploration team to gather. I had called them all together in advance, just in case.

Well, that doesn’t mean they were ready for it.

“By ‘tools’… do you mean weapons?”

“Yes.”

“Surely… you’re not planning to fight them…”

“Why? Is there a problem with an explorer wanting to beat up some monsters?”

I asked those who weren’t ready, and that was enough.

“…No, sir.”

“What are you all doing? Disobeying the Baron’s orders!”

It’s reckless.

Nothing has been properly confirmed yet, and if we wait a little longer, they might return safely.

So, let’s wait a bit more.

Everyone might be thinking similarly inside, but no one said it out loud.

They just whispered among themselves and gathered their weapons.

“Really… is this okay?”

“Or what? Are you going to say you don’t want to?”

“…That won’t happen.”

“How are you going to handle it if you say that now?”

“Yeah, it’s better to fight the monsters.”

Somehow, there weren’t any backtalkers, which was strange.

“Bjorn… calm down. You’re scaring everyone…”

Only after hearing Misha’s words, who had approached me, did I realize what kind of expression I was making.

“… !”

While looking around, I made eye contact with Auyen, who was startled and turned his head away.

Ainar was similar.

“Did you get something wrong…? Those guys… even if they don’t talk, they’re, they’re nice guys… Ah, I didn’t say anything! I swear on everything!”

He mumbled something, but when I looked at him, he shook his head and made excuses.

I strode forward and stood in front of him.

“Ainar.”

“Y-yes! Speak!”

“You’ve been hanging out with the monsters, did you get attached to them?”

“N-no, that’s not it! It’s a problem with my head! The, the essence! Because of that essence—!”

Unlike usual, I couldn’t calmly listen to the end.

I cut off Ainar’s words and said firmly.

It’s not that I don’t understand that it’s because of the fighting spirit, but…

“A comrade might be in danger. Get a grip. Before I get disappointed in you.”

“…Understood.”

Okay, then he’s been mentally adjusted too.

The other explorers also seem to have finished their preparations.

Therefore, there was no need for long words.

“Let’s go.”

As I went out into the street first, dozens of explorers followed behind me.

I walked out almost running.

At that moment, I felt a presence even with my dull senses.

“Mister.”

“Is it him? The one who’s been watching our house from afar every day.”

“Yes. Shall I bring him in?”

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

“No, leave him be. He’ll guide us on his own. He’ll show us where we need to go from now on.”

“Ah…”

“Pick up the pace!”

After that, with Erwen’s help, we chased after the watcher who was heading somewhere.

[Explorers… it’s the explorers!]

[Aquititi…! G-go inside! Hurry home!]

The monsters, who were living their normal lives in the village, were startled when they saw us, armed and moving in a group, and hid themselves.

And how long had it been?

‘For now, it’s not the direction of the village chief’s house…’

Where is this guy heading?

The question was soon resolved.

[I found a strange place today. It’s about 15 minutes away from the village chief’s house, and it was a building that looked like an ordinary house. But there were guards everywhere.]

The suspicious house that Amelia had mentioned before.

“Stop.”

Having arrived at the destination, I stopped walking.

[…Explorers! Put down your weapons!]

How long has it been, and they’ve already gathered like this.

Looking at the monsters swarming like cockroaches, I muttered briefly.

[No.]

I’m not here to have a conversation right now.

***

I’m looking for someone.

If you have nothing to hide, step aside.

There was no need for such words.

There’s a possibility that something might happen to Amelia during the time we waste talking.

Yes, so…

[Step aside. If you block me, I’ll kill you.]

These words are the least courtesy I can offer right now.

However, Nyuachichi, the village warrior who is Marupichi’s father and the village chief’s right-hand man, ignored my final warning.

[The village chief ordered that no one be allowed in. Step back.]

I wasn’t particularly sorry.

Also, I didn’t repeat the same words again to persuade him. I gave a warning, and he didn’t accept it.

Therefore, there was only one thing I could do.

[Oh, is that so?]

[Yes. So, calm down—.]

[Then die.]

As I warned earlier, I just swung my hammer with murderous intent.

「The character has activated [Giantification].」

My body swelled, and vitality surged.

I put all of it into swinging the hammer with all my might.

「The character has activated [Swing].」

Nyuachichi, a bow class, hurriedly retreated and drew his bow.

As expected of an archer.

He’s just fast on his feet.

「The character has activated [Transcendence].」

「The character has activated [Eye of the Storm].」

As I swung the hammer and activated the grab skill, a whirlwind blew, pulling Nyuachichi’s body, which was moving away.

And…

Crack-!

The hammer struck the top of his head at the exact timing.

It wasn’t a coincidence or luck.

If you fight every day, it’s not that hard to match this timing.

Especially with the body of a warrior with excellent combat sense.

[……?]

The top of his head, which had instantly turned into a crushed can.

Nyuachichi looked at me with a dazed look, as if he were dreaming.

Blood was dripping from his forehead.

However, as the right-hand man trusted by the village chief, he didn’t die instantly from one blow.

Therefore…

‘One more time.’

I retrieved the hammer, raised it high, and then.

Whoooosh-!

I slammed the hammer down again with all my might.

Well, with this blow, Marupichi will grow up as an orphan, but so what?

It’s nothing new now.

I even had Hans A as a child…

‘That cheerful guy will live well.’

Or, he’ll soon go to the same place as his father—.

‘…Huh?’

It was at that moment, when I was just a few centimeters away from making Marupichi’s family a single-parent household.

Something got in the way of the hammer’s trajectory.

‘A sword.’

What I could see with my agility stat was the type of weapon.

And that the weapon was shining pure white.

Kwaaaang-!

The moment it touched the pure white sword, a strong recoil was transmitted through the end of the hammer to my hand.

Flash.

I was blinded by the burst of light, but I forced my eyes open and stared ahead.

And I coldly twisted the corners of my mouth.

‘When you said you were too busy to meet.’

He comes out right away when his subordinate is about to die.

***

“……”

“……”

A standoff that lasted for a while.

[……]

The monster warriors, who had spent the rainy season together until recently, looked at us with their weapons in hand.

Actually, we weren’t any different.

“……”

Magic, divine spells, supernatural abilities, etc.

The explorers who followed me were also watching the situation, ready to fight at any time.

And in that situation.

“Village Chief.”

I opened my mouth first.

I felt like my patience was about to run out anyway.

“Give me back my comrade.”

A demand that cut off everything before and after.

But the village chief didn’t ask what I was talking about or treat me like a strange person, saying there was a misunderstanding.

It was really unexpected.

“So, you came because of her.”

The village chief uttered words of admission so readily.

And to that.

Clench.

The heat in my head cooled down, and the already tense muscles tightened even more.

Because there’s room for interpretation in that reaction.

That we’re fully prepared to easily block our use of force.

Ah, but I had no intention of backing down.

“…Is she dead?”

After glaring at each other for a while, I barely managed to ask the question.

The village chief flicked his index and middle fingers twice at the same time.

A gesture that is only understood in this monster tribe that calls itself human.

And clearly, the meaning of that gesture is…

“Don’t worry. She’s alive.”

Yes, it was a sign of negation.

The suffocating tension was relieved a little, and a sense of relief bloomed. Of course, there was a possibility that the village chief was playing with me.

But at least, just hearing those words made it easier to breathe.

“Give her back.”

I spoke again in a stronger tone, and the village chief glanced at me and replied.

“If I can’t, what will you do then?”

“I’ll go find her myself. Crushing everything that gets in my way.”

“Surprisingly… you seem serious.”

Because bluffing with a comrade’s life on the line goes against my principles.

“I’m stronger than you.”

I nodded.

“That might be true.”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

Well.

“I’ve never not done something because I was afraid.”

“Hmm, I see. You’re quite belligerent. Is she your lover?”

“……”

I didn’t answer unnecessary words.

“If not, you must care a lot about your comrades.”

The village chief muttered in a difficult-to-understand nuance, and then spoke to his subordinates.

[Nyuachichi… Ah, this isn’t the time for that. Anyone, bring the explorer woman inside.]

Is she really… alive?

“Wait a moment. We’ll talk about this later.”

After that, as I waited with half anxiety and half expectation, the monster warriors appeared with Amelia.

Amelia was lying on a stretcher, unconscious…

“What happened?”

“I only knocked her out for a moment, I didn’t do anything else that would harm her.”

There were no visible external injuries.

But what you see isn’t always everything.

“Take her away first. Judging by your current state, it seems like we can’t have any conversation like this.”

After receiving Amelia, I ordered the priests and mages to check the details.

And…

“As the village chief said… it seems she just fainted.”

I let out the breath I had been holding in at the confirmation from an ally, not an enemy.

“Hoo……”

Amelia is safe.

That alone felt like a major hurdle had been overcome, but there were still mountains to climb.

The problem is that nothing has been resolved.

“Now, are you ready to talk?”

“Why did you kidnap Emily?”

“Kidnap? That’s absurd. No, rather, we should be the ones asking. It was that woman who secretly infiltrated this place.”

Yes, I knew things would turn out that way.

“But if that happened, the normal response would be to call me right away.”

“That’s right. But before that, I wanted to check. Whether this woman infiltrated this place out of personal curiosity…”

The village chief then looked at me.

With those fish eyes that are always unpleasant to look at.

“Or if it was under your instructions.”

Before I could answer, the village chief continued.

“Ah, this woman said she did it on her own. She didn’t answer anything else no matter how much we asked. But don’t misunderstand. We only scared her a little, we didn’t actually inflict any pain.”

“I appreciate that part—.”

“However, you must take responsibility for this matter.”

“……?”

“That’s what a leader is. It doesn’t matter whether it was your instruction or not. Your comrade ignored our consideration and broke the rules of the village. Moreover, she didn’t even try to confirm the situation and recklessly invaded, trying to kill the village’s warrior.”

I had nothing to say about this.

Amelia’s survival.

And the fact that she was handed over in such a perfect way.

This proved that my actions were excessive.

“Now, how are you going to take responsibility for this?”

The village chief asked as if giving a final ultimatum.

It was the same tone as usual, without any emotion, but that made the pressure even greater.

Because I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

‘What’s needed now… isn’t an apology.’

I made a decision as quickly as possible and opened my mouth.

First of all, I have no intention of avoiding responsibility as a leader, so let’s start with this.

“It’s true that Emily Reinz went there under my instructions.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“But there’s a reason for that.”

“I’m curious.”

I then opened my mouth.

It was a card I didn’t originally intend to reveal, but sometimes a head-on breakthrough is the answer.

“Some time ago, I ‘accidentally’ found a dagger with the Silver Lion Clan’s emblem on it.”

“And?”

“I was a little suspicious. Why is their weapon, which was said to have left the village, inside this village? So, I started investigating from behind.”

“Indeed, that’s how it happened…”

“Since things have turned out this way, tell me. What happened to that dagger, and what exactly is inside that house you were hiding?”

At my question, the village chief paused as if thinking.

And how long had it been?

“First, I’ll tell you about that dagger. I can’t be sure since I didn’t see it myself, but… they traded with the residents before they left. It’s highly likely that it got mixed in at that time.”

Yes, I knew that kind of answer would come back.

Since I can’t distinguish the truth anyway.

As I stared at him without saying anything, the village chief continued.

“And this house you just mentioned… I’m a bit hesitant, but… it would be better to see it yourself.”

“Okay. Show me.”

The village chief gestured, and the warriors who were blocking the fence all stepped back, opening a path. I followed the village chief into the house.

“It’s down here.”

Inside the building disguised as an ordinary house, there was a staircase leading to the basement. After going down the stairs, I was finally able to witness what these monsters were hiding with my own eyes.

“…Son of a bitch.”

The stench of rot was wafting from the top of the stairs, so I had a hunch.

“Now, this is what you were curious about—.”

The basement was full of rotting corpses.

“It’s our village’s secret.”

The corpses were in such a gruesome state that it was difficult to recognize their shapes, but it wasn’t too difficult to recognize their original forms.

“But now you know it too?”

…They are human corpses.