How a Black-Haired Barbarian Survived the Labyrinth in Another World-Chapter 45: How Jung Yu-shin Survives in the Labyrinth City

The early summer night air brushed past Jeong Yushin.

The streets of the shantytown were dark.

Jeong Yushin's heart felt the same way.

The boar beastman approached.

Was his name Trench-nose?

"Skah-nim."

Trench-nose politely handed Jeong Yushin a towel and a new coat.

Jeong Yushin took off his worn-out coat and wiped his body with the towel. The towel was soaked with blood, and the smell of it filled the air.

"Is it mostly cleaned?"

Jeong Yushin handed the towel back and asked.

"Yes."

"Then why did you wait?"

"Aldain-nim told me to wait outside and confirm if Skah-nim was alive, so I’ve been waiting."

"Is that so?"

Trench-nose looked at Jeong Yushin, then quickly lowered his head. His eyes had become darker and more glossy than when Jeong Yushin had first seen him.

"I'll guide you."

"Alright."

The two men left the shantytown. They passed through dark alleys and walked down the brightly lit streets, eventually leaving the eastern checkpoint.

The guards glanced at Jeong Yushin's body but didn’t speak.

Once they reached the central district, Jeong Yushin spoke.

"Go ahead. I need to buy a weapon."

"At this hour?"

"Yes."

Would Ainhopper be there?

Jeong Yushin thought for a moment. He didn’t know if Ainhopper would be there or not. Still, he thought he would try to go to the western blacksmith street.

"I’ll go with you."

"Go first."

"I’ll wait for you at the monster dissection house."

"Alright."

Jeong Yushin watched Trench-nose walk away before continuing on his path.

After a long walk, Jeong Yushin arrived at the blacksmith street. Most of the shops were dark, except for one.

It was Boron’s blacksmith.

Is he still awake?

Jeong Yushin walked toward the blacksmith shop where light was spilling out.

When he opened the door and entered, Boron was sitting in a chair. He had a bandage wrapped around his head.

"Hey?! What’s going on? At this late hour?"

Boron asked in surprise.

"I came to buy a sword."

Jeong Yushin could already sense that nights without a weapon would become unbearable.

Thud! Bang!

The sound of a hammer echoed from beyond the wooden door at the corner of the blacksmith shop.

"Ainhopper?"

"Yeah. He’s a stubborn one."

Boron crossed his arms and clicked his tongue.

"He doesn’t eat, doesn’t sleep, just keeps hammering away. He’ll kill himself at this rate. Huh. I wonder why I took him in."

"Can I watch?"

"Do as you please. But be careful. He has tremors, so sometimes he drops the hammer."

"Yes."

Jeong Yushin walked towards the sound of the hammer.

Screech.

When he opened the door, the heat from the furnace enveloped him.

The warmth and light from the forge filled the room.

Ainhopper was swinging the hammer in front of the anvil.

The hammer struck a red-hot sword.

Sparks flew.

Jeong Yushin slowly sat down at a distance from Ainhopper.

Ainhopper’s face was covered in thick sweat.

The sweat dripped down his forehead, gathered around his eyes, and then flowed down his cheeks.

It almost looked like he was crying.

Jeong Yushin lowered his gaze.

The hammer struck the sword, and sometimes it missed, hitting the anvil instead.

Thud!! Bang!! Thud!!

The strikes weren’t consistent, and the sword was bent this way and that.

It resembled the twisted shape of his own life, beaten by fate. It also mirrored Ainhopper’s state.

One man was tormented by the "darkness" of the dungeon, suffering from madness.

Another was marked by the negative inscription, struggling to live a normal life.

Watching Ainhopper, Jeong Yushin thought.

He had killed 31 people today, and almost killed one more.

Those 31 were beyond redemption, people who deserved to die. He had no regrets.

The problem was Taruman.

If he thought about it more, it was Taruman he had been debating whether or not to kill.

The madness tightened around his heart and scrambled his thoughts.

Thud!! Bang!!

The sound of Ainhopper’s hammer echoed, and Jeong Yushin’s sharp mind began to settle.

Sparks flew again.

Ainhopper was crying. But his hands never stopped. ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) He didn’t give up.

A man who shed tears from the trials given by fate but refused to break.

A man who didn’t stray from the path, holding onto his integrity despite the madness. A man who could be seen as half-crazy.

Thud!! Bang!! Thud!!

As Jeong Yushin watched Ainhopper hammering away, a small light appeared from the dark corner of his mind.

How Dalmong survived in Dungeon City.

How Aldain survived in Dungeon City.

How Ainhopper survived in Dungeon City.

Each had their own way.

Jeong Yushin closed his eyes.

He combined Dalmong’s kindness, Aldain’s coldness, and Ainhopper’s stubbornness.

And then...

He mixed his own resolve into it.

He hammered down the madness, like Ainhopper’s strikes.

Thud!! Thud!! Bang!!

Jeong Yushin slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze, a mixture of clear and murky, flashed in the light of the hearth.

‘Ah.’

Ainhopper had dropped the hammer. It flew towards Jeong Yushin.

He reached out and grabbed the hammer.

"...Skah."

Ainhopper stared at Jeong Yushin blankly.

Jeong Yushin handed the hammer back and said.

"Make me a sword later."

"...Can I even make one?"

Ainhopper’s voice trembled.

"Of course. I believe in you."

Ainhopper’s lips twitched.

The two men stared at each other silently for a long time.

Jeong Yushin stood up.

"I’ll come by from time to time."

"...Alright."

When he opened the door and stepped out, Boron was standing there.

"I need a longsword."

Jeong Yushin said.

Boron glanced at the sword Jeong Yushin was holding.

"Isn’t that a single-edged sword the elves use? You already have a weapon, is it really necessary to buy another?"

"I won’t be using this."

"...Alright."

Boron went to the weapon display and took out a longsword.

"Use this."

"How much?"

"Ten silver coins. What happened to your light armor?"

"It got destroyed."

"Ugh. Come by later to leave it with me. Bring the money then."

"Yes."

Jeong Yushin strapped the longsword to his other side and left the blacksmith shop.

Dawn was approaching.

He walked slowly and arrived at the monster dissection house.

A bonfire was burning in the yard. It was a familiar spot. The place where he and his comrades used to grill meat after finishing work at the dissection house.

Aldain was sitting there.

The boar beastman was nowhere to be seen.

Aldain didn’t move even as Jeong Yushin approached, his eyes fixed on the flames.

"Why did you spare one?"

Aldain spoke.

Instead of answering, Jeong Yushin handed him the sword.

"Just take it."

Aldain glanced at the sword and then returned his gaze to the fire.

"I don’t want it."

"Why?"

"It reeks of blood."

Aldain took the sword Jeong Yushin had handed him.

"Come by often. Show your face. Do some work."

"I will."

"Come closer."

As Jeong Yushin approached, Aldain looked up and gazed into his eyes.

"Annoying eyes you have. Take the coat with you. It suits you well."

Jeong Yushin turned around and left the dissection house.

As he disappeared from view, the boar beastman quietly came to stand behind Aldain.

"That barbaroi never asked what we’re doing. Isn’t he curious?"

Aldain grumbled.

"Would you tell him if he asked?"

"No."

"Skah probably thinks the same."

Aldain turned his head and looked at Trench-nose.

"Why do you keep addressing him with respect?"

"It’s hard to explain. Whether it’s because of his rank or his venom... I don’t know, but it’s hard to meet his eyes. That’s why I can’t help but address him respectfully."

Trench-nose tilted his head and answered.

"Enough of that. How did he fight?"

Aldain asked.

"Well..."

"Why?"

"It was brutal."

"Tell me more."

Trench-nose hesitated but then began recounting the fight in the tavern.

A cup of tea had passed.

"He bit his neck? Are you sure?"

After hearing the story, Aldain scratched his head in disbelief and asked again.

"Yes. He bit the man's neck, chewed through the flesh and bone, then spat it out on the floor."

"Huh."

Aldain let out a strange sigh.

"And then? How did he kill the leader?"

"The leader stabbed Skah in the stomach."

"He stabbed him? What? Hurry up and tell me."

Aldain urged.

"Without batting an eye, he used his... inscribed ability."

Trench-nose stopped and, standing in front of Aldain, demonstrated Jeong Yushin’s movements with exaggerated gestures.

"He shoved a golden dagger into his stomach. Like this. It went in deep."

"..."

"And then?"

"Yes. Skah came closer and grabbed the leader’s mouth and tore it apart."

"Tore it apart? With his bare hands, he pulled it open and tore it?"

"Yes."

"Huh... What? He got stabbed in the stomach, but still went and tore the leader’s mouth apart? He’s completely insane. He’s young, mixed-blood, and I didn’t expect him to fight like that. Is he really a barbaroi? You really didn’t help him?"

Aldain glared at Trench-nose.

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"Yes. I just watched. But what do we do about the remaining slave hunter cells?"

Trench-nose asked.

"Leave them. They’ll scatter on their own. They’re just a bunch of rich idiots. They’re trying to get a foot in Dungeon City because business is tough, but that’s not going to be easy."

"Couldn’t they take action in another way? They’ll try to indirectly influence Dungeon City instead of getting involved directly."

"Even so, they’re just a rolling stone. What’s a stone going to do in a city full of demons? It’ll get crushed. We’ll think about that when the time comes. Go now."

"Yes."

Trench-nose bowed deeply and left the bonfire.

Aldain stroked the red single-edged sword.

"How is it?"

The sword trembled.

"Was it that good? Looks like you’ve found your true soulmate."

Aldain spoke with an amused voice.

"...You want to stay with him? Well, let’s wait a bit. We’ll probably meet again soon."

This fight had likely spread throughout the eastern district.

The demons lurking in the shadows of Dungeon City must have heard about it. All they had to do was wait leisurely, and Skah, tired of Dungeon City’s evil, would soon come into their embrace.

"Younger brother."

Aldain muttered as he stroked the sword.

Beneath the stars at dawn, Jeong Yushin walked alone.

As he walked, he arrived at Dalmong’s inn.

Upon closer inspection, he saw someone kneeling in front of the inn.

A strange, unevenly shaved head.

It was Taruman.

Jeong Yushin walked up to him.

"...I told you to leave."

"I have nowhere to go."

"Are you saying you want to die by my hands?"

"Where else would I go, abandoning my friends? Please take me in."

Taruman looked up.

The man who had been trembling and wetting himself in the tavern was gone.

No.

There was still fear in Taruman’s eyes.

But despite that, love for his friends could be seen.

Could he really not leave his friends behind?

Jeong Yushin lifted his head and looked up at the sky for a moment.

The quiet breeze of the early morning street brushed past him.

‘Dalmong.’

The image of him rushing to his wife’s infidelity stuck in his heart.

Jeong Yushin slowly spoke.

"Do you still have the explorer’s iron token?"

"Yes."

"Give it to me."

"Eh?"

"Hand me the token."

Taruman rummaged through his clothes and pulled out the token.

Jeong Yushin took the token and placed it in his pocket.

"I won’t ask how you got here. Work here."

It was probably Aldain who sent him. Was he trying to leave him as a contact? It didn’t matter.

"Yes."

"If you pull any more crap, one of us will die. Understand?"

The color drained from Taruman’s face at Jeong Yushin’s warning.

"...Yes."

Taruman barely opened his mouth and responded.

"Can you cook?"

"I can cook a little."

"Alright. Get your hair cut. I don’t know who shaved it, but it’s disgusting."

"Yes."

"Good. I like seeing you try to redeem yourself."

"Thank you."

Jeong Yushin paused for a moment, tilting his head.

"...Now that I think about it, it pisses me off. Stand outside a bit longer and come back in."

"..."

Jeong Yushin patted Taruman’s shoulder once and entered Dalmong’s inn.

The first light of dawn began to appear in the dark street.