Surviving the Game as a Barbarian - 189 chapter

Clones of the Double are different from the main body. They could only use the abilities of the simulated person. In addition, the monsters that had just been created in the boss room lacked intelligence. No, it's better to say mastery. Unlike Hans G, who summoned all of his creatures at the beginning of combat at the same time, retarded clones summoned one creature at a time.

"One is ready.

Before the clones could do anything, Mr. Bear's crossbow pierced the forehead of one of them. The others soon followed.

"We destroyed them all!"

The news of victory came in less than 30 seconds. I was worried that something bad might happen, because there were four Hanses, but it was easily resolved.

"That's it, quickly!"

Before he could create more clones, we needed to hurry up and deal damage to the main body. However, it will not be easy.

"Whoeeeeee!"

As all the damage was focused on it, the main body went berserk, screaming, and running around with [Jumps], [Sweeps], [Gigantize], and...

[The Nameless Usurper cast [Flesh Blast]].

He even had a skill that I stopped using after losing my ability to regenerate. With my physical abilities in addition to the average stats of a rank 5 monster, this guy was truly monstrous for a boss.

"Everyone back!"

In the end, Raven had to pull back those who dealt damage at close range. It wasn't a bad decision.

Two mages and one crossbowman were more than enough. There was no need to risk putting melee fighters in the foreground. As long as the Double took on my form, dealing physical damage was ineffective.

"You three, please protect us!"

When the three melee fighters - Misha, Einar and Dumb Warrior - took up defensive positions, the back row of the team was able to fire more calmly and, accordingly, sent more long-range attacks.

Hey, where are you going?

As the heavy and ranged damage continued, the monster's main body ignored me and tried to run back.

I've always raised the threat level with [Wild Splash] and attracted the aggro to myself. And so some time passed.

*Rumble!*

The monster's body was already torn to pieces by repeated [Flesh Bursts], but after being hit on the head by a thunder spear, the monster turned back into black slime.

It seems that we have successfully overcome the first hurdle.

Of course, the 1st stage was still far from over. It will end when the Double copies each character that enters the boss room in turn.

"Oh! This time it's me!

In fact, Einhar was assigned to copy next, but the battle was over before the Double even reached the 2nd round of creating clones. Now there was no reason for melee fighters to stay in the rear.

"Whoeeeeee!"

And when we defeated the Double, who turned into Einar...

*Ddddddd!*

The magic circle drawn on the floor began to emit light, and the entire cave began to tremble. But this is not some special blow or combination. This meant that the percentage of unlocking seals increased by 10%.

[Unlock Seal: 20%].

Although it had only been a few minutes since the boss battle began, it was inevitable. As soon as the battle began, the speed of unlocking the seal increased dramatically.

It was approximately 5% for every 10 clones created.

This was the most unpleasant part of this stage. No matter what you did, it was impossible to block the clone call in advance, so an increase in the deseal percentage was inevitable. If there was a second command outside to activate the Sealing Stones, it would reduce the load, but there was none.

We have no choice but to finish before that time.

If it reaches 100% and the seal is removed, then the game will be over. Because from that moment on, each clone became as strong as the main body. Clones even reproduced through [Self-Replication].

"This time it's me."

Raven was next. Suddenly, but at that moment, a shiver ran down my spine. The timing of the spell activation was very important for magic, so I intended to finish everything quickly, but the problem was the clones created at that moment. Two of the four were me.

'Behella

I didn't know what spell the Double was trying to cast, but feeling the mana build, even Raven shouted that if he finished, everyone would die. I was sure that it would be a big problem if the spell was completed.

However...

*Crunch!*

I managed to blow her head off before that.

After that, the Double turned into Misha, the Dumb Warrior, Partean, and Mr. Bear, and we did our best to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

Finally, the 1st stage is over.

*Ddddddd!*

I gritted my teeth as the magic circle lit up again, completing the stage.

40% of the seal opening in the 1st stage...

This is the figure I expected. However, I still wanted to reduce it as much as possible.

"Everyone get in line, as it was said!"

I shook off my disappointment and gave the order. After completing Stage 1, the Double transformed again, contracting and expanding, in the center of the cave.

"If it's... lie... that no one knows...

The voice of the Double echoed throughout the cave. It heralded the beginning of the next phase.

"What... it is different... from the truth?

Soon the Double completed its transformation.

[The Nameless Usurper used [Changeling]].

It is time to proceed to the 2nd stage.

***

[Swapping] was one of the special abilities of the Double. Its effect lived up to the name. This ability changed the location of the main body with the location of the clone created with [Self-Replication]. However, this was only possible if the skill was obtained through essence.

— ... Why me?

Raven doubled. Their faces were the same, and there was no sense of inconsistency in tone of voice or facial expression. By the way, it was impossible to distinguish them by location.

In the past in the game, a mage I trained hard died because of this.

I remembered that this was the first mage I had successfully recruited while playing Dungeon & Stone. It was very shocking for me.

I turned my gaze to the Stones of Truth rolling on the ground like toys. They were supposed to be used to determine whether someone was a Double or not. However, the price of this was an increase in the speed of unlocking the seal. Without a second team to support us, we couldn't use it.

So how do we distinguish the real from the fakes?

*Smirk*

I smiled and stared at the two Ravens. Although the first remarks coincided, their further words and actions differed from each other.

"N-don't attack!"

"What are you all doing!?" It's fake!

One took a defensive position, and the other was quite aggressive.

I muttered briefly:

"What are you waiting for?" Wet it.

*Click*

I heard Mr. Bear pull the trigger behind me.

*Clap!*

A large arrow, no different from a siege weapon, shattered Raven's small head.

*Fall*

The small body collapsed helplessly. Everyone, including Misha, was stunned.

"It was... the real Aruru...?

"Murderer!" You killed Arura!

— Of course not. Calm down.

Soon, Raven's body turned into black slime and floated above the ground. That meant I was right. By the way, the aggressive Raven was real.

"Okay, now you're going to the empty seat.

I sent Raven to the wall, as she was already swapping places with the Double, and walked over to the slime in the middle of her transformation.

"This time it's you.

As I waited with my mace raised, the Double finished his transformation.

"Hey!" Take it away, you stupid barbarian!

A what?

*Blow!*

Without further ado, I smeared her head.

Again, that was the right answer. It was natural. The double could not copy the numbered item. Misha had No5991, Snake Fang.

"Uh, you didn't even bat an eyelid, should I worry about that...?"

"Oh, Miss Karlstein, what do you expect from a barbarian?"

Raven received the "Lost Trust" from Parthean and held it in her hand throughout the boss fight.

"It's finally my turn. I can handle it.

Mr. Bear had "Gravedigger's Deception".

'Behella

Ainhar wore a ring called the "Foxfire Knot", obtained from an elf archer. It wasn't the most useful thing, so we'll sell it when we're outside.

*Crunch!*

Thus, the 2nd stage could be passed using the power of objects.

Did he really begin to guess something?

[The Nameless Usurper used [Changeling]].

The doppelgänger turned into a warrior with a blunt weapon and began to attack without further ado. The target was the mage with the least defense. If we had stood in a tight formation as before, this attack would have been difficult to dodge.

"I'll stop him!"

However, as soon as we moved to the 2nd stage, we moved away and began to stay closer to the wall. Simply put, we had more than enough time to react to the surprise attack.

*Kwang!*

Ainhar's greatsword exploded as it met the Double's blunt weapon. Through the resulting gap, Mike plunged her sword from behind. After that, Mr. Bear and Raven finished it off with an interception.

"Everyone take their positions!"

After each round, all the simulated participants were sent to one place in a tight formation.

"Why don't you go?"

The Stupid Warrior came to his senses at my words and hurriedly moved to his position. A dim light shone from his shoes. It was an inexpensive 9000 series numbered item called the Steps of Plenty. For a warrior, he had good opportunities.

He wasn't lent him any of the loot, it was his own. Apparently, he was diligently saving up for it.

[The Nameless Usurper used [Changeling]].

Be that as it may, the next one was the middle-aged Magus Partean. He was the one who gave Raven his "Lost Trust", but it wasn't much of a problem. After all, this guy's magic staff was a numbered item.

*Crunch!*

Since the simulated was a Magus, it didn't take long to defeat him after the transformation. Now I was the only one left.

"Monsieur Partean."

"Are you talking about that?" I'll cook it right away."

Having suffered greatly from my Double in the past, mages have already prepared their most powerful spells.

'Behellaaa

As soon as the Double finished his transformation, I pushed him away with my shield.

"The one behind is a fake!"

In an instant, the mages made their decision and unleashed the spells they had prepared on "me."

Of course, the tank will not die in one hit, but since there were no clones in stage 2, spells were not interrupted.

*Pleasezzzz! Bang! Shwooop!*

It was literally a flurry of powerful attack spells.

Soon the Double could not stand it and collapsed.

This sight left a bitter taste.

It would be necessary to pump up the Magic Resistance.

I still have a long way to go as a tank.

***

Finally, we have reached the 3rd stage, that is, the last phase of the fight with the Double.

"Everybody here!"

Needing no orders from me, Raven led the way and created a new formation. At this moment, the cave began to shake as if an earthquake had occurred.

*Dddddddd!*

Lumps of earth fell from the ceiling with a crash.

— Ki-hee-hee, hee-hee-hee, ki-hee-hee, ki-hee-hee!

The doppelgänger returned to his slime-like form and burst into a strange laugh. To be honest, it wasn't even creepy anymore.

I wondered how he could speak without a mouth at all.

"Be careful!" Mr. Yandel, if you fall...

"Don't worry. This will not happen.

Raven's anxiety was briefly dispelled. This happened not because I was sure of our victory. It would be a lie to say that I wasn't nervous. Assuming the worst and fearing the unforeseen was my old habit, after all. But from time to time, confidently leading the team is also a quality of a leader.

*Compress*

Keeping enough tension to warm up my body, I gripped the mace tighter. The last stage was a kind of "berserker". From now on, every minute and second was important, because the scale of creating clones was incomparable to the 1st stage.

*Clap!*

When the black goo expanded so much that it would seem like a limit to an observer, it exploded. Black pieces scattered all over the cave. The two Magi spewed fire in time to destroy them, but they couldn't get rid of even half of them. Meanwhile, the explosions continued.

[The Nameless Usurper used [Self-Replication]].

Pieces-drops stuck together into figures and soon began to imitate our appearance. Even at first glance, there were several dozen of them.

From Hans G to the elf archer to the dwarf and others, people have begun to appear from all over the world that we will never see after today. The once spacious cave was filled to capacity.

"Don't be afraid. The clones at this stage are not as strong as they used to be!

Like Raven said, these guys were much weaker than the ones we'd seen before. If I hit them once or twice, they would most likely explode and disappear like smoke.

However, the state of [Berserk] was frightening for another reason.

[Unlock Seal: 50%]

[Unlock Seal: 60%]

The magic circle on the ground continued to emit light and update the seal unlock status. If this continues, then in a few minutes the seal will be opened, and the Double will fully restore its power. So, the time has come to put this into action.

[You used the Rogue of the Wildlands].

[Your Melee Physical Damage is temporarily increased, in proportion to the number of humanoid monsters].

It was this item that gave me confidence that we could beat the shit out of this Double, and it was the one that gave me a 90% chance of winning.

[Current Increase: 112%]

[Current Increase: 157%]

[Current Increase: 278%]

[Current Increase: 342%]

…

'Behella

Objects are also a skill.