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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: The Barbarian Who Hid His Face
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My mind felt hazy. It was like drifting on a vast, open sea in a tube.
"Huh...?"
Why was I actually on the sea? The world was entirely blue. I was sure I had found an inn room and fallen asleep the moment I stepped inside...
The lapping waves and cool breeze enveloped my entire body for a moment.
Splash!
The tube vanished instantly, and I sank into the ocean depths.
I struggled to swim and flail, but it felt as if something was pulling my legs down from the deep abyss.
Yet, that entire process wasn't painful or agonizing.
I was merely bewildered by this inexplicable phenomenon.
'What is this? Just a weird dream? Was I that tired?'
When I came to, I was standing in darkness. At this point, I could only conclude it was truly a bizarre dream.
The world was filled with darkness, but far away, a tiny light twinkled.
Though it was as small as a mouse hole, in a world consumed by darkness, that light shone incredibly brightly.
The light was so dazzling that I couldn't help but squint to face it.
Through my half-opened eyes, the figure of a woman, enveloped in light, was revealed.
"...So-eun?"
Black hair, black eyes. A frail and delicate girl who always wore a dazzlingly beautiful smile.
My one and only younger sister, Nam So-eun, was looking at me from within that distant light.
"So-eun!"
I ran towards the light as if possessed.
So much had happened.
I had fought tooth and nail in a goblin breeding den, killed a living creature for the first time in my life, been stabbed in the back by a person, killed that person too, killed goblins, killed anything that got in my way, and just kept killing.
The moments of blood and gore, of mutual slaughter, which should have been so difficult for me, someone who had lived a modern life.
They had strangely thrilled and excited me.
The more I fought and killed, the more I felt emotions that betrayed the morals and ethics I had learned in modern society, and that self was the most agonizing and loathsome part.
But all of that could be forgotten if I just stepped into that light.
In a peaceful modern world, living a safe life free from bloodshed, together with my sister—
But no matter how much I struggled, the distance to the light barely closed.
"So-eun!"
I shouted my sister's name and ran, but the more I ran, the further the light seemed to recede.
The light grew smaller and smaller. So-eun's lips, still standing beneath the light, parted slightly.
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■]
***
"Haaah!"
I woke from the dream with a start, as if having a seizure.
The moment I opened my eyes, I saw the view of the inn room, half-obscured by my helmet's visor, and the Status Window I'd seen before.
But at that moment, I had no time to worry about any of it.
"Hoo, hoo..."
I frantically ripped off the suffocating helmet and caught my breath.
How many minutes passed like that? My ragged breathing began to calm.
"Damn it. What kind of dream was that...?"
But my mind refused to settle.
I wanted to just dismiss it as a weird dream and forget it.
But it wasn't easy. Ordinary bizarre dreams usually faded the moment you woke up, but for some reason, this one wouldn't leave my mind.
I briefly recalled the dream's content: So-eun standing beneath the light, and me running towards her.
"I don't know..."
I couldn't figure out its meaning. An unknown, strange emotion kept a heavy feeling in my chest.
I shook off the sticky, unpleasant feeling clinging to me and cleared my head.
Instead of dwelling on such an inexplicable, strange dream, I should focus on the immediate reality.
[Nam Su-jin Lv.3]
[HP:(4+10) STR:(4+10) AGI:(2+10) WIS:(0) DEX:(0)]
[Free Points: 3]
I looked at the Status Window floating before my eyes.
I wished it would kindly explain things like other Status Windows in media, but since it didn't, I had no choice but to guess.
'Should I take the words literally?'
HP would be health, of course, and Strength and Agility would make me stronger and faster. Dexterity would be for hand skills.
'WIS 0 is a bit annoying, though?'
It felt like I'd just received a certificate for being an idiot. My education might be lacking, but did it have to rub it in like this?
[Would you like to allocate 3 Free Points to HP?]
As I looked back and forth between the Free Points and HP sections, a notification window popped up.
'No.'
I canceled it immediately.
'It wouldn't be called 'Free' Points for nothing.'
Being able to use them as I pleased meant I could allocate stats more flexibly, adapting to the situation as it arose.
It meant tactics were possible, such as putting points into HP to endure in situations where health was needed, or into Strength to attack when a powerful blow was required.
"I should use Free Points more carefully."
What were those plus signs next to the stats?
The +10 next to HP, Strength, and Agility caught my eye. Why were they separate? Were they bonus stats?
As I wondered, another Status Window appeared.
[Currently Held Blessings and Curses]
[◆ Blessing of ???]
– ???
– HP+10 STR+10 AGI+10
[◆ Blessing of Hard-Fought Battle] NEW!!!
– You gain greater strength the more you fight under adverse conditions.
– Maximum condition met: HP+2, STR+2, AGI+2
"Hmm..."
I rested my chin on my hand and stared blankly at the Status Window.
Blessings and Curses.
I didn't know the specifics, but I had a vague idea. It was one of the pieces of knowledge I'd heard from Densi before exiting the escape portal.
'She said they were mysterious powers obtained with a low probability while exploring the Labyrinth.'
The exact acquisition method was unknown. I'd also heard that to confirm the acquisition of a Blessing or Curse, you had to go to a temple and pay money for an appraisal.
But thanks to the Status Window, the presence of my Blessings was clearly visible to me.
'So others don't have a Status Window?'
It seemed healthier for my mind to think that way.
Right. So I wasn't dropped into this world completely empty-handed after all. It was a relief to have at least one special perk like the Status Window.
'But what's up with the question mark Blessing?'
While the second Blessing, the Blessing of Hard-Fought Battle, had an accurate name and description, the first Blessing was obscured by question marks, its name and explanation hidden.
'My base stats for HP, STR, and AGI combined are 10.'
The Blessing of Hard-Fought Battle gives an additional 6 raw stats to HP, STR, and AGI when all adverse conditions are met.
'But the question mark Blessing unconditionally raises HP, STR, and AGI by a total of 30.'
I smell it. The scent of an overpowered blessing.
Isn't it like in games?
A skill with simple, concise descriptions like 'Throws a spear incredibly hard' is often stronger than a skill with conditions plastered all over it and explanations rambling on and on.
For now, I just acknowledged that the question mark Blessing gave me greater power and that I had obtained a Blessing, then dismissed the Status Window.
Staring blankly wouldn't allow me to see through the question marks anyway.
First, I did some simple stretching before getting up.
My head felt refreshed after a long, good night's sleep.
Outside the window, it was evening, so I figured I must have slept all day.
Perhaps because of that, my mind was wide awake, but my body felt stiff as if it hadn't moved for a long time.
It was true in modern times, but now, my body truly was my only resource.
After carefully stretching my joints and loosening up, I noticed a musty smell coming from somewhere.
It was, of course, the smell of my own body.
Having accumulated all sorts of dust, sweat, and blood in the Labyrinth without being able to wash, the unpleasant odor was unavoidable.
"There's no bathroom in the room..."
Was I expecting too much from a medieval-level environment?
I assumed bathing would be done at a public bathhouse, for a fee.
Still, there was a towel and a wooden bucket of water in the room.
I compromised, wetting the towel and wiping my dirty body while thinking about what to do next.
"Money. I need money."
Investigate the Labyrinth portal to find a way back home and search for my sister, who was swallowed by the magic circle? Good. A grand goal.
It was such a huge goal that I had no idea when I could achieve it.
Labyrinth exploration was by no means easy. I almost died several times even on the first floor.
While Labyrinth exploration could proceed gradually, I first needed to establish a foundation for living in this world.
Food, clothing, and shelter.
The three essential elements for human survival.
If I dressed too revealingly, I could be raped, accused of dressing provocatively.
If I didn't eat properly, I wouldn't have the strength to resist even if dragged away by my hair.
If I had no place to live, I'd be out on the streets, attacked and raped by beggars at night.
To prevent such things, I absolutely had to secure at least the bare minimum of food, clothing, and shelter before venturing into the Labyrinth.
And dressing, eating, and finding a place to live all required money.
'Anyway, the portal to the Labyrinth opens once a week, so...'
For the time being, I'd probably have to find a part-time job or go to some sort of labor exchange.
I carefully wiped the dusty blanket and wrapped it around my body, then put my pants back on.
I also wiped off the blood splatters on my helmet before putting it on.
The moment I opened the door and left the room, boisterous noises came from all directions. The source of the sound was the inn's first floor.
As I descended the stairs, a savory and delicious smell wafted up. In addition, I heard lively chatter from people eating and drinking.
The scene before me showed people and Beastkin mixed at tables, downing alcohol and eating food.
"Valerius, the Labyrinth City~ This dog-awful city, this dog-awful Labyrinth. Ahh! The dog-awful people of this dog-awful city!"
"Hey, hey. This guy's completely wasted, isn't he?"
"But it's a fact, isn't it? Let him rant."
A flushed rabbit Beastkin woman and a human woman sang strange songs, embracing each other's shoulders and dancing oddly.
"Kyaaaah! The kid's spraying milk!"
"Ugh, you crazy bastard, the milk smells awful!"
Suddenly, an excited cow Beastkin woman sprayed milk from her teats, causing others to shriek and run away in a maddening scene, which I watched blankly.
"Oh my. Are you finally awake?"
Diana, busy carrying food through the crowd, spotted me and asked how I was.
"Yes. I was a bit tired."
"You slept for two whole days and nights, though? You must have been really exhausted."
"...I slept for two days?"
No wonder my body felt so stiff when I woke up; I hadn't just slept for a day, but for two days and nights.
"Yes. Just look at how hoarse your voice is. Sit there and wait for a moment! I'll bring you some water."
Nodding at Diana's kindness, I sat at a secluded table.
Having nothing else to do, I continued to observe the party unfolding in the inn.
"Drink! Drink more! Drink until you die!"
"Gwaaah!"
A short dwarf and a human woman had a drinking battle, then simultaneously slammed their beer mugs down and passed out.
Ugh. That looks good. I'm confident I could drink well if I just had some alcohol. I'd give anything for a cold beer.
Thump!
"Oh, there, male! Alone?"
Something cold touched my lower back, startling me, and I turned around to see a Lizardman... no, a Lizardwoman holding large beer mugs in both hands, speaking to me.
If it had been a human or a human-like Beastkin, I might have been a little wary.
But aside from the awkwardly placed green breasts, she had no human form at all, being purely reptilian, which actually put me at ease.
"Uh. Yeah, I'm alone."
"Heh. Perfect timing! I'm alone too, and my side feels a bit chilly. How about a drink together?"
"Are you buying?"
"Not for free."
The Lizardwoman's long, slit reptilian eyes scanned my body.
"A truly excellent warrior's body. Looks very suitable for a contest."
It seemed like a compliment, but I wasn't sure how to respond.
"Uh... really?"
"Absolutely! Those firm forearms and pectorals! You have by far the most magnificent body I've ever seen on a male. You must be an excellent warrior. Therefore, as a fellow warrior, I propose this to you!"
Bang!
Two beer mugs were placed on the table with a loud crash that sounded like they might break, and the Lizardwoman plopped down on the chair across from me.
Then she placed her elbow on the table and raised her hand.
Ah. Right. This was a battle every man had probably experienced at least once. A contest of pride, trusting in one's own body.
"Shall we have an arm-wrestling match!"
A moment of silence.
And then, immediately after.
"Ooh-ooh-ooh! Gregor the Lizardwoman, the great warrior from the third floor, challenged a man to arm wrestling!!"
"What?! Is that for real?!"
"Crazy bitch! Challenging a man to arm wrestling, you have no shame! But it looks fun!"
"I can't just stand by and watch this entertainment. Bets are on! I'll put 1 silver coin on Gregor!"
"I'll put 12 copper coins on Gregor too!"
"I'll put 1 copper coin on the helmeted man! This is the thrill of an underdog bet!"
"What kind of underdog talk is that with just one coin! 3 silver coins on Gregor!"
In an instant, all eyes were on us.
The drunkards immediately started taking bets on the outcome of my arm-wrestling match with Gregor the Lizardwoman.
Without realizing it, I put in four copper coins, my entire fortune.
"Gregor! I'm betting everything on you!"
"You crazy woman. You'll be screwed if you mess up, you know?"
"What's there to screw up? The outcome's obvious. There's no safer bet than this."
"Win, Gregor! Don't go easy just because he's a man!"
The atmosphere quickly became heated.
The inn's patrons became spectators, surrounding the table, and we faced each other, listening to their cheers.
"Are you perhaps chicken? You can back out if you're not confident."
Gregor, wiggling her fingers in a rather grotesque way, said with a provocative expression.
Ah. I was just going to go easy on her.
This won't do.
"I'm not confident."
Thud!
I slammed my elbow onto the table as if to embed it. Then I gripped Gregor's hand as if to crush it.
Feeling my grip, Gregor's eyes instantly turned serious.
"I'm not confident I can lose to you."
Because...
[Gregor Lv.8]
[HP:(4) STR:(7+2) AGI:(4+1) WIS:(0) DEX:(3+2)]
You're a pushover.
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