Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 376, 377, 378

   

C376, 377, 378

Chapter 376: Treasure Hunter (4)

I gripped my weapon, but I didn't aim it.

Their intentions were still unclear.

It would be foolish to provoke them unnecessarily and escalate the situation.

"What's the plan?"

"Talk first."

"I'll be ready."

"Good."

"Erwen, don't do anything until I give you the signal."

I finished the brief discussion with my companions and stood in front of them protectively.

And after some time...

Thud, thud.

A group of fifteen explorers stopped outside our campsite, and a man who seemed to be their representative slowly walked forward.

"Good, you're awake."

"Introduce yourselves first."

"Haha, there's no need to be afraid. Nothing you're thinking will happen."

What the hell, who's afraid?

I'm just deciding whether to smash his head or not.

'Four ranged, two mages, nine melee, and... no priest?'

The number fifteen was a bit unsettling.

The standard unit size was six after the 6-person Bond was introduced.

Maybe the remaining three were hiding somewhere.

"You're a suspicious one. Relax and let's talk. If we had ill intentions, we wouldn't be talking to you like this, would we?"

We'll find out after fighting.

I scanned the group behind him and then looked at the man.

"So, what's your business? It's not a good look to be wandering around someone else's campsite at night."

The man revealed his identity at my question.

"We're from the Huntsman Clan."

"I've never heard of that name."

"That's understandable. To be honest, we're not that famous. And we've been busy treasure hunting on Pione Island, so we haven't been very active lately."

"Treasure hunting..."

Now I understood why they were here.

"I don't know if you know this, but Pione Island is divided into six territories, each controlled by a different clan. It's a measure to prevent conflict."

"So?"

"This area where you're camping belongs to the Huntsman Clan. We would appreciate it if you left by tomorrow morning."

As expected, it was about territory control.

It was something every explorer experienced from the 5th floor onwards, a harsh reminder that the labyrinth was a dog-eat-dog world.

I didn't like them from the beginning, but I disliked them even more now.

"I don't recall the royal family granting any clan exclusive rights to Pione Island."

"Haha, you're quite the stickler for rules, despite your appearance. Do things always go according to plan in the labyrinth?"

He didn't say anything more.

He just stared at me, waiting for my response.

The words that would come out of his mouth would probably change depending on my decision.

I didn't hesitate.

"Don't worry, we were planning to leave tomorrow morning anyway."

We were only here for one night, so there was no need to fight over territory.

But did he misunderstand my answer as a sign of weakness?

"Haha, is that so? It seems like we made a wasted trip. Thank you for understanding."

His expression relaxed, and he started smiling.

He must have judged that we weren't a threat.

He wouldn't be spouting this nonsense if we were.

"By the way, it's unusual to see a three-person team. Did you lose some companions on the way here?"

"It's none of your business."

"Don't be so wary. We're just trying to help. It's dangerous if a monster suddenly appears. We can lend you our campsite if you want..."

He trailed off and glanced at Erwen and Amelia behind me.

Damn it, this guy is really good at pissing people off.

"Thank you for the offer, but we'll decline."

"Hmm, is that so? But the two ladies might have a different opinion."

He persistently tried to persuade us, and he only backed down after Erwen and Amelia firmly rejected his offer.

"We're not interested."

"We can handle ourselves."

"That's a shame. Our clan headquarters is in the 8th District of Ravigion. Come find us if your team disbands and you need a place to go."

Damn it, he's still at it.

"Alright, let's go back!"

I suppressed a chuckle and watched him leave with his group.

"Mister, why did you hold back?"

"I can't just swing my hammer every time I'm annoyed."

"Hmm, really?"

Amelia and I ignored Erwen's question.

"I, I could have dealt with them if I stepped in…!"

Erwen expressed her frustration, but it couldn't be helped.

She was too famous and would attract too much attention.

I didn't want to expose our information, even if it was just a little.

But that wasn't the right way to say it.

"Thank you, Erwen."

"...For what?"

"You held back even though you were angry."

"Well... you told me not to do anything..."

"That's what I'm grateful for."

"I, is that so...? It's nothing. I can always do that..."

I changed the subject instead of explaining myself.

After all, the most important thing was to resolve her emotions.

"That ended sooner than I expected."

"What's so surprising about that? Anyway, let's go back to sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. Okay, Erwen?"

"Okay!"

We quickly wrapped things up and went back to sleep.

And after some time...

"Schuitz, wake up."

Amelia woke me up, shaking my shoulder urgently.

What the hell, are those bastards back?

Whoosh.

I sat up abruptly and reached for my hammer.

"Calm down. It's not a human this time."

"...What?"

Not a human?

Then what...?

"Don't tell me..."

I quickly looked around, and I saw it.

[Click, click? Click!]

The only monster that appeared on Pione Island.

The 4th-grade rare species, the Lafremimic.

____________________

The Lafremimic.

A monster that guaranteed a Numbered Item drop and could potentially earn you billions of stones if its essence dropped.

It appeared in other fields, but Pione Island was the easiest place to find it.

But even here, it only appeared once a month at most.

And that was for the entire island.

"...I can't believe we encountered it here."

This is what exploration is all about.

"Schuitz, what are we going to do?"

Amelia asked in a hushed voice, and I answered,

"What else can we do?"

Did she think I would give up on it because of those bastards?

"We kill it, of course."

"...I knew you would say that. I'll go wake Erwen."

Amelia went to wake Erwen, and I belatedly realized something.

"Wait, Erwen? When did you two get so close?"

"She's kind of cute."

Damn, the human heart is truly a mystery.

Is this what they call bonding through battle?

"...Cute?"

"There's no need to wake her."

"Wake her...? Wait, what are you two doing?"

"A Lafremimic appeared."

"...Really?"

Erwen, who had woken up, quickly sat up and looked at a chest that was rolling around about 20 meters away.

[Click! Click, click?! Click!]

The Lafremimic, a non-aggressive monster, didn't show any hostility towards us, even though we were far away.

"Erwen, your role is crucial here. We don't have a mage."

"I know. You said we have to kill it in one shot if there's no mage, right?"

"Right, otherwise it'll burrow underground."

If it burrowed underground, we could practically consider it lost.

So a one-shot kill was crucial in this situation...

"Erwen, shoot with all your might. And summon the darkness spirit too. Ah, you know its real body is the chest, right? Don't shoot the stem just because it looks like a body—"

"Don't worry, I'll definitely kill it!"

"Good, I trust you."

I had no choice but to trust her.

She was the strongest damage dealer among us.

"Then... I'll go ahead."

Erwen slowly drew her bow.

And at that moment...

「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Elemental Fusion].」

Fire, water, wind, earth, and darkness.

All five elements were combined, creating a powerful aura.

But the Lafremimic was still nonchalant.

[Click...?]

It tilted its head, as if curious. I felt a pang of guilt, but that was all.

We were explorers.

Our job was to kill monsters and earn money.

Thud.

Erwen released the arrow.

Whoosh!

The arrow flew towards the Lafremimic at an incredible speed.

[Cl, click—!]

The Lafremimic finally reacted, but it was too late.

Kaboom!

The arrow pierced through its open 'mouth' and exploded.

But...

[Cl, click...!]

...it was still alive.

The chest was shattered, and its body was mangled, but...

[Click, click—!]

...it tried to burrow underground.

But Erwen was faster.

「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」

The Lafremimic exploded into hundreds of pieces as the follow-up attack connected.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

The pieces turned into particles of light and disappeared.

「Lafremimic defeated. EXP +6」

A significant increase in experience points, as expected of a 4th-grade monster.

It was a pleasant feeling, but I focused on something else.

‘The essence… didn’t drop.’

Well, I wasn’t expecting it.

That would be too greedy.

‘Please, just a high number…’

Two objects fell to the ground where the Lafremimic had been standing.

One was a magic stone.

And the other…

“It’s a ring…?”

I approached them and burst into laughter.

“Huh…”

“Schuitz, do you know this item?”

Of course, I do.

I almost died because of it.

No. 6111 Fate Tracker.

The ring that Dragonslayer was wearing in Lalkas’s Maze.

‘It’s not a bad item, but I’m a bit disappointed…’

“What kind of ring is it? If, if it’s good for archers…”

Erwen trailed off, her eyes gleaming with greed.

She wasn’t usually materialistic, but a Numbered Item was tempting.

“It’s a bit difficult to categorize. It’s a detection-type magic tool. It tells you whether something is good or bad by changing its color.”

For reference, there were three colors.

Green, red, and yellow.

That’s why I called it the Traffic Light Ring.

“It’s not a bad item to have, so we should keep it.”

“…Can I wear it?”

“You? But you’re already wearing a lot of rings. I’ll take it.”

“Ah, okay. Y-yes! Th-that’s better, right?”

I put the ring on my finger after getting Erwen’s approval.

And at that moment…

「The ring has detected the character’s fate.」

…the ring lit up.

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

Chapter 377: Treasure Hunter (5)

I was momentarily flustered by the light that flashed as soon as I put on the ring.

But then I checked the color and licked my lips.

‘Yellow… ’

It meant only one thing.

There was something nearby that could either positively or negatively affect my future.

“Erwen, is there anything around us?”

Erwen focused her hearing without a word.

And…

“One of those guys from earlier is here.”

“Since when?”

“I don’t know. But… he’s hiding in the darkness, so he must have arrived recently. His breathing is stable…”

Erwen trailed off and then continued,

“Ah, he’s talking to someone now. He’s using a message stone. He’s saying they got a Numbered Item and asking how long it will take them to get here.”

So that’s why the ring lit up.

It seemed like he had witnessed everything, including us killing the Lafremimic…

“He must have left a scout behind. Erwen, keep an eye on him. We’ll pack up camp.”

“Okay.”

I quickly packed our things and prepared to leave after assigning Erwen to keep watch.

But they were faster than us.

“They’re here.”

“How many?”

“Eighteen in total. Ah, they’re discussing what to do with us right now.”

“I see… What are they going to do?”

“I don’t know. It sounds like they used magic, I can’t hear them anymore. Sorry…”

“It’s okay. We’ll find out soon anyway.”

As soon as I said that, a bright light erupted from their hiding spot, illuminating the area.

“Hey, buddy! What was your name again? I don’t think I asked earlier.”

He didn’t ask because he didn’t tell us his name either.

“Well, I don’t think we’re close enough to exchange names.”

“Haha, you’re shy, despite your appearance?”

He was smiling, but his eyes were cold. And he had been standing with his hand on his hip, his posture aggressive.

It was the closest position to the weapon on his waist.

“So, what do you want?”

“One of our members saw you kill a Lafremimic while on patrol.”

“That’s quite a coincidence.”

“That’s life. Anyway, I’ll get straight to the point. Hand over the loot.”

“Why should I?”

“Like I said, this is our territory. And you agreed to it earlier.”

“Agreed?”

I scoffed, but I could understand their position.

They had probably been searching for a Lafremimic on this island every day, and we, who had just stopped by, had taken the prize.

But too bad.

“You wanted us to leave by morning, and we agreed. That was the extent of our agreement.”

“That’s sophistry.”

“It’s not sophistry, it’s common sense.”

“…….”

He gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching.

I could understand how he felt.

He must have thought we had agreed to hand over the loot.

No, in the first place, he probably didn’t even think a monster would appear while we were here.

“There are unspoken rules in the labyrinth. No one can blame us if we harm you for violating our rights.”

It was a blatant threat.

I stared at him intently, and he met my gaze.

“…….”

“…….”

The atmosphere was tense, and either of us could draw our weapons at any moment.

Gulp.

The group behind him tightened their grips on their weapons as the silence continued, ready to attack as soon as I gave them a reason.

But I wasn’t going to be intimidated.

“I don’t know about unspoken rules.”

I spoke firmly.

“Anyone who tries to take what’s mine is a looter.”

“…You’re choosing violence.”

He shrugged, not even bothering to listen.

“Where are they?”

“…….”

“Well, at least the situation is clear now.”

I gave them my final ultimatum.

“Attack me if you’re going to, or get lost.”

The situation was completely different from our first encounter.

He had looked down on us and tried to boss us around when I said we would leave in the morning.

But now?

He was speechless, unable to handle my aggressive attitude.

He must have been confused.

He couldn’t understand why we were so confident when we were outnumbered five to one.

‘And it’s probably because of Erwen.’

They didn’t seem to have recognized her yet.

But they must have heard that the fairy archer in our team had killed the Lafremimic with a single arrow.

They would sense that we weren’t pushovers.

“…….”

But he still seemed hesitant to make a decision, perhaps because of his clan members.

Therefore…

“I’ll help you choose.”

“……?”

“I’ll count to three. If you’re still here after that, I’ll assume you’re attacking.”

“…What?”

He looked dumbfounded, but his face paled as I started counting.

“Three.”

“……!”

“Two.”

I counted quickly, not giving him time to think.

And just as I was about to say the last number…

“…There’s no need for bloodshed.”

…he surrendered.

____________________

“Leader! Why did you back down?!”

Eksher Melik, the leader of the Huntsman Clan, frowned at his subordinate’s outburst. One of his lieutenants quickly spoke up for him.

“They killed a Lafremimic without a mage. That fairy archer is at least a 3rd-grade explorer. And judging by the fact that they’re together, the other two must be similar.”

“Even if they’re all 3rd-grade explorers, we still outnumber them!”

“Remilton, have you ever fought a 3rd-grade explorer? They’re monsters.”

“But they didn’t have a mage! We could have won!”

“Half of us would have died. Is that Numbered Item worth it?”

“That’s…”

The man who had initially objected trailed off.

And the clan was divided.

“But this will make us a laughingstock.”

“It hasn’t happened yet, and I think the leader made the right decision.”

“But who is that fairy? She killed a Lafremimic with a single arrow…”

“A silver-haired woman… could it be the Blood Spirit Marquis?”

“We would have been in big trouble if it was really her.”

“The Blood Spirit Marquis? Are you guys crazy? Why would she be here? She’s probably obsessed with the war and slaughtering people right now.”

The arguments intensified, and the clan members naturally formed factions based on their opinions.

That’s when…

“Leader! They’re leaving the island on their ship!”

A scout reported, and the arguing clan members all looked at Eksher Melik.

Their gazes were asking him what he was going to do.

Eksher Melik sighed, making sure no one saw him.

‘Damn it.’

Leading a clan was like captaining a ship.

Even when a typhoon raged, waves crashed, and lightning struck, the captain had to show his crew that he could overcome it.

Therefore…

“Everyone, pack your things.”

…he made a decision.

“Leader, are you saying…?”

“We’re going after them.”

The aggressive faction cheered.

But those who had been advocating for a peaceful solution expressed their concerns.

“But they’re strong.”

Three explorers, presumably 3rd-grade.

But the man wasn’t worried.

“I understand your concerns. But we can’t lose in a naval battle.”

“So that’s why you let them go!”

The aggressive faction was impressed by his strategy, and the other faction also seemed to agree to some extent.

They were confident in their naval combat abilities.

But there was still one question.

“But… is a single Numbered Item worth it?”

Eksher Melik chuckled at a clan member’s cautious question.

“Well, a single Numbered Item isn’t worth it.”

“You’re saying—?”

“But that’s not all they have, is it?”

The Huntsman Clan.

They were currently stuck on this island, searching for treasure…

…but they were once pirates who roamed the Great Ocean of the 6th floor.

Hunting people and earning money.

____________________

Dawn approached.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A refreshing breeze filled the sails, propelling the ship forward.

The stars twinkled in the dim sky behind us, and the sun, hidden beyond the horizon, cast a faint glow in the east.

It was a picturesque scene.

But we didn’t have time to enjoy it.

“Mister, there are ships following us. Three of them, no emblems.”

We had a tail as soon as we left the island.

It was obvious who they were.

‘So they were planning to attack us all along.’

No wonder it ended so abruptly, even though the ring had emitted a yellow light.

They probably let us go on purpose.

They had three ships, so they must be experienced in naval combat.

They probably judged that they could fight us more effectively at sea.

But there was one thing I didn’t understand.

‘Why yellow, not red?’

Wouldn’t red be more appropriate if we were going to be attacked?

What was so positive about this situation?

I was interrupted by Amelia’s question.

“Schuitz, what are we going to do?”

“We can’t shake them off, can we?”

“Probably not.”

They were fast, even with our mana propulsion device active. The distance between us was actually closing.

So we only had one option left.

“Emily, stop wasting magic stones.”

“We’re fighting?”

“Is there another option?”

Amelia didn’t answer.

She just let go of the wheel and started furling the sail.

I helped her, and the ship slowed down.

And…

Swoosh!

…three ships appeared on the horizon, approaching us rapidly. The one in the center was especially eye-catching.

“…….”

It was at least three times bigger than our ship.

It had magic cannons on its sides and front, and three sails.

And that wasn’t all.

It even had an icebreaker at the bow.

It wasn’t on the same level as a royal warship, but it was probably only a step or two below…

“Schuitz, our ship will sink if they start firing.”

Amelia expressed her concern, intimidated by its overwhelming size.

I could understand her worry.

Our ship would definitely be destroyed if a naval battle broke out.

But…

Lick.

I licked my lips and checked the Traffic Light Ring.

The yellow light had long since faded.

But I think I understood now.

Why it was yellow, not red.

“That’s a big and sturdy ship.”

Monsters aren’t the only ones who drop treasures in the labyrinth.

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

Chapter 378: Atlante (1)

The three ships stopped about 400 meters away from us.

They seemed to be wary of Erwen's arrows...

“Erwen, can you intercept them from this distance?”

“Yes, but they’ll probably react at this range.”

Well, they did have a mage.

They would have enough time to counter before the arrow reached them—

Boom!

The magic cannon on the bow of their flagship fired.

Damn it, I thought they would at least try to negotiate first.

It seemed like they decided to talk after winning the battle.

Or maybe they were planning to sink our ship and loot the bodies later.

Whoosh!

The magic cannonball flew towards us.

“Schuitz!”

Amelia shouted my alias, but it was Erwen who answered.

“Mister, I can take care of this.”

She drew her bow and fired an arrow.

Kwaaang!

The arrow, imbued with the wind spirit’s power, collided with the magic cannonball and exploded in midair.

“Erwen, how many can you block?”

“About four or five at once.”

Wow, really?

We wouldn’t even need an anti-ballistic magic circle with her around.

“Good job, Erwen. Keep doing that.”

“Okay!”

Erwen, who had been praised for her ability, waited for more cannon fire, but the barrage stopped after the first shot.

“They seem to be surprised.”

I agreed with Amelia.

But they soon made a decision.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

All three ships fired their magic cannons and started closing the distance.

Erwen intercepted them one after another, but she occasionally missed.

Kaboom!

The ship shook violently as a cannonball hit the hull.

Damn it, it was time to get serious.

The distance was perfect.

“Erwen, [Elemental Barbarian].”

Erwen activated the skill without any objections.

But I still had to ask,

“Which element?”

“Water.”

Erwen cautiously held my hand as soon as I told her the element.

Okay, link established.

「Water Spirit has been imbued into the character’s body.」

「Water Resistance increased by 50%.」

「Lightning Resistance decreased by 75%.」

「Melee attack power decreased by 50%.」

「Springwater’s Blessing bonus.」

「Healing and regeneration effects doubled.」

「Soul Power regeneration speed increased…」

「… 」

Hmm, come to think of it, this was my first time using Elemental Barbarian (Water) in a real battle.

Swoosh.

I looked down at my body.

There wasn’t any noticeable change.

My skin was just a bit moist and shiny.

“Emily, I’ll be back.”

“Where…?”

Where else?

The best defense is a good offense.

Well, maybe I should tell them this first.

“Ah, and one more thing. If it’s too difficult to protect the ship, just abandon it and jump overboard.”

“What do you—”

I didn’t have time for a detailed explanation.

And…

Tadat.

…I jumped over the railing and into the churning sea.

It wasn’t a diving posture.

There was no need for that in my current state.

「Springwater’s Blessing bonus.」

A one-line bonus with no explanation.

It allowed the character to breathe underwater and walk on water.

Like this.

Thud.

I stood on the surface of the water, defying gravity.

The…

“Uwaaaaaaaaah!”

…Barbarian Jet Ski (Leap) Mode.

Tadat, tadat.

I landed on the water and charged forward, roaring.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The enemy ships, momentarily stunned, started targeting me with their magic cannons.

Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!

I shielded myself with my shield, but the relentless barrage was powerful.

They were ‘magic’ cannonballs, after all.

My Physical Resistance didn’t reduce the damage.

Every hit made my bones ache.

But…

“Erwen, don’t bother blocking the cannonballs.”

[What…? What do you—]

Erwen couldn’t finish her sentence.

She saw the skeletons rising behind me.

「Character has cast [Risk].」

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

「The damage immunity effect of [Probabilistic Retaliation] is removed, but the activation probability is fixed at 100%.」

Magic cannonballs used mana as fuel.

In other words…

「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」

「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」

「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」

「… 」

…it meant that every hit would be reflected.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Skeletons appeared and fired back as soon as I was hit by the magic cannons.

But their attacks didn’t damage the ships.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A magic barrier was protecting them.

It easily blocked the weakened magic cannonballs.

So the enemy continued their barrage without hesitation.

And then…

「Powerful Luck.」

「Reflects 300% of the received damage to the enemy.」

Oh, a critical hit.

[Gachaat—!!]

The skeleton let out a hearty shout, and a massive magic cannonball flew towards the flagship.

Boom!

The magic cannonball, much larger than usual, easily shattered the barrier protecting the flagship.

And…

“What the hell is that monster…!”

“Abandon ship! Everyone escape!”

“Come over here!”

…one of the ships started to sink.

‘Damn it.’

It sank with just one hit.

How much would the damage—

Flash!

The ship, its crew evacuated, disappeared in a flash of light, returning to its subspace pocket.

Hmm, I could just repair it later.

“Sink the other ship first!”

They then turned their cannons towards Amelia’s ship.

‘Damn it, I knew they would do that.’

Erwen tried to block them, but she couldn’t protect the ship.

She was too busy dodging the magic attacks.

[Mister, magic!]

“Hide behind me, just in case!”

I shielded Erwen, who was linked to me, with my body. She was intangible while in [Elemental Barbarian] state, but she was much more vulnerable to magic.

If [Elemental Barbarian] was deactivated, she would sink.

「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」

「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」

「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」

「… 」

I tanked the magic cannons, the spells, and the projectiles, my body taking the brunt of the attacks.

The skeletons retaliated with every hit thanks to [Risk], but the enemy didn’t stop attacking.

“Pal-tan is dead!”

“We have to stop him before he reaches us!”

“More! Fire more!”

“He’s dying! Just a little more!”

They were both desperate.

Of course, they thought they had the upper hand.

After all, I would be battered and bruised by the time I reached their ship. They could just overwhelm me with their numbers.

How foolish—

Psssh!

A bolt of lightning pierced through my body.

「Character has been hit by [Lightning Spear].」

The shock was intense, almost making me lose consciousness.

I stumbled, but I managed to stay on my feet.

But my body was in a critical state.

It wasn’t just the injury, but the electricity that seemed to have fried my insides…

‘Damn lightning magic.’

Could it be because of Elemental Barbarian (Water) and [Risk]?

The 8x damage multiplier was enough to put me on the verge of death.

Well, it seemed like the same applied to the enemy.

[Gachaat—!!]

The sound of a critical hit.

「Powerful Luck.」

「Reflects 300% of the received damage to the enemy.」

The skeleton threw a massive lightning spear, like something out of mythology.

And…

Flash!

…it obliterated the second ship next to the flagship at the speed of light.

‘That one… is beyond repair.’

For reference, I couldn’t hear the explosion.

My hearing was temporarily paralyzed.

Beeeeeeeep.

A ringing sound pierced through my brain.

My legs gave out, and I sank into the water.

Well, it was half intentional.

「Character’s body is imbued with the energy of the sea.」

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

I told you.

I can’t lose at sea.

____________________

Stormgush’s passive skill, [Origin].

Combined with the 2x healing and regeneration bonus from [Elemental Barbarian], my body started to regenerate at a rapid pace, almost as fast as a potion.

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

My broken bones realigned, and my mangled flesh regrew.

Unlike potions, there was no pain, so I could clearly feel my body healing.

My hearing also returned.

[Mister, are you okay?]

So you can talk underwater in spirit form.

But I couldn’t speak.

I pointed up with my index finger and shrugged.

[You’re asking about what’s happening above?]

Right.

Erwen quickly gave me a briefing as I nodded.

[The attacks have stopped for now. They probably think they killed you.]

Right, they’re celebrating their victory.

[Ah, I can faintly hear them talking… It seems like the mage is about to use a detection spell.]

Hmm, so they’ll find out I’m alive soon.

I should surprise them before that.

Erwen summoned the water spirit and pushed me upwards as I gestured for her to lift me up.

Swoosh!

I emerged from the sea.

“…He, he’s back!”

They exclaimed in shock as I grinned at them.

“His wounds are all healed…!”

“What a monster…”

Most of them were just dumbfounded, but the leader was different.

He was a leader, after all.

He had to make a rational decision, no matter the situation.

“Captain!”

“…Turn the ship around!”

The remaining flagship quickly changed direction.

That was why he hadn’t healed himself, even though he was surrounded by water.

If they saw me regenerating like a zombie, they would have cut their losses and run away.

I couldn’t catch up to a ship like that, even if I could walk on water.

But…

Tadat.

…I think I can reach it if I push myself.

They started shouting as I started running.

“He’s coming!”

“Faster! Faster!”

They didn’t even bother with suppressive fire anymore.

They had already seen me regenerate.

They probably judged that it would be worse if they were hit by the reflected damage and couldn’t turn the ship.

“We’re almost there…!”

“Magic stones! Pour more magic stones!!”

The ship, its bow finally turned, started accelerating rapidly, as if it had a motor.

The distance between us was about 15 meters.

‘Damn it…’

I ran with all my might.

I couldn’t let them get away.

‘They destroyed our ship and now they’re running away?’

No way.

I’m not letting you leave without giving me your ship!

“Uwaaaaaaaaah!”

I roared and pushed myself even harder, and the distance between us started to close.

It seemed like it took some time for the ship to accelerate.

“We’re going to be caught!”

“More! Pour more magic stones!!”

Fear appeared in their eyes as the distance closed.

They looked like they were being chased by a monster.

Whoosh!

Erwen shot an arrow, and one of the explorers standing near the railing fell into the sea.

It wasn’t a fatal blow since she avoided his vital points.

“H-help me…!”

He screamed and thrashed in the water.

But his companions didn’t even try to save him.

I was too busy running to care.

Tadat.

I took a giant step forward.

9 meters, 8 meters, 7 meters, 6 meters, 5 meters…

The distance was closing.

But that was it.

The accelerating ship was now faster than me.

5 meters, 6 meters, 7 meters, 8 meters…

Relief appeared in their eyes as the distance widened again.

‘Damn it.’

I missed my movement skill.

Shield barbarians usually got a movement skill at level 8, but I had been lucky enough to absorb the Manticore essence.

I would have already boarded their ship if I hadn't removed [Leap]!

‘Am I really going to lose them?’

I slowed down, feeling resigned.

But it wasn’t because I thought I had lost them.

“Erwen, shoot our ship. You can damage it a bit.”

[…Our ship?]

“Just do it.”

Erwen shot an arrow at the stern of the ship…

Kaboom!

…and it exploded.

“…That’s going to cost a bit to repair.”

It was where the mana propulsion device was located.

_____________________

It was smooth sailing after the mana propulsion device was destroyed.

The distance between us quickly closed, and I was able to successfully board their ship.

And…

“Kill him!!”

…they didn’t surrender.

The battle began.

They were a 6th-floor clan, so they weren’t easy opponents.

But…

‘What are they going to do about it?’

The outcome was already decided.

Erwen, in [Elemental Barbarian] state, took them down one by one.

And I protected her.

And when my injuries became too severe…

Splash!

…I just took a dip in the sea and came back up.

I did that three times, and they finally lost their will to fight. They dropped their weapons and surrendered.

Seven of them were left, so over half of them were dead?

“Tsk, tsk, they don’t even know the value of life. Wasting it so carelessly.”

“We’re sorry. Please spare us…”

What the hell, you’re already dead.

Crack!

The leader slammed his head on the deck as soon as he surrendered, and I smashed it with my hammer.

And I tied up the rest and took control of the ship.

“Who’s the navigator?”

“I, I am!”

Phew, so the navigator is alive.

“Hey, you’re a mage, right?”

“……”

“Just nod. Can’t you answer?”

“Y-yes. I’m a mage…”

I separated the mage, who was the only one left.

“You’re the one who was sailing the other ship, right?”

“Y-yes.”

I also separated the guy who owned the other two ships.

And…

“The rest of you…”

“…….”

“Just go.”

“Huh? Where… on a ship…?”

Where else?

Crack, crack!

I took care of the remaining two, who were useless.

I then went to the stern and checked the ship’s condition.

The mana propulsion device was completely destroyed.

“Damn it.”

I was furious.

“You guys destroyed my ship…”

“…S-sorry.”

“Is ‘sorry’ enough to solve this?”

“…….”

They all hung their heads in shame at my mumble.

Damn it, what’s the point of being angry at them—

Splash, splash.

I heard splashing sounds from below.

‘Huh? What’s that…?’

I looked over the railing.

And…

“Ah.”

…I saw Amelia.

Did she swim all the way here?

“…A survivor!”

I said so and threw her a rope. Amelia grabbed it, and I pulled her up.

And…

“Schuitz, you really…”

“Huh?”

“Just take one hit.”

She punched me in the chest.

Trial

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

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post

ADPORT6

ADPORT7