Surviving the Game as a Barbarian-Chapter 488: Pilgrim (6)

Among the various detection abilities, there were some with a precognitive concept.

A prime example was [Hands of Regret].

A 1st-grade skill obtained from a 9th-floor or higher essence.

The effect was simple.

In the game, when a bonded teammate died, the message “Memories of regret rewind time” would appear, and you could restart from a checkpoint.

Hmm, was that really precognition?

Anyway, this skill had a clear drawback despite its powerful effect.

It only activated when a bonded teammate died.

It had a cooldown of several months in the city.

And it could only be used three times.

It didn’t even activate if you died.

Therefore…

‘It’s not that skill.’

We weren’t bonded, and judging by our conversation, Ainar had already used her ability at least twice.

‘The most likely candidate is…’

I narrowed it down to one possibility.

[Prophet of Misfortune]

A rare 6th-grade passive skill.

It activated randomly and provided the user with precognitive information through system logs.

Like this:

「An ominous vision appears before the prophet's eyes.」

「In the near future, Bjorn Yandel will be slain by Centurion Dreadfear's sword. Do not be fooled by his absence. He will never give up.」

I had classified this skill as an information gathering skill, and it had been quite useful in the mid-game.

Knowing the location of traps, the types and characteristics of monsters… it had been a great help in unexplored areas.

But…

‘It must be different in reality.’

The user would actually see a ‘vision’.

And they would experience the information firsthand, not just read it in a few lines.

“Huff… Huff…”

“…Ainar, did you see me die?”

“…….”

She didn’t answer.

But her flinch was enough of an answer.

‘So that’s why she’s pushing herself so hard…’

I closed my mouth.

There was no point in arguing with her.

She wouldn’t listen.

All I could do was…

“Left.”

…guide her.

And…

Grit.

…clench my jaw.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

I was helplessly riding on her back as she charged through the soldiers.

Puk-!

An arrow pierced her leg.

“Die!”

A spear grazed her skin.

I could only watch.

“We got him! Now’s our chance…!”

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!!”

“…What power…!”

Ainar finally stopped running.

Not because we had reached our destination.

We were still far from the entrance, but she couldn’t go any further.

Not while carrying me.

Thud.

Her speed had decreased due to her injuries, and the soldiers were closing in.

She stopped running and turned to face them.

“Don’t… worry…”

She muttered and then swung her greatsword.

I watched her from my spot on the wall.

One, two, three, four, five, six…

She slew seven soldiers before an axe struck her arm.

Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, seventeen…

She killed eighteen before a spear pierced her collarbone.

Forty-three, forty-four, forty-five…

Forty-six, and an arrow struck her left eye.

Seventy-one, seventy-two, seventy-three…

The bodies piled up.

One hundred.

A brief silence.

The soldiers hesitated, unable to approach her.

She was still standing, despite being covered in arrows and bleeding profusely.

“…..”

“…..”

But the silence didn’t last long.

“She’s tired…! Don’t back down!”

The soldiers charged at her again, stepping over the corpses.

One hundred and thirty.

Ainar spoke to me.

“Sorry…”

“…….”

“I’m… losing my strength…”

She collapsed on top of me.

Puk, puk, puk-!

I heard sounds that shouldn't be coming from my comrade's body.

BEEEEEEEEP—

It felt like a nightmare.

My head was pounding, and I felt nauseous.

Puk, puk, puk—

BEEEEEEEEP!

Countless sounds assaulted my ears.

And after an eternity...

My body, which had been frozen in place…

Twitched.

______________________

「Character's HP has reached 30%.」

「Status effect [Paralysis] removed.」

______________________

I reached out and grabbed the nearest weapon.

I pushed Ainar off me and stood up.

Whoosh!

I swung the weapon.

The soldiers flinched and backed away, creating a small opening.

I lifted Ainar onto my back and started running.

Just like she had done for me.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!!"

I charged through the passage.

"Stop him!"

Swords and spears were thrust towards me, but I ignored them, tanking the damage as long as it wasn't aimed at Ainar.

「Character's HP is below 15%.」

My body was battered and bruised, but I had broken through their lines.

"Huff... Huff..."

I had some breathing room now.

I checked on Ainar.

"Ainar! Are you okay?! Wake up! You can't sleep now! Get up—!"

A faint voice reached my ears.

"...Bjorn..."

"...!"

She was alive.

"Th-Thank goodness... Are you okay? Just hold on a little longer! Eight more minutes!"

Then we could leave this cave.

I wasn't sure if that was the clear condition, but considering the difficulty of this event, there had to be a way to recover.

"So...!"

Just trust me and hold on a little longer.

I was about to say that when Ainar spoke.

"...Let... me go..."

What was she talking about?

Was she delirious?

"L-Leave me... behind..."

No, I had heard her correctly.

I was angry, but I couldn't bring myself to scold her.

"You're delirious. Just stay quiet. That's all you can do."

"..."

She didn't say anything more.

Maybe she had agreed.

Or maybe she was too weak to speak.

'...Is she dead?'

I swallowed my anxiety.

And then I ran.

I could smell the forest as I approached the entrance.

The light from outside seeped into the cave, illuminating the passage.

I could see the entrance in the distance.

"Ainar! Ainar! Wake up! We're almost there!"

"..."

"Answer me!"

"...Be... careful..."

What was she talking about?

Anyway, she was alive.

That was enough.

I had to get out of here—

"...?"

I stopped as I reached the entrance.

I approached the transparent barrier and reached out.

And then...

Thud.

The entrance was blocked.

"...You've got to be kidding me."

If we couldn't escape, then what was the point?

They had given us an invincible boss and then blocked the exit?

"Then what's the solution...?"

I felt like something inside me had shattered.

"B-Bjorn..."

But I smiled.

"A-Ainar? Don't worry! I'll break through this barrier!"

A barbarian's spirit was unyielding.

Klang! Klang! Klang!

I punched the barrier with all my might.

"Bjorn..."

But it didn't even budge.

But a barbarian never gave up.

"S-Stop..."

Fist, foot, forehead.

I even slammed my shoulder against it.

Kwaaang!

'Is this thing indestructible?'

'Okay, Plan B.'

I changed my target and started attacking the wall next to the barrier.

Even the strongest doors had weak points.

Maybe there was a hidden passage.

"Stop... and..."

Klang-!

"Just go..."

"..."

"Before he comes..."

I couldn't take it anymore.

Kwaaang!

I slammed my forehead against the wall in frustration.

But it didn't make me feel any better.

"There he is...!"

The soldiers appeared behind us.

They had caught up to us already? I didn't even have time to be surprised. I charged at them.

Crack-!

I smashed the first soldier's head against the wall and took his weapon.

And then the massacre began.

"...A-A demon!"

"Don't back down!"

"For the Empire...!"

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One, two, three, four...

'Five.'

Six, seven, eight...

'...How many have I killed?'

I lost count.

One, two, three...

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The cave fell silent.

Only corpses remained.

I turned around.

"...Ainar."

I rushed to her side and checked her pulse.

She was still breathing.

Faintly.

"Bjorn..."

She opened her eyes, her body trembling.

"..."

I couldn't speak.

I wanted to tell her it was okay, that she would be fine, that we would get out of here...

But I couldn't.

"Bjorn... son of Yandel..."

She smiled weakly.

"My... precious... friend..."

Her words were like a stake through my heart.

Precious friend...

"You... will become... a great warrior..."

Something inside me broke.

___________________

A painful truth, or a sweet lie.

It was clear which one was better for the dying.

But...

'Precious friend...'

Before I could even think, the words tumbled out of my mouth.

It was a confession and an apology.

"I'm... I'm not... like that..."

The real Bjorn Yandel was someone else.

I was just an evil spirit who had stolen his body.

The evil spirit she should have killed on sight.

I mumbled those words, staring at her unfocused eyes.

And then I realized...

"..."

...she had stopped breathing.

Her eyes were still open, but there was no denying it.

「The third pilgrim has perished.」

Ainar was dead.

And...

「All stats of the surviving pilgrim increased by +400.」

My stats increased again.

That's when I understood.

「You are the only survivor.」

When the stats increased.

And...

「Special Condition - Perfect Bond has been met.」

「All stats tripled.」

「Slay Centurion Dreadfear.」

What the clear condition of this hidden phase was.