Barbarian Quest

Chapter 145

Urich once dreamed of a lush wheat field. The day he saw the endless waves of golden grain in the civilized world, Urich couldn't contain his overwhelming emotions. The farmers of civilization didn't shed blood but cultivated food with just a hoe, water, and sunlight.

His tribe had a precarious settled life. The sky was capricious, and the land was barren. That was a big reason why they needed a large territory. When hunting game and forests were depleted, the tribe took their tents apart and relocated to a new home.

The Blue Mist Tribe was an exception. They were a rare tribe that pursued a settled life. Resources around the lake were abundant, supporting a large population and fending off neighboring tribes.

The wind swept through Urich's hair, annoyingly tickling his neck. He casually cut his hair which had grown too long.

Splash.

Urich stepped into the lake, which was the pride of the Blue Mist Tribe. They revered the lake, which was their symbol of sustenance

'A lake exists without being connected to any river. Fascinating.'

The tribe worshipped the lake's spirit. It was formed by underground water flow, enriching the soil around it with its nutrients.

'Maybe...'

Urich rummaged through his belongings, finding a handful of barley seeds.

'The merchant told me it grows well even in harsh land...'

Urich, just like any other westerner, was ignorant about farming. He had simply bought the seeds based on what the merchants told him.

The seeds that Urich just planted were a robust variety called Southern Barley. It had a strong bitter taste but was resilient against drought thanks to its robustness.

'Only the sky and earth know if these seeds will grow well.'

Urich planted the barley in a small plot, looking up at the sky. His hands were covered in soil.

In the west, the sky was an absolute entity. Tribes thrived or perished based on the rainy or dry seasons decided by the sky. Extended droughts stained the west with blood and slaughter. Warriors spilled blood to plunder other tribes for their people's survival.

'If you have even an ounce of pity for us... Why don’t you give us just a tiny miracle?'

Urich softly murmured, gently covering the seeds. He planted various seeds he brought from the empire.

'We need food.'

It was natural for civilized people to disdain plundering as they could survive by just sweating for what they needed. But if a barbarian were to do the same, they would end up starving their family. They had to shed blood in order to feed their families.

'Here, we waste our lives hating and robbing our neighbors.'

Urich thought this was the warrior's life. Killing and looting to feed the tribe. That was the duty of a warrior.

Urich looked up and looked at the mountains, then the village.

'I don't know which way is the right way... But a world where we don't have to shed blood seems more humane. Not everyone can be a warrior like me.'

There were various lives in the world. In civilization, most men were not warriors. They lived their diverse lives without fighting and eventually built a brilliant civilization.

A place where non-warrior lives could be respected. That was the civilized world Urich saw. Although Urich was a warrior himself, he respected those who weren’t.

"Dammit."

Urich cursed, looking at the Sky Mountains. He was missing the world beyond the mountains. He longed for it even though it wasn’t his home.

"So you were the one making all that noise."

Noah Arten noticed Urich and approached him. Many women of the Blue Mist were gathering water from the lakeshore.

"Arten."

"Call me Noah. I can see us becoming close."

"You wouldn't want to be close if you knew what I did."

Urich twisted his lips. He was practically an enemy of the Arten family. Two explorers from their family died by his hand. Both were probably pioneers revered as heroes in the empire.

"The past doesn't matter. I've practically abandoned mine as well. I can't return home with this leg."

Urich glanced at Noah's leg, shaking off the dirt from his hands.

"Can't cross the mountains with that, that’s for sure."

"Anyway, what did you plant?"

"Crops."

"Ah, you even had something like that in mind when you decided to cross the mountains again?"

Noah reevaluated Urich.

'He’s not just a simple warrior.'

There was no agriculture in the west. At best, they planted seeds of the fruit they ate and even then, they abandoned it . Irregular rain and drought left no room for crops.

'But if there are crops that can adapt to the west...'

Noah looked down at Urich's small garden.

"You crossed the mountains again thinking of your people's future."

Noah was in awe. He admired Urich's courage. Crossing the mountains meant risking one’s life. If any of Urich's planted crops thrive, it would be a significant change for the west.

"And you, Noah Arten, probably crossed the mountains for wealth and glory, on the emperor's command."

"I was honestly scared when you said that in front of Samikan. I really thought I was done for."

Noah sat on a log. His prosthetic leg made standing for a while difficult.

"I was hoping Samikan would punish you, but he just let it go pretty easily."

Urich chuckled. He thought he had come up with a decent plan, but Samikan didn't make the mistake of discarding an important asset.

"Let me ask you one question. How did you cross the mountains, Urich?"

Noah had been curious for a long time and even lost sleep over it. About five years ago, he formed his own expedition, taking the steps that his brothers and cousins took. Even with the imperial support, he had struggled to cross the mountains. It seemed impossible for an average barbarian to cross alone.

"What will you give me in return? I'm not like Samikan. You have nothing to offer me."

Urich spoke coldly. In a way, Noah was responsible for the plight of Urich's tribe. Without him, the Blue Mist Tribe wouldn't have expanded so rapidly.

Urich plunged his imperial steel sword into the ground.

"...You must have been a great warrior on the other side as well."

Noah recognized the imperial steel sword. Not just any warrior could wield such a weapon. It was proof of a formidable fighter.

"I warn you, Noah Arten. You will never live to cross the mountains again. Be loyal to Samikan. I won't tolerate someone who knows our customs and traditions siding with the empire."

Knowing the opponent was a powerful weapon. If Noah sided with the imperial army, he'd be a valuable strategist. Urich kept an eye on Noah, as Noah did on him.

"The empire hasn't given up on conquering the west."

"No, they haven’t."

"And you came back to stop it."

"Even if I have to sacrifice everything I have," Urich declared confidently.

"Do you want to be a hero saving your people, Urich?"

"No, I'm not interested in that."

"But to save them, you'll have to become a legendary hero. A hero whose name is immortalized."

"Like the Sword Demon Ferzen?"

The name that came out of Urich’s mouth was an unexpected one, and it made Noah's eyebrows twitch. The Sword Demon Ferzen. It was a name he hadn't heard in a long time. An idolized knight for every knight, including Noah as a child.

"Have you met him?"

"Ferzen died in the Porcana civil war."

Shocked, Noah stood up hastily and reached for his prosthetic, questioning Urich about the events.

“W-what happened?”

Urich detailed the civil war's circumstances—how it was for the throne of Porcana, the empire's involvement, Ferzen's disappearance—all of the publicly known information.

‘It’s only natural to want to hear about his home.’

Noah listened intently. Urich knew all the details of the civil war.

"But how do you know so much?"

"I saw it firsthand. I was a part of that civil war as a mercenary leader."

The recent news of his home gripped Noah’s heart. In reality, they had nothing to do with him personally, but it brought him more joy than anything else in the world.

“Thank you.”

Noah expressed his gratitude to Urich from the bottom of his heart. For the first time, Urich felt a sense of kinship with Noah.

‘A man who was dropped into a strange world all by himself.’

Urich was once in his position. He understood what Noah was going through.

'You might be right, Noah. Maybe we will grow closer.'

Urich patted the emotional Noah's back.

* * *

The name of a tribe is deeply rooted in the nature of the tribe and the land it occupies. The Blue Mist Tribe was named due to frequent mists from a lake, while the Red Sand Tribe was named after iron-rich sand. Tribes like the Stone Axe, with weapons in their name, were aggressive with a strong warrior culture.

The Wind Blade Tribe, true to their name, was a tribe of strong warriors. About three hundred Wind Blade warriors prepared for battle, including even the elderly.

"Those Blue Mist fools are out of their minds. Why can’t they just stick to catching fish?"

The Wind Blade warriors cursed as they grabbed their weapons and walked toward the village entrance. The Blue Mist Tribe was approaching from beyond the hill.

The Blue Mist Tribe invaded the Wind Blade Tribe, which had refused to submit and opposed them.

"We have a chance. Fight to the very end."

The chief of the Wind Blade Tribe encouraged the warriors.

'The Blue Mist Tribe has many tribes to manage. They won’t be able to deploy all their forces.'

The Blue Mist Tribe had grown significantly. They were only deploying the absolutely necessary number of warriors for battle in order to manage their new slaves and rebellions.

'They are about five hundred.'

The Wind Blade chief squinted, estimating the enemy numbers from the hill. They were against an enemy roughly twice the size of their own.

'Spears and shields.'

The Blue Mist warriors carried similar weaponry, with shields and spears as their standard weapons. Unlike typical tribal shields made of wood and leather, the Blue Mist’s shields were reinforced with iron edges, as suggested by Noah Arten.

Their spears were longer than usual tribal ones, allowing for longer reach, and the warriors also carried close-range weapons that were tailored to their preferences.

Urich stood among the Blue Mist warriors.

'It’s obvious why my brothers didn’t stand a chance against the Blue Mist.'

The Blue Mist warriors were like a formal army. In mass battles, unified actions were far more crucial than individual skills. Urich had seen the power of a unified army countless times.

"Huff."

Urich donned his helmet. It was a droplet-shaped one covering only his head, providing good visibility. He adjusted his helmet, fiddling with the nose guard.

Clunk, clunk.

Urich wore only a breastplate, helmet, and gloves. The greaves were for cavalry, unnecessary for infantry. His steel armor, though not full-body, offered excellent protection. With it on, the enemy had far fewer places to strike. It protected nearly all vital spots.

"What on earth..."

The Blue Mist warriors gaped at Urich, seeing such armor for the first time.

'For each enemy you kill, I will free a member of the Stone Axe Tribe.'

That was Samikan's offer. Hundreds of Stone Axe tribespeople, mostly young boys and women, were taken hostage. Without them, the Stone Axe had no future.

'I’ll send home at least some.'

Urich joined the battle without hesitation, even wearing the helmet he usually found uncomfortable.

Urich solely stood out among the warriors. He was a starkly different presence.

Samikan, watching Urich advance, spoke to Noah.

"How skilled do you think Urich is? Noah."

"Exceptional, I'd guess. That armor and weapon are top-grade even where I come from. For a barbarian to acquire such gear, he must have achieved something remarkable."

When Noah first saw Urich's armor, he was left breathless.

'Imperial forge goods... How does this barbarian have them?'

Urich's armor bore the imperial forge's mark, and judging by Urich’s unusual size, it was clearly custom-made for him. It meant the imperial forge made armor specifically for Urich.

'The steel armory is the empire's top secret.'

As Noah pondered, Samikan raised his hand. The horn sounded, and the warriors advanced with shields.

"Make way, make way. Urich is coming through."

Urich pushed through the lines to the very front. The shield-bearing warriors frowned.

"Hey, follow the Blue Mist battle tactics. Don't act independently."

The warriors had easily won their victories with the same tactics so far. Fighting in formation rather than melee brought easier victories and fewer losses. It was a revolutionary approach compared to traditional tribal warfare.

"You don’t understand. I have to cut off as many of those heads as I can, so I’ll be going now. Just follow me, you blue-faced bastards."

Ignoring the warriors' warnings, Urich took the lead, loosening up with light jumps on the spot.

Step.

Urich darted forward, kicking up dust behind his steps. He broke from formation and charged alone toward the Wind Blade warriors.

"A steel armor?"

The Wind Blade warriors tilted their heads, puzzled. A seemingly insane figure was charging at them, all alone.

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