Surviving the Game as a Barbarian-Chapter 601: Third record (4)

A wild mane covered his face as if he wore a wig.

And through that tangled hair, one eye was visible.

Thump-!

His height was about six meters.

Although well beyond the standard for large monsters, his perceived size was even greater thanks to his overly long arms.

Well, he was probably still smaller than Hiphramagent.

Thump-!

Still, the pressure he radiated was on another level.

That was because I knew that guy better than anyone else.

The Lord of Silence, Silriat.

The fifth-floor Floor Lord armed with tricky gimmicks.

To me, an ‘explorer’ who uses essences, he was a calamity.

Like when I faced ‘the traitor’ Ricardo Rühenpraha who possessed his essence, it was impossible to counter with ‘binding’ magic...

‘Why is he here?’

Despite the question, my actions were immediate.

Tap-tap.

The moment I locked eyes with him, I stepped back and pulled Elwen close.

And then...

“...!”

Replacing my voice that wouldn’t come out, I gave a simple signal.

At the same time, I looked at the mage Gahwin who met my gaze.

‘Attack.’

‘Very strongly.’

If the clan Anabada members were here, I could have sent more complex signals, but whining wouldn’t change anything.

Fortunately, Gahwin immediately obeyed the order.

「Gahwin Vesillus cast the ancient spell [Katuka’s Thunderstorm].」

Katuka’s Thunderstorm.

One of the ancient spells Gahwin, the ‘mage’ role, could cast, an instant spell with no casting time.

Naturally, its power was far from lacking.

Flash!

Several flashes like the sky was collapsing covered the entire canyon.

Ruuuuum!

Not a sound, but a massive vibration struck the skin.

And simultaneously,

「Character has exited the range of [Silent Curse].」

The Lord of Silence, Silriat, who was climbing the cliff, fell down and the sounds returned.

“Ugh...”

Gahwin, who had used the spell first, had a somewhat dumbfounded look.

“Hmm... a fascinating monster.”

The village chief was unperturbed.

Ah, now that I think about it, maybe there were no Floor Lords in the Labyrinth in this man’s time?

According to the records engraved on the Stone of Honor, Floor Lords began appearing in the Labyrinth only after the Abyss Seeker Remenin reached the 10th floor.

“Lord Vesillus, do you know the identity of that monster?”

“If I saw correctly... the creature we just saw is the Floor Lord of Daemagyeong...”

“Floor Lord...?”

The village chief tilted his head, unfamiliar with the term.

But there was no time for a kind explanation.

“What are you waiting for! Follow me quickly!”

First, we had to get out of here.

Even if we had to kill that guy someday, this narrow canyon wasn’t a good place to fight him.

Besides, I needed time to organize my thoughts.

“Elwen, hold on tight.”

“Yes, yes!”

I pulled Elwen close and quickly moved forward.

Tap-tap.

As we started running seriously, I noticed another change. No matter how the monsters appeared, we had tried to break through somehow.

‘Maybe a small mercy...’

Perhaps due to the appearance of the Lord of Silence, the monsters blocking the path vanished without a trace.

“Baron, at least tell me where we’re going!”

“Downward.”

“Downward...? But the Floor Lord will be waiting below!”

“That’s why we’re going. If we fight, flat ground is better than the canyon.”

“Are you seriously planning to fight him?”

Gahwin shouted as if ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ it was absurd, but I only had one thing to say.

“Then is there any other way?”

“Damn it, a Floor Lord! The kind that kills people even when hundreds prepare to fight! And you want five people to take him down? And that fairy here can’t even pull her own weight?”

It wasn’t a reaction I couldn’t understand.

The Floor Lord’s infamous reputation was well known.

The harsh words were probably because of the field effect.

Since I had no time to treat wounds with the hammer, I decided to let it slide this time—

“Gahwin Vesillus!”

At that moment, the village chief’s shout echoed through the canyon.

I had never heard the chief’s voice so stern.

“Y-Yes...?”

Gahwin, completely stunned, looked at the chief, who spoke firmly.

“Stop complaining and follow the Baron’s orders. This is an order.”

“Eh? B-But...”

“Do you intend to disobey?”

“N-No... I just thought there might be another way besides fighting him—”

“Answer yes or no only. Be careful though. Your answer today will determine your future.”

“...I will obey.”

Thanks to the chief stepping in on time, the situation calmed quickly.

If command wavered at a time like this, there’d be no hope. Fortunately, the chief seemed aware of that.

Tap-tap.

The chief then increased speed and approached my side at the front.

“Judging from that guy’s reaction, he seems a very tough enemy. But I guess he has some sense?”

“...Of course.”

More precisely, he was still thinking.

Anyway, it was not yet a situation for despair.

The essentials for the raid were already in place.

‘Priest, mage, knight.’

The most important human resources for raiding the Lord of Silence. Though five people was still too few...

Unlimited holy power and ancient magic.

The chief also showed overwhelming presence all chapter, maybe due to his inflated stats.

That met the minimum conditions.

‘The problem is me and Elwen...’

Still, thinking positively, there’s a high chance of some ‘role’ in the raid.

The [Dungeon & Stone] game I know was like that.

‘When the boss fight starts, we’ll run the raid with those three and coordinate.’

The most important here is the priest.

If he uses infinite holy power well, survival is possible—

“N-Nooo-!! Stop right there!!”

Suddenly there was a commotion behind.

Stopping and turning around, I saw Gahwin and the archbishop already stopped.

Well, more precisely...

“The archbishop suddenly stopped and isn’t moving!”

Gahwin looked at the archbishop with concern as if he was entranced.

“Step aside for a moment.”

I put down Elwen and approached to check, but the archbishop just stared blankly into the void.

Something was clearly wrong.

‘What is this?’

The Lord of Silence didn’t have such a pattern.

Is it because we’re inside the fissure?

If so, that adds too many variables—

“Baron.”

Suddenly the archbishop spoke.

‘Whoa, that startled me...’

While quietly soothing my shocked heart, I calmly checked the situation.

“Archbishop, are you alright? What just happened?”

If it was a problem, we needed to urgently find a solution—

“Don’t worry. I’m fine. Actually, I’m in better condition than ever.”

What now?

“...What does that mean?”

“Literally. The miracle of God fills my entire body. I can’t remember ever feeling so fulfilled in my life...”

Judging by his eyes, the archbishop was still a mess.

Damn, there’s no time to waste.

“Baron.”

As I was pondering how to handle the archbishop, he shifted his gaze to look at me.

“Have you ever thought about serving something other than your ancestors’ spirits?”

The same words he said to me before the Lord of Silence appeared. But this time, the moment I heard it, I felt an unease.

Not sure yet, but...

“I’m asking just in case.”

I needed to confirm.

“The ‘other something’ you mentioned—is it Reatlas?”

The archbishop was silent.

But as if answering for him,

Swishhhhhhh—

Thousands of black particles rose from the darkness of the Labyrinth. They gathered around the archbishop like a blessing.

Unfortunately, I knew the identity of that effect.

It was the effect when becoming Karui’s priest.

Swishhhhhhhhhh—

The archbishop smiled brightly and reached out toward the black particles.

Denying it any further was meaningless.

“It’s visible, isn’t it? The grace of God?”

The archbishop had become Karui’s priest.

「Eden Hestia has succumbed to temptation.」

「You can now use Karui’s powers.」

My mind went blank.

Suddenly, the priest of our team became Karui’s priest.

What should I do?

‘Should I kill him right now?’

Looking at his defenseless state, it didn’t seem entirely impossible.

No, I even thought there might be no better chance.

I had to decide quickly.

If the archbishop with infinite holy power turned enemy after becoming Karui’s priest, it would be a big problem.

‘But... if I kill him, then what?’

Putting aside moral doubts about killing the archbishop so easily.

Without a priest, the Floor Lord was impossible to defeat.

Yet my head was in turmoil.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t kill him.’

I still didn’t know the strategy for this fissure.

But if the archbishop turned priest played a key role?

An impulsive choice could bring irreversible consequences—

「Character cast [Swing].」

When I came to my senses, my hammer was already swinging toward the archbishop’s head.

Not a carefully considered decision, but an instant judgment.

Crack!

With all my strength, my hammer struck and half of the archbishop’s head flew off.

But he still stood.

I wasn’t surprised since I knew Karui’s priests could enter half-head mode.

“W-What... are you doing!!”

But maybe Gahwin, who watched, was different.

“A-Attacking the archbishop! Are you truly insane!!”

Ah. He just didn’t understand the situation.

There was no time to explain.

‘One more time.’

I swung the hammer again, but unfortunately, tentacles growing from the archbishop’s body blocked it.

The sight was disgusting and unsettling, hardly holy magic.

“W-What on earth is going on?!”

I struck a few more times but gave up after the tentacles counterattacked and briefly explained.

“The archbishop has become Karui’s priest.”

“What?”

“Look. Even with half his head blown off, he’s still alive.”

“T-Then shouldn’t we finish him off quickly?”

That same guy who scolded me for attacking the archbishop earlier.

“Count Saintred, will you try?”

After quickly issuing the command, the chief drew aura and swung his sword without objection.

But...

Kraaaang!

Even the aura was blocked by that shell.

Yet the chief showed no disappointment.

“If I go all out, it might be possible... but after that, I’ll have to be considered gone. It’s a finishing move. Do you want me to do that?”

The chief looked at me as if everything else was my choice.

That deepened my dilemma.

Since he was so sure, he’d probably keep his word...

‘If even the chief disappears, only the mage will remain.’

I had to consider what would come next—

“You all...”

At that moment, the archbishop’s mouth opened.

“You still don’t understand me at all.”

His voice was void of any emotion, like the chief’s former tone.

“Don’t worry. Soon you will understand.”

As the archbishop’s ominous declaration ended,

His chest, bent backward like receiving a command ritual, opened wide.

Kakakakakakak!

I recognized the skill immediately.

「Eden Hestia cast [Unstable Vessel].」

Unstable Vessel.

Karui priest’s strongest finishing skill.

The effect was simple.

For the casting time, he becomes temporarily invincible...

‘Then explodes.’

In terms of range and power, no skill in [Dungeon & Stone] could match it.

‘It’s already too late to dodge.’

I made a decision.

Even if I had to give up on the chief, I had to stop that first.

Just as I was about to speak with that thought,

Thump-!

Vibrations from the ground erased all sound.

「Character has entered the range of [Silent Curse].」

On top of everything, the Floor Lord I had dropped earlier appeared again in this situation...

‘Attack.’

‘Very strongly.’

I urgently sent the same signal I gave Gahwin to the chief. But the chief just shook his head with a troubled expression.

Ah... maybe essences can’t be used when sealed?

‘Damn it.’

So I hurriedly changed the signal.

‘Run with all your might.’

‘Anywhere is fine.’

‘Survive.’

A survival signal I was using for the first time in a long explorer life.

Once I confirmed everyone understood the signals, I lifted Elwen and stood at the cliff’s edge.

Of course, I had no certainty.

Would we survive if we fell here?

‘Still... it’s more likely than getting hit by that skill.’

Just as I was about to push off to leap,

Thump-!

A huge hand appeared below the cliff.

I tried to jump without caring, but the hand’s movement was strange.

It didn’t seem to be aiming for us.

‘Uh...?'

The creature draped its upper body over the path and crouched as if hugging the archbishop tightly.

And...

“...”

For a moment our eyes met.

Then.

Plop.

It relaxed its grip, holding the archbishop, and fell down the cliff.

「Character has exited the range of [Silent Curse].」

About three seconds later, the distance grew and [Silent Curse] was lifted.

And after some time.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaang!

An explosion like a nuclear bomb erupted from below.

“Everyone! Hold tight!!”

Daemagyeong began to collapse.