Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

PK (2)

Jensia Nayfrin.

Although it’s a pseudonym she mainly uses when looting, anyway…

She entered the ‘Glacier Cave’ alone without much concern.

Because she’s confident that she can clear it even if she has to kill everyone.

While purchasing information that the ‘Frozen Breath’ essence drops here, she also memorized the strategy.

However…

[…I won’t be a burden. I’m Avman Urikfrit.]

Things went wrong from the start.

[I see, I’m 5th-grade.]

A 5th-grade archer, a 6th-grade barbarian, and a 7th-grade beastman.

‘Why are these guys on the 1st floor at this time?’

She couldn’t understand it at all.

Even though it’s a rift that opened on the first day, she only expected one or two 7th or 8th-grade explorers to enter at most.

‘Anyway, what should I do now?’

She originally planned to play around with them for fun and then kill the guardian and leave alone.

Because word can’t get out to the city.

Her equipment, skills, and appearance are already known to the guild.

If it gets out that she’s alive, there will definitely be trouble.

‘It’s too risky to exploit them alone, should I just stay quiet this time and wait for the next opportunity?’

She had that thought at first, but it gradually changed.

Sometimes, crises can become opportunities, right?

‘Tsk, I can wait 3 months, but it’s still a shame…’

Thanks to her abundant looting experience, she can roughly estimate their value just by looking at them.

‘The archer bastard is worth 30 million, the barbarian 6 million, and that cat bitch… hmm, about 3 million.’

A total of 39 million stones.

It’s not easy to loot this much in the labyrinth. Especially for a solo marauder like her.

‘Alright, let’s do it.’

She starts planning again.

If she uses the special circumstances of being inside the rift, it seems like there might be a way.

‘The problem is this archer bastard…’

The barbarian and the beastman are low-ranked and warriors, so she’s not particularly scared of them.

They’re unlikely to have any detection abilities, so she’s confident that she can win even in a 2-on-1 situation.

But one of them is different.

‘Why is he so thorough?’

He’s experienced, as befits a high-ranking explorer.

He tries to hide his abilities as much as possible in front of strangers, and whenever she tries to subtly move to a blind spot, he instinctively shifts his gaze towards her.

It was the same when we were sleeping by the campfire.

The archer bastard sat with his back against the wall, making sure that she and Kalson were within his line of sight.

‘Ha, he’s like a surveillance camera. And he didn’t even care that the cat girl was behind him.’

Is it because she’s also a beastman?

The archer bastard was particularly cautious around Kalson and her.

Of course, it didn’t seem like he had noticed anything.

It was just a habit.

One that became as natural as breathing as he gained experience.

‘…This is why humans are the worst.’

She waited patiently.

[And I’ve absorbed the Goblin Archer’s essence, and I received training as a scout when I was young, so I’m somewhat knowledgeable about traps and mechanical devices.]

She acted like a newbie, as she had introduced herself at first, to lower their guard.

And then the moment came.

[I guess I’ll have to put in some effort this time.]

The archer bastard finally revealed a new ability.

She had already figured out the four essences he possessed. This was finally the ability of the ‘Spirit Beast’ she had been most wary of.

[Gaaaaak!!]

A gray bear charges forward on all fours, roaring.

The corners of her mouth curl up into a smirk as soon as she sees it.

The archer bastard is a summoner.

And not just any summoner, but one with a tank-type summon that can only act as a meat shield, not one with any detection abilities.

And as if the heavens were helping her…

Kwaaang!

…the barbarian collapses after being hit in the head by a hammer.

It seems like a pathetic way to go down for a 6th-grade explorer, but considering that his agility stat was reduced due to [Hypothermia], it’s not that unbelievable.

No, maybe even his 6th-grade rank was a lie.

In the first place, that barbarian wasn’t that important.

「Character has cast [Equipment Transformation].」

She changes her equipment using a skill.

A single worn-out sword transforms into a poisoned blade, and the rest of her equipment also changes into items specialized for PvP that she collected one by one.

And in that state…

「Character has cast [Beast Walk].」

「Enters high-grade stealth and movement speed is greatly increased for 3 seconds.」

…she activates stealth.

It’s the same one she usually introduced as the Goblin Archer’s essence during her ‘hobby activities’.

Thud-

She pushes off the ground and runs, but her footsteps are barely audible thanks to the high-grade stealth bonus.

The archer bastard, distracted by the orcs, still hasn’t noticed her movement.

「Character has cast [Vengeance].」

「Penetration and cutting power are greatly increased for the first strike, and inflicts the status effect ‘bleeding’.」

Her sword pierces the target’s abdomen.

It’s surprising.

Because she was originally aiming for the heart.

‘To think he would react to that.’

Of course, it’s not a meaningful struggle.

She can feel the sensation of his organs with the tip of her sword, and she even applied poison beforehand.

Nothing changes.

He’s just going to die a bit more painfully.

“Keugh!”

Just as she’s enjoying the afterglow for a moment, watching the archer bastard vomiting blood…

Crash!

Something hits her head and shatters, spilling a sticky liquid.

“Wh, what!”

She checks and sees that it was the cat girl’s doing.

“What the hell did you do to me…?”

As she’s stepping back, thinking something is wrong…

…she sees the barbarian who was unconscious slowly getting up.

“What, what is it…?”

She can’t understand at all.

It took less than 2 seconds from the moment she used her skill to when she successfully landed the surprise attack.

And she knows from her experience.

When you’re ambushed, you usually get startled and scream with a betrayed expression.

That’s the normal reaction.

But what about this cat girl?

She ran up and broke the vial as if she had been waiting for this moment…

…and that barbarian who got up just fine is the same.

He doesn’t ask why she betrayed them.

As if there’s no need for that…

…he just charges towards her, shouting.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!”

From their unusual behavior, she deduces one thing.

No, it’s more accurate to say that she realizes.

‘Could it be… they knew I was going to do this?’

It’s not just that something went wrong.

「Character has cast [Beast Walk].」

「Stealth is dispelled by Witch's Lamp Solvent.」

Things have gone terribly wrong.

_____________________

「Character has used [Wild Release].」

_____________________

As I shout the name of the ancestor god…

…vitality flows into my body, and the attention of the Ice Orc who was beating up Kalson shifts to me.

[Kriiik?]

Of course, it’s not a problem.

I took a hit to the head earlier, and it was manageable.

In that sense…

Tadat!

…I ignore the orc and dash.

The distance closes rapidly as I move my long barbarian legs.

Jensia still has a dazed expression.

Well, she wouldn’t understand.

She executed a perfect surprise attack, so how could she have known that someone would have noticed beforehand?

Smirk.

Even I would have had a hard time noticing.

If she had entered the rift I opened, I would have just thought she was an ordinary low-level explorer.

I wouldn’t have paid much attention to the dirt on her shoes or anything.

Well, I would have still been cautious, but…

‘Why are there so many bastards in this world?’

Ah, could it be that she’s not from this world?

I push aside the fleeting thought and push off the ground once more.

That’s when…

“Uh…?”

Jensia’s face turns pale.

It seems like she finally realized.

That her stealth ability is disabled.

“Wh, why…?”

Stealth was probably her trump card.

She was planning to kill the bear-like man first and then use stealth to take down each of us one by one.

Assuming there were no mages or anyone with detection abilities, it’s a skill that boasts tremendous power in PvP even at medium levels.

It’s practically an ability that warriors have no choice but to fall victim to.

I only have one thing to say to her.

“Idiot.”

If you wanted to hide your identity, you should have watched your mouth.

If you hadn’t blabbed about absorbing the Goblin Archer’s essence, even I wouldn’t have known about the stealth.

Whoosh!

I swing my mace as soon as I’m within range.

But it seems like she wasn’t planning to just exploit people with stealth.

Jensia nimbly somersaults to the side and dodges my attack.

But what a shame.

That’s the direction where the cat is.

“You bitch!”

“Ugh!”

Although she was just standing there, Jensia ends up back near me while dodging Misha’s sword strike.

I have a feeling she’ll dodge my slow mace swing.

Therefore…

Thwack!

…I use Shield Smash for the first time in a while.

I smash her face with my shield as if receiving a tennis ball, and Jensia’s body flies away like a piece of paper.

But did she invest in defense as well?

Despite the satisfying impact, Jensia regains her balance in mid-air and lands on her feet, not even fainting.

Drip.

She has a nosebleed and shouts in annoyance,

“These damn NPC bastards…!”

You really were a player.

She’s the first person from my home world that I’ve met since Tarik Liyen…

But nothing changes.

Whether they’re players or just marauders, those who tried to kill me are all the same ‘bastards’.

“Bjorn! Be careful!”

Huh?

Just as I’m about to dash forward again and smash her head for good…

…I turn around at Misha’s shout and see an orc.

[Kriiik!]

The bastard is swinging his axe down, trying to split my head open without even understanding the situation.

I turn my head to avoid getting hit directly.

The giant axe blade then strikes the shoulder line of my Laetium breastplate.

Clang!

My bones feel a bit cold, but it’s not significant damage.

So I ignore it and continue my dash.

Because if this guy dies, the final boss will appear.

But was my unwavering advance in the face of the orc’s attack impressive?

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!”

As I charge forward, making noises like a tank deflecting bullets, Jensia starts running away in a hurry.

And she’s heading towards the entrance where we came in.

I follow her out of curiosity, and soon she stops.

“Uh, why is there a wall…”

What the?

I diligently followed her because I thought there might be something else here…

But was she just an idiot?

Smirk.

It’s kind of funny.

She calls us NPCs, but she doesn’t even know this even though she’s a player. Originally, when you enter the third chapter, the ceiling collapses and blocks the path.

In other words, this bitch ran into a dead end on her own because she didn’t even know that.

Therefore, I also slow down.

A cornered rat will bite the cat.

I need to be a bit more cautious.

Thud.

I take a step forward, covering my upper body with my shield.

Although the passage is only wide enough for two or three people to pass through, I’m a big and important barbarian warrior.

It’s practically impossible for her to squeeze through.

Clang-!

Well, even in the midst of this, the orc bastard strikes the back of my head again, but…

“Bjorn! I’ll take care of this guy!”

After hearing Misha’s shout, that doesn’t happen anymore.

“Don’t kill him.”

“Huh? Alright!”

I take another step forward.

Now the distance between me and that bitch is only 2 meters.

We’re practically within each other’s range, but Jensia doesn’t dare to attack recklessly.

The pecking order has already been established in her mind.

Thud.

I take another confident step forward.

Only then does Jensia shout desperately,

“Wait! Le, let’s talk! There’s been a misunderstanding…”

Misunderstanding my ass.

She just wants to buy some time.

I saw her sword glowing red earlier, so it seems like she uses [Vengeance].

‘Was the cooldown 3 minutes?’

That’s assuming she doesn’t have any cooldown reduction.

In other words, there’s no way for her to penetrate my shield for the next 2 minutes—

Whoosh!

As if her attempt at negotiation was just a distraction, Jensia cuts me off and swings her sword.

Clang, thwack!

I quickly block it with my shield and simultaneously smash her wrist with my mace. Her wrist bends at an unnatural angle, and the sword falls to the ground.

Clatter.

For now, it seems like a checkmate.

Unless this bitch has another skill or equipment effect that can turn the situation around.

I can’t be sure yet.

So it’s better to eliminate any variables.

She might have a self-destruct skill or something hidden.

“What misunderstanding? Tell me in detail.”

“Will you… really believe me?”

“If it’s a story worth believing.”

Jensia’s eyes become dazed at my words.

It seems like she’s trying to come up with a story that will convince me.

No, even if she can’t convince me, she’s probably just trying to buy time by telling a plausible story.

“I… I don’t know if you’ll beli—”

The moment Jensia’s lips open…

…I smash her head with my mace.

Thwack-!

Although she was showing some agility, this time she can’t even react and collapses limply.

Thud.

Jensia’s body convulses, and her mouth twitches.

It seems like she has something to say…

Smirk.

Looking at her eyes, I think I understand what she’s trying to say.

That I shouldn’t have broken my promise.

I answer honestly, like a barbarian.

“To believe that, do you have a problem with your head?”

Of course, it’s a lie.

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