Surviving The Game as a Barbarian — Chapter 56

THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT...

...I FEEL LIKE IT IS BETTER TO TAKE THE PILL.

I CAME TO THIS CONCLUSION BY WEIGHING THE RISK AND THE GAIN TO BE HAD ON EACH SIDE OF THE SCALE.

IF THIS PILL IS THAT DANGEROUS...

...THE COMMUNITY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED.

HOWEVER, I STILL CANNOT TAKE IT RIGHT AWAY.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S FROM AN ANONYMOUS PERSON, THE SENDER OF THE LETTER ALWAYS HAS A WAY TO KNOW WHO ACCEPTS THE INVITATION.

FOR INSTANCE, WHAT IF THE INVITATION WAS ONLY SENT TO ME DURING THIS PARTICULAR PERIOD?

THEY WOULD KNOW IT'S ME AS SOON AS I ENTER THE COMMUNITY.

CONSIDERING THAT...

...IT'D BE BEST TO TAKE IT THREE TO SIX MONTHS FROM NOW.

IT'S NOT LIKE I'M IN DESPERATE NEED OF INFORMATION.

15 DAYS AFTER RETURNING FROM THE LABYRINTH

ONE OF THE LABS IN THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE MAGES' TOWER

...HEY.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NEW RECRUIT THIS TERM, SOUL QUEENS?

...DID NOT...

...I SEE.

THEN HE REALLY MUST NOT BE A PLAYER.

THAT IS HIGHLY LIKELY.

ALRIGHT,

WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO WITH THE INVITATION YOU WITHHELD FROM SENDING OUT THIS TIME?

...I SUPPOSE I CAN'T HOLD OFF ON THAT JUST BECAUSE OF MY SUSPICIONS.

PLEASE SEND THEM OUT IN THE RIGHT ORDER.

OKAY.

I HAD HIGH HOPES SINCE HE REPORTEDLY CHOSE A SHIELD DURING THE RITUAL.

BUT HE WASN'T IT EITHER.

56 ADVICE FOR THE FUTURE

ADVENTURER'S GUILD BRANCH OFFICE

YOU'VE BEEN PROMOTED TO TIER-6, ADVENTURER.

THANKS.

I SPENT EACH DAY...

DOING THINGS I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO LIKE HOMEWORK.

TIME FLEW BY.

AND I ALSO SPENT...

...MANA STONES LIKE WATER DOWN THE DRAIN.

ALTHOUGH I ACTUALLY USED MONEY ON THE STUFF I NEEDED TO.

EQUIPMENT STORE.

D-DON'T YOU THINK THAT'S TOO BIGGG?

A MACE BOASTING OF TREMENDOUS SIZE AND WEIGHT (400K STONES)

ACID IMMUNITY ENCHANTMENT ON BREASTPLATE AND SHIELD (510K STONES)

THESE ARE NOT EVEN THAT BIG COMPARED TO THE OTHER ONE.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM NEEDED TO PRESERVE MY DIGNITY DURING GIANTIZATION.

I CAN'T GO NAKED EVERY TIME I BECOME LARGE.

TROUSERS OF VITALS PROTECTION (900K STONES) - INCLUDING SELF-REPAIR, SHAPE CHANGE, ACID IMMUNITY ENCHANTMENTS

E-ENCHANTMENTS TOOOOO?

I-I GUESS IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND THE RIGHT SIZZZE...

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN FINDING YOUR NEW WEAPONS? I KNOW THEY'RE ON THE SMALLER SIDE, BUT STILL BIGGER THAN PREVIOUS ONES.

W-WELL...

...THEY'RE KIND OF CLUNKYYYY, BUT...

TRAINING GROUNDS.

...I'M GETTING USED TO THEMMMM.

DUAL-WIELD SWORDS AT 70% REACH OF ORDINARY LONGSWORDS (550K STONES)

BEAST BLOOD TO LEVEL THE SOUL BEAST UP (CONSUMED) (2M STONES)

NOW SHE CAN ADD FREEZING PROPERTIES TO HER WEAPON ATTACKS. COULD THAT BE THE EFFECT OF THE BEAST BLOOD?

SEE? WHAT DO YOU THINKKKK?

YOUR MOVEMENTS ARE STILL UNNATURAL. TRAIN HARDER.

UGGGGH...!

THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO IS COMPLETING PHASE 3 OF SPIRIT IMPRINT.

PHASE 2 YESTERDAY WAS HORRID.

SPIRIT IMPRINT PHASE 2 (1M STONES)

IT ONLY TOOK TEN MINUTES, BUT IT HURT MORE THAN THE TWELVE HOURS I ENDURED FOR PHASE 1.

YOUNG WARRIOR, IT IS OKAY FOR YOU TO SHOUT IF IT HURTS--

CAN'T BELIEVE EVEN PAIN TOLERANCE DID NOTHING.

PHASE 2 OF IMMORTALITY IMPRINT UNLOCKED. ENDURANCE AND MANA RESISTANCE SLIGHTLY INCREASED. SPIRIT STAT INCREASED BY 30. SPECIAL ABILITY STAT INCREASED BY 60.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE STILL AWAKE AFTER THE IMPRINTING PROCEDURE.

WHY DON'T YOU DRAW ONE OF THESE? I'LL TAKE A PEEK AT YOUR FATE SINCE I HAVE SOME SPARE TIME.

WHAT THE... IS IT SOME KIND OF FORTUNE-TELLING?

HMM...

...?

YOUNG WARRIOR. WHAT IS YOUR DATE AND YEAR OF BIRTH?

TH-THAT'S--

DO ALL BARBARIANS KNOW ABOUT THEIR FATE...?

I JEST. A WARRIOR WOULDN'T KNOW SUCH INFORMATION.

...OKAY, WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT BY TAKING A PEEK AT MY FATE?

NOT SURE IF IT'S GOOD OR BAD, BUT YOU ARE FATED TO EXPERIENCE EVENTS MOST OTHERS WOULD ONLY GO THROUGH ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME, OVER AND OVER THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE.

BUT SUCH IS THE FATE OF THOSE THAT ARE CALLED HEROES.

FATE, MY ASS.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I WILL KEEP DOING WHAT I NEED TO DO...

...IN ORDER TO PERSEVERE THROUGH ANYTHING THAT COMES MY WAY.

BJORN, ARE YOU AWAKE? LET'S HAVE BREAKFASSSSST!

I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO PREPARE FOR IT.

...YOU'RE THE FIRST WARRIOR TO ASK FOR IMPRINT PHASE 3 THIS QUICKLY.

WARRIOR. YOU HAVE THREE PATHS TO CHOOSE FROM.

SPIRIT OF THE FLAME, SPIRIT OF THE STEEL, AND SPIRIT OF THE WILD.

THESE ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM THE IN-GAME EXPERIENCE.

I CHOOSE SPIRIT OF THE WILD.

VERY WELL. BE READY.

SPIRIT IMPRINT PHASE 3 (2M STONES)

PHASE 3 OF IMMORTALITY IMPRINT UNLOCKED. PHYSICAL RESISTANCE AND FIRE RESISTANCE GREATLY INCREASED. PHYSIQUE STAT INCREASED BY 56. SPECIAL ABILITY STAT INCREASED BY 80.

ALTHOUGH IT HURTS LIKE CRAP AND IS EXPENSIVE...

THE EFFECT OF SPIRIT OF THE WILD IS WELL WORTH IT.

IT INCREASES THE BARBARIAN'S THREAT RATING.

IN OTHER WORDS, I WILL GRAB THE ATTENTION OF MONSTERS BY JUST BREATHING.

ACTIVATED SKILL WILD OUTBURST ALSO TRIPLES THE THREAT RATING TEMPORARILY...

WHILE AMPLIFYING PHYSICAL ABILITIES PROPORTIONATE TO THE INCREASE.

HUFF, HUFF...

HUFF...

DRAWING THE ATTENTION OF ENEMIES WHILE RECEIVING PHYSICAL BUFF?

NOW THAT IS A PERFECT TRAIT FOR THE TANK OF A PARTY.

BY COMBINING IT WITH THE EFFECT OF GIANTIZATION, WHICH ALSO INCREASES THE THREAT RATING...

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE GOTTEN THIS FAR IN THE SPAN OF JUST THREE MONTHS.

YOU MAY LEAVE. I AM A BIT TIRED.

O-OKAY!

AH, HOLD ON.

THERE IS SOMETHING I FORGOT TO MENTION ABOUT YOUR FATE YESTERDAY.

WHAT IS IT?

ANYWHERE YOU GO, WATCH OUT FOR THOSE THAT HOLD A LOT OF GRUDGES.

YOU ARE FATED TO ENCOUNTER SUCH INDIVIDUALS DOWN THE PATH.

PUT IT IN SIMPLE TERMS.

RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS AND IT SHALL SERVE YOU WELL. FAIL TO DO SO AND IT SHALL BECOME A GREATER THREAT.

UGH, DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT SIMPLE MEANS?!

UNDERSTOOD. I'LL BE ON MY WAY.

NOW THAT IMPRINT PHASE 3 HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF...

BJORN!

...AINAR? WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE--

PSST! I'LL BE IN TROUBLE IF I GET CAUGHT! COME THIS WAY!

WHAT KIND OF--

I'VE HEARD FROM THE ELDER. YOU ARE KNOWN AS THE LITTLE VALCAN!

YOU ARE AWESOME, BJORN!!

IT'S NOTHING.

WHAT HAPPENED ON YOUR JOURNEY? I WANT TO HEAR EVERYTHING!

WELL, IF YOU INSIST...

...THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

YOU'RE IN THE SAME PARTY AS HIKUROD?

WHAT A RELIEF. I WAS WORRIED BECAUSE YOU WERE ALONE, BUT I CAN TRUST HIM.

BUT HOW DID YOU GET SO SKINNY? DOES THE ELDER NOT FEED YOU PROPERLY?

IT'S NOT THAT. THIS IS THE RESULT OF COMPRESSING MY MUSCLES ON A DAILY BASIS.

COMPRESSING...?

SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT IT.

I SEE.

AINAR, SECOND DAUGHTER OF FENELIN! HAVE YOU RUN AWAY AGAIN?!

I NEED TO GO.

YEAH. I'LL BE ON MY WAY TOO.

IT WAS FUN TO HEAR STORIES FROM YOU. COME VISIT ME AGAIN.

ARE YOU GOING TO BE ALRIGHT?

YEAH. I'LL JUST HAVE TO TRAIN TWICE AS MUCH.

THAT'S WHAT WORRIES ME MORE.

BY THE WAY, BJORN.

I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TELL YOU THIS BEFORE, BUT YOU SEEM MUCH MORE RELAXED.

MORE RELAXED?

YOU USED TO BE SO ON EDGE ALL THE TIME. ALTHOUGH I WAS ACTUALLY OKAY WITH THAT TOO.

BUT YOU ARE MORE POISED NOW.

IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU FOUND TRUSTWORTHY COMPANIONS--

AINAR! COME HERE AT ONCE!!

I-I WILL SEE YOU LATER! I WILL BE A FINE WARRIOR BY THEN!

SO I'M NOT REALLY ON EDGE ANYMORE?

YOU'VE GOTTEN QUITE FAMOUS.

...?!

IT'S RARE FOR HER TO TALK TO ME FIRST.

DOES SHE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME?

SO IT SEEMS.

...?

...BUT IT IS TEDIOUS.

BYE.

I WANTED TO BEFRIEND HER BEFORE JUST BECAUSE SHE IS A MAGE.

BUT IT'S MEANINGLESS NOW SINCE I AM TIER-6 AND HAVE A MONIKER.

AND THERE IS A MAGE IN MY CURRENT PARTY.

ALTHOUGH HE'S NOT FROM THE TOWER.

BESIDES, SHE CAN'T BE MUCH BETTER THAN DWALKIE,

SINCE SHE'S WORKING AS A LIBRARIAN HERE.

I AM...

...JUSTIFYING MY ACTIONS.

MY UTMOST PRIORITY IS TO SURVIVE.

I COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT HOW OTHERS FEEL.

MINDING THE BUSINESS OF OTHERS IS ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARY.

THUS I DOUBTED EVERY SINGLE BEHAVIOR OF OTHERS AND ANALYZED THEM.

I THOUGHT ABOUT THE VALUE OF ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL AND THE GAIN TO BE HAD BY GETTING INVOLVED.

I KILLED THOSE THAT POSED A THREAT, ALWAYS MADE PREPARATIONS FOR POSSIBLE BETRAYAL, AND PONDERED WAYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.

ALL THIS WAS SOLELY FOR MY OWN BENEFIT. IT WAS TO ENSURE MY OWN SURVIVAL.

YOU'RE GOING TO DIE TOO AT THIS RRRRATE. YOU SHOULD GET YOURSELF TO SAFETTTTY.

SH**.

NO WONDER AINAR TOLD ME THAT.

...FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, I WANT TO DO SOMETHING TEDIOUS.

PERHAPS I'VE GOTTEN TOO COMFORTABLE WITH MY LIFE HERE. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME...?

HOW THEN, AM I GOING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE?

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I AM A BARBARIAN RIGHT NOW.

STOP STARING AT ME AND SPEAK UP IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY.

...HOW DID YOU KNOW I HAD SOMETHING I WANTED TO SAY?

I WILL HANDLE IT LIKE A BARBARIAN.

YOUR GLANCE GAVE IT AWAY.

I WILL DO WHAT MY HEART TELLS ME TO DO.

[BJORN YANDEL]

LEVEL: 3 PHYSIQUE: 386.1 (NEW+56) SPIRIT: 198.3 SPECIAL ABILITY: 292.4 (NEW+80) ITEM LEVEL: 967 GENERAL COMBAT POWER: 1118.55 (NEW+136) ESSENCE ACQUIRED: UNDEAD GOLEM-TIER 7 VAMPIRE-GUARDIAN-TIER 5 ORC HERO-TIER 5