SGB: Episode 25
Episode 25: The Marauder (2)
We’re running through the darkness.
We’re putting all our effort into running like crazy, occasionally checking the compass for direction.
“Grr!”
Various monsters, like ghouls and skeletons, block our path, but they’re all slow, so it’s not a problem.
But that must be the same for the one chasing us.
Tadatadatadat!
Has it been about 5 minutes?
The psychopath bitch must have finished looting by now.
That’s the only good thing.
If we hadn’t been dressed like newbies, she would have given up on looting and chased us immediately.
On the other hand, it also means she had the means and confidence to chase us even if we were given time.
Still, it’s better than nothing that we bought some time.
“Bjorn, isn’t that the mark?”
Some good news for once.
There are collapsed stone buildings scattered throughout the Land of the Dead.
I left marks on them as we passed by.
So that we could find our way back to the 1st-floor portal.
“This way!”
Although we were operating nearby, we found it faster than expected.
Maybe luck is starting to favor us—
“Who’s there?!”
Damn it, I shouldn’t have jinxed it.
Ainar and I stop in our tracks at the same time.
We’ve encountered another group of explorers.
No, maybe this is a good thing?
To explorers, marauders are like achievements.
If we explain the situation and offer a suitable reward, we might be able to get help.
“Barbarians?”
The group of explorers, who were pointing their weapons at us as we emerged from the darkness, tilt their heads.
There are four of them.
They’re all humans, and their equipment looks at least twice as good as ours.
Humans are hard to trust, but we don’t have a choice.
“We’re being chased by a marauder. We request assistance.”
“And what guarantees that you’re not the marauders?”
“I swear on my honor as a warrior. Everything I say is true.”
Unlike a fairy’s promise, a warrior’s oath has no binding force, but…
Surprisingly, this oath works well everywhere.
The bald guy, who seems to be the leader of the four, contemplates for a moment and then speaks.
“If we catch the marauder, we’ll take all the rewards. Do you agree?”
“Of course.”
“Alright.”
The bald guy gestures, and the other explorers lower their weapons.
If I weren’t a barbarian, it would have taken much longer for them to let their guard down.
“Come this way for now. We’ll talk in more detail later.”
As we approach them, the blonde guy, who’s about 160 centimeters tall, uses an ability.
“It’s a gnome’s ability. It allows me to blend in with surrounding objects within a 3-meter radius as long as I’m on the ground.”
In simpler terms, it’s like the goblin archer’s stealth ability, but with a wider range.
However, the downside is that you can’t move.
“Are you injured anywhere?”
“No.”
“You’re lucky.”
The bald guy says, looking at me.
He’s definitely right about that.
To coincidentally encounter a group of explorers with someone who possesses area-of-effect stealth ability? With this, we might even be able to avoid combat altogether—
“Two barbarians just stumbled in.”
Damn it, he was talking to himself.
No wonder things seemed to be going so smoothly.
Of course not, no way.
________________________________________
「Character is under the effect of [Suppression].」
“Huhuhu.”
Greed fills the eyes of the bald guy and the other explorers.
One of them is already rummaging through my backpack and even opened the pouch of magic stones.
“You’ve earned quite a bit in just two days.”
I want to smash his head in with my mace right now, but my body won’t move.
And it’s the same for Ainar.
“Why, surprised that your body suddenly won’t move?”
It’s obviously the power of an essence.
I can already guess which essence it is.
There are many similar abilities, but there’s only one that these guys, who are around the same level as us, would have.
‘Stone Golem’s [Suppression], huh…’
I’m sure of it.
I’m currently under the effect of the active skill of the 8th-grade monster, Stone Golem.
The easiest way to break free is to take even 1 point of damage, but…
These bastards will be careful if they have any brains.
“Hey buddy, glaring like that won’t do anything. It’s not an ability that gets dispelled that way.”
It’s the worst possible situation, even calling it a disaster wouldn’t be enough.
Damn it, am I going to die like this after all that struggling to survive?
“Look at those fierce eyes. Still haven’t grasped the situation?”
“Alright, Ramod, let’s wrap this up. It’ll be a pain if that marauder they mentioned shows up.”
“Tch, what a shame. We finally caught a woman, but she’s a barbarian.”
“You idiot, isn’t it even better because she’s a barbarian? Just her heart alone would fetch a fortune if we sell it.”
Their ugly desires are exposed, and I can feel them through my skin.
The bald guy takes out a sharp blade.
“Kill them quickly. Don’t make it messy.”
“Tsk, as if I would.”
Whoosh!
Killing intent flies through the air.
It’s aimed at my neck.
‘…Neck?’
Even though death is imminent, my brain suggests a way out based on the information available.
Of course, I don’t know if it will actually work.
But it’s much more productive than reflecting on my life and dwelling on regrets.
Thump!
The sharp blade pierces my neck.
At the same time, I feel a stinging sensation, and my paralyzed body loosens up.
I immediately tilt my head back.
Like a boxer turning their face to deflect a punch.
Time slows down.
“…Huh?”
I see the bald guy’s surprised expression.
The hand that was holding the dagger is empty.
Only then do I feel a foreign object in my neck.
‘Ah, it’s already halfway in.’
The moment I realize this, my brain quickly comes to a conclusion.
Not bad.
The less bleeding, the longer I can hold out.
Tzzzt.
I force strength into my legs that are about to give way and regain my balance.
And I swing my mace.
Towards the bald guy’s shiny head.
Kwagic-!
The bald guy collapses with his face half caved in.
At about 0.5x speed.
“Dalban!!”
I see surprised faces from the others.
Why the fuck, they didn’t expect a guy with a knife in his neck to fight back?
“Da, mn it….”
Honestly, I didn’t know either.
That this would work.
“Fu, ck….”
Something keeps surging up from my throat, making me gag.
Strength drains from my body, and my vision becomes blurry.
Is it shock?
I feel a tingling sensation from head to toe.
I’m lacking oxygen and blood.
Clatter!
My grip loosens, and the mace and shield fall to the ground.
I want to collapse and rest right now, but…
There’s still something left to do.
I didn’t go through all this trouble just to take down one more bastard.
Tzzzt.
I take a step and force my wobbly body upright.
And I pull out the knife stuck in my neck myself.
Then I throw it at Ainar, who is about four steps away.
Thump!
Uh, I didn’t expect it to stick like that.
“Keugh!”
Sorry, but at least your body can move now.
Slash!
A dagger pierces my forearm, and at the same time, Ainar swings her greatsword, bisecting the archer who was standing nearby.
And as if it’s a follow-up move, she spins once more and leaps, smashing her sword down on the other guy’s head.
The iron helmet he was wearing is useless.
Kwagic-!
Blood spills from the gaps in the helmet that has turned into scrap metal.
“Th, this crazy…!”
The blonde guy, who was standing at a distance, sees this and immediately runs away without looking back.
His situational judgment is as fast as a goblin’s.
“Bjorn!”
Ainar, having finished dealing with the surrounding enemies, rushes towards me as I kneel on the ground.
Phew, then I can leave the rest to her—
“Bjooooorn…!”
Ainar embraces me and cries out my name sorrowfully.
…It’s like she’s treating me as if I’m already dead.
Feeling ominous, I force my closing eyes open and say,
“Po, keuheok.”
“Alright! I will definitely avenge you!”
No, I don’t need revenge…
「Achievement Unlocked」
Condition: Vitality falls below 0.1%.
Reward: Mental stat permanently increases by +3.
I desperately open my mouth.
“Po, tion….”
Damn it, save me.
____________________________________
「Bjorn Yandel」
Level: 2
Physical: 46 / Mental: 39 (New +3) / Ability: 4
Item Level: 202
Total Combat Index: 139.5 (New +3)
We’re running through the darkness.
We’re putting all our effort into running like crazy, occasionally checking the compass for direction.
“Grr!”
Various monsters, like ghouls and skeletons, block our path, but they’re all slow, so it’s not a problem.
But that must be the same for the one chasing us.
Tadatadatadat!
Has it been about 5 minutes?
The psychopath bitch must have finished looting by now.
That’s the only good thing.
If we hadn’t been dressed like newbies, she would have given up on looting and chased us immediately.
On the other hand, it also means she had the means and confidence to chase us even if we were given time.
Still, it’s better than nothing that we bought some time.
“Bjorn, isn’t that the mark?”
Some good news for once.
There are collapsed stone buildings scattered throughout the Land of the Dead.
I left marks on them as we passed by.
So that we could find our way back to the 1st-floor portal.
“This way!”
Although we were operating nearby, we found it faster than expected.
Maybe luck is starting to favor us—
“Who’s there?!”
Damn it, I shouldn’t have jinxed it.
Ainar and I stop in our tracks at the same time.
We’ve encountered another group of explorers.
No, maybe this is a good thing?
To explorers, marauders are like achievements.
If we explain the situation and offer a suitable reward, we might be able to get help.
“Barbarians?”
The group of explorers, who were pointing their weapons at us as we emerged from the darkness, tilt their heads.
There are four of them.
They’re all humans, and their equipment looks at least twice as good as ours.
Humans are hard to trust, but we don’t have a choice.
“We’re being chased by a marauder. We request assistance.”
“And what guarantees that you’re not the marauders?”
“I swear on my honor as a warrior. Everything I say is true.”
Unlike a fairy’s promise, a warrior’s oath has no binding force, but…
Surprisingly, this oath works well everywhere.
The bald guy, who seems to be the leader of the four, contemplates for a moment and then speaks.
“If we catch the marauder, we’ll take all the rewards. Do you agree?”
“Of course.”
“Alright.”
The bald guy gestures, and the other explorers lower their weapons.
If I weren’t a barbarian, it would have taken much longer for them to let their guard down.
“Come this way for now. We’ll talk in more detail later.”
As we approach them, the blonde guy, who’s about 160 centimeters tall, uses an ability.
“It’s a gnome’s ability. It allows me to blend in with surrounding objects within a 3-meter radius as long as I’m on the ground.”
In simpler terms, it’s like the goblin archer’s stealth ability, but with a wider range.
However, the downside is that you can’t move.
“Are you injured anywhere?”
“No.”
“You’re lucky.”
The bald guy says, looking at me.
He’s definitely right about that.
To coincidentally encounter a group of explorers with someone who possesses area-of-effect stealth ability? With this, we might even be able to avoid combat altogether—
“Two barbarians just stumbled in.”
Damn it, he was talking to himself.
No wonder things seemed to be going so smoothly.
Of course not, no way.
________________________________________
「Character is under the effect of [Suppression].」
________________________________________
“Huhuhu.”
Greed fills the eyes of the bald guy and the other explorers.
One of them is already rummaging through my backpack and even opened the pouch of magic stones.
“You’ve earned quite a bit in just two days.”
I want to smash his head in with my mace right now, but my body won’t move.
And it’s the same for Ainar.
“Why, surprised that your body suddenly won’t move?”
It’s obviously the power of an essence.
I can already guess which essence it is.
There are many similar abilities, but there’s only one that these guys, who are around the same level as us, would have.
‘Stone Golem’s [Suppression], huh…’
I’m sure of it.
I’m currently under the effect of the active skill of the 8th-grade monster, Stone Golem.
The easiest way to break free is to take even 1 point of damage, but…
These bastards will be careful if they have any brains.
“Hey buddy, glaring like that won’t do anything. It’s not an ability that gets dispelled that way.”
It’s the worst possible situation, even calling it a disaster wouldn’t be enough.
Damn it, am I going to die like this after all that struggling to survive?
“Look at those fierce eyes. Still haven’t grasped the situation?”
“Alright, Ramod, let’s wrap this up. It’ll be a pain if that marauder they mentioned shows up.”
“Tch, what a shame. We finally caught a woman, but she’s a barbarian.”
“You idiot, isn’t it even better because she’s a barbarian? Just her heart alone would fetch a fortune if we sell it.”
Their ugly desires are exposed, and I can feel them through my skin.
The bald guy takes out a sharp blade.
“Kill them quickly. Don’t make it messy.”
“Tsk, as if I would.”
Whoosh!
Killing intent flies through the air.
It’s aimed at my neck.
‘…Neck?’
Even though death is imminent, my brain suggests a way out based on the information available.
Of course, I don’t know if it will actually work.
But it’s much more productive than reflecting on my life and dwelling on regrets.
Thump!
The sharp blade pierces my neck.
At the same time, I feel a stinging sensation, and my paralyzed body loosens up.
I immediately tilt my head back.
Like a boxer turning their face to deflect a punch.
Time slows down.
“…Huh?”
I see the bald guy’s surprised expression.
The hand that was holding the dagger is empty.
Only then do I feel a foreign object in my neck.
‘Ah, it’s already halfway in.’
The moment I realize this, my brain quickly comes to a conclusion.
Not bad.
The less bleeding, the longer I can hold out.
Tzzzt.
I force strength into my legs that are about to give way and regain my balance.
And I swing my mace.
Towards the bald guy’s shiny head.
Kwagic-!
The bald guy collapses with his face half caved in.
At about 0.5x speed.
“Dalban!!”
I see surprised faces from the others.
Why the fuck, they didn’t expect a guy with a knife in his neck to fight back?
“Da, mn it….”
Honestly, I didn’t know either.
That this would work.
“Fu, ck….”
Something keeps surging up from my throat, making me gag.
Strength drains from my body, and my vision becomes blurry.
Is it shock?
I feel a tingling sensation from head to toe.
I’m lacking oxygen and blood.
Clatter!
My grip loosens, and the mace and shield fall to the ground.
I want to collapse and rest right now, but…
There’s still something left to do.
I didn’t go through all this trouble just to take down one more bastard.
Tzzzt.
I take a step and force my wobbly body upright.
And I pull out the knife stuck in my neck myself.
Then I throw it at Ainar, who is about four steps away.
Thump!
Uh, I didn’t expect it to stick like that.
“Keugh!”
Sorry, but at least your body can move now.
Slash!
A dagger pierces my forearm, and at the same time, Ainar swings her greatsword, bisecting the archer who was standing nearby.
And as if it’s a follow-up move, she spins once more and leaps, smashing her sword down on the other guy’s head.
The iron helmet he was wearing is useless.
Kwagic-!
Blood spills from the gaps in the helmet that has turned into scrap metal.
“Th, this crazy…!”
The blonde guy, who was standing at a distance, sees this and immediately runs away without looking back.
His situational judgment is as fast as a goblin’s.
“Bjorn!”
Ainar, having finished dealing with the surrounding enemies, rushes towards me as I kneel on the ground.
Phew, then I can leave the rest to her—
“Bjooooorn…!”
Ainar embraces me and cries out my name sorrowfully.
…It’s like she’s treating me as if I’m already dead.
Feeling ominous, I force my closing eyes open and say,
“Po, keuheok.”
“Alright! I will definitely avenge you!”
No, I don’t need revenge…
「Achievement Unlocked」
Condition: Vitality falls below 0.1%.
Reward: Mental stat permanently increases by +3.
I desperately open my mouth.
“Po, tion….”
Damn it, save me.
____________________________________
「Bjorn Yandel」
Level: 2
Physical: 46 / Mental: 39 (New +3) / Ability: 4
Item Level: 202
Total Combat Index: 139.5 (New +3)
____________________________________
Sizzle!
Pain accompanies the healing of the hole in my neck.
But I’m happy.
Because I can feel so vividly that life is being breathed back into my dying body.
“Keuheuheu.”
The burning pain awakens my fading consciousness.
…I’m alive.
I really thought I was crossing the River Styx this time.
It’s a good thing I got the Undying Engraving first instead of messing around with the 1.4 million stones.
If it weren’t for that, I would have died for sure.
“Ainar.”
“Are you feeling a bit better?”
“Equipment, gather the equipment…”
As soon as I have the strength to speak, I give Ainar instructions.
Then, I struggle to get up and pour the remaining potion into my neck.
Gulp, gulp, gulp…
It’s all money, but it can’t be helped.
The wound on my neck seems to have healed somewhat, but I don’t know about the inside.
My brain might have been damaged by what happened just now.
So it’s better to take precautions.
“Keuheuheu…”
In fact, soon after, I feel a tingling sensation in the back of my head.
Judging by the intensity of the pain, it doesn’t seem serious, but if I had left it untreated, it might have led to a big problem.
“Can I check it for a moment?”
“…What about the equipment?”
“I’ve gathered everything I could see for now.”
If that’s the case…
When I nod, Ainar lifts my chin and carefully examines the wound.
“There will be a scar.”
It’s a bit strange.
Come to think of it, Erwen said something similar.
Well, the emotions behind those words are completely different.
“That’s amazing. You’ll be the only barbarian with a scar on their neck!”
Does she see it as a badge of honor?
Well, even among barbarians who rely on their bodies, it’s not common to survive with a hole in their neck.
“What are we going to do now?”
Ainar asks about our next plan.
I also focus my mind.
We were just walking a tightrope between life and death, but…
Nothing has been resolved yet.
“How much time has passed?”
“At most, about 5 minutes.”
5 minutes…
The situation has actually worsened because we encountered those bastards.
I must have been crazy.
To try and rely on other explorers, no matter how desperate I was.
Anyway, let’s regret it later.
“Which way did that guy run?”
“That way.”
I lead Ainar in the direction the blonde guy ran.
Although the ground is muddy, there are no footprints, so proper tracking is impossible, but…
As expected…
“There you are.”
We find the blonde guy not too far away.
Well, how far could he have gone when it’s this dark?
He seems to have run headfirst into a building remnant and is lying unconscious on the ground.
“Eek! Pl, please spare me!”
After taking away anything that could be used as a weapon, I roughly step on his back to wake him up, and the blonde guy prostrates himself.
It’s a much more polite attitude compared to before.
Earlier, he clicked his tongue because the woman they caught was a barbarian.
“Ugh, ugh!”
Ainar grabs the guy by the scruff of his neck and easily lifts him up with one hand.
But maybe because the blonde guy is small, his feet don’t even touch the ground.
“Keu, keuheok!”
Seeing a man struggle as he’s being choked makes me feel good rather than sympathetic.
He should have given proper advice if he was going to give any at all.
He should have said to aim for the head, not the neck.
Then even with potions and the Undying Engraving, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.
“Ainar, let him go.”
Ainar lets go, even though she’s confused by the order.
I approach the guy who has collapsed to the ground and whisper a command in his ear.
“Use your ability. If you want to live.”
That’s the only reason I haven’t snapped this yellow rat’s neck yet.
This guy’s gnome ability.
I need it right now.
“I, I used it!”
“How long can you maintain it?”
“30 minutes! No, I can last for 40 minutes! So—!”
He talks too much.
I wish he would just answer what I ask.
I grab him by the collar and lift him up, asking again.
“How long does it take to use it again?”
“I, I need to rest for the same amount of time I used it.”
“I see.”
I release my grip on his collar.
And I step on his chest to prevent him from even thinking about running away.
Just like I usually do with goblins.
“Isn’t it better to just kill him? It seems like that woman has given up on us anyway.”
I wonder what nonsense she’s talking about, but from her perspective, it might seem that way.
Although we ran away in a hurry, it’s unclear whether we were actually being chased.
Considering the looting time, it’s definitely strange that she hasn’t shown her face yet.
“Give up…”
Certainly, that possibility exists.
Maybe small fry like us weren’t worth chasing for that psychopath bitch.
Would it be a problem if we reported her to the city?
If the face we saw earlier was actually a disguise using some kind of magic, it would explain things.
But…
Smirk.
There’s no way things would go so smoothly.
Especially when it’s me.
Sizzle!
Pain accompanies the healing of the hole in my neck.
But I’m happy.
Because I can feel so vividly that life is being breathed back into my dying body.
“Keuheuheu.”
The burning pain awakens my fading consciousness.
…I’m alive.
I really thought I was crossing the River Styx this time.
It’s a good thing I got the Undying Engraving first instead of messing around with the 1.4 million stones.
If it weren’t for that, I would have died for sure.
“Ainar.”
“Are you feeling a bit better?”
“Equipment, gather the equipment…”
As soon as I have the strength to speak, I give Ainar instructions.
Then, I struggle to get up and pour the remaining potion into my neck.
Gulp, gulp, gulp…
It’s all money, but it can’t be helped.
The wound on my neck seems to have healed somewhat, but I don’t know about the inside.
My brain might have been damaged by what happened just now.
So it’s better to take precautions.
“Keuheuheu…”
In fact, soon after, I feel a tingling sensation in the back of my head.
Judging by the intensity of the pain, it doesn’t seem serious, but if I had left it untreated, it might have led to a big problem.
“Can I check it for a moment?”
“…What about the equipment?”
“I’ve gathered everything I could see for now.”
If that’s the case…
When I nod, Ainar lifts my chin and carefully examines the wound.
“There will be a scar.”
It’s a bit strange.
Come to think of it, Erwen said something similar.
Well, the emotions behind those words are completely different.
“That’s amazing. You’ll be the only barbarian with a scar on their neck!”
Does she see it as a badge of honor?
Well, even among barbarians who rely on their bodies, it’s not common to survive with a hole in their neck.
“What are we going to do now?”
Ainar asks about our next plan.
I also focus my mind.
We were just walking a tightrope between life and death, but…
Nothing has been resolved yet.
“How much time has passed?”
“At most, about 5 minutes.”
5 minutes…
The situation has actually worsened because we encountered those bastards.
I must have been crazy.
To try and rely on other explorers, no matter how desperate I was.
Anyway, let’s regret it later.
“Which way did that guy run?”
“That way.”
I lead Ainar in the direction the blonde guy ran.
Although the ground is muddy, there are no footprints, so proper tracking is impossible, but…
As expected…
“There you are.”
We find the blonde guy not too far away.
Well, how far could he have gone when it’s this dark?
He seems to have run headfirst into a building remnant and is lying unconscious on the ground.
“Eek! Pl, please spare me!”
After taking away anything that could be used as a weapon, I roughly step on his back to wake him up, and the blonde guy prostrates himself.
It’s a much more polite attitude compared to before.
Earlier, he clicked his tongue because the woman they caught was a barbarian.
“Ugh, ugh!”
Ainar grabs the guy by the scruff of his neck and easily lifts him up with one hand.
But maybe because the blonde guy is small, his feet don’t even touch the ground.
“Keu, keuheok!”
Seeing a man struggle as he’s being choked makes me feel good rather than sympathetic.
He should have given proper advice if he was going to give any at all.
He should have said to aim for the head, not the neck.
Then even with potions and the Undying Engraving, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.
“Ainar, let him go.”
Ainar lets go, even though she’s confused by the order.
I approach the guy who has collapsed to the ground and whisper a command in his ear.
“Use your ability. If you want to live.”
That’s the only reason I haven’t snapped this yellow rat’s neck yet.
This guy’s gnome ability.
I need it right now.
“I, I used it!”
“How long can you maintain it?”
“30 minutes! No, I can last for 40 minutes! So—!”
He talks too much.
I wish he would just answer what I ask.
I grab him by the collar and lift him up, asking again.
“How long does it take to use it again?”
“I, I need to rest for the same amount of time I used it.”
“I see.”
I release my grip on his collar.
And I step on his chest to prevent him from even thinking about running away.
Just like I usually do with goblins.
“Isn’t it better to just kill him? It seems like that woman has given up on us anyway.”
I wonder what nonsense she’s talking about, but from her perspective, it might seem that way.
Although we ran away in a hurry, it’s unclear whether we were actually being chased.
Considering the looting time, it’s definitely strange that she hasn’t shown her face yet.
“Give up…”
Certainly, that possibility exists.
Maybe small fry like us weren’t worth chasing for that psychopath bitch.
Would it be a problem if we reported her to the city?
If the face we saw earlier was actually a disguise using some kind of magic, it would explain things.
But…
Smirk.
There’s no way things would go so smoothly.
Especially when it’s me.
Ainar is so great, she might end up being best girl
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