Barbarian in a Failed Game

As expected, Kurtank accepted the proposal. In truth, when speaking with Kurtank, Khan wasn’t focused on the demonkin generals themselves, but on Kurtank’s emotions as she spoke about them.

‘It’s not a deep red, but it’s still red. It means she’s not exactly friendly towards them.’

To be more precise. When talking about the demonkin generals, the emotion was red, but when referring to ‘him’ who assembled the demonkin generals, fear subtly crept in.

She had enmity towards her fellow demonkin generals but held absolute recognition and fear towards their leader. To dilute that anxiety, the solution was straightforward.

‘Show them something grand and undeniable.’

Moreover, causing a ruckus within the Blood Domain through Kurtank would eventually impact Aecharis’s pursuers when they arrive.

“…But it won’t be easy. As much as I hate to admit it, each demonkin general is a formidable opponent. Plus, they can resist my power for a short time. That wretched shield man is completely immune to attacks.”

“That sturdy one is your watchdog?”

“Yes. Tenel, the Shield of the Blood King. In the central region, he’s known as the fortress wall protecting the Blood King.”

When Kurtank spoke about Tenel, her emotions were closer to unease rather than fear or hostility.

“If it were one-on-one, I could use my subordinates as bait, and with time, bring them under my control. But to fully dominate, it takes quite a while. Tenel… will surely continue to disrupt and ignore all attacks during that time. He has an impenetrable armor that nullifies any attack.”

However, all of her subordinates had already been dealt with by Khan. In other words, to take on Tenel, Khan would have to handle multiple demonkin generals, including Tenel, simultaneously.

And to honor the agreement with Kurtank, he’d have to subdue them alive.

“Can you really do it? From my point of view, gaining control over the demonkin generals would be ideal. But even without ‘him’ in the central region, I stayed still because of the strength of each demonkin general.”

Kurtank’s six tails swayed uneasily, reflecting her anxiety. It meant the power of the demonkin generals was immense enough to make her uneasy even after witnessing Khan’s strength.

However, Khan didn’t use words to soothe her fears.

“Whether it’s possible or not, you’ll see for yourself.”

“What are you going to do…?”

Khan, smiling faintly at Kurtank’s question, stood up.

“It’d be best if they were all gathered in one place.”

That way, it would be more convenient to deal with them.

***

On the outskirts of the Blood Domain, at Residence No. 1, a group made its appearance in the most bustling of the outskirt settlements.

There was Yoro, a demonkin with an appearance resembling a bald black helmet, Tulkan, a demonkin with rocky skin and a massive physique, and Khan, a barbarian with a smaller frame compared to demonkins but harboring the strength of a giant.

Lastly,

“Lord Kurtank…”

“Everyone, get inside! She’ll control us all!”

“But where have all her many subordinates gone…?”

Kurtank was a being who, due to her unique abilities, was viewed with suspicion not only by ordinary demonkins but also by fellow demonkin generals. With a human-like body, the face of a fox, and six tails, she was a demonkin general none could ignore.

Most demonkins in Residence No. 1 displayed similar emotions at her arrival. Fear of being controlled by her powers. Or curiosity about the absence of the subordinates she usually flaunted with pride.

“You’re quite famous.”

“Shut up…! Whose fault do you think this is?”

“Mine, perhaps?”

“You make me look like a defeated commander who lost all her subordinates!”

It was clear that Khan and Kurtank, with their heightened senses, heard all the mutterings around them. While Yoro, the real-time interpreter, couldn’t translate every single conversation among the dispersed crowd, Khan could still pick up on the general atmosphere.

‘Most seem filled with fear.’

Although Kurtank seemed accustomed to it and largely unfazed, Khan noticed and empathized with her underlying weariness.

“Hyungnim.”

He noticed Tulkan’s conspicuously nervous behavior.

“Are you really going through with this? This… This is making my blood boil…! Ha. Hahaha!”

“Lord Tulkan, your laughter sounds a bit awkward.”

“Shut up…!”

Even though Yoro, now almost like a constant companion, joked with Tulkan, his tension did not ease. After all, Tulkan, who was used to being the leader of a remote town, was suddenly thrust into a grand scheme—his reaction was understandable.

‘Yoro. That guy is the strange one.’

In contrast, Yoro’s calm demeanor despite joking with the visibly tense Tulkan was striking. His extensive knowledge and conspicuous nonchalance made him suspicious in an odd way.

If Khan noticed anything off about Yoro’s aura, he would have taken action despite losing the real-time translation capability.

“So, we’ve made it to Residence No. 1, but… are you really going through with the plan? No matter how I think about it, it seems impossible…”

“Just watch quietly. If you’re bored, keep those two in check.”

“You talk too much….”

Though she had followed him this far, Kurtank still eyed Khan’s back with a mixture of skepticism.

After all, the plan he proposed seemed incredibly far-fetched.

‘Crush them with force…?’

Indeed, Khan’s strength was beyond what a typical demonkin general could handle.

Even without considering her disadvantage due to her charm abilities being ineffective, the fact that Khan single-handedly obliterated her subordinates was proof enough.

But dealing with multiple demonkin generals — especially those as powerful as Tenel — simultaneously was a whole different matter.

‘However, if he succeeds, it’s definitive proof.’

If he could really manage it, then the man residing at the central region, the ‘Blood King,’ would have a rival strong enough to challenge him. This meant that Kurtank could bet her life for a significant gain.

‘It’s not the time yet.’

Currently, Kurtank was following Khan partly because she needed more capable subordinates urgently, aside from just being leashed by him.

Many demonkin generals saw her as a thorn in their side due to her charm abilities. But once Khan proved his caliber, Kurtank might start seeing him as the new Blood King.

To do that—

‘I’ll just watch for now. Let’s see how he handles those numerous demonkin generals and Tenel.’

***

Given that Kurtank still maintained her status as a demonkin general, entering the castle wasn’t particularly difficult.

“Who are those demonkins?”

“They’re new subordinates I’ve taken in. Do I need to report every single detail?”

“Oh, no, apologies.”

There was some commotion due to the suspicious company she brought, but her mild annoyance quickly resolved it. It was clear her charm abilities were feared even within the same legion.

“Tenel likely received word the moment I appeared at the residence. This is probably just a formality.”

“So, there’s a chance they’re already gathered together.”

“Likely. They don’t want to face me separately because they fear my abilities so much.”

Kurtank shared information while sneering, as they walked through the long corridor.

“There are four demonkin generals stationed in the castle. If one that was out on a mission has returned, it might be five. Including their subordinates, the number could be quite significant. But given their awareness of my presence, they wouldn’t have brought too many. Practically, the enemies you’ll face should be countable on one hand.”

Kurtank, who usually swayed her tails, stiffened them as she began to talk about the most cautious subject — Tenel.

“Tenel. His greatest weapon is his armor that can block even the powers of demonkins. And you must never… never let him bleed. The Blood King and his confidant demonkin generals can control—”

“That sounds interesting.”

It was Khan who interrupted Kurtank, almost as if telling her to just watch.

Clunk.

At the end of the corridor, a massive iron door swung open on its own. Inside, demonkin generals had gathered to welcome Kurtank.

“Did the mission go smoothly? I hear you lost most of your subordinates…”

At the head of the room, a massive figure covered in dark brown armor resembling an insect’s exoskeleton with a prominent horn on its forehead — Tenel, the Shield of the Blood King — mocked Kurtank with a voice that mixed with the sound of clashing metal.

“So, you picked up those worthless creatures?”

“Tenel… How dare you set me up!”

“Set you up? I merely conveyed orders from the central legion. And so what if it was a trap?”

Kahahaha!

The demonkin generals around him burst into laughter, colluding with Tenel’s mockery. All four demonkin generals, each with massive builds and diverse appearances reminiscent of Greenskin warriors, joined in.

“You couldn’t handle me even with all your subordinates. Do you now intend to challenge me?”

Boom.

As the giant Tenel stood up, a heavy pressure filled the room.

“Feel free to try. I doubt your feeble claws could even scratch my armor.”

“Hahaha…! Lord Tenel, that’s too harsh! That armor is renowned for being impenetrable even by demonkins! It’s a bit much for Lady Kurtank, who can only control others.”

“Hmm. Lady Kurtank, your remarks were rather excessive towards someone of Lord Tenel’s stature. You should apologize.”

Grit.

Kurtank ground her teeth. It was bad enough that Tenel had always been an enemy. But her other comrades, who usually feared her, now sided with Tenel because her subordinates were gone.

The message was clear: without her many subordinates, she was no longer a threat.

“Or how about using those weaklings to fight Lord Tenel? They look like new slaves. Quite a strong-looking bunch.”

“Kuhuhu. Look at those twig-like arms. They’d snap with a flick.”

The mockery from the demonkin generals extended beyond Kurtank to her “new slaves”. The most plain-looking among them, the gray-skinned demonkin Khan, became the focal point of their ridicule.

“How about a little bet? Do you think this weakling’s body will break if I snap my fingers?”

A demonkin general rose from his seat and approached Khan. This demonkin general, standing almost twice Khan’s height with grotesquely thick arms, used his sheer strength as his main weapon.

‘This is a good chance to make an impression.’

He was a demonkin who had ascended to the rank of general through his overwhelming physical power. Even Tenel, with his famed armor, wasn’t confident in matching his brute strength.

The other demonkin generals laughed heartily, and even Tenel seemed to chuckle within his armor.

“Hey, slave. I’ll snap my fingers. Try to withstand it without breaking.”

The demonkin general casually lifted a finger as thick as a person’s torso and glanced at Kurtank. It was an unspoken signal, urging her to surrender to Tenel if she didn’t want to lose another subordinate.

However, he realized too late that this was a grave mistake.

“Gaaahhh—!”

Not until both his enormous arms were ripped off.

“One down.”

Khan tossed the massive arms of the demonkin general onto the ground with a fierce smile, stepping forward. Simultaneously, he revealed his most decisive move.

『Giant’s Strength (S)』

‘I’ll finish this quickly.’

Boom—!!