I often find myself lost in thought.
Most of the ti, I imagine the worst-case scenarios, but that doesn’t an I never have ordinary thoughts.
No need for examples—this ti was just like that.
“...Ugh, uh...”
This guy writhing on the floor like soone having a seizure.
Suddenly, I beca curious about his story and started imagining possibilities.
What if I listened and felt so sympathy, or for so other reason, ended up having to save him?
Countless scenarios flashed through my mind.
Still, since his skills were decent, maybe I’d impose restrictions and use him like a slave.
Or maybe he’d completely reform and gradually earn our trust.
‘...What the hell, this is just like Auyen.’
A raider-turned-sailor suddenly ca to mind, but whatever.
I even pictured a crucial mont when the rcy I showed today would save like the flap of a butterfly’s wings.
But in the end, it was a pointless fantasy.
[...Of course! No one’s ever asked my real na before!]
Surprisingly, the guy had a sowhat endearing side.
[Because soone tried to rape in the labyrinth.]
His fall from grace carried so degree of sympathy.
[...It’s a world too harsh to live honestly. Oh! Of course, that doesn’t apply to strong people like you. Pish.]
Even if the theory that his ruin was to protect his own mind was true—
So what?
“...Uh, ah... huh?”
He didn’t apologize in the end.
To those who lost precious people because of your childish delusions.
“Apologize.”
If only he had done that, I might have reconsidered a bit.
[Well, maybe dying gloriously is the only goal I have.]
Spouting nonsense like that, I had no doubt.
“...Don’t. Just die like trash. That’s the truest apology.”
With those words, I watched the naked, filthy figure with more than half his head crushed slowly dying.
“Uh, ah...”
His hoarse groans faded, and the blood he coughed up lessened in frequency.
Of course, his body wasn’t healing.
If anything, the opposite.
“......”
Finally, his trembling slowed and his gaze turned to empty air.
Was he seeing sothing?
“Uh... ah...”
He barely moved his lips, muttering sothing.
I leaned in to listen and caught the gist.
His speech was so slurred it was hard to be sure.
“Uh... ma...”
Funny how everyone says the sa last word.
“Um... ma...”
That didn’t make feel sorry.
Hans A, who tried to kill , had family too.
I clenched my teeth.
If I let this break , I couldn’t survive this world.
“Huh...”
I slowly lifted my head and looked at the sky.
[Goooooo...]
Three moons writhed, ford from corpses.
If there was a hell, maybe it was there.
As I thought this, the ground shook violently.
Rumble rumble rumble—!
I lowered my head and looked toward the horizon.
In the distance, the green world began collapsing.
What this ant was very simple.
「A character possessing a symbol has died.」
Yeah, he’s dead.
No wonder I hadn’t heard a sound for a while.
“......”
It was the sa as when I killed the Dragon Slayer before.
I felt strangely indifferent.
No intense emotions, no satisfaction.
Nor was there emptiness.
So what the hell was I feeling?
Instead of pondering, I drew a line in my mind.
Corpse Collector, Abet Nekrapeto.
Another na erased from the hit list, but many nas remained.
‘There’s a long way to go.’
Well, one by one, I’d deal with them sohow.
「The character moves to Rapdonia.」
When I opened my eyes after returning from the underworld, the first thing I saw was fire.
Flare flare flare—!
Left, right, front, back.
Fire everywhere, thick hot smoke searing my lungs with every breath.
「Activated the Orb of Fire.」
「Reduces all derived fire damage within 15 ters by 50%.」
Phew, at least this makes it a bit bearable.
‘Enemies...’
I quickly scanned the surroundings but felt no presence.
‘None.’
Well, the entire area was on fire, so that made sense.
Better than being surrounded by enemies as soon as I stepped out.
The problem was, I had no idea where my comrades were.
‘What happened?’
I needed to quickly assess the situation.
Until I went into the underworld, we had been fighting Noark forces.
‘I was inside for maybe two hours...’
But when I ca out, the streets were ablaze and no one was in sight.
One thing was certain.
This wasn’t the worst case.
If Noark had won, they’d be waiting here in siege formation.
Holding Astarotta’s and Raven’s heads as trophies.
‘If I read it the other way, that ans those two might still be alive.’
Yeah, so...
Flare flare flare—!
Phew, first things first, I need to get out of here.
Though the smoke and fire obscured my view, I could easily find the way.
I’m not just any barbarian—I’m an elite barbarian trained by Rotmiller as a guide.
‘There it is.’
Without hesitation, I used [Gigantify] and sprinted through the flas.
But what the hell?
One minute, two, three...
No sign of the flas ending.
‘...How far has this fire spread?’
I had no idea, but there was only one thing I could do.
Run toward District 7—my hotown.
Ten, twenty, thirty minutes...
Even this superhuman body quickly approached its limits.
Flare flare—!
The fire itself was fine.
With the Orb of Fire and my high stats, aside from slight burning skin, no real damage.
But the smoke was the problem.
‘Damn it.’
They say in fires, more people die of suffocation than burning.
I felt like I was going to die because I couldn’t breathe properly.
Though I had almost held my breath with superhuman lung capacity to get here...
Thump thump!
Running full speed and holding my breath was killing .
Beeeeeep!
Like ringing in my ears signaling my limit approaching.
The heavy footsteps and roaring flas I’d heard before faded.
Beeeeeeep!
My vision blurred, and every second felt unbearably long.
My head spun like I was seasick...
‘...Fuck, I’m dying like this?’
They say a healthy mind dwells in a healthy body.
My body, pushed to the limit, kept summoning negative thoughts and tried to refuse moving, as if giving up would be easier.
But...
‘...No way.’
How the hell have I survived till now?
Not by sword wounds, not by monster’s jaws.
Just by lack of oxygen?
Beeeeeeep!
I couldn’t let it end like that.
Smack!
I struck my head to awaken my fading mind.
And...
Thump thump!
Kept pushing my legs forward.
Thump thump!
I lost track of how much ti passed.
My sense of ti blurred, and I couldn’t even tell if I was running straight ahead.
Then—
My legs gave out, and I leaned forward.
And—
Thump!
My body, off balance, hit sothing hard and I snapped awake.
“Ci...ty wall?”
A castle wall.
No idea how long it had taken to reach here.
“Ci...ty wall...”
Once I recognized what I hit, a sudden surge of energy filled .
No ti to find the gate.
Barbarians are a race specialized not in finding paths but making them.
I grabbed the cracks in the hot bricks and climbed the wall like a cockroach.
Finally reaching the top...
‘...I survived.’
My body relaxed as it acknowledged survival.
Breathing was still tough even atop the wall.
But to soone wandering the desert, a single drop of water feels like life itself.
“Hah... hah... hah...”
Despite coughing from the choking smoke, I breathed deeply.
After a while, my body recovered sowhat.
‘...Barely alive. Really.’
I stood up on the wall and looked around.
The wall was tall enough to see the entire city on a clear day.
Now, I could clearly see how much of the city was burning.
“This is insane...”
From above, the entire District 8 was ablaze, spewing massive smoke...
“...The fire spread to District 7, too.”
Similar for District 7.
From above, more than a third of it was engulfed.
‘Damn it.’
I thought of all the money I’d invested and felt a pang, but quickly cleared my mind.
Money can always be made.
In ergencies, priorities must be clear.
Right now, my top priority wasn’t money or what cos after, but to sohow survive this war safely.
‘Huh... what do I do now?’
Having survived an unexpected brush ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) with death, practical problems weighed on my mind again.
Astarotta and Raven missing.
Clan mbers hiding in the barbarian sanctuary.
Alia and Auyen last heard fleeing from District 4...
‘I’m worried about Raven...’
Still, I set my first destination as the sanctuary.
Searching the vast fiery sea aimlessly would be inefficient.
Better to join the clan there and search together.
‘Astarotta’s there too, so no need to worry too much...’
No ti to hesitate after deciding.
I quickly climbed down the wall and ran.
Going over the wall was shorter and safer than jumping into the burning city.
Thump thump!
Running recklessly on the wall toward the sanctuary.
“...?”
Tensing up, I stopped.
Through the black smoke obscuring my vision, a figure appeared.
No, more precisely...
“...You’ve co.”
He was waiting for .
‘Black wolf mask...’
A design matching perfectly with the mask ‘Briat,’ Ibaekho’s forr comrade, wore.
Thanks to that, I imdiately recognized him.
Hirkmuta.
An ‘ancient’ group ford by followers of the last great sage, Diplun Groundel Gavrilius.
The wolf mask, presud mber of that group, shrugged at .
“Long ti no see, Bjorn Yandel.”
“......?”
“Oh, should I say Prince Lion? Hahaha!”
I quietly sighed.
‘Hah, I already have enough on my mind.’
What the hell does this bastard want now?
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