Chapter 242 The Real Barbarian
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: The Real Barbarian
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As the days grew colder, Jeong Yoo-shin's meditation deepened.
On a winter morning, while Karin and the children were looking at the icicles hanging from the roof eaves, Jeong Yoo-shin had his eyes closed.
Even when Granny, Snout, and the Children Lover elf came to visit, he silently shook his head and sent them away.
The barbarian Torgel and the Spirit Teacher Luke, who had visited the inn again to get an answer from him, were also turned back after seeing Jeong Yoo-shin's state.
Even when Karin came over, put a blanket on him, gently pressed her soft lips to his cheek, and hurriedly left.
Even when Mion secretly approached him, poked his chest, and blew hot breath into his ear, he remained still.
The external disturbances were manageable.
The problem was within.
Dozens of ways to deceive an enemy came to his mind, but the task of imagining a window of his mind was truly difficult.
Whenever he made a window, various distracting thoughts would rush in and shatter it.
'Yoo-shin, do you believe Luke's words? Do you really think meditation will help?'
'What are you going to do, just sitting here? You need to train and acquire knowledge. Time is gold.'
'Let's just have a labyrinth life of a lust sigil-weilding incubus fucking pussies and cumming everywhere. Please!'
Jeong Yoo-shin waited patiently for the distracting thoughts to pass.
When those thoughts disappeared, what came next were the intense memories.
The memories of walking a tightrope on the threshold of death came back to him vividly. He hadn't known it then, but thinking about it now, there had been more than a few heart-stopping moments.
There had been several times when he had been hit by a sword after a misstep.
There had also been many times when he had held on to his wavering mind and used his head to break through the labyrinth.
He had also spent a whole night contemplating on whether to kill or spare the trashy Eastern District guys lined up in a row back then.
Each time, Jeong Yoo-shin's brow would furrow slightly, but he didn’t open his eyes.
'This is hard.'
His mind was a swift wild horse running across a prairie, a lake in a raging storm, and a pitiful butcher thinking of death.
Nevertheless, he made a small window in his mind.
And he could see…
In his mind's eye, the madness was shimmering outside the window like a black, sticky fog.
'This far.'
Jeong Yoo-shin was satisfied with this.
He had organized his inner self to some extent, and it was a great gain to have discovered the madness lurking in his mind.
The storm had quietly subsided.
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand and closed the window of his mind.
Click.
He opened his eyes.
Numerous people were packed in the inn hall, staring at his face.
Jeong Yoo-shin's mouth dropped open.
From the people of the small and medium-sized clans to the dwarves of the smithy street, the Swordsman’s guild members, and Snout from the monster dismantler shop. Priestess Mion-nim, Vivian, Karin, Luke, and Mathias, and even the cute beast-people friends had gathered around him.
The inn was decorated with colorful ornaments.
"What is all this?"
Luke cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
"Ahem! The winter festival is near. Your guild members gathered here because they wanted to have a small party before the festival. By the way, are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"You were sitting in the counter chair for three days."
He had been sitting here for that long?
To think that time had passed so quickly.
"Now that I think about it, my body is a bit stiff."
Jeong Yoo-shin looked down at his own body.
He had just been sitting here in a gambeson at the start, but when he came to his senses, a thick cloak and a fur hat had been put on him.
Three slimes that the fox beast-person Luna had summoned were also dancing on his head.
'How distracting.'
Jeong Yoo-shin grabbed the slimes on his head, held them in his hand, and squished them.
People were looking at him, half-worried and half-smiling.
"What's there to see that you've all come here?"
Mathias shrugged.
"They all came to see you."
"Well…"
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head and stood up. He had been sitting for a long time, so his head was spinning, but he didn't show it.
He came out from behind the counter and stood in the center of the hall.
Outside the window, it was snowing.
He stood with his hands behind his back and admired the snowy scene for a moment.
"..."
People held their breath and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin's form.
He squished the plump slimes, placed them on the table, and extended his hand.
"Sword."
"Here you go."
One of the small and medium-sized clan members approached him and politely handed him a sword.
A well-worn longsword.
Shing.
He drew the sword, held it up, and observed the blade before opening his mouth.
"I am Skar, the representative of the small and medium-sized clans and the acting manager of Dalmong's Inn. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Skar-nim."
"We'll be in your care."
"You worked hard on this labyrinth trip as well!"
People responded in kind.
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his head and looked at the people once.
"You've all come this far to see this humble person, so it's a bit much to just send you away. Please watch my sword dance before you go."
People naturally moved the tables to create a space in the center of the hall.
Jeong Yoo-shin slowly swung his sword.
The trajectory of the sword, with no specific form or killing intent, settled in people's vision like the snow fluttering outside.
He looked out the window while swinging his sword.
'It's snowing.'
[Sacred Weapon]
[Multiple Casting]
[Telekinesis]
Small golden fragments were created from the inn's ceiling and began to fall one by one.
There weren't that many.
But people's eyes widened as they looked up at the halos of light coming down from the ceiling.
Jeong Yoo-shin's sword gradually sped up, cutting and stabbing the golden fragments and moving quickly.
People didn't even breathe, as if mesmerized, and were engrossed in Jeong Yoo-shin's dance.
When all the halos of light had disappeared, Jeong Yoo-shin sheathed his sword.
Shing.
Click.
"Ah."
Someone let out a voice full of regret. A moment later, people responded with thunderous applause.
"Excellent!!!"
"It was a soul-stirring swordsmanship!"
"Let’s have a good party."
Jeong Yoo-shin bowed his head in greeting and returned to the counter to sit down.
The members of the wandering minstrel clan in a corner began to play their instruments.
Thanks to the alcohol, the songs, and the delicious food, the atmosphere in the inn gradually became lively.
Jeong Yoo-shin also smiled and mingled with the people, chatting about this and that.
When the sun set and evening came, people began to say goodbye and leave one by one.
After the small party ended, only the people with important business remained at the table.
Luke, Torgel, and Mathias sat next to Jeong Yoo-shin.
Torgel asked.
"Skar, what are you going to do?"
"The hero?"
"That's right."
"I'll form a party with them. By the way, can I kill the hero?"
"..."
People closed their mouths and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
Luke barely managed to open his mouth.
"Y-You can't... kill them, right?"
"As long as I don't kill them?"
"..."
Silence fell in the inn once again.
"Let's not make it too complicated. I'll join the party, see what those friends do, and then decide whether to kill them or not."
Luke let out a deep sigh.
"Hooo. Skar, I know your swordsmanship is excellent. But the hero is strong."
Jeong Yoo-shin looked into Luke's eyes and said…
"Those who deserve to be killed should be killed. If their personality is trash, I'll kill them."
"H-How...?"
"Somehow."
Torgel interjected.
"Skar, do you have a plan?"
"It would be to become a true barbarian."
'What do you mean by a true barbarian?'
People's faces were full of questions. They couldn't even guess what plan this crazy barbarian had come up with.
Jeong Yoo-shin grinned.
"I'll take care of everything, so everyone, please go home comfortably."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next morning.
Jeong Yoo-shin met Einhorfer.
"Einhorfer, please make me a big axe."
"How big?"
"Big enough to look like a barbarian?"
"That's difficult. I'll give it a try."
"If it's really difficult, please make it like the axe Einhorfer uses."
"I know what you mean. The axe blade should be long on one side. The center of gravity toward the axe head, right?"
"Yes."
Next, he stopped by Aldein's.
"Isn't this a Stone Wolf?"
"Please make me armor with this wolf fur."
"Alright. By the way, when are you going to take my sister?"
"I'll take her later."
"Yeah? Don't overdo it."
"Yes."
After the inn party…
Jeong Yoo-shin's behavior changed.
He ate only chicken breast every day to build muscle, and he grew his hair long to cover his forehead.
He also walked around the streets shirtless in the middle of winter.
His way of speaking also changed.
"Oo! Sex! Delicious! Skar likes chicken breast!"
Torgel had a dazed expression.
"S-Skar? What in the world are you doing?"
"I am Barbarian Skar! I like pregnancy mating!"
"What in the world do you think a barbarian is?"
Jeong Yoo-shin tilted his head.
"Isn't this a barbarian?"
Torgel raised his finger and pointed at Jeong Yoo-shin's body.
"At least they wear something in the winter. They don't walk around with just a single wolf skin on their bare body."
"That's my business! Get lost, you fake barbarian!"
When Jeong Yoo-shin shouted, Torgel scratched his head.
"I'm going crazy."
Jeong Yoo-shin's expression changed in an instant.
"The barbarians remaining in the city?"
"There aren't many. Most of them have entered the labyrinth."
"Torgel, as the acting chieftain, I command you. Tell the remaining friends. If they have to go outside, tell them to take off their shirts and act stupid."
"..."
"Answer."
"Alright. I don't know exactly what your plan is, but since old man Ragna trusts you, I'll trust you too. But there's one thing I'm worried about. Your rumors have already spread throughout the city. Do you think you can deceive the heroes with just this kind of window dressing?"
"I'll take care of that."
"Do as you please."
Torgel stood up and left the inn.
Jeong Yoo-shin crossed his arms and watched Torgel leave.
At that moment…
Karin approached him with a worried expression.
"Skar, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Karin, the Body Regression imprint is a chance to become stronger. You know that, right?"
"Yeah. I want to become strong. Strong enough to protect you."
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand and gently stroked Karin's hair.
"That's a good thought."
"Mion said that she would introduce me to a retired high-ranking guide. She's staying in the Silver Forest outside the city."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I'll be gone for a while, is that okay?"
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled and pinched Karin's soft cheek.
"Karin, don't worry about me. Train comfortably and come back."
Karin hugged Jeong Yoo-shin tightly and then pulled away.
"Thanks, Skar. I'll be back."
Karin left the inn and went to the Silver Forest with Mion.
He didn't know who Karin's temporary teacher was, but since it was Mion's recommendation, he thought it wouldn't be bad.
About two weeks passed.
Jeong Yoo-shin gradually changed into a more barbaric appearance.
Because of the sudden change in his atmosphere and way of speaking, the people on the street had a hard time adjusting.
Since he didn't say much else, some people thought he had finally gone mad, and on the other hand, some people thought he had returned to his true self.
On a cold winter morning.
While he was chewing on chicken breast after finishing his dawn training.
He heard the sound of people murmuring outside the inn.
"H-Hey! T-The hero is here!!!"
"Really?! W-Where?!"
"They're outside the castle gate now!"
Jeong Yoo-shin threw away the leftover chicken breast.
'What's coming has come.'
He stood up, slung a huge dwarf axe over his shoulder, and ran out of the inn toward the castle gate.
The people on the street who saw Jeong Yoo-shin suddenly pop out scattered in all directions.
The wolf fur fluttered in the cold, cutting wind.
Jeong Yoo-shin, who was running down the street, took a deep breath of the cold air and opened his mouth wide.
"Heroooooo!!!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin's loud voice echoed throughout the city.
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T/N - Holy shit! Ahahahaha! I dunno what the MC is planning, but this has been gold so far. Also, Torgel can’t really complain considering the young barbarians they left to themselves in the city already ruined the image of the barbarians as a whole. The MC is just capitalizing on it. 😂
Also, awwww. The MC waking up from his meditation to see all of his friends and connections waiting for him really shows how much he had grown since coming to Labyrinth City. But, meditating for 3 days straight? Damn, he really can focus when he wants too. Rather than a window, though, maybe he should imagine a mind safe instead to lock up his madness. 😅