Chapter 69 - Barbarian Hero (2)

“By now, you must be agonizing over having no one to clear a path. Give me the Orc Hero's Essence. I'll take the lead and open the way.”

“Now I see. You're simply out of your mind.”

Her bastard brother stared at me coldly.

Only then did I realize something.

“No one to clear a path? What on earth are you talking about? Can't you see the mages over there?”

Talking to this guy was a waste of time. He was just a rank-and-file member who lacked the knowledge to assess things properly... and he didn't even understand our current situation.

The same went for the clan members watching us with interest from a short distance away.

“Half-wit, come over here. I don't want to bear the disgrace of leaving my little sister to die.”

“B-Bjorn...?”

I needed someone more reasonable. For instance, the higher-up who would have commanded their battle against Riakis.

'I should be able to get through to him.'

But I doubted this guy would fetch his superior just because I asked nicely...

“Ahem.”

First, I cleared my throat. Then, like a proper barbarian, I shouted with all my might.

“Invest in me if you don't all want to fucking die! I'll open the way!!”

Anyone with ears would have to hear that shout, whether they wanted to or not.

A short while later, a man stepped forward.

* * *

“Your name?”

“Bjorn, son of Jandel.”

“Iraz McGlane. For the time being, I serve as deputy commander of the Djarwi Clan.”

With introductions over in a flash, he went straight to the point.

“Tell me, Bjorn Jandel. Who told you we defeated an Orc Hero?”

Right. That question first, as expected.

“I deduced it.”

“You deduced it...?”

“Yes.”

Of course, I hadn't understood it at first either. Why would a major clan come down here to take control of somewhere like the Orc Habitat?

But after carefully piecing together the clues, I'd reached a conclusion.

“If you'd really come down just to hunt Orc Great Warriors, you wouldn't have brought that much in the way of strategic supplies.”

They were a major clan? So they always carried that many consumables?

Yeah, I didn't think so. Even that had its limits, and this was well beyond them.

“Unless you had another objective.”

The grade-5 monster, Orc Hero.

A sort of hidden boss summoned by offering 777 Orc Great Warrior magic crystals at the altar in the center of the habitat.

That had to have been their target. They couldn't defeat the rare-spawning Orc Lord no matter what the fuck they tried.

'They must have brought all those supplies in case an Orc Lord appeared.'

“But from the looks of it, no Orc Lord appeared?”

“Hah. You even know about that?”

McGlane gave a curious exclamation, but asked no further questions.

“Now, then. Explain why we need you.”

That one remark passed over the many questions and curiosities he must still have had. We had no more time to waste here, presumably.

Something about this man gave off the scent of an efficiency fanatic, so I got straight to the point too.

“I have the Immortal's engravings and the Vampire's Essence. The Essence came from a rupture Guardian, for the record.”

“Meaning you can use all three abilities.”

The very idea of a Vampire appearing as a rupture Guardian must have been news to him, but McGlane simply nodded once and moved on.

“What else?”

“I have a Corpse Golem's Essence. It's not widely known, but its Pain Tolerance stat—”

“No need for a lengthy explanation. You mean you can fight while taking potions.”

“... That's right.”

“So, is that everything?”

When I nodded honestly, he closed his eyes as though gathering his thoughts. True to my suspicions about his obsession with efficiency, it didn't take long.

“Indeed, that's not bad. No, compared with those two, you're excellent.”

A completely different response from Misha's bastard brother, who'd looked at me like I was insane when I told him the exact same thing.

He was even quick to reach a decision.

“Very well. We'll invest in you.”

“Deputy Commander! That Essence was commissioned by a noble house—!”

Misha's brother, standing beside him, started spouting some shit about the decision, but...

“Enough! We need only say no Essence dropped. If one Essence can save even a few more people, isn't that an investment worth making?”

He shut down the objection in an instant and continued speaking to me.

“Of course, there is a condition. If you escape this place alive, join our clan.”

Fuck. No wonder he'd agreed so easily.

It wasn't even worth considering.

“I refuse.”

Once you joined a clan, it was hard to leave. Not impossible, but you'd be branded an ungrateful, backstabbing bastard.

Once, I'd skipped out without paying the “withdrawal fee,” and it had triggered an ambush event in the Labyrinth.

And this was reality, not a game.

“Why? It's a good offer.”

“I'm not ready to serve under anyone yet.”

Maybe I'd establish my own clan someday. But there was no reason to join one as a mere member and restrict my future actions.

Well, with my life on the line, I might not have had a choice...

'But they don't have a choice either.'

It was a game of chicken. One whose winner was practically decided already.

Only my own life was on the line, whereas he carried twenty-three lives on his shoulders.

“A shame you're refusing.”

“So, your decision?”

“Very well. I'll give you the Essence.”

Had he decided even a battle of wills would waste too much time?

McGlane let go of the matter cleanly and had someone bring over a box.

'This is making me strangely nervous.'

Forcing myself to stay calm, I slowly opened it.

CLICK

Three Orc Heroes were summoned by the magic crystals. Each was a named monster with a unique name.

In other words, they were Advanced Mutant varieties, each possessing a rather troublesome Essence. That was why you needed a raid group to fight them despite their being grade-5 monsters.

And the important question here was...

'Danish? Velta? Targas? Which of the three dropped its Essence?'

Each of these guys, whom I usually called the Three Orc Brothers, dropped an Essence of a specific color.

Danish dropped a red Essence containing [Shout of Passion].

Velta dropped a blue Essence containing [Flag of Fighting Spirit].

Targas dropped a green Essence containing the skill that was central to my shield barb build.

Which of the three had dropped one?

“Whew...”

Finally opening the box all the way, I checked the color inside the transparent test tube.

“Green.”

My luck kept holding.

Enough to make me uneasy.

* * *

「[Orc Hero's Essence] seeps into the character's soul.」

「Strength increases by +70.」

「Agility increases by +35.」

「Fighting Spirit increases by +40.」

「Physical Resistance increases by +20.」

「Bone Hardness increases by +30...」

* * *

The changes came immediately, all at once. There was no outward transformation like Aynar's, but...

I clenched my fist.

As expected of a physical Essence, power overflowed within me. The increase in Strength went without saying, and the boost to Agility made my body feel considerably lighter.

Whatever I did from now on, I'd be able to move more nimbly than before.

And above all...

'Is this because of Fighting Spirit?'

An uncharacteristic desire to unleash this power as soon as possible crept over me.

“Take off your equipment first.”

Suppressing my exhilaration, I stripped off my equipment as instructed. As I did, he spoke from beside me.

“By the way, how did you know we'd taken a commission?”

“I didn't.”

“... You didn't? Then how could you demand the Essence so confidently?”

Well, they couldn't have known which of the three Essences would drop either. I'd expected them to store it in a test tube first, then decide which member would absorb it later.

The price of a test tube wouldn't be much of a burden to them.

“Hmm. Fair enough, now that you mention it.”

“Is that all your questions?”

“For now. We're short on time, after all.”

The moment I finished carefully packing my removed equipment into my backpack and handed it to Misha, McGlane passed me a bundle of scrolls.

I didn't bother asking what they were. I simply gripped the whole bundle and tore it sideways in one go.

RIP

「The character has used a Physical Defense Support Scroll.」

「Physical Resistance temporarily increases by +10.」

「The character has used a High-Grade Endurance Support Scroll.」

「Stamina consumption is temporarily reduced.」

「The character has used an Energy Regeneration Support Scroll.」

「Stamina regeneration temporarily increases greatly...」

The various scrolls wreathed my skin in softly glowing auras of every color.

“Now, drink these too.”

After the scrolls came an assortment of potions.

「The character has consumed an Elixir of Strength Enhancement.」

「Strength temporarily increases by +10.」

「The character has consumed Spirit's Tears.」

「All Elemental Resistance stats temporarily increase by +15.

「Basilisk Flask has been consumed.」

「Pain Tolerance temporarily increases by +15...」

Fuck, was this the power of pay-to-win?

“Honestly, I can barely get used to this.”

“Hmm. That could be a problem, if this much is all it takes.”

“... Agreed.”

The real buffing hadn't even begun yet.

At McGlane's signal, the support-type explorers cast their abilities.

「Aaron d'Plain has cast [Heroic Spirit's Blessing].」

「The character's Mana resistance increases greatly.」

「Aaron d'Plain has cast [Flames of Regeneration].

「The character's bodily regeneration increases greatly.」

「Tarotes Pian has cast [Coffin of Sacrifice].」

「The character's Threat stat increases greatly, and...」

Each new kind of power settling into my body brought an inexplicable thrill. I felt like an emperor.

But it still wasn't enough. To break through that darkness teeming with copies of Riakis, I needed to become something beyond a mere emperor—a monster greater still.

“Now, it's your turn.”

At his glance, Misha's bastard brother approached. He couldn't complain in front of the deputy commander, but he clearly wasn't pleased.

To be fair, the feeling was mutual.

“Whichever ability you absorb, his will be the most useful.”

“I see.”

Rational decisions required setting personal feelings aside.

So I bit Misha's brother on the neck.

“Urgh.”

Hard enough to taste the metallic tang of blood.

「The character has cast [Owner of Blood].」

The Vampire's Active Skill, [Owner of Blood]. Its effect was simple.

「Temporarily absorbing Teylon Karlstein's Passive Skill, [Corrupt One].」

Drinking someone's blood directly with your mouth let you absorb one of their skills at random.

“Your eyes have changed color. You must have taken that one.”

“No need to explain. I know it.”

[Corrupt One].

A Passive Skill that reduced your maximum Essence capacity by one, but boosted the performance of all Active Skills by 1.5 times.

“You're quite lucky.”

I wholeheartedly agreed, but I really wished he'd stop saying that. It made me feel like something equally shitty was bound to happen later.

“Then shall we get started?”

I nodded, then slowly visualized the effect and activated my skill.

The skill I'd obtained from the Orc Hero's Essence.

「The character has cast [Gigantification].」

The ground fell away in an instant, and the people around me shrank.

「The character's body grows larger. The Threat stat and Physical stats increase in proportion to size.」

Also known as Barbarian Hero Mode.

Every eye around me focused on my imposing form.

“O-oh my...”

“That's... truly a monster.”

As a sign of reverence, McGlane removed his own cloak and his adjutant's and handed them to me.

“... You should at least cover yourself with these.”

I agreed, so I quickly accepted them and wrapped them around my waist.

With that, I was ready to deploy.

“We only have about thirty minutes left now. Can you do it?”

Could I do it?

Barely containing my overflowing power, I shouted.

“VEHELLLAAAAAA!!”

Nothing was impossible for me now.

* * *

「Bjorn Jandel」

Level: 3

Physical: 330.1 (New +131) / Mental: 168.3 (New +62) / Ability: 152.4

Item Level: 782 (New +83)

Overall Combat Index: 846.3 (New +1)

Obtained Essences: Corpse Golem - Rank 7, Vampire (Guardian) - Rank 5, Orc Hero - Rank 5 (New)