Surviving the Game as a Barbarian Chapter 791: Red Ocean (3)

Treasure invites disaster. This saying rings especially true within the depths of the labyrinth. In my early days as a newbie, I once faced a sudden betrayal where a companion turned raider over a mere subspace bag, and such events were so common that I even pondered removing the workshop mark from my own bag or rubbing dirt on my lightium chestplate to hide its gleam.

However.......

‘I believed those risky times were behind me.’

As my reputation grew, I assembled a team that evolved into a full clan, ascended to nobility, and eventually took the role of chieftain...... the greater my possessions became, the less I saw the need to conceal them.

Actually, quite the opposite occurred—I displayed as much as possible.

I determined that in this era, such openness would serve me better.

Yet, here we are now.

「……」

The instant that scoundrel slyly posed his query, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Neither he nor I had uttered a syllable.

My allies started drawing their weapons, ready to clash at a moment's notice, while the foes mirrored the action.

「……」

「……」

Amid the strained hush, our eyes locked in confrontation.

He wavered.

Naturally so—slaying me promised immense rewards.

Simply tallying the Numbered items publicly linked to me yielded several, including rare Single Numbers.

And beyond that, he likely imagined I held even more secrets.

Humans thrive on fantasies.

Always slanted toward their benefit.

「...How's progress with your fresh recruits?」

He must have weighed our group's setup, allowing greed to creep in bit by bit.

Since Elwen and Ainard from the Seven Rivals were absent.

And Beleg—essentially a faded veteran—along with Misha, lacked notable battle prowess.

‘Raven and Kaislan carry some renown, but......’

With such a formation, he figured it might be feasible.

After all, their numbers exceeded forty, against our mere six.

「I see no obligation to share clan internals with you. So, what's your real point?」

「Haha, no need for aggression. I only meant to warn—stay vigilant.」

「……?」

「You know, tales of you soloing twenty Orkulis foes or shattering a Magic Eye in a single strike... naive idiots might swallow that, but anyone who's delved into the labyrinth dismisses such wild exaggerations.」

Ah... now it clicks.

I understand fully.

I'd puzzled over his sudden avarice toward me, but evidently, he viewed my power as overhyped gossip from the outset.

「We're civilized folk, so we'll just go our separate ways—」

What nonsense. You're merely a timid fool afraid to gamble.

「Meiruta Clan.」

I interrupted him and spoke swiftly.

「From 121 total members, 48 joined this venture. You've allied with the similarly sized Dvoord Clan, though you're traveling separately, so you'll rendezvous on the sixth floor, I presume.」

「How could you know...?」

「At my stature, such details come naturally. Like how, despite court clearance, your clan faces repeated suspicions of raiding.」

「……」

「Do you covet my belongings?」

He offered no response to my direct query.

It was laughable.

When I held back, I appeared weak, but now on the attack, he floundered in confusion.

「...Haha, what do you mean? I simply gave some neighborly counsel—」

「Prepare to fight.」

I halted him again and instructed my group.

「Treat the Meiruta Clan leader as a raider and noble-slayer from now on. Eliminate him immediately.」

「……Wh-what?!」

「Supporting your leader marks you as accessories, subject to equal penalty.」

「W-wait!!」

As I concluded my brief edict and advanced a step, the wretch retreated and stammered at me.

「Y-you truly intend to strike?」

「I'm simply delivering justice to a felon.」

「Wh-what crime have I committed?! Consider this! Even as you are, such actions—」

「Such actions lead to what?」

「……」

「Do you truly believe I couldn't handle the fallout?」

He gaped soundlessly, mouth flapping like a stranded fish.

For he recognized the truth.

That despite their innocence, should I massacre him and his followers, I could bury the matter.

「Ilia Adnus.」

「...Hoo, so it's come to that.」

By voicing his name alone, the Guildmaster grasped my intent and doffed his helmet.

「Th-the Guildmaster...?」

「Why's the Guildmaster alongside Anabada Clan...?」

All were utterly stunned, but truly, the pressing query isn't his presence here.

「You're now involved in a raid.」

「W-we've never—」

「From my observation, it was a clear attempt. Deny it? Then will you back your leader's wrongdoing?」

The Meiruta folk answered the Guildmaster's probe through deeds, not speech.

They reflexively, without thought, edged away several paces...

‘Perfect. That's settled.’

When launching an assault, the key is denying the foe time for reflection.

With their ranks withdrawing, I surged ahead.

And then...

「……Ugh!!」

I seized the Meiruta leader's skull in one grasp.

Kwaaaaang—!

And drove him forcefully into the earth.

Naturally, not one of his underlings stirred.

More precisely, they were unable.

Had their chief displayed commanding presence and issued orders, the outcome might differ. But here, no ordinary member dared such a grave choice.

「……」

「……」

Thus, quiet enveloped the labyrinth anew.

Yet this hush differed vastly from earlier.

Prior, it brimmed with volatile tension, poised to erupt...

「……」

Now, it signified triumph's aftermath.

The defeated held no recourse, left to plead for the victor's clemency.

「Your decision?」

The Guildmaster tsked and positioned himself beside me.

「No issue slaying him on site. His standing was poor anyway, and a town probe would unearth dirt. Plus, he violated the silent code by approaching first, correct?」

「P-please have mercy... P-please... I erred.」

「So? Your call?」

The Guildmaster queried as if deaf to the beggar's cries, and I tuned them out too, voicing my conclusion.

「Carry out the execution.」

「What...? No, impossible! I-I committed nothing!

Strictly speaking, he's correct.

But the issue lies in him even considering it.

‘What if Team 2 encountered such threats?’

An ambush during ascent, a casualty among us?

I refuse to idly reflect later with, “No choice had I.”

Indeed. Hence...

They must learn.

The identity of Bjorn Yandel.

The fate awaiting those who target us.

Crack—!

No further discourse needed.

I swung the hammer, ending it there.

With my ruling finalized, the Guildmaster neared.

「Well handled. Types like him infest like roaches. Spare one, and they swarm.」

His words of support meant little to me; instead, I scanned my companions' expressions.

Raven, seasoned in warfare, betrayed scant emotion—as did Beleg.

Kaislan appeared almost relieved.

However...

「……」

Just Misha, longest at my side, displayed faint worry, though she held her tongue for the moment.

「S-so... our fate now?」

「Are you the deputy leader?」

「Y-yes. Baron—er, Viscount...」

The deputy avoided my gaze, quaking.

Obviously—their chief slain unexpectedly, I must seem a fiend in their eyes.

From their view, it could appear a rash killing born of fury.

「I have inquiries.」

「W-we harbored no malice! Upon detecting presence, I-I urged retreat, but the captain proceeded alone—」

「Not my question.」

「Eh? Then what...?」

「I understand selecting the fifth floor for assembly. But how did you arrive so swiftly?」

It puzzled me from our initial encounter.

Our pace was blistering—how did they outpace us?

With forty-eight in tow, no less.

「T-that's due to our captain deploying six with [Flag of Swiftness] for the expedition! Oh, [Flag of Swiftness] means...」

「Spare the details. I'm familiar.」

[Flag of Swiftness] is an aura skill boosting speed dramatically by participant count.

It guzzles MP heavily, yet they likely alternated casters...

‘Yet, does this tactic hold true value?’

As I mulled, the Guildmaster interjected mockingly.

「An outdated method nowadays.」

「Eh...?」

「It shines only post-full assembly on the fifth. You zip through it quickly, but... sixth demands vessels, seventh prioritizes steadiness over haste. Thus, it faded after a short vogue.」

「...I-I didn't realize... The captain claimed he invested heavily in that tactic...」

「Wasted coin.」

That resolved my curiosity.

Frankly, stumbling upon so large a party on the fifth had startled me.

「So, us...?」

「You'll join our path. Sixth floor bound, aren't you?」

「Uh...?」

「Objection?」

「No, sir...」

Given events, proceeding to the sixth for respite made sense.

***

「53 entities detected nearby.」

「[Flag of Swiftness] potency risen 315%.」

「Movement stats surged immensely; stamina drain during travel sharply reduced.」

「Sixth floor entered: Great Ocean.」

***

Despite the delay from prior events, we hit the sixth floor before Day 16 closed, aided by the Meiruta Clan's buff-assisted trek.

Lymia, the Island of Beginnings.

Coastal areas bustled with clans readying departures or awaiting stragglers.

「Few vessels seem launched already.」

「Positive. Team 2 lags, so let's tackle the mountain first.」

「Um...」

「~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ You're tagging along.」

Upon sixth floor arrival, we dragged the Meiruta Clan up the island's central peak.

And...

「We glimpsed it from afar, but... never has this spot hosted such a thicket of trees.」

「Axes ready, all.」

We dove into serious woodcutting.

These local timbers fetch premium value.

Usually stripped to stubs by harvesters, but the long-closed labyrinth allowed regrowth into dense stands...

‘Everyone thought alike.’

Numerous adventurers already felled trees nearby.

Explains the mere sentries and campers by the water.

‘Though none match our numbers.’

Indeed, our dual-team split for this run stemmed from these sixth-floor woods. The vanguard was to preemptively gather.

Likely, others delayed full sails for the same harvest.

Chop—! Chop—! Thud—!

Thus, we engaged in fervent logging against fellow delvers.

At this juncture, distinguishing exploration from toil grew blurry...

‘Public reopening will spike lumber costs sky-high.’

Far more lucrative than typical hunts, so I, my squad, and the forty-seven fifth-floor “recruits” toiled earnestly at the axes.

Yet trouble brewed...

Day one, two, three, four...

Logging adventurers multiplied.

The woodland's depletion accelerated.

Finally, timber vanished, delvers dispersed—

「……Damn it all.」

...While Team 2 remained absent.