Surviving the Game as a Barbarian-Chapter 536: Rainbow (3)

It was the fifth day since the rainy season began.

We escaped the village on our own and made it back to the mainland.

[GROOOOAAAR!]

[SCREEEEE!]

[...Cough! Bark! Cough!]

As expected, the upper area was beyond chaotic.

Monsters swarmed around, fighting each other, splattering blood and flesh everywhere.

But there was a clear difference compared to the first day of the rainy season.

Crash!

Monsters still fell from the sky, as always.

“...But their number has drastically decreased.”

Actually, saying they decreased doesn’t fully capture it.

Compared to the first day, it was nearly none.

Like rainfall dropping from about 100mm to 1mm.

“Damn chief bastard.”

There’s no way he didn’t know this.

He surely knew but just didn’t tell me.

‘The rainy season has to be dangerous so we keep relying on the village and stay stuck there longer.’

I thought he was a shady bastard again, but I pushed those thoughts aside for now, glad we got out of the village in time.

As someone responsible for dozens of lives, there were other things to focus on.

‘Luckily... the chief didn’t follow.’

Whatever schemes he hid, there was less to worry about for now.

Therefore...

“Form up in travel formation!”

I gave the order quickly.

“From now on, we leave this island!”

I clearly presented the goal to the group and moved ahead as the lead.

Then...

“Behel—laaaaaa!”

I blocked monster teeth with my shield, smashed jaws with my hammer, and cleared a path.

At the same time.

“Mages, gather as many magic stones as you can!”

Another order given.

It would be a waste not to, right?

Magic stones were everywhere, and leaving them behind wouldn’t be fitting for explorers. Sure, before we had to watch the chief’s mood, but now...

‘No need to care about that anymore.’

I realized again that hammering things really helps in social life.

Especially because it clearly changes things in any relationship.

Swaaaaaaash-!

Mages kept casting looting spells, gathering piles of magic stones. Their contribution to combat was reduced, but it wasn’t a big problem.

Thanks to the greatly reduced number of monsters falling from the sky, we had much more breathing room.

‘At this rate... maybe no one will die.’

I was very glad, having prepared for the worst.

After that, I kept wrestling the most dangerous monsters at the very front, breaking through the path.

About ten minutes later...

[Defeated Steel Spirit. EXP +6]

[Defeated Baphomet.]

[Defeated Ainicorne. EXP +6]

[Defeated Mud Golem.]

[Defeated Celestial Tree. EXP +5]

[Defeated Tachyon...]

“...”

While slaying various indiscriminately spawning monsters, good news came from Ainard.

“Ooooh!! My soul! My soul! It’s filling up!!”

Ainard finally leveled up, just when I thought the time might be coming.

“Now I have grown stronger once more!!”

Though ‘stronger’ just meant his soul power increased for now...

Still, it was significant news.

With the essence of Hiphramagent absorbed, he gained an extra essence slot.

‘I think the Hext clan and Armin expedition are leveling up in real time too.’

Overall, essence slots rose from +1 to +2.

I took exceptional measures.

“Um... Baron! A Grade 4 essence dropped...”

“From now on, anyone can take any essence! I won’t care about anything below Grade 3!”

Though the set distribution ratios were a waste, in truth there was no harm.

We didn’t even have time to put them in test tubes.

Any bit of increased strength was welcome.

“Waaaaaaah!!”

This measure greatly boosted the morale of the explorers.

Like how opinions split when seeing a half-empty glass.

They began to see this situation of pushing through the pouring monsters not as a crisis but as an opportunity...

‘Not bad.’

The overall atmosphere could be seen as positive.

But atmosphere alone can’t overcome all adversity.

[KkiyoOOOOO-!]

From afar, a giant bird blocked our path, roaring loudly.

Well, calling it a bird?

Boom!

Ah, no wonder things were going smoothly.

‘...They’re not going to let us pass easily.’

I took a deep breath and blinked.

Unfortunately, nothing had changed from before.

I wished I had misjudged it.

Pure white feathers and fully spread wings.

A body resembling a drake, with a long neck like a giraffe.

And at the tip of that neck,

A face with human-like features.

Being a famous monster, the grotesque shape caused fear before disgust.

“This is... an Inmyeonjo...!”

Grade 2 flying species, the Inmyeonjo.

Our first major obstacle during the island escape.

It flew from the sky and landed on the ground.

With an expressionless face, it slowly scanned us, its eyes oddly elongated at the corners.

[Kkihihihihihi.]

Why are there so many horrifyingly ugly monsters in [Dungeon and Stone]?

Unlike corpse golems, this had a totally different kind of repulsiveness.

If you hadn’t actually fought and built resistance against monsters, you’d have shivered at that face alone.

Without even giving orders, I shouted.

“Mages! Cast protective barriers!”

Explorers who had fought monsters Grade 2 or higher were rare even in this city.

But I had killed countless such monsters.

Even if it was just in the game.

So I was experienced enough to judge on sight.

Whoooosh-!

The moment mages spread translucent shields like umbrellas over their heads,

The whites of the Inmyeonjo’s eyes turned black.

And...

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Song of Doom].”

Bright yellow pillars of light fell from the sky.

Countless in number.

Kabang! Kabangkkaang! Kbaaaang-!

Like the sky’s wrath raining down judgment, pillars of light struck for about ten seconds, devastating the surroundings.

Though the damage wasn’t very high compared to the effect, it couldn’t break through the barrier.

But...

[Kkihihihihi-!]

From where the light pillars fell, baby Inmyeonjos stood up.

They were token-type summoned monsters...

“What are you doing! Kill those first!”

From now on it was a race against time.

Those baby Inmyeonjos fully grow in one minute and start using skills.

In theory, they could multiply infinitely?

Once those babies start using [Song of Doom], there’d really be no answer—

“Yandel, give the orders!”

Ah, yes, now’s no time to think alone.

“Elwen...”

I instinctively tried to call Elwen first, but stopped myself.

Because she was in a retire state.

Having used all her MP escaping the village, she couldn’t intervene in battle now.

But...

‘...Since when have I relied only on Elwen?’

The barbarian spirit is to bite with the jawbone if there are no gums.

“Emily, Misha! You two follow me! Ainard, guard the main force... Versil! You handle all rear support, judge and act as you see fit!”

I dashed forward as Amelia and Misha closely followed behind.

Amelia was on the right, Misha on the left.

‘Uh, wait a minute.’

This position is...?

“Yandel, let me warn you in advance.”

“...Hm?”

“If you try that again... I will definitely kill you.”

Tch, no luck again.

“...That won’t happen.”

“I’m... fine with it...”

Regardless of Misha’s permission, I couldn’t forcibly merge if one side was shaking like that.

Besides, she wasn’t huge like Hiphramagent, so no good excuse.

Boom!

Using [Transcendence] combined with [Giant Form], my size was just about the same height as hers.

Judging by how she stared at me like love at first sight, I seemed to have the aggro well.

“Behel—laaaaaa!”

I charged in and slammed a shield charge.

[Kyaaak!]

The Inmyeonjo staggered from the heavy body ram.

Seizing the chance, Misha and Amelia spread wide and started attacking mainly the lower body.

And simultaneously.

Flash!

Light burst from the Inmyeonjo’s darkened eyes.

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Mark of Destruction].”

I knew it would target me.

Flame burst!

A wave of burning pain surged from its core.

“The character’s health decreases by 1% per second.”

So, theoretically, I’d die after 100 seconds?

‘Still, what a messed-up skill.’

[Mark of Destruction].

A single-target curse skill that cannot be evaded or blocked.

But it has no duration limit.

Simply put, once hit, the curse lasts until either the monster or I die.

The strategy is simple.

“Uaaaaaah!!”

With natural regeneration and priest care, just endure it.

“Yandel! Are you okay?”

“Don’t worry about me, just swing your sword!”

The Inmyeonjo itself was designed to be unbeatable in a long fight.

So I tried to take aggro and create an environment where dealers could just attack.

Soon, not only the melee line but also ranged dealers joined to focus fire.

[Kkihihihi...]

As the battle dragged on, the Inmyeonjo used other skills one after another.

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Disguise].”

The giant face on its massive body instantly changed into another person’s face.

Though much bigger than the original, it was easy to recognize.

“Oh! It’s Emily! The monster turned into Emily!”

[Disguise].

A skill that randomly casts one skill of a character within its range.

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Self-Replication].”

Damn...

‘Of all ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) skills, it had to take that one.’

“Oh! There are two Emilys... no, three!!!”

Suddenly the boss mob multiplied.

Meanwhile, the clone used a skill anew.

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Song of Doom].”

Another pillar of light fell.

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Mark of Destruction].”

“The character’s health decreases by 2% per second.”

Phew, that’s double stack already.

Will the priest manage?

A pointless worry.

‘Why does bad news always come in a row?’

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Song of Doom].”

One of the fully grown baby Inmyeonjos cast a skill.

And then.

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Mark of Destruction].”

“The character’s health decreases by 3% per second.”

Triple stack now.

Ha... at this rate, the priest can’t cover everything.

The situation was getting worse, but once cursed by [Mark of Destruction], escape was impossible.

There was only one answer.

“Die already, damn it!!”

Proud as a K-Barbarian, I charged desperately, taking after General Yi Sun-sin’s spirit.

“The character’s health is below 50%.”

“Due to the passive skill [Hero’s Path], all resistances and defenses are increased.”

With little time left, I fought even harder.

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Guide].”

“The Inmyeonjo cast [Guardian Spirit].”

As the battle intensified, the Inmyeonjo raged wildly.

And after some time...

“The character’s health is below 20%.”

“Due to the passive skill [Hero’s Path], resistance and defense bonuses reach maximum.”

I instinctively felt the fight would end soon, whichever side won.

Boom!

Four pieces of news were added.

To sum up, there were two good and two bad news...

First, the good news, very simple.

“Defeated Inmyeonjo +EXP 8”

First, the Inmyeonjo was finally dead.

And...

“No.9999 Beginner’s Luck has activated.”

Second, an essence dropped.

The essence was white in color.

‘That’s [Disguise].’

Unlike [Song of Doom], it can’t be strengthened as a core essence, but it has great versatility, so it was a decent essence.

But here came the bad news...

“W-What?!”

“A spear...? Why a spear all of a sudden...”

Was it bad that we didn’t get the last hit on the Inmyeonjo?

Boom!

Something emerged from the darkness, pierced the Inmyeonjo’s head, and grabbed a giant spear stuck in the ground.

It wasn’t hard to recognize.

A small(?) figure about 3 meters tall.

A humanoid shape with smooth, statue-like rock-colored skin.

“Titanus...! It’s Titanus!”

Another Grade 2 monster appeared.

That was the first bad news.

And the second...

‘Damn it.’

A red spear held by Titanus.

No.7 Mirayel’s Verdant Spear.

‘I can’t believe that bastard is holding it...’

I couldn’t understand it, but still accepted the fact calmly.

“The heavenly spear bearer Mirayel, guardian of the rift, is greatly angered.”

A Rift Guardian.