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Surviving as a Barbarian in the Game - Episode 23

23Level up (3)

Insert the torch into the groove carved on the helmet..

And tie it tightly with a string..

It's called Barbarian Candle Mode..

…Although a feeling of self-destruction creeps in, it is a practical method that other explorers also like to use..

Einar placed his hand on the flickering flame and immediately let out an exclamation..

“Oh, amazing! not really hot!”

Well, this torch is also a magic tool in its own way..

It is only about a span in length, so it does not interfere with body movements, and it is a useful item that can last for up to 3 days once grown..

Crossbow was an expedition item that the group had..

Was the average price 10,000 stones??

…I suddenly miss Erwen.

“But where is this??”

Einar looks around and asks if the surroundings are slowly coming into view..

Although there may be a big gap between what you actually see and the 2D pixel graphics, it was quite easy to understand this time..

The black earth becomes muddy every time I walk on it..

Stone building remains visible everywhere.

Even the sorrowful cries that can be heard faintly from afar.

“It is the land of the dead..”

“Ah, this is where Ghouls and Deathfiend come from.!”

For now, yes..

If we go into detail, it is said that elder ghouls, skeletons, banshees, and even the Dullahan, which is a mid-boss in its own way, will appear..

“I will take the lead..”

The combat power of monsters is much higher in the Land of the Dead than in the Goblin Forest..

But if I were to be picky, I'd give Goblin Forest the upper hand..

It's a lot darker here though…….

At least there are no traps here.

This is much more convenient for two barbarians to work together..

“It's a ghoul.”

Before long we encountered a monster..

The number is as small as three..

Of course, by the third day, it will increase by about three times the current amount..

One more reason to move quickly.

“Bjorn, here is the magic stone.!”

“Take care of everything you see without having to report everything. Distribution can be done later. I'm going to speed up..”

Unlike the Goblin Forest, I immediately left the entrance and continued moving north..

Then, a scream was heard nearby..

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“Rain, rain, Bjorn?!”

“This is the howl made by a banshee. Just ignore it. They rarely attack first..”

“I see... … . But is it really okay if you don't kill them? Couldn’t it be dangerous?.”

well.

I wonder if there was an Erwen who could use spirits..

No matter what the two of you are doing in physics, you can't catch a banshee..

Even if I could catch it, it was a problem..

“If you attack the banshee first, you will be cursed..”

“curse?”

“It is a curse called the token of resentment. The banshees will relentlessly target you until you escape the labyrinth..”

Unless you're going to be hunting banshee for 10 days, it's better not to touch them at all..

If experience was the goal, it was common to catch only one or two on the last day..

“You are a truly wise warrior. Good thing I followed you..”

I appreciate the compliment..

I don't want to show it, but I know full well that I'm more scared of this type of thing than I thought..

But that's it and this is this.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“Crackling!”

I want you to stop clinging to me every time you hear a sound..

Aside from being burdensome,…….

Because it feels like the arm I’m holding on to will be crushed.

“Let it go, let it go… It's a skeleton.”

Just then, a group of skeletons appeared, making the sound of their joints clicking together..

The number is as many as 10.

1Even though it is a first car, the number is quite large as a monster that boasts a large quantity..

Well, if you catch all of them, you will only get three or four magic stones..

“Huh! I will get it done!”

Perhaps embarrassed by the sound of the banshee, Einar jumped forward first..

Tsk tsk, I clicked my tongue inwardly..

“Einar! If you look between the ribs, there will be a nucleus. If you want to catch a skeleton with a sword-type weapon, you must aim for it.…….”

Kwasik-!

“huh? what did you say?”

“I didn't say anything. Don't worry, just fight..”

Kwasik-! Kwasik! Kwasik!

Weakness and all.

Every time Einar swung his enormous sword, the skeleton was brutally destroyed..

And never woke up again.

***

「Killed an Elder Ghoul. EXP +1」

「Killed a skeleton. EXP +1」

「Killed a skeleton warrior. EXP +1」

「Killed a skeleton archer. EXP +1」

***

Afterwards, it moved north for about 8 hours..

In doing so, I was able to naturally encounter various new monsters..

An elder ghoul that is twice as big as a regular ghoul..

Skeleton warriors and archers classified as variants.

It's hard to say anything definitive since I haven't met Maisie yet, but so far there hasn't been much difficulty..

1Not only is the number of Ilchara small, but my combat power has also increased significantly compared to before..

Powok-!

First of all, if you look at the equipment, it is the same..

Because of the center of gravity, the man's two-handed hammer could only be used by holding it briefly..

However, holding a mace about 70cm long made it possible to strike from a greater distance..

Much safer and more powerful.

More than anything…….

Kyaang-!

I also got armor.

Because it is a vest-shaped plate armor, the forearms are exposed defenselessly, but that alone significantly reduces the area that needs to be blocked with a shield..

As a result, a much bolder battle was possible..

It feels like the shackles have finally been lifted..

“Bjorn, be careful! There are also skeleton archers.!”

The T-shaped steel helmet with only the eyes, nose, and mouth exposed protected the most important vital area, the head..

Of course, it would be dangerous if he was hit directly by something like a crossbow, but he easily deflected an arrow fired from a broken bow..

And there is one more barbarian with similar combat power to me..

“Behel—laaaaaaa!!”

We chanted together to the barbarians' ancestral spirits and continued the battle, which was nothing short of a massacre..

Pow! Pow! Kwasik-!

No matter what monster appeared, about 10 seconds was enough to destroy an entire group..

Is that why??

Every time the battle ended, I felt a sense of refreshment that I could not experience when I was with Erwen..

Ah, is this the true taste of a barbarian??

“Bjorn, you're injured..”

huh?

After listening to Einar, I checked and found that there was a slight scratch on his forearm..

but…….

“do not worry. Get well soon.”

There is no need to apply herbs, let alone potions..

“oh! My skin is already healing! Is this the power of the spirit imprint??”

The efficacy of the first stage of the Immortal Imprinting Path is that natural regenerative power increases noticeably..

Of course, it's nothing compared to a potion.…….

I checked the other day and it took about a minute for a 0.5cm deep cut to heal to some extent..

However, this alone dramatically increases stability. Physical strength recovery itself has become faster, and endurance has also increased significantly..

“Get ready quickly. Looks like we're almost there now.”

I instilled tension in Einar and slowed down his movement speed..

Before we knew it, the terrain had changed..

The floor was no longer soggy but hard, and there were mounds here and there so it wasn't even..

The banshee's howling also became much louder..

“Kihihihihihi!!”

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Of course, the biggest change is something else..

Starting from here, the top species.

In other words, a level 8 monster appears..

“…Bjorn, you're not really going to attack first.?”

Einar has been chattering his teeth since earlier, probably because he was scared by the sound of the banshee..

It is said that when barbarians are scared, they tighten their jaws and become like that.…….

i don't know.

Maybe it's because I've never been that scared before.?

“Kuoooooooooo—!!”

As we continue to move, we hear a strange roaring sound coming from the darkness..

Phew, I'm actually shaking after listening to it..

“Einar, ready for battle.”

“Well, didn't you say you won't catch the banshee??”

Does this guy have no ears??

“Not a banshee.”

Deathfiend.

Among the many level 8 monsters that have contributed greatly to raising the entry barrier to the game, he is definitely the one who is evaluated as the most badass..

***

Coo! Coo! Coo! Cooung!

The sound of heavy footsteps that could be felt from a distance grew louder, and soon the creature appeared in front of us..

“…I'm going to fight that thing?”

Einar asks me, and before I can answer, he mutters.

“Sounds fun..”

I don't know what his emotions are like..

Last time he said he was scared of dying too, how can he smile while looking at a kid like this??

I'm afraid of things like banshee?

Cooung-!

Perhaps because the light bothered him, Desfiend stopped walking at the end of the light..

“don't be nervous.”

“Don't worry. I wasn't nervous.”

why are you answering It was said to me.

Huh, I made a plan on the way there, but when I actually saw that, my stomach tingled..

Deathfiend is a humanoid undead monster..

No, is it closer to a chimera??

He is over 3m tall and has a sword and shield on both arms..

I'm not holding it, really..

One hand, stretched out in a curved line, has a blade like a half moon, and the other arm, spread wide from the elbow to the side, takes the shape of a shield..

It's called Protein Blade & Shield..

“Kuoooooo—!!”

Damn, don't scream like that, it's so fucking scary..

I'm trying to reduce the fear somehow, but it's not easy..

“If you stay calm and follow your plan, you can win..”

“Of course I believe you..”

Thank you for that, but again, that was what I said to myself..

…Let's calm down.

Although this is your first try, nothing will be dangerous as long as you don't let go of your nerves..

If the situation gets worse, don't look back and jump out..

“As I said before, always aim for the head. Because anywhere else has no meaning. Do you understand??”

“i get it!”

No, that wasn't a signal to rush in right away..

“Behel—laaaaa!!”

Einar ran out holding a greatsword in both hands..

It's already too late to stop him.

The sound of cheers must have attracted aggro, and even the guy who was just watching from the edge of the torch rushed forward with his sword and shield..

“Kuoooooo—!!”

Kwaaaaang!

Einar's great sword and Deathfiend's protein blade collide, creating a roaring sound..

“Bjorn, be careful! It is a monster whose strength is no joke.!”

Don't you usually know things like that as soon as you see them??

“Behel—laaaaa!!”

First, I shouted loudly and moved forward..

Then, I built a wall in front of me with my shield and hit the side of the guy who was trying to attack Einar, who bounced away..

But is this the heaviness that comes from the physique??

It feels like I'm stuck on a rock..

Chijijijijik.

When he applies force, his body is pushed back just as he was holding the shield..

There is no reason to hold on, but my pride is hurt..

So I put my toes up high.

And then he shifted his entire weight forward and let out a scream instead of a roar..

“Ahhhhh!”

Shiba! I feel like my muscles are bursting..

But I felt a joy that was difficult to describe..

It looks like it's going to fall apart, but... I held on.

And Einar was not immature enough to let that gap pass by..

Huh-!

Soon, the great sword swung with a heavy pounding sound struck the side of Desfiend's head..

It's not cut down, it's literally like the word.

kagak!

I cut it with that thick sword, but the blade only got stuck about 1cm..

The dull sound was probably caused by the skull..

Even in the game, Deathfiend's defense was notoriously high..

Well, it is the regenerative power, not the defense power, that has made many beginners quit the game..

“Kuoooooooooo!”

“Just step away!”

I widened the distance to avoid the frenzied Deathfiend..

Dark red blood flowed from the spot where the great sword was drawn, but the bleeding stopped in less than 3 seconds..

His passive skill ‘Body Preservation’’.

“Einar! Make a gap. This time I will attack!”

Just as I was about to quickly place an order and rush in again..

dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd!

Suddenly the ground began to shake.

This was my first time seeing an effect like this, but I knew what it was happening as soon as I saw it..

Deathfiend's active skills.

‘‘Call of the Dead’.

“Get away, the ghouls are coming.!”

When the shaking ends, ghouls dig out of the ground and crawl out..

The number is exactly ten.

“Get rid of these guys first.!”

“i get it!”

While Einar was swinging his great sword at the ghouls.

“Kuoooooo!”

I marked it closely, paying attention only to Death Fiend..

However, because the aggro ghouls kept scratching me with their nails, my skin quickly turned into rags..

Of course it's not a big problem.

I also have regenerative powers.

Not as much as you.

“Bjorn! I'll take care of this guy now.!”

2After holding on for about a minute, the ghouls were cleared out..

For some reason, I found myself laughing too..

I can't believe I endured Deathfiend's summoning pattern by literally just getting hit..

‘I didn't do this much in games either..’

While Einar was marking the guy one-on-one with the baton touch, I took out my mace and moved behind the guy's back..

And then I put a smash in the back of the head..

Powok-!

It was a good sound with good taste..

In fact, rotten blood was leaking out from the back of the head, which was scattered everywhere..

Nevertheless, I continued to swing the mace..

Wow! Wow! Powok-!

If it were a goblin, the moment it was hit, it would have turned into light and disappeared with each hit..

But damn, why isn’t it working??

kagak!

From my actual experience, the strength of the skull is beyond imagination. Even while I was getting hit, my skin was healing..

…What do we do?

Attack power is lacking.

If I had known this would happen, I would have bought what the arms dealer recommended..

Should I just give up on catching him and hunt level 9 monsters??

Kak! Kak! Kak!

Although I was worried, I continued to strike the mace, but it wasn't enough to shatter his brain..

Huh-!

In the end, I had no choice but to step back to avoid the swinging protein blade..

But then.

“Kuot!”

Suddenly, Deathfiend's body loses balance and tilts..

When I checked, I saw Einar, who had dug into the gap, grab one of the legs of the 3m tall guy and lift him up..

This is a technique often seen in UFC..

This can't be right……

‘single leg tackle?’

“Behel—laaaa!!”

The muscles are pumped and the veins are rising as if they are about to explode, to the point where it looks even more like a monster.…….

The intention was clear, and there was even a possibility..

I immediately joined in as well..

Powok-!

When I hit one ankle that was in contact with the ground with all my might with a mace, the massive figure lost its balance and hovered for a moment..

and…….

Cooung-!

Eventually, I fall to the floor..

Takedown in technical terms.

This was the first time I knew that this kind of fight was possible against monsters classified as medium to large..

…Nothing is impossible for a barbarian.

“Kuooooot!”

I see Deathfiend writhing around like an upside-down bug..

We were about to rush in but were startled at the same time..

“Kuooooot!!”

Are you sure you can’t wake up alone??

“Bjorn!”

“Oh!”

We understood each other's thoughts just by looking at each other's eyes..

Einar and I ran to the fallen guy and hit each other with our weapons like crazy kites..

Place the rice cake on the mortar and take turns hitting it with a hammer in a friendly manner..

puck! puck! puck! puck! puck!

Come to think of it, I made rice cake like this at the folk village I visited when I was in elementary school..

“fun!”

Is it because I remembered my partner, who was in the same group as me at the time, crying and asking for a change??

Seeing Einar having fun together heals the wounds in my heart..

I feel like even my soul has become pure..

「Killed Desfiend. EXP +2」

We smiled brightly as we watched Deathfiend soon turn into light and disappear..

There was no powerful magic from a wizard, no divine power from a priest, or elemental magic from a fairy.…….

“Bjorn! Look at this! The magic stone is incredibly large.!”

We succeeded in hunting a level 8 monster..