Chapter 144 : The Happiest Barbarian Ever
The Happiest Barbarian Ever
The sound of a heartbeat kept echoing within the dungeon.
Given the connection to the flesh wall, the 'dungeon master' was most likely the owner of this place's 'stomach.'
The heartbeat was probably that target. As I continued to follow the 'heartbeat,' I was gaining confidence that I would eventually encounter the dungeon master.
That was when a sense of unease started to creep in from beyond the red flesh wall.
The air pricked at my skin.
An oppressive sensation seeped into my bones.
This strangely familiar feeling immediately reminded me of Iushil's underground dungeon.
'Dark Knight.'
The being I encountered after entering to deal with the Abyssification dungeon.
He covered his entire body with pitch-black armor and rode a black horse. Neither Barkal, who was like a monster, nor Serena could even scratch him.
The only thing that could injure him was the tiny dagger called the 'Blood-Colored Awl'.
As I was thinking about how hopeless I would feel having to face that guy again—
"He's approaching, sage."
The energy I sensed up ahead was gradually closing in.
The sound of the heartbeat still echoed from afar.
But a menacing presence was coming closer.
And then.
Before long, a large clearing of flesh appeared.
At the center of that place was—
'That crazy bastard.'
The Dark Knight.
Still as a statue atop his horse, he gazed down on us.
Or perhaps I only thought he did. With his face hidden behind his helmet, black as pitch, there was not a trace of his eyes to be seen.
"What, what is that..."
Gor's voice was trembling.
And no wonder.
An Apostle of Thrag, a barbarian recognized by the Red Wolf Tribe.
Barkal had also raved about the Dark Knight, saying he was the greatest adversary.
"It's the Dark Knight."
"The Dark Knight? What's that!"
Gor was turning to me, the 'Sage,' for answers once more.
As if thinking I would know everything.
But I had no idea.
All I knew was that there were more of his kind.
I don't know if they come in every color of the rainbow, or not.
— "Master, it doesn't seem like that being is aware of his surroundings right now."
He isn't aware of his surroundings?
How can you be sure?
— "He's not conscious."
Not conscious?
Just as Chunsik said, the Dark Knight made no movement, even though I had already appeared.
If he retained his memories, I figured he would greet me, happy to see me again.
But this is better.
Let's call today our first day. Let's pretend we've never met.
— "Master, what will you do?"
When Chunsik asked me that, I picked up a small bone fragment nearby.
"Sage?"
"Quiet."
Ignoring Gor's words, I started tossing the bone fragment up and down, gauging the distance.
Then, I tossed the bone piece so it landed next to the Dark Knight.
Even when the fragment landed close by, the Dark Knight didn't so much as twitch.
Is this guy really asleep?
"What are you doing, sage?"
What does it look like?
I'm checking if he's sleeping.
If he'd moved as I tried to cross that vast space, I couldn't think of any way to shake him off.
But up till now, the path here had been a fairly narrow one compared to this place.
It was too narrow for a horse to fit through.
"If we flee, it'll have to be back that way."
"Flee? Barbarians don't fle—"
"I fled. Barkal fled, too."
"If even the Sage and Barkal ran, I will accept it as well."
If he were any other barbarian, he'd have caused a huge fuss about refusing to evade battle, but Gor understood quickly.
He knows, too.
If we faced that thing head-on, we'd be in big trouble.
"Hm."
I kept tossing things, but the Dark Knight never so much as flinched.
He really seemed to be asleep.
"We'll sneak by, quietly."
At my words, Gor nodded without a word.
We couldn't spend our lives here, staring at the Dark Knight.
Stealthily.
We started circling along the edge of the clearing.
The heartbeat still sounded from beyond. If we bypassed the Dark Knight, it looked like we could reach it soon.
'Good, just a bit farther...'
That's when it happened.
The Dark Knight didn't move at all.
But the black horse beneath him slowly turned its head.
I locked eyes with those pitch-black eyes—the horse merely stared at me.
Prrrhh.
A small whinny.
Yes, yes.
Just keep watching.
It must be tiring, dragging around such a gigantic brute.
We also raise a horse named Krunga, so I know how it is.
Krunga especially hates the barbarian Barkal.
Prrrrhh.
As if understanding my thoughts, the black horse merely trembled its lips, making no other move.
But this horse does seem rather familiar.
As that thought crossed my mind, the horse's eyes grew wider and wider, as if recalling something.
"Oh."
You.
You're the black horse I saw in Iushil's underground.
You survived?
Hiiiinnhh!!
When our eyes met, the memories of being stuck in the swamp seemed to return to it, and the beast started to twist its whole body and scream as if in shock.
"W-why's that horse going wild!?"
Gor jumped back in alarm at the horse's insane shriek.
How should I know?
I wanted to say, but the horse's glare at me was razor-sharp.
Hiiinnnnh──!
With its front legs in the air, the horse began to make a tumult.
As if to its master, the Dark Knight,
'Master, it's that punk who dropped me into the swamp before!'
Or so it seemed to say.
"Sage."
What?
"That thing opened its eyes."
Turning to Gor's warning, I met eyes with the Dark Knight, who moments before had been sleeping.
Eyes raging like fire burned between the shadows of his black helmet.
Far too intense. We're not that close, you know.
As if to counter my thoughts, the Dark Knight grabbed the reins of his horse.
At the same time, the black horse struck the ground with its hooves, and the knight raised the halberd over his shoulder.
"He's coming!"
I yelled to Gor.
"Where do we run?!"
"Toward the heartbeat!"
* * *
Thud, thud, thud!
Running with Gor, I could already hear hoofbeats closing in behind us.
They're getting closer.
"Sage! That monster is coming closer!"
You don't have to say it!
There was no time to look back. All I could do was keep running ahead.
As we barely squeezed through the narrow passage between the flesh walls, I breathed a sigh of relief.
This was narrow enough that no horse could get through—
Thwack!
While I let my guard down, the Dark Knight's halberd slammed into the flesh wall.
The passage began to break apart with a deafening sound. I realized that if I lingered here, I'd end up getting much too close to the Dark Knight for comfort.
So we ran, deeper into the passageway.
But unlike before, the corridor of flesh now felt like a maze.
That thought grew stronger when we reached a fork.
"Sage, which way?!"
How should I know!
I wanted to chase the heartbeat, but sometimes it sounded from the left, sometimes from the right.
It almost felt as though the living dungeon itself was toying with us.
How many forks did we pass like that?
"It's a dead end!"
A high pillar-like wall of flesh was blocking the way.
We're screwed.
When I turned, a dark shape was slowly advancing in the distant, dim corridor.
Death.
That notion filled my head.
He wasn't in a hurry. As if certain there was no escape.
Leisurely, unhurried.
But steadily, surely, he approached.
"We have no choice but to fight."
Gor drew his spear.
We have to fight?
Against that guy?
Memories of Iushil flickered through my mind.
Even Barkal's axe and Serena's fist or joint techniques did nothing to this monster.
Barkal had been taken down hard by him. To say he lost was hardly an overstatement.
"So, it's come to this."
If you got close, he'd damage you with some strange power, and no attack worked on him.
And it wasn't as if he was weak either. That halberd—that alone could cut you in half if it struck.
Still.
"We have no choice."
Yeah.
I agreed with Gor's muttering.
I couldn't think of any way to escape from this dead-end. And even if we tried, it wasn't like he would just let us go.
So we had no choice but to face him.
As the saying goes, a cornered rat—
"... Bites the cat!"
At that very moment, the ceiling of flesh above collapsed, and a familiar face burst through.
"Barkal!"
I called out—
Instead of responding, Barkal leaped down, swinging his axe at the Dark Knight.
KWAANG──!
But Barkal's 'World's Precipice' never reached the Dark Knight. In the brief instant it took, the knight had already raised his halberd to block.
"I felt a familiar presence and came looking—so it was you after all!"
While Barkal was distracted by the halberd, the Dark Knight's other hand lunged for Barkal's nape.
"Barkal! Watch your flank!"
I warned him, and Barkal kicked the Dark Knight in the chest, pushing him away and retreating.
His massive body landed on the fleshy ground, a few drops of blood splattering nearby.
"Brother, I've been looking for you."
"Me as well."
"This is great luck! Found my brother, found a monster!"
Barkal's eyes shone beneath his skull helmet.
"Battle! Strong foe! Revenge! Brother! My four favorite things!"
He gripped 'World's Precipice' and grinned broadly.
"To fulfill all four at once! I'm the happiest barbarian alive!"