Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 274, 275, 276

   

C274, 275, 276

Chapter 274: Defense (4)

After I came to my senses, I apologized first.

"Mage, I'm sorry about earlier."

Hans J, who had almost died from being choked by me, frowned but accepted my apology.

He knew.

That if there was a conflict within our group, his life would also be in danger.

"...Since you apologized, I won't mention it again."

After the mage accepted my apology, Partslan stepped in to mediate.

"Bjorn Yandel, I don't blame you. I understand how you feel. To be honest, Aulock made a mistake."

"Partslan, what mistake did I make? I just said what needed to be said."

"...But you could have said it more politely."

Partslan surprisingly defended me.

Well, he almost died because of those guys.

He probably didn't want to cause trouble by criticizing me, since he considered Hans J my loot.

"Ahem, let's end this here."

"Yes, I agree."

I gritted my teeth, still annoyed, and the conversation ended.

It was a good thing.

If we continued talking, it might have happened again.

"So what are we going to do now?"

Partslan, who had switched back to informal language, asked me about our next plan. I didn't nitpick since I knew I was in the wrong.

"Like I said, we'll rest until the barrier is deactivated."

"And then?"

"We'll find a better location and defend there. Like Raven said."

"I see. Alright."

After our rough plan was decided, everyone lay down on the ground to recover their stamina.

And after some time...

"The divine protection will soon end."

"Alright. Good work. Everyone get up."

After [Declaration of Evil's End] was deactivated, we searched the area for a defensible location.

We found a flat area with a cliff at the back. We only had to defend three sides.

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"

We defended against the monsters there.

Contrary to my worries, it wasn't that dangerous yet. I had expected a higher difficulty since the event started at the highest level...

"Bertia Sebnu Helheyburns!"

But the mage's performance was incredible.

Well, to be precise, it was Hans J's performance.

Mages are strong in AoE battles. And Raven was also doing her part as a mage.

However...

「Hans Aulock has cast the 4th-grade attack spell [Chain Lightning].」

Hans J was on another level.

Crackle, crackle. Boom!

Every time he cast a spell, monsters, even 5th-grade ones, were killed or knocked unconscious.

At least fifteen at a time.

'...He finished casting Chain Lightning in 15 seconds? What the hell is this guy?'

I was bewildered by his high-level magic, and I asked Partslan, who was fighting next to me, about him.

"Ah, didn't you know? Aulock is a 4th-grade mage from the Benocturn School."

The Benocturn School, which focused on elemental magic research.

A 4th-grade mage who was a top-tier player even within that school.

'No wonder his equipment looked expensive.'

I was a bit worried that he might cause trouble later, but I decided to think about it later.

Yeah, what can he do if he's angry?

I'm a noble too.

At least my status isn't lower than his.

"Ersina, cast the barrier."

"Yes."

Anyway, Hans J's performance was impressive, but the MVP of this defense event was the priestess.

「Lyrine Ersina has cast [Declaration of Evil's End].」

If she wasn't here, we wouldn't even have time to rest.

"Phew, mister. Come over here. I've laid out a sleeping bag for you."

"Thank you."

We fought the monsters, and when we started to get tired, we immediately cast the barrier and recovered our stamina and MP.

And after we were ready, we deactivated the barrier and resumed hunting.

We repeated this for about four hours.

「The second Wrath of the Sea has begun.」

The second wave had started.
______________________

Rain started falling, and soon it turned into a downpour.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

It was like a monsoon season.

"...Rain?"

My companions were confused by the weather change, something we had never experienced in the labyrinth. But Partslan's team, who had explored the 6th floor for a long time, was different.

"Why is it raining now...?"

They weren't surprised by the rain itself.

But...

"This is going to be troublesome."

They frowned and sighed.

They all knew.

How difficult it was to fight in the rain in the labyrinth.

First, the rain reduced visibility.

And the raindrops falling on our eyelids made it hard to focus.

Also, the temperature dropped, so we could get hypothermia if we were exposed to the rain for too long...

And it was easier to drop our weapons with wet hands.

There wasn't a single positive aspect.

"This is going to be a pain..."

Everyone sighed and complained about their bad luck, but I was different.

I knew it wasn't just bad luck.

'It will be here in about 30 minutes.'

The rain meant that the second wave had started.
And the mid-boss would soon appear.

It always targeted the largest group first.

"Everyone stay close and fight!"

I gave the order and then got used to the changed environment while fighting the monsters until the mid-boss arrived.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

It was my first time experiencing rain in the labyrinth.

'It's even more annoying than I thought.'

The ground was slippery, and the mud made it hard to walk. And the water-type monsters were even more energetic in the rain.

Thwack!

I gripped my mace even tighter, worried about dropping it.

And after some time...

"Hey, Yandel! Over there! Over there!"

A giant lizard appeared from the front.

[Groooooooooar!]

Guano Sea Serpent.

A 4th-grade monster with four legs, brown moss-covered scales, and a fat tail.

Its most notable characteristic was [Stench].

「Character has been exposed to [Stench].」

「All continuous damage effects are doubled, and the character is immune to 'Purification' while exposed to [Stench].」

The passive skill that made it a core essence for curse shaman builds.

"Ugh! Ugh..."

As expected of the monster we called the 'Shit Lizard', everyone started gagging the moment it appeared.

'What the hell is that smell...'

Even a barbarian with a strong stomach felt dizzy from the intense [Stench].

I held my breath and focused.

It was a 4th-grade monster like the Siren Queen, but the situation was different.

'...I just have to be careful not to make any mistakes.'

Monsters were swarming around us.

And unlike the Queen, who needed summons to be effective, this guy was strong on his own.

And we had to split our forces.

I quickly divided the group into two.

"Partslan, Ainar, you two focus on that side!"

The two melee attackers were assigned to the left and right flanks to deal with the trash mobs.

Just in case, I also told Hans J and Avman to focus on clearing trash mobs instead of the boss.

And the rest...

"Get behind me!"

It was a kind of raid strategy.

Our goal was to kill the boss while the trash mob team held them off.

[Groooooooooar!]

The boss, who had been watching from afar, charged towards us, its horned head leading the way. I blocked its head with my shield, and the battle began.

The fight itself was smooth.

「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Plague of the Sea].」

Erwen and Raven intercepted the suicide bomber spirits.

Boom!

Well, I was afflicted with a status effect from the blood splattered by the exploding spirits...

「Character has been infected with [Scurvy].」

「All healing effects are halved, and the character takes continuous poison damage.」

But it was nothing the priestess' healing couldn't handle.

「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Origin of the Deep Sea].」

「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Submerge].」

「Guano Sea Serpent has cast [Rain Dance]...」

「...」

Its other patterns were similar.

Some were countered by magic, some by divine power.

And some...

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"

...by the barbarian's brute force.

We endured the patterns and continued the fight.

Of course, it wasn't easy, even though there weren't any major incidents.

"Hey, Yandel! You have to dodge that!"

The Guano Sea Serpent was known for its high HP. The battle dragged on, and there were a few close calls.

「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has taken damage exceeding the allowed amount.」

「[Spirit Transformation] is deactivated.」

Erwen was even knocked unconscious from taking too much damage. And the priestess, who had been using half-powered heals, ran out of divine power.

But it didn't matter now.

We had succeeded in killing it.

「Guano Sea Serpent defeated. EXP +6.」

Hans J, who had joined the boss team, unleashed his Chain Lightning.

The boss's massive body finally collapsed and disappeared into particles of light.

And...

"We, we defeated it...? Huh?"

Everyone tilted their heads.

"What, what?! Hey, Yandel!"

"An essence!!"

An essence had dropped.
_______________________

4th-grade monsters were rare even on the 6th floor.

We had to sail far out to sea to encounter them, and they were so few in number that it was impossible to hunt dozens a day like 5th-grade monsters.

In other words, it was difficult to obtain their essences.

"It's been a while since I've seen a 4th-grade essence."

Partslan, who had explored the 6th floor for a long time, looked excited.

He was acting like it was his essence, even though it wasn't.

'Damn it, of all things...'

I sighed, trying to hide my disappointment.

There wasn't anyone on our team who could use this essence, but it was still valuable.

It would sell for a fortune.

"Raven, put the essence in a test tube."

"Ah, yes!"

Raven quickly took out a test tube from her subspace pocket.

And as she was about to store the essence...

"Wait, shouldn't we ask if anyone wants it first?"

Partslan stopped her.

I was surprised.

There were only a priestess and a mage on his team. Even if they bid, it would just be Partslan...

"You're not thinking that we don't have a share, are you?"

Ah, that's what he wanted to say.

Yeah, a swordsman wouldn't want this essence.

"Don't worry. We'll sell it and split it equally."

"Hmm, if you say so."

He stepped back after I said what he wanted to hear.

That settled the distribution issue.

"So, can I put it in now?"

Raven asked for confirmation, holding the test tube, and everyone nodded.

That's when...

"By the way, the rain has stopped."

"This is a strange coincidence. Maybe the rain was related to the Guano Sea Serpent."

Partslan and Hans J were talking, and I looked up at the sky.

The rain had stopped after the Guano Sea Serpent was defeated.

That wasn't a problem...

"Wait... what's that? It seems to be getting closer..."

A black flying object was falling from the sky, spewing flames.

"A, a drake!!"

Damn it.

I cursed inwardly and shouted.

"Battle stations!!"

The wolves had arrived.

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


Chapter 275: Whirlpool (1)

Confusion and surprise.

Despite those emotions, my mind analyzed the information conveyed through my vision.

'A drake.'

Drakes don't appear on this island.

Then how was this possible?

The answer lay in our previous conversation.

[Carmilla and Belverson. It must be those two bastards.]

The two looters who had betrayed Amelia for the treasure. Carmilla, the woman, was said to summon a drake.

Okay, so we know who they are.

Whoosh!

The flames spewing from the drake's mouth confirmed their hostility.

Therefore, there was only one thing I had to do.

"Battle stations!!"

I shouted, gripping my mace tightly.

My companions, used to similar situations, reacted immediately.

"Everyone, gather here!"

Raven hurriedly cast a spell, not even having time to put the test tube away.

"Alerbes Wiar!"

The 7th-grade support spell 'Magic Barrier'.

The most commonly used defensive spell among mages. But the translucent barrier that appeared in the air had a blue frost covering it.

'She even added a frost attribute in that short amount of time?'

Her casting speed had really improved since she became an explorer.

Whooosh!

The drake's flames hit the magic barrier and spread out like raindrops on an umbrella.

We had bought some time.

'Erwen is incapacitated. Ersina is out of divine power, and Raven doesn't have much mana left. Even I'm running low on MP.'

I quickly assessed our situation during that brief moment.

It wasn't good.

Most of us were exhausted from the battle with the Guano Sea Serpent.

'This won't be easy.'

I was thinking that when...

Kaboom!

The flames suddenly stopped, and the drake slammed into the magic barrier.

A full-body tackle.

The most basic skill of a tamer.

Crackle!

The 7th-grade defensive spell couldn't withstand the drake's charge, amplified by its momentum.

「Avman Urikfrit has cast [Dangerous Substance].」

The moment they appeared beyond the shattered barrier, Avman shot an explosive arrow at the drake's forehead.

But...

Kaboom!

The drake curled up, protecting itself with its wings, and took minimal damage.

Well, I didn't expect it to die from one hit anyway.

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"

I activated [Gigantification] and charged towards the drake, which was hovering in midair after blocking the arrow.

Thud.

The distance between us closed quickly.

"Carmilla, I'll take care of the barbarian."

The man riding on the drake's back jumped down and thrust his sword at me.

A white aura surrounded the blade.

It wasn't the same as the knights' Aura, but...

'Damn, that's going to hurt.'

My instincts as a tank told me.

It would be dangerous to just ignore it and charge.

Therefore, I raised my shield and blocked the sword.

Kwaaang!

A heavy impact reverberated through my shield.

'Good thing I blocked that.'

My charge was stopped by a single sword.

I even saw a scratch on my shield.

If I had taken it head-on, I would have been seriously injured.

"A 5th-grade explorer, you said?"

What the hell is this guy talking about?

I only had one thing to say to him.

"Die."

I swung my mace without hesitation, and he backflipped off my shield, landing on the ground.

He thinks he's a flying squirrel?

Thud.

I landed and immediately dashed towards him.

The drake spat out another burst of flames.

But I wasn't worried.

I wasn't alone.

"We'll take care of that!"

Raven's defensive magic blocked the flames, and Avman shot another arrow, keeping the drake occupied.

Therefore...

Thud.

I dashed again...

Whooosh!

And swung my mace.

[Swing].

"..."

He tried to block it at first, but he sensed something and retreated, withdrawing his sword.

Damn, he has good instincts.

'If he had blocked that, I would have smashed him to pieces.'

I was clicking my tongue in disappointment when I heard Avman shout from behind.

"Yandel, I'll take care of him!"

"Alright, I'll leave him to you."

And so, the battle lines were drawn.

Carmilla, the summoner, was being attacked by Raven, Avman, Partslan, and Hans J.

"Woohoo! Leave the monsters to me!"

Ainar, oblivious to the situation, was busy dealing with the trash mobs.

And I...

"Why are you running away after attacking me?"

...was facing the swordsman, Belverson. Well, I had one thing to tell them before the real fight began.

"Raven, activate the Voice Control spell!"

I closed the distance between us and told Raven to use the team voice magic.

Ah, with one condition.

"Only for us? Why...?"

"Just do it."

"Okay, now only we can hear each other."

Okay, good.

After confirming that the team voice was working, I quickly relayed my instructions. The others seemed confused, but...

"I don't know why you're saying this, but I understand. I'll do as you said."

I wasn't worried that they wouldn't follow my orders.

In other words, now we just had to do our jobs.

Thud.

I dashed again, closing the distance between us.

The woman riding the drake had tried to help her companion a few times, but Raven and Hans J blocked her, and now she was fighting them.

"Damn it, I'll get you for this!"

From now on, it was a one-on-one match.

But it wasn't as easy as when I dealt with the archer.

There were several reasons.

First, he wasn't a squishy ranged attacker, and he was much stronger than the archer.

And most importantly...

「Character's Soul Power is insufficient.」

「[Gigantification] is deactivated.」

I had run out of MP from the previous battles, so I couldn't just crush him with skills.

Damn it, if I was in top condition, I would have already finished him off.

"You were good, but this is the end!"

As soon as [Gigantification] was deactivated, he closed the distance and swung his sword at me. He was skilled in PvP, perhaps because he was from Noark. He aimed for a spot that was difficult to block with my shield.

But...

'He doesn't know about [Iron Hide].'

The Ogre's passive skill [Iron Hide] doubled my Physical Resistance against slashing attacks.

Clang!

The sword pierced my arm, but it didn't go any deeper.

Now it was my turn.

Whooosh!

As soon as I felt the blade touch my skin, I swung my mace at his temple.

Thwack!

I heard a satisfying sound of flesh being crushed.

However...

"Ugh."

It wasn't his head that exploded, but his left arm, which he had raised to block the blow.

Well, I guess it's better to lose an arm than your head.

He was smart enough to make that judgment.

'Let's do it again.'

I swung my mace again, not giving him time to recover.

[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!]

But I had to retreat because a monster was charging at me from the side.

Damn it, this was my chance.

"...So it was the Ogre's essence."

He seemed to have figured out [Iron Hide]. He started using more thrusting attacks, only using slashing as a feint.

'A quick victory is impossible now.'

The battle became more difficult, and I started taking more damage.

And he had poisoned his blade. The wounds didn't heal, even after Raven threw me a potion.

But I dismissed my impatience.

'Let's recover MP first.'

Time for a change of plans.

I focused on defending and figuring out his essences.

And then I would finish him off.

I was holding out, waiting for the right moment, when...

"Hans Aulock!"

A woman's voice came from afar.

It was the woman riding the drake, who had been shooting various projectiles.

"Stop interfering and help us!"

I felt a sense of déjà vu.

This situation was similar to what happened in the Doppelganger Forest.

"Wh, wh, what are you talking about?!"

"Don't you know? I'm the one who told her about you."

The enemy was from 'Noark'.

"Everyone, don't listen! That wicked woman is trying to trick us!"

"Yeah? Then listen up! Hans Aulock murdered the daughter of Count Montrina twelve years ago and covered it up!"

The enemy revealed Hans' secret and tried to persuade him to betray us.

"What cunning words! Do you think we would believe that?!"

Even though his companions denied the betrayal, Hans had no choice but to make a decision.

But...

"Iherno Kar Berdei..."

The outcome was completely different from that day.

Thud.

Before Hans J could finish casting his spell, a dagger pierced his chest.

"Gahk..."

It was an incredibly fast reaction.

Thud.

As soon as Hans J collapsed, the woman who had tried to persuade him widened her eyes.

"Wh, how...?"

How?

I had told them beforehand.

If he tried anything funny, stab him.
____________________

It was Erwen who had stabbed Hans J in the back.

Well, she was injured and couldn't fight properly...

But killing a mage was easy.

Especially if she was prepared and standing right behind him.

"Y, you! Why did you kill him?!"

The priestess, who couldn't believe what had just happened, was shocked. She still seemed to think that Hans J was innocent.

"Why? He's a traitor."

"That's just a lie! We haven't even confirmed it yet...!"

"But he was casting a spell."

Erwen's blunt words made the priestess flinch.

"He might not have been aiming for us..."

She wasn't wrong.

We didn't know if Hans J's spell was really targeting us.

But humans are rational beings.

"What? You really think so?"

Hans J would have understood.

They might think it was a lie now, but they would have doubts later.

And they might even investigate, so...

The best way to silence them was to kill them all.

'Anyway, he really was the traitor.'

I didn't have any proof, so I thought he might be innocent...

Hans is truly a science.

"Bjorn Yandel! You have to say something!"

The priestess turned to me, but I only had one thing to say.

"Good job, Erwen."

"Thank you. I just did what you told me to do."

Yeah, but the important thing is that she did it well. Avman and Raven had also received my instructions, but they couldn't act as quickly as Erwen.

Because killing someone is irreversible.

No matter how prepared you are, there's a psychological barrier.

'Maybe she's the most reliable one in this situation...'

I raised my shield, thinking about Erwen's potential.

And a white blade pierced it.

Kwaaang!

Damn it, he's not giving me any time to think.

Well, he must be in a hurry after his secret weapon failed.

"Partslan! Partslan! Say something! That fairy killed Aulock!"

"Ersina, let's talk about that later. He might have really been trying to betray us."

Fortunately, Partslan wasn't as naive as the priestess. He seemed surprised at first, but he thought my actions were justified.

Yeah, that's right.

He was clearly trying to betray us.

'Okay, then we've safely overcome the betrayal pattern...'

We returned to our positions and resumed fighting.

"Yandel! Avman...!"

But then something happened.

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


Chapter 276: Whirlpool (2)

The line between life and death.

Sometimes it's drawn slowly, sometimes in an instant.

For explorers, it's usually the latter.

Most injuries can be healed with potions or divine power. So unless you suffer a fatal blow or your entire team is wiped out, you usually survive.

Well, there are exceptions.

"Ugh, come on, wake up."

When potions and divine power don't work.

That happens sometimes.

Liol Wobu Dwarkey, the mage of Team Misfits.

He left a will for his companions as he faced certain death, and Misha and the others felt a deep sense of loss.

But there was a clear difference between then and now.

"Hey, miss, please..."

This wasn't a precious companion, but a stranger.

And it wasn't certain death like Dwarkey's case.

There was still a chance she could survive.

Whether she lived or died depended entirely on this red-haired woman and Misha.

"Wake up!"

Misha shouted, swinging her sword frantically.

Slash!

She cut down the monsters swarming from the shore.

But they kept coming.

She was reaching her limit.

If she didn't leave now, she might never see Bjorn again.

But she couldn't carry the woman and move.

Slash!

She couldn't carry her and fight through the monsters.

The woman had to wake up and at least be able to walk, even if it was slowly, for Misha to clear a path.

"I'm at my limit...!"

Misha shouted again, hoping her voice would reach the woman's unconscious mind.

That's when...

"You..."

The woman, who had been lying motionless, opened her eyes.

"You're awake! How are you feeling? Can you move?"

Misha asked excitedly, but the woman just mumbled, as if trying to process the situation.

"So you've been protecting me..."

"Yes! But I can't do this anymore! We have to get to a safe place. Can you walk?"

The woman's answer came after a brief pause.

"I can't move."

"What?!"

"But I can handle these monsters. Take out the item I told you about from my pocket."

She spoke calmly, as if she wasn't dying.

Misha stopped fighting and hurriedly retreated, opening the woman's expandable pouch.

And she took out the item the woman had mentioned.

"A scroll? What does this scroll do?"

"Declaration of Evil's End."

Misha was truly surprised.

Not just an ordinary magic scroll, but a divine scroll? How did this woman obtain such a rare item?

She had many questions, but they weren't important.

"Ugh, why didn't you tell me sooner...!"

Misha quickly tore the scroll, and a translucent barrier imbued with divine power blocked the monsters.

Finally, a moment of respite.

"Phew, I can finally breathe. Hey, so what's your relationship with Bjorn?"

Misha approached the woman and asked the question that had been on her mind.

But...

"I, I'm..."

"...So you and Bjorn...?"

"..."

"...Hey! You're not sleeping, are you? Wake up! Ugh!"

Misha shook the woman's shoulder, but then she realized she was injured and stopped.

And she sighed, collapsing to the ground.

Now that she had time to breathe, she started worrying about her companions again.

"...I hope they're all okay."

A cold wind blew from the sea.

It was humid and carried the salty scent of the ocean.

Swaaaaaaaaaa.

She felt unusually anxious today.
____________________

Injuries are common in battles.

Even if no one makes a mistake.

That's why explorers are superstitious.

They know.

That injuries are inevitable in battle, and sometimes the severity of those injuries depends on 'luck'.

"Yandel! Avman...!"

What happened to Avman today was similar.

The drake's claw broke Partslan's sword, which was blocking its attack.

And the broken blade flew towards Avman and pierced his body.

It wasn't his fault.

If he had been faster, he could have dodged it, but no one would call that a mistake.

He was just unlucky.

"Blood...! The bleeding won't stop...!"

Some people survive a 10-floor fall with a stroke of luck, while others die from a simple slip.

[Dungeon and Stone] faithfully reflected the absurdity of reality, and I had enjoyed that aspect of the game.

Until I woke up in this body.

"Priestess! Please heal him...!"

The problem was where the blade had pierced him.

It missed his heart, but the sharp shard had penetrated his lung and gone through.

A penetrating wound that caused the most bleeding.

And his internal organs were damaged.

「Lyrine Ersina has cast [Heal].」

The priestess used the last of her divine power to heal him, but it was useless.

「The target is currently designated as a [Dragon's Sacrifice].」

「All regeneration effects are nullified.」

The 5th-grade monster Drake's active skill.

That damn summoner had cast it as soon as she saw Avman's injury.

"Where are you looking, barbarian?"

Damn it.

Kwaaang!

I wanted to run over and check on Avman, but I couldn't.

And neither could they.

"I'll take care of Avman, so everyone focus on fighting!"

They realized they couldn't do anything for Avman, so they left him with Erwen and resumed the battle.

But the situation wasn't good.

"..."

Hans J, the mage, was gone.

And Partslan, who was trying to fill his shoes, had lost his weapon.

And then misfortune struck again.

The shard from the broken sword had pierced Avman, further reducing our numbers.

"Nebarche, was it?"

"Yes..."

"Here's your bow. You should fight too."

"...Are you sure?"

"You don't want to die here, do you?"

Erwen gave Nebarche his bow, but it didn't change the situation.

"Let's go, Yongyong! Just a little longer!"

A 5th-grade drake.

And a summoner who had stacked buff and support essences on top of that.

This was a high-difficulty battle.

It was practically the same as fighting a 4th-grade monster, and we were in terrible condition.

Erwen was out of MP and spirit power, and the priestess had run out of divine power.

And Partslan, our main tank, had lost his sword.

Adding one archer wouldn't make a difference.

'It's impossible to rely on them.'

I had to admit it.

The situation had changed.

And we had to change our strategy.

I was originally planning to play it safe, figure out their essences, and drag out the fight...

'But we don't have time.'

Avman wouldn't last long.

We had to end the battle quickly and dispel the drake's skill.

And to do that...

'I have to make a sacrifice.'

I had to make a decision.

What to discard and what to gain.

I had already made my calculations.

Then what about the enemy?

"Your companion is down, you must be desperate, barbarian!"

That arrogant bastard, already celebrating his victory, what would he sacrifice to stop me?

'I'll find out soon.'

I shouted and charged forward.

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"

I didn't feel the usual surge of energy. I didn't have enough MP to use [Wild Release].

But the ancestor god would still be with me.

He favors warriors who charge with wild abandon.

Well, maybe not.

Whiiiiiish!

He thrust his sword at me as I closed the distance.

It was a familiar pattern.

He thrusts, I block.

That used up my turn, and he would stab me in the arm or leg and then retreat.

That was how the fight had been going.

But...

'I'm not blocking this time.'

I ignored his sword and swung my mace.

Now it was his turn to make a decision.

What would he do?

"..."

He was surprised by the sudden change in the fight and hurriedly retreated.

Damn, he's not playing along.

'I knew you would do that.'

I had anticipated this, so as soon as he retreated, I changed direction and charged towards the drake.

'Leap.'

I used [Leap], spending the little MP I had recovered.

Kaboom!

A cloud of dust erupted from the landing point.

I wasn't in [Gigantification] state, so there was no [Recoil].

But that wasn't important.

[Groooowl?]

The drake looked at me with its mouth wide open.

Try spitting venom at me, you bastard.

Thwack!

I smashed its snout with my mace.

[Gwaaaark!]

Its head snapped back, but it wasn't a significant blow to a large monster like a drake.

But that wasn't my goal.

I was aiming for the woman riding on its back.

"Damn it! You can't even block one attack?!"

The summoner shouted in frustration.

I pushed off the ground again, like a spring.

And at that moment...

Thud.

A sword pierced my back.

It was that bastard.

He had caught up already?

"Why are you so late?!"

The summoner whined as I froze, the sword embedded in my back.

I was confused.

"Why."

You think I can't move?

It's not like I was stabbed in the neck.

Swoosh.

I took a step forward, the sword still embedded in my back.

And at the same time...

Whooosh!

I swung my mace down.

My target was the summoner's head.

Thud!

The sword was pulled out, and my body flinched, but my arm didn't stop.

But in that instant...

Whiiiish.

He thrust his sword again.

Thud!

It pierced my elbow.

The joint shattered, and my grip loosened.

This bastard, he's good at PvP.

'Flesh Explosion.'

I gave up on my useless arm.

Boom!

He knew about [Acidic Fluid], but he didn't expect this.

Sizzle!

"Aaaaaaargh!!"

He screamed and retreated, covered in my flesh and blood.

This is why the Corpse Golem essence is so good.

It's a rare essence, so most people don't know about it.

And it uses HP as a cost, which is useful in situations like this.

Clank.

My mace fell to the ground.

It didn't matter.

My shield was also a weapon.

Thwack!

The summoner screamed and fell off the drake, rolling on the ground.

Her arm was bent at a strange angle.

I was a bit disappointed.

If I had hit her head, she would have died instantly.

But the drake was thrashing around, preventing me from finishing her off.

'...I can just do it again.'

I jumped down from the drake, remembering the barbarian spirit of getting back up after falling down.

But then...

Whooosh!

My falling body was suddenly thrown upwards.

The drake had grabbed me by the neck and tossed me.

The summoner was quickly getting further away, but it wasn't all bad.

Thud!

Partslan took the opportunity and stabbed the drake in the chest with his broken sword.

[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!]

Did he hit its heart?

The drake thrashed violently and then disappeared into particles of light.

It had been unsummoned.

The status effect was also gone, so Avman could finally be healed with divine power.

I had achieved the first part of my plan.

Kwaaang!

I landed on the ground and quickly got up.

And at that moment...

Swoosh!

A cold blade touched my neck.

"You monster."

I didn't have the energy to block or dodge.

But there was a silver lining.

He couldn't kill me.

"Everyone, stop! If you don't want to see him die!"

He shouted at my companions, and they pointed their weapons at the unconscious summoner.

"You put down your sword, if you don't want to see this woman die."

It was like a hostage exchange.

And as a strange silence fell...

Step.

Two women emerged from the forest.

"Bjorn...? What's going on?!"

One was Misha, whom I had been searching for.

"You're in quite a predicament, barbarian."

And the other was Amelia Rainwales.

Why were they together?

What happened?

I had many questions, but I focused on one thing.

Was their appearance a positive or negative variable?

"Amelia Rainwales. You're alive."

The man holding his sword to my neck spoke to Amelia.

"It's good to see you. Please help us."

"You're asking for my help after doing that? You must have a reason."

"Of course. I hid that item somewhere on this island. If we die here, it will be lost forever. Do you really want that?"

Amelia frowned at his words.

I had met this woman several times, so I knew.

'Damn it.'

That was her thinking face.

Our fate depended on her decision. I stared at Amelia, unable to even speak.

"Belverson Erfner. Do you know the two ways to piss someone off?"

"...What?"

The swordsman was confused by my out-of-place question.

But Amelia continued.

"The first is to stop talking in the middle of a sentence. But unfortunately, you didn't get to hear the second one. But if I had to guess..."

"...Guess?"

The swordsman, intrigued, couldn't help but ask.

And I felt the same way.

Did she know the answer?

"..."

A strange silence fell as everyone's attention focused on her, and Amelia continued.

"It's..."

"..."

"To backstab someone while you're talking to them."

Ah.

Thud.

The moment she finished speaking, I heard footsteps from behind.

I knew what it meant.

「Amelia Rainwales has cast [Self-Replication].」

The swordsman, realizing what was happening, pushed me away and turned around.

But...

「Amelia Rainwales has cast [ Asura's Fury ].」

It was too late.

Kaboom!!

Amelia's clone, appearing from behind, landed a kick on the swordsman's temple.

Thud.

The swordsman collapsed, his eyes losing focus.

"Wh, why... You, that item..."

"Yes, I've been wanting it for a long time."

Amelia approached him and stepped on his head.

"You can keep it a secret. I'll just ask your sister. She won't be able to endure interrogation."

She was a truly rational woman.

Trial

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

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