Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Orcules (3) - Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 137: Orcules (3)

Chills ran down my spine.

"Hey, why isn't anyone talking?"

Just from that one sentence, even though we hadn't even properly fought him yet, an urgent roar filled my eardrums.

Thump-thump-thump!

My warrior's heart, which instinctively sensed that this was a natural predator, was pumping nonstop, driving oxygen through my body. It started preparing for the worst before my head had even processed the situation.

Slide.

In the still silence, the only thing I moved was my eyes so that I could check on my teammates. Everyone was frozen mid-step. They must have also subconsciously sensed the danger this guy was radiating from every pore.

"Hello?" The man frowned and spoke again. "Are you really all going to just stand there?"

Thanks to that, my mind calmed down a bit. Time was money. It wouldn't do to waste any more of the minutes and seconds that would be so precious from now on. That was why, with open ears and eyes, I faced our opponent and quickly gathered any information that I may have overlooked.

"Hey, barbarian, shouldn't you say thank you? You were able to take that thing down easily thanks to me."

This man had known about this place, and as soon as he noticed we were here, he immediately ran to the boss room.

Still, he got here too fast.

To arrive at the same time as us when we were the ones who had the map? That would have been impossible unless he somehow found the exact right path without wandering around at all. How could he have pulled that off?

What kind of a skill is it?

I had to figure that out. Our future plans would shift depending on that information. Looking back, though, it seemed the answer lied in an earlier part of the conversation.

"If we didn't cut off another arm, we might've missed it."

An offering. And it was obvious whose arm it was. It must have belonged to the poor man behind him.

...He must be a priest of Karui.

This was the silver lining. If he had simply found the way using some sort of scouting ability, we would have had no chance.

"I beg you. Please take the item you want and let them go."

The old man, whom I presumed was the priest serving the evil god, also didn't seem to have a very cooperative relationship with his leader.

Could it be that he kidnapped the priest and forced him to change classes? And that the man who offered his arm is in a similar situation?

After calmly analyzing the situation in the span of three breaths, I opened my mouth. I was out of time.

"Well, doesn't matter," the leader began, "I'll just—"

"I never expected to run into another adventurer in a place like this," I said.

"So you aren't mute after all?" When I broke the silence, the man looked at me with amusement. Okay, that bought some time.

"Do you know how to get out of here?" I casually asked what he knew. That way I could seem more like a rookie.

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Suddenly, though, his voice grew cold. "You... what are you?"

The heck? What did I do wrong?

While I was contemplating this, the man narrowed his eyes. "A yellow light has turned on because of these sons of bitches? Not green?"

Rather than interest or curiosity, his eyes were full of vigilance. Unconsciously, my eyes moved to the ring on his finger. It was studded with green, red, and yellow jewels and was similar to a numbered item I knew—the thing I used to call the Traffic Light Ring. No. 6111: Fate Tracer.

If it turned green, the situation you were in was positive. A red light meant negative, and the item alerted you to a mix when it flashed yellow. The ring was currently shining a yellow light.

Goddamn it.

Was this what it meant to feel a mix of joy and sorrow? If it was yellow, that meant there was at least some chance of my downing him. This was good news for me. The bad news was that he'd figured that out too.

We're screwed.

The sole advantage of the weak, to take advantage of the strong's lack of vigilance, had disappeared because of that damn ring.

"Do you know what this is?" To make matters worse, he even noticed my split-second reaction and immediately showed his true colors.

Ssshing!

He pulled a blade of blue-silvery light from his waist. At that dazzling glow, the wannabe blacksmith reacted first. "Th-that's a sword made of arc..."

Arc was a grade-six metal, considered the most refined kind in this world, and one that could chew up almost any numbered item. This was why I had been hoping for a greater number of enemies instead. The higher the floor an adventurer was, the more extreme the difference in equipment, not to mention rank and number of essences.

At least the ninth floor.

However, I didn't turn away and accepted the cruel reality for what it was. This was not a clan of dozens of people. Assuming that skill corresponded with equipment, he was a strong player who could be active on the ninth floor with just five people. He must have had at least eight essences, too, and all of them above rank five.

"Barbarian." At this point, though, those abilities were meaningless. He was at a level where he could cut all five of us down without even needing the help of the priest. "Give me the item you found inside. Unless you want to die."

I made an assessment of what I had to do in order to live. And so, I held out the jewel I obtained from the boss room. "Oh, are you talking about this?"

Originally, this had been Plan D: giving up everything he asked for and begging for my life.

"So you did have it. Now, hand it over. Then I'll let you live."

I stared at the man without a word. As the silence stretched on, my teammates opened their mouths one by one.

"...We're fine. Just give it to him. We don't even know what it's used forrr, anyway."

"I agree as well. Wouldn't it be better to avoid a fight if possible?"

These sentiments were worthless. This jewel was the only reason we were still alive. How could I make a deal with a crazy bastard who had kidnapped a priest and forced him to convert? That was out of the question.

"My stomach..." When I cautiously opened my mouth, it drew everyone's attention. The man was also quietly watching me. I could see an impish smile on his lips, the arrogant smirk of someone who already seemed to know what choice I was going to make. So, I smirked too. "Oh dear! My stomach hurts!"

"...What?"

While the man was momentarily bewildered by my sudden shout, I stuffed the jewel in my mouth without hesitation.

Gulp!

I forced myself to swallow. My esophagus hurt from pushing down a jewel the size of a tangerine with force, but oh well. That would be resolved in a few seconds.