Barbarian in a Failed Game

「Hero! Tell me what you want!」

Feigning composure.

Unlike the world’s laws—the false angel—this entity has a consciousness and acts with intention.

Seeing the cheesy emoticons disappear, I could almost imagine the look on its face. After all, isn’t it obvious? The man who had been obsessively striving to return to Earth suddenly rejected the offer and flipped the table like a spoiled child. It must be giving the God quite a headache.

“First, we need to verify what you can offer. I suspect you’re a God of Midland, unlike the false angel.”

「Correct! Ahem. Do you finally recognize my greatness? ㅇㅅㅇ (staring eyes) I might be even greater than you think… managing countless dimensions!」

“Then, can you provide any direct powers or tools I can use in Midland to defeat the false angel?”

「⚆_⚆…. Of course, I am a great and mighty God! But I avoid direct interference in the dimensions I manage! Obviously, a God meddling in earthly affairs is unacceptable!」

“Well, I see. So you’re saying no?”

The text, now appearing as a semi-transparent system window due to the broken computer, displayed a large ‘O’ in agreement. I clicked my tongue in feigned disappointment, but inwardly, I was satisfied.

That was the answer I wanted.

‘As I thought… This being is not an absolute God or creator as people might imagine.’

If it were, it wouldn’t be pushed around by the false angel. It wouldn’t need to drag some random office worker from Earth and beg him for help. I had already deduced this much.

I just needed confirmation.

‘Even if the false angel disappears, this entity cannot interfere with Midland.’

Think of it as more of a maintenance manager for dimensions. The false angel was likely something the manager installed to help oversee the world. Over time, it must have corrupted into its current state.

And I’m the repairman called in to fix the broken tool.

“Let’s move on to the next point.”

「Next? Hurry and tell me what reward you want!!」

“What do you mean by the false angel turning the Gods of Earth into its minions? Does this mean heaven has fallen to it?”

Ignoring the entity’s impatient protests, I continued with my questions. After all, it needed me to defeat the false angel, so it answered obediently.

「That’s right! ٩(๑`^´๑)۶ I can’t reveal all the details, but the foolish Gods of Earth were completely deceived by it!」

“… This complicates things. Wait, isn’t the false angel supposed to be a mindless tool? How could it actively deceive and take over heaven?”

「I told you, I can’t go into specifics! (emphasis)」

From its evasive response, I could tell it was also bound by the ‘laws of the world’ inscribed in Midland. I had seen similar behavior from the Goddess of Justice, so I was sure.

“What about the game system? Is it no longer possible to receive help from it?”

***

「( -᷅_-᷄) You know, right? Further leveling up will elevate you to the level of a transcendent, right? Then you won’t be free from the constraints of the laws anymore, right? Even managing this much was incredibly difficult, so please understand that!」

“Yeah, I get it.”

Ignoring the incessant alert sounds from the text, I opened my mouth after a moment of thought.

“The reward I want from you is this, you useless God.”

「I really don’t understand why you’re making such a demand. But? I will accept it! This great God will fulfill your wish! Of course, after you defeat that vile false angel!」

“Thanks a lot. So? Are you sending me back now?”

「Of course! Hurry and go! Shoo shoo!」

“What are you talking about? Weren’t you supposed to send me back?”

「What do you mean!!? You are the master of this place. You were the one consumed by chaos. You were the one who viewed your memories in the repository of chaos. And you were the one who wasn’t consumed in the end! You need to find your own way out!」

“… On my own?”

「Surely, you haven’t failed to realize the method yet? Please tell me you haven’t!! I thought you understood how to master chaos because you seemed so composed…!」

***

“Uwaaaah!!”

Boom…

He, I almost died for real. A thin sigh escaped Ron’s lips.

“Shouldn’t you take it easy, man…?”

He fully understood why those who opposed Khan treated him like a monster before they died.

Even the Great Warrior, once considered the continent’s mightiest barbarian, struggled alongside other companions, but they were helpless against the rampaging Khan.

A monster that reshaped the landscape with punches and kicks. This was the true form of Gordi Khan at full power. The inhuman aspect they had ignored, thinking of him only as a reliable ally until now.

It was truly a transcendent sight. With just one punch, the terrain twisted, creating a basin the size of a small town.

“Hahaha! You really are my son──!! I’ve been waiting for this day-!”

“That mad… Miss Maya! This isn’t working! At this rate, we’ll all die at his hands!”

As the spear tip, which could pierce even Dwarven iron plates like tofu, was grabbed by Khan, Maya’s foot, which was aiming to stab him with a dagger, grazed his chin. Clang!

The Great Warrior, who rushed in afterward, used the close-combat technique Kartus to bind Khan’s left arm and leg. Leo’s shield, imbued with protective holy magic, came crashing down on Khan’s head.

“─────!”

With a silent roar, Khan struck the Great Warrior hanging in mid-air with his power and threw a punch towards Maya. Fwoosh!

It was a blow that tore even the air apart. Only an extraordinarily armored Great Warrior could withstand it. If it even grazed Maya, her whole body would surely explode like a balloon.

‘My lord…!’

Maya’s fingertips flickered with ashen holy power, her eyes resolute. It was clear to anyone that she was prepared for sacrifice.

“Could you step aside?”

It was then. A soft voice, unfitting for the situation, echoed. A woman with black hair appeared behind Khan and wrapped her arms around him.

“Excuse me. Pardon me.”

Drake, with Tilly Ashanumos’ golden eyes glinting, scattered a dazzling light. An ancient incantation from a distant era signaled the binding of Khan’s body.

Khan’s body, which could not be stopped even by the gray magic of Jan, who had become the magus of the Gray Tower, stiffened like plaster. Drake’s tail, which had pierced through his spine, injected poison, and the ancient spell amplified it, temporarily halting his movements.

Crack!

Even that was only a temporary measure. Like a bomb on the verge of exploding, Khan’s arm, breaking free from the spell’s binding, continued to reach out when Tilly’s palm overlapped it.

“Such a harsh fate. Whether you want it or not, you…”

『─────!』

“Hush. It will be over soon.”

One hand on Khan’s arm, and the other covering his eyes, Tilly Ashanumos’ body began to regain its original form. Enormous wings cast shadows on the forest floor.

“What are you trying to do! Drake!”

“Stay still, young master. If you want to return your benefactor to his original state.”

“What does that…!”

“To quell chaos, you must suppress the chaos at its source. This wasn’t originally meant to be used in this way, but…”

For some reason, Tilly, in a maid outfit from when she visited Khan at Argon Castle, thrust her hand into her solar plexus.

Buzz.

Instead of piercing through and splattering blood, her hand drew out a sword of an antique design from the interspace. It looked more like a giant key than a sword.

It was the true form of Draupnir, an ancient magic sword containing the half of the Spirit of Resentment.

Holding the ancient magic sword, made to seal the soul of a dragon, in a reverse grip, Tilly thrust it towards Khan’s crown.

“Benefactor─! You damn lizard…!”

Clatter.

“Wait.”

“Great warrior…?”

“The soul is becoming clearer.”

“The soul?”

Leo stepped back, startled by the serious tone of the Great Warrior who had always displayed a bold and eccentric demeanor. Although he didn’t understand the cryptic statement about the soul becoming clearer, it didn’t feel like mere nonsense.

Leo’s intuition was correct.

The Great Warrior also possessed Karyan’s eyes.

Though it was unclear what exactly was happening within Khan, the colors that had been fading ever since he was consumed by chaos were gradually becoming more distinct.

‘This is not the original color.’

It was difficult to explain, but another soul had been attached to Khan’s soul from the beginning. It seemed that this other soul was in the process of regaining its original color.

As this other soul regained its original color, it naturally began to strengthen and awaken Khan’s soul as well. It was not devouring, but rather a form of symbiosis.

『──────.』

“Ugh.”

At that moment.

“My lord…!”

“Benefactor?!”

From Khan’s mouth, which had only emitted silent roars since being consumed by chaos, a voice imbued with clear will emerged. Soon, the moment when the crimson soul attached to the ashen soul would completely regain its original color was approaching.

『Graaaaaaah──!!』

Khan, screaming in pain, clutched his head and began to stagger. The immense psychic wave emanating from him caused the companions to fall to their knees. No, they were forced to kneel.

As if being dominated by him!

“Dr-Dragon…?!”

Ron, realizing the nature of the power that forced him to his knees, coughed up blood in shock. This felt similar to when the enraged Natrix unleashed his power.

Dragon Roar.

The authority of the dominant species that once ruled Midland. The power to completely dominate beings of lower rank. This power was emanating from Khan. With an intensity incomparable to Natrix.

This was the moment when the roar of the last Dragon Lord, who had regained the lost half of his soul, extended across all of Midland.