I didn't know exactly when it happened, but when I realized it, everyone froze with their eyes open, like stone statues.

"Misha?" Two-wheelers? Hikurod?

What is going on?

While I was beginning to doubt, information appeared that I had not paid attention to before. Very long, thin needles protruded from the neck of each of my comrades.

Probably, there was one in my neck too.

The main thing was that the muscles in my neck were tense, and the tingling sensation spread downward.

[You have been poisoned by the Basilisk's Paralyzing Venom. Your Constitution is above 300. The effect of the poison has been reduced by half].

Feeling threatened, my heart beat like crazy. On the other hand, my brain was calmly giving orders about what exactly I should do right now.

My thick hands lifted the shield and covered my upper body. My legs were slightly bent, lowering my balance so that I could react at any moment. Immobility squeezed my neck. Meanwhile, I even held my breath to concentrate on the sound.

*Cap! Cap! Cap!*

I heard water dripping from afar. It was it, but I had no doubt about it. As when I stepped on the goblin trap, the enemy had to be nearby. There was a trembling silence for a few seconds. It seemed that every nerve cell in my body was on edge.

*Top*

Then I heard faint sounds. It was difficult to call it steps... It looked like a stone rolling in the wind.

... Is it a stealth skill?

I made a quick decision. I didn't know what it was, but the poison was slowly spreading through my body. So as long as I could move, it would be better to see the end of this fight.

[You've cast [Wild Splash]].

This will make survival a little more likely.

'Behellaaa I shouted with all my might.

Of course, unlike monsters, threat level doesn't always work on humans, but I've researched this in the past.

"Hmmm... It was a very strange feeling. It was as if my mind knew that there was nothing dangerous, but my body was telling me to run...", Dvalki told me.

Under the influence of the [Wild Surge], people who were weak in spirit were afraid.

Therefore, the enemy can run away even before I can properly provoke him.

"For some reason, I felt like I had to get rid of you quickly. Oh, of course, that was before you got big. After that, I felt the same as Dvalki."

Conversely, if the subject was a belligerent person, some degree of provocation is possible. What about the mysterious enemy that was hiding in the dark?

"It's a strange feeling, barbarian.

I knew it. Although I should have said that it is strange. I wasn't sure what she did, but somehow I could hear her voice both in front and behind me.

Wait, this voice seems familiar to me...

I shuddered. In addition to not knowing where the enemy was, the voice I had just heard belonged to a woman. He was a little hoarse, but it was for sure.

Who could it be?

My questioning brain connected the key words: the woman who hid like a murderer and fired a paralyzing stinger. I remembered.

"It's you again.

A psychopathic bitch we met in the Lands of the Dead.

It had to be her.

Perhaps she was not interested in hiding her identity.

— ... I didn't think you could tell who I was just by my voice.

Soon it appeared in front. A slender figure, a little over 170 cm tall, fiery red hair, a half-missing right ear; Everything was the same as it was back then, except that the clothes she was wearing were casual.

*Step*

The woman took a step forward and closed the distance. To be honest, I was sweating a lot. I've grown a lot lately and even got the nickname Little Balkan, but still I was nobody in front of this bitch.

"You have become strong, barbarian. To think that you can still move after such a blow.

An explorer who operates on the 8th floor and even knows how to use the aura...

No matter how I thought about it, there was nothing I could do alone.

But that didn't mean I would give up without a fight. Putting strength into the hand that held the shield and mace, I rearmed my frightened mind.

The woman watched me do this and asked:

"Is it because of your comrades that you are not running away?"

Of course, she was a crazy bitch. The fact that she was interested in it gave me goosebumps.

— I will ask the question first. I kept my promise. Why did you come to kill me?

I swallowed the question. I was curious to know her motive. Knowing this, I could think of another way.

"Kill you?"

She furrowed her brows and tilted her head.

"It was you who broke down the door and burst in, barbarian.

— ... The door?

"Tell me." Who told you about this place?

What the hell is she talking about?

For some reason, the conversation was not structured correctly. I asked directly:

"I don't understand, speak plainly. What kind of door? What is this place?

The woman frowned again. She seemed to understand that there was a big problem in this conversation.

— ... How did you open the door?

"If you're talking about a magic thing in the sewers, I smashed it with a mace.

"You... Broke it?

— Any problems?

The woman closed her eyes to my confident question for a moment, then shook her head as if she understood.

— No, not a problem.

As a top-level researcher, she didn't seem to believe in magic blindly like Dvalki or Hikurod. But, not losing curiosity, she asked:

"But why did you break it?"

"Because that bitch ran away here.

At that moment, I naturally lowered Eliza to the floor. I carried it all this time because I didn't have time for it, but if a battle broke out, it would definitely get in the way.

— ... This is the priestess of Karui who was wanted some time ago.

"I'm glad you know. Then are we on the same wavelength now? I asked.

— Of course.

"Good. It was nice to meet you. We'll leave now. You don't need to see us off and give us any potions. I'll take care of the rest...

"Stop." Now that you know about this place, I can't just let you go.

— ... Even if I destroy the dashcam and swear to keep everything that happened today a secret?

- The situation is different from what it was then.

Deuce... So this is a refusal, right?

I have rid my mind of all weaknesses. After hearing the affirmative answer from this, I was left with only one option.

So I took off the armor that I was wearing.

*Click*

— ... Why are you doing this all of a sudden?

Ignoring the question, I took off my socks, helmet, and boots and tossed them aside.

"Hey," I said.

Fortunately, the interlocutor took part in the conversation. Her eyes said:

"If you have anything to say, tell me."

I quickly continued:

"Do you know two ways to make a person angry?"

— ... A what?

"The first is not to finish sentences. And the second...

"Is this...?"

I didn't know either. Nobody told me the end.

'Behellaaa

I rushed forward with all my strength, hoping that this would distract the's attention at least a little. I withdrew the hand that held the mace.

The woman, momentarily stunned, smiled as if she had understood my trick.

"It's funny.

After all, dashing at such a distance cannot but amaze. But what about that?

*Woom!*

I waved my hand forward and threw the mace.

As expected, she dodged. The woman turned her body sharply to avoid being hit by the mace and looked at me with a questioning look.

It seems that she did not expect that the barbarian would drop his weapon at the beginning of the fight. Without regret, I threw the shield into my other hand.

*Whoosh!*

The shield rotated in the air and flew like a disc, which justified all my training. His speed was incomparable to that of a mace. However, this overly flexible bitch easily dodged the shield as well, leaning back. It did not disappoint, because it was expected.

*Jerk!*

Taking advantage of the opening formed by the mace and shield, I pushed off the ground again and continued to run. The distance had shrunk in the blink of an eye, as my Constitution level was now higher than that of ordinary people.

For now.

I stretched out my hand as when I had glided towards Eliza. The's expression was still calm, as if to say, "Just look at him!"

*Jerk!*

To prove it, she dodged the attack by taking exactly three steps back. Again, it wasn't a disappointment. I stretched out my hand so that she could see it clearly.

As I expected.

We were in a straight passage, which could not be called wide. If a large barbarian rushed at you from the front, the only place you could run to was back. Of course, if the enemy really managed to retreat, I had nothing more to say. But even so, she only moved enough to avoid the attack. This is not rather a problem of personality, but rather a factor in the fact that she was obsessed with efficiency, which naturally followed from the constant desire to occupy a higher position.

I think I can proceed with Plan A.

[You have used [Gigantization]]

And so, I used [Gigantization] at just the right moment. It was a bonding move, inspired by my dramatic survival against Riakis.

My body grew and my arms lengthened accordingly. The distance, which should have been no more than three steps, instantly shortened.

For the first time I saw a slight bewilderment on her face. I haven't even started yet. I immediately grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to me, feeling considerable resistance.

"You...

It was different from what it had been before, when I had been pushed away by brute force. That's because back then, I was a level 2 beginner barbarian and without essence.

— ... has become stronger.

With the help of the power I received from the Corpse Golem, the Vampire and the Orc Hero, I dragged the enemy towards me. Grabbing her neck tightly so that she couldn't break free, I stabbed her right in the face.

*Blow!*

It was a strong sound and touch. But again, suppression with one blow failed.

Once again.

My quickly recovered fist slammed down again. At that moment, my dynamic vision caught the movement. She came to her senses and drew her dagger.

Is she going to cut off my entire wrist?

I made a quick decision. This bitch knew how to use the aura. Therefore, neither Physical Resistance, Bone Strength, nor Magic Resistance mattered. This dagger will surely cut off my hand before I touch it.

Let's move on to plan B.

I stopped my outstretched fist. I didn't think about my safety.

I just thought it was unwise to suffer unilateral damage. I wasn't afraid to get hurt if it was something I had to do to survive.

[Flesh Blast]

As soon as I finished imagining it in my head, a violent explosion burst out from the hand holding my opponent, full of bursting flesh and acidic blood.

*Хлоп! Шшшшш!*

This stubborn bitch only frowned, but never once moaned in pain.

Perhaps she didn't have Pain Resistance; Perhaps she endured the pain, but for a brief moment her movements froze.

Okay, then plan A again.

Dodging the dagger she was swinging, I stabbed her in the stomach with my fist. Knowing that such an opportunity would not present itself again, I continued.

*Удар! Удар! Удар!*

Similar to a paper body damage dealer, a reaction soon followed.

Blood flowed from her mouth, as if her intestines had been chewed.

Seeing this, a huge excitement rushed into my head, and I even felt pressure in my eyes.

Damn, the only thing that can beat this is...

[Amelia Reinvales used [Self-Replication]].

At the very moment when the brain sensed hope, instinct sounded the alarm and sent a warning. The reason was very simple.

— ... Barbarian.

Why did I hear a voice from behind?

She was clearly in my grip right in front of me.

*Running!*

In the presence of another person, I involuntarily stopped my blow and looked back. Exactly the same woman was running towards me.

Damn it.

I was not very interested in how this could happen. [Self-replication] was an ultra-rare ability that could only be obtained from the essence of the 4th floor Rift Guardian, the Forest of Doubles.

"Since you have the Vampire Essence, this should be fine," the woman in my grip muttered.

[Amelia Rainvales cast [Asura's Punch]].

Amelia's clone took a big leap forward, spun in the air, and kicked me in the face.

*Bam!*

The blow seemed to blow my head off. And no, did she really tear it down?

*Top*

The sound of a strong blow rang out near my ear. My vision darkened. My mind went dark, like a mobile phone without a battery.

"Damn...

[With the passive skill [Source of Darkness], you will not die until your heart is destroyed.