How a Black-Haired Barbarian Survived the Labyrinth in Another World – Chapter 161

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: JayM
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Thud. Thud.

Only the sound of Jeong Yoo-shin’s footsteps echoed through the quiet tavern.

The atmosphere was ice-cold.

All eyes were focused on him.

Not only the people sitting around the semi-circular stage, but also Saul’s henchmen guarding the tavern couldn’t take their eyes off him.

“Wh-What do you mean by that?!”

The orc on stage asked in a flustered voice.

“What do you think I mean? I said ‘Freeze’, you sons of bitches.”

“What do you mean by freeze? Are you crazy?”

A blue-skinned troll came down the stairs from the second floor while picking his ear.

He had sharp tusks and was nearly two meters tall.

But he was smaller than a Forest Troll. It was more accurate to call him a half-troll.

The half-troll let out a big yawn and looked down at Jeong Yoo-shin.

“Yaaawn. What’s this guy? Black hair, but no red single-edged sword? You’re not the Butcher? Who are you?”

Jeong Yoo-shin quietly met the troll’s gaze.

Aldein hadn’t given him the red single-edged sword this time. He figured that there might be a reason for that. It felt a bit unsettling, so he hadn’t asked for it either.

The half-troll crossed his arms and looked down at Jeong Yoo-shin.

“Black-hair, say something.”

“Those kids, where did you get them?”

At Jeong Yoo-shin’s question, the half-troll grinned.

“Why? Are you interested in them? If you want them, pay up.”

“…”

The half-troll scratched his tusk.

“You’ve got a pretty face, but your actions are pure trash. You must think we’re scared of those barbarians from the brothel, but you don’t look nearly as tough. Boys, send him off nicely. To our guests at the auction, please wait a moment.”

The henchmen drew their weapons and approached Jeong Yoo-shin.

They were holding a variety of weapons, including daggers, maces, arming swords, military picks, and one-handed axes.

Jeong Yoo-shin, on the other hand, was empty-handed.

“Dieeee!!!”

One of the men rushed in while swinging a dagger.

Jeong Yoo-shin stood still and then threw a punch.

A light jab.

Crack!!!

The left jab flew at an invisible speed, breaking the man’s nose and crushing his face.

“Kughhh!!!”

The man dropped his dagger, clutched his face, and staggered backward.

Jeong Yoo-shin stepped forward and immediately closed the distance. He also caught the man’s dagger.

Jeong Yoo-shin swung the dagger.

First, the carotid artery.

He stabbed the man’s neck, tearing his artery, then stabbed his heart two or three times.

Blood gushed from the man’s neck like a fountain. Jeong Yoo-shin then grabbed the man’s body and turned it toward the other henchmen.

The spray of blood soaked the men’s faces. Some covered their faces as it hit their eyes.

A murder that happened in an instant.

Realizing that this was no ordinary person, the half-troll shouted.

“All of you, at once!!!”

“Uwaaaaaah!!!”

“Dieeee!!!”

Jeong Yoo-shin dodged each one and swung the dagger. He snatched a mace and smashed a man’s head, and the man with the caved-in skull collapsed while bleeding without even a scream.

He swung an arming sword and severed a man’s two arms.

“Kyaaaaaaaah!!!”

The man with no arms shrieked.

Jeong Yoo-shin reached out and grabbed the shrieking man’s jaw.

“Agagak!!!”

Crrrack!!!

The man, his jaw torn clean off, collapsed to the floor and convulsed.

The black-haired man had ripped off a jaw with his bare hands.

Everyone in the tavern trembled at the fiendish cruelty.

Jeong Yoo-shin held the torn-off jaw, counted the teeth, and then threw it to the floor.

Splat.

The jaw landed at the men’s feet.

“Next.”

An indifferent declaration.

The men realized it immediately.

Cruel handiwork.

“The, the Butcher!!!”

Someone screamed Jeong Yoo-shin’s title.

The half-troll stepped forward.

“Bring me my axe.”

“Yes, boss!”

A subordinate quickly ran up to the second floor and brought back an axe.

The half-troll spat on his hands and grabbed the double-bladed axe.

“So you’re the Butcher. A crazy bastard. Disrupting business is a serious crime.”

“Wasn’t it a misdemeanor?”

“Not in Labyrinth City. It seems like it’s not your lucky day. Barbarian, my imprint is ‘Strong Arm.’ It’s a good imprint that triples my normal strength. And I also have the ‘Swiftness’ imprint too. Kuhuhu.”

The half-troll said with a dark laugh.

Jeong Yoo-shin put on a fearful expression.

“R-Really?”

“That’s right. It’s useless no matter how fast you move. I’m stronger than that drug dealer!”

At the half-troll’s words, Jeong Yoo-shin stepped back.

“I’ll kill you!!!”

The half-troll charged and brought his axe down.

Whooosh!!!

The sharp double-bladed axe tore through the air and fell toward Jeong Yoo-shin’s head.

The people around them closed their eyes.

Just before it split his head open…

Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand.

Clang!!!

The troll’s eyes widened in bewilderment.

He had blocked the sharp axe with one hand. An impossible feat.

A golden light rippled like a wave from the barbarian’s hand.

“H-How…? Kugh!!!”

Pow!!!

The boss clutched his stomach, stumbled back, and fell to his knees.

Judging by the blood rising in his throat, his internal organs must have ruptured.

Jeong Yoo-shin picked up the double-bladed axe that the boss had dropped.

“What a… stupid bastard. This is the first time I’ve seen a bastard blabber about his own imprints.”

Jeong Yoo-shin gripped the axe with both hands and raised it high above his head.

“S-Spare… me…!”

“No.”

Swiiisssshhh!!!!!

The heavy axe blade shattered the troll’s skull and split his brain. It didn’t stop there as it cut through his neck bone, ribs, internal organs, and anus before lodging itself halfway into the stone floor.

Krrrrunch!!!!

Tssaaaaahk!!!

Blood and filth splattered onto Jeong Yoo-shin’s cheeks and body.

Jeong Yoo-shin pulled the axe from the floor and shouldered it.

He wiped the blood from his cheek with one hand and looked around.

One man was on his knees while vomiting on the floor.

Another was crying.

He saw a few of them scrambling toward the tavern exit.

He gripped the axe with all his might and twisted his waist.

Five men.

He threw the axe.

Swiiisssshhh!!!!

The axe spun, flew through the air, cut four men in half, and embedded itself into the wall. The last one was hit by the handle and was sent flying into a corner.

“You, the one hit by the handle, come here.”

The man hit by the axe handle seemed to have a broken bone and could only writhe on the floor.

“Someone go get that guy.”

The thugs, their eyes wide, were frozen in place.

Jeong Yoo-shin swept back his blood-splattered hair.

He looked around and saw an orc holding his head up stiffly. The one whose eyes seemed the clearest.

“You, green-skin, bring him over.”

“Alright.”

“Alright? Am I your friend? Say it again.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

The orc quickly ran and dragged the man over.

Jeong Yoo-shin looked around for a moment, then plopped down on a chair.

He then closed his eyes.

The smell of blood and filth was making his head spin.

He took a deep breath, then turned his head to look at the gnome sitting next to him.

He was wearing expensive-looking clothes and was covered in accessories.

He was the one who had raised his hand when the cursed dagger and the young children were put up for auction.

“Are you a merchant?”

He asked politely, but the gnome just trembled instead of answering.

“Are you mute? Why can’t you speak? Do I have to hit you to get you to talk, my friend?”

When Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand, the gnome flinched and covered his head with his arms.

“H-Heeek!!!”

“Hands down. Answer me. Are you a merchant?”

“Yes! Yes! I am!”

Jeong Yoo-shin slowly lowered his hand, then slapped the gnome across the cheek.

Slaaaaaap!!!

Crash!!!

The gnome’s head snapped back, and he was sent flying from his chair. He must have been hit so hard that he passed out.

Jeong Yoo-shin crossed his legs and pointed at the gnome.

“Someone wake that friend up. He’s had too much to drink.”

“Yes.”

The orc ran over again and poured alcohol on the unconscious gnome’s face.

“Huppu!!! Huck…!”

The gnome, his cheek swollen, shot his eyes open and trembled.

“Bring him over and sit him down here.”

The orc followed Jeong Yoo-shin’s command, helped the gnome up, and sat him back in his original seat.

The gnome couldn’t meet Jeong Yoo-shin’s gaze and just stared at the floor under the table.

Jeong Yoo-shin then spoke.

“Are you a merchant?”

“Y-Yeth, thir!”

A few broken teeth rolled out of the gnome’s mouth.

Jeong Yoo-shin patted the gnome on the shoulder.

“You should have just told me that in the first place. So why were you trying to take those kids?”

“…I thought it would be good to have them help with my shop.”

“That’s a lie.”

Jeong Yoo-shin looked into the gnome’s eyes and stated it as a fact.

A bastard who buys things like cursed daggers running a shop? Please. His eyes had lit up and he’d raised his hand when the orc announcer mentioned using the boy as a meat shield.

He immediately grabbed the gnome’s neck and snapped it.

Crrraack!!!

The gnome’s eyes rolled back, and his tongue lolled out.

He put a finger to his nose. He couldn’t feel a breath.

Instant death.

“The next bidder, please take a seat here.”

Jeong Yoo-shin interviewed them one by one, sparing those he would spare and killing those he would kill.

Some fell to their knees and begged.

Some shed tears of repentance.

Some vomited on the table.

There was even one who glared and threatened him.

Jeong Yoo-shin’s hand impartially found those to be killed, grabbed their necks, and broke them.

A short while later.

When the interviews were over, only a few people remained in the tavern.

Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the orc. He had spared him because his eyes were relatively clear.

“What did you come here for?”

“I came to get a cursed dagger.”

“Why?”

“I needed a useful secondary weapon in the labyrinth.”

“Is that so? Do me one favor.”

“What is it?”

“Take those kids to the monster dismantler shop.”

The orc’s face hardened seriously.

“Do you trust me? What will you do if I side with Saul…?”

Jeong Yoo-shin observed the orc carefully and then spoke.

“Try it. Let’s see what happens. I’ll search every corner of the labyrinth, find you, and then…”

The orc shook his head as if he was fed up.

“…I understand. But, my payment, of course.”

“I’ll make sure you get it. Take that cursed dagger, too.”

The orc took the children and left the tavern.

All that remained in the tavern were Saul’s henchmen and a few guests who had come for the auction.

Jeong Yoo-shin looked at one of Saul’s henchmen and waved his hand.

“Go tell Saul. Skar is here. Auction participants, go home too. Hurry.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

The people rushed out of the tavern.

Jeong Yoo-shin crossed his arms and sat down.

He thought about killing the remaining henchmen but decided against it.

The smell of blood was making him dizzy. The more he killed, the more the inside of his head seemed to itch.

‘This isn’t like me.’

Jeong Yoo-shin quietly closed his eyes.

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Clang!!!

In a dark, smoke-filled gambling den.

The office door burst open, and a blood-soaked man rushed in.

“S-Saul-nim!”

Saul, sitting in a large leather chair, tilted his head to the side.

“What happened to you?”

“That barbarian is causing a ruckus at the tavern!”

Saul let out a hollow laugh.

“Well, now. Did I misjudge him? When he killed the slave hunters and beat up the drug dealers, he just charged straight in. Can a person’s character suddenly change like that? Strange. Very strange.”

Saul clicked his tongue and stood up from his seat.

“Get ready. We have to go.”

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The tavern was a mess.

Jeong Yoo-shin sat at an intact table while chewing on some jerky.

“Skar!!!”

Saul’s voice came from outside the tavern.

Jeong Yoo-shin stood up and walked out of the tavern.

He opened the door, and a hot breeze brushed past his cheek.

A dark street.

A corner of the Eastern District where no one would notice a fight.

About two hundred people stood a short distance from the tavern. Saul stood in their midst.

Saul observed Jeong Yoo-shin and then looked around.

“You’re alone?”

“Yes.”

Jeong Yoo-shin answered while bowing his head politely.

“Skar, what the hell is this? I told you to think about my offer, and you just barge into my business alone? Are you crazy? In all my life, you’re the first friend whose head I’ve wanted to look inside of.”

Jeong Yoo-shin swept back his blood-soaked hair.

“To be honest, I don’t know my own heart either. I think I’m going through puberty. The period of storm and stress. A time when one’s ego and pubic hair grow wild. I think it’s a time like that.”

“…”

The two hundred men fell silent and stared at Jeong Yoo-shin.

The latter tilted his head sideways.

“But is it right to buy and sell children who haven’t even experienced that period of storm and stress yet?”

Saul chuckled and looked at the subordinate standing next to him.

“This Skar fellow is so transparent. That’s why I like him. Don’t tell me this is because of the Crimson Hunters incident? You’re making such a fuss just because some gnome family died. I heard that they cut off the heads of the mother and her brat, put them in a box, and sent them over to you. Does it make your head spin? Are you having nightmares? Did it scar your heart? What a soft bastard.”

“…”

Saul raised a finger and pointed at Jeong Yoo-shin.

“Skar, your heart is so weak, it’s about to bring tears to my eyes. The way I see it, you can’t survive in Labyrinth City. I’ll end your miserable life right here.”

Jeong Yoo-shin looked up at the night sky.

“No, I’ll definitely survive. I’ll eat well, shit, swing my sword, and go for a walk when I have time. And if I feel bloated, I’ll beat up bastards like you to feel better. When I feel good, I’ll go back into the labyrinth and get my ass kicked.”

Saul chuckled, then his expression hardened.

“I thought you were a tough bastard, but you’re just a guy consumed by madness. Boys, gut him, kill him, then tear him to pieces and display him in that bastard’s inn.”

“”Yes!””

Saul’s subordinates drew their weapons and advanced toward Jeong Yoo-shin.

Saul smiled faintly and looked at the bald man standing next to him.

A middle-aged man with a bald head and strange tattoos.

His name was Geowulf.

An intermediate-rank explorer with the nickname ‘Mage Slayer.’ The title was given to him because he possessed the Magic Seal imprint.

The other one would be hiding in the darkness while aiming at this Skar bastard with an arrow coated in deadly poison.

If this Skar bastard charged, the fight would be over.

‘Come on. Come.’

Saul’s smile deepened.

Jeong Yoo-shin started walking toward Saul, then suddenly looked to the side.

Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand and pointed in one direction.

“What’s that?”

Everyone’s eyes turned in the direction Jeong Yoo-shin was pointing.

Fwoosh!!!

In that instant…

Jeong Yoo-shin sprinted in the opposite direction.

The men on the street stared with their mouths agape as Jeong Yoo-shin disappeared into a dark alley.

Saul’s face contorted as he shouted.

“You crazy son of a bitch!!! You’re running away from here?!!! Get him!!!”

The men stood frozen with blank expressions. Saul, furious, shouted again.

“I said get that bastard!!!”

“Y-Yes!!!”

On a starry night.

Hundreds of men, weapons in hand, began to run…

…To catch one crazy man.

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T/N – Lol. Is Saul an idiot? Did he really think the MC is stupid enough to charge in when he’s vastly outnumbered, and when he knows that the former has prepared plenty of cards against the latter? Is it because the barbarians give off a muscle-head impression? But from the sound of it, the barbarians are actually pretty smart, they just don’t care to scheme because they’re quite powerful individually.

Also, the MC’s madness is slowly catching up to him. I wonder if he’ll ever find a solution for it?

If you find any mistakes, feel free to point them out in the comments.