Barbarian in a Failed Game

017. The Guide (5)

When Ron saw the three brothers, with whom he had usually been close, appear in a battered state, he asked them what happened. They told him they were tricked by Nero, whom Ron had never gotten along with, and ended up in this mess.

They had been used as bait to lure a rich barbarian, and Nero attempted to intimidate the barbarian with his men but was stopped by the deputy director’s intervention, ultimately failing in his endeavor.

Ron was furious.

He went straight to the mansion that Nero’s mercenaries used as their base and confronted him.

“Do you really want to earn money by deceiving mercenaries from the same city? That’s despicable and dirty! I’ve told you this multiple times!”

“You know nothing… I’m not in the mood to deal with someone like you today.”

“No! You need to convince me. How dare you exploit the city’s mercenaries and oppress innocent foreigners!”

Ron’s demeanor as he shouted could almost make one mistake him for a knight, if not for the fact that he was known as a drunken brawler.

“This damn… Leave that bastard on the street or something!”

It wasn’t the first time this madman had shown arrogance, and given Ron’s reputation in Nordic, they couldn’t just kill him off recklessly.

But Nero felt so annoyed at the moment that he was tempted to thrust his knife into Ron’s face right then and there.

“Apologize! Apologize now!”

“Hey, cool it, Ron. Keep this up, and you might end up dead by the captain’s hand…”

Eventually, one of Nero’s men, who acted as his lieutenant, started to drag the rampaging Ron away.

However, it took two more mercenaries to finally pull Ron away due to his surprising strength.

“That drunk fool has too much energy for his own good…!”

Nero was incredulous.

For someone with a mercenary career almost unmatched in the kingdom, it was ridiculous that Ron was fussing over matters of loyalty like a fool.

He had even rejected a job from that arrogant barbarian, who offered more than ten gold coins, claiming it was too risky.

‘What a fool. He could have just taken the money and ran when things got tough.’

Nero looked at the drunken Ron with disdain, but then an idea struck him.

‘Wait, I can use this.’

“Hold on… Hey! Bring that bastard back here!”

Ron, now forced to kneel, continued to struggle. Let me go! Nero watched with a sneer and gestured with his hand.

Crack─ Bang.

Ron was punched and rolled on the floor.

Eventually regaining his senses, he shook his head but was held down to kneel again by Nero’s men.

“Sobered up a bit, Ron, you fool?”

“It’s Ron Ironhammer. You coward.”

“Still not getting it, I see. Hold him tight.”

Crack. Crack. It was a one-sided violence.

As if releasing all his pent-up frustration, Nero’s fists were merciless.

The mercenaries holding Ron still went pale with fear. Is this really okay? They weren’t actually going to kill him, right?

Nero, leading Nordic’s largest band of mercenaries, and Ron, known as Nordic’s finest mercenary for his overwhelming experience and unique charisma, their positions were clear. Their personalities were complete opposites, and while they often quarreled, it had never escalated to violence.

They thought today would be just another day of harmless bickering. But it wasn’t. Nero’s eyes were those of a murderer.

“Cap, captain. He’s really going to die at this rate.”

Nero’s beating only stopped after his lieutenant intervened.

Ron’s face was so swollen, he was barely recognizable, and Nero’s lips curled up as he looked at the mess he created.

“Look, let’s not do this among those from the same city. Is beating up a barbarian who came from outside really something to be proud of? This is just… for Nordic. Everyone wants that damn barbarian dead.”

“The Yorn brothers were severely injured. One of them lost a leg because of your stupid scheme…!”

“How is that my fault? It’s the barbarian who foolishly showed off his gold in the tavern and those fools who bit at it. Are you saying it’s wrong for me to take advantage of that situation? For someone with your experience to be so naively righteous?”

The one who’s fooled is the fool. Being a mercenary, that should be common sense. Nero’s mockery grew deeper.

“The city’s officials, the leaders of trade guilds, and other powerful folks are all saying the same thing. They’re begging us to do something about that barbarian. If you really care about Nordic, you should be helping me, right?”

“…Stop lying. Why would they care about one barbarian?”

“Well, I don’t know about that. I just do what I’m told.”

The moment Ron saw Nero’s scoff, he knew.

‘It’s a lie.’

Nero had to know the reason.

He wasn’t just a power-hungry hound; he was closer to holding the power himself.

“You don’t believe me, I see. Well, I can’t help that you don’t trust me. I’m just telling you the truth. How would I know what those above are thinking? I just follow orders.”

“Above? What do you mean by that…”

“I really can’t elaborate further. But if there’s one thing I will say, it’s that knowing too much won’t do you any good. Not that a dumbass like you would understand even if I explained.”

Nero’s expression as he said this was peculiar. His lips curled into a smile, but it didn’t feel mocking.

Why was the otherwise merciless Nero making such a face? Ron couldn’t begin to imagine why.

He was certain, however, that something ominous was unfolding behind the scenes of the city. And that Khan was at its center. He also knew he had been swept up into the midst of it all.

“…What exactly are you scheming behind the scenes, Nero?”

Nero didn’t bother answering the question. Instead, he ordered his subordinates to treat Ron’s facial injuries just enough to stop the bleeding, then had him bound hand and foot with iron chains, rendering him immobile.

Thrown carelessly into the spacious lobby in this state, Ron hung his head in gloom. Although he had often clashed with Nero due to their differing opinions, he had always considered Nero to be akin to a disagreeable friend, deep down. It seemed, however, that this was a misconception he had alone.

Clank. Clank.

“Well, that aside, I need to figure out how to escape first.”

Fortunately, Ron was a man quick to adapt. This was less due to his extensive experience and more due to his innate nature.

Above all, he had a knack for instinctively seeking the best course of action to survive, no matter the peril. So much so that people joked that although the gods had taken away his sense of subtlety, they had blessed him with the talent to survive without it.

First, Ron attempted to break the iron chains by stretching his arms and legs as far as he could.

Hmm, that’s not going to work. He promptly gave up on that idea.

Next, he surveyed his surroundings, noting that the hall seemed busier than usual.

“What are they up to?”

Nero’s subordinates had left Ron lying in the wide hall while they busily positioned various objects in every corner following Nero’s orders.

The nature of these objects was rather alarming.

Crossbows set at regular intervals, sacks filled with sand, iron nets beside them, and stacks of javelins intended for throwing.

Essentially, they were arranging warfare supplies all around the hall.

“Boss! He’s coming!”

“Huh. Never thought he’d actually come. What an incomprehensible fool.”

“It must be because he’s a brute.”

Listening in on the conversation while pretending to sleep, Ron felt puzzled.

Someone was coming, and he had been used as bait to lure this person into this location.

That much was clear. But who could it possibly be…?

“When he enters, shoot the crossbows first. Don’t worry about the cost. Killing him will bring in much more money than what we spend.”

Upon hearing this, Nero’s subordinates made crude jokes about how they would spend their earnings, mentioning indulgences or visits to the Bates slave market.

However, that moment of levity was short-lived.

“He’s past the mansion’s front gate!”

The entire spacious hall grew silent upon the scout’s announcement from the second-floor balcony.

The revelers who were making crude jokes a moment ago suddenly turned into mercenaries.

Ron couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the sight.

The largest band of mercenaries in the Nordic struggling to muster courage, despite all preparations. Who could their opponent be?

The answer came from outside.

“Come out— Cowards—!”

Creeaak!

With a roar unlike any human’s, as if the voice had been fortified by an ogre’s vocal cords, windows of the mansion began to shatter one by one.

Ron noticed the mercenaries around him stiffening up, unable to move. The only ones still able to act were Nero and himself.

He cautiously crawled towards a corner of the mansion, trying to avoid getting involved in the skirmish. The candlelight flickering off the walls occasionally revealed his figure, but no one was in a state to pay him any mind.

Whiz—Thump!

A throwing knife, flying through the wall, pierced through the skulls of two crossbowmen.

As another knife flew towards a third, Nero swiftly deflected it with his sword.

He then roared, “Snap out of it, you idiots!”

The mansion’s firmly shut door groaned and shattered. Simultaneously, the crossbows that had been aimed in advance fired. Thud-thud-thud…!

A volley of bolts was unleashed at the intruder the moment he broke through the door. Even a monstrous being capable of dodging arrows might not escape unscathed.

Ratatat!

As the door continued to break, leaving a large gaping hole, one of the crossbowmen jubilantly shouted, “Did we get him?”

“You idiot! Reload!”Until they saw the corpse with their own eyes, they couldn’t be at ease.

Nero acknowledged this fact as well. He straightened his posture and sharpened his senses.

And then,

“Aaaah!”

A scream was heard.

All eyes turned towards the direction of the sound. It was the second-floor balustrade. A snake as long as a man was wrapped around the neck of someone who had been looking outside.

‘What is that?’

“Damn it. Shoot! You bastards! It’s him!”

Only Nero, with the sharpest eyes in the group, made the correct judgment.

“That’s not a snake, it’s a human arm, you fools!”

Upon Nero’s command, the mercenaries hastily adjusted the direction of their crossbows.

Thud-thud-thud! Arrows fired towards the window, piercing through the wall of the building. But no one dared to voice out if the target had been neutralized.

Because the body of their comrade, who had been strangled, was now plummeting from the second-floor balustrade.

Crack…

Seeing their comrade twisted into a grotesque angle and crushed, the faces of the mercenaries grew pale.

Nero bit his lip.

“To think they were warriors unafraid of fear! You fight cowardly, like lowly goblins!”

He then quietly ordered Ron to be brought before him, in a voice barely audible to those nearby.

“Aaah, let go!”

But it wasn’t easy due to Ron fiercely struggling.

If the intruder managed to break in and secure Ron now, they would lose even the advantage of having a hostage.

‘Come on, then.’

That was what Nero was aiming for.

The moment the enemy revealed themselves to save Ron, he was going to unleash what he had prepared in advance.

The intruder’s next move was exactly as Nero had anticipated.

Crash! A large puppet smashed through the ceiling, landing right above Ron.

The mercenaries holding Ron panicked and scattered in all directions.

That was all an act to lure the enemy. From the beginning, Ron was bait to draw in the adversary.

“Khan…! Why are you here!”

‘Got you, stupid barbarian.’

Nero smiled triumphantly.

A net, usually used to hunt wild orcs, trolls, and large monsters, enveloped both the barbarian intruder and Ron.

Thinking mere brute strength made you something. That’s why you stupidly crept into a dangerous situation, trying to save a guide.

Nero sneered.

Crossbows positioned to finish off the prey unleashed a volley of arrows.

Whiz-whiz-whiz!

‘Got you.’

Watching the shower of arrows, Nero was confident in his victory.

A mage might have used some strange spell to escape the predicament, but for a barbarian who only knew how to swing an axe, it was impossible.

‘I don’t know why that old man is so obsessed with a single barbarian…’

It no longer mattered. It wasn’t even of interest.

What mattered to a mercenary was money, and from this job, they’d secured a down payment that was more than generous.

Nero mused happily about what he would do with the money, watching the barbarian, now like a pincushion.

“What’s that?”

Then, he noticed something amiss.

The net had covered both the barbarian and Ron, and the iron arrows fired from the crossbows had hit their mark. Up to that point, Nero hadn’t been mistaken.

The problem was,

Suddenly, a semi-transparent shield appeared out of thin air and rendered all attacks futile.

“A barrier…? No, barbarian don’t possess mana. It’s impossible to block iron arrows with a low-grade spell that could be substituted by a mana stone…!”

“Can’t you see even when looking?”

The semi-transparent shield, having absorbed the shock, pulsated with an ominous vibration.

Khan, who had personally experienced how dreadful this artifact, seized from a dark mage who attacked the monastery, was, wore a full smile.

“It’s a rainbow reflection. You damn fool.”

Zzzzzt—!

Fragments of the torn net became daggers, whipping up a storm of blood.