Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 37, 38, 39

  

C37, 38, 39

Chapter 37: Guild (2)

I’m sitting in a chair.

It uniquely comes with iron shackles for the arms and legs, and the chair itself is bolted to the floor.

‘Can’t they at least give me some time to rest?’

To further explain the situation, I’m currently in an interrogation room located in the basement of the Explorer’s Guild.

Across from me sits an interrogator.

He appears to be in his mid-thirties, and his defining characteristics are his morbid obesity and condescending tone.

“I’m Koldo Bierman, in charge of investigating this case. I’ll be asking you a few questions, so I’d appreciate it if you could cooperate with the investigation.”

“Investigation? Shouldn’t you first tell me why I was brought here?”

I ask without backing down.

I don’t expect the presumption of innocence, but at least this much should be a reasonable right as a defendant in this era—

Thwack-!

The interrogator kicks me in the shin.

Looking at his face, he’s grinning smugly as if nothing happened.

“Rule number one, you only answer my questions. Got it?”

“…Got it.”

“Hmph, as long as you follow the rules, you won’t get hurt, so you can relax about that.”

Hurt my ass.

After all the shit I went through in the labyrinth, do you think a kick to the shin would even tickle?

This guy definitely has some kind of delusion about his job.

“Anyway, to answer your question… Bjorn Yandel, you’ve been brought here on suspicion of looting within the labyrinth.”

“…Suspicion of looting?”

Just as I’m wondering what kind of nonsense he’s spouting…

The interrogator grabs my backpack, turns it upside down, and dumps the contents onto the floor.

“Whew, there’s a lot of stuff.”

Exploration tools like torches and sleeping bags.

Special items acquired from the Crimson Fortress.

And among the food and various miscellaneous items, the interrogator picks out only the equipment and places it on the table.

Most of them are items from the 4-person party that backstabbed us in the Land of the Dead.

“If you didn’t loot them, where did you get these? Barbarians don’t use bows.”

“Those belong to the guys who tried to kill me first.”

“Proof?”

Proof?

There’s no way I would have that, but there’s no reason to act submissively either.

I ask in return,

“Then is there any proof that what I’m saying is not true?”

“Well, that’s what we’re going to investigate now.”

“You arrest people and conduct investigations based on just this?”

This is the part I don’t understand the most.

This is different from the usual practices of the Explorer’s Guild.

It’s an unspoken rule of this city that the guild doesn’t ask anything without evidence, regardless of what explorers bring out of the labyrinth.

Therefore, the guild never takes the initiative to track down marauders unless there’s a report or testimony.

However…

“The internal regulations of the guild changed a few days ago.”

If they say that, there’s nothing I can do.

This is a world where many people live, not just a game.

“The official directive is to apply it to 9th-grade explorers first, to deter looting.”

In short, they’re testing it out on the easiest targets first.

No matter where you go, life is tough if you’re of low status.

I can roughly guess the criteria for being investigated.

Whether you brought back a lot of magic stones, or if you have equipment that seems to belong to someone else in your backpack. That kind of thing.

Then I had two strikes against me from the start?

“So, tell me. Where did you get these items?”

Anyway, it seems like his initial attitude was just to intimidate me, because the interrogator continues the investigation normally afterwards.

So I also try to be as cooperative as possible and explain what happened.

Ah, of course, I leave out the part about the psychopath bitch.

If I talk about her, I’ll have to mention the oath, and a barbarian who breaks an oath will be seen as strange no matter where he goes.

Getting accused of murder is much less dangerous than being branded as an evil spirit. Especially since there’s no room for excuses in the latter case.

‘And I might get killed by that woman without a trace if I report her.’

Therefore, I only give a brief statement about encountering the group of four marauders and miraculously defeating them after being put under the ‘Suppression’ status.

However, the interrogator just looks bored.

“What? You survived after getting stabbed in the neck? You’re telling lies that even a child wouldn’t believe.”

“I only spoke the truth.”

“Then where’s the scar on your neck? If what you said is true, there should be a mark.”

I unconsciously touch my neck.

It’s smooth, without any bumps.

The reason is obvious.

My natural regeneration became so high after absorbing the vampire’s essence that even the scar healed.

‘…Why are things getting complicated again?’

I have no choice but to talk about the rift as well.

The only problem is, the interrogator doesn’t even listen to me.

“Puhaha! A rift? A vampire appeared? Is it because you’re a barbarian that your words make no sense!”

“I swear to the heavens, everything I’m saying is true.”

He seems to have already made up his mind, as even the warrior’s oath, which usually works like a charm, is useless this time.

“What honor does a looter have to swear on?”

At this point, I’m getting pissed off.

“Then call a mage! We can verify it with magic!”

There’s no need for such a long conversation.

Just one spell is enough to determine the truth.

However, the interrogator just smirks as if it’s ridiculous.

“Only those of 7th grade or higher can officially request verification from the guild.”

Damn it, when did this change?

So 9th-grade explorers aren’t even treated as human beings.

“What if I pay for it?”

“The money will be confiscated by the state when you die. We can’t waste it on something meaningless.”

Bullshit, it’s because the amount of money he can embezzle will decrease.

“Just confess to your crimes.”

It seems like it will take time to prove my innocence.
____________________________________________


Fifteen days of labyrinth life come to an end as the blinding midday sun envelops my body.

Erwen stands still for a moment, as if enjoying the warmth.

Perhaps due to the stark contrast in environment, fragments of memories from the past days flash through her mind.

‘I didn’t know the 3rd floor would be that difficult…’

The 3rd floor, which she entered with her sister.

The strength of the 7th-grade monsters, which she experienced for the first time.

And even the 6th-grade monster they encountered by chance at the end, although it was mostly her sister who fought.

It was truly a journey that felt like a real exploration.

The first labyrinth exploration with mister wasn’t bad either, but… back then, she was too busy trying to survive, so it was all a blur.

‘Mister will be so surprised if I tell him.’

She wants to run over and tell him about everything she experienced in the labyrinth. And she wants to ask him how he did.

The thought of it energizes her exhausted body.

‘If I tell him I got a new essence, will he react like last time…?’

That’s a bit worrying, but…

For some reason, her steps are lighter than usual.

Erwen heads straight for the exchange office for 9th-grade explorers.

‘Did we miss each other this time? I don’t see mister…’

“184,100 stones.”

“Wow…”

“That’s quite a large amount for a 9th-grade explorer?”

“I was with my sister!”

“Could I get her name?”

“Daria Withember di Tersia.”

“Yes, confirmed. You may go.”

She exchanges her magic stones, meets her sister outside, unpacks their belongings at the inn, and spends three hours washing herself and changing into new clothes. Then, she heads straight for Bjorn’s inn.

But what’s going on?

“You’re that fairy lady who comes every day, right? But what a shame, Room 302 hasn’t returned yet.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Bjorn is not at the inn.

What’s going on?

It seems like the room fee has been paid in advance, and his belongings are still in the room, but…

“Are you going to keep waiting?”

“Yes! He’ll be back soon!”

“Tsk.”

The usually kind innkeeper clicks his tongue with a disapproving look, for some reason.

How much time has passed since then?

The sun has set, and it’s been several hours.

“Excuse me, why are you taking things out of mister’s room without permission?”

“Geez, you’re being annoying. Hey miss, do you have any documents?”

“Do, documents?”

“You know, a certificate or something that says you’re companions with that barbarian or that he entrusted his belongings to you.”

“I don’t have anything like that… no! More importantly, what do you mean by ‘belongings’!”

“Then what other reason could there be for him not returning after this much time has passed since the labyrinth closed? He must have died inside the labyrinth!”

With that, the innkeeper kicks her out.

Erwen squats down in front of the inn, feeling dejected.

‘Died? That can’t be…’

It’s nonsense.

Even though it’s common for explorers to die in the labyrinth, she can’t imagine him dying.

So she sits there and waits.

And as morning turns to night, and night turns to morning again…

“I found you.”

Her sister comes looking for her.

Her sister doesn’t scold her for staying out for two days or ask any questions.

She just holds out her hand.

“…Let’s go eat first.”

Erwen takes her hand and gets up, thinking to herself.

She doesn’t know the exact reason.

She knows that this and that are completely unrelated, but…

“Sister, I want to become stronger.”

She feels that way for some reason.

More strongly than ever before.
_______________________________

I’m locked up in a thick iron cell.

All my belongings have been confiscated, and I’m only wearing a piece of cloth wrapped around my lower body.

I’m leaning against the wall in an awkward position.

For the second day in a row.

‘Damn it…’

Since the first day, the situation has only gotten worse.

The interrogator reluctantly called a mage at my repeated denials and requests for verification, but…

「Character’s Mental stat is 90 or higher.」

「Resistance to mental magic due to Magic Resistance bonus.」

The magic of the 9th-grade mage working for the guild didn’t work on me.

“His mental barrier is too strong. It seems like we’ll have to call a mage from the Magic Tower.”

The situation has become troublesome.

The guild now needs the help of a high-grade mage to close my case.

“It’s not cost-effective to call them for a mere 9th-grade explorer case.”

Since then, the interrogator has been doing all sorts of crazy shit to get me to confess.

He thinks that’s the easier way.

But there’s no way I would give a false confession just because of some small-fry interrogator.

I even tried mentioning the names of 6th-grade mage Arrua Raven and the dwarf, but this stubborn interrogator wouldn’t listen.

As the case dragged on…

“Hahaha! Bjorn Yandel, it seems like this isn’t your first time looting, is it?”

A completely new accusation is thrown at me, unrelated to the previous investigations.

“What are you talking about?”

“This was found while we were investigating you.”

The interrogator smugly shows me a message stone.

“Message stones have unique identification numbers, so ownership records are kept. So we looked into the one in your backpack, and as expected, it belonged to a dead explorer.”

For reference, the owner’s name was Artoa Serdin.

“We contacted the clan he belonged to, and they gave us a detailed account of what you did. Not only did you injure Hatsu Young and run away, but you also killed the person who was pursuing you?”

This guy is unnecessarily long-winded, as if he thinks he’s the protagonist of a detective story.

“So what happens to me?”

I cut to the chase and ask about the main point.

No matter what I say here, this guy, who is desperate to get rid of me, won’t listen.

“Given the circumstances, testimony, and evidence, this guild has decided to reject your request for verification and carry out the sentence.”

This guild my ass.

You’re the one who rejected my request.

“…And what sentence will I receive?”

“That’s a strange thing to ask. The Lafdonia royal family has never shown leniency towards marauders. Ah, is that too difficult for a barbarian to understand?”

The interrogator smirks and continues,

“It means execution.”

That’s what happened yesterday evening.

This morning, the guard came by and told me the date of my execution and asked if there was anything I wanted to eat.

Suddenly, it hit me.

“…….”

If I stay still, I’ll die.

That means I can’t stay still.

The stage for resolving this through conversation has long passed.

But that doesn’t mean I should just break out of the cell and escape. If I do that, I’ll just become a fugitive.

‘I might be able to escape to the city somehow, but I’ll quickly become a wanted criminal.’

I thought about it for a while, but in the end, there was only one way to survive.

Somehow prove my innocence.

Of course, it won’t be easy.

You can tell what the forest is like by looking at a tree, and even a mere interrogator like this is so unreasonable, so would the others be any different?

‘Whether I’m guilty or not, the Explorer’s Guild will probably decide that it’s easier and quieter for them if I just disappear.’

As I make plans based on that premise, I start to see a way out.

The key is to create a situation where the Explorer’s Guild can’t silence me.

And I have an idea for that.

Of course, I’ll have to go through a lot of trouble in return, but…

Crack-.

I clench my teeth and gather my resolve as I picture the interrogator’s face.

Since I was young, I was a brat who knew how to give back as good as I got.

‘No matter how I think about it, it’s not a fair deal if I only save my own life.’

I will definitely make them pay for this.

「Character has cast [Flesh Explosion].」

And dearly.

-----------------------------

Chapter 38: Guild (3)

[Flesh Explosion]

It’s one of the few insane skills that uses the character’s health as a cost.

Perhaps because the adrenaline hasn’t kicked in yet, I feel the pain pierce through my Pain Resistance, but…

The result is clear.

Sizzle!

The bars are half melted by the blood splattered from the explosion.

I push sideways, and the bars bend easily.

“Keuheuheu…”

Despite the pain, both my hands heal quickly.

It’s not just the effect of the Undying Engraving, but also thanks to the vampire’s essence I recently acquired.

As soon as I step out into the hallway, I see a guard.

“Wh, what! Who are you!”

It’s the guard who asked me about my last meal earlier.

He must have heard something exploding and rushed over…

“Eek! An es, escapee! An escapee!”

Before he can make any more noise, I immediately dash forward and punch him in the stomach.

Thwack-!

The guard collapses weakly.

As I quickly search his pockets and retrieve the keys, the other prisoners, who were watching the situation with interest from inside their cells, start going wild.

They’ve figured out what I’m trying to do.

“Hey! Barbarian! Are you really doing this?!”

“Kihihihi! You’re crazier than I thought!!”

“Me too! Take me too!”

Considering that this is under the Explorer’s Guild, most of these guys are probably marauders.

But…

‘I’m not in a position to be picky.’

A poor barbarian who has been falsely accused doesn’t care about such things.

‘They’ll all die soon anyway.’

The only good marauder is a dead marauder.

This belief, which I formed within a few days of opening my eyes in this world, will probably remain firm for the rest of my life.

“Hwahaha! Freedom! Freedom!”

“Let’s go outside!!”

I release all the prisoners on the same floor.

They’re not the kind of guys I can control, but that doesn’t matter.

That wasn’t my intention in the first place.

“Waaaaaaaa!!”

After that, there’s no need for me to do anything.

As if madness is contagious, the prisoners unite and head upstairs, subduing the guards and releasing more prisoners with the keys they acquire.

Of course, there are quite a few who don’t participate in the escape, even though I opened their doors.

About 50% of them.

‘They’re probably guys whose investigations are still ongoing, or those who are truly innocent like me.’

As I quickly make my way through the chaos, I see prisoners gathered in front of one spot.

It’s the interrogation room I’ve been in and out of countless times in the past two days.

The situation is quite simple.

“Go ba, back to your rooms!! If you go back now, we’ll pretend nothing hap…pened!!”

Guards trembling in fear behind the locked door, and prisoners trying to tear it down.

“We need the keys those guys have to go upstairs!”

“Tear it down!”

However, no matter how much they shake it, that thick iron door doesn’t seem like it’s going to budge.

Phew, do I have to go through that again?

Just as I’m thinking that…

“Do you think you’ll get away with this! You’ll all be executed! Executed!!”

A rather familiar voice comes from beyond the door.

I look through the small barred window and see the interrogator bastard cowering between two guards.

I didn’t expect to meet him so soon.

“Everyone, move aside!!”

I push through the prisoners with joy and approach the door.

And I repeatedly detonate my left arm, which hasn’t fully recovered yet.

‘Flesh Explosion, Flesh Explosion, Flesh Explosion…’

After about five repetitions, the lock mechanism is disabled as the handle melts away.

It’s the result of my flesh, blood, and pain.

The prisoners erupt in cheers.

“Waaaaaaaa!!”

“Barbarian! Barbarian!! Barbarian!!!”

“He’s the barbarian of freedom!!”

As I enter the interrogation room, the interrogator’s eyes widen.

“Yo, you! How, how the hell… uh, how…!”

Well, it wouldn’t be easy to understand.

Most abilities possessed by 9th-grade explorers are insignificant. That’s why they didn’t bother with any restraints besides the bars.

How could they have known I had this kind of ability?

I only have one thing to say to him.

“Blame your unfortunate family background that couldn’t nurture your imagination.”

“I grew up in a perfectly normal family!!”

“Lying on top of everything, you’re truly despicable.”

“Wha, what! Keuheok!”

I punch him in the gut, releasing the anger I’ve been holding back, and the interrogator collapses to the ground, writhing like a bug.

His thick layer of fat must have absorbed the shock because he’s still conscious.

“Yo, you crazy…!”

This pig who didn’t receive proper family education spouts all sorts of curses at me, even though he can barely breathe.

“You’re a dead man walking! Using abilities within the prison and causing this kind of chaos! Do you think you can handle the consequences?!”

Consequences?

“That’s something you should be thinking about now. If my plan succeeds, you’re fucked.”

“What the hell can you do!”

I can’t help but laugh.

“What can I do?”

Even his question is wrong.

“You should be asking what I can’t do.”

I’m the kind of guy who can do any crazy shit if my life is on the line.

So, it’s a bit unfortunate for this unimaginative bastard, but…

“Just go to sleep for now.”

When you open your eyes, one of us will be in hell.

Thwack-!

I punch him in the face instead of his chubby body, and the interrogator faints, foaming at the mouth.

That’s when the guard shouts something at me.

“Keys.”

“Do, do you even realize what you’ve done!”

I do.

But what am I supposed to do about it?

I would have died if I had stayed there.

I only say one thing.

“Keys.”

“It’s, it’s not too late—”

“Keys.”

“He, here they are…”

I take the keys and turn around. As if in a movie, the prisoners clear a path for me.

Thud, thud.

I walk past them and stand in front of the stairs leading to the ground, taking a deep breath.

Is it really okay to escalate things this much?

That worry briefly crosses my mind, but…

‘They’re the ones who didn’t give me a choice.’

I turn the key and shout,

“Let’s gooooo!!!!”

Everything that happens from now on is self-defense.

And above all, it’s to protect my precious life.
_________________________________________

The Explorer’s Guild’s prison is built deep underground.

And the double doors leading to the surface are so thick that the people above ground couldn’t sense anything until the situation escalated to this point.

‘That’s a good thing for me.’

Clack.

I climb the long stairs and open the door. Unlike the underground prison, I see a peaceful interior.

There are employees doing administrative work and explorers crowding in front of the counter.

“Uh, how did you get in here?”

One of the employees asks me, having appeared inside the building where ordinary explorers are not allowed.

Of course, there’s no need for an answer.

The employee, seeing the open door behind me, understands the situation in an instant.

“An es, escapee!”

As soon as the employee shouts, everyone’s attention turns to me.

A heavy silence descends.

However, among the quick-witted explorers who live by improvising, there’s one who is particularly fast.

“Miss employee! If I catch that guy, how about a drink with me after work?”

The man standing next to the female employee jumps over the counter and charges towards me.

And that’s when…

“Waaaaaaaa!!”

“The smell of freedom!!”

The prisoners start pouring out from the bottom of the stairs.

“Uh, uh, uh…?”

“St, stop them!”

“The guild will provide rewards! Explorers, please lend us your strength!”

“Aaaaaak!!”

The prisoners charge in fearlessly, even with their bare hands, and the explorers draw their weapons and fight back.

“Kill them!!”

In the peaceful Explorer’s Guild branch, a sudden bloodshed begins.

As the mastermind behind all this, I take a step back from the front line and quickly head towards my destination.

‘There’s no time.’

The prisoners can probably only buy me about 5 minutes.

They have nothing that can be called a weapon except for a few clubs taken from the guards.

I climb the stairs to the 2nd floor and check the windows.

‘As expected, escaping outside is impossible.’

The commotion has already reached the outside, and even the explorers on the main street are watching with interest.

If I go out in this state, I’ll get beaten up and dragged back down.

The answer lies above.

“Wh, who are you!”

I knock out all the employees I encounter in the hallway with my fists and check the 1st floor through the railing.

Dozens of people are engaged in a brawl.

I stretch out my hand above their heads.

And…

‘Flesh Explosion.’

My hand explodes, and acidic blood showers down like a sprinkler.

“Aaaaaak!”

Explorers, prisoners, everyone who gets splashed with my blood screams in unison.

I feel a pang of guilt, but…

It can’t be helped.

To increase the success rate of the next plan.

「Character has cast [Sacrificial Engraving].」

As I activate the follow-up skill, tattoos appear on the foreheads of those who got splashed with my blood, emitting a red light.

「Character’s physical abilities temporarily increase based on the number of sacrifices within a 100-meter radius.」

The number of sacrifices is easily in the dozens.

‘So this is why athletes take drugs.’

Power surges through my body.

The railing I’m gripping crumbles with a rustling sound.

Even the anxiety I had inwardly disappears completely.

With this, I can definitely do it.

“Uwaaaaak!!”

I leave behind the commotion on the 1st floor and climb the stairs again, heading to the 3rd floor.

‘It seems like they haven’t left.’

I peek through the slightly open door and confirm that the 3rd floor is completely different from the lower floors.

The entire floor is an office space.

It has a rather sophisticated atmosphere with its wooden furniture, decorations on the walls, and plaques.

“What the hell is all this commotion! Go check it out!”

“Yes! Branch Manager!”

‘That guy must be the branch manager.’

I hide behind the door after confirming the target.

And the moment the man who received the branch manager’s order opens the door to leave…

I punch him in the jaw with all my might.

Crack.

Uh, I didn’t intend to break his jaw…

Thud.

The man collapses to the floor limply, even though I thought he would be somewhat skilled since he assists the branch manager.

At the same time, the branch manager jumps to his feet.

“Wh, who are you!”

Me?

“A wronged barbarian.”

To add a bit more detail, I’m here to prove my innocence.

In the barbarian way, through physical means.

“The commotion downstairs must have been your doing too!”

The man, who has quickly grasped the situation as befits a branch manager, immediately draws a sword that was displayed on the wall.

His posture is not ordinary, as if he’s a former explorer.

The employees downstairs were just a bunch of pen-pushers.

Well, it doesn’t matter since I came here prepared and even doped up for this scenario.

“Miss, please come behind me.”

“Ye, yes!”

As soon as the woman who was sitting across from the branch manager hides behind him, both sides are ready to fight.

‘Is this like a boss battle in a game?’

I take one last deep breath.

To succeed in my plan, I have to subdue this guy.

If possible, before the commotion on the 1st floor ends.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

Is it because of the [Sacrificial Engraving] I cast on dozens of people?

The moment I push off the ground, my body is propelled forward with explosive acceleration.

Honestly, even I can’t get used to this speed, but…

The branch manager is no slouch either.

“Don’t be foolish!”

He accurately reads my movements and thrusts his sword towards my wrist in a precise trajectory.

However, it’s not enough to cut through the bones of a barbarian in Super Barbarian Mode.

Clang!

A dull sound as if something is stuck.

The blood splattered from the cut wound stains the branch manager’s shoulder.

Sizzle!

“Ack! Aaaak!”

The branch manager is in agony from the unexpected pain.

What follows is ridiculously simple.

I take advantage of the opportunity and punch him in the Adam’s apple, and that’s the end of it.

“Keu, keuheok!”

The branch manager gags and falls to his knees.

It’s a boss battle that ended too quickly compared to how nervous I was, but…

Well, he probably didn’t expect this kind of thing to come out of blood.

It seems like the people at the Explorer’s Guild have a tradition of lacking imagination.

But I’m different.

“Yo, you…!”

I always imagine the worst.

Since I don’t know what kind of essence this former explorer might have, I knock him unconscious with a blow to the back of his head.

Alright, then the first ingredient is secured.

“Pl, please spare me!”

But what should I do with this lady?

Judging by the way the branch manager was bowing to her, she seems to be of high status.

“Th, that lady is the regional manager’s daughter! If you touch her, you won’t get away with it…”

What the, how did this guy wake up so quickly?

Thwack!

I knock the branch manager unconscious again with even more force and calmly continue my thoughts.

‘The regional manager’s daughter…’

It seems like things will go a bit more smoothly.

Or maybe it will get out of hand.

“Branch Manager! Are you alright!”

It seems like the commotion on the 1st floor has been settled, as an employee comes up to check the situation here.

Of course, there’s no problem.

The branch manager has already been promoted to my pet parrot.

“Tell him you’re fine.”

“…I’m fine. More importantly, what happened downstairs?”

“We’ve taken care of everything for now! A few escapees have fled into the city, but we’ll find them soon.”

“That’s… a relief.”

“Ah! But where is Assistant Manager Robert? I thought he would be here with you…”

Assistant manager?

He’s resting in the closet with a shattered jaw.

Of course, there’s no way the branch manager would answer that honestly.

“Just make up an excuse.”

“…He’s out on an errand. I have some urgent matters to attend to, so please make sure no one comes up here until I call for them.”

“Yes!”

The employee leaves, and I immediately come out from under the desk.

The regional manager’s daughter is nestled in my arms.

The branch manager glares at me, his mustache twitching.

“I sincerely advise you to stop this now, for your own good.”

“I see.”

I ignore the branch manager’s advice.

For my own good my ass.

If I stop here, I’ll just die?

“Think about it carefully. Whatever your goal is, there might be a way I can help—”

“I see.”

As I nod in agreement and pick my ear with my pinky finger, the branch manager shouts in exasperation.

“You crazy bastard! Do you even realize what you’re doing!”

I do.

No, to be honest, I’ve heard it so many times since coming here that my ears are about to fall off.

So what the hell am I supposed to do?

Do something crazy or die.

It was a binary choice.

“I see.”

I nod roughly once again, and the branch manager, as if he can’t believe it, tries to shout something, but…

“What do you mean, you see—”

“I’ll kill this woman if you don’t shut up.”

As I pretend to tighten my grip around the regional manager’s daughter’s neck, the branch manager shuts his mouth as if nothing happened.

Looking closely, his face is pale.

Well, it’s understandable.

A mass escape incident occurred at his branch, and the regional manager’s daughter, who was with him, was even taken hostage…

He must feel utterly helpless.

No matter how this ends, this guy won’t get away scot-free.

‘Serves him right.’

As I’m thinking that, the woman who’s being held hostage suddenly speaks up.

“My name is Julian Urbans. Not ‘this woman’.”

Unlike her previous terrified voice, her voice is calm now.

I check the sound of her heartbeat as our bodies are pressed together, and it’s quite stable.

“Tell me what you want. There must be a reason why someone like you is doing this crazy thing, right?”

“Someone like me?”

When did this woman ever see me before?

As I tilt my head in confusion, she continues,

“Even though you’ve caused this kind of incident, you don’t look scared at all. Your breathing is even, and your eyes aren’t trembling.”

“Get to the point.”

“You planned all of this, didn’t you? And for a long time.”

Plan? I did.

About 30 minutes ago.

‘I listened to her, and it was a waste of time.’

“Maybe you even knew that I would be here today—”

“Be quiet.”

“Eugh, eugh!”

I roughly cover the woman’s mouth with my hand, who seems to have an inflated sense of self-importance, and then demand the necessary preparations from the branch manager.

“Bring me the investigator who was in charge of me, a guy named Hatsu Young from the ‘Crystal Alliance’ clan that operates on the 1st floor, a mage from the Magic Tower, and an official priest from the temple.”

The stage is set.

So now it’s time to turn the tables.

----------------------------

Chapter 39: Guild (4)

“Master, what do you mean? You want me to go to the guild all of a sudden?”

“Didn’t I tell you that I have someone to find and I need to go there?”

“That’s true, but…”

Arrua Raven, a 6th-grade mage belonging to the Magic Tower, makes a sullen expression and trails off.

She does have business at the guild, but…

She was planning to rest for a while and then do some preliminary research on ‘that thing’ she acquired.

“The branch manager made an official request for assistance. I heard there was some kind of major incident there, so it should be a decent way to earn some pocket money, wouldn’t you say?”

“…Alright, I’ll go.”

Raven reluctantly agrees.

The guild is a place she had to visit eventually anyway.

And if she goes now, she can even get some monetary compensation, so there’s no reason to put it off just because she’s feeling lazy.

‘I also spent a lot of money in the labyrinth this time…’

Besides, it wouldn’t be bad to meet that barbarian a bit earlier.

The unprecedented variant rift.

He was the one who absorbed the essence of the guardian that appeared there.

He’s a specimen as interesting as ‘that thing’.

“Then I’ll be off.”

“Ah, take Tarjin with you.”

“No need. That guy is useless.”

Raven uses the warp gate on the 1st floor of the Magic Tower to move to the closest location to the branch.

It’s about a 10-minute walk to her destination.

As she steps out onto the main street, she frowns.

“Why are there so many people?”

There seem to be several times more people than usual.

And the closer she gets to her destination, the more crowded it becomes, making it difficult to even take a step.

It’s as if some major incident has happened here.

‘Come to think of it, the branch manager said he made an official request for assistance, right?’

Raven lets out a long sigh.

She was just planning to earn some pocket money, but she has a feeling that she might have to work just as hard.

“Excuse me, could I ask you something? What exactly is going on here?”

Raven grabs a male onlooker who seems easygoing and asks.

And she hears something that makes her doubt her ears.

“There was a mass escape of marauders who were imprisoned at the branch.”

It’s an unprecedented incident.

Not only did a prison break occur, but some of them even managed to escape into the city…

And one of the ringleaders has taken the regional manager’s daughter, who happened to be visiting the branch, hostage.

“He must be brainless. It’s not like the guild will negotiate with him.”

Negotiation or whatever, the guild doesn’t even have the authority.

Although the Lafdonia royal family delegated a significant portion of labyrinth-related authority to the guild, they strictly maintained the principle of executing marauders.

If he had just escaped like the other prisoners, he might have had a slightly higher chance of survival.

“But things have taken an interesting turn.”

“What do you mean?”

“The guy who’s causing the hostage situation is claiming that he was falsely accused.”

“Falsely accused?”

“That’s right. He says all he wants is to gather those involved in the incident, reveal the truth fairly in front of everyone using magic, and clear his name.”

It’s not like he’s asking for immunity or anything.

The hostage-taker is only demanding ‘truth and justice’.

Because of this, suspicions are even spreading among the onlookers that his claims might be true.

‘What kind of crazy bastard is this?’

Of course, if that story is true, the root cause would lie with the investigator who mishandled the case.

But even so, causing a mass escape and taking the regional manager’s daughter hostage in the process?

It’s definitely something no sane person would do.

“Anyway, that’s why everyone is waiting. The branch manager requested assistance from the Magic Tower, but geez, I wonder when they’ll arrive, tsk.”

Raven smiles awkwardly at the onlooker who clicks his tongue.

Now she understands for sure.

That mage is her.

Raven lets out a big sigh and chants a spell.

“Batuna Kor Vier.”

A blue light emanates from beneath her feet, and her body starts to float into the air.

“Ah, miss! Are you a mage?”

Raven lands on the 3rd-floor terrace of the Explorer’s Guild branch, passing over the crowd.

And she freezes as she spots a man.

“Bjorn… Yandel?”

Why is this man here?
_______________________________________

Perhaps because the regional manager’s daughter is being held hostage?

Everything is being handled swiftly.

“This is Koldo Bierman, whom you requested. He was unconscious downstairs, just as you said.”

“Thank you. You may go.”

The first to arrive is the interrogator bastard.

For your information, he’s still unconscious.

It’s not aesthetically pleasing, so I shove him into the closet.

After a short wait, the second delivery arrives.

“Wai, wait! Even if you’re the guild, can you really be this forceful?”

This man in his twenties, walking with an awkward gait, is the explorer ‘Hatsu Young’.

The idiot who tried to do something to Erwen and ended up losing his manhood.

“Thank you for handling it quietly. You may leave now.”

“Yes.”

“Br, Branch Manager? Wh, why am I…”

As soon as the employee’s footsteps fade as he descends the stairs…

I jump out from behind the door and punch the bastard in the face.

Thwack-!

One punch isn’t enough to satisfy my anger.

If the investigator is the number one contributor to this mess, this guy is the second.

If it weren’t for this bastard’s false testimony, the investigator wouldn’t have had any grounds to sentence me to death.

“Aak! Wh, what are you doing! Who are you—!”

“Shut up and take it.”

One, two, three…

As I land punches on his face one after another, Hatsu Young soon faints, foaming at the mouth.

Once again, it’s not aesthetically pleasing, so I shove him into the closet.

It’s a bit cramped thanks to the fatass investigator, but it should be fine.

They look good together.

As I’m admiring the sight, the branch manager cautiously speaks up.

“…What exactly do you want?”

Ah, I haven’t told him yet.

But there’s no need to say it twice.

He’ll find out whether he likes it or not once the next ingredients arrive.

With that thought in mind, I stay silent.

However…

“Branch Manager! I’m afraid it will be difficult to bring a priest.”

The priest, the key card in this whole thing, is missing.

The reason is that the official priest assigned to this branch is currently absent.

Calling another priest is also impossible.

Even though this is the Explorer’s Guild, they can’t just summon a priest who serves a god like a neighborhood friend.

‘Even with the branch manager’s request, it will take at least a day.’

In this world, priests are like nobles.

Not in terms of status, but in terms of their behavior.

My mouth suddenly feels bitter.

‘Nothing is going smoothly.’

I wanted to handle things quietly if possible.

If the branch manager heard that, he would have shouted, ‘What the hell are you talking about after causing this mess?’, but…

The prison break can be explained away as an ‘accident’.

But what about the guild sentencing an innocent 9th-grade explorer to death?

If this gets out, the Explorer’s Guild’s reputation will be dragged through the mud.

‘After all, they claim to be an organization that protects explorers.’

That’s why I requested a priest.

If I can prove my innocence in front of a priest, I can handle things relatively quietly.

And the Explorer’s Guild wouldn’t dare to cover it up either.

But there’s a snag in the plan right from the start.

“Thank you for letting me know. You may leave.”

“Yes! Have a good day, Branch Manager!”

I listen to the employee’s footsteps fading away and make a quick decision.

‘If I can’t get a priest to notarize it…’

…I have no choice but to make things even bigger.

That’s the only way to prevent the Explorer’s Guild from killing me to silence me.

Among the various methods that come to mind, I choose the most drastic and effective one.

“Kyaaaak!”

“Wh, what are you doing!”

I hold the regional manager’s daughter hostage with a sword to her neck and step out onto the terrace. I see people gathered on the main street.

They seem to be onlookers who have gathered because of the prison break incident earlier.

“Up there! There’s a suspicious person up there!!”

One of them spots me and shouts.

All eyes are on me in an instant.

“Ahem.”

I clear my throat once and shout using my natural barbarian voice.

“My name is Bjorn Yandel! I’m a 9th-grade explorer who was falsely accused and sentenced to death by the guild! I swear to God, I’m innocent!”

The reaction is immediate.

“Who the hell is that guy?”

“Is he an escapee?”

It doesn’t matter whether they believe me or not.

I’ve thrown the bait, so more people will gather out of curiosity.

Even the Explorer’s Guild can’t just bury an incident that’s being watched in real-time by so many people.

Now all I have to do is hold out until the mage arrives.

Instead of a shield, which has turned into scrap metal and disappeared…

“Eugh, eugh!”

…I’ll make good use of the regional manager’s daughter shield.
____________________________________________

The prison break incident happened some time ago.

“What? Why is Mr. Yandel here?”

“I can’t believe the mage sent from the Magic Tower is you.”

Koldo Bierman opens his eyes, hearing the conversation between two unidentified people.

The surroundings are dark, and his body won’t move.

‘What is this? Am I trapped? Why?’

Pushing aside the throbbing headache, he retraces his memories. Several scenes come to mind.

The prisoners escaping from the prison and running amok.

Himself fleeing and locking the door of the interrogation room.

And that barbarian who smashed through the door and punched him in the face!

‘Uh, but what happened after that?’

He doesn’t know.

He has no clue.

So he focuses on his hearing.

“Since you heard about the situation outside, I guess we can skip the explanations.”

“Skip the explanations my ass! What the hell were you thinking! Do you think Mr. Yandel has nine lives?”

“If he did, he wouldn’t be doing this.”

Mr. Yandel?

What? Is that barbarian outside?

“Anyway, just cast the spell.”

“Only if you promise to do me a favor later.”

“Whatever it is, as long as it’s within my capabilities.”

“Alright, you promised. Dertei Narbas! Uh, uh…? Why isn’t it working? Mr. Yandel, do you have any magic tools that block mental magic?”

“Don’t you think you would know just by looking at my state that I don’t have anything like that? Whew, I guess we have no choice but to wake these guys up. Can you also use the ‘Memory Projection’ spell?”

“Yes. I just need to record everything from now on, right?”

His confusion only grows as he listens to their conversation.

“Ack! Aaaak!”

Suddenly, the space expands, and his center of gravity shifts downwards. As he falls with a thud, he hurriedly raises his head.

He’s in the 3rd-floor branch manager’s office, a place he hasn’t visited often.

“What the, you were already awake?”

Four people are looking at him.

The barbarian and the branch manager.

A woman who seems to be a mage, and a woman of seemingly noble status.

He doesn’t know what’s going on, but he shouts anyway.

“Br, Branch Manager! It’s him! He’s the one who led the prison break!”

“I already know that.”

“Ye, yes…?”

His mind goes blank for a moment.

He doesn’t understand at all.

If they know this guy committed such an outrageous crime, why are they just watching?

“I heard you were in charge of this man’s investigation. Is that true?”

“Th, that’s right, but…?”

Only then does he feel the heavy atmosphere in the room.

He’s learned to be perceptive from his work as an investigator, so he can tell.

The atmosphere in this place is not favorable towards him.

“This barbarian… no, Mr. Yandel here claims that you labeled him as a marauder based on unreliable information. What do you think about that?”

“That’s preposterous!”

“Make sure those words are true. It won’t end with just you getting fired.”

“Wh, what do you mean! He’s just a 9th-grade explorer!”

“Watch your mouth! How can an employee working for the guild say such a thing, regardless of his rank!!”

“Ye, yes?”

Bierman is completely dumbfounded by the thunderous reprimand.

Why is the person who used to look down on low-ranking explorers the most suddenly acting like this?

As if he’s conscious of public perception or something.

‘Ah! Come to think of it, they mentioned the ‘Memory Projection’ spell earlier!’

It seems like the conversation we’re having is being recorded on the crystal ball held by the mage.

“Ahem! As we are judging right from wrong, the guild’s actions must be prudent and flawless. Tell me the basis for your judgment.”

His mind becomes clear, and he recites the details of the investigation as instructed by the branch manager.

He has a feeling that this is the only way to survive.

“Fi, firstly, it was the magic stones. He presented an amount of magic stones far exceeding the average income of a 9th-grade explorer at the checkpoint, and when we checked his backpack out of suspicion, we found equipment that seemed to have been stolen.”

“And then?”

“We were unable to confirm the truth of this matter. Because magic didn’t work on him.”

“Then what was the basis for your final judgment that Mr. Yandel is a marauder?”

“It was because of a separate incident. We found a message stone among his belongings. By tracking the original owner’s whereabouts, we were able to obtain testimony from a member of the same clan that Bjorn Yandel murdered an innocent person and stole their belongings.”

As he explains the details of the investigation, his voice gradually gains confidence.

He doesn’t understand why the branch manager is reprimanding him, but there must be some kind of mistake.

“Branch Manager, there’s nothing wrong with my judgment. If you doubt that I’m telling the truth, you can verify it with magic.”

“I’m already doing that. Everything you’ve said so far is true.”

The mage, who had been watching silently, nods.

But at that moment, the barbarian scoffs as if he doesn’t know his place.

“It was just the testimony of a member of the same clan. It’s useless since it wasn’t verified with magic.”

“Is what Mr. Yandel said true?”

“Th, th, that’s true, but…”

“Why didn’t you confirm that part?”

The branch manager’s voice, which had become cold again at some point.

He does have something to say.

“First of all, this barbarian’s constitution is the problem! As if he knew that magic wouldn’t work on him, he kept making uncooperative and false statements!”

“False statements? What do you mean?”

Bierman answers confidently.

“He once said he survived after getting stabbed in the neck. But there were no traces, so when I questioned him, you know what he said? Oh my, what a joke! He said the scar disappeared because he absorbed the essence of a vampire in a rift?”

“He absorbed the essence of a vampire?”

“Yes! Branch Manager! Does that even make sense? A vampire appearing in a 1st-floor rift?”

From start to finish, this barbarian has been talking nonsense.

“Making up new lies to cover up previous lies. It’s the most common pattern of statements from criminals. How can we make the esteemed mages go through unnecessary trouble just by listening to this guy’s words?”

Of course, there were times when he had doubts, wondering if his claims might be true after his repeated assertions of innocence.

But he thought it wouldn’t matter much.

After all, what would happen even if an innocent barbarian who just became an adult were to die unjustly?

‘…And besides, if I call a mage, the amount of money I can pocket will decrease.’

But it’s a blessing in disguise.

A vampire on the 1st floor, of all things?

Once it’s confirmed that he made such an absurd statement, he’ll be able to convince everyone of his judgment.

‘He should have come up with a better lie if he was going to lie!’

He looks at the barbarian with a triumphant expression.

But it’s only for a moment.

“That’s true, though?”

His thoughts stop at the words the mage casually throws out.

“…Yes?”

“Ha, I was there… What should I do? I can’t even use magic on myself.”

What the hell is this mage talking about?

Trial

I like Korean novels (Murim, Dukes, Reincarnation, etc, etc, etc)

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