Surviving as a Barbarian in a Fantasy World

Chapter 30 – Evil Rising in the Darkness (2)

Chapter 30 – Evil Rising in the Darkness (2)

Ketal leisurely moved forward, sensing what seemed to be an exit ahead.

“Have we arrived?”

Interest sparked again on Ketal’s face.

He applied force towards the obstructing door.

With a creaking sound, the door opened, revealing the interior.

It was a spacious pupil.

There were grotesque things adorned with all sorts of bones, and in the center, there was a chair made of skulls.

Seated on that chair was a skull with glowing blue pupils.

In its hand were a grimoire and a staff.

Just by that, one could tell what kind of being the skull was.

Ketal’s eyes gleamed.

“Lich!”

A real Lich!

The epitome of what a wizard could achieve.

Infuse the Life Vessel with a soul, becoming an eternal being until it’s shattered.

A classic villain of the fantasy world.

Though lately, they often appear not only as antagonists but also in neutral or even assisting roles for the protagonist.

Nevertheless, a Lich was undeniably a quintessential element of fantasy.

Ketal trembled with excitement.

He had come with mere curiosity, but could a Lich be waiting here!

It felt like hitting the jackpot in an unexpected place.

Ketal was ecstatic.

And the Lich was perplexed.

[What are you, intruder?]

Ketal looked at him with delight.

He spoke and his eyes gleamed.

It meant he wasn’t under any illusion.

The Lich spoke with a puzzled tone.

[Intriguing. You’re not beguiled by the bead?]

“Ah, so that’s how you’ve been luring people here.”

Ketal nodded knowingly.

The Lich’s pupils dilated.

‘What?’

Ketal sensed the mana of the bead in his hand.

He had come here through the bead.

But he wasn’t beguiled by it.

Nor did he emanate any mystery.

He was merely a barbarian, nothing more.

It was inexplicable.

After a moment of silence, the Lich spoke again.

[You. You possess an artifact of mental protection.]

And not just any artifact, but a superior one that he couldn’t even sense.

How a barbarian possessed it was beyond him, or else it was implausible.

‘It doesn’t seem like he’s scheming.’

So perhaps he stumbled upon the artifact by luck.

Ketal grinned.

“Well, there’s nothing like that.”

[Do you think you can deceive me? Well, never mind. You were an anticipated variable.]

The Lich waved his staff.

The gray artifact glowed, and simultaneously, scattered bone fragments around them began to move.

Being a mage, he could calculate and block variables.

He had anticipated something like this happening.

He was fully prepared for it.

[If you had quietly succumbed to the enchantment, you could have left without any suffering. But now, I’ll have to crush you with force. Go, my minions.]

Swish, swish.

The skeletons rushed towards Ketal.

* * *

“I roughly understand what’s going on.”

This wasn’t an ordinary dungeon.

It was a dungeon hiding the sinister Lich.

He probably used the bead to lure those with curiosity and sacrifice them.

Of course, it wasn’t just curiosity, but a bead that truly stirred and fascinated hearts, but Ketal couldn’t know that.

“It’s more interesting than I expected.”

[Let’s see if that tongue can still wag even if your limbs are severed. As long as you have your life, it’s enough. Cut him up.]

Swish, swish.

Skeletons wielding rusty swords rushed at him.

The skeletons created by the Lich were stronger than the ordinary dungeon skeletons.

It wasn’t a monster a barbarian, unaware of magic, should confront.

Five such skeletons charged at Ketal.

The Lich believed Ketal would soon scream in agony with his limbs severed.

It was when he would mockingly laugh at the impending despair.

“Hmm.”

Ketal clenched his fist.

A skeleton approached with its sword raised.

His fist moved.

And the skeleton’s head vanished.

When its head disappeared, it turned back into bone fragments.

[What?]

The Lich paused.

Ketal nodded.

“It’s nothing special. If the head disappears, they die.”

Swish, swish.

Other skeletons rushed at him.

Ketal deftly dodged and grabbed the arm of one.

Snap.

The arm snapped like a twig.

Ketal swung the broken arm towards another skeleton’s head.

The head shattered.

He approached directly, gathering the power in his fingers and flicked it.

The skull of the skeleton hit with a thud, turning into powder.

“Oh my.”

He dodged the sword swinging at his back.

He grabbed it and swiftly severed the skeleton’s neck. The skeleton fell.

“Indeed, even if the head is severed, they don’t move.”

Kasan was always right.

Satisfied, Ketal waved his hand lightly.

The remaining skeletons were shattered.

[You, you!]

The Lich exclaimed in astonishment.

How could a barbarian, unaware of magic, do this! Ketal looked at the disappointed Lich.

“Is that all? I’d appreciate it if you showed me some other monsters.”

[…What are you.]

The Lich spoke.

He didn’t sense any mystery from this barbarian.

There was no mana flowing from him, indicating a power artifact.

The Lich was baffled that his skeletons had fallen solely due to the strength of this barbarian.

‘…Can he defeat a Skeleton Warrior with just physical strength?’

Was such a thing possible?

As a Lich who had lived for a long time, it was a sight he couldn’t comprehend.

[…You’re exceptional.]

The Lich’s pupils burned.

He rose from his seat.

[Very well. I’ll face you directly. Know it as an honor.]

At that moment, darkness enveloped everything.

Darkness rose instantly, surrounding them with dense space.

‘Oh!’

Ketal trembled at the sight, like a scene from a movie.

[Are you afraid?]

The Lich chuckled satisfactorily, thinking Ketal trembled out of fear.

[Yes. Be afraid, barbarian. Daring to intrude into my sanctuary. You shall pay a fitting price for it.]

“No, I only came because the bead called me. And wasn’t it you who scattered that bead?”

[…Shut up! Barbarian!]

The Lich shouted loudly, seemingly to forget his previous words, and Ketal looked at him with a troubled expression.

The Lich rose roughly and waved his staff.

[I am the great and mighty sorcerer. Once, I destroyed five kingdoms and faced Heroes! Karthos Branius Kesiensis! Become the cornerstone of my resurrection! You lowly barbarian!]

* * *

Karthos raised his staff.

Black flames erupted from the cube of the staff, swirling and mesmerizing the gaze.

It was a magic flame that mesmerized the viewer.

Ketal stared blankly at the flame.

And the magic that dominated emotions engulfed Ketal.

It was magic that controlled human emotions.

It invoked negative emotions, which led to even more negative emotions, ultimately captivating one in those emotions, rendering them unable to do anything, losing their minds.

It was his proprietary magic, remarkably powerful compared to the mana consumption.

The Lich looked at Ketal, who stared blankly at him, and was convinced that the magic had succeeded.

[A barbarian who can’t even handle mystery. Helpless against great magic.]

The Lich chuckled satisfactorily and tapped his chin.

[Now, how shall we proceed?]

Normally, he would have been used as material to obtain mana.

But this barbarian was different.

‘…He doesn’t seem to be wearing any special artifacts.’

At first, he thought it was a mistake, but now he was sure.

It was impossible not to sense anything from an artifact of such caliber.

That meant only one thing.

He had defeated the skeleton warrior with just brute physical strength.

And in one blow.

It was incomprehensible.

As Karthos pondered for a moment, one piece of information came to mind.

[…Is that the vessel of a Hero?]

In this world, there were strong individuals called Heroes.

They were special from birth.

Their talents were beyond people’s understanding, and so was the power they wielded.

Those who transcended understanding.

They were Heroes.

The Lich, immediately aware of the absurd power of Heroes, knew about it.

In the past, when Heroes moved, he couldn’t respond properly and was defeated.

People called those who showed potential to become such Heroes “vessels of Heroes.”

That barbarian could be such a being.

No.

He would be.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to defeat a skeleton warrior with sheer physical strength without even learning magic.

[First, we’ll take him back for research. Bring him along.]

The Lich snapped his fingers.

Nearby bone fragments rose and approached Ketal.

Since he was already under control, he wouldn’t move no matter how they touched him.

And the moment the skeletons approached Ketal beyond a certain point.

Crunch.

Their heads turned into dust.

The Lich, who had been contemplating how to research the barbarian, was suddenly surprised.

[What!]

The barbarian was brushing off the bone powder from his hands.

How!

Surely, his emotions should have been completely dominated!

But Ketal said with a disappointed expression.

As if his magic didn’t work at all.

“I was watching quietly, were you planning to capture me with skeletons like before? Boring.”

[Damn! You!]

The Lich swung his staff roughly.

Once again, magic that stirred up negative emotions engulfed Ketal.

“…I don’t know what you’re doing.”

But the barbarian just grinned.

The Lich was perplexed by his too calm attitude.