Barbarian's Adventure in a Fantasy World-Chapter 10: Dungeon Strategy (1)

Three people were gathered in the waiting room. The first was a man with a sharp, agile appearance, dressed in light leather armor and wearing a sly grin—the thief.

The second was a middle-aged man wearing battered, heavily worn armor that emphasized his stubborn nature—the warrior.

The third was a young, black-haired priestess with an ambiguous smile, her youthful face betraying her inexperience.

The warrior let out a heavy sigh, his face etched with a mix of deep disdain and self-loathing.

He said, “Damn it all. The law has left me no choice but to enter a Dungeon with a filthy rat who lives off pickpocketing the innocents... it’s pathetic.”

“Why are you trying to pick a fight again, old man?” the thief retorted, smirking. “Still mad about what I said earlier?”

“I have no intention of talking to rats like you,” the warrior barked.

His voice was rough, filled with contempt.

But if the thief was one to take words at face value, he wouldn’t be called a thief.

He retorted, “Hey, everything I said was true. You’re just mad because a thief swindled you and cleaned you out of your fortune.”

“You filthy little...” The warrior’s eyes twitched, his anger flaring as the thief grinned wider.

“Tough break, but let’s be real. If you got robbed, that’s on you for being an idiot. Why take it out on me?”

“You bastard!” the warrior roared, standing abruptly. “How dare you insult me. I am Sir Alexandros Tyranus, a paladin!”

“Paladin, my ass. So that’s what they’re calling people in shoddy armor these days?” The thief’s mocking tone cut deep. Although the warrior’s armor was technically plate mail, it was riddled with holes and streaked with rust, barely capable of offering any real protection. “Let’s face it; if you were a real paladin, you wouldn’t even be here.”

A paladin, by definition, was a knight devoted to their deity, a figure of high status. Just their title alone was proof of their rank and station.

“You’re nothing but a self-proclaimed paladin. You’re just a wanderer like me, another bug on the ground. And Tyranus? What kind of ridiculous name is that anyway?” the thief sneered.

“You—!” Unable to hold back his fury, the warrior drew his sword.

Undeterred, the thief pulled out a dagger from his coat, its blade smeared with green poison.

“Bring it on,” the thief said with a wicked grin. “Think that ragged armor will save you?”

“I wish you two would stop,” a low voice interrupted them. But neither the thief nor the warrior paid any attention. The priestess sighed deeply.

The two had been at each other’s throats for hours. She had tried to mediate at first, but it was clear neither would back down. Now, she could only resign herself to the hopelessness of the situation. The thought of entering a Dungeon with these two gave her a massive headache.

We’re still waiting on one more person, she thought grimly. The minimum number required for a Dungeon raid was four. If the newcomer was anything like these two, there was no way they could successfully raid the Dungeon.

“I hope this Dungeon doesn’t turn into our tomb,” she muttered.

It was very much possible, and the idea left her feeling deeply sorrowful.

Amidst the tension, the door suddenly creaked open. The thief and the warrior hastily stashed their weapons, though the damage was already done. The guard commander who entered took one look at the scene and scowled. “I hope you understand that you’re all being assessed.”

“Hey, I get it, but I’m not so sure about the guy who keeps calling himself a paladin,” the thief quipped.

“You little—” the warrior yelled.

“Is that all you can say, old man?”

“Enough,” the commander snapped, ignoring them both. Whether they lived or died in the Dungeon wasn’t his concern. “I just brought in the last member for the Dungeon raid.”

“Oh, please let them be normal,” the thief muttered under his breath.

“You can judge for yourself. Come in.”

And then Ketal entered the room. In that instant, the room fell silent. The three of them—the thief, the warrior, and the priestess—instinctively lifted their heads, overwhelmed by his sheer presence.

“Whoa...”

“So you guys are my party members?” Ketal said with a broad grin, raising a hand in greeting.

***

The waiting room, large enough to hold ten people comfortably, suddenly felt cramped. Ketal’s presence alone filled the space, radiating an aura of dominance.

The three of them knew that if they picked a fight with the barbarian, they would die. Their instincts screamed the warning, and they all fell silent, their bravado snuffed out like candles.

As if expecting this reaction, the guard commander left the room with a short goodbye. “Get acquainted. I will return shortly.”

With a heavy thud, the door closed, leaving the four of them alone. An oppressive silence hung over the room.

“Let’s start with introductions,” Ketal said, breaking the silence. “My name is Ketal, a barbarian.”

Despite his invitation, no one answered.

This isn’t as lively as I expected, Ketal mused, slightly disappointed. A shy bunch, huh?

Realizing he had to take the lead, he smiled, trying to appear approachable.

“Eep!” The priestess nearly yelped, trembling under his gaze.

Ketal turned to the thief. “What’s your name?”

“I-I’m... Cassan Hark, a thief,” he stammered, his tongue dry.

He had seen barbarians before—dumb, brutish, easy marks—but something about Ketal felt different. This one wasn’t a fool. One wrong move, and he’d be dead.

“And you?” Ketal asked, shifting his gaze to the warrior.

“I am Sir Alexandros Tyranus, a paladin,” he declared, defiance flickering in his eyes as he clenched his fists tightly.

The thief couldn’t help but feel a sliver of admiration for the warrior. Standing firm in front of this barbarian took real guts.

“Paladin?” Ketal tilted his head. “Then you wield divine power?”

“Well, I would, but... I’m a unique case, so I don’t have divine power,” the warrior admitted through gritted teeth.

“Hmm, I see,” Ketal said, letting the topic drop as he turned to the priestess. “And you?”

“I-I’m Hayes, Priestess of Kalosia, the God of Lies and Deception,” she whispered, her fearful eyes darting toward Ketal.

Barbarians were savage beings who denied and mocked the gods. The enmity between barbarians and clergy was infamous. She had heard horror stories from senior priests about barbarians attacking them on sight.

“Ah, a priestess! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Ketal exclaimed, beaming.

Hayes blinked, startled. She had braced an attack but was instead greeted with an almost joyous warmth, as if she were a long-lost ally.

The door creaked open again, and the guard commander reappeared. “Are you guys done talking?”

“More or less,” Ketal replied.

“Good. Let’s move out. Follow me.”

And with that, the party set off.

***

The four of them followed the guard commander across the barren plains outside the estate.

As they walked, Ketal’s curiosity about Hayes grew. “Even as a priestess, they’re making you go through the Dungeon raid?”

“Well, the god I serve is the God of Lies and Deception, Kalosia...,” she answered hesitantly, her voice faltering. “Many of Kalosia’s followers, unfortunately, do not have the best reputations”

“I see,” Ketal replied thoughtfully.

Not all gods were benevolent. The God of Lies and Deception likely had a history of causing trouble, leading to distrust among the people of the estate.

“But a god of lies and deception? Does that mean their divine powers align with those aspects?” Ketal asked.

Those who devoted themselves wholeheartedly to a god could wield fragments of their divine abilities, and people called these fragments the divine powers.

Hayes nodded cautiously and said, “Yes, but as a lower-ranking priestess, I can only use minor powers.”

“Hmm, what kind of powers?” Ketal’s curiosity deepened.

“I can manipulate dice rolls or create illusions to deceive my opponents,” she explained, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I see why people might not think highly of that.” Ketal nodded in understanding.

“Ahaha...” She laughed nervously, unsure of what to make of Ketal’s unflinching demeanor. His friendliness unsettled her.

What’s going on? she thought, struggling to make sense of his attitude. Is he planning to convert?

The idea of a barbarian, a known godless savage, embracing the greatness of Kalosia and offering his faith was... startling. As a priestess, she knew she should welcome the thought of a new follower, especially since her journey was as much about guiding others as it was about her own training, but the idea terrified her. She selfishly wished someone else would take on that responsibility. Shame washed over her for even thinking such a thing.

“We’ve arrived,” the guard commander said, halting abruptly.

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Ahead of them loomed a dark cave.

“Oh,” Ketal said, his eyes lighting up with anticipation.

This was the Dungeon.

“There are three floors to this Dungeon. The monsters inside are undead. If you work together...” The commander trailed off, glancing at Ketal. ”...you should be able to clear it. Bring back the token once you’ve completed the Dungeon raid.”

“Understood, thanks for the explanation,” Ketal said with a nod.

“Good luck.” The guard commander hesitated briefly, a complicated expression on his face, before walking away.

The group now stood before the Dungeon’s entrance. Ketal clapped his hands together, causing the other three to flinch.

“Alright, I’d like to get started. How do we approach this? This is my first time doing anything with other party members, so I will need some guidance,” Ketal said, looking at the others.

“Uh...” Cassan glanced at Ketal nervously. “Has anyone here cleared a Dungeon before?”

None of them raised their hands.

Cassan cleared his throat and spoke cautiously. “I’ve got some experience, so I will take the lead. Since it’s a standard Dungeon, let’s follow the usual formation.”

“And that is...?” Ketal asked.

“Well, Mr. Ketal, you and—”

“You don’t have to call me mister, we’re comrades, after all.” Ketal interrupted him.

“Hahaha, okay.” Cassan laughed nervously, then he continued to speak. “Well, Ketal and Alexandros will take the front line, while I will handle trap detection. Hayes will support us from the back with her divine powers. That’s the standard formation.”

“Got it,” Ketal said. He stepped forward and clapped Alexandros on the shoulder, the creak of the battered armor audible. “You and I are on the front line. Let’s watch each other’s backs.”

“Okay,” Alexandros replied with a resolute nod, despite his obvious tension.

With that, Ketal strode confidently into the Dungeon, the others reluctantly following behind him.

***

The Dungeon air was damp and oppressive. Cassan led the group, carefully inspecting the path ahead for traps, while the others trailed behind him. They had walked some distance when he suddenly raised his hand.

“Stop, monsters ahead,” Cassan whispered.

“I don’t see anything,” Ketal remarked.

“Look at the scattered bones on the ground. Those are monsters called Skeletons. Once we get close enough, they will rise and attack us,” Cassan explained, pointing to the scattered bones.

“Interesting, “ Ketal said, a smile spreading across his face. Skeletons were a classic type of monster from fantasy worlds. He couldn’t help but wonder what they would look like in action.

Misinterpreting Ketal’s grin, Cassan shuddered. This barbarian must be itching for a fight.

Swallowing his unease, he composed himself and spoke. “Skeletons are tough opponents. We will need to prepare properly.”

Cassan explained further about the Skeletons. Even if they were injured, they would keep moving. They would fight relentlessly, even with their limbs severed. And since they were made of bones, their defense was quite high.

This Dungeon is harder than I expected, Cassan thought grimly. He had cleared Dungeons before, but this one felt like a different level altogether. He glanced at Ketal. I guess the difficulty is balanced because of him.

Even so, they needed to be cautious.

“Hayes, ready your divine powers. Alexandros, raise your shield. Ketal, please prepare for the battle as well. I will look for openings during the fight.” Cassan instructed the party.

“How do we defeat them?” Ketal asked.

“You have to target their neck. Their bodies will keep moving no matter where else you hit them, so go for their necks. Their bones are tough, so you’ll likely need several strikes to bring them down.”

“Understood.”

With everyone prepared, Ketal and Alexandros took the front. As they advanced, the Skeletons began to stir, the clattering of bones echoing in the darkness.

“Fight!” Cassan shouted. Alexandros raised his shield, Hayes began her prayer, and Cassan himself melted into the shadows, waiting for an opening.

The first Skeleton, now fully risen, brandished its sword.

Ketal swung his hand.

Crack!

The Skeleton’s skull shattered into powder, and it collapsed into a heap of bones.