Barbarian’s Dark Fantasy Strategy Guide

Chapter 7: The Frenzy of Stoneberry （3）

Khalid returned to the cabin, drenched.

It’s not raining outside.

Melissa asked, handing him the blanket she had been covering herself with.

“Mr. Khalid, why are you so wet?”

“I was covered in demon blood, so I went to the valley to wash it off.”

Khalid wiped himself with the blanket.

“You’ve already defeated the demon?!”

“Yes.”

Melissa seemed relieved at his answer and sat down.

“Ah…… Thank goodness.”

“Many people were hurt by that demon.”

Khalid recalled the cries of countless souls. Their pleas for help were beyond eerie, almost pitiful.

Melissa simply nodded with a grim expression instead of a reply. It must be a memory she wants to forget.

“As I said before, I’m a mercenary. I came here on a request.”

Khalid told her about the request he received. Melissa’s eyes widened when he mentioned that Hojae was looking for her.

“What? Is that what you meant when you said he was coming to get me? The Lord of Windfall wants me……?”

It wasn’t entirely unexpected. There had been a few offers in the past. Each time, Melissa politely declined Hojae’s request.

She was grateful that he valued her skills, but she was reluctant to leave the smithy, which was like her grandfather’s legacy.

Furthermore, compared to her grandfather, her skills were still fledgling. She was afraid of disappointing people who expected her to have skills worthy of a master craftsman’s descendant.

“What if…… I say I don’t want to go?”

“I’m not going to drag you by force. You can do as you wish.”

“But Mr. Khalid, you’re a mercenary. You won’t get paid if……”

“That’s not something you should worry about.”

“So you won’t get paid……”

Melissa lowered her head.

She couldn’t bear the thought of causing a loss to the person who saved her life, let alone failing to repay him.

“You don’t have to rush your decision because of me. It’s just a request for me, but it’s your life on the line. Go back to the village and think about it slowly.”

“O-Okay.”

“Then let’s go back to the village now.”

Khalid left the cabin with Melissa.

On their way back to the village, they arrived at a spot in the middle of the forest where a hole was open to the sky, letting the moonlight in.

“This is……”

It was the site of the battle between Khalid and the Vampire Bat.

Trees were fallen everywhere. Moonlight streaming from the ceiling illuminated a small pond.

As Melissa got closer, wondering if there had always been a pond there, a swarm of mosquitoes buzzed around it.

“Eek!”

Melissa recoiled in horror.

It wasn’t a pond, but a pool of blood left by the demon. Khalid said it was mostly the blood of Stoneberry’s victims, which made her feel devastated.

When they returned to the village, a fire was blazing in the square.

The villagers were gathering the bodies and burning them. Sounds of sobbing could be heard everywhere. Even though they had turned into zombies, they were once their families and neighbors.

“Me, Melissa! Sir!”

The villagers spotted Khalid and Melissa returning from the forest.

“Mister! Miss!”

Not only the people whose lives were saved thanks to Melissa’s quick thinking, but all the survivors welcomed her return.

After her grandfather, her only blood relative, passed away, the villagers of Stoneberry became her family.

“Mr. Khalid defeated the demon. We’re safe now.”

“I-Is that true?”

The villagers’ eyes turned to Khalid.

“Thank you, sir. How can we ever repay your kindness……”

“I just did what I was asked to do.”

“S-Still……”

“I think you should worry about yourselves first, rather than me.”

Although the threat of the demon was gone, the village was devastated. The lord was dead, the fences were broken, and more than half of the village had burned down. It was a desperate situation as the coming winter loomed.

Khalid followed Melissa to the smithy next to the square.

“Oh……”

Melissa’s jaw dropped in front of the smithy. She had expected it to some extent, but seeing her home in ruins was shocking.

It seemed impossible to rebuild the smithy on her own. All she had in her hand was the blacksmith’s hammer left by her grandfather.

“Ah, ahaha…… This is a big problem.”

Melissa gave an awkward laugh and looked at Khalid. Her forced smile was pitiful. It seemed like a tough situation for a sixteen-year-old girl to handle, but the blacksmith’s spirit was stronger than steel.

As a descendant of a master craftsman, she wasn’t raised to be discouraged by this level of hardship.

Just as iron must be struck while it’s hot, it was time to follow her grandfather’s words that she shouldn’t stop hammering, especially in times like these.

“I…… I think I should follow you, Mr. Khalid.”

Melissa’s eyes were filled with determination. It seemed like no further words were needed.

Khalid nodded.

“Alright. We’ll leave tomorrow morning, so it would be good to say your goodbyes tonight.”

“Yes.”

Melissa replied resolutely.

Having finished his task, Khalid found a suitable spot near the village to settle down.

‘It’s been quiet.’

『……』

He spoke to Becky, who had become unusually quiet since the battle. It seemed like she was still in shock.

‘I haven’t heard your thoughts properly yet.’

『What thoughts? You asking if I’m satisfied with your fighting style? Absolutely not. You seem to want some praise, but don’t get your hopes up.』

‘I see. I’ll have to work harder to earn your approval.’

Khalid brushed off Becky’s cold reply cheerfully. He leaned against the wall and looked up at the night sky.

A sense of fulfillment he hadn’t felt since crossing the mountains. His heart, which had been stained after dealing with the two mercenaries a while ago, felt cleansed by today’s work.

Unlike Khalid, who was resting with a light heart, Becky’s runaway spirit hadn’t returned yet.

It felt like riding a rollercoaster without a seatbelt.

The battle with the Vampire Bat lasted barely 10 minutes. During that time, Becky went through hell and back several times. It was an experience that was difficult for a human mind to handle. It’s a lifelong regret that she can’t punch Khalid right here and now.

『You…… Were all your actions back there calculated?』

‘Calculated?’

『Provoking the Vampire Bat to anger it, climbing on its back to get trapped in the Cage, inducing the Blood Jade and Blood Cannon to temporarily weaken its strengthened body. Was it all intentional?』

‘It sounds strange hearing it put into words like that. I just fought based on my experience.’

『You’ve fought like this before?! Are you crazy?』

The difference was between Becky, who learned strategies through a game, and Khalid, who gained firsthand experience in actual combat.

Above all, the final blow.

It was definitely ‘Full Power’, a basic skill of the Barbarian Warrior. And right before swinging the axe, he amplified its power momentarily with ‘Battle Cry’.

（It was a bit strange that he shouted ‘Pandora’ instead of ‘Volcanus’ like other Barbarian Warriors…… But the power wouldn’t have changed just because of a different word.）

The destructive power was so immense that it was hard to believe it was a basic skill. The effect was as intense as if lightning had struck right before her eyes.

Was this the difference between the game and reality, or the difference between the users? Becky couldn’t make a clear judgment.

（It doesn’t make sense that the axe would break just from using a basic skill once. No, it’s even more absurd that he killed a demon equivalent to a Centurion in one blow.）

But, thinking rationally, while it’s a powerful attack, it can’t be used recklessly.

The broken hand axe was a new one he received in Windfall recently. Although he used it to deal with hundreds of zombies during the day, it was practically brand new.

Since he shattered it with a single blow, it was essentially a one-time use skill. Khalid was aware of this, which is why he didn’t engage in unnecessary exchanges with the Vampire Bat.

Anyway, now that she had witnessed it firsthand, she couldn’t help but admit it. This Barbarian Warrior was a being beyond her comprehension.

『We’ll have to get a new axe when we go back to Windfall.』

‘Of course.’

『Melissa will be taking over the smithy now, so when you get paid, invest generously in weapon crafting. Stop using cheap white items.』

‘That’s going to be difficult.’

『What’s difficult? You should use good weapons. Your axe can’t handle your skills.』

Becky blurted out her honest opinion without realizing it.

‘I appreciate you acknowledging my skills, but I have other uses for the gold.’

『A-Acknowledging my ass! I’m saying that because your axe is a complete mess! At this rate, it wouldn’t be strange if you die at any moment, that’s why I’m saying it.』

‘So, it wasn’t praise, but worry.’

『Don’t misunderstand. I told you before, but I’m worried about me, not you. Besides, why are you saving money so much? You’re all big and strong, but you’re a total cheapskate?』

Becky was puzzled. What could be more important than weapons to a Barbarian Warrior?

『Tell me. What are you saving money for?』

‘There’s someone I need to find.’

『Someone?』

‘I heard it would take at least 10 gold to have the Thieves’ Guild search the entire inner part of the fence. It’s a kind of information fee.’

『10 gold?!』

Doren gold coins, the most valuable currency in the Karma Empire. A whopping ten of them could buy a luxurious house with an annex and a garden.

Finding someone in this vast Pandora continent wasn’t easy, but it was an insane demand no matter how she thought about it.

『You’re going to spend that much money just to find one person?』

‘It’s more important to me than money.’

『What if the Thieves’ Guild guys run off with the money? Don’t trust them too much. You’ll get screwed over.』

‘Do you know a lot about the Thieves’ Guild?’

『As much as anyone else. They’re reliable when it comes to getting the job done if you pay them…… But they’re a crazy bunch, so it’s common for them to backstab you after the request is over.』

Khalid thought he had found a rather convenient guide. Becky was quite knowledgeable about the inner part of the fence, and she also understood the characteristics of demons and monsters.

She was almost like a veteran mercenary who had worked on the continent.

『So, the person you’re trying to find is…… the Emperor? You said you were going to kill the Emperor before.』

‘No.’

『Well, that makes sense. The Emperor would be in the capital, so there’s no need to spend money to find him. But since we’re on the topic, let me ask you something. I couldn’t ask back then because I was preoccupied with Stoneberry.』

‘What is it?’

『The reason why you want to kill the Emperor.』

‘……’

Khalid remained silent. Judging by his reaction, there must be a story behind it.

『Well, I can roughly guess. Since you came down from the Ancestor’s Land, which you’ve never left your entire life, you must have a deep grudge.』

Khalid listened silently to Becky’s speculation.

『Judging by your personality, it doesn’t seem like it’s because of a personal grudge, so the cause is probably your tribe? Did the Emperor do something to the Thunder Axe Tribe?』

Khalid frowned. He didn’t confirm or deny it, which meant Becky’s guess was close to the mark.

But she wouldn’t pry any further.

Becky didn’t want to stir up someone’s painful past any more than this. She wasn’t that kind of a bad person.

It would only harm her if she accidentally touched a sore spot. She had grasped the general situation, so she decided to hear the details later and changed the subject slightly.

『Killing the Emperor…… Okay, let’s say that’s fine. But do you have a chance of winning? You’re not planning to just charge into the Imperial Palace, are you?』

‘I’m not that stupid.’

『Can I really trust you? Judging by your fight earlier, I can’t trust you at all.』

‘I can’t defeat him as I am now.’

Becky was startled by the unexpected answer.

She didn’t expect the seemingly proud Barbarian Warrior to admit it so easily. But she was relieved that he seemed to be facing reality.

『Yes, you thought well. Even if he’s an incompetent Emperor, his army would number in the tens or hundreds of thousands, so it’s not realistic for you to face them alone.』

‘You think he’s incompetent?’

『He’s an old man who’s indulged in debauchery and caused the empire to decline, so he’s incompetent, isn’t he?』

‘What are you talking about?’

『Why……? Did I say something strange?』

Becky tilted her head.

‘He was stronger than any enemy I’ve ever faced. I don’t know if he’s indulged in pleasures, but his reputation among the Fenced-in people isn’t bad. And most importantly, he’s not an old man. You seem to be mistaken about something.’

『Huh? He’s not an old man? Wait, you fought him directly?!』

‘Just once. I was utterly defeated. By an overwhelming difference, with no room for excuses.’

Becky was dumbfounded. In the game, the Emperor was an incompetent NPC who requested the protagonist to defeat the Great Demon.

It was unbelievable that he had brought this ignorant Barbarian Warrior to his knees in a one-on-one fight.

『Did the Emperor turn into a Great Demon or something?』

‘A demon? He looked like an ordinary human when I saw him.’

Strange? That can’t be right? Something was fundamentally different from the game world Becky knew.

Is this the influence of the Hidden Quest as well?

She understood the protagonist she had never seen before and his tribe, as well as the changed main story.

But now, even the basic settings were different. She couldn’t understand what was going on. There was too little information at the moment.

『Okay, I get it. Let’s skip the Emperor stuff for now, my head hurts. So, you’re in the preparation stage to defeat the Emperor, right?』

‘That’s right.’

『So, who is this person you’re trying to find by spending 10 gold?』

‘You wouldn’t know even if I told you.’

『I might. Are you looking down on me? You told me about the Vampire Bat here.』

‘Come to think of it, how did you know about that?’

『It’s complicated. I’ll explain it if you really want to hear it.』

‘No, it’s fine.’

He had a feeling it would give him a headache.

Khalid leaned comfortably against the wall and closed his eyes.

『Hey! Answer me before you sleep.』

‘You’re a bothersome fellow.’

『If you know this person, give me all that money. Got it?』

Khalid chuckled.

‘Give you the money? Is there an altar where I should worship you or something?’

『If you find that person thanks to me, you’ll use the gold coins where I tell you to. It’s a hundred times better than giving it to thieves, isn’t it?』

‘Well, that’s true.’

『Then tell me quickly. You have nothing to lose.』

‘Alright, alright.’

Unable to withstand Becky’s persistence, Khalid revealed who he was looking for.

‘My mentor.’

『Mentor?』

‘The former chieftain of the Frostfang Tribe, who I spent time with in the Ancestor’s Land.’

『Frost……fang, Tribe?』

Becky showed a subtle reaction. She repeated the name several times, trying to recall her memory.

‘Just stop pretending you know……’

『Don’t tell me…… Gunnar of the Frostfang Tribe?!』

Khalid’s eyes widened at her words. When other tribe members sought refuge in the empire, they left their names behind in the Ancestor’s Land.

In other words, they changed their names. That’s why not many people knew his mentor’s real name.

‘How do you know that name?’

『You said the Emperor wasn’t an old man earlier. And now you’re saying Gunnar is your mentor? What in the world is going on?』

Both of them were confused. Becky, in particular, found that the game content she knew had been completely jumbled up.

Because Gunnar of the Frostfang Tribe was the name of the Barbarian Warrior character she played until the very end.