Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 377

Treasure Hunter(5)

As soon as I slipped on the ring, I was momentarily startled by the sudden flash of light.

But after checking the color, I smacked my lips.

“Yellow light, huh…”

This color could only mean one thing:

Something or someone was nearby—something that could either positively or negatively impact my future.

“Erwin, do you sense anything around us?”

Lowering my voice, I asked. Without hesitation, Elwin focused her hearing.

And then…

“One of those people from earlier is here.”

“Since when?”

“I don’t know. But seeing that he’s hiding in the dark, I don’t think he just arrived. His breathing is steady…”

Erwin, who had trailed off, continued speaking.

“Oh, he’s talking now. I think he’s using a message stone. He’s saying that a Numbered Item has appeared and asking how long until they get here.”

No wonder the ring lit up.

It seems he witnessed everything, including us capturing the Raflemimic.

“So they left a scout behind. Erwin, keep focusing in that direction. We’ll start packing up the campsite.”

“Yes.”

After entrusting the watch to Erwin, we quickly packed our belongings and prepared to leave.

However, they were one step ahead of us.

“They’ve arrived.”

“How many?”

“Eighteen in total. Ah, they’re discussing what to do with us now.”

“I see… So, what are they planning?”

“I’m not sure. The sound got cut off halfway through, maybe due to magic. Sorry…”

“Don’t apologize. We’ll find out soon enough anyway.”

Barely after I finished speaking, an artificial light burst from their hiding spot, illuminating the area.

“Hey there, friend! What was your name again? I forgot to ask earlier.”

Like hell you forgot.

You never even gave your name.

“Well, I don’t think we’re close enough to bother with introductions.”

“Haha, a shy one, huh?”

He laughed, but his eyes remained cold, his hand resting on his waist, close to his weapon.

“So, what’s your business?”

“One of our patrols happened to witness you taking down Raflemimic.”

“What a coincidence.”

“That’s life, isn’t it? Anyway, let’s get to the point. Hand over the loot from that hunt.”

“And why would I do that?”

“As I said, this area is our clan’s territory. I believe we had an agreement earlier.”

“An agreement?”

I couldn’t help but scoff, but I did understand their position.

They must have patrolled this island daily, waiting for the  Raflemimic to appear, and then some explorers who just happened to drop by took the prize.

But, what can I do?

“You asked us to leave by morning, and we agreed to that. That was the only agreement.”

We never discussed the loot.

“That’s sophistry.”

“It’s not sophistry, it’s the truth.”

“…”

His jaw tightened, and I could hear the grinding of his teeth.

I could imagine his frustration.

He probably thought we’d agreed to share the spoils. Or at least, he assumed we would.

After all, who would expect a monster like Raflemimic to spawn overnight?

“There are unspoken rules in places like this. If you violate our rights, no one will blame us for dealing with you accordingly.”

A very direct threat.

I stared at him, as if to ask if he was serious. He didn’t avert his gaze.

“…”

“…”

It was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange for either side to draw their weapons at any moment.

Gulp.

Swallowing hard, the group behind him gripped their weapons, ready to attack depending on my response.

But I wasn’t one to back down.

“I don’t know about any ‘unspoken rules,’ but…”

I spoke firmly.

“Anyone who tries to take what’s mine is a plunderer.”

“So, you’re choosing violence.”

I shrugged nonchalantly, not even bothering to take his words seriously.

“Heard it often enough. Where do you think they’re all at?”

“…”

“At least now things are clear.”

I delivered my final warning.

“What are you waiting for? If you’re going to attack, do it. If not, get lost.”

Then I delivered my final notice.

“What are you doing? If you’re going to attack, do it. If not, you’d better get lost.”

It was a completely different dynamic from our first meeting.

Earlier, when I agreed to leave in the morning, he had looked down on us.

But how is it now?

Now that I’m taking an extreme and firm stance, he doesn’t know what to do.

Well, he must be feeling uneasy.

He can’t fathom why we’re so confident when we’re outnumbered five to one.

‘Part of it must be because of Erwin.’

They still hadn’t recognized her.

But they must have heard by now that a fairy archer took down Raflemimic with a single arrow.

They probably realized we weren’t just some random group of explorers.

“…”

Even so, the leader seemed hesitant to make a decision, likely because he was in front of his clan members.

So…

“If you’re having trouble deciding, I’ll help.”

“…What?”

He looked at me like I was talking nonsense, but when I started counting, his expression changed.

“Three.”

“…!”

“Two.”

Instead of dragging it out, I counted faster than normal.

And just as I was about to say the final number—

“…There’s no need for meaningless bloodshed.”

He raised the white flag.

***

“Captain! Why did you back down there?”

At the subordinate’s outcry, Ekshir Melik, the leader of the Huntsman Clan, frowned. Then one of his confidants quickly stepped forward to speak for him.

“They hunted a Raflemimic without a mage. At the very least, that fairy archer is a Rank 3 explorer. Considering they’re traveling together, the other two are probably similar.”

“Even if all three of them are Rank 3 explorers, we have far greater numbers!”

“Remilton, have you ever fought a Rank 3 explorer? They’re monsters.”

“But they didn’t have a mage! With our numbers, we could have won!”

“Still, more than half of us would have died. Do you think that one Numbered Item is worth that?”

“That is…”

The man who had first objected to the logic trailed off.

And then the real division began.

“But if this gets out, we’ll be laughed at wherever we go.”

“That hasn’t happened yet. And even if it does, I believe the captain made the right call.”

“By the way, who is that fairy? Taking down a Raflemimic in one shot…”

“If she’s a silver-haired woman… Could she be the ‘Blood Spirit Queen’?”

“If that’s true, we were lucky to back off.”

“Blood Spirit Queen? Are you all out of your minds? Why would that lunatic be here? She’s probably off somewhere in the middle of a war, cutting down people.”

Their heated debate intensified, voices growing sharper, and soon, the group split into factions.

That’s when it happened.

“Captain! They’re boarding a ship and leaving the island!”

A scout’s report brought the argument to a halt as everyone turned to look at their leader.

Their gazes asked the same question: What now?

Ekshir Melik sighed, careful not to let anyone see.

‘Shit’

Running a clan was like steering a ship.

No matter the storm, the leader must show a unwavering resolve.

Thus…

“Pack up your things.”

The man made his decision.

“Captain, does that mean…?”

“We’re going after them.”

With that, the aggressive faction brightened with satisfaction.

On the other hand, those who had urged caution showed signs of concern.

“But they’re no pushovers.”

Three explorers, likely of Rank 3.

Still, their captain wasn’t too worried.

“I understand your concern, but this is different. We’re at sea now. They won’t stand a chance against us in a naval battle.”

“As expected, you had a plan all along, Captain!”

Those in the aggressive faction admired the man’s strategy, and even the opposing faction seemed to somewhat agree.

That’s how confident they were in naval combat.

However, perhaps they still had this question:

“Still… is a Numbered Item really worth that much?”

At this, Ekshir Melik chuckled.

“One Numbered item isn’t enough to make this worthwhile.”

“Then—?”

“They likely have more than just that one item.”

The Huntsman Clan.

Now they’re stuck on an island treasure hunting, but once they were pirates roaming the great sea on the sixth floor.

Hunting people and making money.

***

Early Morning, as the dawn began to break.

Whoosh—!

The wind filled the sails, pushing the ship forward.

Behind us, the stars shine in the dim sky. Ahead, the barely visible sun on the horizon.

It was a scenic view, but I didn’t have the luxury to appreciate it.

“Mister, there are ships following us. Three in total, and no visible insignia.”

We had barely left the island when the chase began.

I had a pretty good idea who it was.

‘So they never intended to let us go in the first place.’

No wonder the yellow light felt so anticlimactic.

They had been planning this from the start.

With three ships, they likely had a lot of experience with naval battles.

They must have thought they’d have the upper hand at sea.

Still, one thing puzzled me.

‘So why was it yellow instead of red?’

If we were going to be attacked anyway, wouldn’t red have made more sense?

Was there something positive in this situation that I hadn’t realized?

My thoughts were interrupted by Amelia’s voice.

“Schuiz, what are we going to do?”

“Can we outrun them?”

“Maybe.”

Despite activating the magic propulsion device, the distance between us was shrinking—these ships must have been built with a particular focus on mobility.

So now, we were left with only one option.

“Emily, stop feeding magic stones into it. It’s a waste.”

“Are we going to fight?”

“Do we have any other choice?”

Amelia didn’t respond to my question. She simply let go of the wheel and started lowering the sails.

As soon as I joined her in lowering the sails, the ship that had been gliding along the wind slowed significantly.

And then…

Swishhhhh-!

I could finally see the three ships rapidly closing in, cutting through the water. The one in the center was particularly striking.

“…”

It was at least three times the size of our ship.

Equipped with magic cannons on both its sides and front, it had not just one, but three sails.

And that wasn’t all.

There was even an ice-breaking device attached to its bow.

It might not have been on par with a royal warship, but it was probably two ranks below that.

“Schuiz, if they start firing those cannons, our ship will sink in no time,”  Amelia said, her voice full of concern.

It wasn’t an unreasonable fear.

In a naval battle, our ship would be shattered in moments by something like that.

But still…

Lick.

I licked my lips and checked my signal ring.

The yellow light that had flashed earlier had long since faded.

But now, I had a better idea.

Why did the yellow light appear instead of red.

“That’s one big, sturdy-looking ship.”

In the labyrinth, it’s not only monsters that cough up treasure.