Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 135

Episode 135 Orcules (1)

Guardian of Balance.

We had come to the conclusion about the field effect early on.

Rotmiller, having received various hints from me, put forward a guess that all team members agreed upon.

Therefore, unnecessary explanations were unnecessary.

“Maybe other explorers have entered the maze as well.”

“Other explorers? I thought we couldn’t meet other explorers in the Sky Tower?”

The dwarf muttered as if he couldn’t understand.

“Murad, you must also realize. The situation we’re in is not normal.”

The fourth floor of the sky tower is an isolated space.

Unless multiple teams enter at the same time, no matter how much you wander, you will never meet another team.

However, this place was an uncharted territory.

“Nothing would be surprising here.”

Unknown.

A word that means not yet known.

This implies all possibilities.

Therefore…

“I understand what you mean. But what if our guesses are wrong? What if other effects apply upon entering this space—”

I firmly dismissed another possibility suggested by the dwarf.

“That seems like too much of a stretch.”

To me, this is not an unknown space.

It would be sensible to wrap things up quickly and move on without wasting time.

“I think Rotmiller’s speculation is correct. Dwalki, what do you think?”

“…I also find this explanation more plausible.”

“Agreed, then. Misha, what about you?”

“Nyah… I’ll just stay quiet.”

Misha chose to abstain.

However, since three votes had already been cast for decision-making, we didn’t force her to choose.

“Alright, then it’s decided. For now, we’ll act under the assumption that Rotmiller’s words are true. Speak now if you have any objections.”

“…None.”

Our team leader, the dwarf, nodded reluctantly and I quickly organized the situation.

Another explorer had entered the maze.

And they were stronger than us.

Since my abilities felt like they had doubled, they must be explorers operating on at least the 6th floor or higher.

And not in a clan, but in a team.

So, what should we do now?”

As I posed this question, the team members each offered their opinions, and I used this opportunity to meet the conditions to summon the mid-boss.

[The demon of the labyrinth senses blood]

Okay, it will just take some time.

“Nyah, it doesn’t really matter, does it? It might be better if we can join forces and find a way out…”

“Who knows who they might be, why don’t we just stay here, there’s no guarantee we’ll be trapped once the labyrinth is closed.”

“Ha-ha! My friend, why worry so much? Even if they are stronger than us, this is a special situation. If we encounter them, they won’t be able to do much to us, so let’s just proceed as we have been.”

“Still, it might be best to avoid them as much as possible and find a way out.”

I smiled bitterly.

I wondered if they would say something useful.

As expected, collective intelligence didn’t prove to be of much help.

Rotmiller was somewhat better, but his considerations didn’t fully account for the worst-case scenario.

“Bjorn, what do you think?”

All eyes turned to me at the question.

I organized my thoughts one last time before speaking.

“I still think it’s no coincidence.”

“What do you think it is, then?”

“That an explorer party with such strength would be on the fourth floor at this time? It seems more plausible to think they had some purpose in roaming around.”

“So, you’re suggesting their goal might have been this place from the start.”

“Yes. And if that’s the case, they might have already noticed our presence by now.”

Dwalki expressed his disagreement with my statement.

“Eh, could that really be? To know about this place in advance.”

Moreover, the dwarf laughed it off.

“Ha! Even if that’s the case, you talk as if they’re plunderers or something.”

Rotmiller seriously asked again.

“So, what do you think we should do?”

I answered.

They are an unknown entity.

Therefore, they embody all possibilities.

This variable could be a stroke of luck or could lead us to death.

Thus, even if my stance seems strange to my teammates.

“We need to get out of here as soon as possible.”

We must assume the worst.

Thump-!

Not ignoring the ominous feeling in my chest.

That’s how I’ve managed to survive.

[You have defeated Baphomet. EXP +5]

[Bonus for defeating a superior mutant. EXP +1]

We are sprinting through the maze.

Not aimlessly wandering but heading straight for our destination.

“This way!”

Rotmiller, closely following behind me, held a map in his hand.

Not the map he diligently made up until now, but one detailing all the passageways of the entire labyrinth.

Of course, it also indicated the location of the boss room.

After all, the map was a loot obtained after defeating the mid-boss, Baphomet.

‘I didn’t expect it to be that easy to defeat.’

The Baphomet was summoned immediately after I finished speaking.

Normally, we would have to exploit its weakness and barely manage to defeat it, but the battle didn’t even last a minute.

We just overpowered it with sheer damage.

It was a bit of a peculiar situation to say it went well.

‘How strong were they originally?’

The unidentified intruders.

By the way, I’ve long since discarded the thought that it could just be one person.

No matter how strong an individual is, there’s a limit.

Tatatatadat-!

Clearing my thoughts, I sped up.

Judging that everyone seems to be keeping up well.

In fact, glancing back briefly, even the dwarf, who had lacked stamina, was carrying Dwalki and running just fine.

So, it’s time to stop worrying about this part.

[Meeeh-!!!]

I smashed the head of a Baikundus that popped out in front of us.

Of course, it staggered heavily but didn’t die in one hit.

However, without slowing down, I passed the staggering creature.

Misha had taken on the role of handling the mobs.

Squeak-!

The sound of cutting and the scattering of light particles followed, but I didn’t hear the sound of a magic stone falling.

It seems Misha has skillfully caught it in mid-air again.

“Turn left!”

Following Rotmiller’s command, we change direction.

Then, four Baikundus appear in the distance.

In reality, Misha, Rotmiller, and I could handle them by ourselves now…

But saving even a second of time is preferable.

“Dwalki!”

Responding to my call, Dwalki, who had dismounted from the dwarf’s back, casted a spell.

Whoosh!

[Frost Storm].

A Level 7 attack spell that deals damage over a wide area rather than focusing on single-target damage. Originally, it was used for mob monsters of Level 8 or 9, or in combination with Misha.

[Me…eeh?]

A blizzard reminiscent of hail shoots across the passage, freezing the four Baikundus solid.

A level 6 monster receiving a ‘frozen’ status from a single spell, beyond just ‘frostbite’.

However, since the status would dissipate in a few seconds…

Crash!

I quickly smash them with my mace and continue moving.

And when we need a break, we lie down in the corridor to catch our breath, repeating this process as necessary.

During our third break, the time came.

“Puff, puff… Bjorn, aren’t we rushing too much? I don’t think we need to be this hurried…”

The dwarf breathes heavily, cautiously voicing his long-held complaints.

It was somewhat expected.

[I keep feeling this ominous premonition. So, please, just trust me this one time.]

It was the first request I had made.

Everyone reluctantly agreed.

But…

[…Well, you do have a good intuition.]

[I don’t mind. And Bjorn, don’t think this makes us even for that favor. I plan to repay you properly later.]

Over time, doubts must have arisen.

“I, I think we’ve done enough. It seems far-fetched that they knew about this place…”

Isn’t it more likely that they stumbled upon this place just like us?

Even if that were the case…

“If you’re worried about the marks we left, can’t we just slow down now? Even if there are plunderers, they won’t be able to find us in a place like this.”

Are they really plunderers?

The idea that they would seek us out to harm us seems almost delusional.

“To be honest, I don’t even understand why you’re so sure that heading this way will lead to an escape route.”

Above all, the boss room… or rather, what guarantee is there that the escape method lies in that place not even marked as a boss room?

“Um, I don’t have any complaints. You know? Really? Yeah?”

All valid questions.

They haven’t experienced what I have.

Hidden pieces aren’t that special.

Just look at Jencia we met in the ‘Glacier Cavern’ before.

We used a hidden piece to open a rift.

Also, in Ghostbusters, information about hidden pieces spreads monthly.

“Bjorn, you’re not quite yourself today. Even if everything you say is true, can’t we just fight back?”

The dwarf tried to persuade, but that was the biggest problem.

The Guardian of Balance is in effect?

That changes nothing.

Even if our abilities are equalized, there’s a difference in the essence of skill levels and numbers.

And the gap widens further when including items.

‘We’d definitely lose if we fought.’

This was the source of my anxiety.

Thump!

A lion doesn’t need to think when facing a rabbit.

But what about the rabbit?

“We don’t have time for this. If everyone’s rested, let’s move.”

When faced with a lion, the rabbit must run.

***

“Larkaz’s Maze…”

In a stone chamber with paths leading in four directions, a man stands in the center and murmurs.

The man removes the hood covering his face and approaches the wall, carefully sliding his hand across it.

“We’ve finally entered.”

His lips twisted into a sinister smile, distorting the scarred skin on his face.

Yet, anyone could see.

“O God, why bestow wings upon such a vile man…!”

A lament, as if questioning, came from an old man dressed in a black priest’s robe, closing his eyes.

Is this truly Your will?

He sighs, casting a meaningless question into the void, the only action the old man could take.

“Old man, should I rip out your tongue?”

“Why should I fear? The pain of the flesh is nothing—”

“Ah, I meant your grandson’s tongue, of course.”

The old man’s lips seal shut, and the man chuckles, turning his gaze to the floor.

At the end of his gaze lay a middle-aged scout, crumpled like a shrimp, drenched in cold sweat, his lips quivering as he let out a pained moan.

“Ugh, huh, ugh…”

“Look at him, losing just one arm and making such a fuss.”

The man snickers, looking at the scout’s severed shoulder.

Who could have known?

That after a year of searching, there would be such an easy way into this place.

“To think, sacrificing just one arm of a Rank 5 scout would reveal the entire path, the demon god sure has a sense of humor.”

“Was he not… your companion?”

“Companion? He was just useful, so I kept him around. Hey, get up now, will you? We’re late and running out of time.”

The man places his foot on the scout’s waist and shakes him, causing deep wrinkles to form on the old man’s brow.

“Enough. You’ve offered a part of your body to the demon god. The pain must be unimaginable—”

“Old man, that’s enough.”

The man’s cold voice makes the old man flinch.

His clenched fist trembles with suppressed rage, but that was all.

Disgusted by his own cowardice for merely standing by in the face of evil.

Yet, the old man had something he needed to protect.

Probably, the scout felt the same.

“I’m fine… High Priest.”

Struggling to his feet while clutching his empty shoulder, the scout manages to stand.

The man nods, satisfied, but then his expression changes as if realizing something, clenching and unclenching his hand.

Crack-

He knew about the “Guardian of Balance.”

But even considering that, the changes in his body were inexplicable.

“Old man, notice anything different? Like divine power?”

“…It’s diminished somewhat.”

“Diminished? Not increased? Are you sure?”

“Quite sure.”

The man swiftly turns his gaze to the scout.

“And you, scout?”

“Including my soul power, my overall physical capabilities have… diminished.”

“I see.”

The man smirks bitterly, staring down the corridor.

The notion that even a Level 5 scout would weaken to such an extent was surprising.

“Some rats must have gotten in here first.”

His eyes, lit by the flickering torches, suddenly exuded a chilling gleam.