Barbarian Quest

The weather was less than ideal. Dark clouds were rolling in from beyond the horizon, and moist air passed through on the wind before the imminent rain.

In the open space, Samikan was waiting for Urich. Surrounding him were many of those who were close to Samikan. Each was armed as if they were about to go into battle.

Step, step.

Urich walked toward the open space visible in the distance. Samikan's warriors surrounded Urich, leaving no gap for him to escape.

Pew.

Urich touched the back of his neck. There was a sudden sharp pain.

'This is...'

Urich frowned. The minor pain spread rapidly, turning into a tingling sensation that enveloped his body. His senses dulled, and his legs wobbled.

'Poison…'

The surrounding warriors pushed him forward as if they were holding him up. Someone among them had shot a poisoned dart at Urich. The poison didn’t seem to be lethal.

"You sons of bitches..."

"We are prepared to die with you, Urich. Even if you kill us, at this distance, your life won't be spared after. Please remain calm. The Great Chief has no intention to kill you."

One of the warriors encircling Urich spoke.

'My senses are floating. My body doesn't feel like my own. I'm feeling short of breath, too.'

Urich struggled to hold back nausea as he squinted his eyes.

Clang, clang.

Samikan, facing Urich, tapped the ground with the tip of his sword. He looked at Urich with a chilly gaze.

"Urich, it's regrettable that it has come to this."

"Are you sure you can handle what’s about to happen, Samikan?"

Urich stood firm on his numb legs.

"The one who needs to handle it is you, not me,” Samikan retorted.

"I arrived at the Arten outpost after Noah Arten died! How could I have killed him?" Urich shouted as he spread his arms and looked around.

"That’s what I thought at first, too. That’s why I didn’t even consider the possibility that you ordered the assassination. I trusted my brother more than anyone."

Clunk!

Samikan tapped the ground with his sword tip once more.

The crowd parted, and warriors emerged. They were dragging someone along by the arm.

"Georg?"

Urich's pupils shook. Georg looked even smaller surrounded by the warriors.

‘I didn’t see Georg at all the past couple of days.'

Urich had been unable to pay attention to Georg, being too focused on keeping his eyes on what was around Six-Fingered.

‘So this was what he was going for.'

This was the reason why so many warriors had been circling Six-Fingered. They were trying to distract Urich from paying attention elsewhere.

'Georg was the source of my anxiety...'

Urich chuckled lowly. Georg looked like he had been tortured, with all his fingernails missing.

"Urich, here is a witness who says you ordered the assassination of Noah Arten," Samikan spoke clearly.

Urich's ears rang. A non-existent boom echoed around his ears. He could only see Georg moving his lips as he was speaking. The world seemed to slow down and blur. The poison spread to the rest of his body through his heart. His consciousness flickered. The amount of time that passed with each blink seemed greater than usual.

"Kagh."

Urich screamed like he was retching. He gasped for air, shaking his head.

"Georg confessed that Urich ordered the assassination of Noah Arten. Urich, do you have anything to say?"

Georg testified that Urich had ordered Noah's assassination through a letter. Whether his statement was true or not was no longer important. What was important was that it was said by a civilized person who was a close associate of Urich.

"That's nonsense! Urich would never do something like that!"

The outcry from the watching warriors grew louder, but even their words just echoed dully in Urich's ears.

‘I don’t feel very good.’

Urich's eyes trembled faintly. The blood circulating in his body didn’t seem to reach all the way down to his fingertips.

Samikan approached Urich and whispered.

“Urich, if I die, the alliance is yours. You will be the next Great Chief. So, just leave the alliance to me until then. Accept your punishment quietly for now. I'll make sure it ends with just confinement.”

“Kek, keke. Drop the bullshit.”

Urich chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. He turned and looked at Georg.

“I, I…”

“What I demanded from you was your knowledge, not your loyalty. I’m sorry for not being able to protect you, Georg,” Urich spoke as he forcibly gathered his breath. His eyes settled calmly.

Urich moved his fingers. With the lack of sensation, he fumbled at first but eventually managed to grip the handle of his sword.

Schring.

Urich's blade was revealed. The shouts of surrounding warriors grew louder.

“I, Urich of the Stone Axe, refuse to take the punishment. Since I was born a man, I will not accept punishment for something I did not do. Let’s cut the bullshit and ask the heavens to be our judge, Samikan.”

Samikan smiled faintly and stepped back, slowly drawing his sword.

‘He’s still moving well after getting poisoned.’

Urich’s body was already coursing with an amount of poison that exceeded the lethal dose. Samikan had anticipated that he would not die from that much.

“Are you saying that you refuse to admit your guilt?”

Samikan twirled his sword. He had been preparing for this day for several days. He had abstained from women and followed the shaman's nauseating medicinal prescriptions to bring his body to peak condition.

‘I don’t feel out of breath.’

Samikan lightly hopped in place. The pain in his chest washed away. It wasn’t entirely a good sign, as once the effect of the medicine wore off, terrible pain would ensue.

“You knew it was going to come to this from the start, didn’t you? You even used poison because you were expecting to fight me.”

The mention of poison caused a murmur among the warriors. Though they clamored that Samikan wouldn’t use such a cowardly tactic as poison, it was too obvious that Urich was not in the right state.

“You're spouting lies just to escape this situation, Urich.”

Samikan said with a scoff. The situation was easy to create misinterpretation for anyone. Samikan had brought Urich to trial out of nowhere and declared him guilty. Even if he succeeded in punishing Urich, it would be controversial. This was an incident significant enough that it would affect Samikan's legitimacy and control in the future.

‘But I don’t have much time.’

Since leaving Havilond, Samikan had suffered nightly from the lung disease, spitting blood. He could feel his death drawing near.

‘I have to get there, even if I have to force it. Before my life ends. You give this one up, Urich.’

Samikan was more desperate than anyone else. Had he had more time, he wouldn’t have acted this way in the first place. He had no luxury to take his time when death was right on his tail.

‘I just need to keep my control over the alliance now and fight the imperial army.’

Samikan no longer looked to the future. Fighting the imperial army and capturing the enemy’s capital in battle was his sole focus. He dreamt only of a lasting legend.

Samikan was prepared to sacrifice everything for his cause. The number and amount of things he was willing to throw away to achieve his goal was far different from Urich, who still had much to live for. Samikan could even discard his pride and honor, which he had valued more than his life.

A bizarrely twisted obsession leaked from Samikan's eyes. Even the surrounding warriors shivered and trembled.

“Of all people, you resort to using poison even with that high pride of yours; what a joke… were you that anxious and rushed?”

Urich staggered as he raised his sword. His vision was already dimming.

‘Samikan…’

Samikan of the Blue Mist. Urich murmured the name. Their relationship was never off to a good start to begin with. Their relationship had started as practically nemeses and fluctuated between closeness and distance.

‘It’s time to end this long relationship of ours.’

Urich tried to grip his sword tightly, but his grasp lacked strength. His muscles felt as if they were unraveling like a ball of yarn.

Urich didn’t want things to come to this. Samikan was a talent necessary for the alliance. They had acknowledged each other’s necessity. However, both were exceedingly superior, and no pack of beasts could have two leaders.

Poison coursed through Urich’s veins, attacking him. Yet, Urich stared intently at Samikan.

‘Indeed, you are a blessed warrior, Urich. Not even poison and injuries can kill you.’

Samikan swayed his sword from side to side, stepping forward.

‘I wasn’t given such blessings. So I have to resort to using poison to defeat you.’

Samikan was already expecting that bringing Urich to trial would lead to a duel. Urich was the only being in the alliance who was equal to him. Samikan could not punish him on his authority alone.

In a warrior society, when equals clashed, a duel was the only outcome.

Creak.

Samikan gripped his sword with both hands and assumed his stance. His weapon was also a high-quality steel sword.

“Hoooo.”

Samikan's chest heaved as he caught his breath. Normally, the pain would have prevented him from even taking such deep breaths.

It felt like the clear breath was reaching all the way up to the top of his head.

'How long has it been since I've felt this good?'

His tormented body had also been corrupting his mind. As his mind cleared, his vision broadened.

‘Urich and I didn’t have to come to this.’

Samikan saw the many paths he had taken. But regrets were always too late, no matter how soon they came. If he failed to overpower Urich right here, Samikan would not be able to seize his desires.

Ambition kills humanity. Desire destroys ethics. Even if it meant sinking to the bottom as a human, Samikan could not give up his path. He had already paid too much to have come this far. If he stopped here, what Samikan has built up would merely be a series of misdeeds.

Samikan imagined a future after his death. He didn't plan to live long. He intended to strike at the heart of the empire and end his life there.

He would be remembered as an unforgettable terror in the civilized world. In the west, he would be remembered as a warrior who lived and died in the realm of legends and myths.

"Sigh."

It was as thrilling as ejaculating. Even the last sense of guilt disappeared.

Clang!

Urich and Samikan's swords clashed. Urich had to grip the hilt with both hands as if he were pressing them into the hilt because it felt like the sword would slip out of his hands if he didn’t do so.

There wasn’t a single person who could match Urich's skill as a warrior. Samikan was a formidable warrior as well, but he was far from Urich's level.

'To think I would just barely gain an upper hand even with using poison.'

Samikan gritted his teeth. It was humiliating, but Urich was a great warrior.

Urich somehow managed to block Samikan's attacks and even attempt a counterattack. To those unaware of Urich's actual skills, it almost seemed like he was fighting well.

"Why is Urich being pushed back like that?"

The warriors watching murmured among themselves. They had seen Urich in battles with their own eyes. Although Samikan was the chief, they didn’t think Urich could lose.

"Didn't Urich mention something about poison earlier? Did Samikan really use poison?"

Supporters of Urich shouted as if they were booing Samikan.

"Keep wagging your tongue carelessly, and you might end up dead without anyone knowing. Urich is just not in good shape. Maybe he drank too much last night."

Whatever the truth was, it seemed Urich was the one who had challenged Samikan to a duel. There was no room for a third party to intervene.

Gradually, more and more people gathered to watch the duel. It was the event that was going to decide the long-held question of who the true leader of the alliance was.

"Kagh, spit."

Urich shook his head and spat. His focus was gradually drifting. The poison moved faster through his body as he exerted himself more rigorously.

"You’re pretty light on your feet for someone with a lung disease."

Urich reached for his axe. Sweat was pouring down like rain.

The person most shocked in the area was the warrior who had shot the poison at Urich. The poison he had used was a paralytic that could take down even a bear.

'How is he still moving?'

Urich was still fighting Samikan evenly, despite the poison spreading through his body. Those aware of the poison's potency were fully astonished.

Schriing!

Samikan's blade pushed Urich's sword aside. Urich's balance was broken, and Samikan kicked forward.

"Hup!"

Samikan exhaled sharply as he swung his sword long. The blade's tip grazed past Urich's front seam.

‘Do not get in my way, Urich.'

Samikan's body heated up. His movements became faster, whereas Urich's steps slowed significantly. The difference became more and more clearly pronounced. Even defending was a struggle for Urich who was stumbling back.

'My eyes are closing.'

Urich felt his consciousness intermittently cutting off. His eyes closed as if he was being overwhelmed by sleep. He relied on his pure reflexes to thrust his axe and deflect Samikan's blade to the side. Urich's trained body didn't miss a beat in counterattacking.

Swoosh.

Urich's blade grazed Samikan's cheek. A bit more to the side, and it would have slashed his face. Even in such a state, Urich's slashes were often dangerously sharp, enough to end Samikan’s life.

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