Barbarian's Adventure in a Fantasy World-Chapter 30: The Rising Evil in the Darkness (2)

Ketal strolled leisurely, his steps measured. He could sense a location that appeared to be an exit.

“Have I arrived?” he murmured, a flicker of excitement crossing his face once more. He pushed against the door barring his path, and with a grating creak, it swung open, revealing the interior.

It was a vast chamber.

Grotesque decorations made of bones adorned the room, and at its center stood a throne constructed entirely of skulls. Sitting upon it was a skeleton with glowing blue eye sockets. In the lich’s bony grasp were a spellbook and a staff—clear indicators of his identity.

Ketal’s eyes gleamed with recognition.

“It’s a lich!” he exclaimed. A lich! A genuine lich!

The lich was a being that marked the pinnacle of a mage’s craft—a soul infused into a phylactery, granting him immortality as long as the vessel remained intact. He was a staple figure among the villains of fantasy worlds. Though in recent stories, liches often appeared in more neutral roles or even as allies to the protagonist, they remained quintessential figures of fantasy lore.

Ketal trembled with excitement. He had come here on a whim, driven by curiosity, and never imagined he would encounter a lich. It was as if he had struck gold in the most unexpected place. He was ecstatic.

“What are you?” the lich demanded, perplexed.

Ketal’s expression overflowed with joy as he observed the monster. His focused gaze and coherent response suggested he hadn’t lost his sanity.

The lich’s voice carried a note of suspicion. “You.. are unaffected by the orb’s enchantment?”

“Ah, so that’s how you bring people here,” Ketal said, nodding as understanding dawned. The lich’s glowing eye sockets flared.

What’s going on? the lich thought. He could sense the mana of the orb emanating from Keta, which meant the orb had led him here. Yet, he remained unaffected by its hypnotic power.

There was no indication that Ketal possessed any extraordinary abilities. He appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary barbarian. The situation defied comprehension.

After a brief silence, the lich spoke again. “You… possess an artifact that shields your mind.”

And not just any artifact—it had to be an Epic artifact, so advanced that even the lich had failed to detect it. How a barbarian could come to possess such an artifact was beyond his understanding. Still, there was no other explanation.

It doesn’t seem like he came here deliberately, the lich thought. If that was the case, the barbarian had to have stumbled upon the artifact by sheer luck.

Ketal titled his head, puzzled. “I don’t have anything like that.”

“Do you think you can fool me?” the lich scoffed. “No matter. I accounted for unforeseen variables.”

The lich waved his staff, and a gray artifact glowed in response. Immediately, the scattered bone fragments in the chamber began to rise and assemble themselves. As a master of magic, the lich was adept at anticipating and neutralizing variables. He had prepared for this scenario long before it occurred.

“If you had succumbed to the orb’s enchantment, you would have passed on painlessly. But since that isn’t the case, I will crush you with brute force. Minions, attack!” With a rattling clatter, the Skeletons lunged toward Ketal.

Visit frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓ for the b𝘦st novel reading experience.

***

“I see what’s going on here,” Ketal murmured with a smirk.

This was no ordinary Dungeon. It was the lair of an evil lich—a sinister place designed to lure curious wanderers using enchanted orbs, only to turn them into sacrifices. While the orbs weren’t merely objects of curiosity but true vessels of seductive allure, Ketal wasn’t aware of their full power.

“You’re skinnier than I thought,” Ketal said.

“Let’s see if that tongue of yours can still wag after I’ve severed your limbs. You only need to stay alive—that’s all that matters. Cut him down!”

With that command, the Skeletons charged forward, rusty swords in hand. These were no ordinary Skeletons found in Dungeons; they were crafted by the lich himself, stronger and deadlier than anything a typical barbarian should be able to face.

Five of these Skeletons surged toward Ketal. The lich was confident they would tear him apart, leaving him a writhing, screaming mess. The thought of the barbarian’s anguished cries brought a sadistic smile to the lich’s face.

“Hm…” Ketal clenched his fist as the first Skeleton approached, its rusted blade raised high. With a single, decisive punch, he obliterated the Skeleton’s skull. The headless creature crumbled instantly, its bones scattering across the floor.

“W-what?” The lich froze in shock.

Ketal nodded, almost as if approving of his own work. “It’s nothing special. If you take out the head, they’re done.”

The remaining Skeletons rushed him, weapons ready to strike. Ketal dodged nimbly, grabbing one by the arm.

Crack!

The bone snapped like a dry twig. Ketal swung the severed arm like a club, smashing it against another Skeleton’s head, shattering the skull into pieces.

He stepped forward, flicking his fingers as though giving a playful tap, but the force crushed a Skeleton’s skull into fine dust.

“Oops,” Ketal said. He sidestepped another blade aimed at his back, effortlessly catching it before slicing through the attacking Skeleton’s neck. The lifeless bones clattered to the floor.

“Cassan’s right. Once their heads are off, they stop moving,” Ketal muttered, satisfied. He swung his fist and the remaining Skeleton shattered under the sheer force of motion.

“You… you wretch!” The lich reeled in disbelief. He could not believe a barbarian with no apparent magical abilities could take down his minions so effortlessly.

Ketal gave him a disappointed look. “Just Skeletons? I expected more from a lich. Maybe a Death Knight or other undead monsters?”

“You insolent…!” The lich bristled with rage, raising his staff. The glowing artifact in his hand flared to life. “Arise!”

Clatter!

The fallen bones on the ground stirred once more, assembling themselves not into ordinary Skeletons but into a warrior clad in bone-crafted armor and wielding a shield and a sword. It was the Skeleton Knights, a Rare undead monster capable of challenging Intermediate fighters.

“Kill him!” the lich shouted.

The Skeleton Knight charged. Ketal tilted his head, his expression one of curiosity.

“Armor and shield made of bones? They look quite sturdy,” Ketal mused. “I wonder how sturdy.”

He swung his fist.

Crack!

The shield shattered under the impact, the armor crumbled, and half of the Skeleton Knight’s upper body was blown away in an instant. Yet, the creature didn’t fall. Even with only half a torso, it continued its relentless attack.

“Oh? It’s tougher than the last one,” Ketal said, mildly impressed. He grabbed the Skeleton Knight’s arm and snapped it clean off, reducing it to bone dust. Then, with a kick, he sent the monster sprawling, its lower body falling apart.

The remaining upper half crawled toward him, jaw clacking furiously as it tried to attack.

“Such loyalty to your master’s command. That’s admirable,” Ketal remarked with a nod. He raised his foot and brought it down with a sickening crunch. The Skeleton Knight’s skull was crushed to powder.

“It’s tougher, but not by much,” Ketal said cheerfully, turning his gaze back to the lich. “Is that all you’ve got? I wouldn’t mind seeing something more impressive.”

“W-what are you…?” The lich’s voice trembled as it spoke. He couldn’t sense any mana from Ketal. A barbarian like him should not possess such strength unless aided by a powerful artifact. And yet, his minions had fallen purely to brute force.

Did he really defeat the Skeleton Knight with physical strength alone? The lich, who had lived for centuries, found himself at a loss.

“You… you are extraordinary,” the lich finally admitted, his eyes blazing brighter as he rose from his throne. “Very well. I shall face you myself. Consider it an honor.”

Darkness erupted from the lich’s staff, engulfing the chamber and turning it into a shadowy void. The walls were swallowed in an impenetrable gloom, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

“Oh!” Ketal shivered—not in fear, but in awe. It was like a scene straight out of a movie.

“Are you afraid?” the lich asked. Misinterpreting Ketal’s reaction, he let out a satisfied laugh. “Yes, fear me, barbarian. You dared trespass in my sanctuary. Now, you shall pay the price for your insolence.”

“I mean, I only came because the orb summoned me. Aren’t you the one who scattered them?”

The lich didn’t have a counterargument for that. Everyone who had entered this place had been drawn by his enchanted orbs. This barbarian was no exception.

“S-silence, barbarian!” the lich bellowed, his voice echoing in the darkness. Clearly flustered, he tried to cover his earlier lapse. Rising to his full height, he waved his staff dramatically. “I am the great and mighty mage who once laid waste to five kingdoms and stood against legendary Heroes! I am Kartos Braniuras Kesias! You shall become the cornerstone of my resurrection, wretched barbarian!”

***

Kartos raised his staff, and from the cube at its tip, black flames erupted, swirling hypnotically in a mesmerizing display. The flames danced, ensnaring the viewer’s gaze, casting an irresistible spell of enchantment.

Ketal stared blankly at the flickering fire as the magic began to consume him. It was a spell designed to dominate emotions, pulling forth negative feelings, which in turn bred even darker ones. The cascading despair would eventually drown the victim’s mind, leaving them paralyzed and lost in madness.

This spell was Kartos’s original creation—exceptionally powerful despite its low mana cost. As he observed Ketal’s vacant expression, the lich felt certain his magic had succeeded.

“A mere barbarian incapable of wielding the Myst… utterly powerless before my great magic,” Kartos mused, a satisfied grin spreading across his skeletal face. He tapped his jawbone twice with a finger. “Now, what shall I do with you?”

Ordinarily, he would have used Ketal as raw material to fuel his mana reserves. But something about this barbarian was different.

He doesn’t appear to be wearing any artifact, Kartos thought. Initially, he had assumed otherwise, but now he was sure. If Ketal had been using an artifact of such power, it would have radiated a detectable energy signature.

This meant only one thing: Ketal had defeated the Skeleton Knight with nothing but sheer physical strength. And he had done so with a single blow.

It was incomprehensible for Kartos. As he pondered the implications, a thought struck him. Could he be a Vessel for Heroism…?

In this world, there existed beings known as Heroes—exceptional individuals born with unparalleled strength and abilities. Their talents and powers defied explanation, placing them beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

Heroes were forces of nature, beings that challenged the limits of understanding. Kartos knew firsthand of their unbelievable power. In his past, during his reign of terror, he had faced a Hero. Despite all his preparations, he had been soundly defeated without mounting a proper defense.

People called those with the potential to become Heroes Vessels of Heroism.

He might be one such vessel… No, he has to be! the lich thought. Otherwise, how could he have destroyed the Skeleton Knight with mere physical prowess, without even a hint of Myst training? That’s impossible.

“Very well, I will take him back and study him,” Kartos said. He snapped his fingers. Fragments of bone scattered around the room stirred to life, rising and advancing toward Ketal.

With his emotions completely dominated, Kartos knew Ketal would remain immobile, unable to resist.

However, just as the skeletal pieces came within reach of Ketal, something happened.

Crunch.

The bones disintegrated into dust. Startled, Kartos froze, “W-what?!”

Ketal nonchalantly brushed the powdered bones off his hands, as if nothing had happened.

How is this possible? Kartos thought. The spell should have completely subdued his emotions.

However, Ketal looked at him with an expression of sheer disappointment. His voice carried the tone of someone utterly unimpressed, as if Kartos’s magic didn’t work at all.

“So, all that show was just to send skeletons after me again? That’s boring,” Ketal said.

“You insolent fool!” Furious, Kartos swung his staff wildly, unleashing the emotional manipulation spell once more. The dark magic surged toward Ketal like a tidal wave.

“You’re definitely doing something…,” Ketal said, tilting his head,” but I just don’t quite get it.”

Ketal’s calm and utterly indifferent attitude left Kartos speechless. The lich’s mind reeled, How could this barbarian remain so unaffected?