Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 31, 32, 33

 

C31, 32, 33

Chapter 31: Crimson Fortress (2)

The Corpse Golem’s pattern is simple.

It throws corpse bombs at enemies who are far away.

And it pulls in and devours enemies who are close.

Using the hundreds of arms that sprout from its body like tentacles.

“Bjorn!”

I hear Ainar’s worried shout as I maintain a moderate distance.

It would be better to get closer so I wouldn’t be targeted by the corpse bombs, but…

Then the target would shift to where the mage is.

Kwaaang!

I somehow buy time.

At least until the mage comes to her senses.

By drawing aggro alone.

Kwaaang!

Every time a corpse bomb flies towards me, I roll to the side to create distance and then crouch behind my shield to protect myself from the acidic fluids.

And after repeating this about three times…

“Ihernno Haindar.”

Flame Storm is cast.

Fortunately, the mage seems to have come to her senses.

I focus solely on the Corpse Golem without bothering to look back.

The Corpse Golem’s entire body is engulfed in flames, and its outer shell is peeling off, accompanied by screams that sound like hundreds of people.

The first pattern, which originally would have required us to close the distance, create some space, and repeat the process while burning it dozens of times with torches, is finished with just one spell.

「Corpse Golem’s outer shell has been neutralized.」

However, maybe the smell of burning rotten corpses is too disgusting…

“Ugh… urgh, bleugh!!”

I hear the sound of vomiting again from behind.

Please, I wish she would get a grip…

Well, whatever, we don’t need the mage anymore.

“Ainar! It’s done, come here!”

I immediately call Ainar over.

The Corpse Golem is a 7th-grade monster, but now that its shell has been peeled off, it’s not a monster that two barbarians can’t handle.

“Grooooowl—!!”

Its massive form has shrunk considerably, now only about 3 meters in diameter.

With the pile of corpses that were moving independently all burned and melted away, only the remaining bone structure creaks and moves.

It’s now in Bone Golem Mode.

“Kaaaaak!”

Its movements are much more agile now that it’s lost weight.

I block the golem’s arm, which is swinging fiercely, with my shield and shout,

“Porter! You help too!”

“I need to protect Lady Raven.”

Damn it.

I knew it.

Just you wait, I’ll make sure you pay for your lack of effort.

Thwack!

I jump high and smash my mace down on its upper body.

I hear a cracking sound, but that’s all.

Its ribs are so hard that only a few bone fragments chip off.

But I can just keep doing this.

“Ainar! Aim for the chest!”

“Got it!”

Ainar and I take turns drawing aggro and attacking the Corpse Golem’s ribs.

After about forty strikes…

The ribs, which were as hard as walnut shells, break, revealing what’s inside.

It’s the magic core, the common weak point of golems.

Kwagic!

I shatter the core with my mace, and the Corpse Golem stops functioning and disappears into light.

「Killed Corpse Golem. EXP +3」

The reward is a fist-sized magic stone, much larger than those from 7th-grade monsters.

“Ooh! How many loaves of bread can we buy with this—”

Ainar, who was admiring its size for the first time, suddenly freezes.

The reward isn’t just one magic stone.

Whoosh!

A black cluster of light glows faintly in the air.

“Bjorn, could this be…?”

I nod blankly.

An essence has dropped.

Rifts are like treasure troves.

Elite monsters that don’t appear in the regular field are like a blessing for explorers who have hit a wall in experience gain, and the loot dropped by guardians is even better.

Well, the main point is that the essence drop rate increases exponentially.

‘Actually, considering the probability, it’s strange that an essence dropped just now…’

“What are we going to do?”

I organize my thoughts at Ainar’s question.

First of all, the ownership belongs to us.

We practically defeated it by ourselves, and besides, that was the agreement.

However…

“…….”

Originally, there were two essences I was aiming for.

‘Death Fiend’ for regeneration and ‘Chimera Wolf’ for strength.

Both were essences of 8th-grade monsters.

But in the meantime, an essence of a 7th-grade elite monster, the Corpse Golem, which only appears in the ‘Crimson Fortress,’ has dropped.

It’s a rare essence with an acquisition difficulty that surpasses any of the other candidates, but…

It’s hard to be completely happy about it.

The penalties are as severe as its unique abilities.

[Corpse Golem]

Pain Resistance +70, Bone Density +55, Poison Resistance +12, Strength +15, Perception -5, Appetite +9, Weight +21

First of all, the basic stats are suitable for a tank.

Although the decrease in Perception would affect dynamic vision, judgment speed, and make the body generally slower…

The increase in other stats is quite high.

‘Bone Density,’ which has a significant impact on defense alongside physical resistance, is +55, and ‘Weight,’ which affected knockback and blunt damage in the game, is +21.

‘Pain Resistance’ would be very useful in reality, and while ‘Appetite’ is whatever, ‘Strength’ and ‘Poison Resistance’ are also stats that are definitely helpful if you have them.

But…

Special:

(P) Acidic Fluids – Blood contains acidic properties.

(A) Flesh Explosion – Explodes a part of the body with force.

The skills are the only downside.

‘Flesh Explosion’ boasts significant damage but uses the character’s HP as a cost.

Can’t you just not use the active skill?

Sealing off one skill itself is a huge disadvantage, and…

If you absorb this essence, the durability of your equipment will decrease significantly whenever you’re injured.

Because when blood splatters, it will also get on your equipment.

“Whew…”

The exorbitant cost of potions and equipment…

Usually, when this essence drops, I feed it to an NPC I’m using as a disposable character.

It’s that kind of a double-edged sword essence.

It’s a waste to throw it away, but it’s a bit much to feed it to your main character.

‘Since the essences we absorb early on have to be discarded eventually, it wouldn’t be bad to take this one now, but…’

“Let’s put that on hold for now and treat the dwarf first.”

Essences last for 30 minutes even without an owner, so there’s no need to rush the decision.

I might be able to use this for a trade.

With that thought in mind, I head towards the back and witness a scene of utter chaos.

Did the porter use a potion on him?

The dwarf is rolling around in pain from the potion, and for some reason, the mage is half-dead.

“Don’t come any closer.”

His name was… Tarjin, wasn’t it?

This rude bodyguard bastard blocks our way even though he hasn’t done anything.

Damn it, what are we going to do?

“What’s going on?”

I ask from a distance, and the porter answers.

“She suffered backlash from overexerting herself while casting a spell.”

Backlash…

It seems like he’s referring to the ‘Circuit Disruption’ status effect, which sometimes occurs when casting fails.

Looking closely, she’s not just throwing up what she ate, but literally vomiting blood.

“Urgh, bleugh!”

Is this the price of using magic while feeling nauseous from the smell?

It’s absurd from an observer’s perspective, but…

Actually, it’s a plausible scenario in [Dungeon and Stone].

Unlike other games with clear cause-and-effect relationships, in this game, even a seemingly insignificant ‘cause’ can sometimes be life-threatening.

“Are you just going to stand there? It would be best to move her outside.”

“…I’ll leave the dwarf to you.”

After helping Raven and the dwarf to the underground prison, the situation improves after a short wait.

The dwarf is the first to come to his senses.

“This is embarrassing… Thank you. We would have been in big trouble without you two.”

“I’m glad you know.”

I don’t bother being humble.

There’s nothing to gain from it anyway.

I’ve clearly made a contribution, and I plan to use this to negotiate a higher reward.

In fact, it’s better to exaggerate a bit.

“If it weren’t for Ainar, you would be dead.”

“I know. I’m really ashamed, but my body just froze up as soon as I saw it. I thought I had seen it all…”

I’m realizing once again that this is reality.

They would have been sufficient in terms of combat power if this were a game, but due to mental factors, they almost died to a mid-boss, not even the guardian.

“So why is this lady like this?”

“He said she suffered backlash. She’ll be fine once she drinks a potion.”

Despite drinking a potion and switching from vomiting to screaming, it takes a whopping 10 minutes for the mage to come to her senses.

“I, I apologize for the trouble.”

She tries to act as if she’s fine, but the noble atmosphere is gone.

Her mouth and neck are covered in vomit and blood, and her beautiful blonde hair is tangled and dirty.

The robe that used to be pristine is now tattered from rolling on the floor.

“We took care of the Corpse Golem.”

“Yes, I know. It was a good thing I pushed myself to use magic.”

Is this the nature of explorers?

Instead of expressing gratitude, they first mention their own achievements.

If I stay silent here, the reward increase will go down the drain.

I need to get a clear confirmation.

“We saved your lives. That’s more than enough to be considered a full contribution, right? Do you agree, mage?”

“…I agree.”

Raven nods with a look of frustration.

It seems quite humiliating to her that the two barbarians she looked down on played such a big role.

Honestly, I feel quite refreshed, but it’s better to leave some room for negotiation at this point.

“Of course, your magic was amazing. Such powerful flames, you must have pushed yourself for the team.”

“That, that’s true, but… what are you trying to say?”

I speak directly.

“We’ll take the Rift Stone.”

Essence, Numbered Item, Rift Stone.

Three types of loot dropped by the guardian.

When I first demanded this, they accused me of being greedy and asked if we thought there would be a problem without the two barbarians.

But what about now?

“…….”

Only an awkward silence hangs in the air.

I wait patiently without rushing.

The key to negotiation is waiting.

“I agree. If it weren’t for this barbarian lady, I would be dead.”

Is he repaying the favor?

The dwarf is the first to express his agreement.

However…

“I disagree.”

Raven doesn’t give in easily.

Although it’s not like she’s completely unwilling to compromise…

“But if the Rift Stone drops, I think we can at least give you an equal opportunity.”

In simpler terms, she’s saying she’ll give us a chance to bid.

It’s a bit disappointing, but it’s true that she played a big role, so it’s best to be satisfied with this much.

We also don’t have much time.

Then onto the next agenda.

“Ah, and an essence dropped.”

“An essence? Are you saying the Corpse Golem dropped an essence?”

“Yes.”

The dwarf and Raven open their mouths wide in surprise, as if they hadn’t expected such a rare item to drop.

“That’s amazing. It seems like you haven’t even obtained one essence yet, and you got something like that from the start.”

“I heard that even the Explorer’s Guild hasn’t been able to properly identify the abilities of the Corpse Golem’s essence due to the lack of samples.”

Raven keeps expressing her admiration, saying that in terms of rarity, the Corpse Golem’s essence is even higher than the guardian’s.

The desire for research is evident in her eyes.

I hide my true intentions as much as possible and make the offer I’ve been waiting for.

“If you want, we can exchange it for the guardian’s essence.”

“Yes? But we’re not even sure if the guardian will drop an essence…”

Raven trails off with a strange expression.

It seems like she likes the idea of exchanging essences.

“I’ll take that risk.”

“If that’s the case, then yes, I agree. As an explorer, it might be different, but honestly, the Corpse Golem is more interesting to me. I didn’t expect it to drop, but…”

The negotiation is successful.

“Lady Raven, I heard that mages can’t absorb essences. Then are you going to feed the essence to that porter?”

“No, the essence itself has research value.”

Raven takes out a test tube from the bag the porter is carrying.

This is one of the reasons why mages are OP.

They can store essences in test tubes and take them outside without having to absorb them directly.

Although they do need one specific item.

“Ah! Did you bring a test tube? I heard they’re incredibly expensive.”

“…I only have one.”

In fact, even if you store 6th-grade or lower essences in a test tube, you barely get your money’s worth.

But Raven seems to value the Corpse Golem’s essence more than that.

Whoosh!

The essence is sucked into the test tube as Raven chants a spell.

She carefully double-wraps it in a box and stores it safely in her backpack.

“Then let’s get out of this horrible place.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that!”

We climb the slimy ladder and move quickly along the pipes.

The only monsters that appear are Skull Rats and Deadmen.

The stench is still strong, but it’s nothing compared to where the Corpse Golem was.

After about 30 minutes of travel, we reach our destination.

“I’ll go up first.”

Beyond the rusty bars, which are torn apart with a single kick, there’s a staircase. We climb it and find ourselves in a spacious stone chamber.

I take a deep breath of the slightly cleaner air and check the surroundings.

“Those don’t seem like Gargoyle Statues, what are they?”

“Since I don’t sense any magic power, they’re probably just sculptures.”

Imposing demon statues are placed everywhere.

And the floor is covered in human skulls.

“The lord’s castle must have been right above here. If it hadn’t collapsed, we could have investigated inside as well…”

Raven clicks her tongue in disappointment, as if she doesn’t even feel the eerie atmosphere.

“As expected, it has the typical pattern of a religious facility. However, the fact that it’s hidden underground means that this faith didn’t align with the social norms of the time. For example, it might have been an evil god.”

“I, I see.”

The dwarf flinches at Raven’s explanation, which seems like a way to show off her knowledge. I interrupt before it gets any longer and warn them with a short murmur.

“Let’s stop talking and be a bit more cautious, shall we?”

Actually, I’m saying this to myself as well.

Because the final chapter of the rift, the ‘Demon Worship Chamber,’ is not to be taken lightly.

“Bjorn, I have a bad feeling about this.”

Especially for an unlucky bastard like me.

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

Chapter 32: Crimson Fortress (3)

Click.

Raven pushes a stone on the wall inwards, and the candles in the stone chamber light up all at once, brightening the room.

"Oh, how did you know that?"

"Books are treasures that pass down knowledge."

Geez, she could have just said she read it in a book.

"Let's see, ah! Here's another one."

Raven pushes another brick in, and with the sound of a mechanism, a book falls from the ceiling.

The Necronomicon.

It’s a magic book containing black magic, and it sells for a high price in shops.

…Damn it.

"I found this with my ability, so as promised, I’ll take it."

“Sure. We can’t take it outside anyway without distortion magic.”

“Hahaha…”

Raven laughs awkwardly.

Well, she knows it too, right?

That the Necronomicon is treated as an item and can be taken outside even without distortion magic.

“Could you put this in the backpack?”

“Yes, Lady Raven.”

Although I’m annoyed, all I can do is watch the mage take the loot for herself.

Phew, I was going to collect this myself later…

Why does she know this but not about the thing hidden under the statue?

“Then shall we go?”

As we walk down the wide, straight passage that’s about 10 meters long, we soon reach a fork in the road with a giant demon statue.

“Lady Raven?”

“It doesn’t matter which way we choose. We’re going to kill all the monsters anyway, right?”

We go around the ‘ㅁ’-shaped Demon Worship Chamber, hunting monsters one by one.

The monsters that appear are Gargoyle Statues, Death Fiends, Chimera Wolves, and Bone Knights.

“Not only did the Corpse Golem’s essence drop, but it was even the ‘Yearning’ type. You’re quite lucky in many ways.”

My luck is continuing, which is unusual for me.

Hatred, Sorrow, Yearning.

The 7th-grade monster ‘Bone Knight’ has one of these three attributes randomly. And we encountered the easiest type with the best rewards.

“The ‘Yearning’ type only has the ‘Life Drain’ ability, which restores health upon hitting. And that can be easily nullified with my ‘Regeneration Suppression’ magic.”

Raven boasts confidently, but honestly, whether she’s here or not, the ‘Yearning’ type is the easiest.

The ‘Sorrow’ type, which emits a fog that causes mental confusion, was a very annoying ability even in the game.

Well, it’s nothing compared to the ‘Hatred’ type, though.

The dwarf blurts out,

“That’s a relief, but I heard that the ‘Hatred’ type is the weakest.”

Bullshit.

The Knight of Hatred uses ‘Soul Sever.’

It’s a crazy skill that deals no damage but has a ridiculously low chance of lowering your level.

[Companion A has suffered severe soul damage, resulting in a level decrease.]

Once it triggers, this battle log appears regardless of your HP, defense, or magic resistance.

And if this log appears, it’s better to just start over with a new character.

It’s much easier than recovering experience points through portal opening farming.

“…To have your soul rank decrease, that’s a truly terrifying enemy.”

The dwarf shudders and sighs in relief at Raven’s explanation, which was actually on my behalf.

However, this mage lady doesn’t miss the opportunity to show off her knowledge and continues her explanation.

“Ah, if you have as many essences as your soul allows, one of them will be lost at random. This is probably something even other explorers don’t know.”

As a mage, her information is accurate.

However, as a veteran player, I would like to add one thing…

‘Soul Sever’ triggers more easily at lower levels.

And my current level is only 2.

And with my unlucky fate, it’s truly fortunate that we didn’t encounter a Knight of Hatred—

“Essence.”

Damn it, is my luck finally turning around?

An essence popped out even though we haven’t killed many.

It’s from the 7th-grade monster, Bone Knight.

What the hell is this?

First, it drops a Corpse Golem essence, and now…

Is this what they call ‘extreme luck’?

“It seems like the gods are blessing you. Hwahahaha!”

“I agree. Maybe we’ll really get an essence from the guardian at this rate.”

They each make a remark that may or may not be a congratulation and look at me.

Meaning, who between me and Ainar will take it?

After a brief contemplation, I make a difficult decision.

“Ainar, you take this.”

“Is, is that okay?”

It would be a lie to say I’m not greedy.

Only the guardian is left at this point, and no one can be sure whether another essence will drop or not.

However…

“You said you wanted to get stronger. Take this.”

From a player’s perspective, it’s more rational for Ainar to take it than me.

‘Life Drain’ goes well with bladed weapons, and I’m in a position where I have to discard my weapon eventually.

Moreover, Ainar is reliable.

Judging by her straightforward personality, she’ll likely stay by my side and support me rather than leaving.

Therefore, it’s more efficient to use the strengthened Ainar to obtain essences that are more suitable for me, rather than being impatient.

“Th, thank you! Bjorn! You’re the best after all! I’ll definitely repay this favor!”

Ainar, unable to hide her excitement, absorbs the essence.

The change is dramatic and immediate.

“Wh, what! You guys suddenly got bigger!”

“You’re the one who got smaller, Ainar.”

“What, what?! Is that true!”

Ainar’s height, which was around 2 meters, has shrunk.

In an instant, to about 170 centimeters.

“It’s a basic effect of the Bone Knight’s essence. Bone density increases significantly, but in return, your height decreases.”

Raven, who enjoys explaining things, even recites the standard information of this world.

It would be like this if we were to use exact numbers instead of (High), (Medium), (Low)…

[Bone Knight]

Cutting Power +12, Bone Density +55, Agility +15, Endurance +15, Flexibility -7, Height -25

(P) Preservative – All wound deterioration effects (poison, bleeding, decay, etc.) are reduced by half.

(A) Life Drain – Temporarily greatly increases regeneration when striking a living being.

“Don’t worry. Just because you’re shorter doesn’t mean your strength has decreased—”

“I’m doomed! No one will see me as a warrior like this! Everyone already looked down on me because I’m a woman!”

…Looked down on her because she’s a woman?

Is that a complex she had?

“Anyway… you’ve become quite beautiful.”

Raven murmurs with interest as she observes Ainar’s despair.

“Is it because your facial structure has become smaller? Maybe we could sell it to nobles for beauty purposes—”

“Th, that means I’ve become less warrior-like!!”

I hurriedly intervene, not expecting her to be this distraught.

“No, Ainar. Everyone knows you’re a great warrior!”

Honestly, except for the tattoos on her upper body, she just looks like a tall human woman, but…

“So what if you’re a little shorter!”

“This is not just a little!!”

“…But you’ve become much stronger! Isn’t that enough!”

I have to console her.

The others are just sociopaths who only care about saying what they want, even in the face of someone else’s misfortune.

“Hahaha! What a strange essence. If a dwarf like me absorbed it, I would disappear!”

“Hmm, that’s an interesting thought. We need to go back and look for cases to see if the height reduction effect is proportional or absolute.”

“I’m doomed!!”

“Hahaha! Is it because you’re a barbarian? Even though you’re shorter, your voice is still loud!”

“Ms. Ainar, would you be willing to let me do a thorough examination when we return to the city?”

“I’m dooooomed!”

Please, everyone just shut up.

My head is starting to hurt from the noise.

“Death Fiend!”

The commotion finally subsides thanks to the monster that appeared after hearing the noise from afar.

However, everyone is curious about the changes in Ainar after absorbing the essence, so they step back and express their intention to watch.

“Behel-la…”

Ainar swings her greatsword with a half-hearted battle cry.

And…

Slash!

I didn’t mishear.

For the first time since she started using that sword, it made a slashing sound instead of a ‘Kwaaang!’

…Is that the effect of +12 Cutting Power?

“Ainar, try aiming for the head!”

“Uh, uh… alright!”

Ainar, flustered by her own transformation, jumps high and swings her greatsword vertically downwards.

And then…

Slash!

The Death Fiend, which would have taken dozens of strikes from both of us to kill, is slain with one swing of the sword.

She cut through its hard skull and reached its brain.

“See! You’ve become much stronger, haven’t you?”

“Then, am I still a warrior…?”

“Of course you are.”

“……?”

“Ainar, second daughter of Frenelin! Now you’re not just a warrior, you’re a stronger warrior!!”

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

Thank goodness, she’s back to her old self.

She might still feel awkward about her reduced height, but once she gets used to it, Ainar will become even stronger.

“They really are a well-matched pair, aren’t they?”

“I agree.”

I ignore the conversation between Raven and the dwarf and move forward.

I realize that the only way to shut these guys up is through battle with monsters.

“Let’s go! Bjorn! If you absorb this too, you can become a stronger warrior like me!”

Ainar, having regained her motivation, throws herself into battle with enthusiasm.

Thwack! Thwack! Kwaang-! Slash!

Unfortunately, despite hunting all the monsters in the worship chamber, no additional essences drop.

But I don’t give up hope.

The flower of the rift, the guardian, is still left.

With this much luck on our side, can’t I hope for one more lucky break?

Just as that thought crosses my mind…

“I had a good time with you guys, but it’s about time to wrap things up.”

The dwarf utters a flag-like line.

Raven does the same.

“I’m feeling a bit sentimental. This is my first time entering the labyrinth, but I think I understand why my seniors work as explorers.”

Suddenly, I snap out of it.

Come to think of it, have things ever gone this smoothly in my life?

Hmm, there have been times, I guess.

It’s just that something always explodes at the end.

The screws in my head, which had loosened up, tighten all at once, and an unknown sense of foreboding washes over me.

“Then I’ll go in.”

What the hell is the problem?

If the worst-case scenario were to happen right now, what would it be?

Internal conflict?

Well, I don’t think so.

The loot distribution has been agreed upon, and that’s something that will happen after the guardian is dead.

Creak.

The dwarf opens the door to the stone chamber, and I observe my surroundings, certain that something is about to happen.

I scrutinize every little detail I can see.

And I review all the information I know about the ‘Crimson Fortress’ in the game.

That’s why I’m able to discover it.

“The door! Close the door!”

“What are you talking about—”

Damn it, is it already too late?

Drrdrdrdrdr!

As soon as the door opens…

The ground starts shaking violently.

And something dark and ominous rises from the center of the vast stone chamber, shedding its robe and revealing a pale face.

Raven, the mage, is the only one who realizes the gravity of the situation.

“N, no way…”

The guardian of the rift has changed.

Instead of the ‘Death Knight’ that should be waiting for us here…

「The master of the Crimson Fortress awakens from a deep slumber.」

A ‘boss’ monster that acts alone.

A monster with a difficulty rating of 5.

A true hybrid monster, skilled in both hand-to-hand combat and black magic.

A monster that you could only encounter with a slim chance after reaching the 6th floor or higher.

“A vampire…”

And not just any vampire, but a higher variation.

In other words, a named monster with intelligence, a name, and a history.

I even know this guy’s name.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen living beings.”

Vampire Duke Cambormier.

“Where did you all come from?”

I speak up on behalf of the frozen group.

“Run.”

Damn it, why is this happening to me?

In the game, I kept chanting for him to appear, but he never did.

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

Chapter 33: Warrior (1)

Monsters can be broadly categorized into four types.

1. Variants.

These are like goblin archers and swordsmen, where the species is the same, but the class is different.

2. Higher Species.

The Death Fiends we encountered in the Land of the Dead belong to this category.

For reference, this is a relative classification. If a monster's rank is even one level higher than the average rank of that floor, it's considered a higher species.

3. Rare Species.

This category includes monsters that can only be found in specific rifts, like the Corpse Golem, or monsters that are extremely rare to encounter in the regular field, like Mimics.

4. Higher Variants.

These are named monsters with their own unique memories and individual names.

Their biggest characteristic is that they possess the 'power of essence.'

In other words, they are much stronger and more troublesome.

Well, it's only natural. What would happen if an 'Ogre,' known for its thick hide, possessed the regeneration ability of a 'Troll'?

A crazy monster would be born.

That's why...
___________________________________

We're running with all our might.

"What the hell is that thing! Why is a vampire in a place like this..."

"Run instead of whining, dwarf."

We escape from the entrance of the boss room...

"Heuk, heuk, I can't run anymore..."

"Excuse me, Lady Raven."

...and pass through the pipes, retracing our steps.

"We can't leave this place without catching that thing anyway. Wouldn't it be better to just fight?"

"We need to at least get to a place with sunlight."

"Isn't the sunlight just that red sky?"

"It's still better than here."

Even after entering the maze-like underground prison...

"Turn left here!"

...we continue to run at full speed.

Because this place is practically his home turf.

We need to get outside somehow.

That's the only way we have even a slight chance of survival.

"A higher variant appearing as a guardian... It's unprecedented."

Well, that's not exactly true.

Even the 'White Temple' on the 3rd floor has a higher variant as its guardian. From the 8th floor onwards, which is considered the deep layers, almost all rifts are like that.

Well, if we're only considering the 1st floor, then saying it's unprecedented wouldn't be wrong.

Even I, a 9-year veteran player with over 10,000 playthroughs, have never encountered the 'Vampire Duke'.

I only learned of his existence after watching a recording uploaded by another player on the only community site.

"Ah, right! How did Mr. Bjorn know? You told us to close the door!"

Is her scholarly curiosity still active even in this situation?

"I said, run instead of asking questions."

"But I'm not the one running, am I?"

Yeah, that's true for you.

But not for me.

"...I just had a hunch."

I make a rough excuse and cut off the conversation before it gets any more annoying.

However, to answer her inwardly...

I was able to notice the anomaly because of the color of the doorknob.

In the recording uploaded by that player, the only difference from the usual Crimson Fortress was that.

It was a small change that I was only able to find after rewinding the recording numerous times, trying to figure out if there were any special conditions since the Vampire Duke didn't appear even after hundreds of tries under the same conditions as the player in the recording.

If I hadn't been so excited about our lucky streak, would I have been able to spot it before opening the door?

Well, it's not something to think about now.

"You're rude guests."

The bastard reveals himself as we reach the 2nd floor of the underground prison.

Swaaaaaaaaa-!

He's chasing us not as a person but as a black mist.

It's not the vampire's innate ability, but one of the dozens of black magic spells he possesses, 'Wraith Form'.

This is why I hate monsters that use magic.

Their versatility is insane.

"Raven!"

I immediately call out to our mage.

I want to ask if she knows any sun magic, which is one of the vampire's weaknesses.

But maybe it was unnecessary interference.

"Everyone, close your eyes!"

The mage lady has already finished casting.

"Ahesenbert Tu!"

'Flashbang'.

It's a support spell that usually causes a wide-area blinding effect.

Even though I closed my eyes, I can still feel the intensely flashing light.

BEEEEEEP-.

I ignore the ringing in my ears and open my eyes. The black smoke that was chasing us is gone.

Thank goodness.

We managed to prevent him from using the core combo of 'Wraith Form', 'Materialization'.

We've bought at least 3 minutes.

Right now, he must have reappeared in that worship chamber.

But good news always comes with bad news, doesn't it?

"Bjorn! The mage is down!"

"What?"

At Ainar's words, I look and see Raven unconscious, being held by the porter. Blood is flowing from her mouth, as if she's suffered internal injuries.

...What the hell? Did that guy use some kind of magic?

He shouldn't be able to use attack magic while in 'Wraith Form', right?

'Could it be the power of an essence?'

Maybe.

The recording ended with a total party kill before they could do anything, so I couldn't confirm which monster essences the Vampire Duke additionally possessed.

Various possibilities race through my mind, but I decide to think about it later.

"What are you doing! Run!"

"How can we when the mage who knows the way is unconscious!"

"Don't worry, I know the way."

"...How do you...?"

I answer the dwarf, who is filled with questions, with a short reply.

"I memorized it."

"Just from coming here once...?"

Actually, hundreds of times.

I've been in and out of this place like crazy, hoping to encounter the Vampire Duke. I didn't expect to see him here, not beyond the monitor, but...

"Follow me."

I ignore any further questions and take the lead, running.

The fact that I might seem like a strange barbarian to the mage when she wakes up?

So what?

Survival comes first.

"You, you really did memorize the way..."

The dwarf exclaims as we reach the 1st floor of the underground prison without stopping.

"You guys, is it true that you just had your coming-of-age ceremony last month?"

"Of course! Didn't I tell you! Bjorn is a great warrior!"

"A great warrior... You might really become one someday."

Praise makes even whales dance, but I'm not a whale. I wish he would just run harder instead of wasting time like that.

I think it's been about 2 minutes.

Tadatadat.

Left, right, straight, straight, right, left, straight, straight.

I draw a map in my head and run without stopping, and finally, the exit comes into view.

Has it been about 3 minutes?

Before climbing the stairs, I check behind me one last time.

"Huuuk, huuk..."

Everyone's breathing is ragged, but thanks to their basic stamina, there are no stragglers.

The problem is that I can see black smoke following us beyond the team members.

Swaaaaaaaaa!

Should I have just abandoned all the backpacks?

Then we could have created a bit more distance.

It's too late for regrets.

Let's focus on what we can do now.

Tadatadat!

I push myself even harder.

But did he use 'Materialization'?

Clack, clack.

I hear the sound of something being assembled behind us.

It's now or never.

I sprint, taking two or three steps at a time.

And...

"We're outside!"

We finally emerge onto the ground.

Without a single casualty.

"I was worried, but it seems like he really isn't, following us..."

The dwarf mutters as he gasps for breath.

But as if he's still not relieved, his gaze is fixed on the stairs leading underground.

Well, even he can tell with his own eyes.

We just bought a little more time.

The problem hasn't been solved yet.

"...How long do you think it will take?"

At the dwarf's question, I look at the ridge on the other side of the wall and shrug.

Well, I don't know the exact time, but...

"I can tell it won't be long."

One thing is certain: time is not on our side.

Soon, this dark red sky will turn completely black.

So we need to prepare before that happens.

"What's the mage's condition?"

"She'll be fine once she drinks a potion."

"Are you sure?"

"...She definitely will be."

That's your wishful thinking, you bastard.

Phew, this guy also has no idea what she was hit by and why she's in such a state?

I say firmly,

"This time, you need to pull your weight too."

"But..."

What do you mean, 'but'?

"Do you want to die here?"

Sometimes, the most direct expression is the most effective.

This guy can't protect the mage alone if we all die.

"...What should I do?"

If he asks that, there's not much that changes.

I just wanted to remind him of his resolve before the battle begins.

"Protect the mage. Even if it costs you your life."

"...Of course."

His voice sounds more reliable now.

Then this guy is good to go.

Is there only one preparation left?

"We'll move to the outer wall. Having cover will be better for us, even if it's just a little."

I give an absurd excuse and lead the group to the outer wall.

Honestly, it would be best to leave them all here and quickly go back alone, but...

If the bastard appears while I'm doing that, it's game over.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll go check the surroundings."

"Splitting up is not a good choice!"

The dwarf shouts something, but I pretend not to hear and run towards the fountain I had my eye on earlier.

To retrieve that item that I had to pass by earlier because I didn't want to stand out.

Kwaaang! Crumble.

The fountain is filled with nothing but dry gravel.

I smash the statue in the center and rummage through the debris, pulling out a small box.

「Character has acquired [Tears of the Goddess].」

I check, and the contents are the same as in the game...

And there's even more good news.

"This is..."

As I return after storing the item in the slot of my boot, Raven has come to her senses.

"Vampire! What happened to the vampire?"

"We managed to escape somehow. But he'll appear once the sun sets."

"I see."

She frowns, as if the pain is still lingering.

This time, it's my turn to ask.

"What exactly hit you?"

Raven takes a sip of the potion that the porter handed her like it's water and answers in a voice that sounds half-dead.

"Keugh, it's still too early to say for sure, but... Ahhh, judging by the symptoms, hiss... it's likely 'Pain Sharing'."

'Pain Sharing', huh.

If that's true, then it's a relief.

The 'Nightfiend' that possesses that skill is among the 8th-grade monsters with lower base stats.

If the essence he had was 6th-grade, no, even 7th-grade, the difficulty would have been much higher.

"Ugh... Of all times, the backlash had to come when I was trying to cast another spell..."

Raven clutches her chest with a pained expression.

Seeing her like that, I feel a bit sorry for her.

It seems like it will take some time for her to recover and play her role again.

"How long will it take for you to recover?"

"Ugh, full recovery is impossible. My circuits are completely tangled."

"Tell me in numbers, even if it's just an estimate."

"20 minutes? That should be enough for me to recover to the point where I can use 7th-grade attack spells 5 times."

Five Flame Storm-level spells.

This is really bad.

"Do you know any other sun magic?"

"Do you know how rude it is to ask a mage about their spells?"

Of course, I know that according to the world's settings.

But right now, I'm a barbarian who belongs to a culture where everyone talks down to each other except for the king.

When I respond with a 'so what?' look, Raven sighs and answers.

"I can use Black Sun Orb."

"Black Sun Orb..."

It's a 6th-grade attack spell that's similar to Fireball in its basic form but uses the sun attribute instead of fire.

Maybe we can actually have a chance with this?

"Can you also use the 'Attribute Enhancement' spell with Black Sun Orb?"

"...If I gather mana for about 10 more minutes."

"Then it's settled. I'll try to hold out until then. So don't try to help and waste your mana."

"Yes, I will... Wait, but why is Mr. Yandel taking the lead?"

Is it because she's a mage? She's quick-witted.

The dwarf just followed along as soon as I started taking control of the situation.

"Then is there anyone else to do it?"

She glances at the porter, Ainar, and the dwarf in turn, then nods as if convinced.

"That, that's true... Yes, that's right."

"Hwahaha! I'm sorry! What can I do about my nature?"

The dwarf scratches the back of his thick neck, embarrassed. And Ainar, seeing this, takes the opportunity to jump into the conversation.

"So you admit that barbarians are better than dwarves!"

"That's not it! It's just that, like the barbarian lady said, this friend is special. Even in this short time, I could feel it."

"Special...?"

"I'm pretty good at reading people, you know."

Raven looks curious about what happened while she was unconscious, but unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of spending precious time on that.

"Murad, how many essences do you have?"

"Four."

"What kind?"

I ask the dwarf as briefly and concisely as possible to understand his capabilities.

There are no game-changing cards among the essences he has, but...

I can still come up with a rough strategy.

However, if I had to point out one thing that's disappointing, it would be that we didn't have enough time to share the strategy with the team members.

Swaaaaaaaaa.

A cool breeze blows, and the shadows covering the ground deepen.

There are 30 minutes left until the preparations are complete.

「Night has fallen.」

There's nowhere left to retreat.

We have no choice but to hold out somehow.


Trial

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

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post

ADPORT6

ADPORT7