Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Guild (3)

[Flesh explosion].

It’s one of the few crazy skills that use the character's life force itself as fuel.

Maybe it’s because of the adrenaline rush, the pain does break through my pain tolerance, but…

That’s just the price I have to pay.

Screeeeech!

The grate melts halfway, as it’s drenched in my acidic blood that splattered along with the explosion.

When I apply some force sideways, it bends very easily.

"Ouch…"

Aside from the pain, both my hands heal up quickly.

It's not just the effect of the undying imprint, it's thanks to the vampire essence I got this time.

As soon as I go out into the hallway, I encounter a guard.

"What, what! You!"

It’s the same guard who’d visited me before to ask about my final meal.

It seems like he heard something explode and ran in straight away…

"You! Everybody, jailbreak! Jailbreak!"

Before he can get any louder, I immediately dash forward and sink my fist into his stomach.

Puff–!

He falls to the ground, insensate.

As I riffle through his clothes and take out the keys, the other prisoners, who’d been watching the situation with interest from the other cages, begin to go crazy.

It's pretty obvious what I'm trying to do.

"Hey! Barbarian! Are you really doing this!"

"Kiheeheee! You're crazier than I thought!!"

"Me too! Take me too!"

Considering that this place is inside the basement of the Adventurers' Guild, most of them must be pillagers.

But…

‘I'm not in a position to be picky about my methods.'

A poor barbarian who’d been unfairly framed can't care about all that, right?

‘Anyway, things won’t last long.'

The only good pillagers are dead pillagers.

This belief, which I’ve formed within the first few days after waking up in this world, is probably something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

"Hahahaha! I’m finally free! Freedom!"

"Let’s get out of here!!"

I release all the prisoners on the floor.

I naturally can’t rein in these bastards, but that doesn't matter.

That’s not my motive in the first place.

"Waaaaaaagh!"

After that, I don't really need to do anything.

An infectious insanity spreads through them like a bonfire, as the prisoners unite and head upstairs, subdue the guards, and release more and more prisoners with the keys they find.

Of course, there are quite a few who don’t participate in the mass escape even after the doors to their cells are opened wide.

As a percentage, about 50%.

‘Either their cases are still under investigation, or they're really innocent, like me.'

As I make my way quickly through the chaos, I see a group of prisoners gathered in front.

It’s the door to the interrogation room, which I’ve gone into and out of countless times in the past two days.

The situation is quite simple.

"C-come on, hurry, go back to your rooms!! I-, if you go back now, we can pretend nothing happened… "

The guards tremble at the other side of the locked door, and the prisoners try to rip the door open.

"They’ve got the keys we need to go upstairs!"

"Tear it out!"

However, it’s unlikely that the thick iron door would break, no matter how much you pound on it with your arms.

Do I have to do this shit again?

While I’m busy pondering –

"Do you think you’re going to go scot-free after this? You’re all getting death sentences! Execution!!"

A familiar voice comes from beyond the door.

Looking through the small grate, I see that polite investigator bastard, sandwiched between the two guards.

I hadn't expected to see him this early.

"Get out of the way!!"

With a happy heart, I push away the prisoners blocking my way.

And then I explode my left arm, which had just recovered, again and again.

‘Flesh explosion, flesh explosion, flesh explosion… ‘

After repeating it five times, the door handle melts and the locking mechanism is disabled.

The price being only my flesh, blood, and pain.

The prisoners burst into cheers like crazy.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaagh!!"

"Barbarian! Barbarian!! Barbarian!!!"

"He’s the barbarian who freed us!!"

The investigator's eyes widen as I enter the interrogation room.

"You, you! Bastard, what… uh, how…!"

It's not easy for him to understand.

Because the abilities a ninth-grade adventurer can have are insignificant for the most part. That was why they hadn’t put any restraints on me other than locking me inside the iron cage.

How could he have known that I have such an ability?

All I can say is this –

"Blame your poor family environment, where you had no choice but to grow up with a lack of imagination."

"I, I grew up in a decent family!!"

"It was so terrible that you even grew up a liar."

"Ugh, what! Cough!"

The investigator falls to the floor and wriggles like a worm when I hit his solar plexus with all the anger I’d been holding back.

He’s still conscious, perhaps due to the thick layer of fat that absorbed the shock.

"You, you crazy…!"

The uneducated swine slurs all kinds of curse words at me, unable to even breathe properly.

"You’re dead! Your power might’ve been enough to cause a riot inside the prison, but do you think you’ll be able to handle what comes next?!"

Can I handle it?

"I think that's rather a question for you to think about. After all, if my plan works out, you'll be fucked."

"Yeah, what do you think you can do?"

A chuff of laughter breaks out.

"What can I do?"

What a fucking useless question.

"You should rather ask, what can’t I do?"

I'm an asshole who won’t balk at anything, however crazy it might be, if my life is at stake.

It’s this pitiful lack of imagination that I was referring to, you piece of shit.

"So take a nap for now."

When you wake up, either you will be in hell or I will.

Puff–!

This time my fist kisses his face instead of his plump belly, and the investigator bastard faints in a single blow.

It’s a guard who shouts at me next.

"Key."

"All, all of you, do you even know what you are doing right now?!"

I do know.

But what’re you trying to say?

That it’d have been better if I’d just stayed there?

I only repeat that one word.

"Key."

"It, it’s still not too late –"

"Key."

"H-, here you are…"

As I pluck the key from his hand and turn back, the prisoners smoothly part before me, like it’s some kind of a movie.

Step, step.

Passing between them, I find myself standing in front of the stairs that lead to the ground, and take a deep breath.

Is it really okay to up the ante even more?

Such worries suddenly arise, but…

‘It's those bastards who didn't give me a choice.'

I raise the key up, and roar.

"Let’s go!!!!"

Everything that’s gonna happen next is self-defence.

To protect this precious life of mine.

The prison was built deep underground beneath the Adventurers’ Guild branch office.

The double doors that connected the basement to the ground floor were so thick that the people outside hadn't felt anything even when the situation underground had reached this point.

‘It's pretty lucky for me.'

Creak.

Climbing up the long stairs and opening the door, I could see a peaceful interior room that was completely different from the dungeon I’d just escaped from.

Lots of administrative staff, and adventurers bustling in front of the counter.

"Uh, how did you get in here?"

A staff member asked as he saw me come from inside the building, where ordinary adventurers were not allowed to go.

Of course, I didn’t need to answer.

The staff member noticed the open door behind me and understood the situation in an instant.

"J-, jailbreak!!"

The eyes of everyone present converged on me at his cry.

A heavy silence descended in an instant.

However, among the careless adventurers, there was a bastard who was particularly quick in judgment.

"Sister clerk! If I catch this guy, will you have a drink with me after work?!"

A man standing next to a female employee jumped over the counter in an instant and ran towards me.

And then.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaagh!!"

"The smell of freedom!!"

Prisoners started pouring out from the stairs.

"Uh, uh, uh…?"

"No, stop!"

"The reward will be paid by the guild! Adventurers, lend us your strength!"

"Aaaaagh!!"

Prisoners rushed in without fear, and adventurers took out their weapons to fight back.

"Kill!!"

In the peaceful Adventurers' Guild office, blood began to flow.

I, who’d been the cause of all this, took a step back from the front and hurried towards my destination.

‘I don’t have time.'

The prisoners could perhaps earn me five minutes, or even less.

Except for a few clubs that I’d stolen from the guards, I didn't have any weapons.

I climbed the stairs to the second floor and looked out of the window.

‘It’d be unreasonable to escape, too.'

Perhaps the commotion had already reached the outside, because adventurers all along the street were also paying attention to the building.

If I went out in this state, I’d just get beaten up and taken down again.

The answer, therefore, was above.

"You, who are you!"

All the staff I encountered in the hallway, I stunned with a hit from my fists, and then peered over the railing to check out the situation on the first floor.

Dozens of people were fighting.

I reached out my hand to the air, over their heads.

And…

‘Flesh explosion.'

As my hand burst, acidic blood poured down like a sprinkler.

"Aaaaah!"

Adventurers, prisoners, and shitheads were all splattered without discrimination, and dozens of screams sang in unison.

Somehow, I felt a bit guilty, but…

There was no helping it.

I had to increase the chance of success of the next step of my plan.

「The character has cast [mark of sacrifice].」

As the link activated, tattoos were engraved on the foreheads of those stained with my blood, and red light sparked here and there.

「The character’s physical ability temporarily increases proportional to the number of sacrifices within a 100m radius.」

The sacrifices numbered at least several dozen.

‘This is why the players were so addicted to this skill.'

Power boiled all over my body.

The railing I grabbed unintentionally was starting to creak as if it’d snap any moment.

Even the anxiety in my heart had disappeared.

This much, was sufficient.

"Ahhhhhh!!"

Leaving the commotion behind, I climbed the stairs again and headed to the third floor.

‘Fortunately, it doesn't look like he's gone.'

The third floor was completely different from the lower floors, with the door only slightly ajar.

The entire floor was made up of offices.

The wooden furniture, decorations and the plaques on the walls gave off a rather old-fashioned vibe.

"What the hell is that commotion! Go down and check it out!"

"Yes! Branch Manager!"

‘There's the branch manager.'

Having identified the target, I hid behind the door.

And the moment the man who’d gotten his orders opened the door and came out –

I hit him on the chin with my fist, holding nothing back.

Crunch.

Uh, I didn't mean to break your jaw…

Thump.

He was an assistant to the branch manager, so I’d been cautious thinking he might be strong, but he collapsed to the floor bonelessly in one shot.

At the same time, the branch manager jumped up.

"Who, who are you!"

Me?

"A poor barbarian."

If more clarification was needed, then I was here to prove my innocence.

Like a proper barbarian, in a physical manner.

"You must’ve caused that disturbance below!"

The man quickly judged the situation, as expected of a branch manager of the guild, and immediately pulled out a sword that’d been hanging on the wall.

Perhaps he was a former adventurer? His posture was different from the rest.

All of the staff below had been civilian pencil-pushers.

Well, it didn't matter in the end, because I’d doped up in advance expecting something like this.

"Girl, come stand behind me."

"Ye-, yes!"

The woman who’d been sitting facing the branch manager quickly hid behind him, and both sides were now ready to fight.

‘Is this what you’d call a boss battle, in game terms?'

I took a deep breath.

For my plan to succeed, I had to defeat this guy.

Ideally, before the commotion on the first floor calmed down.

"Behel-raaaa!!"

Was it because of my [mark of sacrifice] that’d targeted dozens of people below?

The moment I kicked off the ground, my body surged forward with an explosive acceleration.

To be honest, even I myself wasn’t used to this kind of speed…

But the branch manager wasn't helpless either.

"Damn it!"

His sword accurately read my movements, traced a precise trajectory, and dug into my wrist.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to cut my bones in ultrabarbarian[1] mode.

Crack!

A dull sound rang out, as if something had gotten stuck.

Then, blood sprayed from the cut and drenched the branch manager’s head.

Screeech!

"Ugh! Aaaagh!"

The unexpected pain made him lose focus.

It was ridiculously simple after that.

Taking advantage of the distraction, I hit his throat with my fist, and that was the end of it.

"Ka, kahagh!"

The branch manager groaned and knelt down.

Contrary to how nervous I’d been, the boss battle ended so quickly…

I really hadn't thought that a simple blood spray would result in something like this.

Apparently, lack of imagination was a tradition in the Adventurers’ Guild.

But not for me.

"You, you bastard…!"

I always planned imagining the worst possible outcome.

Since I didn’t know what kind of essence this former adventurer might have, I slapped him on the back of his head and stunned him.

The preparations were ready.

"P-, please spare me!"

But what about the girl?

Judging by the way she’d crouched behind the branch manager, she didn’t seem like a bigshot.

"She, she’s the district chief’s daughter! Touch her even slightly and you…"

What the hell, how did he wake up so quickly?

Puff!

After applying a little more force this time, I calmly continued my thoughts.

‘Daughter, the district chief's daughter…'

It might make things a little easier.

Or, make everything spiral out of control.

"Branch Manager! Are you alright?!"

A staff member came up to check up on the situation once the commotion on the first floor died down.

Of course, there was no problem.

Because the branch manager had already finished changing his job to become my pet parrot.

"Tell them it’s okay."

"… I’m okay. What happened downstairs?"

"Everything’s sorted out! A few escaped into the city, but they’ll be found soon."

"Is that so… Good job."

"Ah! But where’s Secretary Robert? I thought he'd be here with you…"

The manager's assistant?

He was resting in a closet with a broken jaw.

Of course, it was impossible for the branch manager to answer honestly.

"Say he’s taking a look around."

"… He’s got some business outside, so he went out. I have some urgent work to finish, so make sure nobody comes up until I call."

"Yes!"

The staff member left with an affirmative, and I immediately got out from behind the desk.

In my arms was the daughter of the regional chief.

The branch manager brushed his moustache as he looked at me.

"I sincerely advise you; it’d be better for you to quit even now."

"Right."

The advice went through my one ear and out the other.

Better for me? What bullshit.

If I quit here, won’t all I have done come to nothing?

"Think about it, I don’t know what your purpose is, but I might be able to help –"

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you."

As I picked my ear with my little finger, the branch manager couldn’t bear it anymore and roared.

"You crazy bastard! Do you even know what you're doing!"

I knew.

No, to be honest, I'd heard it so many times already that my ears were about to scab over.

What choice did I have?

Either I did something crazy, or I died.

It was a simple, binary choice.

"I see."

As I perfunctorily nodded my head again, the branch manager probably got too stimulated and tried to scream again…

"What the hell do you even –"

"If you don’t shut up, I’ll kill this woman."

When I bluffed and pretended to tighten my grip on the district chief’s daughter’s neck, the branch manager promptly shut his mouth.

Upon closer inspection, his face looked pale and bloodless.

Well, it wasn’t like I couldn’t understand his predicament.

Not only did a jailbreak incident occur at his branch, the daughter of the local chief who was with him was also taken hostage…

He was in a terrible mess.

No matter how this ended, this bastard won't be fine.

‘You reap what you sow.'

While I was thinking that, the hostage suddenly opened her mouth.

"My name is Julianne Urbans. Not ‘this woman’."

Her voice had calmed down compared to the terrified tone from before.

Her heartbeat, which I could naturally feel due to how closely our bodies were entwined together, was also quite stable.

"Tell me what you want. There must’ve been a reason for someone like you to do this kind of a crazy thing, right?"

"Someone like me?"

Had I ever met this woman before?

As I tilted my head, she continued.

"You aren’t intimidated or anxious at all. Your breathing is even, and your eyes are calm and still."

"Summarize."

"Did you plan all this? A long time ago, too."

Plan? I did, at that.

It was about thirty minutes ago, to be precise.

‘I thought she was going to say something important, but it turned out to be a waste of time.'

"Maybe you even knew that I was going to be here today –"

"Be quiet."

"Uh, urp!"

Covering the woman's mouth with my hand and shutting up her excessively narcissistic analysis of the current events, I asked the branch manager to make the necessary preparations for my future.

"I need you to bring me the investigator who was in charge of my case, a guy named Hearth Young of the ‘Crystal Union’ clan who’s active on the first floor, a wizard from the tower, and an official priest of the temple."

I’d laid the foundation as much as I could.

Now was the time to turn this thing around.

Editor's Notes:

[1] 초바바리안 (chobabalian). 초 has many meanings but here it means ultra or extreme.