Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 278

Whirlpool (4)

The Hidden Piece of Farune Island: Wrath of the Sea

The difficulty of this event, which occurs when destroying the offering with less than 20 people on the island, is determined by the number of participants.

• With 5-9 people, the number of regular monsters increases.
• With 10-14 people, a fourth wave is added, and a final boss appears.
• With 15-19 people, some penalties of the final boss are removed.

‘To think we’d be doing a rank 3 raid so unprepared.’

The more I think about it, the more I sigh.

My target was the boss of the third wave.

If we’d managed to trigger the event with only six people, the fourth wave wouldn’t even start.

I was hoping to kill a bunch of mobs and collect large amounts of mana stones and essences to sell, and if possible get level 4 essences to feed Misha and Erwin.

But nothing went according to plan.

‘Why does my luck always turn out like this?’

Not only did the event start on the hardest difficulty, but our numbers dwindled to the point where we were down to only 10 players for the final wave.

I didn’t even get the Elfroot Essence I was aiming for.

Of course, if the final boss spits out the essence, I could probably laugh it off. …….

‘But defeating it would be tough.’

This is a situation where survival is more important than loot.

That’s the way it is with Level 3 monsters in this game.

Even if we are explorers who have managed to reach the sixth floor, it’s nearly impossible to hunt down such a monster with ten people who have never coordinated together.

‘Still, I have to try.’

I stood up.

“The divine power will soon fade.”

The priestess spoke up, as if waiting for this moment.

“Exactly how much time do we have left?”

“Ten minutes.”

Ten minutes…

I nodded and scanned the surroundings.

In the distance, I saw Patzran and Amelia conversing.

“A level 3 monster, are you certain?”

“Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t change the truth.”

“You speak as if you’ve seen it with your own two eyes? I’m sure [crisis detection] isn’t that accurate, I’ve heard it’s often exaggerated or downplayed to convey information in the form of the senses-“

A meaningless suspicion and conversation.

I lost interest in their dialogue and approached one individual.

“Bjorn…”

Misha Kalstein.

The companion I’ve been with the longest in the labyrinth…

‘I can’t call her a lover.’

I smiled bitterly and spoke.

“Are you okay?”

“That’s my line, isn’t it?”

“I’m fine. A bit stiff, but that’s probably from sleeping too long.”

For a while, I talked with Misha.

It wasn’t like I was telling her some secret plan that I couldn’t tell anyone else.

We hadn’t had a proper conversation since our reunion.

After reuniting, I was unconscious for a day, and then the final wave started right after I woke up, leaving no time for it.

“I was really worried.”

“I’m sorry. That woman seemed to know you, so I couldn’t leave her—”

“Next time, just say you won’t make me worry again.”

“Okay. I won’t.”

Good, that’s settled.

Now, what should I talk about?

“Anyway, it’s a relief everyone is fine. I was really worried. I felt something strange…”

“A strange feeling?”

“…It’s nothing. Looking back, it seems I was just anxious being alone without you guys.”

Yeah, people are like that.

Negative thoughts often form clearer images in the mind.

“…But is it okay for us to be talking like this?”

Why not?

The priestess is just sitting and praying.

And Mr. Bear is writing a letter.

Maybe it’s because he almost died and survived?

As soon as he heard about the Level 3 monster, he seemed to recall the things he hadn’t said to his wife…

“Hey, big guy! What’s with the pointless stuff? Can’t you tell her yourself later?”

“Forget it. Just tell me, what’s a good name for a girl? After all, you’re… ahem, a woman.”

What, is he really naming the baby now?

Man, that’s making me anxious too.

I wish he’d stop raising death flags…

“This reminds me of that time.”

“Oh, when we were trapped on the first floor?”

“Yeah, it felt just like this.”

What atmosphere? This is nothing compared to then.

Even Raven left a will in case she couldn’t return to the city.

Mostly about her assets, by the way.

“By the way, Bjorn, you’re the same as back then.”

“Not leaving a will, you mean?”

“Yeah.”

I chuckled.

There’s no one outside the labyrinth to pass my will to, and if I were to die, I wouldn’t want my identity revealed.

That would be a much better memory.

“But Misha, you didn’t leave a will either, did you?”

“That’s true, but…”

Misha trailed off.

Seeing her wanting to say something, I firmly cut her off.

“Let’s stop the dark talk. After all, we all made it back alive then. It’ll be the same this time.”

“…I believe you.”

We then engaged in casual conversation.

Time passed.

“Barbarian.”

Amelia called me.

“It’s time.”

Peaceful moments always pass quickly.

“Heh, a Level 3 monster. I’m excited!”

Aynar was holding the greatsword she had been sharpening.

“Miss Aynar, is this the time to be excited? We might all die.”

Raven rebuked Aynar.

“Stop fighting and take these.”

Mr. Bear distributed letters with crooked writing to his companions.

“May light guide our path.”

The priestess finished her long prayer and stood up.

“Misha.”

“Yes.”

I sent Misha back to her position, grabbed my mace and shield, and stood at the front of the formation.

The barrier surrounding us soon shattered.

「[Declaration of Annihilation] is lifted.」

It’s time to roll the dice.

****

[Kiyeeeeee-!]

The moment the [Declaration of Annihilation] was lifted, the monsters in front of the barrier started charging, and Raven chanted the activation words for a pre-drawn magic circle.

“Sartu Emel!”

A military spell not allowed to general mages due to its abnormally high lethality.

「Alluva Raven casts the Level 4 attack spell [Collapse].」

As the magic circle glowed, red marks appeared on the vital points of over a hundred charging monsters.

And about two seconds later.

Crack!

An explosion erupted from within, causing countless monsters to burst out. A horde of monsters with an average Level of 6 had been wiped out by a single spell.

Of course, the result didn’t come without a cost.

“…I’ll rest now.”

Having used up most of her mana, Raven could no longer support us.

Her role was to conserve mana and replenish MP until the final boss arrived.

“Bethel—raaaa!!”

So the remaining enemies were ours to handle.

[Kiyeeeeee-!]

Though the monster horde was decimated, more kept appearing from everywhere.

Crack, crack, crack!

I just activated [Gigantification] and focused on serving as a ‘wall’ for my teammates to deal damage comfortably.

Our current firepower was sufficient against the small fry.

Whoosh!

Thud!

Boom!

Erwin, Nebarce, and Mr. Bear formed a three-person ranged DPS team. 

「Aynar Pheneline has slain an enemy.」

「[Devour] activates, recovering soul power.」

Aynar from the Berserker tier, who really shines when facing multiple weak enemies.

Partzran, a rank 4 explorer, was pulling his weight, and Misha used her swift movements to take down enemies that slipped past me towards the rear.

And…

‘She’s really good.’

I was most impressed by Amelia. 

She refused the position I gave her, saying she’d do things her own way. And she certainly had the skills to back it up.

Swish-!

Like a special unit moving through the monsters, her dagger glowed, already having taken down over ten monsters.

Including those taken down by her clones summoned through [Self-Replication], the count would be 1.5 times higher.

This made me a bit worried.

“You should conserve your strength a bit.”

More than her MP, I was concerned about her mana.

Mana, also known as ‘aura’ for knights, is another resource consumed during battle. If she uses it recklessly now, she might not be able to use it later when we face the boss.

But…

“I know my own condition best. Stop giving me pointers.”

“…If you say so.”

What could I say when she put it that way?

Besides, if she has any sense, she’d manage herself. She likely has more field experience than I do.

‘I should just focus on my own tasks.’

I concentrated on blocking the oncoming monsters with my shield, occasionally swinging my mace to push them back. 

I decided to conserve my MP for later.

Without using [Swing], it would take at least ten hits to kill the mobs.

“The monsters are decreasing.”

As more magic stones piled up around us, the number of monsters diminished.

“Maybe the priestess’s prayers are working!”

Mr. Bear and the others smiled at this fact, but I remained indifferent.

I knew the reason.

The monsters we had been fighting were those wandering the island from the third wave. There are no regular mobs in the fourth wave.

Of course, it should be fair.

How could we deal with a Level 3 monster and a bunch of mobs at the same time?

“Let’s push harder!”

The positive news boosted our morale.

Then…

“It seems there are no more around.”

Time passed, and we finally cleared the mobs.

We quickly gathered the magic stones and reorganized our formation, taking a short rest while we waited.

About ten minutes later.

“Its here.”

No one asked which direction. At Amelia’s murmur, everyone looked up and stared in one direction.

Thud.

Heavy footsteps could be heard from beyond the bushes.

Thud-!

It emerged, breaking through the trees.

[Groooooooar—!!]

The first Level 3 monster we faced.

As soon as we saw it, Raven shouted, sharing the information he knew.

“…It’s, it’s a Stormgush!”

Also known as the Sea Ogre.

***

Stormgush.

A Level 3 sea monster known as the Sea Ogre. More precisely, it’s closer to a crustacean.

It doesn’t look like a lobster.

Its massive body, over 5 meters tall, is covered in thick, hard shells, resembling a Lizardman in basic form.

Thud-!

A long tail for balance.

A protruding snout.

Bipedal, and despite its insane physicality, it wields a weapon.

Thud-!

As the monster fully revealed itself, everyone gulped.

“That’s a Level 3 monster…”

A behemoth that clans with dozens of members struggle to hunt on the seventh floor.

We’ve fought large monsters before, but the ominous presence this one exuded was on another level.

Not that it could compare to a floor lord.

I quickly shouted.

“Prepare for battle!!”

What were they dawdling for?

We’re already within its range.

[Groooar—!!]

Holding a massive harpoon, the monster moved swiftly and charged at us.

I immediately activated Gigantification (Transcendence) mode.

To fight such a beast, I needed to match its size.

「Body size increases in proportion to strength.」

My body swelled rapidly.

The monster’s eyes changed from seeing prey to recognizing an opponent.

When I had measured myself in this state, I was a bit over 5 meters tall. The monster wouldn’t have expected a human to match its height.

“Bethel—raaaaa!!”

I boosted my physical stats with [Wild Burst] and charged forward. Losing in the first exchange of strength would definitely make it look down on me.

Boom!

After a few steps, the monster’s trident struck my shield.

A blow heavy beyond words.

‘Even in this state, I’m being pushed back.’

Despite blocking, I was pushed back. Since acquiring the soul-engraving [Union], I hadn’t experienced this.

Though it didn’t come with a knockback bonus, since [Gigantification] was applied to my gear, it’s more accurate to measure my weight in tons.

“What are you doing? Attack!”

As I was pushed back, Aynar swung her adamantium greatsword.

「Aynar Pheneline uses [Wild Control].」

「All conditional activation effects of the next attack are converted to cutting power.」

One of various ‘conversion’ skills that change bonus effects into cutting power. Combined with the greatsword’s weight and her downward force.

But…

Clack-!

Aynar’s greatsword only scratched the shell, penetrating about 1 cm.

It’s not Aynar’s lack of ability but a testament to the monster’s toughness.

It’s not called the Sea Ogre for nothing.

Its physical resistance is insanely high.

Well, we have a main dealer, so it’s fine.

“Hold on for a moment.”

Amelia leaped off my shoulder and stabbed her dagger into the monster’s shoulder.

The dagger, imbued with aura that ignores 90% of physical resistance, sank to the hilt and pulled out.

Fsssh-!

Dark green fluid spurted from the wound due to the pressure difference.

But it wasn’t a significant hit.

The monster wasn’t weak enough to be affected by such a wound.

It also had incredible regeneration.

Whack-!

The monster swiped at Amelia with its sharp claws. Its speed seemed twice my agility.

But it wasn’t enough to catch a true nimble character.

Thud.

Amelia dodged the counterattack with a backstep, and I closed the distance again to prevent further rampage.

Losing in strength for one-on-one?

That wasn’t a problem right now.

Screech.

Though I’m the main tank, I’m not alone in stopping it.

“Get away from Bjorn, you shell lizard!”

Even if the monster’s single thrust could push me back, I had several warriors to divert its attention.

“Misha, Patzran! Help out!”

I quickly gave orders.

“Never get too close, only approach when it attacks me!”

That’s a primary rule melee fighters must prioritize during a raid. With the frontline established as I directed, the battle became manageable.

[Groooar!!]

I handled the heavy blows.

When pushed back, melee DPS distracted it.

I’d close the distance and draw aggro again, while Amelia seized moments to deal damage.

“The wounds are healing. Raven, cast ‘Deteriorate’ first! And tell us everything you know about it!”

During this process, Raven cast support magic and briefed us on the monster in real time.

“Watch out for the ground! When Stormgush stomps, you need to get far away! That’s its motion for using [Eye of the Storm]…”

Not much data for a strategy.

However, it was something I couldn’t brief the team on in advance.

How could I explain a strategy when we didn’t even know what kind of monster we were up against?

‘With Raven well-informed, I don’t need to step up.’

If Raven wasn’t here, I would have had to brief everyone.

Learning by taking hits was too risky. One hit from such a monster could lead to serious injury.

For instance…

「Stormgush casts [Eye of the Storm].」

Like the one Raven just mentioned.

Thud.

In less than a second after stomping, a whirlwind formed within a 5m radius, sucking in everything.

Whiiish!

The wind pressure was palpable, even from a step back.

“Fall back!”

Those outside the radius took another step back to avoid being caught.

I, on the other hand, did the opposite.

Thud.

Instead of retreating, I stepped into the vortex.

“B-Bjorn? Where are you going!!”

[Eye of the Storm] is an aura-based skill.

The whirlwind lasts for 5 seconds around the monster.

In other words, if it charges us, someone might get caught.

Someone needs to hold it safely.

Whiiish!

As soon as I entered the radius, the wind whipped around me, but I wasn’t drawn to the monster like a magnet.

「Character weight exceeds 1,000 kg.」

「Special effect [Eye of the Storm] is ignored.」

Of course, it would be strange if such a heavy body were blown away by mere wind.

Whiiish!

The real issue was the trident thrusting through the blinding environment.

To be honest, I didn’t see it.

But…

Bang!

My hand moved on its own to block the trident.

Was it due to all the rough battles?

‘Wow, I reacted to that.’

My body now reacts faster than my mind.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After blocking about three more thrusts on instinct, the whirlwind subsided.

Okay, now to create some distance.

Thud.

As I backed off, Raven’s shouting, previously drowned out by the wind, became audible.

“Mr. Jandel, what was that just now!! I told you to move away…!!”

A scolding for disobeying orders.

But as a barbarian, I had only one thing to say. Admitting I forgot was a bit too much…

“Ah, sorry. It just felt right.”

To be honest, the mage should have mentioned it first.

That heavy people wouldn’t be sucked in and should go in and hold it.

Tsk, these local mages.

‘Huh, don’t they teach such basics in their books?’

It’s frustrating for me.