Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 280, 281, 282

   

C280, 281, 282

Chapter 280: Whirlpool (6)

The monster raised its harpoon high in the air.

My first thought was,

'Already?'

He had taken a lot of damage.

We had pierced his shell, severed his arm, and even stabbed him in the chest with a poisoned dagger.

But 40% HP already?

'Ah...'

I looked up and understood.

Amelia was clinging to its back, her dagger embedded in its neck.

'She should have aimed for the back of its head, not the neck.'

I was a bit disappointed, but Amelia wouldn't have done that on purpose.

It must have dodged her attack.

I focused on something else.

'I've never seen that skill before.'

Black aura was swirling around the wound on its neck.

Wait, is that...?

「Amelia Rainwales has cast [Abyssal Power].」

Aura, Doppelganger essence, and now this? This woman was a monster. It was a miracle we had survived her attacks.

Anyway, I'll think about that later.

"Don't stop!"

I gave the order and approached the monster.

But maybe it was too much for my companions, who didn't know what was going on.

They froze, unable to focus on the fight.

I understood why.

「Stormgush has cast [Call of the Storm].」

[Call of the Storm].

It recovered MP by absorbing the surrounding wind, but if it was used during [Rain Dance], when the area was filled with rainwater, it also recovered a large amount of HP.

Well, that would be the end of it normally...

But there was an additional effect when raiding on this cursed island.

"The water! It's like a wall!"

"It's a tsunami...!!!"

The rising water, pulled by the wind, surged towards us like a tsunami.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A wave of water, growing larger and larger like a snowball rolling down a hill, crashed towards us.

"Oh no!"

It was a terrifying display of nature's power.

Damn it, there's no need to be scared of this.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

The violent waves crashed over us.

But...

「A sanctuary has been created somewhere on the island.」

We were unharmed.

"Huh?"

"Wh, what just happened...?"

I didn't know the details either.

It was just a cinematic in the game.

"Raven, illuminate the area!"

The water had plunged the area into darkness, so we needed light. We could see our surroundings more clearly now.

It was a strange feeling.

Like being trapped in a fish tank.

But we didn't have time to admire the scenery.

"Everyone move! Now's our chance!"

I gave the order, and my companions snapped out of their daze and started moving.

The battle had entered a new phase, and it was even more intense than before.

「Stormgush has cast [Dragon Vein].」

Avman was hit by the air pillar that erupted from the ground.

He managed to dodge most of it, so he wasn't blown out of the sanctuary...

"Avman...!"

"I, I'm fine... Priestess, just focus on healing Yandel..."

But he was incapacitated.

He would recover thanks to [Hungry Claws], but it would take a few minutes.

[Wooong...?]

Iron Bear, who had been tanking at the front lines, was also unsummoned after Avman was injured.

And the bad news didn't end there.

The [Whirlpool] that erupted from the [Dragon Vein] hole started swirling around the limited space, harassing us.

"Don't get hit!"

We had to treat the [Whirlpool] as an instant death attack now.

If we got caught in it, we would be thrown into the sea.

Slash!

Amelia severed the monster's arm with her Aura-infused dagger.

Thud.

Its massive arm, still clutching the bone harpoon, fell to the ground.

But even without a weapon, it was still dangerous.

[Groooooooooar!]

It swung its left arm, and Partslan was knocked back, his stomach ripped open.

He couldn't dodge in time because of the [Whirlpool].

'It's not a fatal wound.'

We had lost one fighter, but I remained calm. As long as he was alive, we could heal him with potions or divine power. That was one of the few good things about this world...

Thud.

I had to retreat as the [Whirlpool] approached me.

And at that moment, Nebarche, the archer from Amelia's team, was killed.

He had used [Emergency Escape] to avoid the [Whirlpool], but he landed right in front of the monster.

'Ah, that was a random blink skill...'

Nebarche was devoured before he could even scream.

Crunch, crunch.

The first casualty of the battle.

I didn't feel any guilt.

Who told him to use a trash skill like [Emergency Escape]?

Anyway, as long as my companions were safe—

"...Ugh!"

Misha was injured.

Slash!

She dodged the downward strike, but she lost an arm.

"Misha!"

"Don't worry! I can still fight with one arm!"

She can still fight with one arm?

This girl has become tough after following me.

I couldn't tell her to retreat.

We didn't have time.

I just focused on attacking with more intensity.

「Character has cast [Swing].」

I swung my mace with all my remaining MP.

I aimed for its snout.

Thwack!

The monster flinched and swatted at me with its tail.

Kwaaang!

I blocked it with my shield, but the impact reverberated through my bones.

Did its physical stats increase because of [Rain Dance]?

It wasn't this strong before...

'Damn it.'

My arm was broken, and my ribs ached.

But I was immediately healed.

「Lyrine Ersina has cast [Heal].」

A warm and mystical power reconnected my tendons and pieced my bones back together.

It was telling me.

Don't rest, keep fighting and protect your companions.

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"

A grueling battle.

It was beyond words.

The monster was strong and tenacious, as expected of a 3rd-grade monster.

Thud.

Its flesh was torn by Aura.

Dozens of arrows were embedded in its shell, draining its life force.

Curse magic was stacked on it, preventing regeneration and making it bleed green fluid. And Misha's sword was embedded in its eye.

[...]

But it kept fighting.

As if we were the villains and it was the hero.

It didn't tire, and every time it moved, someone was injured.

Mostly me.

Crack, crack.

Its sharp claws tore through my shield and armor...

Thud!

And sometimes pierced my flesh.

The priestess was out of divine power, so I couldn't even be healed in time.

But what could I do?

Did it think I would fall first?

I endured.

I swung my mace, dodged the whirlpools, and endured.

And after about a minute...

[Groooooooooar!!]

The monster roared and stared at me.

It was asking why I wasn't falling.

Yeah, you feel the same way, don't you?

You're praising me, you monster.

'Just use your next pattern, damn it!'

I smashed its neck with my mace, putting all my frustration into the attack.

Thwack!

It flinched, but it wasn't a significant blow.

But...

Thud.

Amelia took the opportunity and stabbed its temple with her dagger.

[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!!!]

The monster screamed in pain.

And at the same time...

Whooosh!

A thick barrier of wind enveloped it.

「Stormgush has cast [Priest of the Storm].」

Its last resort, activated when its HP dropped to 10%.

I had been waiting for this moment.

"Raven!!!"

I shouted the mage's name.

But she was already casting a spell.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A bright magic circle appeared on the ground.

Thud.

I retreated, not just to the edge of the barrier, but much further. And so did Misha and Amelia.

We knew what was coming.

"Pelz Askar Bier."

One of the military spells Raven had learned, designed to kill a single powerful target, not a group of enemies...

'...Well, it has a pretty wide range.'

I gulped and stared ahead.

「Arrua Raven has cast the 4th-grade attack spell [Divine Retribution].」

A thunderous roar came from the water-covered ceiling.

And a second later...

Flash!

The world turned white.

It wasn't blindingly bright.

The white light, refracted countless times on its way down, enveloped us softly.

And...

Kaboom!

[Divine Retribution], in the form of a lightning bolt, struck the monster's head.
___________________

Stormgush had high Physical and Magic Resistance.

It had strength comparable to an Ogre and was surprisingly agile.

That's why it was called the Ogre of the Sea, but its HP was actually much lower than an Ogre's.

And its skills were designed for a quick victory. The longer the fight dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for us.

That's why I aimed for a quick victory.

We conserved our resources and only used normal attacks until its HP reached 70%.

Then we increased the tempo and started dealing damage, going all out at 40% when it used [Call of the Storm].

And at 10%, we would finish it off with a burst of damage.

It was a classic strategy.

The only problems were that we didn't have any counter skills for its patterns, which increased the risk...

And we had used most of our resources to get its HP down to 10%, so the final blow was up to Raven alone.

Well, it was a decent plan.

Then what about the result?

Kaboom!

[Divine Retribution], in the form of a lightning bolt, struck the monster's head, and I saw the result with my own eyes.

'We failed.'

It was a crushing defeat.

Sizzle.

The monster's shell was steaming, like a well-cooked lobster, but it was still alive.

And the whirlpool protecting it was still there.

The reason was clear.

It wasn't because we missed the timing and hit it while it was invincible.

'We didn't have enough damage.'

Raven's final attack wasn't strong enough.

Not even close.

'I thought that spell would be enough...'

Maybe it was my fault for not considering the terrain.

It would have been different in a normal environment.

But the lightning bolt had lost some of its power passing through the water.

"It, it's still alive! What do we do?"

What do we do?

We go to Plan B.

"Partslan! Get the boat!"

Partslan, clutching his ripped stomach, asked,

"...The boat?"

Hmm, did I not tell them about Plan B?

No, I definitely did.

Maybe he forgot because he was in pain?

I didn't like repeating myself, but I told them the key part of Plan B again.

"We're running!"

We'll all die if we stay here.
____________________
「The spirit of the storm is starting to dwell in Stormgush's body.」

「Stormgush is temporarily immune to all damage.」

「10%.」

「20%.」

「3...」

「...」
____________________
We had to use Plan B, but there were a few positive aspects.

No one had died.

Well, the archer from Noark was dead...

And Misha had lost an arm, Ainar was unconscious, and Avman was seriously injured.

But everyone else had survived.

Yeah, that's enough.

"Ah, the boat...!"

Partslan seemed to have remembered Plan B and hurriedly reached for his subspace ring.

But then he had a thought.

"B, but... how can we even launch a boat in this situation...? Ugh!"

He coughed up blood.

But Raven continued his question.

"Partslan is right. The whole place is flooded, how are we going to launch a boat?"

How?

"Don't you remember? His boat is made of 'Artene wood'."

Artene wood is the best material for shipbuilding.

It was incredibly durable and buoyant. The boat would float even if we just threw it in the water.

"Partslan! Hurry up and get the boat!"

Raven urged him, and Partslan, clutching his stomach, summoned the boat.

It was large enough to comfortably fit ten people.

I carried the unconscious Ainar and the injured Avman onto the boat and tied them to the mast with ropes.

"Tie yourselves down! You might fall off."

"Ah, yes!"

Those who could move tied themselves to the boat.

Misha, clutching her severed arm, asked me, "Bjorn, I have something to tell you." She didn't have to hold it so tightly, I had already tied it securely with a rope...

"We'll talk later."

"But..."

"Don't you trust me?"

Misha hesitated and then shook her head.

"I trust you."

Okay, then we were ready to set sail.

"...But how are we going to get there?"

Raven looked at me, panicked, after everyone had boarded the boat.

'Oh, right.'

How do we launch a boat that's on land?

I hadn't considered this when I made the plan.

But...

'If I didn't think about it, it must be because I didn't have to.'

Yeah, that must be it.

My body was already moving.

"Wh, what are you doing? You're not going to carry the whole boat...?"

Hey, just be quiet.

You're making me tired.

"Ughhhhhhh!"

I groaned and lifted the boat with both arms. And I walked towards the water.

I couldn't hold it for long.

"Everyone hold your breath."

I gave them one last piece of advice and threw the boat into the sea.

"Go."

The boat, made of buoyant wood, quickly rose to the surface.

It would be fine once it was in the water.

[Priest of the Storm] was activated, so there wouldn't be any whirlpools.

The game didn't block escaping by boat at this stage either.

'...It's gone.'

I turned around after the boat disappeared from sight.

Amelia was staring at me with a strange look in her eyes.

"You really care about your companions."

"They're small and precious."

"...I see."

She had a habit of answering most questions with "I see." It was annoying because I could never tell what she really meant.

I just said what I wanted to say.

"You surprised me. I didn't expect you to agree to this."

Our mission was to be bait.

The monster would unleash a powerful AoE attack after charging up, and I couldn't block it with my shield.

The squishy mages, priestess, and injured warriors wouldn't last a few seconds.

So we had agreed to retreat with Plan B.

But we couldn't all leave.

Someone had to hold it off, or it would chase us with its tail.

We couldn't defeat it while on the boat.

"This role..."

Amelia chuckled.

"It's not something I would normally do."

She seemed to think it was strange herself.

Then why did she stay?

"I can't stand being in debt."

Wow, she was serious.

I was truly impressed.

She was risking her life because I saved her once?

'I should remind her about this debt later.'

"What? What's with that look?"

"Ah, did I get caught? I was just thinking how highly I value you because you keep your promises."

"...Spare me the flattery."

Amelia frowned.

"Just don't look at me like that. I wouldn't have stayed if I didn't think your plan would work."

"Hmm, I see."

"Barbarian, what does that 'I see' mean?"

"It means... ah, it seems like it's almost over."

Amelia also stopped talking and looked ahead.

「90%.」

The whirlpool surrounding the monster was subsiding.

The final phase was about to begin.

I gripped my mace tightly.

And as if sensing my intention...

"Wait, the original plan was to just hold out and escape, right?"

Amelia questioned my aggressive stance.

So I also tilted my head.

"...We're trying to endure...?"

"...Then wouldn't it be more efficient to put away your mace and just use your shield?"

Huh? What is she talking about?

What does that have to do with anything?

I said firmly.

"My mace is a great defensive weapon!"

The best defense is a good offense.

Especially when the enemy is almost dead.

"So you should also use your weapon! Don't just dodge and waste time!"

"..."

"You owe me your life!"

"......I see."

She couldn't refuse.

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


Chapter 281: Drift (1)

[Priest of the Storm].

This skill has three main effects.

1. Temporary Invincibility.

Until the skill gauge is fully charged, the caster becomes immune to damage.

In a way, it's a high-value skill.

Even though the caster can't move while it's active, it's still an invincibility skill. It was possible to pull off some amazing plays with it in the game.

2. Increased Defense Stats.

Once the casting is complete, the caster gains a massive amount of defense stats. Combined with the temporary invincibility, it's practically the ultimate survival skill.

But that's not all.

3. AoE Attack.

An AoE attack that's unleashed around the caster until the [Priest of the Storm] mode ends.

It's not just a survival skill, the damage is incredibly high.

Like the saying, the best defense is a good offense.

"It's coming."

I crouched down, pulling my shield down to cover my face, and the storm barrier around the monster started to expand, engulfing the entire sanctuary.

「100%.」

The effect that signified the skill was fully charged.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A fierce wind swept over me.

It wasn't as blinding as the [Eye of the Storm].

But...

「Character is taking damage.」

「Character is taking damage.」

「Character is taking damage...」

「...」

Like blades hidden in the wind, white, dagger-shaped shadows slammed into my armor and body.

This was why I had sent my companions away.

I couldn't block this kind of AoE attack with my shield.

Clank, clank, clank! Kaboom!

Arms, back, shoulders, waist, thighs, calves.

I couldn't even pinpoint where the pain was coming from, as impacts hit me from all directions.

It felt like dozens of people were throwing snowballs filled with stones at me.

'Well, that's about right.'

After all, my Physical Resistance and Magic Resistance were high.

I barely took any damage from this kind of continuous tick damage, not a single powerful blow.

Then what about Amelia?

Her Physical Resistance wasn't as high as mine...

'What the... she's dodging them?'

Amazingly, she was dodging every single attack.

Wow, what kind of Agility stat and reflexes did she have to be able to do that?

'I told her she could come if she could do it, and she really could.'

Ah, of course, I wasn't jealous.

Why would I be?

"You seem busy."

Amelia didn't answer my question.

Was she telling me to focus on the fight instead of talking?

[Groooooooooar!!]

The shell lizard with its severed arm roared menacingly and charged towards me.

'Threat level' was working.

If it were a human who used that skill, they would have targeted Amelia first.

Kwaaang!

I blocked its massive body with my shield, and my body was pushed back.

But that kind of large movement always creates an opening.

Thud!

Amelia stabbed its back with her dagger.

Its defense stats had increased significantly, so the dagger didn't go as deep as before.

And...

'It's not even flinching anymore.'

The monster didn't even hesitate for a moment after being stabbed and swung its arm at me.

Whooosh!

Like the saying, the best defense is a good offense.

Its defense stats had increased, which meant its attack power had also increased.

Since it could use its time for defense on offense now.

Tadat.

I quickly dodged to the side and created distance.

It would have normally used [Dragon Vein] or [Eye of the Storm] at this point.

But there was no need to worry about follow-up attacks this time.

This world is a cruel place where you have to give up something to gain something.

[Priest of the Storm] also has a penalty.

[Groooar!]

Yeah, roar all you want.

'You can't use skills now, can you?'

Skill Seal.

In this phase, Stormgush could only use physical attacks and that AoE attack.

The duration in the game was about 10 minutes.

'If we can't kill it within that time, we run.'

We would have to retreat without looking back, even if it meant giving up on everything.

As soon as it could use skills again, the raid would fail.

Not only would it start using its other annoying skills, but its injuries would also start to heal.

Amelia's damage alone wouldn't be enough to keep up with its regeneration.

Therefore...

「Character has cast [Swing].」

I used my skills without holding back on MP.

I couldn't even distract it with normal attacks.

"Amelia!"

Whether we could kill it or not depended entirely on how well our main damage dealer performed.

"...Tsk."

Amelia clicked her tongue and swung her dagger again. Her expression clearly showed that she wanted to just stall for time.

'Tsk, these rich kids.'

I don't understand.

We have to fight for 10 minutes anyway, why not just go all out?

If we kill it, we get a jackpot...

'Ah, she wouldn't get anything even if it dropped an essence.'

I finally understood why Amelia wasn't enthusiastic.

She had already filled all her essence slots.

Even if she got a mage to store it in a test tube, it would be difficult for us to sell it and split the profits.

She's from Noark.

She would want to never see us again after today.

"If we kill this, I won't claim ownership of Belverson's equipment!"

I decided to give her a new incentive.

But...

"...You were planning to claim ownership?"

Amelia said something naive.

No, you were going to keep it all for yourself?

After just coming in at the end and landing the final blow?

"...Carmilla's is yours, and Belverson's is mine. That was the agreement, wasn't it?"

Hmm, I did hear about that agreement.

But that was between you guys, not me.

"I don't know about that!"

I shouted while dodging Stormgush's claws, and Amelia quietly muttered.

"...I see."

I think I know what she meant this time.

She probably saw through my barbarian-style logic.

Thanks to that, her eyes sparkled with a bit more enthusiasm.

A very desirable situation for an employer.

Kaboom!

The battle continued.

We were already drinking victory soju and splitting the loot in our minds...

But realistically, the odds were still 50/50.

Would we be able to kill it within the time limit?

Or would we fail and have to run away, accepting all the losses and pain we had suffered?

The outcome is still unclear.

I just had to do my best and hope for the best.

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"

Sweat and blood flowed down my skin.

But there was no time to rest.

The more I harassed the monster, the easier it would be for Amelia to deal damage.

Thud!

Stormgush's claws slammed into my shoulder.

Clank.

The shoulder armor, which had already been cracked, shattered and fell to the ground.

'Damn it, the repair costs...'

My hands trembled, but I tried to think positively.

It was already broken beyond repair anyway.

The cost wouldn't be that much different...

"Amelia!"

Stormgush ignored me, who had been knocked back, and swung its tail at Amelia.

Tadat.

Fortunately, she jumped up and dodged.

But...

Thud!

A dagger hidden in the storm pierced Amelia's body.

It was a familiar attack.

But this time, it was different.

"Ugh."

The location was bad.

It wasn't her arm or shoulder, but her thigh.

Blood gushed from the wound, staining her white pants red.

But the real problem was something else.

Tadat.

Amelia's mobility was limited.

'Damn it.'

As I had feared, Amelia couldn't move as freely as before after being injured.

And that meant our DPS had decreased.

'We can't kill it at this rate.'

My mind was racing.

Should we change our strategy?

Should we just focus on surviving and run away?

No, but then what about my repair costs?

Who's going to compensate us for all the pain we've suffered?

'...Let's try a little longer.'

I quickly made a decision and dismissed my negative thoughts.

We were in a bad state, but the monster was also cornered.

Its HP was almost depleted...

[Human.]

That's when the monster spoke for the first time.

With bloodshot eyes.

[Humaaaaaaaaaaan—!!!]

It roared.

I flinched at its strange aura.

'That line... No, wait, was this monster even capable of speech?'

I couldn't remember anything like that.

Was this a new feature added in the real world?

Whatever.

I'll think about it later.

「Character has deactivated [Gigantification].」

「Character has cast [Gigantification].」

I quickly switched to normal Gigantification mode.

I couldn't use [Transcendence] while in Transcendence Gigantification mode.

「Character has cast [Transcendence].」

It was a close call.

I had to make up for that difference with this.

「The next skill used is enhanced.」

Of course, I didn't have many skills.

Then what should I use?

'Leap.'

This was out of the question.

It was useful against squishy ranged attackers, but it wouldn't even scratch the monster's HP.

'Swing.'

This was also useless.

Even with [Transcendence], the range would just increase, not the damage.

An essence that never existed in my build.

But I had obtained it by chance, and ironically, it had been a huge help throughout my journey.

「Character has cast [Flesh Explosion].」

Yeah, this might work.

「The inherent ability of the skill is unlocked by the power of the Transcendent.」

I cast the skill and dashed forward.

It wasn't an instant-cast skill anymore.

「Explodes after 3 seconds...」

A 3-second delay.

But in return...

「Explosion damage is greatly increased.」

The damage increased significantly.

'Hmm, it was about 35 times stronger, right?'

I had calculated it a few times while researching [Transcendence], but I think my memory was correct. Even in [Dungeon and Stone], there weren't many skills that increased damage this much.

Ah, of course, the base damage itself was still low.

It was originally a skill for spraying [Acidic Fluid], not for dealing explosion damage. Even with a 35x multiplier, it wouldn't even scratch 3% of a 3rd-grade monster's HP.

Well, it was enough for now.

Tadat.

I dashed forward and grabbed the monster's neck with both arms.

The Barbarian Suicide Bomber Mode.

[Humaaaaaaaaaaan—!!!]

The monster roared, trying to shake me off.

Oh, you're even opening your mouth for me?

Swoosh.

I quickly shoved my hand into its mouth, letting go of the mace.

Crack!

The monster immediately bit down on my hand, trying to crush it with its thick teeth.

But it was wrong.

I'm a barbarian.

Not a human.

'Yeah, time's up.'

I counted down the time limit in my head, and then my hand exploded.

Although...

There were no flames, which usually accompanied an explosion.

Kwaaang!

Yeah, what else could this be but an explosion?
_____________________

The moment the explosion occurred, my body was thrown into the air.

It was that powerful of an explosion.

Kaboom!

My heavy body crashed to the ground, and I quickly looked up to check on the monster. I already had a hunch from the wind subsiding...

Swaaaaaaaaaa.

Stormgush's body was disintegrating into particles of light.

「Stormgush has been defeated. EXP +7」

Yeah, we killed it.

「Achievement Unlocked」

Condition: First 3rd-grade monster kill.

Reward: Mental stat permanently increased by +1.

I've been living as a barbarian for so long that I felt a sense of mental satisfaction from winning the battle.

But sadly...

"...!!!"

That satisfaction didn't last long.

An indescribable pain engulfed my entire body.

The reason was clear.

「All defense stats are temporarily sealed.」

The side effect of Flesh Explosion (Transcendence).

Damn it, I didn't think about Pain Resistance disappearing.

'This, this...!'

I couldn't even scream from the pain, my mouth just opened and closed.

"Barbarian, are you okay?"

Amelia peeked at me through my blurry vision.

And...

"You're lucky."

She said something meaningful.

It didn't seem like she was just saying that because I had survived or because we had defeated the monster.

Ah, maybe...

"Es, es, sence..."

"Yeah, it dropped."

Really?

I looked up.

And I saw a navy blue essence floating in the air.

I must have missed it because my vision was blurry...

'...Hallelujah.'

I immediately crawled towards the essence.

My entire body was in pain?

So what?

Humans are greedy creatures, no matter the situation.

"...Shouldn't you get treated first?"

Treatment could wait.

It wasn't my first time losing an arm.

"Es, sence..."

"You're a funny one."

I ignored Amelia and crawled towards the essence.

「The essence of 'Stormgush' seeps into the character's soul.」

「Strength increased by +90.」

「Agility increased by +55.」

「Physical Resistance increased by +75.」

「Natural Regeneration increased by +50.」

「Lung Capacity increased by +40.」

「Lightning Resistance decreased by -30...」

「...」

A powerful force surged through my body.

I was savoring that pleasant feeling when...

"Then have a potion first."

Amelia opened her subspace bracelet.

That's when it happened.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A brilliant light emanated from the entrance of the subspace.

Even I, who knew nothing about magic, could tell it was strange.

This kind of thing didn't happen when you put a glowing object in your subspace.

Then what was it?

"..."

Amelia also seemed to feel something was off, as she hurriedly rummaged through her subspace.

And she took out an item.

"Why is this appearing now...?"

It was a stone emitting a white light.


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

Chapter 282: Drift (2)

A sudden thought crossed my mind.

Could the stone in Amelia's hand be the 'treasure' of the Noark Lord?

Of course, it was just a baseless hunch for now.

"...What's that stone?"

I asked straightforwardly, like a barbarian.

But Amelia's answer was merciless.

"Don't worry about it."

Well, if you don't want me to worry about it, then don't show it to me.

'Judging by her reaction, it seems like it really is the 'treasure'...'

I didn't think she would answer even if I asked again.

So I decided to focus on something else.

There were more important things to worry about than my curiosity.

Pssssh!

A crack appeared in the barrier that was blocking the water like the glass of an aquarium, and water started pouring in.

「The sanctuary will disappear soon.」

It was time to prepare.

I first picked up my mace and the shattered pieces of my chest armor from the ground and put them in my subspace pocket.

And...

"What are you doing? Come here. Unless you want to be swept away."

I took out a rope.

Amelia frowned as she realized what I was trying to do.

"You're not going to use the scroll?"

"Ah, you mean the Mass Teleport scroll?"

The core item of Plan B, the Mass Teleport scroll.

I had asked Kyle to make it after experiencing the Verzak incident.

But it could only teleport two people.

It couldn't even designate coordinates, and it could only teleport to the location of the 'Coordinate Transmitter' registered when the scroll was created.

'Well, if it wasn't nerfed like that, it wouldn't even exist as a scroll.'

Ah, for reference, Raven had the 'Coordinate Transmitter'.

She usually kept it in her subspace pocket, but I had told her to take it out this time.

So if we just tore the scroll, we would be teleported to Raven.

But...

"We already killed the monster, and it's not even dangerous. Why would we use such an expensive item?"

It would be crazy to use it just for convenience.

Kyle had said he could make another one if we got him the materials, but...

When would we be able to gather all those materials?

Most of them were rare items, not just expensive.

"So come here and sit down. Our companions will come and rescue us once the water recedes."

"Then what about until the water recedes?"

What a stupid question.

We just have to hold our breath and wait.

You can't even do that for a few minutes?

"...Fine, I'll tie myself down."

Amelia took out a nail from her subspace and hammered it into the ground. And she took the rope from me and tied herself to it.

"Hey, can you help me? I only have one hand."

"...You're a handful."

What the hell.

She would help me anyway.

I raised my remaining hand, and Amelia tied me to the rope.

That's it, we're ready.

Pssssh!

We chatted for a bit while watching the water pouring in through the holes in the sanctuary.

Surprisingly, Amelia was the one who initiated the conversation.

"The pain seems to have subsided."

Ah, I was trying to forget about it.

"...Ugh."

The more you focus on pain, the more intense it becomes.

So I quickly changed the subject.

"Enough about me, can you tell me now?"

"...?"

"About that stone. What is it? I can tell it's the 'treasure' those bastards were after."

"Barbarian, I told you not to worry about it."

Amelia drew a line with a cold voice.

But a barbarian's characteristic is that they can't control their curiosity.

"No, but it's glowing right next to me, how can I not be curious?! I'm not asking for much, just tell me why it's glowing. You also seemed surprised earlier."

"That's..."

Why is the stone glowing?

Amelia hesitated and then clenched the stone in her hand.

"I don't know."

"Huh? You don't know?"

Amelia clicked her tongue as I stared at her incredulously, and then she glared at me.

"That's right, I don't know. What's wrong with that? I don't know much about this item. But if I have this..."

Yeah, if you have it?

I was listening intently when...

「The sanctuary disappears.」

The barrier that was blocking the water shattered, and water rushed in like a scene from a disaster movie.

Damn it, at this timing?

'I almost had her...'

It was a shame, but what could I do?

"Hold your breath! Hold onto the rope!"

I took a deep breath and shouted, and the cold seawater engulfed us.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

Time to hold out.

We just had to hold our breath and wait for the water to recede. Then our companions would come back and find us.

But thanks to Stormgush's essence, which increased my Lung Capacity...

'I can hold my breath for at least ten minutes.'

I wasn't uncomfortable, even though I was holding my breath.

In the game, Lung Capacity was a useless stat.

When you had to fight underwater, you would prepare beforehand, so there was no need to increase your breath-holding time.

'But it might actually be useful...'

Unlike the game, this world was a place where you had to fight with your real body.

Lung Capacity would be helpful in battle.

I'm not Lee Hansu, who just sat in front of a keyboard anymore. I know how important breathing is in real combat.

'My body is also healing.'

I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body as my injuries started to heal.

It wasn't because the seawater had potion-like properties.

It was just the effect of the new skill.

「The character's body is imbued with the energy of the sea.」

「Passive skill [Origin] greatly increases Natural Regeneration.」

Stormgush's passive skill, [Origin].

The effect was simple.

When in contact with seawater, Natural Regeneration increased, and the longer the contact, the greater the increase, like compound interest.

It would even regrow a severed arm in about ten minutes.

'Well, it's useless outside the 6th floor.'

I had tried storing seawater in a bottle and using it like a potion, but it was a complete failure.

The skill didn't activate after an hour.

What the hell was this 'energy of the sea'?

'Anyway, I finally have regeneration again.'

I couldn't help but smile.

The most frustrating part of losing the Vampire essence was finally resolved. It was a 3rd-grade essence, and it wasn't just focused on regeneration.

[Origin] had other effects.

'I'll switch it out when I start farming 2nd-grade essences...'

I was savoring the feeling of my body healing when...

'Huh?'

I belatedly realized something.

The torch I had lit while fighting Stormgush had gone out when the water rushed in.

And my vision was blurry from the seawater.

But...

'Why can I see?'

The reason was Amelia's mysterious stone. It was emitting a brilliant light, even though it was in her subspace pocket, acting as a light source.

I had a question.

How could light escape from a subspace pocket, which was supposed to be a separate space?

'But why is it glowing even brighter...?'

I tilted my head and pointed at Amelia's subspace bracelet.

It was a gesture with this meaning.

'Hey, is that okay?'

Amelia didn't answer my question.

She just stared at the stone, as if mesmerized.

'This is making me even more anxious...'

I felt something was wrong.

Flash!

The stone suddenly erupted with a white light, blinding me.

And that was the last thing I remembered.

Like the day I was first summoned to this world.

'My eyes!'

I passed out.
____________________

「Error Occurred.」

「Character location cannot be found.」

「Character log transmission temporarily suspended.」

「Administrator, please investigate the cause of the error...」

「...」
____________________

When I opened my eyes, there was light.

The red glow of the sunset as the sun dipped below the horizon.

"Damn it."

I realized how much time had passed and quickly sat up.

"A whole day has passed?"

It was nighttime when we fought Stormgush.

But the sun was setting?

It meant I had been unconscious for at least a day...

'...Wait, what the...?'

I soon faced a much bigger problem than the lost time.

'My equipment, where the hell is it?'

I felt a sense of emptiness and checked my body.

My equipment was gone.

No, it wasn't just my equipment.

My subspace ring, my earring, even my magic-enchanted underwear were all gone.

I was completely naked.

'Did someone loot me while I was unconscious?'

Hmm, but if they looted me, they would have killed me, right?

No, wait, there was no one else on this island besides us.

What were those guys who we sent away on the boat doing all this time?

Damn it, what the hell is going on?

"This is driving me crazy."

It was beyond just confusing.

My common sense couldn't explain this situation.

Therefore.

"Hey."

I shook Amelia, who was lying next to me.

Ah, of course, I looked away.

She was also naked.

"...Amelia, wake up."

Hey, please wake up.

You were the one who had that stone.

What the hell happened?

"Ha..."

I tried to wake Amelia up, hoping for an answer, but she didn't respond.

She was breathing, so she wasn't dead...

'Damn it.'

I gave up on waking her up and checked my surroundings.

It had been strange from the moment I opened my eyes, but there were many things I hadn't checked yet.

'My arm.'

Yeah, my severed arm had regrown thanks to the seawater.

'The nail and rope.'

The nail and rope I had used to tie myself down were gone.

We hadn't moved to another island.

We were still in the same spot where we fought Stormgush.

But...

'The ground is already dry.'

The entire island had been submerged, but the sand beneath my feet was dry.

Was this physically possible in just one day?

I didn't know, but the most important thing was something else.

'But I'm still wet.'

If the ground had dried naturally from the sun, why was I still wet...?

Whiiiiiiiing-!

I heard the sound of insect wings flapping in the distance.

'Here we go again.'

The 8th-grade insect-type monster, 'Krungbi'.

The main monster that appeared on Parune Island.

'Why the hell is it appearing now?'

It was baffling.

The event had ended yesterday.

They shouldn't have respawned until the next labyrinth cycle.

'Whatever, I'll worry about that later.'

I quickly got up.

And I picked up a sturdy-looking branch from the ground.

It wasn't as good as a mace...

'It's good enough for a one-time use.'

It would be enough to deal with an 8th-grade monster.

Tadat.

I dashed towards the insect monster that had emerged from the bushes.

And...

'Swing.'

I swung the branch with all my might.

Thwack!

There was no system message, but the satisfying impact made me feel a bit better.

Yeah, at least my essences are still working.

Trial

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

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