Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 137

Episode 137 Orcules (2)

A chill runs through my body.

“Hey, Why aren’t you guys talking?”

Just with that one sentence.

Even though we haven’t properly clashed yet.

A tense vibration echoed in my eardrums.

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

The heart of a warrior, sensing its natural enemy, pumps relentlessly, distributing oxygen throughout the body.

It’s a preparation that started before the mind could catch up.

For the worst-case scenario that could unfold.

Silently.

In the settled silence, I only move my gaze to check on my comrades.

Everyone was frozen in place, just as they were walking.

They must be sensing it, unconsciously.

The ominous aura that the guy is emitting all over.

“Hello?”

The man frowns and speaks up again.

Thanks to that, my mind calms down a bit.

Golden time.

The next few precious seconds should not be wasted idly.

So…

“Are you all gonna just stay like that?”

I open my ears and gaze at the opponent.

And with that, I quickly piece together information that could have been missed.

[Hey, barbarian. You should be thankful, right? You got it easily because of me.]

The guy knew about this space.

That’s why he headed straight for the boss room as soon as he sensed our presence.

But…

‘It’s too fast, no matter what.’

Arriving at the same time as us, who had acquired the map?

It would be impossible unless he found the exact route without any detours.

How could this be possible?

Or rather, to be precise.

‘What kind of skill is that?’

I need to figure that out.

Because that’s going to change my plan going forward.

Looking back, the answer was in the previous conversation.

[If it weren’t for the extra arm we sacrificed, we might have missed it, you know?]

An arm was sacrificed.

Whose arm it was, is obvious. It must belong to the unfortunate man behind.

‘…It must be a priest of Carui.’

There is a priest of Carui among them.

That’s a silver lining.

If it was merely the ability of a scout that found the way, there would be no answer for what comes next…

“I beg of you. Please, take only what you want and let them go.

The old man, whom I presumed to be Carui’s Priest, doesn’t seem to have a cooperative relationship with the Leader either.

‘Could it be, he kidnapped the priest and forced a job change? And the man who sacrificed his arm is in a similar situation?’

Time to take three breaths.

Having calmly analyzed the situation, I opened my mouth.

After all, there’s no time left.

“Well, it’s okay. I’ll just—” the leader began

“Never thought I’d meet an explorer in a place like this.”

“You’re not mute, after all?”

My response breaks the silence, and he looks at me with interest.

Okay, I’ve bought some time.

“Do you happen to know how to get out of here?”

I casually asked what he knew.

The more foolish I seem, the more he might let his guard down—

“What are you…?”

Suddenly, a cold voice fills the air.

What? What did I do wrong?

“A yellow turns on because of these bastards, Not Green?”

The look in his eyes is wary rather than curious or interested.

Unintentionally, my eyes drift to the ring on his finger.

It resembled a Numbered Item I knew.

A ring with green, red, and yellow gems embedded, which I usually called a traffic light ring.

No.6111 Destiny Tracker.

Green light for positive events.

Red light for negative events.

Yellow light for a mix of both, indicating such an event is nearby.

The yellow light was clearly on.

‘Shit!.’

Is this what they mean by mixed feelings?

The yellow light means there’s a slight chance I could get the upper hand.

This is good news for me.

The bad news is, he knows it too.

‘It’s over.’

The only advantage of an underdog, catching a stronger opponent off-guard, is gone.

All because of that damned ring.

“Do you even know what this is?”

To make matters worse, he notices my brief reaction and openly reveals his true colors.

Swoosh!

A blue light emanates from the blade he draws from his waist.

The wannabe blacksmith’s mouth was the first to respond to its dazzling brilliance.

“Ah, a sword made of Arc…”

Arc.

A metal considered to be the ultimate material in this world, capable of overshadowing nearly any Numbered Item, categorized as a tier six material.

I had secretly hoped for a large number of enemies for this reason.

The higher the level of an explorer, the more extreme the difference in essence grades and numbers, as well as equipment.

‘At least 9th floor.’

However, I faced the brutal reality without flinching.

This was not a clan of dozens of people.

Assuming skill matched equipment, he was a powerhouse capable of operating on the 9th floor with a group of five.

He must have at least eight essences.

All of them above Level 5.

“Barbarian.”

At this point, stats and abilities seemed meaningless.

“Hand over the items you obtained inside.”

He was at a level where he could slice all five of us without needing any priest’s help.

“If you don’t want to die.”

But, I decided.

What action I needed to take to survive.

So…

“Ah, are you talking about this?”

I pull out a gem obtained from the boss room and hold it in my hand.

Originally, this was Plan D.

Giving up everything they demanded in exchange for our lives.

“As expected, you had it. Now, hand it over. Then I’ll let you go alive.”

“…”

I silently stared at him.

As the silence stretched, my comrades began to speak up one by one.

“…It’s okay. Just give it to him. We don’t even know what it’s for anyway.”

“I agree as well. It’s better to avoid a fight if possible.”

Their words were worthless.

This gem was the only reason we were still alive. Make a deal with a madman who kidnaps priests and forces conversions?

That doesn’t even make sense.

“Actually…”

As I cautiously began to speak, all eyes focused on me.

He also quietly observed me.

A sneering smile appeared on his lips.

As if he already knew what choice I would make.

So, I smiled back.

“Oh no! I’m so hungry!!”

“…What?”

The moment he was startled by my sudden outcry, I didn’t hesitate to shove the gem into my mouth.

And…

Gulp!

I forcefully swallowed it.

Shoving a gem the size of an orange down my throat was painful, but what does it matter?

That kind of pain goes away in a few seconds.

“Burp-”

A burp escaped me as I fought back the urge to vomit.

That’s when everyone snapped back to reality.

“What have you done?”

He asked with murderous eyes glinting.

“I just felt like it!”

I answered.

A brief silence followed.

“…”

“…”

He looked at me as if wondering what kind of lunatic I was.

Hmm, weren’t our team members not much different?

Anyway, it doesn’t matter.

Not caring about others’ opinions as much as earwax, and simply doing what needs to be done.

Isn’t that the tradition of the Barbarian tribe?

“Barbarian, don’t think you’ll die easily.”

He charges at me with a speed that doesn’t seem to match equal stats.

Swoosh!

Whether it was worth its price or not, his longsword cut through my shield without any resistance.

His intention was clear.

He planned to kill me and then cut open my stomach to retrieve the gem.

But…

‘So what, what’s he going to do about it?’

I put pressure on my shield to direct the path of the incoming blade.

Not towards the outside, but towards where my stomach was.

“…!!”

Realizing my intention, he hurriedly withdraws his sword.

He must know as well.

That the durability of the gem I swallowed isn’t that great.

“Did you plan this all along?”

I didn’t deny it.

This was Plan E, replacing all discarded plans.

“Burp—!”

Damn it, now it’s really do or die.

His eyes are rolling.

Looking for an opportunity.

If he could slice off my head in one go, then next, he could just cut open my stomach and take what he wants.

But…

‘No chance.’

I thump my stomach with my fist as big as a watermelon.

Thump! Thump!

Each time my hand swung, his eyes twitched, worried that the item in my stomach might get damaged.

“Ah, I just felt a bit bloated, that’s all.”

“…Crazy.”

It was a relief to hear such words.

No one avoids walking on fallen leaves in autumn.

But what about trash?

You might step on it by accident, but nobody steps on it knowingly.

So…

Thump-!

I stop thumping my stomach.

Plan E’s essence lies in not crossing the line while seemingly about to.

It seems the warning was sufficiently conveyed.

“What do you want?”

He attempts to start a conversation.

Already sheathed his sword, not wanting to provoke me further.

‘Yeah, this item is that important to you.’

Though I wanted to taunt him, I quietly moved with my teammates to the opposite corridor, getting straight to the point.

“Give us one day. Just one day.”

“You’re not begging for your life?”

He looked at me as if he found it curious.

It’s not incomprehensible.

Anyone in a similar situation would have probably begged him in that manner.

But…

“I don’t beg for life like that.”

To be precise, I don’t engage in meaningless acts.

“Give us one day.”

A day’s reprieve.

I judged this to be the maximum he might agree to.

“Then I won’t resort to such cowardly tactics either.”

“How can I trust you?”

To his short query on my final offer, I pulled out the card I had prepared without a moment’s hesitation.

“I swear on a warrior’s honor. We’ve been tired for days without sleep. But if you give us just one day, I will face you fairly in battle.”

As if that was what I wanted from the start.

As I revealed my fighting spirit, he quietly asked, skeptical.

“Do you really think you can win?”

I smirked.

Can I win?

Well, I still see the odds as slim.

But what of it?

“Is that a reason to give up?”

I spoke my true feelings without pretense.

He stared at me intently.

And after a moment of silence, he finally gave his answer.

“Twelve hours.”

His voice was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

“I’ll give you twelve hours.”

That was his final line.

“Don’t think the same trick will work when the time comes.”

His determination not to release us, even if it meant giving up the item, was clearly visible in his eyes and expression.

So, I let out the breath I had been holding.

[05:40]

I had gained the most crucial thing: time.

I’m running through the maze.

The formation is slightly different from usual.

Rotmiller and the dwarf are at the front, and I’m following them from the rear.

The reason is simple.

“For a simple reason.”

“It really doesn’t seem like he’s following us.”

Rotmiller said so, but…

Who knows how long he’ll keep his promise.

I have to watch my own back.

“So, what do we do now?”

Rotmiller asked from the lead.

No, it wasn’t just him.

“Bjorn… are we really going to fight?”

“It doesn’t seem like a good choice. You saw it too, didn’t you? Your shield being sliced through like mud.”

The doubts and concerns they had been holding back were now directed at me.

They had left everything to me before, but now they seemed to be worrying.

But as of today, democracy is over.

We don’t have time to gather everyone’s opinions and persuade them to move forward.

“Hikurod, Misha, Rotmiller, Dwarki.”

I called out their names.

And I asked them.

“I might say or command something you don’t understand going forward. But can you trust me one last time and follow me?”

“Of course, Nyah.”

Aside from Misha, the other three didn’t respond immediately.

However, I believed in the image I had shown them over the months and waited silently.

The first to speak was the dwarf.

“If it hadn’t been for you in the Blood Tinted Castle, I would have been dead by now. I trust your judgment.”

The second was Dwalki.

“I feel the same. Bjorn, I will believe in the destiny of a hero you carry.”

The destiny of a hero.

The speculation that came with my nickname, the little Balkan, spread throughout the city, something even the shaman had mentioned to me.

It felt strange hearing such serious words from them, but…

Well, it’s probably for the best given the current situation.

“When we faced him, I could only tremble in fear, unable to do anything.”

The last to speak was Rotmiller.

“Whatever you say, I will trust and follow you.”

I felt a deep trust in his brief words.

But without time for sentiment, Rotmiller continued.

“However, separate from this, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“If my guess is right, he’s truly dangerous.”

“Do you have information?”

I asked eagerly, and Rotmiller replied.

“A long time ago, I heard about an explorer who uses an Arcsteel longsword. Rumor has it he was cursed by a dragon, his body covered in burns.”

Wait, so who is he?

Unlike me, who was only more puzzled, the trio seemed to have someone in mind.

“A dragon’s curse? Could it be…”

“Dragon Slayer! Rotmiller, are you talking about the Dragon Slayer?”

“If that’s the case, does that mean he’s a member of Orcules…?”

Hearing the trio’s urgent exclamations, I frowned.

I still didn’t know who this Dragon Slayer was.

But…

‘Orcules.’

The ancient word in this world mzxeaning the witch’s eye.

I had acquired knowledge about this group from books early on.

‘A gathering of madmen who go around saying their goal is to kill the king.’

But they couldn’t just be dismissed as mere madmen.

The fact that they’ve continued for decades despite their madness proves the strength of each member.

The royal family has offered a huge bounty, yet only seven have been taken down so far?

‘I’ve gotten entangled with someone far more troublesome than I thought.’

Despite the bitter taste in my mouth, one thought became clearer.

Running away is not the best solution.

That’s a famous saying, isn’t there?

“So, what should we do now?”

After receiving the map from Rotmiller, I designated our destination.

“We’re going here.”

There’s no paradise for those who run away.

At least not this time.

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