Chapter 451: Chapter 451: Expanding (4) - Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 451: Expanding (4)

Once my duel with the chieftain came to a close, I climbed out of the pit. Outside were countless warriors staring at me in excitement, mouths hanging wide open. They all looked at me like they were waiting for me to say something.

"Behel—aaaaaah!"

I bellowed, and the warriors let out answering shouts, satisfied with my speech. Hearing them up close hurt my ears.

Step.

I stepped to the side and glanced back down into the pit. The chieftain still lay at the bottom, forgotten as the warriors cheered my name and my name alone. It was a pitiful sight, but here, no warrior cared about the loser. Some may think it heartless, but it was a part of their culture. It was nothing more than the law of nature that winners were to be rewarded and losers were to be forgotten. That was all there was to it.

Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!

Even though no preparations had been made in advance, a festival immediately began. Warriors who could play the drums pounded on their instruments as loud as they could while the warriors who couldn't simply pounded on their chests. Everyone danced as they raised their cups high. They had cut down a few trees to make a large campfire and start grilling meat, though I wasn't sure where they got all the meat from in the first place. The celebration continued even past sunset.

"Great Warrior! Where are you going?"

"To pee."

I eventually managed to escape from my role as the center of attention in this rowdy celebration. As I headed over to the residential area, the warriors I passed on the way exchanged a few words with me. Regardless of whether they were simply having a good time or genuinely congratulating me, I didn't pay them much attention.

Step, step.

The further away I got from the festival, the darker and quieter my surroundings became.

Woo! Woo!

The drums and cheering faded into the distance as I walked down the forest path. Without warning, Ainar, who I hadn't seen at the festival, appeared down the road.

"Bjorn? What are you doing here?" Ainar seemed confused that I, the star of the party, was walking away from the festivities all alone.

"I thought I would go see the chieftain. Where is he?"

"He's in the tent."

"Is he awake?"

"I'm not sure. When I checked earlier, he was sleeping."

"I guess you're just coming back from over there."

"It's just... no matter how I look at it, it still bothers me a bit."

"Hm?" I didn't waste my breath asking what was bothering her. After all, Ainar had been training under the chieftain ever since she heard the news of my passing. Today must have been a strange day for her. I figured she must have a lot she'd like to say about it.

"Anyway, congratulations, Bjorn! I looked it up, and you are the first warrior to ever become the chieftain of our tribe at such a young age!"

"In other words, I'm the youngest there's ever been?"

"Yeah! The youngest! Isn't that incredible?"

Huh, I hadn't known that, yet at the same time, it didn't make much of a difference to me.

"Now then, if you're going to see the chieftain, let's head over together."

"But didn't you just come from over there?"

"Haha! What does that matter? I was on my way to see you anyway!"

"All right, then."

Ainar and I settled into a brief conversation as we made our way to the chieftain's tent. We mostly just talked about the duel and my new status as the chieftain. I wondered, were his injuries fully healed by now?

"The elders are spiteful bastards! They scolded me for giving him a potion, saying he would have healed 'in due time' even if I didn't use one! How does that make sense?! It was the same with the coming-of-age ceremony! I told them they should at least send the warriors of our tribe off with shoes on their feet! But those elders are stubborn about sticking to tradition. Even though I was being so reasonable!"

"Ainar."

"Huh?"

"When someone acts like that, you should call them unreasonable. Not spiteful bastards."

"Oh... is that so?"

When I corrected Ainar's language to keep her from getting in trouble in the future, she scratched the back of her head, looking embarrassed.

‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Step, step.

We walked down the quiet forest path for a bit longer. When the chieftain's tent finally came into view, Ainair suddenly spoke up again.

"Bjorn." She slowed down to stand behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders like she was about to push me forward. "Any way I look at it, you are much better than me. You're smart. Strong. And the other warriors follow you without you even trying."

Well, sure, but it's not like you're all too shabby yourself.

"Ainar—"

I tried to turn around and say something, but she cut me off. "So please take care of me. I know you'll do a 150 percent better job than me! All the other warriors think the same!"

I didn't know where she got 150 percent from, but I nodded my head. "All right."

"Really? Good. Since we're here, get going. I'm going to head back and celebrate with the rest of the warriors now."

"Okay. See you later."

Ainar turned back down the path while I entered the chieftain's tent.

"You're here."

To my surprise, he was awake. Not only that, but he looked completely fine. Was it because Ainar used a potion? All he had were a few bruises and some minor swelling.

Screech.

I didn't get permission from the owner of the tent, but I acted like the barbarian I was and dragged a chair over to sit down next to him.

"How are your injuries?"

"Nothing I can't handle, don't worry."

"Really?" Well, I was only asking out of courtesy, so I didn't bother arguing. Those were enough niceties, anyway—I got straight to the point. "When are you going to give me the position of chieftain?"

"Tomorrow, as soon as the sun rises."

The answer surprised me. "I thought it would take longer since we'll need to contact the warriors living on the outside."

"By now, your story has spread across the city. Everyone will return to the holy land on their own."

Well, he certainly wasn't wrong. More and more warriors had joined the festivities as the news reached new ears.

"But... Hm. I noticed you look pretty relieved after ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fighting so hard?" The second question I asked was mostly one of personal curiosity.

"I always felt that this position wasn't right for me. Ah, and I guess I was right since I lost."

"Haha! What does that matter? I was on my way to see you anyway!"

"All right, then."

Ainar and I settled into a brief conversation as we made our way to the chieftain's tent. We mostly just talked about the duel and my new status as ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the chieftain. I wondered, were his injuries fully healed by now?

"The elders are spiteful bastards! They scolded me for giving him a potion, saying he would have healed 'in due time' even if I didn't use one! How does that make sense?! It was the same with the coming-of-age ceremony! I told them they should at least send the warriors of our tribe off with shoes on their feet! But those elders are stubborn about sticking to tradition. Even though I was being so reasonable!"

"Ainar."

"Huh?"

"When someone acts like that, you should call them unreasonable. Not spiteful bastards."

"Oh... is that so?"

When I corrected Ainar's language to keep her from getting in trouble in the future, she scratched the back of her head, looking embarrassed.

Step, step.

We walked down the quiet forest path for a bit longer. When the chieftain's tent finally came into view, Ainair suddenly spoke up again.

"Bjorn." She slowed down to stand behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders like she was about to push me forward. "Any way I look at it, you are much better than me. You're smart. Strong. And the other warriors follow you without you even trying."

Well, sure, but it's not like you're all too shabby yourself.

"Ainar—"

I tried to turn around and say something, but she cut me off. "So please take care of me. I know you'll do a 150 percent better job than me! All the other warriors think the same!"

I didn't know where she got 150 percent from, but I nodded my head. "All right."

"Really? Good. Since we're here, get going. I'm going to head back and celebrate with the rest of the warriors now."

"Okay. See you later."

Ainar turned back down the path while I entered the chieftain's tent.

"You're here."

To my surprise, he was awake. Not only that, but he looked completely fine. Was it because Ainar used a potion? All he had were a few bruises and some minor swelling.

Screech.

I didn't get permission from the owner of the tent, but I acted like the barbarian I was and dragged a chair over to sit down next to him.

"How are your injuries?"

"Nothing I can't handle, don't worry."

"Really?" Well, I was only asking out of courtesy, so I didn't bother arguing. Those were enough niceties, anyway—I got straight to the point. "When are you going to give me the position of chieftain?"

"Tomorrow, as soon as the sun rises."

The answer surprised me. "I thought it would take longer since we'll need to contact the warriors living on the outside."

"By now, your story has spread across the city. Everyone will return to the holy land on their own."

Well, he certainly wasn't wrong. More and more warriors had joined the festivities as the news reached new ears.

"But... Hm. I noticed you look pretty relieved after fighting so hard?" The second question I asked was mostly one of personal curiosity.

"I always felt that this position wasn't right for me. Ah, and I guess I was right since I lost."

"I see."

"So, why did you come to see me?" the chieftain asked, apparently confident I came to visit him for something else.

I smiled as I told him the real reason for my visit. "I want to hear about the king."

"...The king?"

"Yeah. What kind of man is he?"

After all, I was going to be the chieftain tomorrow, right? It was about time I finally heard some of the dark secrets plaguing this kingdom.

"The king..." The chieftain smiled wryly as he leaned back against the wall. "Just once."

"Huh?"

"Once. That's how many times I've met him."

I wasn't expecting that at all. Given how terrified he'd sounded the time he spoke of the king in front of me, I'd been sure that the chieftain was well-acquainted with him.

"It happened when the War of Holy Relics was coming to an end... about thirteen years ago. Back then, I had just become the chieftain, and I went to a conference held between all the different races, intending to restore our declining tribe to its former glory. That's when I first met him." The chieftain's breathing grew ragged as he stared out into space, lost in his memories of that day.

"That day... what happened?"

"At first, it was nothing unusual, just a regular meeting. The dwarves and the beastpeople were discussing something I didn't understand. Meanwhile, I was busy arguing with the old man from the Magic Tower who was representing the humans."

"The Magic Tower? Shouldn't the king be the one representing the humans?"

"I thought the same. But for as long as I've been chieftain, it's always been someone else representing the humans at these meetings, not the king."

"I see..." That was news to me. Information about the discussions held between the representatives of each race was something regular warriors in the tribe weren't privy to.

"Anyway, that day was special."

Though he was supposedly near impossible to meet in person, the king abruptly showed up at their meeting for a once-in-a-lifetime visit. The chieftain himself was still unsure why he appeared that day.

"I was busy arguing with that old man from the Magic Tower when before I knew it, a man arrived. Nobody there knew who he was. One of us even tried to kick him out, but..."

"...But?"

"He said just one sentence."

"Kneel, my servants."

Apparently, the moment those words left his mouth, all the representatives had stood there blankly for a beat, then kneeled before him. They had forgotten every question and every thought they had in their heads.

"We didn't even know who he was, but somehow, words forced themselves out of our mouths."

"What words?"

"We greet His Majesty the King."

The chieftain went on to emphasize how chilling and eerie of an experience it had been. The sense of absolute helplessness he felt. The complete loss of any will to resist orders. Of course, I was more interested in another part of his story.

If he has the ability to control others... does that mean he's a wizard?

What could be the source of the king's power? An essence with the power to manipulate beings without touch, or anything similar, didn't exist in the labyrinth. That was why I thought it might be magic instead.

"I see."

"So, why did you come to see me?" the chieftain asked, apparently confident I came to visit him for something else.

I smiled as I told him the real reason for my visit. "I want to hear about the king."

"...The king?"

"Yeah. What kind of man is he?"

After all, I was going to be the chieftain tomorrow, right? It was about time I finally heard some of the dark secrets plaguing this kingdom.

"The king..." The chieftain smiled wryly as he leaned back against the wall. "Just once."

"Huh?"

"Once. That's how many times I've met him."

I wasn't expecting that at all. Given how terrified he'd sounded the time he spoke of the king in front of me, I'd been sure that the chieftain was well-acquainted with him.

"It happened when the War of Holy Relics was coming to an end... about thirteen years ago. Back then, I had just become the chieftain, and I went to a conference held between all the different races, intending to restore our declining tribe to its former glory. That's when I first met him." The chieftain's breathing grew ragged as he stared out into space, lost in his memories of that day.

"That day... what happened?"

"At first, it was nothing unusual, just a regular meeting. The dwarves and the beastpeople were discussing something I didn't understand. Meanwhile, I was busy arguing with the old man from the Magic Tower who was representing the humans."

"The Magic Tower? Shouldn't the king be the one representing the humans?"

"I thought the same. But for as long as I've been chieftain, it's always been someone else representing the humans at these meetings, not the king."

"I see..." That was news to me. Information about the discussions held between the representatives of each race was something regular warriors in the tribe weren't privy to.

"Anyway, that day was special."

Though he was supposedly near impossible to meet in person, the king abruptly showed up at their meeting for a once-in-a-lifetime visit. The chieftain himself was still unsure why he appeared that day.

"I was busy arguing with that old man from the Magic Tower when before I knew it, a man arrived. Nobody there knew who he was. One of us even tried to kick him out, but..."

"...But?"

"He said just one sentence."

"Kneel, my servants."

Apparently, the moment those words left his mouth, all the representatives had stood there blankly for a beat, then kneeled before him. They had forgotten every question and every thought they had in their heads.

"We didn't even know who he was, but somehow, words forced themselves out of our mouths."

"What words?"

"We greet His Majesty the King."

The chieftain went on to emphasize how chilling and eerie of an experience it had been. The sense of absolute helplessness he felt. The complete loss of any will to resist orders. Of course, I was more interested in another part of his story.

If he has the ability to control others... does that mean he's a wizard?

What could be the source of the king's power? An essence with the power to manipulate beings without touch, or anything similar, didn't exist in the labyrinth. That was why I thought it might be magic instead.

However, when I mentioned my speculations, the chieftain shook his head in swift rebuttal. "It was nothing like magic or an essence. It was like his voice itself held power. Like it had been written into my very blood and soul the moment I was born that he is the king, my master."

The more he talked about his experience, the more confused I became. For now, I decided to hear the rest of his story. "So what happened next?"

"Nothing much. He simply glanced us over like he was looking for someone, then said, 'They're not here,' and left. Only then were we able to breathe again."

That was the entirety of the chieftain's meeting with the king.

Before I racked my brain to come up with some sort of logical explanation for this, I first had to clarify a few things.

"You're ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠asking how strong the other representatives back then were? I'm not sure... probably about as strong as me."

I didn't want to assume that the king's manipulation ability was unbeatable, but he did manage to control five high-ranking adventurers who explored the eighth floor or higher with just a few words. There also seemed to be no limits on his ability's range either.

"Don't you think I would've resisted if I could? Don't make me laugh. I would rather die than kneel before someone I've never even seen before."

The chieftain was convinced that if the king had ordered him to die at that moment, he would have ended his life right there on the spot.

If it's not an essence or magic... what kind of trick did the king use?

I didn't know. Fortunately, there was one thing I could still pin my hopes on.

"Ah, come to think of it, that old man from the Magic Tower only realized who he was and followed suit after the rest of us kneeled."

Maybe his power didn't work on humans? It was a possibility, but I couldn't be certain.

...At any rate, I've at least confirmed that the king seems to have some sort of ability.

Though the chieftain didn't know much, I still felt this wasn't all that bad a haul. I then moved on to my final question. "How did the king look? Did he look sick?"

"...I can't remember. I can't even remember what age he was, whether he was a man or actually a woman, or even the voice that I heard."

Hmm... Could the king also manipulate memories? No, maybe they used a spell or an item for that. Unlike the power to control others, there were definitely some skills and items that could mess with people's memories.

"Do you have any more questions about the king?"

"No, that was all."

"Well, that's good. Then..."

The chieftain waved his hand in the air as if to dismiss me.

That's a little weird.

His attitude was really confusing me. "Chieftain, can I ask you one last question?"

"Hurry up and do it."

"Why are you acting so relaxed? It's not like you know what kind of chieftain I'll be, or what I'll do once you hand over the position." In fact, the last time we spoke, we had an argument during which the chieftain told me that there would be no place left for us to live if we antagonized the humans and that even if things seemed unfair, we had to suck it up and deal with it. I'd been a bit frustrated with his logic at the time, but in hindsight, it made sense when I looked at it from the chief's perspective.

"Why would I care about all of that? It's not like I'm the chieftain anymore." But today, the chieftain merely laughed like I'd just told a funny joke. "Starting tomorrow, I'm just a regular barbarian."

Right. He was no longer the chieftain, just a regular warrior.

"And..." that regular warrior now said, a fire in his eyes. "Since ancient times, we've always been a step behind the rest. Does that answer your question?"

"...It does."

"Good, then get out. I'm hungry."

I exited the chieftain's tent and headed over to another to sleep.

Just like that, morning came.

"Woohoo!"

I stood before well over ten thousand warriors.

"Warriors, I, Bjorn, son of Yandel, swear this on a warrior's honor!"

None of them would understand if I said anything too complicated, so I decided to keep this short.

"I will make sure we become stronger, regain everything that we have lost, and go even further beyond!" I declared as I looked out at the wall beyond the forest.

[Your position within your chosen race has changed from Regular Warrior to Chieftain. The special Approval Rating stat now applies to your character.]

That was how I ended up walking the path of a barbarian chieftain.

***

[Your Approval Rating has increased by +1.]

[Your Approval Rating...]

However, when I mentioned my speculations, the chieftain shook his head in swift rebuttal. "It was nothing like magic or an essence. It was like his voice itself held power. Like it had been written into my very blood and soul the moment I was born that he is the king, my master."

The more he talked about his experience, the more confused I became. For now, I decided to hear the rest of his story. "So what happened next?"

"Nothing much. He simply glanced us over like he was looking for someone, then said, 'They're not here,' and left. Only then were we able to breathe again."

That was the entirety of the chieftain's meeting with the king.

Before I racked my brain to come up with some sort of logical explanation for this, I first had to clarify a few things.

"You're asking how strong the other representatives back then were? I'm not sure... probably about as strong as me."