Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

PK (3)

First, I checked outside the passage.

"Aak!"

"Don't run away and just hold on!"

Misha and Kalson were busy dealing with the orc. If it were just a matter of killing it, it would have been over quickly, but they couldn't do that because of my instructions.

'I don't have to worry about them for a while.'

I quickly stripped Jensia of her equipment while she was unconscious.

A 2nd-tier leather top.

Boots with blades that popped out when I was taking them off.

Looking at them, each piece of equipment was focused on fighting people rather than monsters. As I shoved them into my backpack and examined them, a smile naturally appeared on my face.

'I could just give some of these to Misha, this saves me money.'

Jensia's equipment was of a fairly decent level.

And the highlight among them was the sword.

It was a longsword that exuded an expensive aura from its hilt.

'Wait a minute... isn't this a Numbered Item?'

I stopped putting it in my backpack and took a closer look at the sword.

A green-tinged blade.

If my guess is right, this is the No. 5991 Viper's Fang.

It didn't have any usage effects, but it gave a large bonus to penetration, and the poison damage inflicted through the sword was doubled.

Well, I'll have to get it appraised to be sure...

'It seems like I got something valuable.'

Viper's Fang is a 'core item'.

Although it's not a graduation weapon, it's an item that can be used well into the mid-to-late game if you're going for a poison build.

Naturally, it's expensive regardless of its number.

'If it really is Viper's Fang, I'll have Misha use it until I sell it.'

With that thought, I got up.

Now that the looting was over, it was time to have a conversation.

Because I had a few questions.

But before that, I needed to prepare for the conversation.

Thwack-!

I swung my mace down.

The target was her ankle.

There was no reason to hesitate since I had already taken all the equipment that could be sold.

"Ugh, keugh!!!"

Jensia sat up as if she had been electrocuted as her thin, white ankle was crushed.

I pressed down on her upper chest with my foot to hold her in place.

And...

"N, no...!"

Thwack-!

...I did the same to her other ankle.

I had already taken care of one of her wrists, so now only her left wrist remained.

As I changed my position, our eyes met.

Has she done something similar to me before?

She seemed to know what I was about to do.

"St, stop... please... I, I'll do anything, so..."

Really?

"Then stay still. I'll finish up and then we'll talk."

I raised my mace above my head.

"Do, don't...!! I won't resist! So please, just talk it out—!"

Just wait a minute, will you?

Thwack-!

"Kyaaaaaak!!!"

Jensia's scream echoed once more, and finally, the environment for a conversation was established.

Her limbs were crushed, and I had stripped her of all her equipment.

So I could relax and...

Ah, I didn't take everything off, did I?

"Use [Equipment Transformation]."

Although they're just beginner-level equipment, she still has some swappable gear. However, Jensia just stared at me blankly, even stopping her pained groans.

"How... did you...?"

How did I know?

Is there any other skill that allows you to change your equipment instantly?

I raised my mace instead of answering.

Jensia's face turned even paler.

She must know that the only thing left to crush with this is her tiny head.

"I, I'll do it!"

New equipment appeared on Jensia's body.

Ordinary equipment that would probably be worth about 500,000 stones in total.

I took them off and put them in my backpack.

Then it's time to move on to the main topic.

"I have some questions."

"An, anything!"

First, I asked Jensia what essences she had.

She had a total of four essences.

[Equipment Transformation] from Iron Knight, [Beast Walk] from Dinictis, [Vengeance] from Saint Assassin...

'...and [Poison Infliction]...'

I was wary that it might be a self-destruct skill, but her last essence was the [Poison Infliction] of the Hop Goblin, which Misha also has.

In total, it seems like she absorbed two 6th-grade, one 5th-grade, and one 7th-grade essence.

She raised her character quite well.

It's a shame that she's using it for looting...

'No, come to think of it, maybe she found her true calling?'

In terms of explorers who fight monsters, Jensia is only around 6th-grade level. However, in PvP, she would definitely be above 5th-grade.

"Th, that's all…? I would have told you even if you just asked—"

What is she talking about? This is just the beginning.

I move on to the next question.

"Why did you attack us?"

"My information is spread throughout the Explorer's Guild. So I was trying to silence..."

"So you were planning to kill anyone who entered, regardless of who they were."

Jensia closes her eyes tightly and nods.

At this point, it would be understandable for her to give up and say, 'Just kill me'. However, she never utters those words.

It wouldn't change anything even if she did.

"Then why did you open the rift? It doesn't seem like you have any essence slots left, and you wouldn't have needed to silence us if you hadn't entered in the first place."

"It's because of the Heart of the Glacier. I heard that item only drops here."

Ah, so that's why.

"And I wasn't worried about silencing you. I thought you would be at most 8th-grade explorers—"

Just as I'm listening and nodding in understanding as the last piece of the puzzle falls into place...

...Jensia suddenly shuts her mouth. And her eyes widen.

As if she realized something huge.

"You… knew that I opened the rift…?"

…She just made a slip of the tongue.

"What are you talking about?"

I answer naturally while scratching my ear, but Jensia doesn't fall for it. And after a moment of silence, she finally reaches an answer.

"Don't tell me… you're also a player?"

Although it seems pointless to deny it after seeing her expression…

…there’s no need to confirm it either.

“Player? Are you an evil spirit?”

She just stares into space blankly at my question.

And as if she’s come to her senses, she squirms and presses her face against my leg.

I just look down at her.

“Mister, please save me…”

Hope.

“I want to go home. I can’t die here. In this shitty place… I survived so much. Please… please.”

Resentment.

“Ah, I haven’t apologized, have I? I’m sorry. I, I was wrong. I thought you were NPCs. I would never have done that if I had known. We, we’re real people… people, right? It would be murder!”

Desperation.

“Please… say something. Please? Fuck! Say something! Heuk, you bastard…”

Despair.

I just keep looking at Jensia’s face, where all sorts of emotions are swirling.

Thump.

Surprisingly, my heart is calm.

Not even sadness, let alone a shred of sympathy, arises.

There was no PK (player killing) in [Dungeon and Stone].

Because it’s not an online game.

However, killing NPCs was possible.

I also enjoyed playing as a looter in that way.

But…

‘I killed them because they were NPCs?’

This is not just a game.

I desperately want to believe that, but there’s too much evidence that forces me not to.

And she probably knew it too.

Therefore, I answer briefly,

“You are, an evil spirit.”

Evil spirit.

A being that doesn’t belong in this world.

But a being that has no choice but to assimilate its body, mind, and soul to survive here.

Well, who cares if they’re a player or an NPC?

Nothing changes.

No matter what label you put on her, this woman is just a marauder, and she’s a dangerous person who has figured out that I’m a player.

“You bastard!!”

Therefore, I raise my mace.

Thinking that even if the situation were reversed, it would be the same, since we’ve both adapted to this place.

Swoosh.

I put strength into the hand holding the mace.

Jensia doesn’t beg for her life anymore.

She just stares at me with venomous eyes.

As if to say she’ll remember my face and curse me even in death.

“Heu, heup, haak…”

With every ragged breath she takes, her plump chest rises and falls rapidly. I can feel how fast her heart is beating even without placing my ear against it.

I realize one thing.

Although she seemed to be filled with nothing but spite, there was one more thing left.

Fear.

Jensia then closes her eyes.

She lets go of her hatred and finally finds peace.

I wonder what she’s seeing beyond those tightly shut eyelids?

“Mo, mom…”

I swing my mace down before hearing everything.

Thwack-!

Flesh and blood splatter.

Blood gushes from her nose and mouth with every small convulsion of her fallen body.

Of course, it doesn’t last long.

Soon, her body completely stops moving.

I let out the breath I’ve been holding back and turn around.

「Achievement Unlocked」

Condition: First player kill

Reward: Mental stat permanently increases by +1.

I killed a player for the first time.

However, I push aside my emotions and take a step forward.

Thud-

Whether that act was easy or difficult.

Whether I felt excitement rather than fear at the sight of blood and flesh.

Whether I felt disgusted with myself for hoping that she saw what I wanted her to see beyond her closed eyelids when she woke up.

Or whether I felt pathetic seeing myself gradually becoming corrupted by this barbarian’s body…

Emotions don’t matter.

Thud-

It was something I had to do.

‘…….’

On the first day I woke up in this barbaric world…

…this was the path I chose to walk.

______________________

“Why did it take you so long! I thought something bad happened!”

Misha scolds me as I leave the cavern, leaving Jensia’s corpse behind.

Hmm, but I finished as quickly as possible.

It didn’t even take 3 minutes.

“He, help me!”

Kalson cries out desperately as the orc pushes him back relentlessly while Misha is distracted, looking at me.

However, I maintain an observational stance.

“Misha, you can finish him off now.”

“Ah, is that okay?”

“Yeah, and try using the new ability you acquired.”

“Huh? I haven’t used it yet…”

That’s why I’m telling you to try it.

The mafia is gone, isn’t she?

And Ice Orcs are the perfect opponents.

“Ugh! I ca, can’t hold on any longer… Heup!”

While Kalson blocks another axe strike with his dented shield…

…Misha closes her eyes.

And she uses a skill.

「Misha Kaltstein has cast [Enhance].」

A faint white light appears on her hand.

It’s the active skill of the 7th-grade monster, ‘Vitol’.

Normally, Misha’s basic combo would have been to use [Poison Infliction] after this, but…

「Misha Kaltstein has cast [Cold Condensation].」

Blue particles, as if separating from the air, seep into Misha’s body.

「Cold Affinity is greatly increased.」

Misha opens her eyes, as if she feels that it worked properly.

And…

Whoosh!

…she swings her sword sharply and cuts the orc’s wrist, which was about to attack Kalson.

Slash!

It seems like she couldn’t cut through the bone in one go.

The orc’s hand, holding the axe, is half-severed and dangling.

However, I’m focused on something else.

[Kriiik!!]

A laceration on the wrist from the sharp blade.

However, no blood flows out. The wound is frozen shut, covered in frost.

‘Is it Frostbite?’

The cold attribute stops bleeding.

This might seem like a disadvantage, but it also stops regeneration, so it’s quite useful depending on the type of enemy.

The fact that it restricts movement is also an advantage.

[Kriiik!]

Of course, since the Ice Orc has high cold resistance, only the area around its wrist is frozen.

But it would have been different if it were a regular mob.

The frost would have spread to its elbow.

Hmm, if it were a monster with negative cold resistance, it might have even been completely frozen.

Misha hasn’t finished setting up her build yet.

In that sense…

“Misha, aim for the neck this time.”

“Huh? Alright!”

Misha’s sword pierces the orc’s neck.

Well, orcs have a high Bone Density stat.

It would have been difficult to cut through it in one go.

However, as the area around the orc’s neck freezes, it stops moving and starts trembling.

It seems like the cold has reached its brain.

Kwagic-!

I’ve confirmed everything I needed to confirm, so I run forward and smash the orc’s head with my mace.

At the same time, the cavern starts shaking, and ice dust falls from the ceiling.

And I hear the roar I heard earlier.

[Groaaaaaaaaaar—!!]

“Wh, what?!”

What do you mean, what?

It means it’s time for the fourth chapter.

「Tyrant Tarunbas, awakened from his long slumber, has recovered all his strength.」

We even had an unplanned PK…

…so it’s time to kill the boss and leave.

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