Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Vol-Herchan.

A super-sized monster that appears on the 7th floor.

Since it lives in groups in specific fields, essence farming itself isn't that difficult if you have the specs. That's why I chose Bion's essence, which is harder to obtain later, when I received the royal family's reward.

But...

'To be honest, its combat performance was better.'

While Bion's [Transcendence] allows for utility, variable creation, and unconventional skill combinations, Vol-Herchan focuses on one thing.

Physical Resistance.

The stat that tanks should prioritize even over Strength.

Moreover, Vol-Herchan has an active skill that allows you to block Aura, making its essence essential for becoming a sturdy shield barbarian.

The active skill changes depending on the color of the essence.

This is one of the biggest reasons why growth becomes more difficult as you climb higher. Not only are high-level monsters harder to hunt, but from 3rd-grade onwards, there are at least five or six different colors of essences that can drop.

It's not time to celebrate yet.

At least not yet...

"Amelia, do you happen to know... what color the essence is?"

"Hmm, I think it was green."

What? Green?!

"Hallelujah..."

Amelia frowned at my exclamation. Well, she must have been confused since it was a word she had never heard before.

"Is that something you say in your world?"

I explained that it was a word used when something good happened, omitting the religious meaning, and Amelia nodded.

And then she glanced at me with a slightly hurt expression.

"You gave me a hard time when I said that word earlier..."

Ah, right.

I did get upset when she said I was an evil spirit.

It must have seemed hypocritical.

'I would have kept my 'hallelujah' to myself if it were anyone else...'

Is it because she's the only companion (SSR) in this world who knows I'm an evil spirit?

I apologized sincerely.

"It wasn't that I was being strict with you. I just tend to be more comfortable around you. I'll be more careful from now on."

"...Whatever."

Amelia accepted my apology coolly, and that was the end of that topic.

I then asked the most important question.

"By the way, Amelia..."

"Just get to the point."

"Do you happen to know... how much it sold for?"

I asked with a trembling voice, trying to suppress my excitement, and Amelia chuckled and stood up from her chair.

And...

Click, click.

She walked over to me, bent down, and whispered in my ear.

"...!!!!"

I felt goosebumps all over my body.

What the hell, how is it that expensive?

____________________

I was shocked at first, but after thinking about it, it wasn't that unreasonable.

It was a 3rd-grade essence, after all.

Since it was being auctioned at the central exchange instead of the Sky Auction House, there would have been many more bidders. There are plenty of rich people who can't enter the Sky Auction House.

Anyway, that wasn't the important part.

"Amelia..."

"What is it?"

"That's..."

I hesitated, and Amelia, who had returned to her seat, crossed her legs and folded her arms.

It was a bit intimidating...

"Uh... that's..."

Amelia sighed and scratched the itch as I struggled to speak.

"You're wondering how much we'll get if we sell all the equipment, right?"

"Yes."

"Probably... about 70%. Even if we sell it slowly at a good price."

Damn it, so it's not enough.

"...I guess we have no choice but to give up."

It wasn't just about being 30% short.

We had been looting for over six months, and we had even taken everything from those ten looters.

It was practically impossible to make that much money in a short amount of time.

Amelia also seemed to agree, judging by her expression.

"...Don't be too disappointed. We can always get the essence ourselves later."

That's true, but...

"Sigh..."

I couldn't help but sigh despite her consolation.

I wish I had just stayed ignorant. It felt like I had received a birthday present only to have it taken away because it was the wrong one.

It was the perfect color, too...

"Well, there is a way..."

Amelia suddenly spoke, and I looked up.

"A way...?"

Amelia averted her gaze.

At first, I thought she was avoiding my gaze, but it seemed like she was looking at something specific.

'What is she staring at so intently...?'

I unconsciously followed her gaze and froze.

Kraul's Demon Crusher was leaning against the wall, its massive size impossible to ignore.

"No, we can't sell this!"

"Why? You can't take it back to your original time anyway."

"I'll bury it somewhere safe!"

"There's always a risk. Selling it and converting it to an essence would be the most rational choice."

Amelia was right.

No matter how well I hid it, there was no guarantee that it would still be there twenty years later.

On the other hand, essences could be taken back without any problems.

But...

"Are you crazy?! You're asking a warrior to sell his weapon?!"

"You're sounding like a barbarian again."

"Ah, it's a habit..."

"I thought so."

Wait, how did we get here?

I returned to the topic and firmly stated my position.

"Anyway, this is something I will never sell, so don't even mention it again! I'd rather give up on the essence!"

It wasn't just stubbornness.

A 3rd-grade essence was valuable, but its rarity was nothing compared to a Double Numbered Item. Double Numbered Items were so rare that they rarely even appeared at the Sky Auction House.

The price might be similar, or the essence might even be more expensive, depending on demand...

But the acquisition difficulty of 'Kraul's Demon Crusher' was dozens of times higher. In other words, if I sold it now, I might never be able to get it again.

"Hmm, if that's how you feel..."

Amelia nodded in understanding after I explained my reasons.

And that was the end of that conversation.

Amelia went out again, saying she was going to check on her sister, and I stayed in the room, drinking to soothe my aching heart.

"Ugh... how long will it take to get that essence..."

It would take at least a year.

I would have to return to my original time, reorganize my clan, upgrade my ship, clear the 6th floor, and reach the 7th floor before I could even encounter Vol-Herchan.

And then I would have to farm it until I got the right color.

"Ugh... Vol-Herchan..."

I was wallowing in self-pity when...

Creak.

The door opened.

"You're still drinking?"

Amelia had returned, her face pale with exhaustion. It seemed like she had spent the entire day by her sister's side.

"Haha, you're back, Amelia..."

"I told you to lock the door."

"...Sorry."

"You're apologizing?"

"I'll make sure to lock it from now on. It's not like we have the essence anyway. What if an assassin who can use Aura comes and..."

I couldn't finish my sentence.

I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion.

Amelia sighed deeply.

"You reek of alcohol."

I had nothing to say. I was in the wrong. I just hung my head in shame, and Amelia cautiously spoke.

"By the way, Yandel."

"...?"

"Do you... really want that essence that badly?"

"Huh...?"

I suddenly snapped out of my drunken stupor.

It was like a mother giving in to her son who was throwing a tantrum in the toy aisle.

"Are you saying... you have a way...?"

Amelia chuckled at my hopeful question.

And...

"Don't get your hopes up."

"Th, that means...!"

I was speechless with joy.

"I said don't get your hopes up. It's just a possibility... but there might be a way..."

It was the first time I had felt such a sense of security from someone older than me.

_____________________

Amelia went out every morning and returned to the inn exhausted late at night.

But she wouldn't tell me what she was doing.

She just said she would tell me if it worked out.

[If it goes well, I'll be able to solve the money problem. So until the auction, you should focus on what you can do. Don't just stay in the inn all day.]

[Amelia...!!!]

I couldn't disobey her orders, so I diligently explored the city.

My goal was one thing.

To find a place where I could hide Kraul's Demon Crusher and keep it safe for twenty years.

'The forest in the sanctuary would be perfect, but I'm worried that someone might dig it up during a funeral...'

Finding my own garlic field was harder than I expected. I would find a good spot, but after careful consideration, it would always fall short of 100%.

'The sewers are full of homeless people, so it's not safe either... And I can't freely enter the sanctuaries of other races, so I have to pass on those...'

If Amelia failed to get the money, I would have to hide a huge sum of money as well, so I had to be even more careful.

Well, that wasn't my only concern.

'But what if she actually gets the money? What do I do then?'

My current level was 6.

I could absorb up to six essences, and all six slots were currently filled.

To absorb Vol-Herchan's essence, I would have to level up or remove one of my existing essences.

But reaching level 7 would require clearing more than half of the 6th floor, so I didn't have to think about that option.

'Which one should I get rid of?'

Orc Hero, Ogre, Bion.

These three were core essences, so I couldn't remove them. And Stormgush was a 3rd-grade essence, too valuable to discard.

Its base stats alone were worth keeping.

So I was left with two choices.

'Manticore.'

My only movement skill, and a 5th-grade essence that I had always planned to remove eventually.

And...

'Corpse Golem.'

The 7th-grade essence that I had absorbed out of desperation.

It was the lowest grade essence I had, but it wasn't an easy choice.

'It feels like I'll be missing something without it...'

The usefulness of this essence was undeniable.

How much had I relied on the 'Pain Resistance' stat?

Even the trash skills [Flesh Explosion] and [Acidic Fluid] had proven useful in battle.

But...

'It's time to graduate from it. I never planned to keep it this long anyway.'

If I had to choose between the two, Manticore was the better option.

The reason was simple.

[Inheritance] would give me back 20% of the stats, but my Magic Resistance, which was 200, would be reduced to 40.

If I removed it now, I would have to absorb another intermediate essence to balance out my Magic Resistance until I could get Bellarios' essence.

'Well, this is all pointless if Amelia fails to get the money.'

The thought of finding a hiding place became even more important, and I diligently explored the city.

And...

'Only three days left.'

It was three days before the auction.

I lay down on the bed, staring at the clock on the nightstand.

'What will happen this time?'

It was midnight on the 15th.

______________________

"Oh, I'm here again."

I opened my eyes in the familiar room and put on the white mask.

And I quickly left the room.

"..."

The hallway was empty and silent.

But if my guess was correct, the new owner of this space, the 2nd Master, GM, should be somewhere in this mansion.

'Let's take a look around.'

I wandered through the mansion, carefully examining every room.

The Captain, the Ruin Scholar, and the other members were nowhere to be seen.

'What happened to them...?'

I was starting to get curious when I saw a man standing in the main hall on the first floor.

He was clearly not one of the otherworldly evil spirits.

He was wearing a tracksuit with a familiar logo.

'Could he be the GM?'

I took a step closer to get a better look.

But did he sense my presence?

"Pe, person...?"

The man looked around and then froze as our eyes met.

"..."

We stared at each other in silence.

'This is unexpected.'

He had a somewhat goofy face.

His eyes were filled with confusion.

He even seemed scared of me...

"Um... who, who are you? You said you banished all the previous members..."

'The previous members were banished...'

He was clearly wary of me, but he was still giving me information. I could smell it.

The strong scent of a newbie.

'Well, even the GM would have been here for less than a year. He's still fresh.'

How should I handle this?

I was already salivating.

And...

"Um... Sir! Are you the Sir?!"

He looked at me with such innocent eyes...

Lick.

I couldn't help but lick my lips.

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