Medieval Fantasy Barbarian

Habel exhaled hot breath.

At first, everything was certainly going smoothly.

He had caught so much prey that it was even troublesome to carry it all.

-Grrrk.

Greedy goblins swarmed, perhaps smelling the blood.

However, Habel was not alone, and the tribal warriors accompanying him found monsters like goblins easy opponents.

Even if he had come alone, he would have handled this easily.

The goblins who had recklessly charged paid the price with their blood.

The problem came next.

Goblins, and beasts like wolves, appeared in waves.

Their numbers were clearly abnormal to anyone who saw them, and they attacked ferociously without any regard for their own bodies.

Anyone who wasn’t a fool could understand the cause and effect.

Habel scowled fiercely.

“That damn old man…”

To think that a person of the priest’s stature would resort to such a low-level scheme.

Did he really think he could get away with this? Or perhaps his judgment was clouded by fear.

Anyway, that wasn’t the issue to think about now. First, he needed to survive.

Someday he would meet an honorable death and enjoy the glory of standing beside the great Baldor.

But that wasn’t today.

At least until he restored his brother’s honor, he couldn’t die.

Habel was both an experienced warrior and an excellent commander. Under his command, the warriors moved as one.

Nevertheless, they couldn’t overcome the overwhelming numerical disadvantage.

After being forced into a one-sided war of attrition, Habel was completely battered.

He had to admit it. At this rate, everyone would die.

Having made his decision, Habel ordered the tribal warriors who had followed him.

“I’ll buy time. Go and call for reinforcements!”

“How, when we’re surrounded…”

“Their attention is on me. I can create enough of an opening for you to escape. Hurry!”

His comrades hesitated a bit but then followed Habel’s words.

Indeed, dying at the hands of such beasts couldn’t really be considered an honorable death.

But wouldn’t sacrificing oneself for comrades be a fairly honorable death?

Death was imminent, but he wasn’t afraid. Still, it would be a lie to say he had no regrets.

“…I’m sorry, brother. I don’t think I can keep my promise.”

Blood flowing from his forehead momentarily obscured his vision.

A wolf, not missing that brief opening, drove its sharp fangs toward his neck.

And then—a hand axe flying from beyond shattered the wolf’s skull.

The hand axe didn’t stop after crushing the wolf’s skull but continued to extend until it deeply embedded itself in a tree.

“What’s there to be sorry about between brothers?”

A familiar voice was heard from behind.

Habel could easily guess who it was without even turning his head.

“You’ve been through a lot. Leave the rest to me.”

His brother had returned.

Ivan assessed Habel’s condition.

There were no deep wounds, but the amount of blood loss was concerning. An ordinary person would have died already.

But he’s not one to die from something like this. Ivan felt the need to hurry a bit.

‘Could he have known even this in advance?’

Ivan recalled his sinister master in his mind and quickly erased the thought.

Anyway, that wasn’t what was important now.

Ivan stared at the approaching horde of beasts with their eyes half-rolled back.

Judging by their appearance, they weren’t in a normal state, but he had neither the reason nor the luxury to consider that.

Ivan gripped his sword with both hands.

As the impatient goblins rushed in first, Ivan kicked the ground and slashed his sword horizontally.

The sword’s trajectory too easily cut through the goblin’s bones and flesh.

Rather than saying he slashed, it would be more appropriate to say the sword passed right through the body.

-Splash. Blood sprayed belatedly.

Next, as a wolf tried to bite his leg, he stomped on it, and brain matter splattered everywhere.

When a goblin clumsily tried to stab with a spear from behind, he grabbed its forearm and swung it around. It felt quite good in his hands.

“Gurk?”

He kicked the goblin with its dumbfounded expression, and with a “poof” sound, its body flew beyond sight.

The beasts, having lost their senses, instinctively stepped back. Ivan grinned and jumped into the crowd.

And then, a one-sided massacre continued.

His body was soaked in blood, but Ivan himself didn’t shed a single drop.

The enemy’s movements were too slow and predictable. His body reacted automatically before he could even think. Sharp instinct and accumulated experience made it possible.

Corpses piled up layer upon layer.

Habel couldn’t take his eyes off the scene of slaughter and stared as if entranced.

That appearance was truly… an incarnation of the battlefield.

Before long, the surrounding ground was completely stained with blood, and the sword strikes ceased.

Now, there were only two living beings here.

“Ivan, how did you…”

Perhaps due to losing too much blood, he felt dizzy. Habel’s body swayed precariously.

Ivan strode over and supported Habel.

“You look like you have a lot of questions, but let’s go get treatment first. We can talk anytime.”

Habel felt inwardly relieved. Despite gaining such fearsome power, Ivan was still his brother.

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it…”

The two men walked slowly towards the edge of the forest, shoulder to shoulder.

When the warriors who had gone hunting hadn’t returned by late night, the tribe’s atmosphere became uneasy.

Although still lacking in experience, they were talents fully capable of leading the tribe.

Just as concerns about whether to form a search party now were being raised, warriors drenched in blood returned.

“Habel is in danger!”

They explained the situation urgently, gasping for breath.

They had been attacked by a horde of beasts that suddenly lost their reason, and thanks to Habel creating an opening, they had barely managed to escape.

The chief stared at them blankly.

“So, you left him alone and ran away?”

“That, that was the best… option.”

“He probably wanted to meet a more honorable death. Don’t make excuses like cowards.”

Their ugly inner thoughts were exposed nakedly. The warriors lowered their heads in shame.

“It’s not too late yet. Even now, if we send support…”

“It’s too late. If multiple people couldn’t handle it and ran away, what could one person do?”

Unless a miracle had occurred, there was no possibility of Habel surviving.

The chief objectively assessed the situation despite his only child being driven into a death trap.

No one dared to question the credibility of his statement.

In the coldly subdued atmosphere, only the priest felt an exhilarating joy.

‘Young brat, you look good now!’

The priest was pretending to have a sorrowful expression when he turned his head and met the chief’s eyes.

That gaze seemed to penetrate right through to the depths of his soul. The priest involuntarily shrank back.

A small flame flickered in the chief’s gaze but quickly subsided.

“We should at least recover the body. Lead the way.”

In the middle of speaking, the chief felt the presence of exactly two people approaching.

Turning around, he saw two men walking slowly, shoulder to shoulder.

Which meant… People’s gazes concentrated on one point.

A miracle had occurred.

Ivan whispered softly in his ear.

“Your face is pale. Shouldn’t you get treatment right away?”

“I’m fine. I’ve waited so long for this moment. I can’t show weakness.”

Habel looked at the people gathered before him and began to speak.

“Three years ago, in this place, a warrior was banished after being branded with a dishonorable stigma. Because I lacked power, I could only watch him being driven out, even though I knew the truth.”

Since that day, Habel had to shoulder many burdens.

Sometimes it was tough, but he could endure it because it was for his brother.

“Now, three years later, the priest has belatedly acknowledged his innocence. And today, I was saved by him.”

His voice gradually resounded louder. It was impossible to think he was a dying man.

“If there is still anyone who wishes to insult his honor, I will face them here and now.”

Habel flashed a chilling gaze. No one was brave enough to step forward against him.

“No one? Then, in the name of Habel, son of Eirik, I declare that my brother Ivan’s honor is finally restored! The people here will be witnesses to that!”

Habel squeezed out his last remaining strength and raised their clasped hands high into the sky.

In the brief silence, someone sent a small applause.

The sound of applause gradually grew louder, and soon a thunderous cheer erupted.

The intensely spreading heat beat against Ivan’s body.

He felt more dazed than joyful. Ivan was confused about what expression he should wear.

It was good to be back, but… there weren’t really any memories to begin with, were there?

As Ivan silently surveyed his surroundings, his eyes met the priest who was staring at him with eyes full of terror.

‘Come to think of it, there was one shitty memory?’

As Ivan glared at him, the priest exhaled rapidly as if suffering from respiratory distress.

His mood improved a bit. Ivan smiled refreshingly.