Barbarian's Adventure in a Fantasy World-Chapter 29: The Rising Evil in the Darkness (1)

“What’s this?” Ketal muttered to himself.

The surface of the orb was smooth to the touch. Upon closer inspection, it was a perfect sphere. This was a fantasy world, devoid of machinery. Even shaping an orb into such a flawless sphere would require considerable skill.

Yet, here it was, lying on the ground.

Could it be a gemstone? he thought.

It didn’t quite seem like one Ketal stared at the orb curiously. Inside the sphere, something seemed to ripple—a dense, black substance swirling within.

“Hm...”

After examining it for a moment, Ketal slipped the orb into his pocket. He then made his way to the guildhall, where Rosa greeted him with exciting news. “Ketal, congratulations! You’ve been promoted from F-Rank mercenary to E-Rank mercenary.”

“Oh? Really?” Ketal’s face lit up with joy, his emotions clear for all to see.

Rosa couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm. “Yes, congratulations.”

“So, what changes now?” Ketal asked eagerly.

“I’ll explain everything, but first, here’s your new mercenary badge,” Rosa said, handing him the upgraded badge. It was far more intricately designed and polished than the previous one.

With a serious expression, she began her explanation. “Becoming E-Rank increases the number of requests you can take. From now on, you will be permitted to explore certain Dungeons alone up to a specific rank.”

“Ohh,” Ketal said, pleased. Finally, he could officially clear Dungeons by himself. That alone was satisfying news.

Rosa continued her explanation. “With your E-Rank badge, you will gain access to most locations. While restricted areas like the royal capital or major churches remain off-limits, you should find very few obstacles in your path.”

An E-Rank mercenary was a certified individual, backed by the Mercenary Guild itself—a clear acknowledgment of Ketal’s trustworthiness.

Rosa, however, sounded a bit regretful as she added, “Honestly, considering you cleared an unexplored Dungeon, you should have been promoted even higher...”

After all, Ketal had cleared an A-Rank Dungeon. From the accounts of his party members, it was effectively a solo accomplishment. That alone warranted a higher rank.

Ketal, however, shrugged it off as if it were only natural. “That’s a matter of trust, not skill. It can’t be helped.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Rosa replied, nodding. But she couldn’t help marveling at him. This barbarian is incredibly sharp.

Though he looked like a barbarian, he was more intelligent than anyone she had ever met.

Perhaps..., she wondered. If anyone could become the guild’s first A-Rank mercenary, it could just be Ketal. Yet, she found the thought oddly unappealing. An exceptional mercenary reflected well on the guild leader, and Rosa had no love for her current boss.

Still, she asked cautiously, “What are your plans now? As an E-Rank mercenary, you’re no longer bound to this estate.”

“That’s true,” Ketal replied thoughtfully. With his new rank, he could enter other estates freely, avoiding bureaucratic hassles simply by presenting his badge. He stroked his chin, considering his options. “Hm...”

The only estate he knew was this one. Exploring others intrigued him. He wondered what they would be like and how they would differ from here.

“But, for now, I think I’ll stay a bit longer. I haven’t fully enjoyed everything this place has to offer yet,” Ketal said.

“Is that so? Well, do as you please. You’re a free man now,” Rosa said.

“That’s right. I’m free,” he replied cheerfully.

As their conversation neared its end, he seemed to remember something. “Oh, can I ask you a question?”

“Of course. What is it?” Ketal pulled the black orb from his pocket. “Do you know what this is?”

Rosa carefully took the orb and examined it carefully.

“It doesn’t look like a gemstone. Judging by its smooth surface, it’s been crafted by someone. There’s no name or marking, but it seems quite valuable...” As she muttered to herself, her eyes gradually grew vacant. Her expression turned dazed, as though she were entranced by the orb itself.

With a sharp snap of his fingers, Ketal created a loud sound that startled her out of her stupor. Rosa jolted and looked at him in confusion.

“Are you alright?” Ketal asked.

“Why? What’s going on?” Rosa replied, bewildered.

“I should be asking you that. You seemed mesmerized by the orb.”

“Was I? I don’t recall...” Rosa looked genuinely confused, seemingly unaware she had been entranced.

Ketal studied her for a moment before shaking his head. “Never mind.” “Well... Identifying this orb is going to be difficult. It feels like it has an unusual aura, but I’m not sure. Should I have it appraised?”

The guildhall often handled unidentified items, especially Dungeon rewards. However, Ketal declined. “No need, thanks. I’ll figure it out myself. That’s part of the fun.”

“As you wish. There’s no problem with that,” Rosa replied.

“Now then, could I see the quest board? I need to pick a job for today. Surely there are new assignments for an E-Rank mercenary like me?” Ketal’s face brimmed with anticipation as Rosa smiled and brought out the quest board.

***

Ketal handled the jobs given to E-Rank mercenaries, finding each one fresh and engaging. He thoroughly enjoyed them.

Late at night, after completing his tasks, he returned to his lodging. The innkeeper greeted him with a familiar smile, having grown accustomed to his presence.

Once back in his room, Ketal retrieved the orb from his pocket.

“What could this be?” he mused.

The orb shimmered with a dark, rippling light. It wasn’t a gemstone, nor did anyone seem to know who had crafted it. He was wondering why something that appeared valuable enough to command attention had been discarded on the ground like trash.

“Rosa seemed mesmerized by it,” he muttered. Does it have some kind of function?

Ketal fiddled with the orb, turning it over in his hands. Then, without warning, a voice echoed in the air.

“Come...”

“Huh?” Ketal was startled.

“Come... to me...”

The voice was deep and resonant, striking a chord within his very soul. It carried a sinister tone, like a breath laden with malice, intent on unsettling the mind. Most people, like Rosa, would have fallen under the orb’s spell, moving mindlessly in accordance with its command.

“Why is this orb talking to me?” Ketal said aloud, tilting his head in curiosity.

Yet the voice seemed to have no effect on him. He simply stared at the orb, puzzled.

“Come... to me...”

The voice persisted, but Ketal remained unaffected. “What is this thing?”

Along with the voice, an image of a location formed in Ketal’s mind.

“Come... to me...” the voice continued its insistent plea.

“Is it asking me to go there?” Ketal asked himself. He studied the orb for a moment, his expression shifting into one of intrigue. “An artifact, maybe?”

“Come... to me...”

The orb repeated its call, and even provided the exact location in his mind as though guiding him.

“Hmm.” Ketal’s curiosity deepened. “I guess I’ll check it out.”

He then got up to his feet. He left the estate behind, walking swiftly with the location fixed in his mind, the voice continuing its chant.

“Come... to me...”

“I’m on my way, so shut it,” Ketal muttered irritably.

With swift and purposeful strides, he arrived at his destination.

“So this is it.”

It appeared to be an ordinary thicket, but Ketal’s keen eyes noticed something hidden within. He stepped forward, and as he did, the camouflage faded, revealing the entrance.

It was a cave. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a typical, unremarkable cavern. Had he stumbled upon it during his travels, he might have dismissed it without a second thought. But now, his expression lit with interest.

“A hidden Dungeon, perhaps?”

“Come... to me...”

“All right, I’m here,” he replied brusquely. Without hesitation, he stepped into the cave.

***

“Hmm?” Deep within the cave, a being became aware of an intruder’s presence. He clacked his jaw together and laughed. “Another sacrificial lamb has wandered in.”

Clack, clack.

The sound of bone striking bone echoed. This was no ordinary skeleton. His body was entirely devoid of flesh, made up solely of bones. From the hollow sockets of his skull burned an intense blue flame made of pure mana.

This was a lich—a being attainable only by the mightiest of mages. Through the glow of the flame, the lich saw the cave’s entrance and the figure of a massive barbarian walking in with an amused expression.

“A foolhardy barbarian. Judging by his size, he will make a fine offering,” the lich mused with glee, the flames in his sockets flaring in response to his emotions. “Ten now. It’s close—so close. Soon, I will be reborn!”

The lich had once been a notorious mage, infamous for his mastery of sinister magic that manipulated emotions and disrupted minds. With his spells, he had dominated multiple kingdoms, controlling the minds of kings to incite wars that led to countless lives lost and nations obliterated.

Eventually, his heinous deeds crossed the line, and he was hunted down by Heroes. But the lich had foreseen his eventual downfall. Being a mage of great power, he had created a phylactery in advance, ensuring his resurrection as a lich.

However, the Heroes struck faster than he had anticipated, and disaster struck. The core of his mana was destroyed, leaving him entirely drained of power.

Normally, such a blow would have reduced him to an ordinary skeleton, aimlessly roaming the land in obscurity.

“If not for this, I’d have been doomed,” the lich muttered.

On his staff sat a translucent gray cube, an artifact acquired during his conquest of a ruined kingdom. The artifact stored mana independently, allowing its wielder to cast spells even without their own reserves.

Thanks to this extraordinary item, the lich was able to survive and sustain his resurrection. Without it, he would have been indistinguishable from any other skeleton. Still, he needed a solution to restore his lost mana. It wasn’t long before he discovered the quickest path: using human life as a sacrifice to reconstruct his mana core.

To achieve this, he needed a significant number of lives. Thus, he settled near an isolated estate, far from prying eyes but close enough to a population to gather sacrifices. He scattered enchanted orbs throughout the area, each capable of alluring people into his lair.

One by one, his victims came, drawn by the orb’s spell. He would capture them and drain their vitality and souls, adding their essence to his own. Slowly but surely, his mana returned. He was nearing the culmination of his plan, poised to reclaim his power and once again dominate the world.

“But a barbarian? What is one doing here?” The lich was puzzled. This cave was near a remote estate, chosen precisely to avoid attention.

The presence of a barbarian, a rare sight outside the northern regions, was unexpected.

“Coming all the way from the north, I see. No matter—his size makes him an excellent offering,” the lich murmured, pleased as he observed the barbarian’s movements. But after a moment of watching, the lich frowned. “His gait is far too steady...”

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Those ensnared by the orb’s magic typically moved sluggishly, their expressions vacant, as if their minds were elsewhere.

Yet the barbarian walked briskly and with purpose, his face even showing hints of a smile.

Could he have resisted the orb’s allure? the lich thought. He briefly entertained the thought but dismissed it quickly.

The orb had a failsafe. It would not activate for individuals attuned to the Myst of the world. Only those ignorant of Myst could be influenced by its magic.

In the end, this barbarian was no more than an ordinary man, unversed in the Myst. Any signs of resistance were merely coincidental.

“Come forth, barbarian!” the lich intoned. From the depths of the cavern, the lurking evil issued a declaration of his approaching prey. “Become the cornerstone of my grand resurrection.”

His mocking voice reverberated through the hollow chamber, filled with a chilling menace.