Surviving The Game as a Barbarian — Chapter 57

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?

YOUR GLANCE GAVE IT AWAY.

NEXT DAY AT NOON, AT THE CAFÉ THE PROMISE OF FLOWING WATER

UGH, I WAS WONDERING WHAT KIND OF ESTABLISHMENT IT WAS AFTER HEARING THE NAME.

A BARBARIAN...?

DOES THE OWNER OWE HIM MONEY OR SOMETHING...?

IT WAS A DESSERT CAFÉ.

DAMN IT...

MR. BJORN? OVER HERE!

YOU'RE THE ONE THAT WANTED TO SEE ME?

THAT'S RIGHT. YOU MAY CALL ME SHAVIN.

SHAVIN EMOOR TIER-7 ADMINISTRATOR AT RABIGHION OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIONS FRIEND (?) OF THE LIBRARIAN

SHE SEEMS TO BE IN HER EARLY 30S. I WAS EXPECTING THE LIBRARIAN'S FRIEND TO BE YOUNGER...

I DIDN'T ORDER ANYTHING BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD WANT. ANYTHING YOU GOT IN MIND?

STEAK AND BEER.

...I'M SORRY?

NOTHING, IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT HERE. I DON'T LIKE SWEETS.

I SUPPOSE THIS SHOULD SUFFICE FOR TELLING A BARBARIAN TO COME TO A PLACE LIKE THIS.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANTED?

RAGNA HASN'T TOLD YOU?

RAGNA? THE LIBRARIAN?

OH, SO YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HER NAME.

I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE. SHE IS LIKE THAT.

HER FULL NAME IS RAGNA LITANIEL PEPROK.

...IS SHE A NOBLEWOMAN?

NO, SHE ISN'T, BUT...

HMM. THERE MUST BE A STORY BEHIND IT.

FORGET-IT.

TELL ME WHAT IT IS YOU WANT.

IT'S A REQUEST TO INVESTIGATE THE SEWERS.

WE HAVE SENT PATROLS THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS,

BECAUSE CRIMINALS WOULD SOMETIMES HIDE THERE, BUT...

...BUT?

NOT SURE IF SHE'S DELIBERATELY NOT FINISHING HER SENTENCES.

...UNFORTUNATELY, THE TEAM THAT HAD BEEN DOING THIS WAS INVOLVED IN THE THIRD FLOOR INCIDENT RECENTLY.

SO YOU NEED PEOPLE TO PERFORM THIS TASK IN THEIR STEAD.

YEAH. THAT'S WHEN RAGNA TOLD ME ABOUT YOU, MR. BJORN.

I SEE.

I GET THE PICTURE.

BUT WHY ME? I'M SURE THERE ARE BETTER CANDIDATES.

DON'T TELL ME SHE WAS SENT BY THE EVIL SPIRIT HUNTERS--

BECAUSE...

...YOU'RE THE MOST FAMOUS ADVENTURER THESE DAYS!

LITTLE VALCAN

CELEBRITY

WHAT?!

I WAS ACTUALLY CURIOUS. I WANTED TO MEET YOU IN PERSON!

OH, I'M PLANNING TO TAKE SOME COOKIES TO GO FROM HERE.

CAN I TELL MY COLLEAGUES I GOT THEM FROM YOU, MR. BJORN?

D-DO AS YOU WISH.

YAY!

SO, WHAT DO YOU SAY? THE REWARD IS ONLY 150,000 STONES, BUT IT WON'T BE A BAD JOB TO TAKE ON.

IT FEELS AWKWARD TO SAY THIS WITH MY OWN LIPS, BUT...

BUT...?

NOT THIS AGAIN.

CAN YOU PLEASE GET TO THE POINT ALREADY WITHOUT PAUSING?

...WE ARE QUITE SELECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING PEOPLE, SO THOSE THAT WORK FOR US... HOW SHOULD I PUT THIS... THE GUILD AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS WILL VIEW YOU AS, UHM... TRUSTWORTHY?

SO, THAT WILL HELP WITH OUR REPUTATION AS ADVENTURERS.

THAT'S RIGHT!

ALTHOUGH YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO RELY ON OUR PARTNERSHIP TO GET MORE JOB OFFERS, MR. BJORN.

HMM. I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER RECEIVED A SPECIFIC REQUEST, EVEN THOUGH I NOW HAVE A MONIKER.

REALISTICALLY, NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND EXPECTS AN UNCIVILIZED BARBARIAN TO GET A DELICATE JOB DONE.

FINE.

I ACCEPT THE REQUEST.

57 FIRST REQUEST

I'LL BE ON MY WAY THEN.

THANKS, I WILL SEE YOU LATER!

THAT WAS AN INTERESTING MEETING.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SHE TALKED ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE?

HE SEEMS STRAIGHTFORWARD...

...AND SOMEHOW PUTS ME AT EASE WHEN I TALK TO HIM.

HE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE HE KNEW ABOUT HER BACKGROUND, EITHER.

OVERALL, HE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A BAD PERSON.

OR PERHAPS I'M LOOKING WAY TOO AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE.

RAGNA.

IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU BECAME FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE.

TWO DAYS LATER, BY THE SEWERS ENTRANCE

UGH, IT STINKS.

YOU DIDN'T TELL ME IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS BAD.

I TOLD YOU WE WERE GOING TO THE SEWERS. WHAT ELSE DID YOU EXPECT?

Y-YOU HAVE A POINT.

STILL, IT'S REALLY TERRIBLE.

I AGRRRRREE.

A-ALLOW ME TO OPEN THE DOOR.

PLEASE PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION SO AS TO AVOID LOSING THE MAP OF THE SEWERS AND THE HEADLAMP.

THE HEADLAMP ALSO CONTAINS A RECORDING DEVICE.

PLEASE KEEP THEM ON AT ALL TIMES AND RETURN THEM TO US AT THE END.

UNDERSTOOD.

A FULL TEAM.

I BROUGHT THE REQUEST UP DURING OUR REGULAR TEAM MEETING YESTERDAY.

EXPLORING THE SEWERS FULL OF BIZARRE STORIES? I DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT.

"I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR THE MONEY" GUARDIAN HIKUROD

MAY I TAG ALONG?

MY HEAD'S BEEN HURTING LATELY FROM READING TOO MUCH.

"I NEED A CHANGE OF SCENERY" MAGE DWALKIE

HMM. I'M SURE IT WON'T BE EASY TO NAVIGATE THE SEWERS. SOUNDS LIKE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT MY NEW SKILL TO THE TEST.

"I'VE AWAKENED NEW SENSES" NAVIGATOR ROTMILLER

HIDING PLACE FOR CRRRRIMINALS? IT'S GOING TO BE DANGEROUS TO GO ALONNNNE.

"I'M GETTING USED TO MY NEW SWORRRRRDS" FIGHTER MISSHA

I WON'T SAY NO TO FREE SUPPORT.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST, BUT NAVIGATOR ROTMILLER WILL CERTAINLY BE USEFUL HERE.

IT'S WIDER THAN I THOUGHT.

THAT EXPLAINS WHY SOME PEOPLE WOULD CHOOSE TO DWELL HERE.

BUT IT'S DARK.

DWALKIE.

ALRIGHT, THIS SHOULD SUFFICE.

BUT HAVE YOU HEARD THAT A CREEPY BEAST LURKS WITHIN THE SEWERS?

DWALKIE. DO YOU THINK THERE REALLY IS A MONSTER HERRRE?

W-WELL.

I HEARD ALL WASTE FROM EXPERIMENTS AT THE MAGES' TOWER ALSO GOES TO THE SEWERS.

IF THE CORPSE OF A MONSTER MAKES CONTACT WITH SUBSTANCES THAT TRIGGER A CERTAIN REACTION...

...I BELIEVE IT IS NOT ENTIRELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A WHOLE NEW CREATURE TO BE BORN.

R-REALLLLY? THAT'S SCARRRY.

THE CHANCES ARE VERY SLIM, BUT STILL--

NOT LIKELY AT ALL.

THE PREVIOUS TEAM HASN'T HAD ANY ISSUES FOR TWO WHOLE YEARS.

THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY MONSTER LIKE THAT HERE.

?

WHAT'S WRONG?

ALTHOUGH I CAN'T SMELL ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THE ODOR IN THE SEWERS...

...I'M GETTING THE FEELING THAT SOMEBODY IS NEARBY.

WHAT?!

WHERE?!

THE MIMIC ESSENCE ROTMILLER CONSUMED ADDS 50 POINTS TO INSTINCT AND 20 POINTS TO LUCK.

I CAN'T AFFORD TO DISMISS HIS GUT FEELING.

I SEE SOMEBODY OVER THERRRRE!

WHAT? HOW DID HE EVEN GET IN THERE?

EEK!!

ARGH!

DAMMIT...!

NICE TRY.

I ADMIRE YOUR WILLPOWER TO SURVIVE.

AAACK!!

ALRIGHT, SPILL IT. WHY WERE YOU HIDING THERE?

UGH...

I SAID, SPILL IT.

ARE YOU IN SO MUCH PAIN THAT YOU'D RATHER DIE?

P-PLEASE HAVE MERCY. IT'S NOT LIKE I KILLED ANYBODY.

I JUST... DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY!

MEANING, HE RAN AND HID IN THE SEWERS BECAUSE HE COULDN'T PAY TAXES.

YOU THINK I'LL FALL FOR THAT?

BJORN. THAT BRAND ON HIS FOREHEAD IS ONLY GIVEN TO HEINOUS CRIMINALS.

FAILURE TO PAY TAXES ISN'T THE ONLY CRIME HE HAS COMMITTED.

REMINDS ME OF MY PAST. MANY WITH MARKS LIKE THAT ON THEIR FACES VISITED ME WHEN I USED TO BE A BLACKSMITH.

BJORN. DID THEY GIVE YOU PROTOCOLS TO FOLLOW FOR PEOPLE LIKE HIMMM?

THEY OFFER AN EXTRA 5,000 STONES FOR BRINGING THEM BACK ALIVE.

BUT AS LONG AS IT'S RECORDED IN THE HEADLAMP, THEY DON'T CARE IF WE KILL THEM.

WHAT IF HE IS AN INNOCENT CITIZEN?

I WAS TOLD THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY INNOCENT CITIZENS DOWN IN THE SEWERS.

AS EXPECTED OF THE RUTHLESS OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIONS!

THEY'RE GONNA EXECUTE HIM EVEN IF WE BROUGHT HIM BACK ALIVE ANYWAYYYYS.

L-LET'S MAKE A DEAL! I WILL GIVE YOU INFORMATION FOR LETTING ME GO!!

INFORMATION?

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TRICKING US.

I-I AM NOT TRYING TO DECEIVE YOU!

APPREHEND THAT CRAZY B****, AND YOU'LL GET PAID MUCH MORE HANDSOMELY!

CRAZY B****?

Y-YES! THIS CRAZY B**** SHOWED UP AND TOOK OVER MY REFUGE A FEW DAYS AGO!

I'M POSITIVE SHE USED SOME KIND OF EVIL, DARK MAGIC.

BECAUSE SHE WAS COMMANDING CORPSES THAT LOOKED DIFFERENT FROM UNDEADS IN THE LABYRINTH!

TAKE HER TO THE TEMPLE, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL GET PAID SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU WOULD FOR APPREHENDING ME!

SH**. COULD IT REALLY BE HER?

PRIESTESS OF KARUI.

BJORN. WHAT DO WE DOOOO?

...IF THAT CRAZY B**** IS REALLY HER, WE CAN'T LEAVE HER ALONE.

SHE HOLDS A STRONG GRUDGE AGAINST US.

I WOULD LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

AGREED!

LET'S CAPTURE HER AND SEE THAT JUSTICE IS DONE!

AND GET PAID FOR DOING ITTT!

HAHAHA!

I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY FOR US TO UNDERTAKE THAT RISK...

...BUT WILL FOLLOW THE POPULAR VOTE.

IT'S DECIDED THEN.

WE'LL HEAD THERE AFTER GETTING OUR JOB DONE.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER.

GUIDE US NOW.

TH-THIS PATH IS PROBABLY NOT ON THE MAP, SO FOLLOW ME CAREFULLY.

WHOA.

IT'S SO COMPLICATED IN HERRRE.

I AGREE.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF BETTER PLACES TO HIDE DOWN HERE. WHY WERE YOU STUCK THERE?

...I WAS LOOKING FOR A NEW REFUGE BECAUSE OF THAT B****...

AND GOT STARTLED BY YOUR APPEARANCE, SO I HAD TO RUSH.

YOU'RE AS UNLUCKY AS ME, DUDE.

WE'RE HERE. IT'S THIS PLACE.

I THINK WE SHOULD LOWER OUR VOICES NOW.

HAHA, THIS IS MAKING ME NERVOUS.

HEY. IS THERE AN ESCAPE ROUTE INSIDE?

I SEE.

WE'LL FINALLY BE ABLE TO BRING HER TO JUSTICE.

YOU LEAD.

YOU HAVE TO LET ME GO IF SHE REALLY IS THE WOMAN YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.

OF COURSE.

WH-WHAT THE...

QUIET. JUST KEEP MOVING.

SH**. SHE LAID A TRAP?!

EVERYONE, FALL BACK!!

CALL OF THE EVIL DEITY

A TRAP SKILL THAT SUMMONS A HORDE OF EVIL APPARITIONS IN ONE DIRECTION UPON BEING TRIGGERED.

VICTIM'S MAXIMUM VITALITY DECREASES PER HIT BY THE APPARITION, AND WILL DIE ONCE IT HITS 0.