Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 68

“They’re probably racking their brains right now, wondering who’s going to clear the path, right? Just hand over the essence of the Orc Hero to me. I’ll open the way at the very front.”

“Looking at him now, he’s just a crazy bastard.”

My brother stares at me with a cold gaze.

Only then did I realize one thing.

“No one to clear the path? What the hell are you talking about? Can’t you see the mages over there?”

Talking to this guy is a waste of time.

This guy, who’s just a mere squad member, doesn’t even have the sense to make sound judgments, and…

He’s completely oblivious to the current situation.

The squad members who are watching this situation with interest from a little distance away are the same.

“Half-wit, get over here. I’m not going to carry the shame of leaving my sister in a death trap.”

“B-Bjorn…?”

I need someone who’s a bit more reasonable.

For example, the higher-up who commanded the battle against Liakis.

‘That guy would be reasonable.’

However, it’s unlikely that he’ll bring his superior just because I politely ask…

“Ahem.”

First, I cleared my throat.

And like a true barbarian, I shouted with all my might.

“If you don’t want to die, invest in me! I’ll open the way—!!”

A shout that anyone with ears would have to hear, whether they wanted to or not.

After a brief moment, a man came out.

***

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

“I’m Iraz McGrain, currently the vice-captain of the D’zarwi Clan.”

After quickly exchanging names, he immediately got to the point.

“Tell me, Bjorn Yandel. Who told you that we had defeated the Orc Hero?”

Yeah, I figured that would be the first question.

“I deduced it.”

“You deduced it…?”

“Yes.”

Of course, I couldn’t understand it at first either.

Why would such a large clan come down to control something like an orc settlement?

After carefully piecing together the clues, I came to a conclusion.

“If you really came down to catch an Orc Great Warrior, you wouldn’t have this much strategic material, would you?”

A large clan, you say?

So, they always carry around this many consumables?

Well, I don’t think so.

There’s a limit to everything, and this is beyond that limit.

“Unless there was another real purpose.”

5th-grade monster, Orc Hero.

A kind of hidden boss that is summoned when 777 magic stones of the Orc Great Warrior are sacrificed at the altar in the center of the settlement.

That must have been their goal.

The ‘Orc Lord,’ which appears with a very low probability, is something they can’t catch no matter what they do.

‘The reason they had so many supplies was probably to prepare for the situation where the Orc Lord appears.’

“But looking at it, it seems the Orc Lord didn’t appear?”

“Huh, you even know that?”

McGrain let out a surprised exclamation.

However, there were no further questions.

“Now, explain why we need you.”

A single sentence that skipped over the many questions and curiosities he still had.

It must mean that there’s no more time to waste here.

I sensed a strange efficiency-obsessed vibe from this man, so I also got straight to the point.

“I have the Undying Mark and the essence of a Vampire. And for your information, it’s the essence from a Rift Guardian.”

“So, you can use all three abilities.”

The fact that a Vampire came out as a Rift Guardian would have been unheard of, but McGrain just nodded once and moved on.

“And what else?”

“I have the essence of a Corpse Golem. It’s not well known, but the pain resistance is—”

“There’s no need to explain in detail. It means you can fight while drinking potions, right?”

“…That’s right.”

“Is that all?”

When I honestly nodded, he closed his eyes as if organizing his thoughts. As expected of someone suspected of being an efficiency freak, that time wasn’t long.

“Indeed, that’s not bad. No, it’s more than excellent compared to those two.”

It was a completely different reaction from Misha’s brother, who looked at me like I was crazy when I said the same thing.

Even the conclusion was reached quickly.

“Good, I’ll invest in you.”

“Vice-Captain! That essence was requested by a noble family—!”

Misha’s brother next to him said something at that decision, but…

“Enough! Just say the essence didn’t come out. If we can save even a few more people with one essence, it’s worth investing in.”

He immediately silenced the objection and continued to speak to me.

“Of course, there’s a condition. If you survive and escape this place, you’ll join our clan.”

Damn, no wonder he agreed so easily.

There was no value in hesitating.

“I refuse.”

Once you join a clan, it’s hard to get out.

It’s not impossible, but you’d be branded as a traitor who doesn’t know gratitude, right?

Once, I skipped out without paying the ‘withdrawal fee,’ and a surprise attack event occurred in the labyrinth.

But this is reality, not a game.

“Why? It’s a good offer.”

“I’m not planning to go under anyone yet.”

Maybe I’ll create my own clan in the future.

There’s no need to be restricted in my future actions by joining as a mere squad member.

Well, if it were a life-or-death situation, I wouldn’t have had a choice…

‘But they don’t have a choice either.’

It’s a kind of chicken game [a situation where two parties engage in a dangerous competition, each trying to force the other to back down].

And one where the winner is practically decided.

My life is on the line, but they’re carrying the lives of 23 people on their shoulders.

“A refusal, that’s a shame.”

“So, what’s your decision?”

“Fine, I’ll give you the essence.”

Did he think it was a waste of time to have a battle of wits?

McGrain cleanly let go of his lingering feelings. And he had someone bring a box.

‘This is strangely nerve-wracking.’

I tried to calm myself and slowly opened the box.

Click-

There are three Orc Heroes summoned by magic stones.

For your information, each one is a named entity with a unique name.

In other words, they are higher-level variants with quite troublesome essences. That’s why, even though they are 5th-grade monsters, a raid party is essential for their capture.

And the important thing here is…

‘Danish? Belta? Tarugas? Which of the three dropped the essence?’

These guys, whom I usually call the Orc Triplets, drop essences of a specific color for each individual.

Danish drops a red essence containing [Frenzy Shout].

Belta drops a blue essence containing [Banner of Struggle].

Tarugas drops a green essence containing the skill that is the core of my shield barbarian build.

Which of the three came out?

“Hoo…”

I opened the box and checked the color of the transparent test tube.

“It’s green.”

Luck continues to follow me.

It’s making me uneasy for no reason.

***

「The [Essence of the Orc Hero] permeates the character’s soul.」

「Strength increases by +70.」

「Agility increases by +35.」

「Fighting Spirit increases by +40.」

「Physical Resistance increases by +20.」

「Bone Strength increases by +30…」

***

The changes came immediately and in multiple waves.

There were no external changes like with Ainar…

Squeeze-

As expected of a physical essence, power is overflowing.

Not to mention the increase in strength, the increase in agility also made the perceived weight much lighter.

Whatever I do in the future, I’ll be able to move more nimbly than before.

And most of all…

‘Is this because of the fighting spirit?’

Unusually, a desire to wield this power as soon as possible is slowly creeping up.

“First, take off your equipment.”

Suppressing the exhilaration, I took off my equipment as instructed.

As I was doing that, someone spoke to me from the side.

“By the way, how did you know? That we received a request.”

“I didn’t.”

“…You didn’t? Then how did you so confidently ask for the essence?”

They wouldn’t have known which of the three essences would come out either.

I expected that they would put it in a test tube and then decide which member would take the essence later.

The cost of a test tube wouldn’t be a big burden for them.

“Hmm, now that I hear it, that’s true.”

“Is that all you wanted to ask?”

“For now, yes. We don’t have time.”

As soon as I put the removed equipment into my backpack and handed it to Misha, McGrain handed me a bunch of scrolls.

I didn’t bother asking what they were.

I just grabbed them all and tore them apart with a ‘zip!’

「The character has used a Physical Defense Support Scroll.」

「Physical Resistance is temporarily increased by +10.」

「The character has used a High-Grade Endurance Support Scroll.」

「The rate of stamina depletion is temporarily reduced.」

「The character has used a Stamina Regeneration Support Scroll.」

「Stamina regeneration is temporarily greatly increased…」

Various auras of different colors were faintly glowing on my skin due to the effects of the various scrolls.

“Now, drink this too.”

After the scrolls came various potions.

「The character has consumed an Elixir of Strength Enhancement.」

「Strength is temporarily increased by +10.」

「The character has consumed Tears of the Spirit.」

「All elemental resistances are temporarily increased by +15.」

「The character has consumed a Basilisk Flask.」

「Pain resistance is temporarily increased by +15…」

Damn, is this the power of cash?

“To be honest, it’s so much that I can’t adapt to it.”

“Hmm, it’d be a problem if it’s like this.”

“…I agree.”

The real doping hasn’t even started yet.

When McGrain gave the signal, support-type explorers cast their abilities.

「Aaron Deplain has cast [Guardian Spirit’s Blessing].」

「Magic resistance is greatly increased.」

「Aaron Deplain has cast [Flames of Regeneration].」

「Physical regeneration is greatly increased.」

「Tarotes Pian has cast [Sacrificial Coffin].」

「Threat level is greatly increased…」

Every time a new kind of power settled into my body, I felt an unknown thrill.

It felt like I had become an emperor.

But it’s still not enough.

To break through that darkness filled with Liakis’s clones, I need to become a monster beyond an emperor.

“Now, it’s your turn.”

At his gesture, Misha’s brother approached.

He couldn’t say anything in front of the vice-captain, but he looked like he didn’t like something.

Actually, it was the same for me.

“Whatever ability you absorb, his will be the most helpful.”

“I see.”

To make a rational decision, it’s necessary to discard personal feelings.

Therefore, I bit Misha’s brother’s neck.

“Kuh.”

Hard enough to taste the metallic taste of blood.

「The character has cast [Blood Lord].」

Vampire’s active skill [Blood Lord].

The effect is simple.

「Temporarily absorbs Tailon Karlstein’s passive skill [The Unholy One].」

When directly sucking blood with the mouth, one of the target’s skills can be randomly absorbed.

“Judging by the change in eye color, you seem to have taken it.”

“I know without you explaining.”

[The Unholy One].

A passive skill that reduces the maximum essence to -1, but increases the performance of all active skills by 1.5 times.

“You’re quite lucky.”

I completely agree, but I wish he wouldn’t say things like that. It feels like something terrible will happen later.

“Then, how about we start soon?”

I nodded.

And slowly imagining it, I activated the skill.

The skill I obtained through the essence of the Orc Hero.

「The character has cast [Giantification].」

In an instant, the ground moves away, and the people around me become small.

「The character’s physique grows, and the threat level and physical stats increase in proportion to the size.」

Also known as Barbarian Hero Mode.

All eyes are drawn to his imposing figure.

“O-oh my…”

“That’s… a monster indeed.”

As a sign of respect, McGrain took off his cloak and his adjutant’s and handed them to me.

“…It’s better to cover yourself with this, at least.”

I agreed, so I quickly accepted them and wrapped them around my waist.

With this, the preparations for departure were complete.

“There’s only about 30 minutes left. Is it possible?”

Is it possible?

I barely contained the overflowing power and shouted.

“Behel—laaaaaa!!”

There is nothing impossible for me now.

***

「Bjorn Yandel」

Level: 3

Physical: 330.1 (New +131) / Mental: 168.3 (New +62) / Ability: 152.4

Item Level: 782 (New +83)

Total Combat Power: 846.3 (New +1)

Acquired Essences: Corpse Golem – Rank 7, Vampire (Guardian) – Rank 5, Orc Hero – Rank 5(New)