Chapter 851: A Choice of Three (1)
[Twisted Patience]. (Hanho)
A skill that greatly increased Natural Regeneration in exchange for amplifying pain when hit. (Hanho)
However, it was a bit of a stretch to define it simply as an enhancement-type skill. (Hanho)
It had a curse function, you see. (Hanho)
Just like this. (Hanho)
「The character’s Pain Resistance decreases by 300.」
While this skill was active, the Pain Resistance of enemies within the radius also decreased. (Hanho)
Though not as much as the user’s own, which was a whopping 1,000. (Hanho)
In truth, it didn’t mean much. (Hanho)
That was because monsters had a common trait of their fighting spirit growing stronger and becoming more ferocious the more pain they felt. (Hanho)
You could even see it as a buff. (Hanho)
Unlike us fragile ‘non-monsters’. (Hanho)
“…Oof.” (Hanho)
The moment my Pain Resistance dropped, I could clearly feel the change throughout my body. (Hanho)
Drip, drip-drip-
The falling raindrops.
Just a moment ago, it had only felt like a slight itch, but now I could feel it distinctly. (Hanho)
To the point where I could perceive in real-time which part of my body it touched and in which direction it flowed. (Hanho)
Clearly. (Hanho)
Sizzle…
A distinct burning pain bloomed. (Hanho)
That was only natural. (Hanho)
The Pain Resistance from the Corpse Golem had only been 70. (Hanho)
And yet, thanks to that stat, I had been able to pull off the crazy feat of continuing to fight while chugging potions. (Hanho)
Grrr-
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Ugh, it hurt so much I was going crazy. (Hanho)
Of course, it wasn’t yet to the point of losing my mind. (Hanho)
My Mental Power stat was quite high, after all. (Hanho)
When the base Mental Power stat was high, all the stats under it, including Pain Resistance, increased a little. (Hanho)
But… (Hanho)
Thump!
I couldn’t help but wonder. (Hanho)
If the raindrops were this bad, what would it be like to be completely drenched in that thing’s acidic fluid? (Hanho)
The answer to that question came faster than I could have imagined. (Hanho)
[Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!] (Tetrasea)
The creature let out a pained scream and threw a rough, more menacing jab.
Naturally, I raised my shield to guard. (Hanho)
KABOOM-!
The physical damage wasn’t that great, but the problem, just like before, was the effect that followed. (Hanho)
SIZZZZZZZZLE!!
Its acidic fluid sprayed from the holes puncturing its forelimbs without fail.
I clenched my teeth in anticipation of the sensation even before it touched me, but… (Hanho)
“Ah…” (Hanho)
It was no use. (Hanho)
“Agh… Guh…!!” (Hanho)
It was all arrogance. (Hanho)
Enduring it was impossible. (Hanho)
“…!” (Hanho)
An agony that far transcended the realm of my imagination. (Hanho)
For a moment, I was under the illusion that I had returned to the past. (Hanho)
Not the body of a tough Barbarian Warrior, but the weak and frail body of the modern person, Lee Hansoo. (Hanho)
It felt like this was exactly how much it would hurt to jump into a pit of fire with that body. (Hanho)
“Sh… it…” (Hanho)
Now I understood. (Hanho)
Why all the in-game characters threw such a fit after being hit by that skill. (Hanho)
Getting paralyzed from the hits was a given. (Hanho)
The ‘Fear’ status effect would sometimes pop up out of nowhere. (Hanho)
For those with low Mental Power, including fighting spirit, if that state lasted too long, they would sometimes desert the battle. (Hanho)
With a message like this popping up. (Hanho)
「The character has abandoned the battle due to excessive pain and is leaving the area.」
I remembered seeing that message for the first time back when I was researching the Fairy Archer. (Hanho)
I had been so flabbergasted when the main tank, a Dwarf, suddenly deserted the front line and dived into the sea. (Hanho)
Well, it wasn’t a raid where the tank was crucial, so we managed to finish it safely in the end. (Hanho)
…So that was why. (Hanho)
Now I saw that Dwarf tank couldn’t help it. (Hanho)
When your whole body feels like it’s on fire, how could you resist the urge to jump into the water? (Hanho)
It was by no means an easy thing to do. (Hanho)
Yes, not an easy thing… (Hanho)
Thinking that, surprisingly, gave me a bit of strength. (Hanho)
I mean, when had it ever been easy? (Hanho)
As always, I just had to overcome it with grit and tenacity. (Hanho)
Like a Barbarian. (Hanho)
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!” (Hanho)
If it hurts, I just have to shout the name of my Ancestral Spirit and shake it off. (Hanho)
There was no way to escape anyway. (Hanho)
‘No, this is crazy.’ (Hanho)
What the hell is this. (Hanho)
“What are you all doing!!” (Hanho)
Realizing belatedly that it was quiet around me, I couldn’t help but roar. (Hanho)
Why the hell did you stop? (Hanho)
“Vi, Viscount, you looked like you were in so much pain…” (Survivor)
“Ha! Can’t you see that bastard regenerating?” (Hanho)
If we rested for a few seconds, we would have to suffer for several more minutes in the future. (Hanho)
Right, so… (Hanho)
“Keep attacking!” (Hanho)
As I shouted with all my might to urge them on, the barrage that had momentarily stopped resumed. (Hanho)
Fire, lightning, ice, spears, arrows… (Hanho)
Supernatural Abilities of all shapes and sizes poured down, and their effects were transmitted to me as well. (Hanho)
The target was that creature, but being nearby, I couldn’t escape the effects. (Hanho)
It was the unavoidable fate of a Tank. (Hanho)
However, the problem here was… (Hanho)
“Ugh… Ack! Keuk…! Gack…!!!” (Hanho)
Unlike before, those spells also hurt like hell. (Hanho)
That was because I had already given Armin an order. (Hanho)
[Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!] (Tetrasea)
Once this bastard starts screaming, from that point on, don’t consider my situation at all and go all out. (Hanho)
Of course, the damage to me would be great too. (Hanho)
If it was damage that could be blocked by my Magic Resistance or the Barrier of Aegis, then it wouldn’t be that threatening to that bastard either. (Hanho)
So I told them not to hold back in the slightest. (Hanho)
「The Lord of Tears, Tetrasea, has cast [Teardrop].」
About the skill called [Twisted Patience]. (Hanho)
About the stat called Pain Resistance. (Hanho)
And about the hell that would unfold the moment this plan was executed. (Hanho)
SIZZZZZZZZLE!
Even though I understood it better than anyone, I gave that order, and I had no intention of retracting it now. (Hanho)
The reason was simple. (Hanho)
If enduring is the best option, then enduring is the best option. (Hanho)
Now that I said it, it sounded like something a famous Japanese politician would say, but I couldn’t find a more fitting expression. (Hanho)
Above all. (Hanho)
“Guhhh…” (Hanho)
I was pretty confident in my ability to endure. (Hanho)
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…!!!” (Hanho)
A giant monster and a giant Barbarian. (Hanho)
The battle, filled with the screams of those two, continued. (Hanho)
「Charlotte Amblot has cast the Fourth-Rank Curse Magic [Overbleed].」
「Elbain Cutter has cast the Third-Rank Curse Magic [Advanced Debuff].」
「Armin has cast [Eternal Weakness].」
「The target’s physical stats decrease by 30%, and all curse effects are increased by 1.5 times.」
Curses that lowered Regeneration Ability to counter [Twisted Patience] were stacked and enhanced, (Hanho)
「Ainar Fenelin has cast [Regression].」
「Malid Kevron has cast [Great Explosion].」
「Abman Urikfrit has cast [Giant Arrow]…」
As well as the ceaseless barrage of ranged attacks. (Hanho)
「Armin has summoned [Spirit Suicide Bombers].」
「Armin has summoned [Corrosive Hounds].」
「Max Griffonheim has summoned [Hall of Knights].」
「Alona Labneier has summoned [Alraune]…」
Periodically summoned creatures approached from range or up close and charged at the monster. (Hanho)
KABOOM!
The melee warriors who lacked ranged attacks or support-type Supernatural Abilities… (Hanho)
‘Uh… well, it’s not the warriors’ fault.’ (Hanho)
They went through a lot on a daily basis. (Hanho)
What were they supposed to do when there was nothing they could do? (Hanho)
Ah, there are far more Knights than Warriors, so maybe I should call them poor Knights instead? (Hanho)
Anyway. (Hanho)
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!
As time passed, the rain grew heavier in proportion. (Hanho)
It was a very good sign. (Hanho)
It meant our DPS was higher than the speed at which the creature regenerated its health. (Hanho)
[…Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeek—!] (Tetrasea)
Well, it wasn’t like I expected it to just die meekly like this. (Hanho)
「Tetrasea’s sorrow deepens.」
The Lord of Tears, Tetrasea. (Hanho)
A Floor Lord with a perverted concept of getting stronger the more it was hit. (Hanho)
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!
We had only just reached the halfway point. (Hanho)
—
There wasn’t an HP bar, but it wasn’t hard to know that the creature’s health had reached half. (Hanho)
Thanks to a passive, I could confirm it with my naked eyes. (Hanho)
A new function was added to the flowers that had been singing bizarre songs and spitting acidic saliva from where they were summoned. (Hanho)
「The flowers created by the [Endless Rain] effect give birth to a new sorrow.」
A new summoned creature rose from the spot where the flower spat.
Sorrow begets sorrow. (Hanho)
I didn’t really get the philosophical meaning, I was just furious. (Hanho)
The rain created flowers. (Hanho)
And those flowers summoned new creatures. (Hanho)
Wasn’t this like subcontracting a subcontract of a subcontract? (Hanho)
To think such absurdity existed in this world too! (Hanho)
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeek—!!” (Hanho)
Unable to hold back any longer, I let out a monstrous scream, and the Lord of Tears flinched for a moment. (Hanho)
And it seemed to glare at me for a second, then… (Hanho)
[…Kie… Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee—!!!!!] (Tetrasea)
It soon screamed even louder, as if competing. (Hanho)
‘Don’t tell me… is it flustered because I stole its line?’ (Hanho)
Well, I wasn’t sure yet. (Hanho)
As a truly human person, I just couldn’t fathom the mind of that monster. (Hanho)
But. (Hanho)
If. (Hanho)
If it really thought something was taken from it, (Hanho)
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeek—!!” (Hanho)
Then, I would shout even louder. (Hanho)
[···Kie… Kieeeeeeeeeeeek—!!!] (Tetrasea)
Louder. (Hanho)
I would shout even louder. (Hanho)
I, none other than Bjorn son of Yandel, the Tribe Chief of the Barbarians, the Clan Master of Anabada, and a Viscount of Rafdonia. (Hanho)
SIZZZZZZZZZZLE—!
I will teach you the pain of having something taken away! (Hanho)
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (Hanho)
The young men who lost their lives to the unacceptable absurdity of subcontracting subcontracts of subcontracts. (Hanho)
The tens of millions of people who suffered from needlessly inflated prices due to distribution markups and collapsed into oblivion. (Hanho)
A shout containing the sorrow and restless spirits they left behind in this world. (Hanho)
[…Kieee?!] (Tetrasea)
Seeing that mournful reaction, indeed, did it understand? (Hanho)
“Heh, heh, hehehe.” (Hanho)
I felt like laughing. (Hanho)
Do you understand now, you pathetic monster? (Hanho)
The pain of having things taken away? (Hanho)
[Kie, kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…!] (Tetrasea)
“Keuk, hehehehe…!” (Hanho)
I laughed and cried at the same time. (Hanho)
[Kieek! Kieeek! Kieeeeeeh…!] (Tetrasea)
You pathetic monster. (Hanho)
Yes, you sad, lowly creature who knows nothing but destruction. (Hanho)
“Heh, heh, hahahahahahaha!!!” (Hanho)
Now that you know that pain. (Hanho)
Even after you’ve personally experienced that sorrow. (Hanho)
You still can’t break the hateful chain and intend to take from me in the end! (Hanho)
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (Hanho)
Go on and try! (Hanho)
I will never be broken…!! (Hanho)
—
「The character has temporarily entered the ‘Frenzy’ state due to excessive pain.」
—
I was swinging my hammer like a mad barbarian. (Hanho)
Not just the Lord of Tears, but also the summoned creatures sent from the main force to help me, without distinction, (Hanho)
KABOOOOOOOM-!
With tears in one eye. (Hanho)
And a smiling eye with the other. (Hanho)
I was truly continuing the act of destruction indiscriminately, like someone who had lost their mind. (Hanho)
“Huh?” (Hanho)
What have I been doing until now? (Hanho)
That thought snapped me back to my senses. (Hanho)
It didn’t take long to grasp the situation. (Hanho)
「The status effect ‘Frenzy’ has been lifted.」
Shit, I really did lose my mind for a moment. (Hanho)
The memory of me shouting like a madman suddenly surfaced, and a sense of shame welled up, but once again, I decided to look only at the positive side. (Hanho)
For a few minutes, I barely felt the pain, and… (Hanho)
Yeah, at least it was just a Frenzy. (Hanho)
If I had deserted the battle, it would have been a real disaster. (Hanho)
‘Damn it.’ (Hanho)
Still, I thought with my current stats, I wouldn’t be affected by this kind of status effect. (Hanho)
A situation beyond just feeling dizzy. (Hanho)
Still, since I got through it without any major incident, it was better to quickly come up with countermeasures rather than blaming myself. (Hanho)
‘Mental protection-type Divine Spells.’ (Hanho)
It was the first solution that came to mind, but I didn’t quite like it. (Hanho)
Because protecting the mind also used Divine Power. (Hanho)
It seemed the amount of healing I received would inevitably decrease… (Hanho)
‘Crown of Anguish.’ (Hanho)
But I couldn’t use this either. (Hanho)
It would be putting the cart before the horse. (Hanho)
Using this would make me immune to mental effects, but I’d also become immune to Divine Power, meaning I wouldn’t be able to receive any healing at all. (Hanho)
“Tsk.” (Hanho)
I had no choice. (Hanho)
It wasn’t like I had the luxury to ponder it any longer. (Hanho)
“Armin! From now on, cast mental protection on me!” (Hanho)
I chose the first method. (Hanho)
But… (Hanho)
“Ah…?” (Armin)
Armin’s response to my order was a little strange. (Hanho)
Putting aside the fact that the answer came a bit late. (Hanho)
“Ah! Th, that’s right…? I see!” (Armin)
What in the world was this reaction? (Hanho)
My question was immediately resolved by Armin’s next words. (Hanho)
“So all those strange behaviors from before were because of a mental attack!!” (Armin)
Damn it. (Hanho)
No wonder no measures were taken until the ‘Frenzy’ wore off on its own. (Hanho)
‘So they thought I was doing that while sane?’ (Hanho)
Could this also be a form of discrimination against Barbarians? (Hanho)
