I Became a Barbarian Warrior Who Hid His Face in a World Where Everything Was Reversed – Chapter 346

Lost History of Portal Magic.

The words of the arrogant demon worshiper gave me a clue.

‘The King’s portal magic from the Great War era.’

Without needing to revisit the Puppeteer’s memories or Princess lncelia’s words, it was a clear fact.

The portal magic technology, once so advanced that it could establish portals for managing the labyrinth, had become a rare magic with few users.

“Isn’t it a waste? Portal magic holds countless possibilities.”

The arrogant demon worshiper, lgnorion, lamented this reality.

“Humanity clearly had the potential to wield the immense power of space-time. But with the death of a single genius, it has  fallen into ruin like this.”

Perhaps even developing portals to travel to pasts in other dimensions, portal magic gradually declined after the death of the King during the Great War.

Simply because it was too difficult and complicated to use.

[LV.63 lgnorion]

[Current Blessings and Curses possessed by lgnorion: 2]

♦[     Blessing of Dimensional Travel]

-Allows the use of portal magic.

-Prevents the use of any magic other than portal magic.

-The types of portal magic that can be

used are proportional to the understanding of portal magic.

-Current understanding of portal magic:

53%]

Balkan, who had grown stronger, could now see one of lgnorion’s blessings.

A blessing with no stat bonuses and a massive penalty of being unable to use other magic.

Even Ellie, who could open portals more naturally and for longer, had a portal magic understanding of only around 50%.

This was proof that portal magic was a difficult field of study, and that lgnorion was not the genius she claimed to be. “The world can only regain that dazzling power if there is an arrogant and noble genius, so uniquely talented as to make hundreds of geniuses look like ordinary people.”

lgnorion’s eyes turned to Ellie.

“Ah, beautiful… a jewel of talent. A child tens of times more beautiful than my peacock feathers…”

lgnorion said, shuddering her peacock feathers all over her body.

A genius had appeared who, despite being an ordinary person who couldn’t perfectly master portal magic even with a blessing, was making every effort to not only imitate portal magic after seeing it once, but to use it more perfectly.

A situation that would normally lead to frustration and despair.

But the woman, who had been waiting for the emergence of such a genius for a long time, felt different.

“Come with me. Child with jewel-like talent.

If your talent and my knowledge combine, we can bring back the golden age of portal magic within decades…!”

“Ew… no thanks.”

What?”

lgnorion, who was about to perform a peacock dance of courtship with a face lost in ecstasy, stared blankly at Ellie’s disgusted expression.

Regardless, Ellie continued in an unpleasant voice.

“Who would follow a demon worshiper who asks them to come along? Even little kids might fall for kidnappers who wave candy, but they wouldn’t fall for demon worshipers.”

“And I’m the youngest royal magician. My life was on a smooth path even before I handled portal magic.”

“Besides, decades… Ha. You want me to spend that long researching magic in a creepy hideout without my brother? I’d rather be stuck in the academy as a research slave for professors.”

“Ah, no, that… ”

“And the reason I research portal magic is 80% because my brother asks me to and praises me whenever there’s progress, and the other 20% is royal support and other things. The golden age of portal magic? Honestly, I’m not that interested.”

“Ha, I’m already tired and struggling, so annoying… My brother said he’d carefully wrap meat and feed it to me and stamp my butt with praise stamps today. Don’t even think about interfering, just go away. Oh, and let Jubel go.”

Silence.

The arrogant demon worshiper who tried to persuade Ellie, Ellie herself, and us who were watching were all engulfed in silence. Ellie, who had graduated at the top of the academy and rejected numerous professors’ calls, spat out merciless contempt even at the demon worshiper. “…Good job, Ellie.”

“Oh, really…? Hehe.”

As I praised Ellie and patted her head, she scratched her cheek with a shy smile.

In a situation where an ordinary person might be terrified and panicked, she was confidently expressing her opinion, and I thought she had grown considerably. ‘From the beginning, she had no intention of cooperating with the demon worshiper.’ Didn’t the guy just state his purpose?

The arrogant demon worshiper, lgnorion, was trying to bring back the golden age of portal magic that transcended space-time. ‘Then, where would that powerful force be used?’

Grinding…

II        II

• • •

Looking at the guy grinding his teeth while looking at Ellie, who had mercilessly rejected his proposal, it was clear that his intentions were not good.

Besides, I had experience dealing with demon worshipers until now.

Bell and Lilith, who I somehow got to join, and the demon worshipers of Jealousy and Wrath who I had opposed…

None of them were right in the head, and something was missing somewhere.

And there was a high probability that the peacock man in front of me was also missing a screw or two.

As expected.

“…I see.”

The guy muttered in a gloomy voice.

“Even with such a kind invitation, you reject the proposal…”

He said it was a kind gesture, even though he was holding Jubel hostage, which was practically a hostage exchange.

“Even if your ability to handle magic is genius-like, your experience may be lacking. I understand. But someday you will regret this decision.”

“Regret my ass.”

Swish!

Balkan, who had solidified his judgment based on Ellie’s claims, drew his axe.

I have no intention of handing over Ellie, who is my benefactor’s adopted daughter and lover, my first experience, the woman I have vowed to take responsibility for, and who may become my daughter, to a sinister demon worshiper.

Wham!

Balkan kicked off the ground and ran out, immediately swinging his axe horizontally. Whoosh!

The axe blade cut through the wind and instantly reached the peacock man’s vicinity.

Clang!

As expected of a demon worshiper, he didn’t go down easily.

The peacock man’s soft wings became as hard as steel, and they were combined into dozens of layers to block the heavy blow. But Balkan’s aim was not lgnorion’s neck. “Nice!”

Taking advantage of the gap where lgnorion’s concentration was focused on defense, Jubel, who had been taken hostage, escaped and swung her curved sword as if slashing the air.

The curved sword, which had seeped

through the gaps in the heavy axe strike, accurately aimed for the gaps in lgnorion’s wings.

Swish!

Red blood splattered on the labyrinth floor. “Ugh…!”

lgnorion, whose arm was slightly cut, gathered mana with an enraged expression and spread his peacock wings wide.

Whoosh!

The peacock’s wing feathers fluttered and were instantly shot in all directions.

It felt like a hand grenade had exploded right in front of me.

Balkan instinctively realized. I can’t avoid this.

But there’s no reason to avoid it.

The Jirnian armor mixed with the Black Dragon’s claws would block all those attacks without a single scratch.

The problem was the countless civilians behind me.

Civilians who were not explorers would

have their limbs torn apart even if they were grazed by a single feather containing immense mana.

But, there was no need to worry about that either.

Thud!

As if time had stopped, dozens of feathers that were flying explosively were all frozen in mid-air.

At the end of the feathers that had flown at high speed, there was a thin magic thread woven.

“Ugh…! I can’t hold it for long, Master!”

I praised Densi, who had stopped lgnorion’s struggle with the power of the Puppeteer, and kicked off the ground.

The distance was closing in an instant.

The arrogant demon worshiper’s head was caught in the crosshairs.

Crack!

I felt the sensation of piercing something at my fingertips, but…

“You little-”

Balkan frowned as he looked at the target his axe was stuck in.

“Haha! You fell for it!!”

lgnorion smiled bitterly and raised the corners of his mouth.

The extra-large axe was stuck not in lgnorion’s head, but in the portal that had appeared right next to her.

She had opened the portal just before being hit by the axe.

Moreover, from the axe blade that was half­ buried in the portal magic, I could feel the pulse of a huge creature.

“Damn it. How are we supposed to break through if you block attacks like that…!” Jubel shouted, taking a step back in horror. The cow beastman’s gaze was slowly directed towards the leader’s axe blade emerging from the portal.

Balkan hadn’t directly retrieved the axe. Something trying to get out of the portal was pushing the axe out.

Soon, the appearance of that huge creature began to emerge from the portal. Skin covered in black, shimmering scales.

Eyes and huge horns and wings that were split like a lizard and glistening.

Even Jirnian, called the Master Blacksmith

of the Depths, boasted that the claws of that monster, which he had mixed into the armor, were a precious material.

A huge dragon that had forced its way through the narrow portal to punish those who had scarred its scales.

Only two floors above the 34th floor, the end of the labyrinth.

A monster that was the boss of the 32nd floor.

11Krrrrrrrrrr !!!!11

As the roar of the enraged Black Dragon echoed loudly, the labyrinth trembled as if an earthquake had occurred.

The moment it appeared on the 10th floor, the atmosphere of the labyrinth changed.

The Black Dragon’s eyes turned to the insignificant being wearing armor made of its own claws. “Ellie!!!”

Balkan shouted urgently, making eye contact with the Black Dragon.

“Use portal magic to escape with the injured!! Rubia and Jubel, protect Ellie! The rest of the party, buy time against the Black Dragon!”

“W-Wait a minute! What about you, Brother

 

“Hurry!”

Balkan shouted, dismissing Ellie’s question. There was no time to delay.

Kaaaaaangn

Balkan blocked the claws swung by the huge Black Dragon, which was dozens of times larger than a wyvern and filled the 10th floor, which was a single cave-like structure, with his axe.

“Brothern!”

The blow, which contained overwhelming mass, was no different from a destructive attack magic in itself.

Boom!! Ptooey!

Balkan, who was sent flying by the Black Dragon’s gesture and crashed into the labyrinth wall, opened the mouth hole of his helmet and spat out blood as he got up. Balkan, who had cleanly recovered from the concussion and internal injuries with divine power, raised his head and glared at the peacock man standing behind the dragon.

“Hey, can you handle this? Summoning a

Black Dragon to just the 10th floor?” “Even the Sloth Worshiper can’t control a Black Dragon-level monster, so how could I? So I’m going to run away.”

lgnorion had only opened a portal to the Black Dragon’s nest on the 32nd floor and induced the attack to be directed at the

 

Black Dragon.

It was like calling in a strategic weapon just to seize an opportunity to catch a single talent.

“You’re a real piece of shit.”

“Thank you for the compliment. I have to do this much to get the talent I’ve discovered in decades.”

“Hahaha!”

Balkan let out a hollow laugh as he looked at the arrogant demon worshiper who was already preparing to open portal magic and run away.

‘I was too arrogant.’

I didn’t think he was the kind of guy who could do something like this.

But maybe it was thanks to being hit by the Black Dragon’s claws and even spitting out blood.

Balkan’s thoughts were clearer than ever. Fight!

 

Adrenaline was boiling in his whole body, and the male instinct shouted only one word intensely.

Fight! Fight!

Fight and protect no matter how strong the enemy.

Protect your family, your lover, all your precious people!

Fight and kill all those who try to take and steal your things!

Swish!

The male in black armor instinctively raised his axe.

[You’re going to have a hard time.]

The demon trapped in the axe looked at the Black Dragon and laughed lowly. [Let’s have a hard time together.] [Hmph.]

Bernie snorted at the nonchalant reply and answered casually.

[I was going to do that from the beginning.]

The warrior’s axe blade, which had suddenly begun to exude a savage atmosphere.

Swoosh!!!

It was swung at the Black Dragon, who was arrogantly looking down at the insignificant being.