Dmihtan's Precious Counseling Center

The owner of a large dungeon named 'Scar Claw'. I began to devise a plan to kill that creature.

The creature was a lion. A lion that ran on four legs. Its speed was surely much faster than ours, and with its size, its stride would be enormous.

"First, we need to immobilize the dungeon master's feet."

I decided to ask for the opinions of the other Barbarians. Then, the four Bakemons started talking to each other about something.

Noisy. I couldn't really make out what they were saying.

"One at a time, and raise your hand to speak."

At my words, Barkal immediately raised his hand. I pointed at Barkal with my right-hand dagger, signaling for him to speak.

"Just cut off its legs!"

Right, but how are you going to cut them?

"Tsk...!"

Geodude clicked his tongue. He apparently had the same thought but was annoyed because Barkal said it first.

"But to cut its legs, you have to catch it."

As I pointed this out, another hand went up. It was Barkal again.

"I am fast at running!"

"The dungeon master is faster than you, Barkal."

"No, I am fast!"

Why is this guy so full of confidence?

"Barkal! Look at your own legs!"

As I pointed at Barkal's legs, all the Barbarians shifted their gaze.

"How many do you have?"

"Two!"

"The dungeon master has four legs!"

Pouring the truth on them at their level, Barkal wore a dumbfounded expression.

"Two... can't win against four."

Now he gets it. I cleared my throat as I let the air settle.

"The creature is faster than us, so we need to stop its movements."

"How do you mean?"

"With a rope."

Rather than explaining each method, it seemed better to show them directly.

I approached a nearby tree and placed my hand on a vine that was tightly coiled from the base.

Black-Back VineGrade: Common【Toughness】2【Flexibility】2【Survival】1

Like when I held the 'dagger', texts appeared before my eyes.

"Barkal, try to snap this vine with your bare hands."

"With bare hands?"

"Yes."

As I nodded, Barkal stomped over to the vine.

After showing off his buff muscles for a moment, he began to pull the vine hard with both hands.

"Kraaaah!"

Despite pulling with massive strength, the vine did not break.

"Kraaaaargh!"

His ferocious screams continued. He could have given up by now.

"Kraaaaaargh! I'll kill you!"

Good grief, stop it, you maniac!

Barely, I managed to stop Barkal, who was trying desperately, the blood vessels in his eyes bursting.

Still, after seeing Barkal's fuss, the Barbarians probably understood how to use these vines.

Or so I thought—they just stared at me blankly. Damn, I'll have to explain.

"These vines are the key to stopping the dungeon master's movement."

"How so?"

"It's simple."

I grabbed the vine and pulled it taut.

"Someone lures the dungeon master, and when it runs past us, we pull the vine and trip it."

If several tough Barbarians pull multiple thick vines together, wouldn't even the 'dungeon master' fall?

"Oohhh..."

"If we do that, we can stop the dungeon master's legs!"

"But who will lure it?"

This might be the most meaningful thing any Barbarian has said today.

With Geodude's shout, the other Barbarians tilted their heads.

"I'll do the luring."

"Dmihtan! You'll do it?"

Barkal's eyes, visible below his skull helmet, wobbled. He looked like a child who had lost his axe.

"I object!"

There's no need to object, though.

Barbarians value 'honor' above all. They don't like being bait or running away.

But I, for one, don't care much for honor. Surviving comes first, doesn't it?

"Dmihtan is our leader now!"

At those unexpected words, I was taken aback. Not only me, but the other Barbarians also seemed flustered.

"The reason is simple! Dmihtan is wise!"

The Barbarians, who were initially skeptical, nodded as if they accepted Barkal's statement.

"If Dmihtan dies, we lose our way!"

"Don't worry. I won't die."

Including death in the plan... if that's Barbarian-like, I suppose it fits.

Of course, I have no intention of dying. Though I have gotten involved with the Barbarians as a 'Necromancer' and followed their god, I'm ultimately doing all this to survive.

"I'll lure him."

"Understood! You're the bait!"

Are these guys really loyal?

* * *

The last place the dungeon master was seen was atop a cliff. As I headed there, my heart began pounding.

Was I nervous? Of course, I was. No matter how much I tried to laugh it off, I was facing the great danger of a 'dungeon master', and sweat formed on my palms.

I even witnessed a Barbarian being gruesomely devoured.

Shouldn't have seen that.

〈Dungeon Master〉Scar Claw

Still, I had to do it, so I forced myself to remain as calm as possible.

As I started to see the name 'Scar Claw', I took a deep breath.

* 【You use Summon Skeleton.】

Naturally, I began covering my body with the 'skeleton exoskeleton'.

― Grrrr...

At first, the 'dungeon master' did nothing when he saw me, but soon he started getting wary.

It seemed that he realized this 'skeleton exoskeleton' could be a threat to him.

"Yaaaargh!"

I let out a terrifying roar at 'Scar Claw'. Although my legs were already prepared to run away.

Scar Claw, who had been relaxed, flicked his legs and began to rise. The moment I saw him bending his knees, I turned and started to run.

* 〈Thrag is disappointed.〉

Oh, shut up. Should I just die, slamming my head into the ground?

Behind me, I heard Scar Claw's rage-filled roar. Fortunately, because I gained some distance before provoking him, I should be safe for a while.

'He had a scar over his left eye, didn't he?'

True to the name, 'Scar Claw' had a scar over his left eye.

That meant his left side was always a blind spot, so I just had to dodge his attacks in that direction.

'Wait, what?'

But a problem arose. Our 'dungeon master' Scar Claw was much faster than I expected.

'I'm screwed...!?'

The distance closed in an instant. The spot where the Bakemons were positioned was further ahead!

If things stayed like this, I'd die before we even reached the trap.

'It's a gamble.'

*【You cancel Summon Skeleton.】

Sensing danger, I canceled the 'skeleton exoskeleton' covering my whole body.

Then, I focused all of the 'exoskeleton' on my legs alone.

Concentration of power.

I wasn't sure if it would work, but—

* 【You use Summon Skeleton.】* 【Summon Skeleton [1] 〉 [2]】

* 〈Thrag is impressed.〉

Seeing the much denser 'skeleton exoskeleton', I had the feeling I'd succeeded.

'I'm definitely faster.'

As soon as I concentrated it in my legs, I could feel the scenery whipping by even faster.

Air lashed against my skin, and all I could hear was the wind roaring in my ears.

My father always said that anything required selection and focus. Once again, he wasn't wrong.

Thanks to that, the distance between me and 'Scar Claw' did not close.

'There it is.'

As I was gasping for air and could taste blood in my throat, I spotted an axe embedded in a tree far ahead.

Barkal's axe. It was a marker to let us know where the trap had been set from a distance.

― Kraaaaargh!

Breaking out in a cold sweat at the roar of 'Scar Claw' coming from behind, I kept running.

Soon, as I passed the tree with the axe—

Crreeeeak──!I heard the sound of rope being pulled taut.

"Hup!!"

Having understood the mechanism, I knew exactly where the trap would emerge.

Naturally, I leapt up to avoid it.

Landing on the ground and rolling, the earthy scent hit my nostrils. But before I could appreciate it, I threw myself to the side.

A guest would be arriving soon.

Crash──!

― Grrrroooar!"

It sounded like a mountain crashing down, and the dungeon master's beastly cry echoed through the forest.

Turning my gaze, I saw Scar Claw tumbling along the ground with a cloud of dirt.

"Waaaaaaah!!"

While Scar Claw was defenseless, the Barbarians pounced on him like wild animals.

Terrified, he twisted his legs and tried to move, but my dagger struck his foot first.

― Shyaaaaaa!"

Blood spurted from Scar Claw's leg.

Normally, such a small dagger would not pierce that hide, but this was no ordinary dagger.

Crude DaggerGrade: Common【Curse: Cannot Unequip】1

You think a weapon with a god's curse would break easily?

"Dmihtan has stopped his movement!"

"Great Thrag! One has mounted him!"

As I created an opening, the Bakemons climbed onto Scar Claw's body.

They raised their weapons, and as Scar Claw let out a wild roar and struggled, I twisted my dagger deeper.

In that moment, our Bakemons began to unravel the anatomical mysteries of Scar Claw.

"This is for Urak!"

The dead Barbarian's name was Urak? They struck Scar Claw repeatedly with weapons charged with their emotions.

"This is for Urak!!!"

"This too!"

"Everything's for Urak!"

As 'Urak's' name was called repeatedly, my own chest began to ache a little.

Urak.

Barbarian whose face I never knew.

Anyway, I avenged you.

'Ah.'

As the writhing Scar Claw began to quiet down, another problem emerged in my mind.

Of those gathered here for the 'Coming-of-Age Ceremony', there were five Barbarians.

Me.Cubone.Geodude.Squirtle.Bulbasaur.Yet, there was only one heart for passage.

Meaning, I would now have to compete with the ones I had fought alongside so far.

'Tch.'

Though I'd grown attached to them over this short time, if I wanted to live, I had no choice.

If I failed the 'Coming-of-Age Ceremony', I could die by Thrag's hand.

"Dmihtan!"

Lost in thought, I heard a voice call my name. It was Barkal.

"Dmihtan, you take it."

He pointed at me and told me to pull something out.

"The heart."

The heart?

Barkal pointed precisely at Scar Claw's dead chest.

"While you lured it, I talked with the brothers."

"Yeah!"

"Dmihtan, this heart is yours!"

At Barkal's words, the other Barbarians voiced their agreement.

"... You guys."

Is this okay? If you yield the heart to me, none of the rest will pass the 'Coming-of-Age Ceremony'.

"You are our head! You took the risk!"

"The heart is yours by right!"

While I had been plotting to have the heart for myself, the Barbarians were ready to give it up.

This made me feel a wave of guilt.

To offer such kindness to me, whose names you barely know...

"Understood!"

But that's that, and what's to be taken must be taken.

I climbed atop the fallen Scar Claw and, gripping the dagger in my right hand, plunged it into his chest.

Blood spurted and hit my face. With the warmth of it, I was certain he was dead, but the blood made me feel strange.

I thought I'd be clumsy since it was my first time, but I instinctively found the heart's exact location.

After pulling the heart out, I raised it for the Barbarians to see.

"For Thrag!"

"Thrag, a new Barbarian is born!"

"Great Barbarian! Light the path before him, Thrag!"

The Barbarians cheered sincerely with joy.

Me, I'm a necromancer.

I wanted to say that—but didn't.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=This is a fun read so far...Barbarians are the best allies, but the worst enemies...If they're your allies, as long as you are a bit smarter than them, you could get their help...But if they're your enemies, no amount of dialogue could stop their axe from splitting your head...They are loyal to their own...【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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