## Chapter 138 – The Barbarian of the Arena
The final match day dawned.
Having optimized my condition, I arrived at the arena early in the morning. My whole body was overflowing with power. I was confident that I could crush any opponent who appeared before me.
As the Barbarian’s last match, it was my professional duty to deliver the best performance possible. It was my final gift to the fans who had cheered for me until now.
ㅡWhap!
Before entering the arena, I briefly performed the Director Kwon martial art to check my physical state. Straight arms, powerful legs, balanced posture. My body’s balance was achieved through trained muscles, and the correct power was applied in each upright movement.
Good. No problems.
Optimal condition.
I released the stance, stretched briefly, and then entered the arena.
The inside was quite cool, being underground.
The air was sharp.
“Where’s Durbahn?”
I had rejected the arena’s proposal last week and left immediately, so I hadn’t received a detailed explanation of the match concept. Durbahn was nowhere to be seen. Since I needed to get the costume anyway, I could hear the concept while getting the details.
“Gheuheuheu, Durbahn isn’t here.”
“What do you mean?”
As I was looking for Durbahn, a gladiator who had been standing with his arms crossed in the darkness spoke to me with a strange laugh.
Wait, he was there? I hadn’t sensed his presence at all.
He had the air of a professional assassin.
“He told me to tell you to wear the equipment over there.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Who knows? He seemed busy. Gheuheuhoot!”
The gladiator pointed to a box containing the costume. Well, it wasn’t like I couldn’t perform the match just because I hadn’t heard the concept. I’m a professional. Improvisation is a basic skill.
Just by looking at the costume, a scenario would come to mind.
I took off my clothes and checked inside the box.
“Hmm?”
Unusually, what was inside wasn’t a ‘costume’ but ‘armor’.
Upon closer inspection, it looked like the armor that gladiators wear.
What is this?
I thought I rejected the proposal?
Well… the costume doesn’t really matter. It’s probably just that kind of concept. It’s not like they suddenly told me to go out for the main event. Rather, if it’s armor instead of rags, that’s even better. The costumes so far have been fun, but they had no defensive capabilities.
ㅡClatter.
I picked up the armor.
“Ho?”
It was a lamellar guard that extended from the shoulder to the back of the hand. It looked like it would definitely protect both arms, but there was no breastplate to protect the upper body. It was literally armor in the style of a traditional gladiator.
I put the lamellar guards on both arms and secured them with straps. Because it was made of lamellae, it allowed for more freedom of movement than I expected, and the lining was made of a soft material. I felt the weight, but it didn’t hinder my arm movements at all.
Then, I put on long leather boots with iron plates embedded in the shins and insteps, and finally, I wrapped a chain skirt fixed to a belt around my waist.
Today’s protective gear was quite substantial.
“Not bad.”
I put on all the equipment and moved my body.
It was armor with good mobility, as good as my optimal condition.
With this, my arms, protected by the lamellar armor, and my lower body, surrounded by chains and iron plates, would be securely protected. My upper body and head were exposed, but I didn’t really care. It’s always been like that.
I won’t get hurt today.
Good combat power comes from good equipment.
Wearing iron on my body, confidence welled up within me.
I should fight fiercely today.
Now, I just had to wait a bit and enter when my name was called.
“Wearing that kind of attire, you no longer look like a newbie. Gheuheut!”
The gladiator who had been watching me spoke.
“Is that so?”
“I was hoping you’d become one of us soon. Geuhut!”
“Unfortunately. I have a day job.”
“Gheuheuheu… That’s a shame… Gheuheut!”
As always, I couldn’t have a proper conversation with this gladiator. He always laughed like a broken radio. I couldn’t tell if the laughter that permeated the conversation was meant to interrupt the other person’s words or to emphasize his own.
If that laughter had a color, it would probably be purple.
Purple is the color that signifies death.
Well, today is the last day I’ll see this guy’s face.
ㅡBarbarian! Enter!
Soon, it was time for the match. I turned my neck. It cracked. I drew my sword. I leaned the scabbard against the wall and made sure to take the sword with me. I gripped the handle tightly and rotated my wrist.
Good grip.
I waved goodbye to the gladiator and headed towards the surface. The sunlight pouring out from the exit felt like the god Abraxas. If so, was I the bird that would break out of the egg and move forward?
Good. Today, I am Birdman Kim Kat.
A Birdman who will fly to my god by winning, and a Birdman who will sink his beak into the skulls of humans and suck out their brains!
ㅡWaaaaaaah!!
A thunderous roar greeted me.
I stood in the arena.
“Who will oppose meeeㅡ!!!”
My cry pierced through the arena and echoed. This was true Acapella. A voice that overwhelms the world with only the pure sound of a human, without the help of any instruments!
“No no no no no wayㅡ!!!! Today’s Barbarian! Oh my god! He came out wearing normal clothes!!! What is this unbelievable! I can’t believe it!”
The host was shocked to see me in normal attire.
Well, I’ve only worn bizarre clothes so far, never normal clothes like this. I raised my sword high in response.
“Who! Is my! Opponent!”
ㅡClang!
Immediately, the iron bars on the opposite side opened.
Who is today’s opponent! Goblin? Kobold? Gnoll? Anything is fine! Today, I am invincible! No matter who my opponent is, I will not be defeated!
“His opponent is none other than, our longtime executioner, the famousㅡ!!!”
What? Executioner?
“The one-eyed, old Orc!!! Bulverja!!!!!!!!!!”
ㅡWaaaaaaah!
ㅡBulverja! Bulverja!
ㅡOrc! Orc!
I instinctively felt that I was screwed.
“Durbahn, you son of a bitch…”
The cheers of the audience echoed. Emerging from beyond the iron bars, crawling, no, walking out was an Orc with green skin and a burly physique.
“Bulverja! Our idol, famous for executing evil criminals! The evil and merciless Orc! It’s Bulverja!”
Honestly, I had only heard of Orcs, but I had never seen one.
Thud, thud. Finally, the Orc was completely outside the iron bars. My heart turned cold. Escape? I looked back. The iron bars were closed. The arena walls? Too high.
…There was nowhere to run.
“…Shit.”
My chilled body sounded the alarm of death.
“These motherfucking sons of bitches…”
At the same time, the desire for survival soared to the limit.
“Will today be Bulverja’s retirement match?! Executioner Bulverja, who has been executing criminals in the arena for a long time! This old Orc unfortunately lost one eye in the criminal gladiator match held last time!”
The host’s long explanation sounded hollow.
“But oh my god! This old Orc couldn’t overcome the injury and became ill! He was an executioner-Orc, but he’s already old! Perhaps this is a match to send off Bulverja, who is nearing death!”
Did Durbahn trick me?
Or is this the arena’s punishment for rejecting the proposal?
No, in the first place, are Orcs considered low-level monsters?
The contract clearly stated that I would face gnolls, goblins, kobolds, and other weak, small monsters. This is a clear breach of contract. An Orc a weak, small monster?
Bullshit!
But even if I shouted about the contract here, it would be useless.
“Who will win!!!! Will it be the rising star, the Barbarian warrior Kat, or will it be Bulverja, who is old and sick but still our executioner!”
The audience was also excited.
The sound seemed to echo loudly in my ears.
ㅡClang!
The iron bars that had been holding the Orc closed again.
There was no exit.
“Match! Start!”
I’m screwed, I’m really screwed.
I felt that I was seriously screwed. I had never seen an Orc, but I had heard that they were a very strong and cruel race. They look similar to humans, but that’s all they are, monsters.
I raised my head and looked at the Orc in front of me.
Old Orc. One-eyed Orc. Executioner Orc. Sick Orc. His name was Bulverja. He was shorter than me, but the muscles around his broad shoulders still looked strong, and his bulging belly also looked very solid.
Above all, the fangs protruding from his mouth and his sunken nose. He was shorter than me, but it seemed to be because of his hunched posture. Was that just his skeleton? In terms of build, he was about the same as me.
That’s the sick and old Orc?
ㅡThud, thud.
Bulverja slowly walked towards me. In his hand was a solid-looking black club and a sharp, old hand axe. He was wearing only a leather loincloth.
My armament itself was superior. But I had no other information. The urge to run welled up. But there was nowhere to run. The only way to get out of here was to kill that Orc.
That’s how it’s always been.
ㅡGulp.
I swallowed. Anxiety. Anxiety. Anxiety, foreboding.
Fear constricted my body like black tentacles.
Win?
Fight?
Run?
…Shit.
I didn’t even know where to start.
I cautiously backed away, wary of Bulverja’s movements. I couldn’t gauge the distance between us. If he suddenly threw the axe, I would die the moment I made a mistake.
The probing continued. The host was talking, and the audience was shouting.
The Orc also realized that I was hesitating.
Not good.
ㅡThen.
“Squeak!”
The Orc made a noise.
“What? Squeak?! You son of a bitch, did you just say squeak?!”
“Squeak!!”
“You fucking bastard!!”
For some reason, hearing the sound ‘squeak!’ made my rage soar. If Orcs go “squeak!”, then do dragons go “Krrwaaa!” You fucking idiot! Make some sense!
“Kieeeeeeeeeeek!!!”
I also screamed. Good. What’s the point of being scared before the fight? I will win. Am I not the Barbarian Kim Kat, who even cut down the Great Beast of Destruction, the Dryad!
I can win! He’s old, sick, and even lost one eye!
If I lose, I’m dead.
Only the winner can survive here!
Then there’s no other way but to win!
“Squeeeeeak!!!”
Bulverja also roared in response to me.
I gripped my sword tightly and took a stance. I twisted my muscles. I inhaled to the limit. My weapon is my bastard sword. But Bulverja’s weapons are just a black wooden club and a hand axe.
If I’m careful not to let him suddenly throw the hand axe, I can overwhelm him with my weapon. My weapon itself was better. Orcs are also humanoid monsters, so they can’t escape the limitations of the body.
ㅡWhoosh!
I kicked off the ground.
If I’m lacking in strength, I can add speed.
I’ll go head-on.
There’s nothing easier to kill than an opponent who’s cowering in fear. If you want to fight and survive, there’s no other way but to actively rush in and attack. Judging by his reputation as an ‘executioner’, the Orc has more experience in ‘matches’ than me.
But I’m not lacking in ‘real combat’ experience.
My three years have been almost entirely marked by life-or-death struggles with monsters!
“Hwanung!”
I didn’t have a god to call upon, so I just shouted the name of the indigenous Korean god Hwanung. Buddha is there, but he is a pacifist. What about Jesus? I only went to church once when I was in elementary school.
Then it would be right to call on Hwanung.
“Squeeeeeak!!”
I swung my sword.
“Kieeeeeeeeeeek!!!”
Bulverja and I clashed.
