Surviving the Game as a Barbarian Chapter 797: Skull Island (4)

In reality, the Skull King is not a boss that spawns continuously. Following a single successful kill, the labyrinth typically requires roughly seven more openings before the boss reappears—and during that interim period, the entrance to the cave remains open. This is simply a foundational quality-of-life feature for explorers. Without it, every single run would necessitate hunting for a key, entering, and eventually discovering an empty boss chamber.

“Oh? The tremors have ceased!”

The intense vibrations that erupted following the Skull King’s demise had quietly faded away. This indicated that the path forward to the next chapter was now unsealed. The specific requirements to trigger the hidden boss encounter are as follows: the Cursed One must execute the Gravekeeper and subsequently defeat the Skull King.

Drrrrrkk—!

As the conflict drew to a conclusion, the formerly obstructed boss room entrance swung open, allowing the accompanying team, who had been waiting outside, to step into the chamber.

“...It’s finished already?”

“Barely three minutes have passed...”

They could none of them mask their clear disappointment. To be fair, however, the Skull King held a notorious reputation. There were few squads capable of dispatching a Tier-3 monster with a party of only six. This implied that every individual present was a Tier-3 explorer or greater. Of course, prior to the enhancement of team-binding magic, the requirement had been five—consequently, the present threshold is somewhat more forgiving.

“So, no Essence drop?”

“As you can observe.”

“What about the chest?”

“Not yet. We need to begin our search.”

Treasure hunting is an activity best performed as a collective. After all, finding loot is the very reason explorers face these risks. Before we transitioned to the following chapter, I joined my squad in scouring the area for the hidden chest. This, too, functioned as a hidden piece of content. You generally only uncover it by thoroughly combing the floor after the boss has been defeated.

“Ugh...! Why must they hide it so thoroughly? Why not just hand it over!”

“Perhaps it is the design of Gavrilius. Meant only for those intended to recover it.”

“Ugh... that Gavrilius fellow, he must possess a truly twisted personality!”

“Still, this secret is quite well-known. Anyone aiming to beat the Skull King would be aware of it. The Golden Tree Clan stationed outside likely knows as well—”

“Ooh! Found it! I’ve found it!!”

Already? Although Ainard’s exultant shout made me slightly skeptical, upon inspection, it was indeed a genuine treasure chest.

‘Feeling fortunate today...’

In all honesty, Ainard’s luck is absurdly high. She is the sort of person whose plate is always full even while exerting minimal effort. She is quite distinct from Sven Parab, who is secretly dubbed the “Golden Goblin.” That individual has his fair share of luck as well, but it manifests in a tragic manner; he seems perpetually trapped in dire straits.

“Bjoooorn!! May I open it? No—I am opening it! Allow me!”

“Go right ahead.”

I let out a chuckle and gave a nod, watching as Ainard smashed the chest’s latch—or, I suppose, latch-bone—with her fist. Then...

Clack.

Slowly, she lifted the lid. The object contained within was modest, far smaller than the chest’s dimensions, and Raven quickly moved Ainard aside to delicately lift and inspect it.

“This is exceptionally rare... If Gold-Ear discovers this, he will be furious.”

“Huh? Aruru, what is that? Is it a letter?”

“Oh, this is a charm-type item.”

It was a charm slot item, labeled as “Charm” within the game interface. Items such as Ainard’s No. 9999 Beginner’s Luck or the No. 1001 Alonso’s Travel Bag which I gifted to Auyen—these all occupy that specific slot.

“Ooh! So this is a Numbers item as well?”

“Correct. It is No. 444 – Deadrius’s Invitation.”

“Triple numbers! Impressive! But uh... what does the item actually do?”

Ainard tilted her head while inspecting the wax-sealed envelope. Learning it was a Numbers item piqued her interest, yet she remained unable to decipher its function. This was to be expected. Charms are typically cryptic in that regard. You would never identify their true powers simply by glancing at them.

“If you carry this, monsters categorized as undead will not engage you.”

“Uh-huh, and?”

“That is all.”

“...Huh? Didn’t you state it was incredibly rare? Alonso’s bag feels far more useful than this one.”

Misha appeared visibly crestfallen upon hearing the effect. I couldn’t fault her. You often fail to grasp the utility of such a focused item until you have personally applied it.

“It truly is rare. Unlike Alonso’s bag, the effect of this charm is absolute. As long as you possess it, the undead will never strike you—not even if you provoke them.”

For instance, there exists a Rift on the 8th floor known as the Necropolis. It is inhabited by 99% undead creatures. If a damage dealer equips this item, they could complete it solo. Even certain Tier-1 monsters are classified as undead.

“Wow, that is actually amazing... May I take a look?”

“Certainly. Just ensure you do not break the wax seal.”

“Huh? What occurs if I do?”

“You perish.”

“...HIIIK!”

Raven’s blunt, detached explanation caused Misha to yank her hand back instantly. I chuckled softly.

‘She always hears only half the truth.’

Strictly speaking, you do not always die. If the seal is broken within the labyrinth, you are pulled into a hidden field known as Hell. The difficulty level? Just assume surviving an exit is impossible. Regardless of how optimized your character might be, once that seal is broken—you are not returning. Unless, of course, you unseal it at a very precise location.

“So, who shall hold onto it?”

Hmm, well... It is certainly not an item I should be carrying. Tanks in labyrinths are meant to absorb blows, and an item like this should never be situated anywhere near them. I reflected for a moment before arriving at my conclusion.

“Emily Raines, you keep it.”

In my estimation, she was the superior choice. She inspires more confidence than any other individual present. While the others always feel slightly unstable, she is someone who would never accidentally break the seal.

‘Securing a triple-digit Numbers charm before even reaching the climax? Not a negative omen.’

Or is it...? Every time a fortunate event occurs, something unfortunate seems to follow close behind. No. That likely isn’t the case... yet, considering my history, I can no longer simply dismiss such thoughts. Therefore...

“...I should verify this just in case.”

“Verify what?”

“The Golden Tree Clan.”

“Hm... Did they not depart already? They likely never assumed we would fail in the first place.”

True. That is my assessment as well. However...

“Ainard, my apologies, but we must delay hunting that target for a moment.”

“...Huh?”

“We are returning to investigate, and then we will re-enter.”

The path following the Skull King is not accessed via a portal; it is seamlessly connected. There is no door that locks behind travelers, unlike the cave’s main entrance. This implies a secondary group could follow us in at any moment.

“We are heading back out.”

I chose not to ignore the strange sense of unease and retraced our path to the cave’s mouth. And then...

“They have departed?”

The area in front of the cave was entirely vacant.

***

“So what now?”

Two possibilities exist. Either they truly departed without looking back... ‘Or they are lying in ambush.’ If it is the latter, our concerns branch again: they might know about the hidden boss and were tracking it, or they know nothing but suspect something valuable exists here due to my presence. Naturally, they could simply be planning to loot us—but that is an unlikely scenario. Even if they managed to eliminate all of us, how would they keep everyone quiet? Secrets inevitably emerge, and someone of Gold-Ear’s stature could not withstand the repercussions.

“If it troubles you to this extent, we could inspect the coastline. If they departed by ship, there should be some evidence.”

Amelia suggested, yet I merely shook my head. It is futile. Evidence can be fabricated, and we lack the specialized skills to track hidden hostiles.

“We are going back in.”

I returned to the cave in silence. Not that I remained idle, of course.

“Marone, Raven. Deploy detection spells at the chokepoints. I require immediate notification the moment someone enters.”

“Do you believe it will succeed? Their stealth capabilities are formidable.”

“It will function. Their concealment is entirely gear-dependent.”

Unless they possessed a specific item, any group entering this cave would trigger the spell. True stealth demands absolute immobility.

“We are finished.”

“How long will it persist?”

“Roughly twelve hours. However, I am certain they will detect the presence of your spell.”

Figures...

“It makes no difference. Even if they disable it, we will be alerted.”

“That is true.”

“Let us proceed.”

I led the party rapidly—not toward the boss room, but along the preceding passage.

“It is fortunate that all the torches are now illuminated.”

“And the tiresome mobs have all been cleared.”

“But... when does my curse dissipate? I heard that slaying the Skull King removes it... Is this related to what we are undertaking?”

“I will provide an explanation later.”

After wandering for a while, we encountered a dead end.

“Is this it?”

Raven inquired, yet I remained silent. I simply pivoted. Behind the blocked wall was a long, linear corridor.

‘Alright, this should work...’

“Wait here. Opening the path requires some specialized preparation.”

I issued the command and approached the wall. Pretending to scrutinize it, I traced the stone with my hand. This was not the actual entrance. I slid a note covertly to Raven, having scribbled it earlier behind my shield during our trek.

“...”

Raven scanned the message quickly, concealed it, and offered me a subtle nod visible to no one else.

“...So that is what is needed to open it? Understood. I shall begin immediately.”

He caught on instantly. That is the advantage of veteran players. We have endured enough that long explanations are unnecessary.

“Huh? Raven, what are you doing?”

“Yandel requested a specific spell.”

“Ooh? What kind?”

“It is confidential. If Prnelin discovers it, she will broadcast it to the entire world.”

“Wh-what are you suggesting! I am an honorable warrior with a reputation for discretion!”

“If you are that curious, I shall inform you later. You would not care regardless, correct?”

“Well, that is true. If it is going to take time, I shall eat some jerky over there.”

As the others waited, Raven inscribed a magic circle onto the floor. Meanwhile, I continued to feign an inspection of the wall while confirming the status of the detection magic with Marone. Eventually—

“We are ready.”

Raven concluded the spell.

“Excellent. Let us move.”

At my signal, Raven channeled mana into the circle. And then—

Flash—!

Light erupted, and the environment shifted. The spell I had requested was far from a simple trick to reveal a door. 「Arua Raven has cast Tier-4 spatial magic: [Mass Teleportation].」 Mass Teleport. Our destination? A junction deep within the corridor that extended behind the wall. Why? It is simple. Because I am convinced—even if we cannot see them currently—that there is definitely a rat trailing our movements.

「Character has cast [Transcendence].」

「Character has cast [Giant Form].」

The instant the teleportation ceased, I grew my frame until the narrow corridor was crammed wall-to-wall with nothing but my own body. It was so congested I could barely shift. Which signified that no one could possibly slip past me. THOOM—! THOOM—! I raised my shield to seal the path behind us and charged toward the dead end. I felt nothing collide with me.

‘Was no one truly there...?’

The thought occurred to me—perhaps I had merely acted like a fool once again. But I felt no regret. Better to be a fool who caught no rats than a genius who permitted them to escape. THOOM—! THOOM—! Regardless of the outcome, I continued to charge with my shield held high. And then...

THOOM—! THOOM—!

Finally, as I slammed into the wall—I laughed. Because what I heard was not a simple crash. CRACK—! It was the sound of something being crushed. I thought so. I have caught you, you bastard.