Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 187

Overgeared (2)

The Shadow Altar.

In this chapter, the doppelganger acts solely with two objectives in mind:

To make the exploration waste their Stone of Truth.

If that fails, to keep causing discord until the number of exploration members number’s decline.

In that regard, there was one likely suspect.

[What city are you from?]

Kaylmen Parteian.

The mage from Hans G team who had halved the exploration with a single sentence.

At first, I thought he had accidentally stepped on a mine.

Since Team Hans G, including the mage, seemed unaware that team Dwarf was from NoahArk.

But then…

[Dwarf, could you be the doppelganger]

I aggressively questioned the dwarf’s team.

Where they got their gear from.

What exactly did the official say when they received their dog tag? I bombarded him with countless questions he couldn’t answer, making him look suspicious.

However, I hadn’t thought of one thing at that time.

From the doppelgänger’s point of view, how would a dwarf stammering at such simple questions look?

‘It must have seemed strange. Then it would have become suspicious.’

Inhabiting the body of a clever mage.

The doppelganger, through questions the dwarf could not answer, must have reached the truth about NoahArk.

It probably also got greedy.

Considering the body it had taken over had suitable items…

And it could use them to easily conceal its identity.

[He’s dead].

Doppelgangers know how to pretend to be dead.

In the game, I had been tricked by them several times.

Unless you kill them instantly, these damned creatures enter a dormant state, maintaining life and playing with the players.

Just like this.

“Screaaaaaak—!!”

The doppelganger convulsed the moment the potion was poured over it.

If I hadn’t known about this trait, I would have had to use the Stone of Truth on Raven after killing all other candidates.

“It’s the doppelganger!!!”

Raven, finally freed from suspicion, shouted with joy, and the doppelganger, despite screaming, initially denied it.

“No, no! Hey! I, I! Screaaaaak!!”

It’s ridiculous how lightly they take humans.

But arguing with a monster is also a ridiculous thing.

I just grabbed its neck and walked towards the altar.

The closer we got to the altar, the more it struggled.

“How, can……!!”

Finally, giving up on excuses and expressing doubt.

I smirked.

There was actually a separate decisive reason.

‘At least act properly if it’s an act.’

The greatest weakness of a mage is close combat.

Yet this creature managed to dodge a dwarf’s axe aimed to split its head, taking the blow with its shoulder.

It would have been impossible unless it anticipated the surprise attack.

It’s ridiculous to think it was instantly killed.

Dying from excessive bleeding maybe, but to say it stopped breathing before the lady could even administer the potion?

「You have successfully identified the plunderer inhabiting a member of the exploration.」

As soon as I smashed the doppelganger’s head on the altar, a brilliant white light began to flow out.

At the same time, the forest vibrated as if an earthquake had occurred.

“Kiiiyaaaak-!!”

Something shadowy, ripped from the top of its head, screeched horribly as it darted between the trees.

And then…

“Hey! It’s running away!”

It disappeared in one direction.

There was no need to panic.

It simply meant that the third chapter had come to an end.

[One Truth Stone used]

[Seal breaking rate 10%]

[Hurry to chase and defeat the plunderer before he regains his sealed power]

It was time to head for the final boss battle.

“Bjorn, let’s follow it quickly!”

“Stop. There’s something we need to do first.”

First, I calmed Aynar down and check on Parteian’s physical condition.

Ah, of course, it wasn’t me but Raven.

“How is it?”

“The injuries have mostly healed, so he should regain consciousness soon.”

“I see.”

Raven, who had hurried over at my call and checked on Parteian, finally slumped down.

His mental state seemed to have returned, draining his energy.

“Phew…”

The melee sisters and Mr. Bear approached awkwardly, each mumbling a word.

“Wow, so this guy really was the doppelgänger…”

“I told you, it wasn’t me!”

“Cough, but a mage is still a mage, huh? To think of who could survive in that situation.”

“Aruru! You know? I trusted you!”

“What trust… No, rather than that, where did Aruru even come from?”

“What?! You don’t like Aruru?”

Aynar looked disheartened, as if hurt.

Of course, that wasn’t going to work on Raven.

“How could I like that? Alluva Raven! Please call me by my real name or surname. I really hate this—”

“I, I wanted to call you by your name, but it was hard to pronounce…”

As Aynar hung his head low, Raven, who had been irritated, shut her mouth tight.

Then she cautiously asked.

“You want to call me by my name, what do you mean?”

“You are a human and a mage, but also a valuable comrade.”

Aynar, true to her barbarian nature, said something embarrassingly sentimental without changing her expression.

“Ha, really that damn pronunciation…”

Raven sighed as if resigned, then swiftly turned her head.

“Forget it. Call me whatever you want.”

“Is that really okay!!”

“Yes. It’s similar to how I’m called at the academy, so getting angry about it is strange, isn’t it?”

“Thank you! Aruru!”

A heartwarming scene of friendship between colleagues overcoming one adversity.

Watching this, I thought.

Hey, she might seem unphased, but she’s sensitive in these matters.

‘I’ll have to use this sometime when I mess up.’

With that mental note, we wrapped up the brief conversation and moved on to prepare.

There was a mountain of things to do before the boss battle.

“Stop standing around, both of you, come here.”

I first called over the scout and the tank who had regained consciousness.

“You’ve heard the situation, right?”

“…Yes.”

The fact that Hans G and the Fairy archer were evil spirits had clearly shocked them, their eyes vacant.

“Snap out of it. There’s still time to live and make amends.”

“What should we do?”

“First, tell me what you can do.”

I checked the combat capabilities of the tank first.

What essence he had consumed, what kind of combat he was capable of, and so forth.

Normally, these would be personal details he’d never share with outsiders, but given the circumstances, the tank was very cooperative.

“I see, and you?”

“Me, I’m not much help in combat except for navigating. I’m sorry.”

A rank 6 tank and an unranked scout.

“Still, Lord Parteian will be a great help to you. He is a rank 5 mage after all.”

“What? 5th-rank?”

“Yes. He specializes in areas other than offensive magic. He usually plays the most roles in the team. It would be best to hear the specifics from him once he awakens.”

I was genuinely surprised.

After all, Raven was still a rank 6 mage.

How on earth did Hans manage to travel with such a high-level talent?

So I have to deal with the guardian with seven people, including a rank 5 mage…

The picture still wasn’t clear.

There weren’t enough “colors” to paint what I wanted.

Therefore, while Parteian was regaining consciousness, I thoroughly searched the loot left by the dwarf’s teammates.

“Check everything. If something stands out, have Raven inspect it. If it’s usable, we need to use it.”

Hans G, the fairy archer, the beastman swordsman, the dwarf, the sorcerer, and Karui’s priest.

The archer sacrificed at the altar had turned into a spirit and could only be dealt with after clearing the rift, so that was a pass.

“Aruru! How about this?”

“I can feel the magic in it. But since I can’t read the formula, it’s probably not a magical tool… It’s likely a Numbered item.”

“Oh! These shoes! They fit me perfectly!”

“They’re made from Half-Troll leather. They also have an ‘acceleration’ enchantment. They’re expensive, so wear them carefully. We’ll need to account for them later during the settlement.”

One by one, valuable items emerged, each bag opened like a treasure trove, typical of veteran explorers nearing their prime.

It felt like opening a treasure trove.

“Raven, can you check this too? I can tell it’s made of Litinium, but why would they make a necklace out of it?”

“It’s because of its magical conductivity. The same enchantment can vary in efficiency depending on the material. So let’s see, this necklace…”

Raven, finding her niche, rapidly appraised the value of various items.

But even then, it took more time than expected, and by some point, Parteian also awoke.

“Uh, uh…”

The middle-aged mage was confused, looking at his comrades’ bodies and the forest filled with various equipment.

I had the tank explain in my place.

“Was a doppelganger inside my body?”

“NoahArk… Ah, that explains why my bag was full of unused equipment. It makes sense now if they were from there.”

“Krysen and Meyrin were evil spirits…?”

As the explanation continued, the mage’s complexion turned pale. But being a mage, even in such a situation, he came over to thank me.

“Thank you. It would have been terrible if it weren’t for you.”

“If you’re thankful, go help Raven. It’s not the time to be leisurely.”

“I shall.”

With Parteian joining, our work sped up significantly.

Surprisingly, he was an expert in this type of work.

“Emotion magic? Were you from the Narmang School?”

“Now that you mention it, we haven’t introduced ourselves. That’s right.”

“I am Alluva Raven from the Artemion School.”

“Ha, I knew it. There’s only one place that embroiders such fine patterns on robes.”

“My master is a bit over the top…”

A mage from the Narmang School specialized in unique appraisals.

With Parteian’s joining, not only were Numbered items categorized, but also items that had not been clearly identified became manageable.

How much time had passed?

“It seems like we’ve found all the usable items, so let’s gather everyone now.”

Having finished sorting, we gathered together to start an interim settlement.

“Just to clarify, I’ve noted down everything we’ve taken so far for a proper settlement later. If you want to keep using it, you’ll have to pay for it then. Understood?”

“Understood!”

“Then Aynar, come here.”

I looked at the organized list and transferred the acquired items to each person one by one.

The criterion for distribution was simple:

Who would benefit the most efficiently from using each item?

“Take off the shoes and give them to Misha.”

“But, how can I! They won’t even fit!”

“Don’t worry. I’ve verified that they’re enchanted with size-adjustment magic.”

Although some of the decisions could seem autocratic, and there was some grumbling, this is when a leader’s authority really counts.

“Aynar.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll give them over…”

Starting with Aynar, the rest of the comrades picked up useful equipment, ranging from a single item to as many as four or five.

How much would all this sell for?

It’s an afterthought that always crept up after fighting with other explorers.

It’s clear why everyone lives by plundering.

“That should do it.”

The remaining loot was stored in the subspaces of Raven and me.

It wasn’t just for safety reasons.

There was simply too much of it.

Grin.

Looking at my newly added equipment, I just couldn’t stop smiling.

Indeed, is this what they call Hans’ Law of Reaction?

[Character has equipped the Mark of the No. 2988 Guard]

[Total item level increases by +1,485]

[Character has equipped the Outlaw of the Wilderness No. 8667]

[Total item level increases by +315]

[Character has equipped Idium-made greaves]

[Total item level increases by +400]

That doppelganger bastard, he’s really done for.

***

“Bjorn Yandel”

Rank: 5

Physical: 555 (New +5) / Mental: 198 (New +15) / Special Abilities: 191

Item Level: 3,068 (New +2,200)

Overall Combat Index: 1,731 (New +570)

Essences Acquired: Corpse Golem – Rank 7 / Orc Hero – Rank 5 / Ogre – Rank 3 / Manticore – Level 5 (New)

See You On Monday, Enjoy