Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Sewerage (3) - Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 82: Sewerage (3)

I went down ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the stairs. Even with the torch and after activating a light sphere spell, we couldn't see an end to the darkness. It was like walking through an abyss.

"Let's speed up a little more." Following Brown's advice, we descended the stairs with haste. How long had it been?

"Ha..."

"To think there was such a big place under the sewers."

"Hahaha! Human beings alone wouldn't be able to construct something like this. I don't know why it was made, but it must have been made by my ancestors," Hikurod laughed.

Finally, when we stepped on the last step, an open cavity appeared before us. The ceiling alone was over twenty feet high, so it felt unbelievably expansive for a basement.

"From here, there's only one visible path." Brown scanned our surroundings and then pointed to a specific place. There was a passage behind an untitled stone statue that had been weathered by time. "That woman's scent also continues in that direction. If my predictions are correct, we will probably run into her soon."

Nice. "I'll take the lead from now on." Since it was a straight passageway, I decided to tweak our formation. I stepped in front, and Brown followed behind me to help navigate. I sent Hikurod to the rear to prepare for any sudden surprises.

"Dwalkie, stay close to me," called Missha.

"I-I will."

Missha's role was to protect the wizard and actively support both the rear and the front guards from the center.

"Let's go, then."

As we walked down the tunnel, we soon came to a fork in the road. I didn't know the way, but that was no problem; we had Bloodhound Brown on our journey.

"She must have gone that way." We took the path on the left, which had her scent.

But what was this now? "...There's another fork in the road." This time, we had a whopping five options. "Rotmiller?"

"Ah, it's a little unclear. She must have gotten lost, because each route has her scent."

"Does that mean we can no longer follow her trail?"

"That's not it. Go that way. It has the strongest scent, so that must be the one she went down most recently."

"I see." Pathfinding and manhunts were not my domain, so I willingly followed the expert's advice.

What the hell is this place?

Soon, a new fork in the road appeared. Slowly, I got a sense of what this place was like. I didn't know what the hell it had been designed for, but it was a maze.

"Hikurod, you're a dwarf. Do you know what the hell this place is forrr?"

"Hahaha! Assuming that all dwarves are well-versed in architecture is narrow-minded of you. So... Dwalkie, what do you think? You're a wizard, after all."

"Do you think all wizards are enlightened, wise beings? As for why people from the past deliberately created a space like this underground, I have no idea."

Confusion spread amongst the team. Before it could get any more annoying, I cut them off. "Enough chatting. Whatever this place was for, all we have to do is catch that bitch and head back."

"That's trrrue, but..."

"If you're ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠really curious, you can ask the administrative office. That would give you more accurate information than anything we could guess."

The three of them shut their mouths at my words. Why did I, as the barbarian, have to play the cop? The only one I could rely on was Brown. He was the only one who always quietly did his job.

"Bjorn, stop," he said.

"What's wrong?"

"The scent has suddenly gotten stronger. It's not a scent trail, but..." Brown suddenly trailed off and sniffed the air again. The look in his eyes changed. "I'm sure of it. It's coming from over there." Brown pointed to the second fork on the left.

To think she would come to greet us herself. It was a bit sudden, but I ran through the important things first. "ETA?"

"I'm not sure because I can't tell how fast she's moving."

"Even just an estimate."

"...I would say about two minutes."

"Has she already noticed us?"

"I don't think so. This is just a guess, but... I think she may be lost for whatever reason."

Hmm, that was definitely a plausible assumption. I made a plan on behalf of Hikurod, who only seemed capable of widening his eyes during this entire conversation. "Everyone, prepare to fight. We'll hide and then attack when she arrives."

First, we hid ourselves at the crossroads nearby. Brown began loading his crossbow, and Dwalkie prepared to cast a surprise attack spell. Just as we finished up, we heard footsteps in the distance.

Trudge, trudge.

The sound was getting closer, but at some point, it stopped.

Step.

What happened?

Just as I was patting Brown on the shoulder and asking him this question with my eyes, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed through the tunnel.

"Bjorn!" Missha whisper-yelled, and I closed my eyes.

I was disoriented because the echo was so loud, but when I focused my hearing, I could tell. She wasn't running toward us. "She's running away."

"It seems she noticed us hiding," Brown said urgently.

I agreed as well. What other reason could she have for making a sudden U-turn and sprinting away after walking normally up to now?

"What are you going to do?" Brown asked.

"Are you getting a bad feeling?"

"I'm not sure."

In that case... "What are you doing, then? Take the lead." In the Witch's Forest, we had been the ones being chased, but the tables had turned. "We need to catch her and kill her before she gets any further away."

***

Karui—a being called an evil god, or even a dark god. He was as rational as he was unpredictable. Blind faith in him always came with a reward.

"I offer this blood, flesh, and soul—please show me the way!"

It was all thanks to the god's divine nature that Elisa had been able to survive in the Witch's Forest. After offering up the three adventurers she ran into by chance in the Witch's Hut as sacrifices, she received the advice that burning the corpses would increase her rest time, and learned a new ability called Deadify. When she used it, she couldn't be attacked by any monster, and it even granted immunity from the field effects in the Witch's Forest.

"Oh! That woman is—!"

"What are you all doing? Hurry, run!"

That was why, when she came across Hikurod's group in the forest again, she was able to pursue them relentlessly. Without the field effects, the Witch's Forest was just a forest. Unfortunately, the chase failed. When her targets advanced to the fourth floor, she quickly followed them, but the color of the portal had changed a moment later, and she ended up being sent to a different location.

The three of them shut their mouths at my words. Why did I, as the barbarian, have to play the cop? The only one I could rely on was Brown. He was the only one who always quietly did his job.

"Bjorn, stop," he said.

"What's wrong?"

"The scent has suddenly gotten stronger. It's not a scent trail, but..." Brown suddenly trailed off and sniffed the air again. The look in his eyes changed. "I'm sure of it. It's coming from over there." Brown pointed to the second fork on the left.

To think she would come to greet us herself. It was a bit sudden, but I ran through the important things first. "ETA?"

"I'm not sure because I can't tell how fast she's moving."

"Even just an estimate."

"...I would say about two minutes."

"Has she already noticed us?"

"I don't think so. This is just a guess, but... I think she may be lost for whatever reason."

Hmm, that was definitely a plausible assumption. I made a plan on behalf of Hikurod, who only seemed capable of widening his eyes during this entire conversation. "Everyone, prepare to fight. We'll hide and then attack when she arrives."

First, we hid ourselves at the crossroads nearby. Brown began loading his crossbow, and Dwalkie prepared to cast a surprise attack spell. Just as we finished up, we heard footsteps in the distance.

Trudge, trudge.

The sound was getting closer, but at some point, it stopped.

Step.

What happened?

Just as I was patting Brown on the shoulder and asking him this question with my eyes, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed through the tunnel.

"Bjorn!" Missha whisper-yelled, and I closed my eyes.

I was disoriented because the echo was so loud, but when I focused my hearing, I could tell. She wasn't running toward us. "She's running away."

"It seems she noticed us hiding," Brown said urgently.

I agreed as well. What other reason could she have for making a sudden U-turn and sprinting away after walking normally up to now?

"What are you going to do?" Brown asked.

"Are you getting a bad feeling?"

"I'm not sure."

In that case... "What are you doing, then? Take the lead." In the Witch's Forest, we had been the ones being chased, but the tables had turned. "We need to catch her and kill her before she gets any further away."

***

Karui—a being called an evil god, or even a dark god. He was as rational as he was unpredictable. Blind faith in him always came with a reward.

"I offer this blood, flesh, and soul—please show me the way!"

It was all thanks to the god's divine nature that Elisa had been able to survive in the Witch's Forest. After offering up the three adventurers she ran into by chance in the Witch's Hut as sacrifices, she received the advice that burning the corpses would increase her rest time, and learned a new ability called Deadify. When she used it, she couldn't be attacked by any monster, and it even granted immunity from the field effects in the Witch's Forest.

"Oh! That woman is—!"

"What are you all doing? Hurry, run!"

That was why, when she came across Hikurod's group in the forest again, she was able to pursue them relentlessly. Without the field effects, the Witch's Forest was just a forest. Unfortunately, the chase failed. When her targets advanced to the fourth floor, she quickly followed them, but the color of the portal had changed a moment later, and she ended up being sent to a different location.

For ten days, she had dealt with the monsters in front of the portal using Deadify. Then she returned to the city.

"Priestess Behenk, where are you going with all that luggage?"

She immediately grabbed everything she needed and ran. She had seen the fate of apostates many times before. Now the city was a more dangerous place for her than the labyrinth. But even when the sky fell down, there were always ways to survive.

Of course, there was also advice from a capricious, evil god and a sewer full of filth and vile fugitives. And the city that lay below it would accept her.

"What the hell! That's my spot! Get lost!"

With the evil god's guidance, finding the door hidden in the sewer was not difficult. The vagrant who had settled there first also wasn't a big problem.

"Offer a sacrifice."

The capricious, evil god didn't even tell her how to open the door. Therefore, she wandered around the sewers, collecting and offering dozens of sacrifices. In return, she learned how to open the door and went downstairs.

What the hell is this?!

However, the paths were much too complex. She wandered for hours in the dark. The temperamental, evil god had no intention of showing her the way until another sacrifice was made.

At the same time, the Call of the Evil God spell she had set just in case, using the remaining life force from the sacrifices, had been triggered. She began to feel a strange sense of unease. It could be a tracker sent by the temple. She wandered through the maze, examining her surroundings a little more carefully.

"Kehehehe!"

Suddenly, the evil god started laughing. Getting a foreboding feeling, she stopped walking. In situations like this, danger and hardship usually lay on the road ahead.

Is it a pursuer?

She paused for a moment, focusing her hearing. She could hear faint breathing in the silence coming from the other side of the path she was heading down. As soon as she detected this, she ran in the opposite direction. Which probably wasn't a bad idea because soon after, she heard the sound of someone pursuing her.

"What are you doing, then? Take the lead. We need to catch her and kill her before she gets any further away." Short, clipped words, a voice that was somehow familiar...

"Bjorn! Be carrreful! That wicked bitch might have laid a trap!"

She soon realized who these people were: Bjorn Yandel, that thoughtless barbarian who attacked her with a mace even after she revealed that she was a priest, and his party members.

It isn't a tracker from the temple?

Upon learning their identities, she subconsciously slowed down. She didn't know how they found out she was here and followed her this far.

But this is a good thing.

Soon, she stopped walking. Last time, she had been defeated and was forced to run, but that was after she had already used up a lot of energy resurrecting herself.

[Elisa Behenk has summoned the Demon's Mirror Gate.]

If both sides were in perfect condition, there was no way she would lose.

***

Just as the distance between us was starting to narrow, the sound of footsteps sprinting through the darkness stopped.

Dash!

A strange sound echoed through the passageway and rapidly grew closer.

"Kyaaah!"

For ten days, she had dealt with the monsters in front of the portal using Deadify. Then she returned to the city.

"Priestess Behenk, where are you going with all that luggage?"

She immediately grabbed everything she needed and ran. She had seen the fate of apostates many times before. Now the city was a more dangerous place for her than the labyrinth. But even when the sky fell down, there were always ways to survive.

Of course, there was also advice from a capricious, evil god and a sewer full of filth and vile fugitives. And the city that lay below it would accept her.

"What the hell! That's my spot! Get lost!"

With the evil god's guidance, finding the door hidden in the sewer was not difficult. The vagrant who had settled there first also wasn't a big problem.

"Offer a sacrifice."

The capricious, evil god didn't even tell her how to open the door. Therefore, she wandered around the sewers, collecting and offering dozens of sacrifices. In return, she learned how to open the door and went downstairs.

What the hell is this?!

However, the paths were much too complex. She wandered for hours in the dark. The temperamental, evil god had no intention of showing her the way until another sacrifice was made.

At the same time, the Call of the Evil God spell she had set just in case, using the remaining life force from the sacrifices, had been triggered. She began to feel a strange sense of unease. It could be a tracker sent by the temple. She wandered through the maze, examining her surroundings a little more carefully.

"Kehehehe!"

Suddenly, the evil god started laughing. Getting a foreboding feeling, she stopped walking. In situations like this, danger and hardship usually lay on the road ahead.

Is it a pursuer?

She paused for a moment, focusing her hearing. She could hear faint breathing in the silence coming from the other side of the path she was heading down. As soon as she detected this, she ran in the opposite direction. Which probably wasn't a bad idea because soon after, she heard the sound of someone pursuing her.

"What are you doing, then? Take the lead. We need to catch her and kill her before she gets any further away." Short, clipped words, a voice that was somehow familiar...

"Bjorn! Be carrreful! That wicked bitch might have laid a trap!"

She soon realized who these people were: Bjorn Yandel, that thoughtless barbarian who attacked her with a mace even after she revealed that she was a priest, and his party members.

It isn't a tracker from the temple?

Upon learning their identities, she subconsciously slowed down. She didn't know how they found out she was here and followed her this far.

But this is a good thing.

Soon, she stopped walking. Last time, she had been defeated and was forced to run, but that was after she had already used up a lot of energy resurrecting herself.

[Elisa Behenk has summoned the Demon's Mirror Gate.]

If both sides were in perfect condition, there was no way she would lose.

***

Just as the distance between us was starting to narrow, the sound of footsteps sprinting through the darkness stopped.

Dash!

A strange sound echoed through the passageway and rapidly grew closer.

"Kyaaah!"

"Kekekekekeke!"

Suddenly, whatever was making the sound entered the torch's radius, and dozens of four-legged monsters appeared.

It's the Gate of the Dead.

Honestly, I was amazed. This was definitely different from back when she couldn't use her powers after resurrecting.

[Elisa Behenk has summoned a Shadow Guard.]

You could almost describe it as a difference in sheer quantity. In addition to Gate of the Dead, which spat out monsters for a few minutes, she summoned Shadow Guards at random, and the momentum was truly like a tsunami. But...

"What are you doing? Go destroy her." There was no reason to be afraid. This changed nothing.

Elisa laughed. "Hahaha! Barbarian! It was a pity to leave you behind, but to think you'd come crawling to me willingly! I won't let you escape this time!"

Escape, my ass. I'm the one who should be saying that.

"This time, I'll bash your head in!"

The battle promptly began following an exchange of objectives. This was different from our last fight, which had to be fought over a few hours.

Slice!

Her shadow guards had a fairly high level of physical resistance. But every time Missha swung her dual swords at them like a maniac, they were cut down helplessly. "...Was this always this easy?"

That was because she now had the bonus of an ice attribute. Moreover, the curses that had been plaguing her back in the forest no longer applied.

[Elisa Behenk has cast Minor Decay.]

[Elisa Behenk has cast Decreased Strength.]

[Riol Warb Dwalkie has cast the rank-7 support spell Brilliance. All evil-attribute effects bestowed on party members are removed.]

Thanks to hitting the jackpot last time and following my orders to learn a curse removal spell, Dwalkie had come back with the wide-range purification spell, Brilliance. "Haha, what do you think?"

"It's great." I tossed a compliment at the now hoity-toity Dwalkie. For some reason, it seemed he had taken what I said the other day personally.

Anyway, I gradually joined the battle. It would be enough for one person to just build a shield wall and protect the frontlines, but that wasn't efficient.

"Behelahhh!" With a cry to my ancestral god, I could actually feel the energy flowing through me.

[You have used Wild Outburst. Your threat level is increased by times 3, and your Physical Attributes increase in proportion to that value.]

The passage was narrow, and it was impossible to follow Wild Outburst up with Giantization, but this effect was sufficient.

"Grrr." The summoned beasts sensed a threat and started recklessly rushing toward me.

This is like playing some kind of hack-and-slash game.

As if to vent my past frustration, I swung the enlarged mace like crazy.

Smack! Smack! Punch!

Guards exploded with every swing despite their physical resistance. A strange sense of pleasure arose in me as I suddenly remembered the good old days of fighting against just a few goblins. Yes, this feeling was the reason that I played RPGs.

Stab!

"Aaagh!"

While aggro was focused on me and the guards were dispersed, Brown released a crossbow bolt, and Hikurod made a temporary opening using his Lightning Release combo. I rushed through the gap.