Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 319

Read here for faster updates

Memory (4)

How strong have I really become?

This question has been on my mind for the past few months.

In the game, I can estimate my strength based on certain numbers, but it’s hard to grasp the reality of it. After all, this place isn’t just a game.

‘In that sense, this opponent might be perfect.’

Even a “regular knight” who can manifest aura is considered equal to a 6th-floor explorer, and when it comes to duels, they’re ranked even higher.

However, I’m not lacking in specs either.

Of course, my Soul Engraving is still at level 6, and my overall level is low, so compared to the strong houses of this era, my Essence count is overwhelmingly low, but…

But I do have three Level 3 essences: Ogre, Bayonne, and Stormgush.

The essences aren’t just randomly combined either; they’re matched to create synergy.

The main reason tanks can’t handle knights is because of a lack of damage, but this can be covered with the Demon Crusher.

In other words…

‘We’re on equal footing.’

Both of us could be knocked out with one hit.

“……”

“……”

A sudden silence fell on the dark staircase.

Did my aggressive stance unsettle him?

‘Did I go too hard?’

He carefully measured the distance between us, making me wonder if I had overdone it.

But the more he hesitated, the more I focused.

Just like in the old duels of swordsmen, where a single breath determined the outcome.

“……”

“……”

The battle was decided in an instant.

Swoosh.

The first to move was my opponent.

With just one step.

As soon as he took that step to close the distance, I spat out the acidic blood I’d been holding in my mouth.

He didn’t dodge.

Like a boxer who doesn’t flinch even when a punch is thrown, he extended his sword with a resolute stance.

That’s the reason why the Corpse Golem essence is considered a cheat.

No one expects acidic blood.

He probably thought he could just wipe it off, but…

Sizzle!

The acidic blood landed before his sword could reach me.

There was only the sound of flesh melting—no screams followed.

However, no matter how much one trains, it’s impossible to control the body perfectly as a human being.

For a brief moment, his eyes closed, and his sword tip wavered.

Taking advantage of that moment, I twisted my body and lunged.

Tap.

While airborne, his sword grazed my side.

It wasn’t a serious injury.

But perhaps he realised the situation just from the feeling transmitted through his sword?

Swoosh

He raised the shield in his left hand.

Since his first move had failed, he decided to switch to defense.

Seeing a white light form on the surface of his shield, it seemed like he had a defensive skill as well.

However, that was his second mistake.

This hammer can penetrate armor.

Boom!

The moment I smashed down with the hammer.

“Gah!”

Blood spurted from his mouth as his eyes filled with confusion.

He must have been perplexed, unable to understand why his body was falling apart despite blocking with his shield.

But understanding and acceptance are two different things.

Tap.

He acknowledged the danger of the situation and leaped back, trying to buy time to regroup.

That was his third mistake.

I have a grab skill.

Whoosh!

I combined [Transcendence] with [Eye of the Storm] to pull him back right in front of me.

And then…

“No, please…!”

No? What do you mean, no?

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

I hammered down on his head repeatedly until it was completely crushed.

***

“Phew, that was intense.”

After triple-checking his death, I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead. It was a brief battle, but it had taken a toll on my mental strength.

Well, at least the reward was worth it.

‘Wow, the gear is at least Level 4.’

It seemed like the lord had invested a lot, as the equipment was pretty decent. I couldn’t just leave it behind, so I quickly stripped him of his gear and stored it in my subspace.

There wasn’t enough room in the subspace, so I had to remove the least valuable items, but that couldn’t be helped.

Suddenly, I remembered the note Amelia had left.

Was I supposed to go somewhere after obtaining the Fragment of Records?

‘…Go where? I haven’t even found a place to stash this gear yet.’

There’s no way I’m leaving this stuff behind.

I can’t leave until I solve that problem.

Besides, I don’t even know how to use the item.

‘Anyway, since I won’t be coming back, I should take care of this first.’

After finishing the looting, I left the stripped corpse behind and descended the stairs.

Thud.

The staircase was wide, but once I reached the bottom, a broad passageway opened up, wide enough for about twenty people to pass through.

At the end of it was a giant door…

‘It’s slightly open.’

There was no one visible nearby.

So I approached the door as quietly as possible.

Beyond the door, designed as a shelter, was a huge chamber with only one person inside.

A bald head weathered by the years.

A bulging belly.

Clothes that looked luxurious, clearly made from fine fabric, and uncomfortably thick double eyelids.

It was undoubtedly the lord I had once seen from afar.

“…Sir Ominus?”

Noticing my presence, the lord spoke in a voice full of anxiety.

Hmm, what should I do?

After a moment of deliberation, I decided to reveal myself.

“You… Iron Mask?”

The lord flinched when he saw me.

“Where’s Sir Ominus?”

“If you mean Ominus, he’s dead.”

“…”

“Oh, and just so you know, I’m the one who killed him.”

“…!”

As I calmly stated the fact, the lord’s eyes widened in fear, and he began to back away.

What a pointless effort.

As if he could escape.

“Ugh! Let me go! I said, let me go! Do you know who I am, you insolent…!”

When I quickly closed the distance and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, the lord started struggling furiously.

For a ruler of the city, he cut a rather pathetic figure.

Tsk, no matter how hidden the shelter room is, he should’ve brought more guards.

“What… What do you want…! Stop! Let’s talk!”

While holding the lord with one hand, I casually searched him.

Soon, I found what I was looking for.

Amelia had mentioned that he would surely have it on him, and she was right.

I hadn’t expected it to be in the form of a necklace, though.

Snip.

I broke the necklace and released the lord.

The lord, who had just been robbed of a treasure handed down by his ancestors, screamed in outrage, but at least he didn’t try to attack me.

‘Alright, I’ve got what I need…’

Worried that it might activate just by touching it, I held the necklace by the chain and placed the Fragment of Records into my subspace.

“You bastard…! Do you even know what that is? Give it back! I said give it back!”

“You’re being noisy. Do you want me to knock out a few of your teeth?”

“…”

After silencing the lord, I calmly asked him.

“Do you know how to use the Fragment of Records?”

“You… you really were after… Ugh!”

“Just answer the question. It’s just the two of us here.”

“…Do you think I would tell you anything?”

Surprisingly, the lord was quite stubborn.

First, he got angry, then he claimed ignorance, but after a punch to the face, he finally started talking about the legends passed down through generations.

“There’s no known method?”

“T-That’s right… According to the records, it will only activate when the one chosen by the era approaches…”

This wasn’t the information I was hoping for.

According to Amelia, even the lord of Noark didn’t know how to use it, which was why it was simply kept in storage.

But he actually knew everything.

‘So it’s not an active skill but something that triggers when certain conditions are met.’

Good thing I asked.

“Now that you’ve cleared up your doubts—”

“Never mind that. Answer this: if the one chosen by the era wants to return, what should they do?”

“What…? Why would you—”

Suddenly, the lord’s eyes widened in realization.

“You… don’t tell me…!”

Yeah, if he didn’t figure it out by now, he’d be an idiot.

Since I wasn’t trying to hide it, I simply nodded.

“You guessed it right. Now, tell me, how do I return to my original time?”

“I-I see… No wonder you found this place that no one knows about… That’s your background…”

“Stop talking nonsense and answer.”

When I hissed through my teeth, the lord, now pale with fear, quickly answered my question.

“I-It’s the same as when you arrived… Once you’ve completed your purpose here, you’ll be able to return…”

“What a hassle.”

“…May I ask you one question?”

As I contemplated my next steps, the lord spoke to me.

“What kind of person was I in the future?”

His eyes sparkled with curiosity, making me uncomfortable. Was he hoping he’d be remembered as some sort of hero?

“Why do you ask?”

“J-Just out of curiosity… Even though that future won’t exist now… I can still be curious, can’t I?”

So, he really didn’t know anything.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have entertained such fantasies about treasures that could alter history.

“By the way, how did things turn out today? Did we manage to drive out those bastards from Orcules?”

“Are you that curious about the future?”

The lord nodded.

“Then close your eyes.”

“…I closed them.”

“What do you see?”

“Nothing.”

Good.

If he had said he saw something, that would have been problematic.

“That’s your future.”

I swung the hammer with all my strength.

***

Thud.

As the lord’s lifeless body fell, a pool of blood began to spread beneath him.

Without any particular emotion, I turned away.

Even if only half of what I’ve seen and heard during my time here is true, this man deserved to die.

‘In any case, he was destined to die today.’

For the record, the lord’s death will be blamed on Orcules, and Amelia will believe that.

But, as revealed here…

The real culprit is me.

‘Well, it’s nothing surprising at this point.’

I debated whether to kill him until the last moment.

In the end, there was only one reason I decided to strike.

Even if I had just walked away, the lord would have likely been killed by someone else today, as history dictates.

In fact, that’s almost certain.

Unless, by some bizarre twist of fate…

If the man I killed was a body double, and the real lord had escaped to the surface, concealing his identity for 20 years and deceiving the world.

Unless something absurd like that happened.

The outcome remains the same—

“Wait…”

I stopped in my tracks.

“Hold on.”

It felt like I had just had a eureka moment.

“…Fooling the whole world?”

It felt like electricity was coursing through my body from head to toe.