Surviving The Game as a Barbarian — Chapter 168

ONE HOUR LATER

HOW FAR HAVE I GONE?

I SHOULD BE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION...

GIGANTIFICATION MODE ON

THE SMOKE AND FLAMES MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PINPOINT MY LOCATION.

AND THIS IS NO ORDINARY FIRE.

...?!!

IT SPREADS ON ITS OWN IN SEARCH OF THINGS TO BURN AND EXPLODES AT REGULAR INTERVALS.

LAVA SHIELD HAS ABSORBED THE FLAMES.

THE CHARACTER'S MAGIC POWER IS RESTORED IN PROPORTION TO THE AMOUNT ABSORBED.

HA. I'D HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS TROUBLE IF I'D COME IN UNPREPARED.

AT LEAST THIS SHIELD IS KEEPING THE FLAMES AT BAY AND MAKING [GIGANTIFICATION] EASY TO MAINTAIN.

AN UNCULTURED FELLOW

IT SHOULD BE COMING INTO VIEW BY NOW...

I'M LOOKING FOR CARNON'S THIRD PUBLIC BOARDING PLATFORM.

RAVEN'S LODGING WAS RIGHT NEARBY.

AH.

FOUND IT!

BUT...

...GODDAMMIT.

I KNOW THE ADDRESS, BUT WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO?

NOTHING IS INTACT, NO MATTER WHICH WAY I LOOK.

THE TRUTH IS, I'VE BEEN ANXIOUS THE WHOLE WAY HERE.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE THE FIRE STARTED...

THE STREETS WERE DEAD SILENT. NO SCREAMS, NO SOBBING, NO CRIES FOR HELP...

THAT MEANS ONE OF TWO THINGS. EITHER EVERYONE HAS ALREADY EVACUATED, OR THEY'VE ALL BURNED TO DEATH...

EVEN SO, I CAME ALL THIS WAY—

BECAUSE I MIGHT REGRET IT IF I DIDN'T.

I KNOW RAVEN TOO WELL. SHE ACTS COLD, BUT SHE CAN NEVER RESIST GETTING INVOLVED.

RIGHT. I'M SURE SHE GOT OUT IN TIME.

SO I'LL JUST MAKE SURE.

...ALL RIGHT, ONE MORE TIME.

Ah.

MR. JANDEL? HOW ARE YOU HERE...?

VOICE TRANSMISSION MAGIC?

WHERE ARE YOU? I'M IN THE SQUARE.

CAN YOU SEE THE THIRD BOARDING PLATFORM?

KEEP ITS MAIN ENTRANCE ON YOUR LEFT AND COME FARTHER UP. AT THE CENTRAL FOUNTAIN-

THE CHARACTER HAS CAST [LEAP].

...SO? WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING HERE, MR. JANDEL?

GIGANTIFICATION MODE OFF

HMM. I'M GLAD SHE'S SAFE, BUT WHAT'S WITH THAT REACTION?

You're hurting this barbarian's feelings.

ACTUALLY, COULD YOU LEAN DOWN FOR A SECOND...?

HUH?

DOES SHE HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL ME IN PRIVATE?

W-WELL...

DID YOU... COME ALL THIS WAY FOR ME?

THROUGH THOSE FLAMES?

WHAT IS SHE TALKING ABOUT?

...I WAS TAKING A WALK.

OH...

ANYWAY, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE? YOU SHOULD HAVE RUN AS SOON AS THE FIRE BROKE OUT.

What were you thinking...?

WELL... STAYING NEAR THE BOARDING PLATFORM IS CONVENIENT,

BUT IT'S USUALLY NOISY, SO I ALWAYS KEEP A SOUND-BLOCKING SPELL UP...

SHE STILL COULD HAVE ESCAPED IF SHE'D WANTED TO, BUT...

Don't worry. We'll see Daddy soon, too...

THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ALL DIED IF RAVEN HAD JUST LEFT.

—THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

LOOK AT HER, ACTING LIKE A GROWN-UP WHEN SHE'S SO TINY.

SHE IS A GROWN-UP.

...I'LL APOLOGIZE FOR NOW.

I NEVER IMAGINED YOU'D COME LOOKING FOR ME LIKE THIS, MR. JANDEL.

I TOLD YOU, I WAS TAKING A WALK.

WELL, ANYWAY, YOU DID GOOD.

...SORRY?

YOU SHOULD SAVE THE PEOPLE YOU CAN.

...RIGHT.

UM, WHERE DID YOU GET ALL THAT EQUIPMENT, BY THE WAY?

IS IT BECAUSE SHE'S A MAGE? EVEN NOW, HER CURIOSITY TAKES PRIORITY.

OH, THIS STUFF...

...AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

THAT'S SURPRISING.

I CAN SEE MY TEACHER DOING THAT, BUT THE OTHERS AREN'T USUALLY SO GENEROUS.

SHE SEEMS TO KNOW WHO THEY ALL ARE, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T SAY.

That's even more surprising.

!!

...SO, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THIS BARRIER?

CAN YOU USE IT WHILE MOVING?

I CAN, THOUGH IT'LL BE MUCH WEAKER.

WILL THE CHILDREN BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IT?

YOU'RE USING THE "ORB OF FIRE" RIGHT NOW, AREN'T YOU?

IF I CAST "ICE BLOOD" ON TOP OF THAT, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE.

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH MANA?

...I DON'T THINK I'LL KNOW UNTIL I TRY.

THE CHARACTER HAS CAST [GIGANTIFICATION].

ALL RIGHT, THEN...

WE'RE HEADING OUT.

OKAY.

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? LET ME KNOW IF YOU FEEL TOO HOT.

W-WE'RE FINE, LADY MAGE.

WOW! WE'RE GOING SO FAST!

AFTER RUNNING FOR A WHILE...

...THE FLAMES HAVE DEFINITELY WEAKENED.

YES. WE SHOULD REACH THE SOUTH GATE JUST A LITTLE FARTHER AHEAD.

ONCE WE GET THERE, AT LEAST-

MANA ON OUR LEFT!

WHAT-

THE SINGLE~ABSORPTION LIMIT HAS BEEN EXCEEDED.

A LARGE AMOUNT OF MAGIC POWER IS CONSUMED IN PROPORTION TO THE AMOUNT ABSORBED.

FUCK.

A FIRE ATTACK THAT EVEN LAVA SHIELD CAN'T BLOCK?

WHAT BASTARD WOULD...?

MR. JANDEL! THIS MANA...

...I KNOW. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME.

...NO WONDER THE FIRE WAS SO UNNATURALLY HOT.

OH...

TO THINK I'D FIND YOU HERE.

HOW FORTUNATE.

WELL, WHO ELSE WOULD RAISE THIS MUCH HELL IN THE CAPITAL?

...RAVEN.

TAKE THE WOMAN AND CHILD AND GET OUT OF HERE.

WE'RE ALMOST THERE. YOU CAN MANAGE THAT MUCH WITHOUT ME, RIGHT?

BUT...

LISTEN TO ME. HAVE I EVER STEERED YOU WRONG?

MR. JANDEL...

...I'LL BRING HELP AS FAST AS I CAN.

HMM... FORTUNATELY, HE'S LETTING THEM GO WITHOUT A FUSS.

I SUPPOSE I'LL BE EASIER TO DEAL WITH WITHOUT A MAGE.

...HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE?

HUH?

I HEARD YOU WERE AT THE PALACE. WHEN ON EARTH DID YOU GET HERE?

WHAT THE HELL IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

JUST NOW.

!!!

THAT VOICE...!

LEE BAEKHO...?

YOU CRAZY OLD BASTARD.

Shit, it's hot...

...WHAT?

WHO SAID YOU COULD SET THIS PLACE ON FIRE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?

YOU WANNA FUCKING DIE?

...I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHY ARE YOU SO HOSTILE TOWARD ME?

I SHOULD HAVE MADE THINGS EASIER FOR YOU, TOO.

EASIER, MY ASS.

BURNING THIS PLACE DOWN WON'T MAKE THAT BASTARD KING COME OUTSIDE.

OH? SO THE KING REALLY WAS YOUR OBJECTIVE?

WHAT? THE KING WAS MY OBJECTIVE?

YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW A THING, GRAMPS.

WHATEVER. I CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO EXPLAIN.

...YOU'RE AN EVEN MORE UNCULTURED FELLOW THAN I'D HEARD.

YEAH, SORRY, THE UNCULTURED ONE HERE IS YOU, TALKING BACK AND STINKING UP THE PLACE.

WH-WHAT...? YOU INSOLENT...

WHAT? INSOLENT? GO BUY YOURSELF SOME NEW DENTURES.

I CAN SMELL THE ROT ALL THE WAY OVER HERE.

...TH-THAT'S A KOREAN GAMER FOR YOU.

ANYWAY, LET'S GET TO THE POINT.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT MY SOUP PLACE? IT BURNED DOWN BECAUSE OF YOU.

S-SOUP PLACE...?

OUT OF ALL THE NPCS, THAT GUY MADE THE CLOSEST THING TO THE REAL DEAL JUST FROM LISTENING TO MY DESCRIPTION!

HE EVEN SAID HE'D MAKE ME CUBED RADISH KIMCHI LATER!

YOU BASTARD! YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD ME SOONER IF YOU KNEW A PLACE LIKE THAT!

...DID YOU PERHAPS HAVE A FAVORITE ALCHEMY WORKSHOP IN CARNON?

ALCHEMY, MY FUCKING ASS.

THIS IS WHY I CAN'T TALK TO YOU NPC FUCKS.

AH, HANSOO WOULD'VE BEEN PISSED RIGHT ALONG WITH ME.

I'M PISSED AT YOU TOO, YOU BASTARD.

I never even got to try it...

WHAT IS IT YOU WANT, THEN? I HAVE NO WISH TO MAKE AN ENEMY OF YOU.

I'LL DO MY BEST TO COMPENSATE YOU AS YOU WISH.

WHAT...?

IT WAS A RATHER SURPRISING SIGHT.

THE SCHOLAR OF DESTRUCTION, THAT LUNATIC MAGE, WAS TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS PEACEFULLY THROUGH CONVERSATION.

JUST HOW HIGH IS LEE BAEKHO'S STATUS?

THEN PULL OUT YOUR DENTURES.

YOU SAID YOU'D COMPENSATE ME, DIDN'T YOU?

IF YOU'RE REALLY SORRY, PULL OUT EVERY LAST ONE OF THOSE ROTTEN, STINKING DENTURES WITH YOUR OWN HANDS.

What is he saying...?

WHAT IS HE SAYING...?

...THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME MISUNDERSTANDING. I DON'T HAVE ANY DENTURES-

BULL- FUCKING-SHIT.

...?!

YOU WERE LYING, JUST LIKE I THOUGHT.

IF THEY'RE NOT DENTURES, WHY WOULD THEY COME FLYING OUT?

HOLY SHIT! EVEN BY MY STANDARDS, THIS GUY IS FUCKING INSANE.

DO YOU TRULY INTEND TO TAKE THIS TO THE BITTER END?

IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE, I WON'T BACK DOWN.

WOW. FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD A FUCKING MAGE TALK LIKE THAT AT CLOSE RANGE-

-URK-

HA. SHIT, THAT'S A NEW ONE.

HUH? WHEN DID HE GET HURT?

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON...?