Barbarian’s Adventure in a Fantasy World
Chapter 84: Raid Dungeon (1)

Chapter 84: Raid Dungeon (1)

Passing through a corridor bathed entirely in gold, Aquaz walked slowly and reached a pair of brilliantly shining doors and pushed them open. Inside, she was met with a garden—a breathtakingly beautiful garden, where flowers of all colors bloomed in radiant splendor.

At the center of the garden, a single table stood, and seated at it was a woman.

As Aquaz entered, the woman turned her gaze toward her. Golden hair swayed gently as she moved, contrasting starkly with her jet-black eyes, which locked onto Aquaz.

The woman smiled softly and said, “Aquaz, you’ve arrived.”

Aquaz bowed respectfully. “I, the Inquisitor of the Sun God, greet the Holy Saintess of the Sun God.”

***

A saintess was a representative of their god—a messenger who delivered the will of the divine to the mortal realm.

The woman before Aquaz was the Holy Saintess of the Sun God.

The saintess gestured with her hand. “Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you.” Aquaz hesitated for a moment before taking the chair opposite to her.

The saintess lifted her teacup and spoke. “You must have had a hard journey.”

“It is the will of the Sun God. As a believer, following His will is my greatest joy,” Aquaz replied, her tone calm.

The saintess shook her head. “Your faith remains as unwavering as ever. I could never be like that.”

“Saintess...?”

“I was joking.” The saintess chuckled lightly. “But I assume you came to see me for a reason. Why don’t you tell me?”

Aquaz nodded and began her explanation. She spoke of the battle against Ashetiaar, the Demon of Oppression that had descended upon the Barcan Estate.

The saintess clapped her hands dramatically. “Amazing! You defeated a demon that had fully descended into this world? Aquaz, thanks to you, the prestige of our church has risen even higher! The high priests are thrilled.”

Aquaz didn’t possess the power to slay a fully descended demon. And yet, she had emerged victorious against Ashetiaar. It was nothing short of a miracle.

However, Aquaz shook her head. “No, if not for my ally, I would have perished there.”

“Are you talking about the barbarian from the White Snowfield? The one the high priests dismissed as irrelevant?” the saintess asked.

Aquaz nodded grimly. The high priests had disregarded her reports about the barbarian. After all, the true achievement was the eradication of a demon.

Against such a monumental victory, the barbarian’s involvement was seen as a mere distraction. The noble high priests could not accept that a mere barbarian had played a role in their god’s divine retribution.

Most importantly, there had been no mention of a barbarian in the Sun God’s divine revelation. Allowing records of him to remain would tarnish the perfection of their god’s will.

Thus, the high priests erased any record of the barbarian. However, Aquaz simply could not ignore the truth.

That was why she had come directly to the saintess.

“Why... did the Sun God remain silent about the barbarian? Was it meant as a trial for me?” Aqauz asked.

“No,” the saintess answered with certainty. “God simply didn’t know about him.”

Aquaz’s eyes widened. “What...?”

The saintess spoke lightly. “His sight only reaches our world. To Him, that barbarian must have been an anomaly.”

Aquaz looked bewildered.

The saintess smiled faintly and continued, “In other words, even gods are not truly omniscient.”

“Saintess! What are you saying?!” Aquaz gasped.

It was blasphemy—words she could not believe had come from the very mouth of their god’s representative.

“I was joking. No need to be so angry,” the saintess said.

“That’s not something I can take as a joke! Please restrain yourself.” Aquaz steadied her breathing, trying to calm herself.

The saintess’s faith in the Sun God was weak—incredibly weak. Some might say that her faith was almost nonexistent. Aquaz often wondered how someone like her had become the Saintess of the Sun God.

“Speaking of the White Snowfield, strange things have been happening in this world lately, wouldn’t you agree?” the saintess said.

“Yes,” Aquaz replied, biting her lip. She knew that the world was twisting, and it was shifting in a direction that did not favor them.

The saintess frowned as if she had a headache. “It’s not just the descent of demons. There’s also a group worshipping the Grotesque.”

“The Grotesque? That’s the first I’ve heard of him.” Aquaz tilted her head in confusion. She was considered one of the most promising figures in the church—trusted enough to have a private audience with the saintess. She was privy to all kinds of knowledge in the world. Yet, even she had never heard of the Grotesque.

The saintess clicked her tongue. “He exists. He is a being who once conquered the land in ancient times. His very existence is a blasphemy against divinity. It’s probably better if you remain ignorant.”

“Is that... so?” Aquaz said.

“And on top of that, the warping of the Demon Realms has emerged and is swallowing entire kingdoms. It’s terrible. Truly terrible. Just thinking about it makes me feel sick...”

The saintess spoke of information likely received directly from the Sun God. This was knowledge Aquaz should not be questioning. So, she simply listened in silence.

“But it’s not just that. Even our fundamental understanding of the world is changing,” the saintess continued.

“You mean Dungeons?” Aquaz asked.

“Yes. The other things... were always considered anomalies, but why are Dungeons going crazy too? It feels as though the entire world is turning against us.” Looking exhausted, the saintess rested her chin on the table.

Aquaz spoke solemnly. “The Great Sun God watches over us. If we follow His will, the world shall regain its peace.”

“Hm...” The saintess had a strange expression on her face. “Aquaz, would you like to hear a secret?”

“If it is something I should not know, then I would rather not,” Aquaz replied.

“Come on, don’t be like that. It’s something that concerns you as well.” The saintess’s gaze drifted beyond the garden. “You received a revelation and left for Barcan Estate.”

Aquaz had received the prophecy of the Great Evil’s descent. And indeed, the Demon of Oppression had been there.

“But there is a problem with the prophecy. It was about a demon descending. However, the Sun God’s revelation said that it would be an incomplete descent,” the saintess said.

“What?” Aquaz’s eyes widened in shock. The Ashetiaar she had faced had not only descended completely—she had even made the land her domain.

“The reason we sent you alone was because we believed you had a good chance of winning against a demon that hadn’t fully descended. But if we had known the demon had already finished creating her domain... there’s no way we would have sent you alone,” the saintess explained.

“Wait, what are you saying?” Aquaz asked.

Even without considering the existence of the barbarian, the Sun God’s revelation had not been perfect.

“You would have lost,” the saintess said.

Aquaz was strong. She was expected to become the next chief inquisitor, one of the figures who would lead the church. However, she was not yet strong enough to defeat a demon in her own domain.

Ashetiaar would have slain Aquaz and advanced further into the mortal realm. The demon would have devoured kingdoms, spreading evil across the entire world.

However, the demon had failed because of a barbarian from the White Snowfield.

“A barbarian... from beyond the divine’s domain,” the saintess murmured. “I wonder... is he a blessing or a curse?”

***

“A Raid Dungeon?” Ketal’s eyes sparkled with interest. “What’s that?”

“You already know about Dungeons, right?” Milayna asked.

“I have a general idea, but I don’t know the details.”

“Then let me explain it briefly,” Milayna replied as she began her explanation.

Dungeons appeared near populated areas. In some ways, they were dangerous, but they always formed at a certain distance from villages or cities. As long as one wasn’t foolish enough to enter a Dungeon without preparation, they weren’t particularly life-threatening.

A civilian dying inside a Dungeon was considered no different from someone falling to their death while climbing a cliff.

However, Dungeons sometimes blocked important trade routes, and if left unchecked for too long, monsters from inside could emerge into the outside world.

Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued. “The monsters come out?”

“It’s rare, but yes. Unless a Dungeon is left alone for more than a year, that usually doesn’t happen,” Milayna explained.

That was why Dungeons had to be cleared before they accumulated in number. Determining a Dungeon’s level of danger and clearing it was the job of mercenaries.

“In general, a four-person party is the standard for Dungeon expeditions. There isn’t enough space inside to accommodate more people,” Milayna continued.

Most Dungeons had narrow corridors or small rooms. If too many people entered, they would only hinder each other.

“Now that you mention it...,” Ketal said. He hadn’t given much thought before, but thinking back, most Dungeons he had entered had similar dimensions.

“You are a mercenary, aren’t you, Ketal? I thought you would already know this,” Milayna said.

“I’ve been inside Dungeons, yes. But I mostly went in alone, so I never paid attention to such things.”

“You went... alone?” Milayna paused, blinking at him before shaking her head and regaining her composure. “Anyway, as I said, four-person parties are the standard for Dungeons.”

“I see.” Ketal stroked his chin again, his interest growing. “A four-person limit, huh?”

“Yes. There are a few rare exceptions, but most Dungeons follow that rule. That’s why the majority of mercenary parties consist of four members.”

“That’s an interesting restriction.”

“You think so?” Milayna tilted her head. What’s so interesting about that?

To her, it was just as natural as birds flying in the sky or apples falling from the trees.

However, to Ketal, it was a fascinating concept. Milayna had said that almost all Dungeons followed the four-person limit, with only rare exceptions. In other words, it was almost as if someone had deliberately set that rule.

Of course, it could simply be a coincidence. After all, many naturally formed structures had been mistaken for man-made artifacts in history.

However, Ketal didn’t care. Doubts and curiosity were part of the fun.

This world is truly interesting, Ketal thought as he grinned.

“Then what’s a Raid Dungeon?” Ketal asked.

“Oh, right. As I mentioned, most Dungeons have a four-person limit. But on rare occasions, Dungeons appear without that restriction,” Milayna explained.

Some Dungeons had wider corridors, while others had multiple pathways, allowing more than four people to enter. Those were called Raid Dungeons.

“Because more people can enter, the difficulty is much higher than that of a normal Dungeon. In most cases, special conditions must be met in order to clear them,” Milayna continued explaining.

“And one of those has appeared nearby?” Ketal asked.

“Yes, near the North Gate. The Mercenary Guild is currently recruiting for an expedition.”

“I see.”

A Raid Dungeon was a Dungeon that required dozens of mercenaries—one where they had to work together to solve intricate mechanics and defeat powerful bosses. It was a place where strangers had to synchronize their teamwork to break through formidable enemies.

Ketal’s heart raced with excitement. This was one of the fundamental elements in a fantasy world.

“Can I join?” Ketal asked.

“Huh?” Milayna’s eyes widened. “You’re a mercenary, so as long as you meet the qualifications, you should be able to... but wouldn’t it be a hassle?”

A Raid Dungeon required dozens of mercenaries working together. With so many people involved, conflicts were inevitable. Even with high rewards, Raid Dungeons often struggled to find participants because of how annoying they were to manage.

And Ketal was a barbarian. Barbarians were naturally averse to group activities. Though Ketal was somewhat unusual, he was still a barbarian at heart.

Milayna assumed he would have no interest in something like this.

“I don’t mind. I want to go,” Ketal said.

“I see...” Milayna had no reason to stop him—nor the right to. She let out a small sigh before speaking. “I will tell you where the Mercenary Guild is. If anything happens there, just show them my family’s crest. That should clear up any issues.”

“Thank you.” Ketal nodded in appreciation.

Milayna murmured under her breath. “A Raid Dungeon, huh... You might end up seeing some familiar faces.”

***

A receptionist at the Mercenary Guild in the capital of the Denian Kingdom, Tiana was feeling utterly dissatisfied.

This isn’t what I wanted at all, she thought.

As a child, she had read countless stories about mercenaries and had grown to admire them. However, unlike Elene, she hadn’t dreamed of Prince Charming.

Her fantasy had been something rougher, wilder—something closer to a beast. She had admired warriors who thirsted for battle, who clashed swords and axes in brutal fights where their very lives were on the line. She thought about men who drank heavily and slept wherever they pleased without a care in the world.

That was the symbol of savagery she had longed to see. And so, she had studied hard to become a receptionist at the Mercenary Guild.

However, after finally achieving her dream, she found that reality was... unbelievably dull.

The mercenaries were polite and they didn’t start fights. Even when they drank, they didn’t drink to get wasted.

At first, Tiana had dressed up in anticipation, expecting some of them to flirt with her—but that never happened. The mercenaries were surprisingly well-mannered, keeping business and pleasure strictly separate.

However, it was only natural for this to happen. This was the capital of the Denian Kingdom, a place where only certified mercenaries were allowed entry. At minimum, one had to be B-Rank, and C-Ranks were only allowed in under very special circumstances.

Any mercenary who caused trouble would be immediately expelled—and worse, their patrons could suffer as well. This was why every mercenary kept themselves in check.

Most of the other receptionists liked this peaceful environment, but to Tiana, it was incredibly boring.

I need excitement, she thought. She needed something to shake up this monotonous routine. She wanted to witness the kind of violence and savagery she had read about as a child. Every night, she wished for it.

And then today, she deeply regretted ever making that wish. She wanted to run away immediately. However, if she did, she had no idea how the furious man sitting in front of her would react.

Sitting before her was a massive barbarian.

“You’re the receptionist of the Mercenary Guild?” the barbarian asked.

“Y-yes, that’s correct.” Tiana forced herself to suppress her shaking as she cautiously lifted her head.

The barbarian was staring directly at her. She immediately lowered her gaze again, bowing her head without even realizing it.

She had seen plenty of large, muscular men before. However, this man felt different. The biggest difference was the sheer pressure he exuded.

She felt like if she made one wrong move, he would crush her skull on the spot.

Mom...! Help me! she cried in her mind. Her thoughts spiraled into panic.

Her mother had always nagged her about stopping her foolish prayers and finding a proper man to marry. She would always say ordinary was best.

Tiana had always ignored her mother’s advice—and she had even told her mother to stop nagging.

I’m sorry, Mom! I swear I will never make that kind of wish again!

While she silently screamed inside, Ketal finally opened his mouth.

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