Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 225

Reversal (1)

The Goblin Forest is one of the brighter areas on the second floor.

Though it’s dark, the starlight decorating the sky provides some illumination.

Well, it’s not usually this bright, though.

Whoosh!

Dozens of glowing spheres float in the air, illuminating the surroundings as brightly as daylight.

It’s like watching a stadium at night with the lights on.

‘How much mana does he have to spare?’

This alone is enough to make my heart sink when I realize the stark difference in levels, but …….

This isn’t the time to be thinking about that.

“Jandel, those guys…”

“The Ruin Scholar and the Corpse Collector. I don’t recognize the other one.”

Sharing brief information with the warriors who followed through the portal, I keep my eyes fixed ahead.

“Oh, so you didn’t come alone after all?”

The beastman, whose identity is still unclear, chuckled.

He seemed to be in a good mood.

“Splitting the loot among the three of us should still be quite profitable, heh”

His greedy gaze swept over us.

I felt as if we were just some random mobs in a hunting ground.

Ha, I had hoped they might congratulate us and let us go, but that seems unlikely.

“So lowly.”

The white-haired, middle-aged mage, the ‘Ruin Scholar,’ clicked his tongue in disdain.

“Why? You insisted on staying because of this, didn’t you?”

The beastman asked, but the Ruin Scholar didn’t bother to reply, looking irritated.

At that moment, the Corpse Collector laughed and interjected.

“Pfft, don’t you know that old man yet? He doesn’t care about the loot; he just wants to get this over with and go back.”

“Hmm, is that so? Then it’s just the two of us who are lowly.”

“What are you talking about? Do you think I stayed just to get some equipment?” the Corpse Collector retorted in a sharp voice.

“…Then what is it?”

The Corpse Collector.

No, the clown’s words made the beastman tilt his head.

I, too, listened intently, pretending not to.

Knowing the individual motives and goals of those who stayed here might expand our options.

Hmm, yeah, that’s what I thought, but…

“Of course! It looked like fun!”

The clown shouted exaggeratedly, just like at the round table.

“To be able to kill explorers who managed to get here with just a speck of hope! Isn’t that the best?”

The Ruin Scholar frowned again.

“Why are you speaking like that? Like you’re suddenly acting.”

“Oh, that? I thought maybe someone here might recognize me if I’m lucky! Pssit.”

“Someone you know…?”

“Yeah, there is. I’ve wanted to kill them for a long time, but just killing them wouldn’t be fun, right? It’s more interesting if at least they know who I am before they die!”

“You’re making no sense. Do as you please. I’ll go back and rest.”

The Ruin Scholar looked perplexed, but I understood.

‘This crazy psycho bastard.’

He hoped that one of us at the round table would recognize him.

That’s why he wore a mask and revealed himself.

In a way, it was a gesture showing his resolve.

That he wouldn’t let anyone leave here alive.

“Hmm, but there are more of you than I expected.” Despite the ongoing arrival of comrades through the portal, the beastman, chatting nonchalantly, looked at us.

However, there was not a hint of tension in him.

The leftover forces abandoned by the royal family.

He must believe he can handle as many of us as he wants.

‘I rather like it.

I decided to think positively.

If these guys had targeted us immediately upon arriving on the second floor, the situation would have been far more dire.

It’s good that they underestimate us.

So…

“Pssit, looks like no more are coming, huh?”“

Whether it’s arrogance or not.

We just need to exploit it.

“It’s good. Any more, and it might have been troublesome.”

“Pssit, troublesome, my foot.”

The high-ranking necromancer known as the One-Man Army. The corpse collector snapped his fingers with a loud sound.

Whoosh—!

A giant subspace opened in the air.

And…

[Graaaaaar!]

Hundreds of undead soldiers poured out.

“Bethel—raaaaa!!!”

The final battle we’ve longed for is about to begin.

***

The army of corpses surged toward us from the front.

These corpses, meticulously collected and fully equipped, exuded a formidable presence.

But…

“Hey, if we win this battle, we can go back, right?”

No one was retreating.

At least not around me.

“Phew, I can finally fight properly.”

The warriors, exhausted to their limits, draw their weapons with smiles.

“I’ll finally get some recognition. I outrank you, after all.”

It was different in many ways from when we were clearing the path on the first floor.

Swords, hammers, axes, maces, and flails glowed brightly.

[Alessandro Bell has cast [Wrath of Fire]

[Ralph Kell has cast [Wind Blade]

[Milton Teterud has cast [Banner of Struggle]

「Stamina consumption during battle has been significantly reduced.」

Skills that couldn’t be used due to the field effects were now being unleashed.

“Yaaahhhhh!!”

“Let’s gooo!!”

Like people who had been waiting for this moment, the warriors ran toward the army of corpses without holding back.

I also used [Gigantification] and joined the ranks.

Yeah, we may be low on health, but we’re not out of MP.

Boom!

As the vanguard clashed with the army of corpses, an explosion resounded.

A sound that should have accompanied every explorer’s battle.

[Groaaannnn…]

The charge of the army of corpses is immediately met with support from the rear.

Arrows fly in.

Various elemental attack spells.

And long-range abilities.

Of course, the other side didn’t just watch idly either.

[Abet Necrapheto has cast [Curse of Stone]

During the battle, bodies turn to stone.

[Abet Necrapheto has cast [Corpse Explosion]

Corpse modified for self-destruction bursts in, scattering flesh.

Boom!

The explosion is about the power of a Level 6 fire spell.

It wasn’t enough to instantly kill the warriors who had become sturdier and more agile using active skills.

But still…

Sizzle.

As expected of the corpses handled by a necromancer, the bodies of those covered in the blood quickly dissolve.

“Argh!!”

In the midst of this chaos.

“Hey, Barbarian! Are you the leader here?”

One of the trio, a beastman, leaps and lands in front of me.

He looked completely different from before.

Protruding fierce fangs.

Fur and a blue mane covering his entire body.

A height and build comparable to mine in my [Gigantification] state.

He had transformed into a beast resembling a lycanthrope.

‘No wonder he had no equipment.’

I quickly analyzed him as I scanned him.

‘An enhancement type, huh.’

The beastman’s unique ability, ‘Spirit Beast.’

It seems he’s an enhancement type like Misha. He probably acquired the transformation ability after leveling up his spirit beast.

‘Then what essence did he consume?’

Putting aside my natural curiosity, I raised my shield to cover my face.

He swung his massive forepaw.

Bang!

A bone-rattling impact.

‘His strength surpasses mine.’

This is not going to be an easy fight—

Whoosh!

As I evaded and retreated from the power struggle, a sword was swung.

Not at me, but at that wolf-like guy.

“I’ll handle this one, you step back!”

It was Melter Pend, the leader of the Nartel Clan.

“You’ll handle him?”

“Orders from Lord Kyle.”

Well then.

I obediently yielded my opponent and stepped back.

There’s a saying about the right person for the right job.

Melter Pend is our exploration’s only rank 3 explorer. He’s been reserving his strength for the battle on the second floor.

‘I heard he used to be an apprentice knight.’

He’s much better at dueling than I am.

[Jandel, do you hear me?]

As I handed over the wolf guy to Melter and turned around, Kyle’s voice came through the message stone.

“I hear you.”

[Sorry. It took some time to split the forces, so I’m late in contacting you.]

“Skip the apologies, get to the point.”

[You focus on leading the people against the corpse collector. Melter Pend and his companions will handle the blue mane.]

“Blue mane?”

[Oh, you didn’t know? He made a name for himself in the Noark subjugation. He was the heir of the Blue Wolf Tribe but committed a crime and hid in Noark]

So he isn’t a member of the Orcules, huh.

No wonder I didn’t recognize him at first glance.

“Understood. I’ll take care of this side.”

[Excellent. Then I’ll put everything into stopping that old man.]

By “old man,” he must mean the ruin scholar, right?

Perhaps the target of Kyle’s revenge was that old man all along.

“Alright, I’ll trust you with that side.”

I swung my mace towards the mass of corpses, signaling the end of our conversation.

Then, I heard another voice.

[Oh, and one more thing.]

“……?”

[Your comrades will arrive soon.]

“What?”

[…….]

No response came back.

Crack-!

Just as I crushed the head of a corpse with my shield.

Slash-!

An adamantium greatsword was embedded in the temple of a corpse aiming at my flank.

“We’ll help from here on out!!”

Aynar.

And…

“Bjorn!”

Misha.

The melee sisters naturally positioned themselves on either side of my rear, ready for battle.

It was the formation Team Apple Narak often used when fighting.

“You’re not going to insist on fighting alone this time, are you?”

When I looked back, I saw Raven riding on Mr. Bear’s summon, Iron Guardian.

‘Wait, if Iron Guardian is here, then…’

Sure enough, I saw Mr. Bear nearby as well.

“Why are you guys here instead of staying in the rear…?”

It made sense for the melee sisters, but why were these two here?

It would be much safer for them to stay behind.

Mr. Bear answered while loading an arrow into his massive crossbow.

“Indirect fire isn’t really my specialty.”

Hmm, that makes sense.

Although I had a feeling that wasn’t the whole reason.

‘I’ll have to feed him [Leap Time] once we get to the sixth floor.’

Thinking about what essence to feed Mr. Bear later, I swung my mace.

But the corpse fell before I even hit it.

Whoosh!

An arrow of fire pierced its forehead.

“Mister!”

So, you came too, huh?

I noticed Daria, her older sister, standing next to her. She seemed to have had a change of heart about keeping her safe.

I didn’t know why, but it wasn’t a bad thing.

“Protect the commander!”

Melter Pend and his team had carved out their own space on the battlefield, focusing on taking down the wolf-man.

“These pests…!”

Given the praise coming from their direction, it seemed they were making good progress.

The Ruin Scholar’s silence was a bit concerning but..

‘Trust.’

If something happens, Kyle will handle it.

I just need to do my part.

So…

“……”

I scanned the front widely.

Being in [Gigantification] state, it wasn’t difficult to spot the clown far away.

He was sitting on top of a giant corpse monster, watching the battlefield.

As if he were enjoying a great show.

‘There’s a limit to how much you can underestimate people.’

I felt a laugh coming on.

Now that I think about it, the dragonslayer had that same look in his eyes when I first met him.

“Misha, Aynar. Let’s break through.”

I charged forward, smashing through the army of corpses.

My target: the corpse collector.

My goal: to crush his skull and see if there’s anything wrong with his brain.

“Jandel! Jandel is up to something again!”

“Is he aiming for the Corpse Collector?”

“Follow the great warrior!!”

“Let’s goooo!!”

Explorers began to gather around me.