Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 551

Day 103 of entering the labyrinth.

It was a time when the number of days spent inside had exceeded three digits. It was about time to temporarily stop the library grind.

From now on, I had to go to the rocky island and welcome the newbies.

‘If some decent ones come in, I might be able to aim for the books higher up.’

Even now, summoning books would bring out four or five level 3 monsters, and sometimes a level 2 would be mixed in. Well, if the combination was good, I could manage to catch them once or twice, but… It was no longer possible to catch them as smoothly as a factory running.

I had to play the role of a tank and engage in long battles, and after each battle, I had to take long breaks to recover the resources I had consumed.

‘Last time, someone almost died, too…’

Anyway, in that sense, increasing the number of people was not an option but a necessity.

As I was organizing the campsite and getting ready to leave, I felt a gaze from afar. When I turned my head in that direction, I saw Hamsik staring at me from a distance.

[Are you leaving…?]

Hamsik spoke, looking at his stern toes as I approached.

Our first meeting was a bit rough, but as a result, we became friends, and he kept me company while hunting in the library, so it seemed like we had grown fond of each other.

“Ah, don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. I’m not leaving the golden books behind, am I?”

[But, you’re taking my fountain pen with you…!]

“Hey, friends let small things slide. Got it?”

[……]

“No, I’m really saying I’ll be back soon.”

[Wh, who said I’d be waiting? Don’t ever come back! It’s much more comfortable without people like you! Quiet!]

Heh, he’s doing it again.

I just let Hamsik’s insincere words pass through one ear, like a true barbarian.

“Baron, everyone is ready!”

“Okay? I understand.”

Soon, the preparations to leave the library were complete, but for some reason, I couldn’t easily take my feet off the ground.

[……]

“Hey, Hamsik.”

[…Why?]

“While I’m gone, make sure to organize the books well. Even if you’re not hungry, eat the jerky I gave you when it’s time. And if any strange guys show up, never show your face, and hide behind the bookshelf and wait until I come—”

[Am I a kid! Stop talking nonsense and leave if you’re going to go!]

No, even if you say that.

Huh… Why am I so worried?

Was it actually me who grew fond of him in the meantime?

“Then… I’m going, Hamsik…”

[…Yeah.]

“I’ll be back soon.”

[…Yeah.]

I forced my feet, which wouldn’t move, and turned my back. And I passed through the members who were watching us from afar.

Swoosh.

The members cleared the way so I could be at the front. As I went up the stairs first, the members followed behind me in formation, and the movement began.

After getting out of the island, we boarded the summoned ship, and a few hours later, we arrived at the rocky island.

“It doesn’t seem like anyone has been here.”

I came early just in case, but as expected, no explorers had come down to the first basement floor before we arrived.

Well, it’s only been three days since the labyrinth opened. It would be physically impossible to finish farming on the third floor and come back down to the first floor in that time.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just wondering if Hamsik is doing okay.”

“I’m a little curious about how exactly he looks in your eyes… I can’t seem to approach him because of how he looks…”

“How did you say he looked?”

“…A wizard. He’s holding a skull staff, and he makes terrible noises with a more wicked appearance than a lich.”

Ah, that’s what you said.

I just let it pass at the time, but now that I have accumulated several samples, I think about it.

‘A wicked wizard with a skull staff…’

Isn’t that an imaginary figure created by combining a corpse collector and a destruction scholar? Of course, I didn’t say it out loud.

“Um… Baron, would it be okay to take the members to the beach?”

“The beach?”

“Well… there are various things floating in the sea, right? I was thinking of picking up some of that during our free time…”

“Do as you please. Anyway, there’s nothing to do but wait for a while.”

When some explorers, who were bored with the waiting time, took the lead, other members, who were watching, joined one by one and left for the beach to pick up scraps.

It seemed that the fact that I had picked up level 3 equipment during a voyage in the past had a big impact. Since then, a rumor started spreading among us.

That we might hit the jackpot if we were lucky. That it might be possible to pick up equipment used by ancient heroes if we were lucky.

‘Well, if you’re really lucky, there might be such a jackpot…’

Frankly speaking, I was skeptical. I had traveled to so many places, but the most valuable thing I had found was the level 3 armor I had picked up recently.

‘Later, when the first basement floor is properly opened, won’t there be guys who specialize in picking up scraps?’

Well, it seems inefficient to me, but I thought such a group would appear.

The rocky island itself doesn’t have any monsters. If you can avoid the rainy season in time, doing a grind here could be a source of income.

‘But time really isn’t going by…’

After sitting at the starting point and chatting all day, I couldn’t overcome the boredom and eventually went to the beach to pick up scraps with the members.

And how much time had passed?

One day, two days, three days… It was almost the end of the 107th day. In other words, there were only a few hours left until the first floor was closed.

‘…There’s no way they wouldn’t come this far. Did the royal family do something? To prevent them from coming down?’

Such anxiety began to creep in. I had been expecting skilled newbies to come in this time, since I had thrown so many hints.

‘If they haven’t come by now… something must have happened up there.’

Tsk, then do we have to continue the attack with just us this time, without any newbies?

I was just looking at the clock, thinking such thoughts, when it happened.

Whoooosh-!

“Portals! Portals have opened!”

Newbies entered as dozens of portals opened.

***

How to handle the newly arrived newbies. I wasn’t too worried about that. First, I would tell them about the first basement floor, take them around, and make them realize that the first basement floor was not an easy place. Then, I would just make a slave contract with them.

But…

‘Hah, no one came down until the last day for a reason.’

The moment I saw the newbies who had come in this round, I had to admit it right away. That they were opponents that could never be dealt with in that way.

“Rebuild formation!”

“Rebuild!”

I sighed as I watched the group, who had landed on the first basement floor and immediately began to form a formation solemnly and with precision.

‘This is the worst-case scenario.’

Too many priests to be a typical clan. A magic corps with unified uniforms. And even a group of knights wearing sleek plate armor.

The job groups were largely divided into three, but they all had one thing in common.

“Nia Lapdonia…!”

They had the royal family’s emblem engraved on their chests.

As soon as the formation was complete, a man who seemed to be their commander approached me at a brisk pace and saluted.

“It is a sincere honor to meet you, Baron Yandel! I never expected to meet you so soon. I’m so glad you’re alive!”

“Who are you…?”

“Ah, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Jilren Evost, from the 1st Royal Knights Order.”

“What is your relationship with Baron Evost?”

“He is my older brother.”

Huh, still, the good news is that the commander’s status isn’t that high. He’s not the baron himself, but his younger brother. If I play my cards right, I might be able to suppress him with my baron title…

“Ah, and I am currently temporarily serving as the vice-commander of this expeditionary force.”

That hope was shattered by that one sentence.

“Vice-commander…?”

“Yes. Would you please step back for a moment? The second expeditionary force will be entering soon.”

I was stunned and stepped back for a moment.

Whoooosh-!

Once again, dozens of portals opened in the sky, and dozens of expeditionary forces entered the first basement floor. And that happened twice with a time difference.

’60 people came in three times…’

180 people. A force of a scale that was more suitable to be called an ‘expeditionary force’ rather than an expedition team.

However, the real problem was something else.

“Nia Lapdonia! The entire 180-member expeditionary force, under the royal command, reports that they have safely entered the destination, Commander!”

“Currently, no threatening presence has been detected in the vicinity, and Baron Bjorn Yandel, the primary target of the current mission, has been found. The total number is 38, and except for the seven members of the Anabada clan, the rest are presumed to be members of the Hextz clan and the Armin expedition team who entered in the first and second waves!”

“I see.”

The commander, with skin as white as a ghost, walked towards me, his silver hair swaying. It was a very familiar face. Of course, he had aged about 20 years compared to when he was full of youth.

“I remember only seeing you from afar during the investiture ceremony, and not having a chance to greet you.”

The leader of the 1st Royal Knights Order. The royal family’s executor, known as the Knight of Light, and…

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Baron Yandel. I am Jerome Saintred.”

The very guy I had met during my time in Noark 20 years ago, when he was active with an iron mask, and had various incidents with.

“Y-yes… It’s nice to meet you! Nice to meet you! Hey, I’m Bjorn, Baron Yandel’s son!”

…He wouldn’t recognize me, right?

***

As the saying goes, a thief is always afraid of his own shadow.

Thump-thump-thump-!

Even though I thought there was no way he could recognize me, my heart started beating like crazy.

“…Baron Yandel’s son? Your introduction is quite unique.”

Okay, it doesn’t seem like he’s noticed anything yet… Hah, I was so flustered earlier that I just blurted out whatever came to mind.

“I often hear that I’m unique.”

After giving a calm, barbarian-like answer, I worked hard to sort out the situation.

Jerome Saintred. That guy who came down to Noark more than 20 years ago, aiming for the fragments of the record, and had a fight with me. Regardless of the anxiety of whether this guy recognized me or not, the situation was close to the worst.

Because this guy has the title of Count. In other words, it meant that suppressing him with my title was fundamentally blocked…

‘I never thought they would send such a big shot to a place where the escape method isn’t even properly known.’

It was a move that didn’t seem like the royal family at all. So, I naturally thought that they would watch the situation with their hands behind their backs this time as well.

“Haha, anyway, it’s so nice to meet a fellow countryman in a place like this! Is everything okay in the city?”

“The city? The city is naturally well protected under the protection of the royal family…”

“That’s great! Then we’ll be on our way. You guys explore well too! Take care! What are you all doing? Aren’t you getting ready to leave?”

As I naturally said goodbye and turned my back, he appeared in front of me as if he had teleported, blocking my way. It was the level 3 movement skill [Gate of Light] that I had seen back then.

“Baron, where are you going now?”

“Ah… I’m hungry…”

“It seems I was not considerate enough. You might have run out of food, but don’t worry now. We have enough supplies.”

Right, they’re not going to let me run away like this, are they? I dropped my playful attitude and lowered my voice.

“Count Saintred, get out of my way.”

A cold attitude that clearly distinguished between public and private matters. However, he continued to speak without being bothered by my momentum.

“I cannot do that. The Baron is the first explorer to enter the unknown floor, and one of the goals of our expeditionary force is to rescue the Baron.”

“Well, it’s not like anyone asked to be rescued.”

“The Baron is a precious treasure of our kingdom. Please understand how big of a loss it would be to lose the Baron.”

“So? What are you going to do?”

I asked directly.

“Are you going to forcibly conscript me, who is also the leader of a clan, into the expeditionary force? What right do you have?”

I spoke in a sarcastic tone, but he didn’t show any signs of being upset and instead smiled.

“To get to the point, I do not have the right to forcibly conscript the Baron into the military. There is a law that grants the right to force explorers in disaster situations, but it cannot be applied to the Baron, who is a noble of the kingdom. However…”

He took out a scroll from his chest as if he had anticipated my objection. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it.

“This is a royal decree.”

In short, no matter what was written on that paper, if I didn’t follow it, I would be branded as a traitor…

“Bjorn Yandel, Baron of Lapdonia, listen.”

He unfolded the scroll and read the contents in a solemn voice.

“It is a chaotic day when wicked traitors are rampant. It is beyond doubt that the light of the royal family will protect this beautiful city and its people forever, but it would be a great loss to this city if talented people, who believe in false rumors, become blinded by greed and disappear in vain.”

The preamble was long, as it was a royal document, the highest form of etiquette.

“Therefore, as a monarch, I have decided that I cannot stand idly by, and thus, I am sending out an expeditionary force…”

In the end, to summarize the key points, it was like this.

“Baron Bjorn Yandel is to join the 1st expeditionary force and explore the uncharted areas thoroughly ‘under the command’ of Commander Jerome Saintred, and find a way to return to the city.”

Uh oh, I’m really screwed.