I placed the torch in the groove carved into the top of my helmet.
Then, I tied it down securely with a string.
I called this the Barbarian Candle Mode.
…A sense of self-loathing washed over me, but this was a practical method that other Explorers also frequently used.
Ainar brought her hand to the flickering flames and then let out a gasp of admiration.
“Oh, how fascinating! It’s really not hot at all!”
Well, this torch was a Magical Tool, after all.
It was only about a handspan long, so it didn’t hinder my movements, and once lit, it was a useful item that could last for about three days.
It was part of the exploration supplies the crossbow party had.
Did they say the average market price was 10,000 Stone?
…Suddenly, I missed Erwen.
“By the way, where is this place?”
As she began to take in her surroundings, Ainar looked around and asked.
There was a vast difference between seeing it in person and seeing it in 2D pixel graphics, but this time, it was quite easy to recognize.
The black earth squelched with every step.
The ruins of stone buildings were visible everywhere.
And there was even the faint sound of a mournful cry in the distance.
“This is the Land of the Dead.”
“Ah, the place with Ghouls and Death Fiends!”
That was the gist of it.
To be more precise, there were also Elder Ghouls, Skeletons, Banshees, and even the Dullahan, which was something of a mid-boss.
“I will take the lead.”
The Combat Power of the monsters in the Land of the Dead was much higher than in the Goblin Forest.
However, in terms of trickiness, I would have to give the edge to the Goblin Forest.
Although this place was much darker…
At least there were no traps here.
This place was much more comfortable for two Barbarians to navigate.
“It’s a Ghoul.”
Before long, we encountered monsters.
There were only three of them.
Of course, by the third day, their numbers would increase threefold.
Another reason to hurry.
“Bjorn, here’s a Magic Stone!”
“Instead of reporting every single one, just grab them as you see them. We can distribute them later. I’m picking up the pace.”
Unlike in the Goblin Forest, I immediately left the entrance area and continued to move north.
Just then, a scream echoed from nearby.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“B-B-Bjorn?!”
“That’s a Banshee’s howling. Just ignore it. They rarely attack first.”
“I-I see… But is it really okay not to kill it? Couldn’t it be dangerous?”
Well.
It might be a different story if Erwen, who could use spirits, was here.
But two physical-type fighters couldn’t catch a Banshee no matter what they did.
And even if we could, it would be a problem.
“If you attack a Banshee first, you’ll be Cursed.”
“Cursed?”
“It’s a Curse called the Mark of Grudge. The Banshees will relentlessly target you until you leave the Labyrinth.”
Unless you planned on hunting nothing but Banshees for ten days straight, it was best not to touch them at all.
If Experience Points were the goal, the common practice was to hunt just one or two on the last day.
“You are a truly wise Warrior. I did well to follow you.”
I appreciate the compliment.
I also know very well that you’re more scared of these kinds of things than you let on, though you try not to show it.
But that was that, and this was this.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Gnash!”
I really wish you would stop clinging to me every time there was a sound.
Putting aside how burdensome it was…
It felt like my arm was about to be crushed.
“Let go… It’s a Skeleton.”
Just in time, a group of Skeletons appeared with the clattering sound of joints scraping together.
There were as many as ten of them.
True to their reputation as monsters that boasted numbers even on the first day, there were quite a few.
Well, for all that, we would probably only get three or four Magic Stones from killing them all.
“Hmph! I will take care of them!”
Perhaps embarrassed by her fear of the Banshee’s cry, Ainar darted forward first.
Tsk, tsk, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
“Ainar! Look between the ribs, there should be a core. To defeat a Skeleton with a Blade Weapon, you must aim for that spot…”
Crack—!
“Hm? What did you say?”
“I didn't say anything. Don't mind me and fight.”
Crack—! Crack! Crack!
Weak points be damned.
Every time Ainar swung her immense Greatsword, the Skeletons were brutally shattered.
And they did not rise again.
You have slain an Elder Ghoul.
EXP +1
You have slain a Skeleton.
EXP +1
You have slain a Skeleton Warrior.
EXP +1
You have slain a Skeleton Archer.
EXP +1
Afterward, we moved north for about eight hours.
Naturally, we encountered a variety of new monsters along the way.
Elder Ghouls, about twice the size of normal Ghouls.
Skeleton Warriors and Archers, which were classified as Mutants.
I hadn’t met a Skeleton Mage yet, so it was hard to say for sure, but so far, there hadn’t been much difficulty.
Not only were the numbers of monsters low since it was the first day, but my Combat Power had also increased significantly.
Thwack—!
For one, just look at my equipment.
Because of its center of gravity, I had no choice but to hold the Old Man’s Two-Handed Hammer with a short grip to use it.
But now, with a Mace about seventy centimeters long, I could strike from a greater distance.
It was much safer and more powerful.
Most importantly…
Clang—!
I had armor now.
It was a vest-style plate armor, so my forearms were exposed, but that alone drastically reduced the area I needed to block with my Shield.
As a result, I could fight much more aggressively.
It felt as if I had finally been freed from shackles.
“Bjorn, be careful! There are Skeleton Archers too!”
The steel helmet, which only exposed my eyes, nose, and mouth in a T-shape, protected my most vital point, my head.
Of course, a direct hit from something like a crossbow would be dangerous, but it easily deflected arrows shot from a rickety bow.
And there was another Barbarian with Combat Power similar to my own.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaa!!”
We shouted the name of the Barbarians’ Ancestral Spirit together as we continued a battle that was nothing short of a slaughter.
Thwack! Thwack! Crack—!
No matter what monster appeared, it took just over ten seconds to obliterate an entire group.
Was that why?
Every time a battle ended, I felt a refreshing sensation I had never experienced when I was with Erwen.
Ah, so this was the true taste of being a Barbarian?
“Bjorn, you’re injured.”
Hm?
At Ainar’s words, I checked and saw a small scratch on my forearm.
However…
“Don’t worry. It will heal soon.”
There was no need for a potion, not even to apply herbs.
“Oh! The flesh is already knitting back together! Is this the power of that Spirit Engraving?”
The first-stage effect of the Immortal Engraving Path was a noticeable increase in one’s Natural Regeneration.
Of course, it couldn’t compare to a potion…
When I checked the other day, it took about a minute for a half-centimeter-deep cut to heal to some extent.
But this alone provided a dramatic increase in my stability.
My stamina recovery was also faster, which meant my endurance had increased tremendously.
“Get ready. We’re almost there.”
I instilled a sense of tension in Ainar and slowed my pace.
The terrain had changed.
The ground was no longer squishy but hard, and it was uneven with mounds scattered about.
The Banshees’ howling had also grown much louder.
“Kihihihihihihi!!”
“Geuheuheu, heuaaaahk!”
Of course, the biggest change was something else.
From this point on, higher-species monsters appeared.
In other words, Eighth Rank monsters.
“…Bjorn, are you sure they won’t attack first?”
Frightened by the Banshee’s cries, Ainar had been grinding her teeth for a while now.
They say Barbarians clench their jaws when they’re scared…
I wouldn’t know.
I guess I’ve never been that scared before?
“Guooooooohh—!!”
As we continued to move, a bizarre roar echoed from the darkness.
Phew, hearing it for real sent a shiver down my spine.
“Ainar, prepare for battle.”
“D-didn’t you say we weren’t fighting the Banshee?”
Does she not have ears?
“It’s not a Banshee.”
The Death Fiend.
Among the many Eighth Rank monsters that had done a great service in raising the game’s entry barrier, it had to be the one considered the biggest bastard of them all.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The heavy footsteps, which could be felt from a great distance, grew louder and louder until, finally, the creature revealed itself before us.
“…You’re saying we’re going to fight that thing?”
Ainar asked me, and before I could answer, she muttered.
“This will be fun.”
I can’t for the life of me understand her sensibilities.
The other day, she said she was scared of dying too, so how can she smile at the sight of a thing like that? While being scared of something like a Banshee?
Thud—!
Annoyed by the light, the Death Fiend finally stopped at the edge of the torch’s glow.
“Don’t be nervous.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not nervous.”
Why are you answering? I was talking to myself.
Phew, I had made a plan on the way here, but seeing that thing in person made my knees weak.
The Death Fiend was a humanoid undead monster.
No, was it closer to a Chimera?
It stood over three meters tall, and its arms were a sword and a shield.
Not held, but literally part of its body.
One long, curved arm was sharp like a crescent moon, while the other, which spread out wide from the elbow, was shaped like a shield.
Its name was Protein Blade and Shield.
“Guooooooorrrk—!!”
Dammit, don’t scream looking like that, it’s fucking terrifying.
I tried to reduce my fear, but it wasn’t easy.
“We can win if we just calmly stick to the plan.”
“Of course, I trust you.”
I appreciate that, but again, I was talking to myself.
…Let’s be calm.
This was my first try, but as long as I didn’t let my guard down, there would be no danger.
If things got worse, I’d just run without looking back.
“Like I said before, aim for the head no matter what. Anywhere else is meaningless. Understand?”
“Understood!”
No, that wasn’t the signal to charge in right now.
“Behel—laaaaaaa!!”
Ainar gripped her Greatsword with both hands and charged forward.
It was too late to stop her.
As if her war cry had properly drawn its aggro, the beast that had been testing the waters at the edge of the torchlight also rushed forward, its sword and shield leading the way.
“Guooooooorrrk—!!”
Craaaaaash!
A deafening roar erupted as Ainar’s Greatsword clashed with the Death Fiend’s Protein Blade.
“Bjorn, be careful! This monster’s strength is no joke!”
Isn’t that something you’d normally realize as soon as you see it?
“Behel—laaaaaaa!!”
I also shouted loudly and moved forward.
I raised my Shield like a wall in front of me and struck the flank of the beast as it tried to attack the recoiling Ainar.
But was this the weight that came from its physique?
It felt like I had crashed into a rock.
Screeeeech.
When the beast put its strength into it, my body was pushed back, still holding the Shield.
There was no reason to hold my ground, but my pride was hurt.
So I stood on the tips of my toes.
Then I threw my entire weight forward and let out not a roar, but a scream.
“Aaaaaaaahk!”
Dammit! It felt like my muscles were about to tear apart.
But I felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.
It felt like I was going to die, but… I held on.
And Ainar was not so inexperienced as to let that opening slip by.
Whoosh—!
The Greatsword, swung with a heavy sound that cut through the air, struck the side of the Death Fiend’s head.
Not sliced, but literally, as the word suggests, struck.
Kagak!
Even though that thick Greatsword had been swung, the blade only sank about a centimeter in.
The dull sound must have been from the skull.
Indeed, even in the game, the Death Fiend’s defense was infamous.
Well, what made many beginners quit the game wasn't its defense, but its Regeneration Ability.
“Guooooooooh!”
“Fall back for now!”
We put some distance between us and the enraged Death Fiend.
Dark red blood trickled from the spot where the Greatsword had been pulled out, but the bleeding stopped in less than three seconds.
It was the effect of its Passive Skill, ‘Body Preservation’.
“Ainar! Create an opening. I’ll try attacking this time!”
I quickly gave the order and was about to charge in again when,
Drdrdrdrdrdrdr!
The ground suddenly began to shake.
I’d never seen this effect before, but I knew what it was the moment I saw it.
It was the Death Fiend's Active Skill.
‘Call of the Dead’.
“Get back, Ghouls are coming out!”
As the tremors stopped, Ghouls clawed their way up from beneath the ground.
There were exactly ten of them.
“Deal with these guys first!”
“Got it!”
While Ainar swung her Greatsword at the Ghouls.
“Guoooooooh!”
I kept a close mark on the Death Fiend, focusing only on it.
However, the damn Ghouls that were drawn to me kept scratching me with their claws, and my skin was torn to shreds in an instant.
Of course, it wasn’t a big problem.
I had a Regeneration Ability too.
Though it wasn't as good as yours.
“Bjorn! I’ll take this one now!”
After about two minutes of enduring, the Ghouls were taken care of.
For some reason, I found it amusing.
To think I survived the Death Fiend's summoning pattern by literally just taking hits.
‘I never even did this in the game.’
We switched places.
While Ainar marked the beast one-on-one, I took out my Mace and moved behind it.
Then, I slammed a smash into the back of its head.
Thwack—!
A good feeling, a good sound.
Rotten blood indeed oozed from its disheveled head.
Nevertheless, I continued to swing the Mace.
Thwack—! Thwack—! Thwack—!
Each blow carried the force that would have turned a Goblin into light upon impact.
But why the hell wasn’t it dying?
Kagak!
Experiencing it firsthand, the strength of its skull was beyond imagination.
And even as I was striking it, its flesh was healing.
…What should I do?
My attack power was insufficient.
If I had known, I would have bought what the weapon merchant recommended back then.
Should I just give up on killing this thing and hunt Ninth Rank monsters instead?
Kak! Kak! Kak!
Even as I pondered, I continued to bring down the Mace, but it was not enough to shatter its brain.
Whoosh—!
In the end, I had no choice but to retreat from the swung Protein Blade.
But just then,
“Guot!”
The Death Fiend’s body suddenly lost its balance and tilted.
I looked and saw that Ainar, seizing an opening, had grabbed one of the three-meter-tall beast’s legs and was lifting it up.
It was a technique I had often seen in the UFC.
Could this be…
‘A single-leg takedown?’
“Behel—laaaaaa!!”
Her muscles were so pumped and her veins bulged so much that they looked like they would burst; she looked more like a monster herself at this point, but…
Her intention was clear, and I even saw a possibility.
So I immediately joined in.
Thwack—!
As I struck its other ankle, the one still on the ground, with all my might with the Mace, the massive body lost its balance and was briefly airborne.
And then…
Thud—!
It was slammed onto the ground.
In technical terms, it was a takedown.
I never knew this kind of fight was possible against a monster classified as large-to-medium.
…It seems there’s nothing impossible for a Barbarian.
“Guoooooooh!”
The Death Fiend was flailing like an overturned bug.
We were about to rush in but flinched at the same time.
“Guoooooooh!!”
You… can’t get up on your own, can you?
“Bjorn!”
“Oh!”
Our thoughts connected with just a look.
Ainar and I rushed to the fallen beast and, like a crazy man and woman, brought down our weapons.
We took turns, one after another, as if we were pounding rice cakes on a mortar with a hammer.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Come to think of it, I pounded rice cakes just like this at a folk village I visited during elementary school.
“This is fun!”
Was it because I remembered my partner from that time, who had cried and asked to switch? Seeing Ainar enjoying herself alongside me healed the wound in my heart.
I felt as if even my soul was being purified.
You have slain a Death Fiend.
EXP +2
Watching the Death Fiend turn into light and disappear, we smiled brightly.
There was no powerful magic from a Mage, no divine power from a Priest, no spirit magic from a Fairy, but…
“Bjorn! Look at this! The Magic Stone is huge!”
We had successfully hunted an Eighth Rank monster.