Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 587

Knowledge is a precious asset to an explorer. That’s why they never give away their experiences or the information they’ve gained for free. Ah, of course, it’s not like they’re being petty. It’s because a culture that takes it for granted is so widespread in the explorer industry… Great navigator Peakma, abyss seeker Rimenin, etc. The reason why those called great figures are respected by all is largely due to this. They not only achieved great feats but also lived a life of generously giving and sharing their own for the public good. Anyway, in that sense… ‘Okay, now that we’re inside, let’s briefly go over the guardian we’re going to deal with this time—’ I cut off Raven, who had become elated as soon as we crossed the portal. “You don’t need to explain.” “Yes? But you said you needed me earlier?” Raven seemed flustered by my words. Did she think I meant I needed her knowledge? No wonder her little, skinny shoulders went up so high as soon as she heard me. “Raven, the reason I needed you was different.” “…What is it?” A somewhat sulky voice. But since she was a colleague I’d spent a long time with, I could immediately tell that she was pretending to be upset because she was embarrassed. Well, she did seem genuinely angry after that. “Isn’t this an opportunity to get the essence of a 5th-floor guardian? Of course, I have to put it in a test tube.” “…What?” A cold voice echoed after a long pause. At this, I quickly continued, as if making an excuse. “And out of all the mages I know, you’re the most trustworthy, Raven.” “…What are you talking about? What about Bersil Gowland? You seem to get along well with him too? I heard he’s practically acting as the vice-captain?” “But being able to trust someone with your back is a different matter.” “Hmm… Is that so?” Fortunately, Raven’s expression softened again. It was a mystery. It’s okay for the others to be serious, but why does she make my spine tingle like this? She’s the smallest one too. While I was pondering this, Raven muttered in a logical tone. “Well, I guess that could be true. Gowland doesn’t know about your identity, does he? So it must be difficult for Yandel to act freely.” Well, one thing is clear, if she took an MBTI test [Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality test], she would definitely get a T— [Thinking type]. “Unlike me, that is.” “…Huh?” “No, it’s just that. Don’t think anything weird. It’s just… it’s the truth, isn’t it?” “Well… it’s certainly not wrong.” In reality, Bersil doesn’t know that I’m a player. Besides, Bersil is from the modern era, so unlike pureblood mages, he’s terrible at research, and his perspective and way of thinking are different. That’s why I chose Raven. One player’s way of thinking is enough, so I needed a local’s perspective. “Anyway, can we get to the main point now?” “Okay.” After that, Raven and I stayed at the starting point and talked about the boss fight ahead. Mostly, I would speak, and Raven would ask questions, and then after hearing the answers, she would either understand or be amazed. “I never would have thought there was such a method… Is that knowledge from your world too?” Strictly speaking, it’s not from this world, but rather my knowledge gained from dedicating my 20s. “…Something like that.” “That’s… a very insincere answer.” “What are you talking about? I’m always sincere.” “Then that’s a relief. Anyway… since we have plenty of time, tell me more about your world.” A request I received just as I was about to start moving. Since I’ve received a lot from Raven, it was a little difficult to flatly refuse. “It’s not hard to talk about it… but why all of a sudden?” “It’s not sudden, I’ve been curious all along. But until now, there hasn’t been an opportunity for just the two of us to be alone…” True, it’s a bit nerve-wracking to have this kind of conversation outside. So even if she was curious, she wouldn’t have come to ask me separately. “…Just 30 minutes. People are waiting outside too.” “Yes. Okay. Just 30 minutes then.” “So, what are you curious about?” I chuckled as if to say, ask me anything, and Raven immediately brought up a question. “Internal combustion engines.” “…Huh?” A word I never imagined would come out of Raven’s mouth. “I heard that because of such engines, huge iron carriages move without horses or magic? I’m curious about the detailed principles.” “…” “Maybe… you don’t know? I’m sure I heard there was such a thing…” Is it because she’s a mage? When I told Amelia about the modern era, it was a romantic story about giant flying machines and how the people directly elect their king. “I, I don’t not know.” “Ah, really? Then tell me. About the exact principles of internal combustion engines!” “It’s… it uses steam? Thermal energy? Something like that to turn the wheels.” “…Is that it?” Raven’s eyes were cold after hearing my answer. I felt a strange sense of shame, but the more I felt it, the more brazen I became. “That’s it. Such detailed information was a top-secret matter handled by the state. It was difficult for people like us to know.” If Hyunbyul were here, she would have scoffed and looked at me with contempt. But what does it matter? Hyunbyul isn’t here anyway. There’s just one innocent local mage. “In simple terms, it’s like magic in this world? Then I understand. Even the average person doesn’t know the principles of the alternating current device, which is the basis of magical engineering.” Raven nodded with a serious face, and after that, I continued to talk about the modern era while receiving various questions. I had noticed it since she asked about internal combustion engines, but Raven surprisingly knew a lot. “It’s a field I was quite interested in.” “Really?” “Yes… I even studied it separately later.” “You studied it?” “I became a little interested after we met again. Since I was in the military, it was relatively easy to get related information…” It’s true that she used to be uncomfortable with the idea of evil spirits and avoided talking about the modern era, but now her curiosity seems to have grown even more. That’s probably why she brought it up as soon as we were alone. “By the way… it’s time.” “Ah, already?” Raven seemed disappointed, but she didn’t insist on talking more. *** The essence of a 5th-floor rift guardian is highly rare. Because there are twelve types of rifts that open, it’s more difficult to obtain a specific essence… In fact, the essence of a guardian above the 5th floor is never sold at auction. No one sells it, and even if they did, the royal family would secretly take it first. “Have you been here before, Yandel?” “No, it’s my first time. At least in this body.” “Ah…” “Didn’t you hear me say the conversation is over? Focus.” Leaving the starting point, we soon reached the boss room. Flames flickering in the middle of a blackened forest. The area around these flames was the boss room of the 5th-floor rift, ‘The Burning Forest’. Originally, it was a place that could only be reached after going through several chapters and extinguishing all the fires in the east, west, south, and north regions… But here, all those tedious processes are skipped. ‘It’s like experience points are being copied.’ Moreover, guardians here are guaranteed to drop essences. Well, when you think about it, this isn’t that significant of an advantage. ‘It’s a good thing that at least two people can enter the 5th-floor rift.’ The rifts below that can only be entered alone. In other words, you can only get the essence if you have the specs to defeat the boss alone. But usually, someone like that doesn’t need the essence of a guardian that can be hunted solo. Like the essences I’ve thrown away without eating. ‘Hmm, theoretically, if a mage solos, they could put the essence in a test tube and sell it.’ Of course, that’s just in theory, and it’s not very realistic. There might be mages who can fight a boss monster 1:1, but for that to be possible, there would have to be a huge gap between them and the boss monster due to the nature of their job. The labor costs wouldn’t even be covered. Not to mention the cost of the test tubes. “What are you thinking about so much? Why did you suddenly stop?” “Ah. I was just thinking about something else. I’m going to summon the guy now, so you go over there. Just cast the magic I asked for right now.” “Okay.” Having finished my thoughts, I reached out to the crimson flame floating in the air. Flames flared up as soon as my hand touched it, emitting a wave. 「Fire Lord Pianil has cast [Mark of Ash].」 「When the character uses a skill, they will take fire damage.」 The 5th-floor rift guardian awakens, and a gray mark is engraved on the back of my hand. And… Whoosh-! The flames, which had been swirling and growing in size, completed a form. The guardian of the Burning Forest, Fire Lord Pianil. A 4th-grade monster with the official name of Lava Lord. ‘He doesn’t say any lines either.’ I wondered if there might be any other differences, so I watched him without attacking first. Flames engulfed his entire body. He wore a mask that revealed his lower face, and his upper body was similar to that of a human. His lower body resembled a genie from a magic lamp, with flames flickering where his legs should be. ‘His appearance hasn’t changed…’ As always after meeting Duke Cambormier, I tried to talk to him, but it didn’t work this time either. So I started the attack right away. He was a mid-tier difficulty boss among the 5th-floor rifts, but if things went according to plan, it wouldn’t be too difficult. Because I’m not alone anymore. I just have to fulfill my role as a tank. Just like this. “Behel—raaaaaaaaaaa!!” Using [Giantification] and [Wild Outburst] to inflate my threat level. 「The character’s threat level is over 500.」 「All monsters within the radius will prioritize attacking the character.」 Activating the Aegis Barrier to reliably draw the aggro [aggression or attention] of the rift guardian, which is difficult to manage. And… 「Fire Lord Pianil has cast [Bell of Ash].」 Whether he uses summoning skills, or attack skills, or brings out his unique gimmicks as the phase changes. I just continue to endure in that state. It’s possible to damage him by using [Swing] after receiving buffs from Raven, but… ‘Why bother?’ The damage is already sufficient anyway. Just as Bjorn Yandel, who fought desperately in the Crimson Citadel, has grown this much, Raven has also made a lot of progress during that time. 「The fury of the forest dwells in Fire Lord Pianil.」 As I steadily poured in damage, I reached the final phase. “I said it before, but the last one takes a while.” “You can take your time. It’s nice and warm.” Bellarios’s essence is the opposite of magic damage. 「The character’s magic resistance is over 500.」 「All magic damage taken is reduced by 50%.」 If you reduce it by half and then reduce the damage again with the fire orb, you can get a sauna-like sensation. Ah, for reference, the perceived temperature is 120 degrees Celsius. “…You’ve really become a monster, Yandel.” Actually, I’ve been having trouble breathing since a while ago, but praise from a colleague makes a barbarian dance. As I held the boss monster even more diligently, Raven’s magic was completed. 「Arua Raven has cast 3rd-grade ice magic [Blooming Snowflakes].」 The little mage who barely used 6th-grade sun magic in the Crimson Citadel was no longer there. There was only the ‘Golden Mage’ who was recognized for her abilities by the royal family and became the vice-captain of the 3rd Magic Corps. ‘The naming of high-level magic is very poetic.’ Since it was a magic I was seeing for the first time, I focused and took it all in. The magic’s effect was quite simple. Swish-! First, a coldness that freezes the surrounding ground spreads around Raven’s feet. And… Whoosh-! Something translucent was shot at him like an arrow, and the moment it pierced through his body as if it had no physical force. “…” He stops moving. The heat that had been there was gone, and in the cold silence of the forest, Raven opened her mouth. “Yandel, do you know why this magic is called ‘Blooming Snowflakes’?” A quiet yet relaxed question. However, Raven didn’t give me time to answer and continued. “It’s because it blooms, literally.” “…?” “From the inside.” The magic was activated at the perfect timing, as if she had practiced it beforehand. Crack-! As if the magic had started from inside his body. Dozens of ice spikes protruding out through his skin. “But.” “…?” “There’s a reason why they’re snowflakes and not thorns.” Again, at the same time as she finished speaking, the boss monster, which had entered the final phase, turned into a burst of light in one shot. And looking at it, Raven smiled brightly. “How is it? Doesn’t it look like it’s snowing?” What is she talking about? It’s obvious that she researched the lines herself. I was wondering what to say, and then I thought about the last appearance of the boss monster that was hit by the magic. And I wondered what name I would have given it. Since I used magic to make thorns grow all over his body… ‘Trans Sea Urchin.’ Hmm, that sounds a bit weird. ‘Trans Pufferfish.’ Yeah, that’s better. *** After collecting Fire Lord Pianil’s essence in a test tube, I continued to challenge the 5th-floor guardians with Raven. As a result, a routine was created. After finishing the strategy briefing at the starting point, we always had about 30 minutes of small talk. Ah, of course, it was Raven’s request. “I’m helping you, Yandel. So stop acting like it’s a chore?” “Oh, come on… helping? How can you say such a hurtful thing between us—” “What are we? I’m not even a member of your clan right now.” I had no words to refute that. So I just chatted diligently. In the beginning, Raven seemed very curious about modern civilization, but as time went on, she started asking more questions about me. “So… what was your name there?” “Ah, didn’t I tell you?” “…You didn’t.” “Lee Han-soo. Lee Han-soo. It’s definitely not Hans, so please pay attention to the pronunciation.” “Lee Han… Shu…” “Yeah, that’s good enough.” “What’s a Yangban?” [A member of the traditional ruling class or gentry of Korea] Starting with my real name, she asked about my family, friends, and what my job was. Some of them were a bit heavy topics. After a simple background check, it was when the main topic had shifted to [Dungeon and Stone] that it happened. “…So, you’re saying you’ve opened the ‘Abyss Gate’ at least once, Yandel?” “Only in the game. Besides, I was dragged here as soon as I opened the ‘Abyss Gate’, so I don’t know what’s beyond it.” “…Wait a minute. If you came here after opening the Abyss Gate, what happens if you open it from this side?” “…?” “Th, then if you open the ‘Abyss Gate’, do you go back? To, to your original world?” “Well… maybe that’s how it could be.” “Ah, ah? Oh… I see…” “That’s enough talk. Let’s move on now.” After that, we entered the boss room and fought, and there was a close call due to Raven’s mistake, but fortunately, I was able to carry us through safely. ‘…I’ve already caught six of them.’ I was worried about the 5th-floor guardians, but the progress is going smoother than I thought. Of course, there were a few more dangerous situations than before. But is it because I’ve been through so much? This doesn’t even feel like a crisis. “Yandel, if it’s okay, how about we go into the next portal?” “…Huh?” “It’s just that I still have stamina left. And we’ve finished sharing information.” Well, that’s true, but… ‘That’s strange.’ I was suspicious of Raven’s actions, which seemed to be urging me on, but only for a moment. I gently tapped Raven’s shoulder. “Raven, from now on, I’m going to go in with someone else.” “…Yes?” “You’ve worked hard so far. Take a rest.” In short, it meant that the Crimson Citadel carry duo was over. However, Raven’s expression, which I thought would be happy, was cold. “Rest? What are you talking about? Are you going to abandon me now?” “…Abandon? What are you talking about?” It’s just that I don’t need a mage from now on. In the first place, the place we’re going now doesn’t require us to put the essence in a test tube. “I misspoke. So… if it’s not me, who are you going to go in with?” I answered Raven’s question with a chuckle, and then I headed towards one person. “Emily.” “…?” “Let’s go get some essence.” It’s time for her to get an essence too.